June Instas.

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These are my last few instas of the week. Remember you can follow me @caraclaudia :)  I wrote notes to my boyfriend while at work, ate a lot of food, (and more food and more food), took secrets pics of my cutie, went out for dinner at the diner, used my gramps' lens, took a selfie of my new favourite tshirt (before a night on the town with some friends), cupcakes for mama's birthday, creeped my Dad's cat [Skylar] and admired the beautiful architecture of Guelph's cheap apartments. Again, I apologize for the awkward amount of food porn. 

Good day!

Best Breakfast Ever

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No, really. This is probably at the top of my favourite healthy(-ish) treats. These breakfast bars by Nigella Lawson are adored by me and my mom, (we make them constantly) and are SO easy to make. They're also jam-packed with lots of healthy ingredients, smothered in a not-so-slimming one. But damn, they're good and I challenge you not to like them. It's easy to find this recipe on the internet, but unless you live in the UK or have one of those measuring scales to convert every step on this recipe, you will not be happy. But I've come to the rescue and given our version to make things easier - you're welcome friends. Makes 16 squares. Original recipe and picture above found HERE.

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cans of sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 sunflower seeds
- 1 cup finely chopped cashews [peanuts and almonds also work]
- 2 cups of rolled oats [not instant, it makes them mushy]
- 3/4 cup cranberries
- 1/2 coconut flakes or bran flakes [I use bran, I'm allergic to coconut!]

Instructions:
1. Preset oven to 260 ºF/130 ºC
2. Throw all your dry ingredients into a bowl and mix them together like a giant trail mix
3. Oil a glass dish or foiled tin about 23 x 33 x 4 cm
4. Put condensed milk in a small pot and heat on low, stirring constantly until it's warm. This makes it less thick and easier to spread on the dry ingredients
5. Pour your warmed milk onto the dry mixture and mix with a spatula until evenly coated
6. Spread into your dish and pat down slightly
7. Bake for an hour (you can watch to make sure it doesn't get too dark, ovens can differ)
8. When its done, let it cool 15 mins. Cut into 16 squares
9. That last step was a joke, the entire dish is one big portion for me

Saturday Baking

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As another distraction from my exam studying this week, I decided to make a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with cashew butter! I, of course, use the cashew butter as opposed to peanut (like the recipe called for) because I'm allergic. I got the recipe from the LoonySpoons book by Janet and Greta. I'm always watching their show Eat, Shrink and be Merry! Anyway, these cookies turned out pretty tasty. A little on the dry side, but that's because they're a healthy version and not over-done with butter and oil. If I could make some changes I'd add some vanilla extract (which I put in everything) or a teaspoon of espresso powder which really brings out the chocolate. Yum yum, more for me! :)

Recipe: Chocolate Dips!

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I needed a pick-me-up today. A BIG pick-me-up. And what better way is there to cheer oneself up than with chocolate? I don't think there is one. Perhaps a puppy. Anyhow, this is a pretty self-explanatory recipe, but I thought I'd post it in case there is someone out there who has yet to actually make chocolate-dipped fruit themself. And you haven't lived until you have!

Step 1: Find fruits and chocolate. Preferably ripe fruit and preferably chocolate chips/bars of chocolate.

Step 2: Make a double-broiler: Heat water on low and place a bowl on top to gently heat the chocolate, keep stirring so it doesn't burn! Add a small dash of cream if your chocolate is too thick.

Step 3: Dip things in chocolate.

Step 4: Place in refrigerator for 20-ish minutes or until brown goo stops dripping off your food.

Step 5: Enjoy one of the simplest/delicious treats known to man.

Happy eating!
:)