It's beginning to taste a lot like Christmas

Well hello there.  It sure has been a long time since I have blogged.  Halloween was the last day I posted...HOLY how time flies!  In all honesty, I haven't made any exciting recipes in the last little while, being so busy with school and all so there hasn't been much to blog about.  And I haven't really had the time. BOO....boring, right? I totally agree! So today, I decided to make a few things that were worthy of a post!

that's my cute little Christmas tree in the background...and a random ornament that Boston likes to play with...

Breakfast was a little later today since I actually had an opportunity to sleep in!  I decided to have scottish oats...the same breakfast I have been having for the last 2 weeks!  I added an egg to the mix during the last 2 minutes of cooking.  Banana and date paste on top!  You might be wondering what scottish oats are and what date paste is....and honestly, they are the easiest and most delicious things to make ever!  For scottish oats you take rolled oats and blend them or process them until they make a flour...cook oatmeal as usual.  It makes such a creamy, smooth texture that I can't seem to get enough of.

Date paste is just as simple.  You take about 2 cups of dates, put them in a bowl, fill the bowl with water until dates are covered.  Allow them to soak overnight.  In the morning, drain them and process dates until smooth.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.  The longer they are in the fridge the thicker the paste gets.  This stuff is good on absolutely everything.  Well maybe not eggs...or pizza...but everything else :)

Try it on toast, with a little bit of cinnamon...or roll an apple (with a chop stick in it) in it and put it in the fridge until firm (tastes like a caramel apple) or roll a banana in it and freeze it!!! mmm....oh the possibilities!

Lunch was extremely boring and not worth mentioning...but dinner on the other hand (which came at around 10 pm tonight - I blame it on the late spin class I went to! Totally worth it though...even though it was hard with this lingering cold) was delish!  I cooked about 1 cup of millet in 2 cups of vegetable broth first and while that was cooking, I sautéed about 1/2 cup diced carrots with 3/4 cup onion.  While that softened I added about a cup of sliced mushrooms.  After they had cooked down I added 1 tsp of diced garlic, 1 tsp sage, 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, and a sprinkle of black pepper.  After about 1 minute I added about 4 cups of spinach.

Then I added the millet, 1 tbsp of Earth Balance and 2 eggs.

I put it in an oven safe bowl and pressed it down, and smoothed the top....in the oven it went!

After about 25-30 minutes (until corners were nice and golden brown and the centre was firm to the touch) at 350 degrees!  It turned out really great! I can't wait to have it for breakfast tomorrow...maybe with an egg on top! mmm...

without flash

I also decided to make Peppermint Bark! I can't tell you how excited I was to make this.  Ever since my sister, Nicole made it last year I have been thinking about making it! It was THAT good! Since I have a potluck to go to this weekend, it seemed like perfect timing! 

with flash

Line a square baking pan with tinfoil.  Set aside.  Fill a pot up halfway with water and put it on the stove to boil.  Put a heatproof boil overtop of the pot.  Put the dark, semi sweet chocolate chips in the bowl.  Allow them to melt.  Once they have melted, take the bowl off of the pot and put aside.  Add about 1 tbsp of vegetable oil and mix well.  The oil just makes the chocolate nice and shiny!  Pour the chocolate mixture in the tinfoil and smooth with a spatula or spoon.  Put in the fridge or freezer (if you are impatient like me) until firm.  

Do the same for the white chocolate chips.  

Make sure you do not add the white chocolate on top of the dark until the dark is firm, otherwise you won't end up with the beautiful light and dark layers of chocolate!

Add chopped candy canes on top!  I used about 4 large ones!

My oh my....

This stuff is killer!  I'm definitely going to have to hide it in the freezer if I want it to last until Friday....

So delicious it deserved 5 pictures :)

I am almost done my first semester of the Elementary Education program at UVIC! It went by sooooo fast...probably because we were so flippin' busy!  I am so excited to have the month of December off to work, relax and enjoy the holidays with my family!  This also means I will have more time for cooking, baking and blogging about food, fitness and other fun and fabulous things :)

Ahhh...it feels so good to be back in my blogging world :) Okay time for bed...I really have to try and get as much rest as possible right now so that I can get over this stupid cold.  I haven't been sick in such a long time and of course I get sick right before exams...yayyy! Incase you couldn't tell...that "yayyy" was sarcastic...I know it's sometimes hard to tell in written form ;)

Sleep tight,

Amy

OHHHHHHHH and I would like to wish my wonderful boyfriend, Francis a very Happy early Birthday (December 1st)!  Hope you have a wonderful day...really wish I could be there with you but we will celebrate this weekend! Lots of love xo

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear Francis

Happy Birthday to you...

That was me singing that to you by the way....