Tea of the Week: Earl Grey Vanilla

This week I'm taking a break from my David's Tea sampling to write about my all-time staple tea. This is the tea that I find myself making when I want something classic, familiar, and delicious. I am never without my favourite tea - Earl Grey Vanilla.

If I have to pick a regular black tea, it's always Earl Grey. I think it's the bergamot...there's just something I love about the taste and smell of Earl Grey. But add in some vanilla and it's even more heavenly. 

What's in your tea cup today? 

Tea of the Week: Chocolate Rocket

This week's tea was one that I hear a lot of people say they either LOVE (as in, favourite tea of all time love) or don't really like at all. So on one particularly crisp, cold, boring (read: homework-filled) night, Chocolate Rocket called my name from the tea cupboard and it was time to try it out.

This tea was in the "Road Trip" travel pack. It's a mate tea, which means it is definitely a stimulant. This tea is flavoured with a combination of Yerba mate, cocoa, nuts, and fruit. 

To make my tea-tasting experience even better, I enjoyed my tea in my new favourite mug. It's Polish pottery that my friend Tahlia brought back from her summer adventures there - thanks Tahl! I love it - it's the perfect size for cozying up with some tea and a blanket and it's so cute :) 

And now...drum roll please....for the final verdict...

I love it! I would definitely get this tea again - it was tasty, especially with a little bit of milk :) 

Tea of the Week: Chai Guarana

My friend Sarah over at Camp Girl in the Real World has been doing a "Tea of the Week" series for a long time now where she writes about a new flavour of tea she has tried and/or loves. It's so much fun to see all the different teas she has and to find new ones to try. I love tea, and I especially love trying new ones.

I was recently gifted with 15 sample packages from David's Tea, and so the natural conclusion was to join in on this awesome idea! My plan is to post each of the teas as I try them and let you know what I think. Feel free to send me some suggestions of your own or share what you though of the tea if you have tried it as well!

So the first one I tried was called Chai Guarana. It's made with cinnamon, black tea, ginger, anise, roasted mate, guarana seeds. I tried it with my friend Sam, and she picked this one mostly because we thought the ingredients sounded exciting. I originally was going to try a mint one, but decided to join in with this flavour because I was just in the mood for something with chai in it that day. It was so good! I liked that it was a chai flavour, with a subtle little twist of something else. I enjoy teas like that sometimes - familiar, but a little different, too.

Just as an update - we were at David's Tea last night, and I found out this tea is their most caffeinated tea, and has almost the same amount of caffeine as coffee! I didn't even know tea COULD have that much caffeine...you learn something new every day ;)

8 Simple Steps to Healthier Eating

I often hear people comment that they would like to eat healthier foods, but feel they can't because they are too busy, it's too expensive, etc. Today I want to share some simple steps that anyone can take to make healthy eating a bigger part of their lives too. Because food is important! I hope everyone has the experience of eating food that is so wonderful that they declare, "THIS. This right here is proof that God loves us!" Or is it just me that does that? Ah well, no matter how loudly *ahem* your soul sings when you eat good food, it's an important part of each of our lives, and has the ability to influence our individual health and wellness, not to mention our mood and energy. So how can we eat delicious food that is good for us too? Well, read on friends! 

1. Don't buy it! 
If you don't buy something, then you won't eat it. Seems logical, right? This is probably the most important factor for me. By choosing not to buy food you don't want to be eating anyways, you are basically eliminating the need for self-control from the equation. You only need self-control in that moment in the store and then at home it's easy! It's not there to eat so you are not going to have that problem...

2. It's all about the snacks. 
I have written before about the importance of having healthy snacks around if you want to eat healthy. I find that it is usually the in-between times when I am feeling snack-ish that I crave things like chips or chocolate. I want some tasty morsel to munch on, and it turns out that frozen grapes totally hit the spot!

Fresh produce from the garden is the best snack ever! 

3. Read the label! 
Finding a healthy option can be as simple as reading the label on things you are buying. As a general rule, the smaller the number of ingredients, the better it is. Also, avoid unpronounceable ingredients. For example, apples contain....apples. But a box of good ol' KD? Not so much. The same rule applies when you are comparing brands. When you are buying applesauce, for example, look for the brand with the least ingredients. You should be able to find a variety with literally just apples, or maybe with a little citric acid (vitamin C) to preserve it.

4. Make Substitutions One at a Time. 
The easiest way to change your lifestyle is to make one simple switch at a time. So if you really love to eat crackers, look for a better variety of crackers such as brown rice crackers, or maybe try making them yourself. Then, switch something else the next week, like finding a more natural variety of yogurt. If once a week seems like a lot, try once a month or every other week.

5. Plan Ahead. 
When you walk in the door after a busy day, starving and with absolutely no dinner plans, you are more likely to order pizza or make the Mr. Noodles that are sitting in the cupboard (which I wouldn't have in my house anyways right? haha). Menu plans are a lifesaver for eating healthy, and saving the grocery budget. I don't make a daily plan, but I try to jot down a few meals that I will make when I go grocery shopping so I make sure I have the ingredients and so that I can refer to the list when I don't know what to make. If you think about what you are eating beforehand, you are also more likely to take things out of the freezer to thaw or actually have time to pack a lunch.

Valentine's Day soup...from my Instagram feed

6. Cook Extra. 
This is my saving grace for when I forget to plan ahead. Batch cooking is where it's at y'all. Especially as a university student. I can cook a batch of chili and get 8 meals out of it...one the night I make it and 7 for the freezer. I have a whole bunch of the 2-cup Pyrex containers that I can put in the oven/toaster oven (put it in a cold oven so the glass warms up slowly and doesn't crack) or the microwave no problem. When I have to pack a lunch, I just grab one of my little meals out of the freezer and it's even better than a frozen meal from the grocery store. I will also sometimes freeze larger batches for if I have company, or Wes comes over.

7. Pack Food and NOT Money. 
I learned this trick in high school. If you don't have money to spend on eating out, you are not going to eat out. The way to combat not having food is to just pack a snack! I try to keep some easily pack-able items in my cupboard like crackers, dried fruit, trail mix, a piece of fruit, etc. (grab and go items). I also like to keep an extra granola bar or something in my bag just in case (Clif bars and Lara Bars are my favourite for a treat). This way, I can just bring a couple dollars in case I am stuck and need the subway or an emergency tea (it happens folks!) and maybe my debit card (which I can't use at most places on campus). I have saved myself a lot of money and donuts doing this. I know, because I don't always heed my own advice and pay for it (literally) later.

8. Have a Water Bottle You Like. 
Most of the time when you are just feeling peckish and want a snack, it's actually because you are thirsty or even dehydrated. I find that having a water bottle that I like helps me to keep hydrated and reminds me to bring water with me when I am out. If you are feeling like you want chips but aren't sure you are really hungry, try drinking a glass of water first. Especially if it seems like nothing you eat is really satisfying. Your body may actually be craving water and not salt or sugar.

Winter Granola

Today I have a recipe for you that is sure to make your heart happy. For sure. No question.

Ok...maybe I can't guarantee that. (Don't go suing me or something drastic). But it will make your stomach happy. At least it makes mine happy... This is just going downhill now, so let's cut to the chase, shall we? 

I love granola. I eat it almost daily, either on yogurt or with milk (I like to pretend it's cinnamon toast crunch...which is my cereal. You know, that one cereal that you ask for every time you go down the breakfast aisle in the grocery store and every. single. time. (alright, except that one time it went on sale last year) your mom says no and crushes your dreams all over again? You don't? Oh. Well tell that to my mom, please.) I also really don't like plain oatmeal (my student budget wishes I did though) and this is a good way to eat it without the nasty texture that makes me gag. Anyways, this recipe is super simple, and incredibly delicious. 

Winter Granola

Ingredients: 

3 1/2 c. Oatmeal (I prefer large flake oats that I can buy in bulk from the health food store, but any kind will work, really)

1/2 c. Milled or Ground Flax Seed (if you don't want to know it's there, just pulverize the crap out of it and no one has to know)

1/8 c. Wheat Germ (optional)

1 c. Shredded or Flaked Coconut
3/4 c. Almonds - coarsely chopped (or walnuts, pecans, or any nut you like really!) 
1/4 c. Sucanat (or packed brown sugar)
1/3 c. Butter or Coconut Oil (I usually use a combination of the two)
1/4. Raw Honey
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
3/4 c. Dried Cranberries (or raisins; even another dried fruit - optional)

Directions: 
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. In a large bowl, combine oats, flax, wheat germ, coconut, and nuts. Set aside.

3. In a saucepan, combine sugar, butter/coconut oil, honey, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil and remove from heat after 30 seconds. Stir in vanilla.

4. Pour syrup mixture over oat blend and stir to coat.
5. Spread on a large, shallow baking pan.

6. Bake for 15-20 min. or until beautifully golden, stirring occasionally. Cool.
7. When cool, add cranberries.








* For a treat, I will sometimes add semi-sweet chocolate chips. White chocolate chips are also amazing combined with the cranberries!
**Another variation is to make a maple walnut version by using walnuts and substituting maple syrup for the honey. 

***The recipe makes a lot more than the jar I pictured above. I usually freeze most of it and then keep a mason jar's worth in the cupboard so it stays fresh. I'd say I get about 4 jars, give or take. 

70 Easy Snack Ideas!

I'm always looking for new snack ideas...especially since sitting in class makes me really hungry. And I happen to do that a lot ;) I also know that if I want to avoid eating junk and feeling gross, the key is having good healthy snacks around. Not to mention how much cheaper it is to pack your own...it's a little easier to resist the call of Tim Horton's if I have a bunch of food with me already!

So here are 70 snack ideas that I generally eat on a regular basis. Most of these are grab and go options, and the rest are pretty simple to make as well.

Healthy Snacks

1.      A handful of almonds
   2.     A homemade muffin
   3.     A banana
   4.     Hummus (with veggies, pita, or crackers)
   5.     Leftovers
   6.     Dried apricots (look for ones without sulfur dioxide)
   7.     Trail mix
   8.    Granola bars (I like this recipe or these store bought ones every once in a while)
   9.     An apple with peanut butter
   10. Crackers (Try making them yourself!)
   11. Mini pizza (I make these on an english muffin, pita, tortilla, crackers, or even toast)
   12. Air-popped popcorn with sea salt and real butter
   13. Greek yogurt with berries, granola, or both
   14. Granola
   15. Applesauce
   16. Pickles
   17. Frozen grapes
   18. A piece of banana bread
   19. Dehydrated fruit chips (I like these)
   20. Half a sandwich
   21. A piece of toast
   22. A small salad
   23. Veggies and dip
   24. Roasted chickpeas
   25. A quesadilla
   26. Guacamole (with veggies, pita, tortilla chips, etc.)
   27. Sugar snap peas
   28. A hard boiled egg
   29. Half a grapefruit (I like mine drizzled with raw honey)
   30. Cashews
   31. Yogurt drops 
   32. Fruit salad
   33. Pears fried with cinnamon (just in a pan on the stove - fry on medium for 5 min. or so)
   34. Pieces of mango
   35. A smoothie
   36. Peanutbutter banana ice cream
   37. Pomegranate seeds
   38. A rice cake (I like plain ones with PB&J)
   39. Cut up melon
   40. Sweet potato fries (toss with olive oil and herbs/spices and throw 'em in the oven)
   41. Cheese, on its own or with crackers, veggies, etc.
   42. Veggies with spinach dip
   43. Tortilla chips and salsa
   44. Oatmeal
   45. Craisins (or regular raisins)
   46. Homemade popsicles
   47. Cucumber wedges
   48. Baby tomatoes
   49. Broccoli 'trees'
   50. Olives
   51. Sunflower seeds
   52. Fresh pineapple rings
   53. Homemade fruit leather
   54. A kiwi sliced in half and scooped out with a spoon
   55. Homemade pancakes or waffles – I freeze and reheat in the toaster/toaster oven
   56. Fresh raspberries - straight from the bush is even better!
   57. Rice crackers
   58. Nitrate free deli meat
   59. Shredded leftover chicken
   60. Peach slices
   61. Sliced bell pepper (or you can just cut the top out and eat it like an apple!) 
   62. Roasted pumpkin seeds
   63. An avocado
   64. Carrot sticks
   65. A mug of soup
   66. Pistachios
   67. Homemade potato salad
   68. Cold pasta salad
   69. Edamame with sea salt
   70. A tuna melt on a bagel, English muffin, toast, etc.
2. 
   
3.