Read Any Good Books Lately? I Have!

Once in a while a book comes along that captures my heart and really sticks with me.  This hasn't happened in a very long time however, until I recently read Swimming at Night.  I was very lucky and extremely grateful to receive a copy of Lucy Clarke's debut novel from Simon & Schuster Canada via the Yummy Mummy Book Club and I devoured it.

Swimming at Night tells the story of sisters Katie and Mia and their complicated relationship.  The book opens with Katie being notified that Mia has committed suicide by jumping off a cliff while traveling in Bali.  Katie is unconvinced that Mia killed herself and when she finds Mia's travel journal she decides to retrace her sister's steps to try to understand what really happened.

Swimming at Night takes you on a whirlwind of exotic locations and is cleverly written with each chapter being alternately told from each sister's perspective.  Katie reads a part of the journal and then Mia lives it out.  It is unique and very well done.

The characters are well developed and relatable and I felt like I really got to know them.  This was one of those books where I was sad when it ended.  It left me wanting to know more about these sisters and what happened before this chapter in their lives and what might happen after.  I do hope Lucy Clarke decides to keep these characters alive in more books.

I think about this story often and it is one that I will re-read.  Swimming at Night took me on an emotional rollercoaster and it really got to me, but in a good way.  I truly admire Clarke's writing style and her story-telling abilities.  If you're looking for a great summer read - or anytime read for that matter - pick this one up.  You won't be disappointed.


Note:  The book is also called Sea Sisters in other parts of the world (I'm in Canada!).

Countdown

Twelve days to go. Twelve days until the anniversary of the day when grief struck like I never knew it could.  Twelve days until I relive that day and what I felt.

April 16, 2012 was a very sunny, unusually warm day; shorts and sandals weather.  I was at home with Oliver because I was on maternity leave.  At about 3:00 p.m. my cell phone rang and on the display was a recruiting firm from Kitchener.  I didn’t answer because I initially thought it was a wrong number. 

After I thought about it for a bit, I realized my cousin, Kevin, worked for a recruiter and that maybe it was him calling. We had been exchanging emails about some baby furniture he was looking to pass on. I checked my voice mail and Kevin had left a message to urgently call him.  My heart raced and a sense of panic overwhelmed me. I called him back and he told me he had a message for me to call Dr. Blank (can’t remember his name) at St. Mary’s hospital in Kitchener.  He said, “Jen, I’m sorry, but expect the worst”. 

I frantically dialed my sister, Bev’s number and all I can remember asking is, “Did he die? Did he die?” to which she responded, yes.  She had received the same call from Kevin and had spoken to the doctor already.  From there it’s a bit of a blur.  I know that Brayden had come home from school at some point and I started to cry out for him.  I needed him to take Oliver while I crouched on the floor crying and shouting, “No, No, No!”  I also somehow called my husband and my mom and shortly after Bev and Luigi arrived at my house. 

Luigi drove Bev and I and Brayden to the hospital in Kitchener so that we could see Dad one last time and make arrangements.  I’ll never forget walking into the room where he lay.  I relive that moment almost daily. It looked like he was sleeping, but he wasn’t.  He was lifeless.  His skin was grey.  He was cold to the touch.  But he was my Dad so I hugged him and kissed his cold forehead and sobbed.  From there, this happened.

That was a Monday.  The rest of the week was a blur and was very overwhelming.   Time flew by and stood still all at once.  Funeral arrangements, phone calls, emails, etc. filled my days.  My sleep was filled with dreams of Dad.  My waking hours were filled with thoughts of Dad. 

And then it was my birthday that Thursday, April 19th.  I received sympathy cards instead of birthday cards.  I shopped for an outfit to wear to a funeral instead of to wear to a birthday celebration.  I was angry at Dad for ruining my birthday, but at the same time grateful that he had sent a card and gift ahead of time that I had already received.  That was so unlike him; he usually had to ask Bev when my birthday was and was rarely on time with wishes and cards.  Maybe he knew…

This year as the first anniversary of Dad’s passing approaches I’m feeling anxious, sad and, I don’t know, weird, I guess.  I am determined, however, to have a good birthday. I am taking the day off and treating myself to a pedicure and a great big cupcake.  I’m going to do what I want to do and thoroughly enjoy the day.  I know Dad would want it that way. 

Flour-Less Blueberry Oat Muffins

Who doesn’t love a good muffin?  After all, most muffins are really just cupcakes without the icing, right?  Knowing this, I’m not comfortable baking a standard white flour and sugar-based “cupcake” for my toddler, so I went in search of a healthier muffin recipe for the little guy and came across this fantastic one for Oatmeal Banana Breakfast Muffins.

This quickly became my favourite quick and easy muffin recipe and I have whipped up several batches in the last couple of months.  I have modified the recipe a bit by reducing the sugar (each time I put less and less in) and increasing the bananas – I use three instead of two.  While they can’t be called gluten-free unless made with certified gluten-free oats, they are flour-free and include the goodness of Greek yogurt (yes, that’s right!). 

Last weekend when the hubs came home from the market with a ton of blueberries, the wheels quickly started turning in my head about how to modify the muffin recipe to make them blueberry.  It was a precarious experiment, as an expert baker I am not, but I’m happy to say it worked!  

I like to make minis and regular-sized muffins so this recipe made 12 minis (cups full) and 6 very large regulars.  Here’s my recipe:

Flour-Less Blueberry Oat Muffins

The Ingredients:
2.5 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (you choose the fat content!)
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar (or less!)
1 ½  teaspoon baking powder
½  teaspoon baking soda
½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

The Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees (the original recipe says 400 degrees but my gas oven gets super hot, so 375 is plenty hot enough). 

Spray tin with non-stick cooking spray or line with muffin cups.  I make a combination of mini and regular muffins.
   
Place yogurt, eggs, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, apple sauce and ½ cup oats in a blender or food processor, and blend until oats are smooth.  Add the oats half a cup at a time and continue blending.

Add blueberries after blending is complete and stir until just mixed.

Pour batter into muffin cups and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. 

Bubbly blueberries fresh out of the oven!

Let me know how these turn out and if you have any other variations you’d like me to try!

ENJOY!

The Pearl Ring

The start of a new year often brings about feelings of and desire for change.  Be healthier, exercise more, eat less, quit this, start that, and on and on.  Really, at the root of all of these ‘resolutions’ is just to BE better. BE happier. BE healthier.  Just BE a good person.

I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions because I know that I probably won’t keep them.  When I make a change it has to be because I really want to and because a mental switch has gone off in my head that says, “NOW, it’s time, NOW, you’re ready”, not because the calendar year has changed.

Early in 2012 I wrote about my Grandmother, Violet Alger.  I wrote about what she meant to me and I told the story of my pearl ring – a posthumous gift for my 18th birthday.  I wrote this memoir with passion, and while I still think about my grandmother pretty much every day, the pearl ring was put out of my mind.

Last week Little O was playing in my bedroom, opening drawers and pulling out treasures.  He came across a small jewelry box that I had all but forgotten I owned.  I took it from his little hands and opened it to have a peek to see what was inside.  A couple of pairs of tarnished silver earrings, half of a gold “Best Friends” pendant, and other assorted baubles adorned the small case.  Then I noticed a fabric pouch.  Tucked carefully inside was my pearl ring.

I’m 38 years old now, which means that I’ve had the ring for 20 years.  I wore it for maybe a year after I first received it, but scared to lose it, break it, or ruin the pearl, I tucked it away for safe keeping and special occasions.

The pearl is set in yellow gold and I now only wear silver or white gold jewelry.  Yellow gold just isn’t my taste anymore and my first instinct was to return it to the pouch I found it in.  But while I held the ring and thought about what it meant to me I just couldn’t put it back in the jewelry box.   I slipped it on my right hand ring finger and thought about my grandmother.  She wouldn’t have wanted the ring to sit in a jewelry case for 20 years.  She would have wanted me to wear it and enjoy it and think of her when I look at it.

I am now wearing the ring every day and I am using it as inspiration for my ‘mantra’ for 2013: treat every day like a special occasion and remember those who have passed with love and happiness.  2012 was a bit rough for a few reasons, not the least of which was losing my Dad, so I aspire to live a bit more ‘fuller’ in 2013. The hardest lesson I learned last year was that life can be over in the blink of an eye and you only get one chance on this earth.  To that end, I aspire to BE happier and better and healthier.  This isn’t an easy thing to do and it’s not going to happen overnight, but I am going to try my hardest.

What do you aspire to BE in 2013?

ooga Mealtime Set makes Eating Fun for Little Ones!

 

I was very fortunate to recently receive an ooga®Mealtime Set from the kind folks at distributor, 2 Blue Ducks.

The cute silicone set comes with a bowl and two spoons. What makes this product unique?  It is microwave safe, dishwasher safe, freezer safe and, get this, oven safe.  Not to mention that when your toddler inevitably throws his or her bowl on the floor it will not break!  Of course they are also BPA free and not made with any harsh chemicals.

The Mealtime Set comes in an array of colours and one spoon is fashioned as an airplane while the other is a train.  Who hasn't done the old `open up the hangar, here comes the airplane` trick or `chug-a-chug-a-chug-a-chug-a-choo-choo!` in an effort to get their little one to open up?  I know I have and my son eagerly opened his mouth for these super-cute spoons. 

 If you`re not sold yet, here is some additional information about the set from the ooga website:

 About silicone:

• Will not corrode or deteriorate like plastic products
• Silicone will not support the growth of fungus, mold or bacteria
• Silicone is odourless and tasteless
• Silicone is heat resistant, microwave safe & dishwasher safe

Cleaning and care:

• Safe for dishwasher, microwave, oven, freezer & electric sterilizers
• Stains may be removed by washing with hot soapy water
• Dry products with a towel to avoid water-marks
• Store products in a dry place
• Do not store the products in direct sunlight

 You can also click on Where to Buy on the ooga website if you would like to pick one up for your special little one.  Great gift idea for Christmas too, don't you think?

A Must-Read for Everyone: With the [Stroke] of a Pen, Claim Your Life by Jane Blaufaus

Back in October I attended a fabulous conference for women bloggers called She’s Connected.  I met all kinds of amazing women, some of whom I’d gotten to know online (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) and some I was fortunate enough to meet by chance. 

Jane Blaufaus, author of With the [Stroke] of a Pen, Claim Your Life, was one of those women I was fortunate enough to be sitting at a table with during a couple of sessions at the conference.  Along with her publicist and friend, Rania Walker, Jane was not only attending the conference but she was also there to share her story and her book.

Jane’s story is one of tragedy and triumph.  She lost her husband in a plane crash when she was just 39 years old.  Suddenly a single mother and head of the household, Jane soon found that she had a lot to learn and a lot of hurdles to overcome. 

With the [Stroke] of a Pen is a real, no-holds-barred story about what it’s like to lose your spouse and the aftermath that ensues. Jane tells it like it is.  It’s full of emotion but also full of practical advice.  If you’ve never lost someone close to you it is impossible to know or to imagine all of the details and everything you must do in the days, months, and even years following a death. 

Having recently lost my Dad, I can tell you that there are decisions you’ll be making and details you’ll be taking care of that you won’t want to think about.  Things happen fast and you need to be prepared.  I can’t stress enough how important it is to educate yourself about your spouse or parent’s final wishes, finances and personal matters, but also to ensure that all of these things are in order for yourself.  There is nothing more difficult than having to make decisions in the midst of grief.  I know this first-hand. 

With the [Stroke] of a Pen also provides a summary of key take-aways following each chapter and comprehensive checklists at the end of the book.  Everything from what you need to talk to your life insurance advisor about to pre-arranging your funeral is covered in these checklists.  It truly is food for thought.

Nobody wants to talk about dying or about losing someone they love, but it does and will happen to all of us.  Have those conversations and pick up this book to help you.  You will be glad that you did.

Note:  I was provided with a complimentary copy of Jane’s book at the conference – thank you!  All opinions are my own and I was not otherwise compensated to write this blog post.  This subject matter is important and these conversations necessary! 

Chatelaine Magazine is my Go-To Resource for Easy Weeknight Meals

Meal planning is a top priority for me and makes life so much easier on busy weeknights.  While I love to experiment and try new recipes, I also like to ensure that what I choose to cook for my family has familiar ingredients and can be prepared in less than 30 minutes.

Time and again the recipes I try from Chatelaine magazine are winners on all counts: quick, easy, familiar ingredients and, most importantly, delicious. The food editor of this Canadian icon has really got it right by providing fantastic recipes and meal ideas.

I’ve been known to rip out recipe pages from Chatelaine at the doctor’s office (shhhh, don’t tell!) but absolutely love the online food and recipe section of their website.  With features like meal plans, grocery lists and 30-minute meals the site makes it easy to find what you’re looking for and help you to plan ahead. 

Screenshot from Chatelaine.com

Here are some of my favourites, with my notes, that have become regulars in our dinner rotation.  Click on the titles to be redirected to the recipes.

Pork and Pepper Stroganoff
So fast, so easy, so tasty.  I omit the jalapeno (for my toddler’s sake) and serve it over egg noodles. 

Hong Kong Chicken Curry 
A great recipe to use up carrots and potatoes.  Adjust the spice to your taste.  I double it!   The recipe calls for chicken thighs, but boneless, skinless breasts would work too.

Spicy Garlic Noodles with Pork 

This is the most requested meal in my house.  Extremely fast to prepare and full of flavour, I serve it over rice stick noodles (which cook in 3 minutes!) instead of pasta.  

Singapore Noodles 

I’ve added broccoli to this one too, and I always omit the shrimp (personal preference).  I add extra curry powder too.  We like curry, in case you couldn’t tell…

Chunky Chipotle Pork Chili

This is a nice alternative to the usual ground meat chili.  I have used canned chipotle chilis in adobo sauce.  Be careful though, they are spicy!

Juicy Pork Souvlaki

Juicy and tasty, indeed.  Serve it with some roasted potatoes, homemade tzatziki sauce (SUPER easy to make) and a green veggie.  A simple but flavourful dinner.

If you’re looking for inspiration for dinner (or any meal, really) make sure you stop by Chatelaine.com or pick up this month’s issue.  You won’t be disappointed!