Joy-Full Holiday!

Happy New Year!
I am hoping this post finds you happy, well and I imagine that you are as joy-FULL as I am!

I feel like all we have done for the last 2 weeks is eat, eat, eat!  Although the food has been delectable, and very enjoyable, I am looking forward to getting the year off to a more health-full start!

I have been spending much time these last few days contemplating the New Year.  Are there resolutions I want to make?  Any habits I wish to quit or start?  The ending of some things, or the beginning?

I decided that resolutions, although they have the good intentions, are most often left to the wayside by the end of January--same for you?  Habits to quit or start, endings or beginnings?  A little of each I think--here are some of my plans for the New Year ahead:

My WORD of the year is WELLNESS-that encompasses all things in life--eating, sleeping, activity levels, emotional health, personal growth, work-life balance.

One of my INTENTIONS for the year is to increase my level of adventure when it comes to trying and cooking more ethnic foods.

Another INTENTION is to take at least one full day class (to increase my SKILL at ethnic cooking) at the Cordon Bleu in Ottawa--anyone up for a weekend trip this spring or summer??!!

I look forward to sharing more of my adventures with you this year--and hope it inspires you to enjoy more WELLNESS in your life too!  Happy New Year!
xo

One of the decisions we made today, collectively as a family, is no more meat for a few days!  To much rich food, turkey and a plethora of other meat rich, yummy foods have left us all feeling a little sluggish and a lot bloated!  We finished today off with a favourite--Chickpea Tacos, with homemade  tortillas--yummy and totally guilt-free!  I think tomorrow we'll start off with something NEW...

Raspberry Pecan Oatmeal
(serving for 1--easily doubled, tripled or more...)

1/4 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup water
pinch salt
2 pinches cinnamon (or more to taste)
1/3-1/2 cup frozen raspberries (we are still fortunate to be using frozen black-caps from our garden!)
handful of roasted pecans


Combine oats, water, salt and cinnamon in a microwave safe dish with cover.  Heat on high for 1 min.  Take out, stir and add raspberries.  Heat for another minute.  Take out and sprinkle with brown sugar, and/or milk and top with roasted pecans.  


TIP:  to roast nuts easily in the microwave, place them in a dish and heat for 30 seconds.  Stir and repeat until they are fragrant.  Great as a topping on oatmeal, salad, in cookies and desserts...


Enjoy!