We've all been there: the good host's road block. The "uh oh" moment when you realize that the only thing your vegan guests can eat is veggies without the dip, crackers without the cheese, or the strawberries garnishing the full dairy cheesecake. Your guest may grin and bear it, but how could they not be disappointed?
With a vegan brother, I have the inside scoop. This may shock you--sit down if you must--but vegans do not prefer dull tasteless foods.That's a ridiculous fallacy derived from outer space, where living creatures are obviously carnivores... (of course, that makes perfect sense...right? Right.)
I guarantee you my brother misses the soft, deliciousness of chocolate cake with butter creme icing. He misses the bold, full flavours of meat and cheese. He misses not having to make the topic of food awkward for the people around him. Why not be accommodating to vegans as you would any other dietary restriction? A good host respects their guests eating needs, whether it's an allergy or a preference.
Next time you're hosting a party or gathering with vegans on the guest list, consider whipping up a batch of my easy cure to the bad-host blues.
Cranberry Almond Rice Pudding
Nobody can resist this delicious treat--vegan or not. And, with Canada Day just around the corner, how perfect is it that it's red and white?
With a vegan brother, I have the inside scoop. This may shock you--sit down if you must--but vegans do not prefer dull tasteless foods.That's a ridiculous fallacy derived from outer space, where living creatures are obviously carnivores... (of course, that makes perfect sense...right? Right.)
I guarantee you my brother misses the soft, deliciousness of chocolate cake with butter creme icing. He misses the bold, full flavours of meat and cheese. He misses not having to make the topic of food awkward for the people around him. Why not be accommodating to vegans as you would any other dietary restriction? A good host respects their guests eating needs, whether it's an allergy or a preference.
Next time you're hosting a party or gathering with vegans on the guest list, consider whipping up a batch of my easy cure to the bad-host blues.
Cranberry Almond Rice Pudding
1 carton/tetra pack almond milk (vanilla or unflavoured)
1.5 cups cooked jasmine (or brown) rice
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
sliced almonds, to serve
In a double boiler, mix all but half a cup of the almond milk, rice, and brown sugar. Cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed (about an hour, more for brown rice). Stir in the cinnamon, cranberries, and remaining almond milk. Let simmer uncovered, stirring regularly, until "proper" pudding consistency. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and almonds.
Don't let your vegan guests think their custom treat is an afterthought! Consider making the rice pudding in advance and preserving in decorative mason jars with a custom tag or lid label. Make it match the theme or the decor for an extra special touch. Your guest will appreciate being considered, and will completely forget about all those downer affairs with nothing but veggie trays.
1.5 cups cooked jasmine (or brown) rice
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
sliced almonds, to serve
In a double boiler, mix all but half a cup of the almond milk, rice, and brown sugar. Cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed (about an hour, more for brown rice). Stir in the cinnamon, cranberries, and remaining almond milk. Let simmer uncovered, stirring regularly, until "proper" pudding consistency. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and almonds.
Don't let your vegan guests think their custom treat is an afterthought! Consider making the rice pudding in advance and preserving in decorative mason jars with a custom tag or lid label. Make it match the theme or the decor for an extra special touch. Your guest will appreciate being considered, and will completely forget about all those downer affairs with nothing but veggie trays.
Nobody can resist this delicious treat--vegan or not. And, with Canada Day just around the corner, how perfect is it that it's red and white?
As a Canadian, it's hard not to be sick of the tacky Canada Day swag available at this and that department store. Red and white are classic colours that somehow turn tacky around Canada Day. Sure, it's fun to sport a red and white jester hat once a year, but where are the more mature options? I know I can't be alone in my envy of the beautiful designs that come out of the American colours...(especially this one at Style Me Pretty, or this one at Pizzazzerie... love it!)
This Canada Day, why not think outside the box? Ditch the kitsch! Celebrate Canada in style.
This Canada Day, why not think outside the box? Ditch the kitsch! Celebrate Canada in style.
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Last Friday my coworkers and I had a cute (though tangential) chat at work about how magnificent it would be to incorporate the siesta into our workday. Really now, who doesn't think about napping at work on a Friday afternoon? Eventually, the similarity between the words fiesta and siesta came up, and it got us thinking.With an undergrad degree in English, you'd think I'd immediately hop into research mode, looking up etymologies, trying to understand the linkages between the words.... but, instead, I got to thinking about how amazing a Latin-influenced slumber party ("siesta fiesta") would be. After looking it up, turns out a hotel in Playa del Carmen has already noted the clever wordplay... makes a girl want a vacation, stat!
Here's a quick inspiration board for the Fiesta of my Siesta dreams...
Here's a quick inspiration board for the Fiesta of my Siesta dreams...
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Bonjour!
This is just a short post about how great it feels to have extra effort really pay off. I mean really, really pay off. In the sort of way that leaves you out a few extra bucks but with a smile.
In March--before I got my fancy camera or could ever remember to take pictures of all my favourite details--I helped plan a quiet, low-key little surprise party for a family member. Originally meant to just be a surprise lunch with the whole lot of us (we have a ginormous family), I was compelled to throw in some details a la Garnish. For those who don't know about Garnish, it's an amazing source for ideas and products to jazz up your everyday life. There's no way around loving them.
Inspired by a softening of the colours in the Union Jack for this special British lady, lunch was served in large gable boxes with pre-made everything. Delicious and healthy wraps, named "Suzy-Q's Sunshine Wraps" after the birthday girl, were served with a generous side of pasta salad (general wrap recipe below). The meal was designed by yours truly with easy substitutions in mind for our vegetarian and vegan guests. And, of course, there were itty bitty kids meals with vanilla cranberry parfaits, chicken nuggets and apple sauce. But, of course, things happened so fast I lost track of the pictures (and that will never happen again!)
What I learned? Going the extra mile is totally worth it. As if a surprise gathering wasn't enough, "Suzy-Q" loved every detail, down to the paper straws. I also learned that making mass quantities of pasta salad for upwards of ten people requires a very very very big pot...
For the presentation conscious, cut large squares of parchment paper. Once the wraps are made, roll neatly in the parchment paper and seal with ribbon or tape. Voila! A super cute, super healthy lunch.
This is just a short post about how great it feels to have extra effort really pay off. I mean really, really pay off. In the sort of way that leaves you out a few extra bucks but with a smile.
In March--before I got my fancy camera or could ever remember to take pictures of all my favourite details--I helped plan a quiet, low-key little surprise party for a family member. Originally meant to just be a surprise lunch with the whole lot of us (we have a ginormous family), I was compelled to throw in some details a la Garnish. For those who don't know about Garnish, it's an amazing source for ideas and products to jazz up your everyday life. There's no way around loving them.
Inspired by a softening of the colours in the Union Jack for this special British lady, lunch was served in large gable boxes with pre-made everything. Delicious and healthy wraps, named "Suzy-Q's Sunshine Wraps" after the birthday girl, were served with a generous side of pasta salad (general wrap recipe below). The meal was designed by yours truly with easy substitutions in mind for our vegetarian and vegan guests. And, of course, there were itty bitty kids meals with vanilla cranberry parfaits, chicken nuggets and apple sauce. But, of course, things happened so fast I lost track of the pictures (and that will never happen again!)
What I learned? Going the extra mile is totally worth it. As if a surprise gathering wasn't enough, "Suzy-Q" loved every detail, down to the paper straws. I also learned that making mass quantities of pasta salad for upwards of ten people requires a very very very big pot...
How cute are the glass Coke bottles with these straws? I love paper straws.
"Suzy-Q's Sunshine Wraps" (easily vegan friendly)
large flax-seed wraps/tortillas
roasted red pepper hummus
"50/50" mixed greens (spinach and spring mix greens)
red peppers, cut into strips
sunflower seeds
fresh skinless chicken breasts *
grated mozzarella cheese *
1. Bake the chicken breasts in homemade/store-bought Greek dressing at 325 for thirty minutes. Let cool and cut into thin strips. Place the wraps, covered, on the warm oven while it cools.
2. Prep your station! Set up a table or counter with the wrap ingredients ready to go. Once you get into a rhythm of mass-producing these things you'll appreciate the convenience. Heat the wraps up in the microwave for ten seconds or so if they aren't pliable enough.
3. On a large plate or clean surface, lay down the wrap and add a smear of hummus, followed by a handful (or more, if you have mad tight-wrapping skills) of greens, an even row of red peppers, and a sprinkling of sunflower seeds. For meat and/or cheese eaters, add a sprinkling of grated mozza and/or a few strips of chicken. Then wrap up and serve. Repeat as many times as needed!
For the presentation conscious, cut large squares of parchment paper. Once the wraps are made, roll neatly in the parchment paper and seal with ribbon or tape. Voila! A super cute, super healthy lunch.
Looking for something cute for a special someone, just because? This cute little package is perfect for any occasion, or no occasion at all! The best part is, that no matter what you change around, it's still incredibly adorable (albeit a tad morbid and possibly even more geeky).
For the dark-humour love in your life, I present you with the Zombie Valentine.
I put this gem together for a friend across the country, just to remind her that no matter how far away or how busy our lives get, she's still loved.
After stumbling across Lily Vanilli's book, A Zombie Ate My CupCake, I couldn't resist throwing together a full cupcake package for my quirky and wonderful friend. The package came complete with a copy of the book, "fresh blood" icing, "instant brains" cake mix, accessories, and a sweet-twisted card designed by yours truly. The best part is is fits into one of the more economical express-post mailers, meaning it gets there fast and on the cheap!
This special gift can be customized to suit you and your recipient. Grab the book, and just add water.... better yet, add cupcake mix, liners, a "blood bag" of red icing (Duff) and some extra love.
Get inspired by any amusing books lately?
For the dark-humour love in your life, I present you with the Zombie Valentine.
I put this gem together for a friend across the country, just to remind her that no matter how far away or how busy our lives get, she's still loved.
After stumbling across Lily Vanilli's book, A Zombie Ate My CupCake, I couldn't resist throwing together a full cupcake package for my quirky and wonderful friend. The package came complete with a copy of the book, "fresh blood" icing, "instant brains" cake mix, accessories, and a sweet-twisted card designed by yours truly. The best part is is fits into one of the more economical express-post mailers, meaning it gets there fast and on the cheap!
This special gift can be customized to suit you and your recipient. Grab the book, and just add water.... better yet, add cupcake mix, liners, a "blood bag" of red icing (Duff) and some extra love.
Get inspired by any amusing books lately?
A little while ago, I threw a not-so-surprise party for my sister's birthday. Not-so-surprise means a ready-to-go party she knew was happening, but didn't know anything about. I held it at her house, so a surprise would have been a little tricky...
As a sporty, outdoorsy type with a very nature-friendly name, I knew she'd appreciate us borrowing her identity for the evenin' and decking the place out a la Camp Willow.
Here's a shot of the table during prep. The beauty of such a laid back theme is that it's easy to make it a pot luck without worrying about your mother showing up with her famous potato salad in what would usually be atrocious presentation... *ahem*.... Luckily, the little extra metal sheen worked out.
Can you see the bags of "live bait" (jello and gummy "minnows") in the background, beside the can of worms? Can't ignore the fishin! Because I can't resist, here's a close up.
S'more pops for all! Laid out on a grassy turf.
Just a peek at what went on at fireside. That ugly little cooler bag is protecting the delicious fixin's for s'mores and roasted hotdogs... yum! Further proof that you can't judge a book by its cover.
A custom vintage-look sweater for the birthday girl.
Instead of cake, guests were served s'more cake in a jar, adapted from this recipe. Instead of marshmallows, I made a marshmallow creme icing and piped it on.
I hope you loved reliving that party as much as I did. I could seriously eat s'more pops every day!
This spring my nephew "E" turned two, and to celebrate his mommy requested a special Colour SPLASH! themed event. We ran with a primary+green colour scheme, and made sure the little man had a custom rainbow cake and lots of colouful snacks. The party, though small, was a blast. E keeps asking for more parties!
The party was pretty low key, so we set up a simple but cute snack table filled with rainbow snacks.
Colourful kettle corn, fresh from the farmer's market on Saturday morning. Flavoured kettle corn, like most things I've never tried to make myself, blows my mind. Delicious!
Guests took home cake pop favours, which were a sprinkled yellow with blue and red cake. Cake pops are a fun, easy way to turn any party into an awesome one. They're totally customizable, simple to make, and look incredible on dessert tables. As an added bonus, they're tasty and encourage portion control! (Until you eat them in multiples...)
A decorate-it-yourself umbrella kit made for a super cute keepsake for Ethan and his mom. In the yard, the kids played with finger-paints and had their faces painted (when they weren't playing in the sandbox or splashing around in the water table). The easy secret to parties for toddlers is that there's no guarantee that the kids will want to do anything that suits the theme... so keeping it basic is a-okay. Something about a two year old has to be low maintenance, right?
In the picture you get a glimpse of the layered jell-o treats. It's not too hard to believe the adults had a love affair with the sweets at this party!
More posts to come, just as delicious as this one was!
Hello, Blogosphere!
I am very excited to finally get a move on with this blog!! Not only am I in desperate need of a place to post creative thoughts and adventures, but Thunder Bay needs more creative representation!
Clementine is about the little things that make day to day life feel extra awesome, whether it be a party, a "just-because" gift, or some little burst of creativity that ties a gift, gesture, or gathering together. Based out of the big, vast geography of Northwestern Ontario (NWO), Clementine hopes to uncover and inspire creativity in the NWO region. For any readers from this neck of the woods (almost literally), you know a reminder is needed every now and then.
There's no reason to wait for a holiday to make something special. That can be the natural state of things. Nothing says I can't declare any random day Clementine's day, and celebrate just because.
We'll be starting slow and steady, but rest assured content will be up and ready for reading. Thanks for stopping by!
I am very excited to finally get a move on with this blog!! Not only am I in desperate need of a place to post creative thoughts and adventures, but Thunder Bay needs more creative representation!
Clementine is about the little things that make day to day life feel extra awesome, whether it be a party, a "just-because" gift, or some little burst of creativity that ties a gift, gesture, or gathering together. Based out of the big, vast geography of Northwestern Ontario (NWO), Clementine hopes to uncover and inspire creativity in the NWO region. For any readers from this neck of the woods (almost literally), you know a reminder is needed every now and then.
There's no reason to wait for a holiday to make something special. That can be the natural state of things. Nothing says I can't declare any random day Clementine's day, and celebrate just because.
We'll be starting slow and steady, but rest assured content will be up and ready for reading. Thanks for stopping by!
This site will be active soon. For now, baby steps.... Follow me: @clementinemicro
Enjoy your creative condition!
Enjoy your creative condition!