Adenture and the Northern Lights in Yukon Canada
Yukon is a territory of Canada and a neighbour of Alaska. Many people believe there is nothing but snow and ice, but there are actually many wonderful experiences to be had! Witness various wildlife in their natural habitat, enjoy the incredible views of the Northern Lights and feel excitement while taking in the landscape during a dog sled ride.
When visiting Canada, a trip to Yukon is a short plane ride away from Vancouver British Columbia. Being a popular holiday destination for people from Japan, there’s a group that offers travel packages from Tokyo to Yukon and back again: oce-center.org.
How to Make Ramen Healthier for You
Ramen, the glorious instant noodles that come in hundreds of different flavours and types, are not exactly the healthiest meal option but certainly delicious to have every now and then.
Chinese Ramen
As a way to make these meals a little less guilt inducing, you can easily include any number of healthy add-ons that are very good for you.
Plain Tofu
Tofu is very high in protein, calcium and iron.
Enoki Mushrooms
Enoki mushrooms have a mild flavour and are very high potassium, iron and fiber.
Chopped Green Onions
Green onions are very high potassium, iron, magnesium and fiber.
Salted Seaweed
Seaweed (also known as “wakame”) is a fantastic addition to any dish, especially ramen.
Washed Seaweed
It’s very high in calcium, potassium, iron, manganese, magnesium, vitamin A and vitamin C.
Delicious Ramen
Throw everything in with a simple pack of ramen and you’ve instantly added incredible amounts of vitamins and minerals!
*I forgot to mention that you can also add a sliced clove of garlic to add a little more zing to the broth!*
New Project Brewing…
As many of you may already know, I’m one of those people who can’t throw certain things away. I wouldn’t call myself a hoarder because I fairly regularly clean house (toss, donate, give away), but there are so many things that I know I can recycle or repurpose as a craft project. The main problem is that I never get around to actually making any of these wonderful crafts…. hence the pile up of boxes, bags and other random objects. It has become my crafting Everest.
In order to use up most of my mountain, I’ve decided to make a children’s play castle. I have lots of different ideas for this project, so I’ll have to create a general plan to stay on track, otherwise it may become the never ending castle craft.
Here are some of the materials that I have to work with:
The majority is empty mail boxes, tissue boxes and I’ll add a few scrap cardboard paper and fabric for the finishing touches.
I’ll try to post my progress when I can and please send over your suggestions for making it better/different!
How to Make Simple Origami Bunting
Use mini bunting for greeting cards, invitations or place cards.
Bunting has become one of the prime decorations for pretty much any occasion these days. You can buy a wide variety of sizes, styles and colours but the cost can quickly add up over the course of a year. To save a little cash, recycle materials from home and work on a fun creative craft, why not try origami bunting instead?
These mini origami bunting pieces measure approximately 3.5cm x 4cm. They’re great for any small decorations or craft project.
It’s easy to make them, so grab some square pieces of paper and have fun with them!
Start with an even square.
Turn it on the side.
Fold it in half to make a triangle. Make sure to crease it well.
Open it up again.
Fold in the two bottom ends to the middle crease.
Flip it over.
Fold down the top point.
Simple and Healthy Recipe – Maple Greek Yogurt Snack
Greek yogurt seems to be *the* yogurt for anyone wanting to eat healthy. I’ll have to agree with most, it has a great thick and creamy texture and so much easier on my stomach compared to standard yogurt (it’s either lactose-free or very low in lactose). The only problem with buying Greek yogurt all the time is that it’s generally more expensive than other types of yogurt, sometimes even more than lactose-free types. To help keep it a little more affordable, I now buy plain Greek yogurt (always the cheapest of the lot) and add my own ingredients from home. It’s a great way to save a little extra money and you get a different tasting treat each time.
Here’s a list of the ingredients that I added the other day. It was delicious!
3 heaping tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon Canadian Maple syrup (you can adjust to your sweetness level)
2-3 tablespoons granola
1 small handful of dried raisins
That’s it! Mix it up and enjoy as a healthy treat for anytime you crave something a little sweet.
Almond Flour Pancakes
In an effort to find out which foods affect me negatively and which ones can be good for me, I’ve begun looking for new recipes for every day foods that sound good and are also healthy. Not too long ago, I decided to skip standard white flour and make almond flour pancakes instead. At first, the batter didn’t look very appetizing but I decided to go ahead with it anyway.
(Here’s the recipe via Wellness Mama: Almond Flour Pancake Recipe)
How did they taste? Delicious! I added fresh berries and real maple syrup and it was one of the nicest pancakes I’ve had in a long time! Try it yourself and see!
Top 10 Crafting Books to Check Out – Part 2
Here is the rest of my craft book list that I think all creative people can enjoy:
The Complete Book of Retro Crafts
Go retro with this book. Perfect for hipsters, baby boomers and those who love anything vintage and retro. You’ll surely love the projects that would bring back the glory days. Not only that, but this book also includes pictures and historical notes that would make you know more and understand the nitty-gritty of retro and crafts.
Eco Craft
With all the problems and change brought about by global warming, wouldn’t it be great to create crafts while making sure that the planet benefits from your projects? Eco Craft is the perfect book for your goal. Not only would you enjoy making all the projects listed in the book, you’ll also be able to minimize waste and help save the environment.
The Repurposed Library
We all love books, but there will come a time when you have to give some of your books away to free up some space for your new collections. With The Repurposed Library, you don’t have to throw or give away books. Transform your books into mobiles, wreath, vases, shelves and even a tablet/Kindle “keeper” for those who want to feel like they’re reading the book in its true form. You can even make these old books into decorative pieces for your home.
You Are Awesome
Doing something fun can make you feel happy and satisfied. You Are Awesome is a book of crafts that would make you feel happy without having to do anything drastic. Abbey Hendrickson is a popular blogger that would guide you with the step-by-step instructions of each and every craft in the book. Have fun and be happy.
One Yard Wonders
With One-Yard Wonders, you’ll surely discover the wonders of sewing. Even if you are a newbie in the world of crafts and sewing, or an experienced seamstress, you’ll surely find the projects in this book easy and fun to do. As the book promises, you’ll be able to turn a yard of cloth into anything: accessories, jewelry, pouches, bags, baby items and even banners for all occasions.
Top 10 Crafting Books to Check Out – Part 1
Are you looking for a new hobby or just want to try out doing some crafts? Crafting can be fun and enjoyable, especially if you like the idea of creating something new from scraps or old material. Here are some of the best crafting books to check out (or give to your crafter friends).
The Big-Ass Book of Crafts
This book is packed with everything craft-related, from stationery, paper products, sweaters, body products, ornaments and other ideas for your home and for your friends. What makes this book more interesting is the way that Mark Montano wrote it: with witty titles and funny (yet helpful) instructions. You (or your friend) will surely love this big-ass craft book.
Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts
In this book, Martha Stewart compiles her endless crafts projects in one book. All the crafts that you want to try, with detailed instructions and visual guides can be found in this book. The Encyclopedia of Crafts is just one of Martha Stewart’s several books that you can check out. Perfect for beginners and expert crafters.
Craft-a-Day
Are you looking for a new and fun 365 project to start this year? Try to make one project a day with the help of this book. Craft-a-Day is packed with projects that would keep you busy every single day of the year. The book is also divided into weekly themes that would make your craft-making easier and more fun.
Go Crazy with Duct Tape
Who thought that duct tape can be used to make jewelry, bags and accessories? With this book, you can create almost anything and everything with duct tape. Duck Duct Tape is available in different colors and prints, perfect to customize your accessories and things. The book also provides detailed instructions to help you along the way.
Terrarium Craft
Terrariums are perfect to add a dash of nature to your home. You can also give these away for your friends and family. This book will help you in creating these whimsical and magical crafts. It is a perfect project for both crafters and gardeners. Mix and match different plants and stones to create your own style.
*Stay tuned for the next post to see what other five titles can bring you lots of great ideas for different types of crafts!*
Banana Coconut Cake Recipe
banana coconut cake
As usual, we bought too many bananas and some of them were getting a little too ripe to eat on their own, so I decided to make a banana cake. Since I was feeling a bit tired of standard banana cake, I decided to throw in a few more ingredients to make it a little different. I checked the kitchen to see what I had on hand and managed to find mini dark chocolate chips and shredded coconut. I thought to myself, why not?
I was happy to find it tasted great! The flavours and textures mixed well, not to mention it seemed to turn out lighter than standard cakes. I liked it so much that I’m sharing the recipe with you 😀 Enjoy!
Banana Coconut Cake Recipe
Bake at 350F for approximately 1 hour
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½-¾ cup cane sugar
¼ cup coconut sugar
2 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil or shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk (you can substitute almond milk as well)
3-4 tablespoons shredded coconuts
3-4 ripe bananas
Simplified Procedure:
1 – Mix wet ingredients together in one bowl (mash bananas into the mix).
2 – Add sugar to wet ingredients and mix until dissolved.
3 – Sift and mix dry ingredients in a second bowl.
4 – Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients.
5 – Place batter into a cake pan and bake for 1 – 1½ hours. Pierce the cake with a skewer to make sure it comes out clean. When it does, the cake is done!
Craft City Guide – Toronto, Canada (Featured on Cut Out + Keep)
Hi All!
I just wanted to share with you my featured article about the crafty city of Toronto! Please check it out (here) and let me know what you think. I know I probably left out a lot, but it’s a good start for anyone new to the city.
Click the photo to check out the full post on Cut Out + Keep!
