Monthly Archives: December 2011

Traditional Transplant.

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Erica Wodzak| Leave a comment

{i used to be an all-star snowman maker, i'll have you know}

This weekend is one of the rare ones that I’ll be spending in Vancouver this winter.  I typically hop a bus up to Whistler every Friday, returning  Sunday night to jump straight into my bathtub to soak my aching body–snow sports are not for the faint of heart.

Instead of gondolas and après-ski (and my Friday’s Five, which is on hiatus this week), the next few days will be filled with my attempts to have as festive a weekend as possible, without the requisite snow from my childhood (thanks, ocean climate). The reason for the big push for holiday spirit is that my boyfriend, who is Australian, will be in the city and he  just doesn’t understand the whole “holly jolly Christmas” thing. Something about December being summertime… mate?

Because I’m so eager to share, and because I refuse to believe that anybody can resist me when I use brute force, I’m going to try to adapt some of my favourite holiday traditions to my life in Vancouver.  This way, I can begin my real holiday celebrations (you know, beyond the baking and eating) a week early. Oh, right, this wasn’t about me. I mean this way dearest Luke can get a real Canadian Christmas!

So here are some of my favourite traditions. Some are older than others, but all are enjoyed by my family and friends just the same. I’m not quite sure how to adapt some of them (or if I will at all), but nonetheless, here they be!

{i’m still dreaming of a White Christmas}

1- Yeah, I like Bing Crosby. Is that weird? Blame it on my dad. Every year on Christmas Eve, my parents, sister, and I sit at home, make a snack-y kind of dinner (because the real dinners will come in the days following), and watch White Christmas. It’s such an obvious classic, and a tradition that my dad started with his family when he was young.  I love that!

{cute & cozy, just what i need}

2- Ever since I can remember, my mum would buy my sister and I brand new pyjamas to wear on Christmas Eve so that we’d wake up Christmas  morning looking as nice as possible (and I’ll take all the help I can get, thankyouverymuch). It started with onesies covered in sleighs and reindeer, evolved into festive flannel disney princess patterns, and now mum’s go-to is Victoria’s Secret. You know, the family-friendly version.

{beautifully understated decorations}

3- I, unlike 99% of people, actually really love doing my holiday shopping in the days right before Christmas. I love the rush and bustle of the shopping malls, and the sparkly decorations everywhere. Oh, and don’t forget the last minute sales, because those also rock. But really, what other time of the year can you go shopping endlessly without any guilt? It’s not frivolous spending if I’m giving it away…

{no clue as to what's inside...}

4- After weeks and weeks of taunting each other with useless hints, my sister and I are usually dying to see what we got each other. If I wear it on the ski hill, I’ll die and If I put it on my head I might get hit by a car? What is that… wait, a backpack? My sister gives crummy hints–this I also remember from years past. But we always open each others’ gifts first, every year.

{absolutely blissful butterscotch}

5- My grandma’s famous butterscotch squares. Growing up, I believed that they actually only sold the ingredients for these yummies in December, which explained why that’s the only time of year we’d see them. It wasn’t until I was moving to Vancouver, and Grandma made me a batch to take on the road in August, that I realized I was wrong. To me, these are the epitome of Christmas. Obviously, because they’re food.

So that’s it! I’ve got no idea how I’m actually going to use these to make my poor, unsuspecting boyfriend realize that Christmas is awesome, but they’re fun either way. If you’ve got better ideas for something that can be done with just the two of us, I’d love to hear it. And finally, I want to share a memory from a Christmas past with you, because it just wouldn’t be December 25th without jolly old Saint Nick.

{me, left, with my sister; circa 1993}

Yea, that’s right. I smile good. This photo belongs in a ridiculous childhood montage or something…

images via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 + my mum&dad!

Filed under Home Life

Good Eats.

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Erica Wodzak| Leave a comment

{gingerbread: not a vegetable}

Don’t worry, this isn’t another recipe post. Yes, there is actually a time in my life when I’m not thinking about or making food, and today is one of those times. Actually, that might be a lie.

This morning I woke up with my mouth tasting like sugar (yuck, not okay at 6am), and I immediately thought “god I need some vegetables”. You know you’ve reached a sugary rock-bottom when your first thought of the day is about boiled carrots.

My veggie craving made it glaringly obviously that most of the things I’ve whipped up in the past few weeks are super high in refined sugar, and seriously lacking in any nutritional value. “But it’s December” you say, “it’s a time for goodies and treats. Work it off in the new year!”.  It’s not the calories that are bothering me though, it’s the lack of nutrition that I’m getting. For a generally healthy person, I’ve barely been getting two servings of fruit and veggies per day–girl, that ain’t right.

{butternut squash- almost as great as pumpkin!}

Here’s the thing. Back in 2006, I was a textbook junk-food addict. I ate peanut butter and nutella sandwiches for breakfast and lunch, and frozen pizza for dinner. I’d get only lettuce on my (very meaty) burgers, and leave any other trace of plant-life off. Isn’t it healthy if it’s got lettuce on it? Errmm…

When I finally realized that my diet was hurting me (and I mean seriously hurting me. I’ve got food sensitivities that can knock me out of commission for days at a time), I figured it was time to wisen up. Truth be told, I was suffering from nutritional ignorance.

{vegan enchiladas, need i say more?}

At first it was tough to figure out the world of nutrition, especially since I was starting from zero-knowledge, but in the long run I greatly benefited from my trials and errors. First of all, I became vegetarian, due to my sensitivity to meat. Second, I learned to incorporate foreign vegetables and fruit into my diet that I had otherwise never even heard of. No, really, I’d never even heard of an avocado until I was 20 years old.

Nearly 5 years later, I’ve learned to feel the physical effects of different foods on my body. When I was training for a 10k and eating tonnes of vegetables and stir-frys, I had no problem pushing myself week-to-week to increase my pace. And when I was going through rough times and neglecting my diet, I was perpetually fatigued and sluggish.

So what doe s this tell me (or you, for that matter)? It tells me that although it’s fun to indulge in a little bit (okay a lot) more sugar than usual around the holidays, it’s no time to be ignoring my health. Morning sugar-mouth aside, I’ll be strengthening my immune system during cold and flu season, and I’ll look and feel so much better. What’s not to love about that? Finally, sweet treats will taste even sweeter when I do indulge,  because they’re actually treats; ‘treat’ means ‘not every day’!

{i swear this is healthy}

To help me (and you!) remember to stay healthy and well-fed this month, here are a few links to some recipes that are not only delicious, but full of good stuff that’ll help me get through my hours of holiday engagements. And if you’ve got any to add, I’d love for you to share them!

  1. Kabocha squash gnocchi–a must make, I promise.
  2. Roasted butternut squash & goat cheese? Yes please.
  3. Black bean Yamburgers, because I love a good burger.
  4. Vegan enchiladas (with that foreign avocado). Mexican? Irresistable.
  5. Grilled fish tacos for the pescatarian in me. Protein!
  6. Vegan mac ‘n cheese, a huge favourite in my house.
  7. Crockpot quinoa chili, a vegetarian protein powerhouse.

To summarize, here’s what I like to think about when it comes to eating right. Going to work, or any engagement for that matter, with a hangover is an obvious faux-pas; you feel like crap and you make a poor impression. The same can be said for a sugar hangover and the inevitable energy crash; you’re tired, you’ve got a stomach ache, and you’re not in the mood to be social. Therefore, indulge wisely, and impress your peers accordingly!

images via 1, 2, 3, 4

Filed under Home Life, Work Life

Oh, Fudge.

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Erica Wodzak| Leave a comment

So I know I said I was done with the pumpkin. I honestly thought I was. But I had busted out this recipe a few weeks ago, and the first few attempts just didn’t fare well (read: I burned my stainless steel pot to a crisp).

Never one to give up, I was determined to make my pumpkin fudge a third and final time. And what do you know–third time’s the charm.

I really was expecting myself to go ‘blech’ at the taste due to it being December (why, these taste like October!), which is clearly a time for all things peppermint. In fact, I’d practically made a list of people whom I could dump these little treasures onto, because I was dreaming of bigger and mintier things. But one taste and I was hooked. As in, 4-day-sugar-rush hooked.

I wanted to preface this by saying “it’s super easy to make!” but as previously stated, I had to sacrifice numerous tubs of marshmallow creme and one very dear member of my Lagostina kitchenware family. So instead, I will say “follow the directions very carefully, and should your fudge turn a black, charcoal-y colour, ABORT MISSION”. For some reason, that wasn’t my first instinct on attempt number one.

{perfectly creamy pumpkin fudge}

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 2/3 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 7 ounces marshmallow creme
  • 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Line a 9×9 inch pan with aluminum foil, and set aside.
  2. In a 3 quart saucepan, heat milk and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
  3. Mix in pumpkin puree and cinnamon; bring back to a boil. Stir in marshmallow creme and butter. Bring to a rolling boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 18 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat, and add white chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir until creamy and all chips are melted. Pour into prepared pan. Cool, remove from pan, and cut into squares. Store in a cool, dry place.

One final warning: this fudge turns out super creamy and delicious, and is perfect for bribery.

{molded in mini cupcake tins}

To note: I attempted to make this at first without a candy thermometer, and that’s probably where I went wrong. Once I got a thermometer and followed these directions, everything worked. I also didn’t line my pan with foil, which resulted in the fudge crumbling slightly when I removed it. In hindsight, I’d recommend the tinfoil lining, because it’ll make your fudge look nicer and more presentable.

Filed under Recipes

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