Paleo Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Wow!

I guarantee you will blow anyone away, even your picky chocolate lovers. You might want to double the recipe because they are so good!

You can use my recipe for Paleo Chocolate Mousse for frosting.


Ingredients
1 cup Almond Flour
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
1/2 cup Coconut Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Maple Syrup
1/2 cup Melted Butter
4 Eggs
1/2 Carob Chips, or other chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine all dry ingredients together into a large bowl. Mix well.
Add melted butter and maple syrup. Mix well.
Add eggs, stir together.
Stir in the carob chips or chocolate chips, mix well.

Line a cupcake tin with cupcake holders. Add 2 large spoonfulls of batter into each liner.
Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.
Remove and cool on a cooling rack for 2 hours.

Yield: 10 cupcakes

Racism in Real Estate - What's the Deal Vancouver?

I had a really interesting conversation yesterday which brought up some of my own opinions and feelings.

Obviously Vancouver is changing. But it's pretty disappointing when you hear insulting and negative comments about the Chinese buying up all the real estate.

I'm sorry, but how many people do you know that have Chinese last names who are born in Canada?

How many Chinese friends do you have that are 3rd/4th generation but still have Chinese last names. The statistics don't look at that. They just look at the buyer's last name, and they make a generalization about that.

For example, my friend's last name is Chow, purchased a house, both owners were born in Canada.

I expect more from people than to just believe anything they hear.

I think you need to look at more than just the last name of the buyer. Come on now.

And even if that was the case, what's the big deal? Our communities have been changing for decades. If you look back to the 50s and 60s, do you think our communities looked anything like how they look now?

I say embrace it, make the best of it, and love the beautiful city that Vancouver currently is, and that Vancouver is becoming.

But hey, maybe I'm being too optimistic.

Me, My Mortgage and I

Last year in the month of June, I became a homeowner. 

Or as I like to call it. A home possessor. 

And by home I mean condo. 

 

So really, last year in June I borrowed a bunch of money from the bank to be able to possess my 750 sqf condo for an undetermined length of time. 

The reason I use the word possess rather than own is because this is what you get in Canada when you "buy property". 

Real property laws in Canada state that the Crown is the only absolute property owner of land. All people who "purchase" land are fee simple owners, and they have the right to freely use the land, enjoy it, sell it, rent it, lease it, and to pass it onto their heirs.

 

This might surprise you, especially if you have recently purchased a home. 

This might surprise you, especially if you are thinking about purchasing a home. 

This might surprise you and turn you away from purchasing a home. 

What you need to remember is that it has been this way since the year 1066, when William the Conqueror captured England. (I know, hard to understand why this even matters)

So don't let this turn you off from purchasing a home. I think it's really good information to be aware of. 

Azin Yazdani 

Mortgage Consultant

4Front Mortgages | Mortgage Alliance

950 West Broadway, Suite 105, Vancouver, BC V5Z1K7
Cell: 604.561.5045

Fax: 604.738.8121

azin.yazdani@4frontmortgages.com

www.4frontmortgages.com

Paleo Gluten-free Chocolate Mousse (Vegan too!)

The worst is when you buy a bag of big juicy avocados and within a day they're all going too soft. So this recipe is win win because it's Paleo and you get to use up your avocados!

This recipe is Paleo, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and just really good for anyone.
Yes you can taste a bit of the avocado, but that's not a bad thing. Obviously if you hate avocados don't make this recipe.

Paleo Chocolate Mousse 

Ingredients
1 Large Ripe Avocado
1/2 Cup Almond Milk
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
1Tsp Vanilla Extract

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate before serving if you prefer more cold and firm or eat right away if you don't. Works great as frosting for a cake, a topping for berries, or just as in out of the bowl.

Pairs well with red wine :)

Yes. I believe wine is Paleo.

Nurses Are Like That Species of Monkey That Preys, Kills and Eats Their Own Kind

I have been a registered nurse for about 4 years, and I have to say that I find myself relating less and less to this type of "person". From my personal experience I can confidently say that nurses are like that species of monkeys in Africa that prey, kill and eat their own kind.

But why. Why aren't nurses kind and caring and helpful to other nurses? Isn't that what everybody thinks they are?

It's beyond me. I know that nurses have a very positive perception, but when you are a nurse yourself, you know otherwise.
Maybe it's the areas that I have worked in? Maybe it's only the nurses that I have worked with?
All I can say is that I find myself becoming more distant to this profession because of how it treats its own.

If you are a nurse, when you go to work next, see if you can identify a bully and then identify the victims. It's usually pretty hard to stand up to nurse bullies. They are usually very senior, have been working in that place for over two decades, and have a big possy. But if you are a victim it can be so bad that you don't want to come to work, you feel depressed when you go home, or you even lose your job.

I'm not sure what I want to get out of this, but I just want people to be aware that nurses aren't magically nice and kind. They can be mean and nasty.

Wait a Minute. I'm a Condowner...in Vancouver?

It's probably not surprising to anyone that lives in Vancouver or near Vancouver or even far away from Vancouver that housing prices are crazy. For most people the idea of even owning a "home" is out of reach. I have been planning and saving for this basically since I finished high school. And with all the money that I have in the world, I just bought myself a condo.

So am I a homeowner? Nope.

I'm a condowner!

To a lot of people the idea of paying half a million for a condo is absurd. 

But maybe it's not so bad. 

So I don't have a front and backyard, instead of a have a courtyard :)

So I don't have a mailbox, instead I have a little mailbox in the midst of a few hundred other mailboxes. 

So I don't walk up to my front door, instead I take an elevator to my front door. 

So I can't mow my own lawn, instead I pay fees to have someone else mow the lawn in the courtyard. 

So I don't have privacy, okay there's really no comparative to being sandwiched between hundreds of other people. 

So I don't have the freedom to renovate however I want, okay again there's no real comparison. 

So I don't have actual physical property, again, nothing compares. 

So I don't have stairs and multiple levels, instead I have an emergency exit stairwell. 

I've already made this comparison before, and I will say it again. I feel like I live in a beehive. I'm a little bee with a little house in a big beehive. I just wonder, who's the queen bee? Maybe the strata? Maybe me? I guess I can be the queen bee and I can pretend that the strata is my worker bee. 

That feels better :)

I probably will not be able to afford a house in this current market, but maybe one day I can sell my condo and get a house instead. In the mean time, I'm happy being a condowner. 

And look how beautiful it is :)

Paleo Gluten-Free Breakfast Cereal

I have recently injured my foot so I've had to change my calories and food consumption for the day. I used to do yoga about 5-6 times per week and I would run about 1-2 times per week.

Since I can't really do any exercise now, I give myself about 800-900 calories per day.

For breakfast I have created this yummy little Paleo Gluten-Free Cereal. Honestly since converting over to Paleo about 3 years ago, the one thing that I miss is cereal. I used to love to eat bran and oats and even quinoa for breakfast. 

But I've created something even more delicious and with huge nutritional value. 

This is great for breakfast, or before a workout, or even as an afternoon snack. I've never tried heating it up but that might be yummy as well. 

I make a big batch of this and then keep it in a mason jar in my fridge. I have about 1/2 cup of it for breakfast with 1/2 fruit and almond milk. 

Paleo Gluten-Free Breakfast Cereal

1/2 cup organic chia seeds

1/2 cup organic hemp hearts

1/4 cup organic flax seeds

1/2 cup organic ground flax

1/2 cup organic almonds (whole or flakes)

1/3 cup organic almond meal

1/3 cup organic dried goji berries 

1 tbsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. Transfer into large mason jar and store in fridge for up to 3 weeks. 

Add approx. 1/2 cup almond milk and fresh fruit, and 1/2 cup of cereal mix and enjoy! 

(I add a splash of egg whites if I know I'm going to have a long day and need more protein)

Yield: 12-14 servings

My 30 Day Weight Loss Challenge - Week 1

My 30 Day Weight Loss Challenge - Week 1

Starting weight: 118lbs

Current weight: 116.7lbs 

Okay, so this week has been pretty up and down. I feel like I have been really ontop of my workouts. I even did a boxing class on Tuesday, which was totally new for me and a really good challenge! I did quite a bit of yoga, both hot yoga and power yoga. I only missed 1 day out of a whole week.

But for some reason the weight isn't falling off.

It used to.

So what's happening?

Well my boss gave me some good insight. It's basically all about diet, it's like 70% diet. And I totally understand, I mean if I actually want to loose weight then my intake has to be less than output.

So I've tightened up my belt, yes, even more. I've somehow noticed a difference in just a few days. And I must say it's very tricky at my office because there are some opportunities to break the rules. But I am dedicated and super motivated.

Bring it on week 2!

Starting weight: 118lbs

Current weight: 116.7lbs

My 30 Day Weight Loss Challenge - Day 1

Day 1

Today just happened to be day 1 of my weight loss challenge, and it also happened to be a Monday. Surprisingly, it was a great Monday. I only got about 5 hours of sleep but I felt super rested, and I didn't even take a nap after work!

It felt like a really balanced day. I worked this morning, and then after work I met my best friend for coffee at my favorite coffee shop, then I came home and did some work on a new project that I have coming up, and then I went to yoga.

In my brain this translates to: professional, social, and health.

Now lets talk about my diet. Here is what I ate today...

Breakfast: 
Smoothie - mix of fruit, egg whites, almond milk and flax.
Coffee with almond milk

Treat: 
1 chocolate covered caramel

Lunch: 
Roasted lamb with a green salad
Coffee with almond milk

Snack:
Almond milk latte
Vegan carob almond butter bar

Dinner: 
Almonds
Herbal tea

Okay so clearly I need to drink more water and less coffee. But not bad!

And I've decided to weigh myself in the morning, so that will have to wait until tomorrow. But I have a good feeling that it will either be down or the same.

Overall, day 1 was a success!

My 30 Day Weight Loss Challenge: December 2014

November 30 2014

Well it's December again and just like every year, I take this time to kick my own butt into gear. It's so easy to let things slip by and indulge into the goodies and sweets and treats and drinks, so that's why I want to make a conscious effort to keep things in line.

For me personally, I work a lot harder at goals if I am kept accountable for them. So here goes. I want to post every night and keep a diary of how the day went.

Obviously I will be focusing a lot on my diet, but I want this to be more holistic. I will be looking at diet, physical exercise, mental exercise, professional development, stress levels and fun levels. I really hope it goes well!

So to send off November I will be having a lovely dinner with my parents, and yes, I will have a nice plate of delicious Persian rice. And tadeeg. mmmm....

Starting weight: 118lbs
Goal weight: 110lbs

The Nibbletron: Nibble Your Way to Happiness

You know those days when you come home from work and you're super tired and just not feeling like you can even muster up the energy to do anything except pass out. Well...all you need is The Nibbletron!

Okay, all you need is someone to come at you really fast and nibble at your face, neck and ears. It's literally the most hilarious thing. It will give you energy, make you laugh, make you smile, and probably make you giggle.

Imagine how nice it would be if instead of greeting people with a handshake, we could nibble each other!
"Oh hello madame!" *nibble nibble nibble nibble*

Sometimes I want The Nibbletron more than anything. I want it more than a bowl of popcorn, I want it more than my favorite Chanel eyeliner, I want it more than double smoked bacon, and even more than an online shopping spree with Forever21.

If you want your life to be simple and happy and fun and perfect, get nibbling.

Goodnight future Nibbletrons!

How Do I Know How Much You Care?

  

As I sit here in my bubble bath with candles and a warm cup of tea, I wonder "how do people show they care towards others?" Do I have a certain way that I show affection? Do I like certain things over others, or is it just about the thought that counts. Do I like material things or is it more about the gesture?

I have to say that if you asked me this question 10 years ago my answer would be very different than what it is now.
I truly appreciate the small things. And I know it's such a cliche, but it's so true.

When my dad picks me veggies from his garden and puts them in a bag for me to take home, I know he cares.
When my mom tiptoes around the house in the morning so that she doesn't wake me up, I know she cares.
When my grandma cries on the phone just from hearing my voice, I know she cares.
When my brother gives me advice for building my future, I know he cares.
When my roommate wakes me up with coffee in the morning, I know she cares.
When my best friend invites me to her annual awards gala, I know she cares.
When my best friend talks to me for hours on end, I know she cares.
When my friend comes over to make me dinner because my attempt was absolute garbage, I know he cares.
When my man makes me a bath with candles and tea, I know he cares.
And when he gets me a toothbrush, I really know he cares.
When my favorite coffee shop has almond milk, I know they care.

I just find that having little loving gestures means a lot more to me than having one grand gesture. I feel more safe and happy. I feel cared about and loved. I feel calm and content.

This is probably the sappiest writing I've done but I feel like I don't tell these people how much I appreciate what they do.

We all hear the saying, "tell the people around you how much you love them", and it couldn't be more true. But you don't have to literally tell them that. You can do it in little ways to make them feel loved.

Whatever it is. Show your love.

Love.
Kitten.