Chickpea Salad

Ahh, spring. A time when there's that extra spring in your step and when good food just tastes better. There is no denying that le printemps brings on the need to try fresh, new recipes. Well, it does for me anyway, and I have to say that I have developed a taste for chickpea salad. I have seen it at restaurants, in grocery stores and even on my Facebook feed, so I have decided to make a batch of my own! And all I can say is that it is SO GOOD.

The nice thing about this type of salad is that it is so so so nutrient-dense. In my recipe, I combine things like chickpeas (obvious), kidney beans, lemon, garlic and avocado. And by only mentioning these five ingredients, I can confidently say that you will be consuming lots of protein, fibre, vitamins (C, D, B, E, K, etc), iron, folic acid, omega-3 fatty acid and more. It is a good option for vegetarians/vegans who are looking for meat alternatives and for those who enjoy tangy foods.

Bonus: In a rush? This salad does not take much time to make! But I suggest letting it sit in the fridge for at least half an hour before serving to allow all the flavours to blend.

Ready? Read below for the recipe!

Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 can who chickpeas (750g), drained;
• 1 can kidney beans (450g), drained;
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed;
• ½ small red onion, finely chopped;
• 1½ ripe avocados, diced;
• 1½ lemons, juiced (add pulp);
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil;
• 1 heaping tbsp dried parsley; and
• salt to taste (~2 to 3 tsps)*.

Directions:

1. Start by crushing your garlic and use that bowl to make your salad.
2. Combine all ingredients together.
3. Mix well.
4. Cover with saran wrap and let sit in fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
5. Enjoy!

*For the salt, you should not only be focussing on your preference, but also for an amount that helps balance out the bitterness of the lemon juice. Too little, and your salad will taste too lemony; too much, and your salad with taste very salty.

Thanks for following my recipe! Make sure to leave a comment below if you made this, telling me what you think!

-Alesia D.

Cream Cheesed-Filled Banana Bread

Cream Cheesed-Filled Banana Bread

A few months ago, I put several packs of cream cheese, actually thinking I would have the time to bake while being at home with my then-newborn. And boy, was I wrong. To be honest, my first few months at home were filled with changing a newborn, feeding a newborn, and sleeping with a newborn because we would be up for some part of the night. Ya. Let me rethink that baking thing.

Forward to 4+ months post-partum, those packs of cream cheese are just weeks away from going bad, so my oh-so smart husband suggested I make cheesecakes or cream cheese-filled banana bread. Added bonus: Since Lukey and I have finally started getting into the groove of a more established routine, and he is more independent, I have more time to pick up baking and other hobbies I enjoy doing. So I got to experiment, and the results were delish!

I realize it's not the HEALTHIEST recipe out there, but who doesn't enjoy something sweet stuffed with something else? Oh, and if you don't want your banana bread looking like mine, make sure to follow my instructions below and LET IT COOL DOWN before you cut it. :)

Give it a try, I promise it will not disappoint!

Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread

Ingredients
For banana bread:

• 3-4 very ripe bananas, mashed;
• ⅓ cup butter, melted;
• ¾ cup brown sugar;
• 1 egg, beaten;
• 1½ cups flour;
• 1 tsp vanilla extract;
• 1 tsp baking soda;
• pinch of salt;
• ½ tsp cinnamon (or to taste); and
• rolled oats (for decoration at the end).

For cream cheese filling:

• 1 pack of cream cheese (regular or light) at room temperature; and
• ¾ cup powdered sugar.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (or 175°C) and butter a 4"x8" loaf pan.
2. Place bananas in medium-sized bowl and mash them as well as you can.
3. Start adding all other ingredients for the banana bread to this bowl. Mix well.
4. For the cream cheese filling, combine both ingredients and blend.
5. Pour half of the banana bread batter into greased pan, then pour all of the cream cheese filling, followed by the rest of the banana bread mix. 
6. Sprinkle some oats on top for decoration.
7. Place in the oven for 53 minutes. My oven is strong, so 53 minutes is all I need, but depending on the strength of your oven, you may want to use a cake tester, such as a fork, knife or toothpick, to make sure your loaf is done.
8. Remove your yummy treat from the pan, let it cool in the fridge for 30 minutes (this allows the cheese cheese filling to firm up a bit), then cut and serve!

Until the next post!

-Alesia D.

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Yummy Hummus

Last weekend, I had a girls' night with my mother-in-law and sister"(s)"-in-law, and we made some yummy, and mostly healthy snacks and desserts. One thing that brings me back to my roots AND always bring back positive feedback is my homemade hummus. (So naturally, this is my go-to when I get invited to a potluck.) It is a big hit every single time I make it, and I always have people asking me for the recipe.

Well friends, the time has finally come.

It's good with pita, with meats like kafta or simply with carrots or other vegetables. Hummus is very versatile, as it can be eaten as a snack or as a side in a Middle-Eastern bbq. Another plus is that if you make it yourself instead of buying from a store, you avoid all the unnecessary extra ingredients + preservatives and get to eat a fresh product.

I'm lucky that my dad passed down his recipe to me, because it has the perfect amount of everything.

Now without further ado, I present my recipe!

Disclaimer: When eating hummus, make sure to bring a pack of mint gum with you. You will thank me for this.

Lebanese Hummus

Ingredients:

• 2 plump garlic cloves;
• ¹⁄2 tsp salt;
• 1¹⁄2 lemons juiced with pulp;
• 1 can crushed chickpeas; and
• 1 cup tahini (or how ever much you like).

Directions:

1. Place garlic cloves and salt in bowl and crush using a mortar.
2. Add lemon juice and pulp into the bowl. Mix ingredients together.
3. Open the can of crushed chickpeas and empty contents into the same bowl. Mix.
4. Pour tahini in, a bit at a time, and mix each time. Give it a taste once the consistency gets thicker. When the hummus becomes pleasing to your palate, you know it is ready.

ENJOY!!

-Alesia D.

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Baby Lukas is Four Months Old!

Today, we are celebrating baby Lukey's 4-month old birthday. I can't believe it has already been four whole months since he has been in this world and that I have been a mommy.

I. Have. Learned. A. Lot. And something tells me I will only be learning more and more and more. He has also changed a lot and learned tons in these few, short month. It is really a beautiful thing to watch your child grow right in front of you.

He now:

• laughs and giggles;
• pays more attention to his surroundings;
• presses buttons on his bouncer and toys;
• reacts to and loves nursery rhymes;
• babbles and coos a lot more;
• tries to copy sounds mommy and daddy make;
• likes to touch e v e r y t h i n g;
• is very active;
• reacts to his reflection in the mirror;
• loves sitting up (assisted);
• is extremely curious about the things we eat and drink;
• has gone up another diaper size; 
• tries to turn around onto his back from his belly; and
• wears 9-month old clothing.

A few weeks ago, my baby caught his first cold, so it was my first time dealing with a stuffy nose, fever, and occasionally, a cranky baby. Poor little guy woke up congested every morning, so I quickly became good friends with his nasal aspirator and humidifier. His paediatrician recommended feeding him in small quantities (I still breastfeed) more often, as he vomited after each feeding. And he finally got better a week later.

I have also noticed him drooling more often. And over the past two weeks, he has been biting on his fingers as a way to perhaps soothe his irritated gums, so I finally bough him soothing teethers.

The month of February also gave baby Lukas the chance to have his very first Valentine (me!). I did a little DIY Valentine's shoot with him, and the pictures were a hit. (You can see them below.)

My hubby and I also discovered he has a thing for selfies. Every time he sees a phone, he stares into the lens and starts acting funny. He alternates between, laughing, acting tough, smiling, and posing. It's the cutest thing ever. And so far, it seems that we have a very social baby. As long as mommy and daddy approve, Lukas enjoys playing with others and is comfortable enough to be left without us. Thankfully, he enjoys playing with the caregivers at my gym daycare while I work out, and he always likes being with his grandparents, aunts and uncles.

I can't wait to see what else he will learn and do in his fourth month of being!

Thanks for reading!

-Alesia D.

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Vegan Blueberry-Lemon Scones

Last year, I discovered scones for the first time while I was helping a friend out with French grammar. Her mother made us some of the raspberry variety served with tea, while we studied away on a cold winter evening. They were very tasty and buttery, perfect as winter comfort food.

Fast forwarding a year, this mommy (me) is craving them and has decided to whip up a batch or two of her own. But this time, I wanted to have homemade ones that were healthier since I've been trying to get back on track with my pre-pregnancy habits and weight. So I started exploring vegan options.

The recipe I am proposing to you is for lemon-blueberry scones, as the title suggests. They are very, very light in flavour, as there is little sugar and no butter or egg. I recommend serving them warm and with a bit of salted butter (if you have no sensitivities to it) or even cinnamon honey, they taste simply delightful this way. Also, if you wanted to use different fruit, go ahead. I just so happened to have a pack of blueberries and a dozen lemons at home, just waiting to be used.

Personally, I tried them two ways: The first was with white flour and white sugar, and the second was with whole-wheat flour and brown sugar. And although they almost tasted the same, I think I preferred the whole-wheat version s.

Happy baking! :)

Vegan Blueberry-Lemon Scones

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of flour;
• 3 tsp baking powder;
• ⅓ cup sugar (white, brown, your choice);
• ½ tsp salt;
• ½ tsp nutmeg+cinnamon;
• 2 tsp lemon zest;
• 2 full tbsp lemon juice;
• 1 cup blueberries; and
• 1 cup coconut milk.

Directions:

1. Set oven to 400°F.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Add washed blueberries to the mix. Combine until blueberries are covered in the dry mixture.
4. Using a spatula, move dry mixture away from the middle of the bowl to make way for the lemon zest, juice and coconut milk.
5. Combine all the ingredients with your hands, but do not overwork the dough, as this will cause the scones to be dense. The dough will be sticky, and that's okay. 
6. Dampen your hands with water to help with stickiness, then pick the dough up and place it on parchment paper, then flatten until it measures about 9 to 10" in diameter.
7. Sprinkle a little more lemon zest and a few more blueberries on top, then slice into 8 equal pieces to make it easier to separate when you remove this treat from the oven.
8. Pop it in the oven for approximately 24 minutes, or until the surface is golden.
9. Wait 5 to 10 minutes and serve warm!

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on Instagram! Also, tell me what you think!

Western Caribbean Cruise with Royal Caribbean International

Looking out my window thinking about the -42°C and storm we recently had, I can't help but remember that this time last year, my husband and I were on vacation. Somewhere very warm. Away from the cold. We had actually booked our trip three weeks prior, as a last-minute thing to escape that year's blistering cold winter.

Last year's vacation was all about exploring the Western Caribbean in +Royal Caribbean International's Oasis of the Seas, visiting: Falmouth, Jamaica; Labadee, Haiti; and Cozumel, Mexico. This was my second cruise with the Oasis, and I loved the ship just as much as I did the first time.

Fort Lauderdale
Our journey began in the popular port city of Fort Lauderdale. The moment we landed in FLL, a sensation of pure relaxation took over our bodies. I must admit, the first time I heard about Fort Lauderdale, I thought it was some small port town that happened to be by the water. Little did I know it was a fun tourist destination with tons to see and do. The night life is vibrant, the food is good, the shopping is cool and the beach is simply breathtaking. Our favourite was walking by the board walk and watching people swim, roller blade and just enjoy life. 

The Oasis
From the moment we reached Port Everglades, we immediately spotted our ship. It's the biggest, baddest ship on the Floridian coast and is very hard to miss. I have to say, Royal Caribbean is very organized in terms of passenger registrations, baggage control and time management. Their staff works really well together and their efficiency is incredible. It's also great that every staff member comes from a different part of the world. We met a fantastic South African yoga instructor and gym attendant, a Costa Rican cashier at the Coach shop on deck and Brazilian surf instructors. I loved getting to know a few of them.

The ship is absolutely jaw-dropping when you first enter. In my opinion, they have something for everyone. They have a full gym, a beautiful spa, several types of restaurants to choose from, organized sports in their outdoor court, a casino, comedy club, shopping, baking classes, zip lining, surf simulators, card-game room, aquatic performances, Broadway shows, rock climbing, a carousel and anything else that could attract your attention. We even got to do some Yoga on the helipad a few mornings, and that was c o o l. And to top it all off, my hubby and I even got to see the Caribbean server we met the LAST time we were on the Oasis, when we celebrated getting engaged! AND HE REMEMBERED US!!! (See picture below)

Royal Caribbean has a nice rewards program called The Crown and Anchor Society for returning customers. And since it was my husband's third time riding with them, we got an upgraded room, additional discounts on drink packages, invitations to exclusive events and more. It's worth signing up for if you think you may do a few cruises in your lifetime.

Labadee, Haiti
The morning we arrived to Labadee, my husband and I were doing our morning run on the track. It was exciting getting closer and closer to the coast while completing each lap. Before disembarking the ship, we were told that the area we would be exploring for the day was isolated from the rest of the country, with police securing the grounds. The two beaches were nice, and Royal Caribbean organized a nice lunch with burgers, pork chops and fresh fruit. The market was fun to walk through and there were nice trails to follow. 

One thing I craved from this visit, however, was to actually learn about the city's culture. When my husband and I cruised the first time in the Eastern Caribbean, we had the opportunity to explore without facing any distinct dangers.

Falmouth, Jamaica
The next day, it was Jamaica's turn. That day, we planned to go through caves and climb Dunn's River Falls! The online pictures of the falls do not do this landmark any justice. We spent a little over an hour climbing them and cooling off in the fresh water. We also got to buy cool water shoes... Those are definitely useful to not slip.

Cozumel, Mexico
This was the last stop of our cruise, and by now, we were looking forward to just grabbing a cab and going on our own little adventure. We started off by asking a taxi driver to take us to a popular tourist shopping destination, and 15 minutes later, we were there (don't ask me where that was... I completely forgot the name of the area!). We browsed the shops and the very commercial restos until we decided we wanted to experience authentic Mexican grub. 

So we asked around, and the locals eventually led us to a popular fast-food place. We tried out their tortilla wraps and homemade guacamole (which were delicious, just by the way) and continued on with our day. Since we did not have much time to hit up a beach by this point, we walked back to the port. This took us about 45 minutes. Then we saw it. A +Hard Rock Cafe. (Side note: Since we began dating in 2012, it has become an essential tradition that we eat at this restaurant and collect the cocktail glasses every time we travel to a new city and see this franchise. No exceptions to this rule. Oh, and we usually have their yummy fajitas.)

Have you ever been on a cruise before? If so, which cruise line did you go with and where did you visit? Have you been on the Oasis before? Write to me! :)

Connect with my on Instagram @ChezAlesiaDunn !

Mommy Time

As a new mom, I can relate to the feeling of wanting to be with my baby all the time. It is completely normal. I carried him in my belly for nine months, gave birth to him, and now I don't want to spend any precious moment away from him. It's completely understandable.

But I think that more often than not, us mommies tend to forget ourselves in the midst of motherhood and all that it brings into our lives. I know I was starting to experience that at first, any way. 

The first month is and should be about baby and creating a bond with him/her. But I think that a mommy should start doing things for herself and with her husband (or significant other) once she feels her "recovery" period is over. This could mean catching up with friends over coffee, going out for dinner and/or a movie with the husband or even just taking an uninterrupted nap alone. Find a reliable and trustworthy babysitter, such as your mother, other relative, a trusted neighbour or friend to watch your precious little one. Some adult time is good for the soul.

The first time I left Lukey alone, he stayed with my mother at about one month old. That day, I spent my time doing groceries, an activity I enjoy doing solo, and went shopping for some much-needed clothes. I made sure to do my makeup all nice and to wear clothes that made me feel good. When my alone-time was up, I had missed my baby, felt refreshed and was ready for him again.

It has been scientifically proven that when we do anything on an on-going or full-time basis, it is beneficial to take a time out every once in a while. This helps you rediscover yourself, regain perspective, increase your patience and even decrease your chances of getting post-partum depression. And remember, when you are relaxed, your children will be relaxed.

Since January, I have committed myself to the gym, and I strategically chose one with a daycare. It fits all of my needs. Every cardio machine has a TV where I can either watch a show or turn to the daycare channel and watch my son live. The caregivers know to call me if he has a diaper accident, is hurt, hungry or crying non stop, so I am always at peace when I go to the gym and know he is in good hands. And there is a nursery for breastfeeding mothers. Yes, it all costs extra (about $16 biweekly) but I am doing something I love wile feeling confident about whom my son is with, and that is priceless.

Plus, I want to show my baby and my future babies that only when we love ourselves can we genuinely love others.

What are your thoughts, mommies? I would love for you to share. :)

Thank you,

Alesia D.