Snacking Squirrel

Birthday Boy Cupcakes

2012-01-30T12:44:00.000-08:00

I've been in Vancouver for the past week enjoying the chance to spend time

with my oldest brother, who in fact, just celebrated his 26th Birthday yesterday

His girlfriend baked and decorated these cute little cupcakes for him

Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting and Rainbow Sprinkles

I haven't made cupcakes in a long time, so when I get back home I

should rummage through my recipes and whip something up for you guys!

Uh oh! Casper, their cat, spotted the cupcakes!

"Sniff Sniff" Purr

I didn't take any photos of my travels, but you can check back

here to see what what I got up to the last time I was in Vancouver

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

2012-01-20T08:44:00.000-08:00

I must confess, I've been spending less time blogging and more time

exploring; I didn't want to leave all of you out of my adventures, so

I thought we could go for a winter walk together down by the ocean

Snow covered grasses

Stairs to the beach

Snowy pathway

Overlooking the Pacific Ocean

Breathtaking

Exploring hidden pathways along the cliffside

Clear waters

Gorgeous oceanfront properties

Footprints ahead of me

Private driveway

The lights along the fence posts are quite mystical

Trees covered in ivy

Look up, look waaaaay up

Vantreight Park

Leaving behind my ~~footprint~~ pawprint in the snow haha

McDonald's Binge

2012-01-15T07:16:00.000-08:00

So its not the most charming title for a post, nor the most

elegant place to have dinner, but when you come back home

starving, sometimes McDonald's food is what you'll reduce to

Don't worry, this isn't ALL for ME! My mom treated me, so I had to share haha.

She had the Medium Decaf Coffee and Medium Fries and I had the 6 Piece Chicken

Nugget Meal with Medium Fries and a Large Diet Coke, with Ketchup on the side

I'll be honest, its been over 5 years since I've eaten McDonald's (insert

gasp), but I was too hungry and too tired to defend against its greasy

goodness. Oh why do they have to put crack in their food? Haha

Moral of this post: Treat yourself, be it fast food, cake, chocolate,

ice cream etc. every once in awhile... and never feel guilty about it!

Calgary Part Four: Airport Fast Food

2012-01-14T09:10:00.000-08:00

After my fabulous and fun trip to Calgary, it was time to head back home to Victoria. I

was so famished once we arrived at the airport that I caved in for burgers and fast food

A&W Mozza Burgers for Reece and I

Yes, those are two burgers stacked on top of

each other haha, our "Super Double Mozza"?

After saying goodbye to Reece, I decided to order something

delicious to drink from Starbucks while waiting for my flight

Starbucks Grande White Chocolate Mocha with Whipped Cream

Followed by dessert... yes more fast food! :)

Tim Hortons Blueberry Apple Fritter with Jelly Filling

Then I boarded the plane with a happy tummy

Bye for now Calgary!

In case you missed it: Part One

In case you missed it: Part Two

In case you missed it: Part Three

Calgary Part Three: Tattoo and Food

2012-01-13T09:48:00.000-08:00

A snow dusted morning on Stephen Avenue

Stephen Avenue is basically a major pedestrian mall in Calgary.

The street is known for some of the finest restaurants, cafes, pubs and

bars, along with a diverse range of boutiques, spas, and high-end retail

Warming up with a Large Apple Cinnamon Tea from Tim Hortons

With 1/2 a packet of Splenda stirred in for sweetness

I highly recommend this one to all of you. Tastes freakishly similar to hot apple cider!

...Why would I take a photo of a tattoo and piercing shop?

Heroes and Villains Tattoo and Piercings

Well, because I got a tattoo!

It's a tattoo of 5 blackbirds ~~soaring through the~~

~~sky~~ soaring on the side of my left wrist/forearm

Blackbird: A Light in the Darkness

"When a blackbird flies into your life your connection with

nature and the forces of creation increase. The magic of the

underworld surfaces in your life. Awareness in heightened

and change on a cellular level begins. The blackbird teaches

you how to acknowledge your power and use it to its fullest"

It's still healing which is why it looks a little rough/scabby in the photos

Now let's change the subject from tattoos to food!

Sunterra Market. Below are a collection of photos of all

the meals and snacks I bought here, throughout my trip

My make-it-yourself salad from the Salad Bar

Spinach, Romaine, Cucumber, Green Onion, Edamame, Chickpeas,

Sundried Tomatoes, Chicken, Hard-boiled Egg, Pickled Bell Peppers,

Jerusalem Artichokes, with a sweet and tangy Date and Balsamic Dressing

Greek Salad with nice big chunks of Feta Cheese and Olives

Lemon and Herb Roasted Salmon

The best salmon I have eaten thus far; Flaky, oily,

melt-in-your-mouth, and loaded with lemon and dill

Marinated Vegetable Salad

And I saved the best for last: Chocolate Lover's Delight Muffin

White Chocolate Chunks and Dark Chocolate Chips.
Addictively sweet and impossible to resist! I kept it in my
purse for spontaneous snacking, but that didn't last long :)

In case you missed it: Part One

In case you missed it: Part Two

Calgary Part Two: Zoo

2012-01-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

We're headed to The Calgary Zoo for part two of

my travels. It was also my first time visiting a zoo!

So lets venture back 150 million years ago and take a stroll through Prehistoric Park

Dinosaur canyons

Along the path there were large statues of various species of

dinosaurs; Regrettably I didn't take photos of them to show you

Entering the African Savannah

A Meerkat digging in the dirt

Porcupines taking a nap in the corner

Two beautiful Giraffes

Red River Hogs

Tilapia Fish, ~~good enough to eat~~

The creepy Tilapia who lost one of its eyes!

Me standing at the entrance of Transalta Rainforest

Entrance into the Rainforest

Warm and humid inside; A nice contrast to the cooler winter weather outdoors

West African Dwarf Crocodile

Gorillas

Gorillas playing

Birds of some sort

Gorgeous hanging foliage

A little friend who was out taking a stroll

More views of the scenery

Two fuzzy Mongoose Lemurs cuddling in the tree

Back outdoors to find a Red River Hog? playing with some sort of drum?

Ostriches and Zebras

The mysterious rock cave

Lion's Den

Three of them on the left-hand side

Snacking Squirrel!

"Garden of Life"

Tree of Life?

Inside the Dorothy Harvie Gardens

This is my favorite photo as it reminds me of a mystical tropical island

you could only dream of living on. And speaking of tropical, we noticed

they had avocados, pineapples, among other fruits, growing in the gardens!

There were also many other animals there, such as Hippos, Elephants, Camels,

etc. but I didn't capture photos of them all. I will end this post by saying that even

though I am opposed to the idea of confining animals to cages for viewing, the

positive aspects of conservation efforts, research, and education were redeemable.

Simply put, it was a wonderful day filled with lots of laughter and learning :)

In case you missed it: Part One

Calgary Part One: Downtown

2012-01-11T11:16:00.000-08:00

I took as many photos as I could of my trip to Calgary, Alberta. Follow

me through the photos that capture the many fun adventures I had...

View of Downtown Calgary from the hotel room at The Marriott

View of the Calgary Tower through the window

Looking out across downtown

Breakfast at Tim Horton's

Toasted Mixed Berry Bagel with Light Cream Cheese

Breakfast Sandwich with a fresh slice of Tomato

for Reece (a.k.a. my dashing host and tour guide)

Reece and I hanging out in the park/square

They were setting up for an outdoor music

festival/dance/DJ thing we went to that night

Stage set up

PK Sound

Central Memorial Park

Views of the park

Black Squirrel

Walking around downtown

Tall buildings

Lot's of great malls and shopping centres

Holt Renfrew

The Bay Centre

Calgary transit and train stations

Train

Riding on the train

My Fast Food Dinner: Chicken Combo with Chickpeas, Roasted

Red Pepper Puree, Salad with Feta Cheese, and Tzatziki Sauce

Reece got what I believe was a Chicken Gyro with Tzatziki

The Calgary Tower, heading back to the hotel

Settling in to the hotel, with a hot Tim Horton's Green Tea in hand.

Exhausted from a long and busy first day of sightseeing, walking, shopping,

walking, eating, walking, hoping trains, walking...and more walking haha

Destination Calgary

2012-01-06T07:59:00.000-08:00

Snacking Squirrel is headed for Calgary. I will be on blog

hiatus for a few days, but promise to return with pictures!

I will miss you all. Talk to you soon.

ABC Taco Bowl Salad

2012-01-05T08:44:00.000-08:00

Avocado, Black Bean and Chicken Taco Bowl Salad

You can find my easy do-it-yourself-step-by-step photo

instructions on how to make the tortilla taco bowl here

I stuffed the Brown Rice Tortilla Taco Bowl with Romaine Lettuce, Broccoli

Sprouts, Tomatoes, Red Onion, Grilled Chicken, Black Beans, Avocado, and Salsa

And squeezed Lemon Juice over top, then seasoned with Black Pepper

Quite similar to my Pinto Bean Taco Bowl Salad. You can also

check out my salmon salad variation or vegan tempeh version

Raspberry Coconut Bran Muffin

2012-01-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

Each year begins the same as hundreds of thousands of people embark upon a

new years resolution to diet. Although the intentions are well and the effort is

in place, the motivation to continue on a new plan typically dies after the first

few weeks. As tempting as it may be to follow suit, I have a much better idea...

Don't diet! Save yourself the unnecessary disappointment,

ravenous cravings and rebound weight gain by eating a sensible,

balanced diet that allows for muffins, pizza, burgers, chocolate, etc.

Raspberry Coconut Bran Muffin from Cascadia Bakery

Why would you want to start the year off feeling miserable, trying to follow monotonous,

bland diet plans that restrict you from eating out with friends and celebrating your life?

Of course, I am no expert on diet and nutrition, but it seems pretty clear that if you make

daily goals to eat more vegetables, increase your daily activity, enjoy treats in moderation,

smile and laugh, then you have the only recipe you'll need for a happy and healthy life

And there's no way I could ever be happy without knowing there was

~~occasionally~~ a delicious muffin and tea waiting for me in the morning!

This Raspberry Coconut Bran Muffin is a new addition to the Cascadia family

Plus it's a bran muffin so you know you'll get some benefits out of it... haha

Question: What are your views on diet resolutions?

2012 New Year

2012-01-01T14:38:00.000-08:00

Just wishing you a happy and healthy 2012 New Year!

I thought using vegetables would be fitting, given than many

people focus their resolutions around health and fitness goals

It also made photographing more enjoyable; stopping

intermittently to snack on celery sticks and grape tomatoes

Although I opted out of munching on the garlic cloves, for good reason

Questions: What are some of your resolutions for 2012?

What aspects of your life would you like to see improved?

Hauling Out The Holidays

2011-12-30T15:43:00.000-08:00

My holiday break has been relaxing; I've been able to spend more

time cooking and baking, catching up with family, basking by the fireplace,

eating chocolate, and reinforcing my spot in the sofa, watching movies :)

But the holiday season is winding down, which means that the decorations

and outdoor lights must be taken down, and xmas oven mitts stored away

On second thought, I think my red oven mitt with snowmen,

snowflakes and hot chocolate can stay a bit longer... it's too cute!

Do you know what else I should get rid of? My horrible

Kabocha Squash habit! New Year's Resolution perhaps?

The usual Roasted Kabocha Squash and Vegetables, but

with diced Purple Yams/Japanese Sweet Potatoes mixed in

And just a light drizzle of mustard

The vegetables are all tucked underneath per usual...

And I added a few extra sprinkles of cinnamon to enhance the sweetness

Even though I am more of a "Fall/Autumn Girl" than a "Winter Girl",

there's a few things worth mentioning that occur this time of year...

Yes, the Starbucks Christmas Blend Coffee in their decorative winter cups

Oh, and speaking of "hauling out the holidays" the Christmas tree will have to go...

Question: What are you going to miss most

about the Christmas Season and Winter Holidays?

Petits Desserts

2011-12-29T16:00:00.000-08:00

It's the middle of the afternoon when your sweet tooth pulls you to the pantry

with a bad case of the munchies; Low and behold, there's nothing but stale crackers

and canned soup! This is a situation we've all come across and can easily relate to

The remedy? I headed for the Christmas candy leftover under the tree

200 gram box of Lindt Petits Desserts

Tiramisu, Meringue, Crème Brûlée, Millefeuille and Lemon Tart

Contains: 21 assorted fine dark, milk and white filled chocolates

Let's have a look inside to see what I want :)

Oh la la! So beautiful!

Each one looks like a piece of art, dainty and sophisticated in its own right

Although I was tempted to have a bite of each, like I usually do

when I can't decide, I chose to try the desserts least common to me...

The meringue, millefeuille and whatever the smooth, round dark

chocolate sphere was. They were all quite delicious, but I would have

preferred a less pretentious, simple chunk of dark chocolate instead haha

Question: Do you have a secret stash of candies,

chocolates and sweets hidden away for "emergencies"?

Meatloaf, Squash Monsters and Cookies

2011-12-27T12:00:00.000-08:00

Turkey Basil Meatloaf from the Planet Organic Market Deli

Ingredients: Ground Turkey, Organic Onions, Marinara Sauce (Organic

Tomatoes, Organic Onion, Organic Canola Oil, Organic Garlic, Dried Basil,

Organic Oregano, Thyme, Sea Salt, Black Pepper), Bread Crumbs, Organic Free

Range Eggs, Fresh Basil, Oregano, Sea Salt, Organic Garlic, Black Pepper, Parsley

Apologies for only halving half of the meatloaf to show you by the time

it hit the plate... So yummy, I ~~was impatiently hungry~~ couldn't resist!

The abundance of fresh herbs and spices saturated the meatloaf with flavor

And the marinara sauce was mild and sweet

My only comment would be that it needed more garlic,

but then again, I think everything needs more garlic!

After satisfying my carnivorous cravings, I needed to satisfy my cravings for starch...

It's another Green Gobbling Squash Monster!

I cut 1 large kabocha squash in half and roasted

it in the oven at 400 Fahrenheit for about 1 hour

Then while the squash was baking, I made a

stir-fry of broccoli, spinach, red chard, and onion

And drizzled with Spicy Brown Mustard, Horseradish Mustard, and Yellow Mustard

Look at the seductive nature of that mustard dripping over the edges... Mmmmm

A little later on I had one of my Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies as a treat

Paired with Chinese Oolong Tea :)

Question: Have you been eating your fair

share of baked treats and sweets over the holidays?

Boxing Day Breakfast in a Box

2011-12-26T09:05:00.000-08:00

Don't worry, I'm not just showing you photos of a beautiful gold

box embellished with stars! It's what's inside the box that matters...

And considering that today is Boxing Day, I thought it

might be ~~funny~~ punny to have a Boxing Day Breakfast

To simplify, it's breakfast, in a bowl, in a box!

Plain Yogurt mixed with Blueberries and Maple Pecan Crunch Cereal

Okay so maybe I went a little too literal with my

creativity, but it made for more enjoyable eating!

The box is actually part of a stackable set of decorative Christmas boxes

On a completely unrelated note, I was looking through old blog entries when

I came across last year's Boxing Day post, "Real Men Do Yoga"; The one where

I tried to teach my brother a few yoga poses. Check it out if you want a good laugh!

Question: Are you bracing the large crowds

to go shopping for Boxing Day sales today?