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holiday gifts 2014
Desserts

Holiday Gift Ideas 2014

Holiday Gift ideas 2014

holiday gifts 2014

 

Happy Plugs – I just got my first set last month and I love them! They really are jewellery and headphones combined! I have the rose gold and they look so good with my rose gold accessories. If you have a favourite colour or have a friend who loves a particular print, I’m certain you can find matching Happy Plugs for him or her. Makes for a great Secret Santa gift.

Vitabath Holiday Scents – Lathering yumminess. I love these holiday scents and they make for great presents because they come in a duo set.

Jelly Doughnuts – Instead of the usual box of chocolates, why not get that someone gourmet doughnuts? They have an amazing selection for the holiday season too! Check their website for locations in Toronto.

Marsala – You heard the big news right? Pantones colour for 2015 is Marsala. So why not give your fashionista friends a head start and get them something in Marsala to rock right into the new year? I know there has been some backlash of why this colour was chosen. But you can’t impress everyone. I personally love the colour and it can be worn through your outfits to your everyday make-up looks.

Cuppies – Here are my fave sites to get a special someone that unique cup they’ll be using all winter season long for their hot coco’s and lattes: Creature cups, Davids Tea & Royal Albert for the dainty.

 

Happy Holiday Gift Shopping! 

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watermelon smoothie humjk.com
Food

Watermelon Smoothie

Watermelon smoothie

Watermelon isn’t only made up of water and sugar. It also provides a high amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

What better way to say farewell to the summer weather in Toronto then with a smoothie like this. What a short lived season we had, but that’s not new for us Torontonians.

One evening I had a really bad headache and truth be told, I don’t like taking any kind of medication for it. Instead I did some research on possible causes and solutions. BINGO! Dehydration is a major cause of headaches and this fruit is a great solution since it’s 91% water.

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup of watermelon
1 frozen banana
1 peeled green apple

 

Purée watermelon in blender. You can strain the slush or leave it as is. Add the watermelon back into the blender with the banana and apple. Blend.

 

watermelon smoothie humjk.com

 

 

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caramel apple french toast recipe
Food

Caramelized Apple French Toast

caramel apple french toast recipe

It’s been a great weekend with wonderful summer weather, but before this weekend I bet you couldn’t help but notice the leaves falling off trees. Fall is coming close and the summer season is ending in Toronto. This is the perfect fall inspired recipe for French toast. I think of Fall with the mention of apple pie, apples dipped in caramel, baked apples. YUM!

Did you know French toast was not invented in France. 

French toast was around before France even existed. The exact origin of French toast is actually unknown.

french toast

French Toast

Ingredients

2 gala apples, peeled and sliced
3 eggs
4 tablespoons brown sugar, divided use
1 cup of cream cheese
2 ½ tablespoons powdered sugar; extra for sprinkling over top
1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla emulsion (or extract)
2 tablespoons butter
a pinch ground cinnamon
½ cup whipped cream
Maple-Syrup
4 slices of Italian multi-grain bread (or whatever bread you prefer. The thicker the better)

*This will feed 4 people if each person is having 1 slice of bread. 

Prep cream cheese filling:

Add cream cheese, the 2 ½ tablespoons of powdered sugar and ¼ teaspoon of the vanilla emulsion to a bowl and using a hand mixer or kitchen aid mixer, blend until creamy.

Caramelized apples:

Place a large frying pan over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of butter. When the butter has melted, add apples and sauté them for 3 mins. Apples should be soft and light brown. This is when you can add 3 tablespoons of brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. Sauté them for another 2 minutes. Add water as desired for a more syrup like texture. Put into a bowl and keep them warm. Maybe in the microwave.

apples

French toast prep:

Whisk together the eggs, whipped cream, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and the 1 teaspoon of vanilla emulsion until well blended.

Place a large frying pan over medium heat and rub a stick of butter in the hot pan. Dip a bread slice into the batter and coat both sides. Add it to the hot buttered pan and allow it to brown for about 3 minutes per side. Keep each slice when done in the oven so it stays warm until you’re done all the slices.

Putting it altogether:

Place one slice of French toast onto a plate, spread on a couple of tablespoons of the cream cheese; add caramelized apples over the cream cheese. Put another slice of French toast on top and add a dash of powdered sugar on top with your preferred amount of maple syrup.

Enjoy!

best french toast ever

 

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salmon recipe
Food

Jerk Salmon

salmon

 

This is the easiest and most delicious salmon you’ll ever make!

I bought my salmon with it already sitting in marinade which made the process of putting together this recipe a lot faster. I bought mine from Loblaws. If you’d like to try your own home made marinade then try this quick recipe for jerk marinade: here. Rice and vegetables are the best sides for this main dish as the fish can be very filling on its own.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Brush fish evenly on both sides with olive oil and salt and pepper on the flesh side.

3. Place fish into pan, flesh side down and allow to cook for approx. 5 mins. Flip fish to the skin side and put into preheated oven. Cook for about 12 mins.

salmon recipe

 

Enjoy!

 

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Food

Black & White: Items for motivation

hum jk desk situation

It’s easy to get into a rut and struggle with being able to do anything due to the lack of motivation you’re feeling.

Whether it’s because you’re not feeling well, working hard 9-5 and have the burn out blues or just plain old lazy.

When lacking motivation I like to set up my desk area with things that will motivate me and give me that extra energy or push to get my mind back into full swing.

Smoothie for thought

Find ingredients that’ll give you a burst of energy. Here’s a recipe I came up with:
hum jk motivation
Handful of blueberries
2 ice cubes
1 teaspoon of chia seeds
1 and half mango cut into cubes
half a cup of milk

Put everything into your blender (I used my magic bullet) and blend away! Instant energy booster.

I love staying up to date with Fashion and the most current trends. I’ve subscribed to some of my favourite magazines and when I have a chance I sit down and read them all. A lot of the times some of the articles spark ideas and I go on a photo and writing frenzy.

Scents can really wake you up! Whether it’s a fragrance or a scented candle. I love Guerlain! My Insolence isn’t everyone’s cup of tea because of its unique scent, but fresh flowers is a good alternative.

hum jk motivation 3

Writing down your ideas and starting a brainstorming session makes a huge difference. I have a few notebooks where I keep all of my ideas. One of my favourites is a moleskin notebook. I keep one in my purse at all times. It’s great for when you come up with an idea on the go. Writing it down vs typing it in your phone feels a lot safer, private and can trigger even more ideas. I’m pen happy, so it works for me.
hum jk motivation 2
What gives you instant energy and motivation?

 

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Desserts

Sweet & Salty Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I have been a HUGE fan of Dad’s chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies for as long as I can remember. Recently I found them in the chewy kind and I just fell deeper in love. With a cold glass of milk, you can easily eat a half a box. Or at least I can.

Then one day my…

“I wanna bake something with chocolate from scratch”

feeling kicked in and my husband suggested I take a shot at baking these yummy creations. After two bakes, we have mastered the very best chocolate chip and oatmeal cookie recipe.

I know I’ve said this before in my previous recipes. I mind as well make a motto of it.

Taste it, tweak it & make it yours.

Everyone likes a different amount of salt or chocolate or whatever it may be in their food. So choose accordingly. Take risks, baking should be fun!

cookies oats

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 3/4 all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of baking soda
3 1/2 cups of quick cooking oats
1 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips OR milk chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Don’t over mix. Cream for about 4-5 mins by hand. This ensures your cookies don’t fall flat. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended.

Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto un-greased baking sheets.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

TIP: Chill the mix for 2 hours prior to baking and the cookies won’t spread.

cookies

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Garlic Chicken
Food

Easy Garlic Chicken

If you haven’t noticed from my previous recipe posts, I love easy recipes. I work all day and come home and need something healthy, fast & flavorful. This recipe goes amazing with potatoes, steamed veggies or rice. The outcome of this recipe is a sweet, spicy (depending on whether you add spices), garlic glazed chicken. I recommend using aluminum foil on top of your roasting/baking pan for an easier clean up.

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Add spices and herbs as desired. (I used a spice rub from William Sonoma and spices by Club House)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450F and line a baking/roasting pan with aluminum foil, lightly coat or brush oil on foil.

In a small sauté pan, sauté garlic with olive oil until tender. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar. Add additional spices, salt etc as desired.

Place chicken breasts in the prepared baking/roasting pan and cover with the garlic/brown sugar mixture. Add salt and pepper on top for taste. I used sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Bake uncovered for 15-30mins, check on the chicken.  The cooking time differs depending on the size and how thick the chicken breast is.

There you have it!
Garlic Chicken

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Desserts

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

My obsession for chocolate chip banana bread believe it or not was purchasing a loaf from the Forest Hill Shoppers Drug Mart. It was the perfect balance of sweet, yet salty and moist. My advice for this recipe is tweak it where you need to in order to get to perfection. Your perfection could differ from mine by a 1/2 teaspoon of more salt or less. On that note, take risks and enjoy! :”)

Prep Time: 2hrs

Ingredients
1 cup of granulated sugar (or regular sugar)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (or salted based on your preference. I used salted once.)
2 large eggs
3 ripe bananas (1 cup of mashed bananas)
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup of chopped pecans (optional)
Semi-sweet chocolate chips (as many as desired or 1/3 cup is what I put)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray/Butter/Oil up a 9×5 inch loaf pan with a non-stick spray coating preferably.

Mix or blend together the eggs, butter, buttermilk, mashed bananas and milk.

Sift together the sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add this to the mixture above and stir in desired pecans and/or chocolate chips. Mix well.

Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake 1 hour and 20 minutes. However, check up on the bread after an hour and do the toothpick test. If it comes out clean, it’s ready. From my experience sometimes it’s 1 hr 14mins or 1 hr based on maybe a miss-measurement of ingredients or the oven you use.

Banana Bread

 

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Stuffed Chicken
Food

Stuffed Cajun Chicken

Stuffed Chicken

Easy Stuffed Cajun Chicken

Ingredients:

Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 40 mins
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 oz cheese, shredded (you can use up to 6 oz) I used mozzarella and havarti jalepeno cheese
• 1 c frozen spinach, thawed and drained (you can also use fresh cooked spinach)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning – I bought mine from William Sonoma
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs (I use the regular kind but the italian one is better)
• Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Lots of toothpicks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Flatten the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness.

In a medium bowl, combine the cheese, spinach, salt and pepper.
Combine the Cajun seasoning and breadcrumbs together in a small bowl.
Spoon about 1/4 c of the spinach mixture onto each chicken breast. Roll each chicken breast tightly and fasten the seams with several toothpicks. I typically use about 8 toothpicks in each roll to ensure none of the filling seeps out. Be sure to count how many total toothpicks were used.

Brush each chicken breast with the olive oil. Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning mixture evenly over all. Sprinkle any remaining spinach and cheese on top of chicken (optional).
Place the chicken seam-side down onto a tin foil-lined baking sheet (for easy cleanup). Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove the toothpicks before serving. Count to make sure you have removed every last toothpick. I topped the stuffed chicken with saffron sauce. If you’d like the recipe for saffron sauce please leave a comment below.

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StuffedGreenPepper
Food

Stuffed Green Pepper

Here’s the deal. You come home from the gym and you’re exhausted! Your body aches and you just want to drop to the floor. Don’t let the beat drop just yet and pick yourself up to try this AMAZING stuffed green pepper recipe. Quick and easy.

Prep Time: 35mins

You will need:
Whole Green Peppers ( 1 for each person)
Rice
Dice tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli (whatever veggies you want)
Crushed cashews
Chicken breast cut into cubes
Cheese
Coriander

How to:
Put your rice in a rice cooker or Uncle Ben’s instant rice
Cut the top out of the green peppers. Clean them out. Place in oven to soften to desired texture.
In a sauce pan cook your chicken breast cubes until cooked. You can add honey, or just salt, pepper and cayenne pepper for a more spicy flavour.

Add your chopped veggies and crushed cashews. Sauté veggies with soy sauce or any other sauce you prefer. Healthier substitute would be coconut oil.

Place rice inside whole green pepper, chicken, veggies, rice again, topped with cheese and coriander. The images attached are a beef version I did.

Stuffed Green Pepper

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