Akon and Usher - Rogers Arena- May 25, 2011

 This is a concert I went to for nostalgia's sake since I liked 1997-2004 Usher. It was so hard to get tickets to this show but I persevered and finally found cheap balcony seats. The view wasn't the best but for $40, who can complain?

I couldn't get any good pictures of Akon but I did enjoy his set, rather surprisingly as I'm not really a fan. It was very upbeat.

On to Usher: this is probably the show with the most theatrics that I have ever been to! Usher is an amazing dancer, just amazing! I loved his homage to Michael Jackson, Moonwalk and all!Those fireworks that kept going off made me jump every time!

All in all, it was a good show. Listening to his oldies made us all forget about the rainstorm outside!

Black Bean Chicken Curry

It's been so long since I updated my blog! May was a crazy month for me as I moved into a new place. I've finally settled down so I have more time to cook.

I adapted my recipe from here, the only difference being I marinaded the chicken overnight with a jerk chicken marinade that I have had in my fridge for months! It turned out pretty well, very spicy.

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. New York Red Bulls - May 28, 2011

Happy birthday Steph:)

Steph and I had been looking forward to this match for months! We were really excited to see Thierry Henry play. I've been a fan of his since High School and he's one of the main reasons I support Les Bleus. Mais malheureusement, it was not meant to be. Henry got injured so he missed the trip to Vancouver.

This is the first time I'd seen the Whitecaps play since they entered the MLS and the first time I'd seen them play at the Empire Field. I was in total awe at the size of the crowd. When I first moved to Vancouver I lamented the fact that people in general didn't like soccer here. Well, things have obviously changed! It was such a great environment to watch the game and my disappointment about Henry not being there left as soon as the game kicked off.

We were awarded a penalty.

Some guy went up to take it

He scored! And my fantastic camera captured the moment:)

Cue the celebrations

It ended up being a tied game (1-1) because the ref was clearly on the Red Bull's side (*bitter post!*) but I had a great time:)

Baked Zucchini with Herbes de Provence

Like I've said before, zucchinis are one of the best vegetables ever! I know I got into them a bit late but I'm making up for lost time!

My friend told me about les herbes de Provence, which is a mixture of dried herbs that originated in France. I have some lavender flowers which I didn't know what to do with so I made my own mix.

Herbes de Provence

1 tsp each of dried lavender, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram. 

I sprinkled the mix on top of thinly sliced zucchini. I added some olive oil, mixed everything together and baked it until cooked. The lavender gave it an unusual smell and I loved the taste over-all!

Tulips, Tulips Everywhere! - Agassiz, BC (30/04/2011)

After plumeria, tulips are probably my favourite flower. Because of this year's late Spring, the tulips hadn't bloomed when we visited Harrison a few weeks ago. When Sheila told me she was driving to Agassiz for the tulip festival, I had to cancel a couple of plans, rearrange my schedule and get up really early on a Saturday morning to finish up some things before we drove off but it was so worth it!

I can't believe we only paid $3 to get in! We were really blessed to go there on a sunny day. We even saw patches of blue sky.

The tulip fields were absolutely gorgeous! My photos do not do them any justice.

Mai, Jean, Hannah, Rina

My favourite colour. *bliss*

Sheila attempting to hide!

On  the way home we stopped by to see the Bridalveil Falls. I loved how interesting the trees looked! I saw one man deliberately uprooting some plants which were in the way so he could take the perfect family photograph. Some people truly do not appreciate nature.

Inspired by Larabars: Coconut Date Balls

 Miss Leia, happy first birthday Princess! Auntie loves you:)

One of the things I love is realizing that I don't have to buy something in the store; I can make it by myself at home! At the CHFA show, I bumped into a long lost friend of mine, Rita, (happy day!) and she gave me a couple of Larabars to try.

I am usually not a fan of fruit and granola bars but as soon as I bit into the key lime bar, I fell in love! It was awesome!

Quite by accident, I decided to buy a new brand of dates at the store. They were on sale and were in a bigger pack than the ones I usually buy.

Honey dates indeed! They were so sweet and sticky. That's when I got an idea: why not try and make something Larabar-esque using these sticky, sticky dates?

It was a bit impromptu so I didn't weigh the ingredients exactly. I used roughly:
1 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup dessicated coconut 
1/2 cup assorted dried fruit and nuts (I used almonds, pistachios, raisins and cranberries)
1 tbsp baobab flour (that was a moment of genius!)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground cardamon 
1 tsp ginger
Some dark chocolate shavings
1 tbsp butter

I heated the butter then added the chopped nuts and fruit mixture. I sauted them until golden brown and then set them aside.

Next, I added the dates to the saucepan and heated them on medium heat until they started melting a bit. I then added the remaining ingredients and mixed well and shaped them into small ball-like shapes.

I just loved how they tasted! I could really taste the baobab fruit flour too. What's even better is that there's so much more room for experimentation! I'm thinking next time I could add some citrus zest, dried cherries, peanut butter, cinnamon and even dried mangoes!

Canadian Health Food Association Show and Rooibos Tea

I spent last weekend working at the CHFA show at the New Vancouver Convention Centre. Even though it's hard work, I love these shows! They started me on this healthy journey I've been on for the past 4 or 5 years. It just makes sense to meet the people who make the products, ask questions and, most importantly, get free samples!

My friend, Liz, has a rooibos tea company Nu-Tea Company Ltd. I've been drinking rooibos tea since I was a teenager and I adore her tea because it has such unique flavours. I've tried the blackcurrant, passion fruit, honeybush and orange spice before and they all taste great. Not only does the tea taste good, Liz also contributes a portion of her tea sales to the Watoto Child Care Ministries, a charity that I did my first ever blog entry about! I got some mint chocolate and also some Earl Grey rooibos tea, yum!

Here is Liz's guide to rooibos(http://www.nu-tea.ca/TeaBlog/tabid/84/EntryId/13/Quick-Guide-to-Rooibos.aspx)

• Rooibos is pronounced “Roy-Boss”
• Rooibos is safe for infants and helps to soothe babies with colic and sleeping problems
• Rooibos increases the absorption of iron in the body
• Rooibos helps to control your appetite and is calorie free
• Rooibos contains no caffeine and is relaxing
• Due to its mineral content of iron, potassium, zinc, manganese, magnesium and calcium, Rooibos makes a great thirst-quencher for active kids and athletes
• Rooibos is the perfect substitute for coffee or black tea, and it helps you sleep better.
• Rooibos is as effective as water for hydrating the body and it supplies your body with anti-oxidants and minerals.
• Tega Rooibos tea can be steeped for hours. It doesn’t get bitter as it is low in tannin and it is a whole leaf tea
• Harvesting of Rooibos tea is done on a sustainable basis. Once a year the shrubs are topped, and then allowed to re-grow and to flower before they are again harvested. This method of harvesting is so sustainable that some Rooibos plants have been harvested over a period of more than fifty years
• Rooibos plants are hardy and can survive in adverse conditions with low water and acidic soil. Remarkably, with symbiotic alkalinisation of the soil, Rooibos plants can actually raise the pH of acidic soil from 4 to 6.8.
• Rooibos grows in the Cederberg Wilderness Area, which is one of the most pristine and species rich areas in South Africa, and also has one of the highest concentrations of unique and threatened plant species.
• As Rooibos tea is naturally calorie and caffeine-free it can be consumed in unlimited quantities
• Rooibos does not need irrigation. With its network of roots and its long tap root that reaches as deep as 6 feet, it finds moisture during summer drought.
• Rooibos tea was discovered by the ancient Khoi-San Bushmen, a tribe of hunter-gatherers, who are believed to be the original human inhabitants of sub-Saharan Africa. They used Rooibos frequently as an herbal remedy for a wide range of ailments.
• You can enjoy your Rooibos and Honeybush without calories and sweeteners as they contain natural non-sugar based flavones.
• Kids love the sweetness of Honeybush.
• Tega Rooibos is certified organic by QAI.
• Rooibos leaves are naturally green. They turn red after being “roasted” in the sun for 10 hours.
• Green Rooibos is higher in anti-oxidants than red Rooibos, lighter in flavour and just as smooth in taste.
• As a true adaptogen, rooibos tea will refresh you during the day and relax you at bedtime
• Rooibos contains alpha-hydroxy acid, known to promote healthy skin
• The limited tannin in Rooibos tea translates to a smooth taste, unlike conventional teas that are bitter mainly because of tannin content.
• Several studies show that rooibos tea contains highly defensive natural antioxidants.
• Applied topically to the face, Rooibos can be a beauty-enhancer and help relieve skin irritations and acne.
• Tega Tea is sponsoring African orphans through the Watoto project.
  The mission of Watoto is to create a powerful force for positive change in the lives of abandoned children and help raise future leaders, to lift them up and fill them with love in order that they might do the same.

Cooking Applications

• Add anti-oxidants, flavour and color to your cooking and baking by utilising Rooibos tea
• Steam vegetables in Rooibos
• Rooibos can be used as a meat tenderizer
• Boil your rice or pasta in Rooibos tea – it adds a wonderful flavor, color and effect
• Freeze your left over tea into ice cube containers and use on a hot day with your favourite iced Rooibos tea and fruit juices