A Christmas Road Trip

It has been a few years since I have had the privilege of a quiet Christmas at home with family. Instead, the season of late has entailed long car rides and desperate attempts to find open gas stations and food joints on Christmas Day. 

This year, while we did get to be with family (on both sides, I might add!), we did have to travel. It was not all bad and we saw a few different States, but I am looking forward to a traditional and quiet Christmas sometime soon!

Our trip actually started in Tennessee, but we didn't really document it. Chatanooga was as beautiful as ever. The warm Florida sun was a nice change from the cold Winter we left behind. We revisited the Kennedy Space Center, saw some pretty lakes, and enjoyed time with family.

I also saw my very first snake in person - and it was far enough away that I didn't faint, crack my head open and make it easy for it to eat me #irrationalfears 

We can definitely talk about this giant mug I got for Christmas. HOW GREAT IS IT?! Funny story, I actually got two! Everyone must really know I love huge mugs :)

New Orleans was not my favourite city, but there were a few interesting things to see; the architecture and Mississippi River to name a few. We even went on a steamboat ride, which was quite the adventure. But pray for New Orleans.

Galveston was terribly foggy the day we went but was still a sight to behold. It turned into a dolphin-sighting chase when some fishermen told my in-laws they had seen some. We ended up driving to a few different spots to see what we could see, but there were none to be found. 

And what is a trip to Texas without stopping at the Silos?! I made an extra excursion of 6 hours with my mother-in-law and met up with a friend in Waco. Magnolia was everything I dreamed of - and more; it was totally worth it.  

Two weeks on the road made us truly appreciate being home. As much as we enjoy roadtrips, we were glad to be back safely in the end.

Tomato Roasted Almond Spread

It's time to talk about spreads. I first was introduced to spreads other than cream cheese, spinach dips and the like when I lived in Europe. Those people really know how to dress their bread! When I came back to North America, it was pretty clear that we were lacking in that area in our grocery stores. My husband complained about the same thing, so it became my goal to figure some kind of spread out. Thank goodness for the internet and creativity because I did finally come across some. Today, I share one of our favourite simple spreads.

It's extremely easy and fast to whip up. Crushed tomato and almonds make up the base and everything else adds the deep flavours.

I can't wait to make one with red pepper to imitate one of my favourites from over yonder!

I've made this both with fresh tomatoes and canned tomatoes, and it turned out delicious every time! In the summer, fresh tomatoes are the way to go though!

This spread is super yummy on fresh homemade bread or with crackers!

Tomato and Roasted Almond Spread
Adapted from Katy She Cooks

what you need:

3/4 cup almonds
14 ounces crushed or whole tomatoes (canned or fresh tomatoes with the seeds scooped out)
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
juice from half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil

what to do:

1) In a skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds about 5 minutes until slightly browned and fragrant., about 5 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Let the almonds cool slightly (You can also do this in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes).
2) If using fresh tomatoes, be sure to seed them.
3) In a food processor or good blender, combine all ingredients except the olive oil. Pulse/blend until smooth, scraping down the sides.
4) Add the 1/4 cup olive oil in a steady stream while blending until nuts are completely ground and the spread has reached your desired consistency (should be thicker).
5) Store in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 1 week.

FREEZER FRIENDLY: This spread freezes well, so I will often double batches. When ready to use, defrost overnight in the fridge. Stir well the next morning and you are good to go!

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Try this in a sandwich or on bread all by itself - you'll love it either way! Are you a spreads kind of person?

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Spinach & Black Bean Enchiladas (vegan)

After the holidays and travelling for so long, the last thing I wanted to do after I came home was cook. There's nothing worse than coming home after living out of a suitcase for 2 weeks and having to come up with a complete meal when the fridge and pantry are basically empty. It's not motivating in the least.

We ended up running to the grocery store and making some paninis with our panini grill, but I was reminded later that I probably had some freezer meals left over. 

I love freezer meals. Once in a while I'll do a huge cooking haul, and prep meals enough for the month. The freezer is a wonderful thing, especially on days I don't want to cook, or know I will be too busy to do so. It's mostly for the benefit of my husband, who requires good and balanced meals. I suppose I do too, but I'm honestly the eat-cereal-for-dinner kind of gal when I'm too tired to care. 

On those days, it's very handy to have my freezer stocked with some of our favourite meals. It's win-win, since I don't really have to cook, and we still get to enjoy a homemade meal. That being said, we don't eat a meal from the freezer every day - I'm not that lazy! Today I'm going to share with you one of our favourite freezer meals!

I've been experimenting with all sorts of enchilada recipes, but I keep coming back to this basic recipe, since it's quick, simple, and still really yummy! Spinach is probably my favourite thing to add to dishes, so naturally, I love this.

On meal prep days, sometimes I will make double the amount so that our freezer is always full of enchiladas! 

They're quick to make up too, which makes Sunday prep days really painless. I can't complain when something is easy, and still tastes like a lot more effort went into it. 

I'm hoping to share some more freezer friendly meals soon, but for now, try this one out. You will love it.

Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas

what you need:

For the Enchiladas

• 15 oz. can black beans

• 1 cup frozen corn

• 6 oz. baby spinach

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 small red onion

• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro

• 2 tsp. cumin

• 2 cups shredded vegan cheese (optional)

• Green onion for garnish

• 10 large tortilla shells

Sauce (or use this recipe)

• 3 cups vegetable broth (try this homemade one!)

• 1/2 C tomato paste

• 1/4 C flour (I use whole wheat white flour)

• 2 TBSP olive oil

• 2 tsp. cumin

• 1/2 tsp each: garlic powder, onion powder, chilli powder

• salt/pepper to taste

what to do:

1) Make the sauce by heating olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add tomato paste, flour and spices.

2) Whisk for about a minute and add broth, slowly bringing it to a boil.

3) Reduce to simmer and cook until slightly thickened. Add salt/pepper for taste and set aside.

4) Saute red onion and garlic until softened. Add spinach and cook until slightly wilted.

5) In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and add onion, garlic and spinach mixture. 

6) Fill tortillas with mixture and roll tightly

7) Coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with some enchilada sauce and line the dish with rolled enchiladas, seam side down.

8) Pour remaining sauce generously over the enchiladas. Sprinkle some cheese on top (optional)

9) Bake at 375 degrees F for about 20 minutes

10) Garnish with fresh cilantro and green onions and try it with some homemade vegan sour cream

Freezer Friendly: As mentioned, I love freezing these for a quick meal on a busy weeknight. To freeze, line rolled enchiladas up on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer until firm and ready to transfer to a freezer bag. 

Freeze enchilada sauce separately. 

To prepare, heat up sauce slowly in a saucepan and prepare as normal (see above). Bake covered for about 30 minutes and uncovered for another 20, or until done. 

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Do you prepare meals in the freezer? Let me know if you try this or anything else by posting to social media and tagging #MapleAlps!

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Jumping into the Holiday Mood

Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas.

Dale Evans

When was the last time you took a moment, a break from your life and just… enjoyed? Enjoyed the world around you, the love that’s virtually everywhere, the beauty of what’s visible to the naked eye and beyond it? Exactly. Why have we collectively given up on all the joys around us and decided it’s way more important to hand in that report by Friday than listen to our kids jibber jabber about their latest cartoon obsession or help out with the Christmas decorations? Ah, yes, we’ve grown old(er) and, for some reason, that meant willingly giving up joy. Hey, maybe we don’t actually have to go through with it? What if, all it takes to bring joy, excitement and thrill back into our lives is to decide we will? Yes, let’s do it!

This Christmas, no matter how (seemingly) disinterested you seem to be, decide to make the best of it and jump into the Christmas spirit rapidly! After all, at Christmas, everything somehow gets softer and more beautiful. It’s like a magic is waved over this world and everything, suddenly, becomes better, lighter and happier.

Here, a simple guide that will help you get into the holiday mood and enjoy this season with your loved ones:

Go DIY on decorations

Buying decorations is super practical but making them is what’s adding to the wonderful Christmas spirit. Just imagine yourself and the kids sitting together, doing arts and crafts, coming up with the craziest shapes and forms for your tree and the entire house… doesn’t it sound wonderful? Apart from making unique decorations, you’ll get to spend time with your little ones, enjoy their gorgeous faces and brilliant minds, and have a chance to reconnect. These are the memories your kids will cherish forever.

Speaking of DIY, you can also go crazy on the Christmas outfits – make it a family project for everyone to design and sew (obviously, you’ll help out) their outfit, and wear it on Christmas day. Fun!

Bring on the scents

This holiday season, try to introduce some wonderful scents into your home, scents that will give power to the wonderful spirit of Christmas – think maple tree and cinnamon, pine tree and vanilla, apple and cypress, coconut and vanilla, peaches and honey, etc. These days, scented candles, air purifiers and scented air fresheners can do wonders for a room! While air purifiers will clean out the air you breathe, scented elements will give the space just the touch of smell you are hoping to get. How’s that for an instant Christmas thrill!

Cook, bake, eat

Remember when you were a child and you’d wake up to the scent of your grandma’s cinnamon pie? Wasn’t that, just, phenomenal? Well, let your kids make the same memories!

Come up with some super tasty Christmas recipes you’ll make for the family or find those treats that are not that hard to make and include your little ones into the process! You can make gingerbread together, cookies for the rest of the family (the more shapes the better), you can even let them take their pick and decide on what’s going to be the main delish… as long as you’re all included, as that’s what  Christmas is all about.

Watch a holiday movie

A Christmas movie night is a must! Make a list of all the movies your kids love to watch and gather together for a movie night. Get some popcorn and blankets, let the Christmas lights charm you into loosening up and enjoy this precious time.

It's true, Christmas can feel like a lot of work, especially for moms (after all, it is mostly us who are doing all the work). But, as the very observant Caroline Kennedy put it “when you look back on all the Christmases in your life, you'll find you've created family traditions and lasting memories. Those memories, good and bad, are really what help to keep a family together over the long haul”.

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This was a guest post by Claire Hastings, who is a wanderer and a writer. She has written as long as she can remember, and she is very passionate about fashion, running, other cultures, and her cat.

Connect with Claire here:
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If you are interested in guest posting, check out the guest posting guidelines for Maple Alps, here. 

Peanut Butter Coconut Cookies (vegan)

Growing up, I could always count on having cookies around Christmas. Even now, cookies are a must in the season. Naturally, I've made a few batches this season, and of course I had to share a cookie recipe. The best part is that I'm not only sharing these delicious peanut butter coconut cookies, but a bunch of other yummies as part of a virtual cookie swap. How fun is that?! You'll find those creative and delicious recipe links at the bottom of this post.

Of course, gingerbread is a natural choice for the Christmas season, but a friend inspired the combination of peanut butter and coconut and not long after, I found these scrumptious yummies coming out of my oven. I was slightly hesitant at first, but they have quickly become an official favourite in our house.

Peanut Butter Coconut Cookies
Makes: About 2 Dozen

what you need:

what to do:

1) Cream together the sugar, coconut oil and peanut butter.
2) Stir in applesauce and vanilla.
3) Mix dry ingredients separately and add. slowly to wet ingredients until all are mixed.
4) Chill dough 30 - 60 minutes.
5) While preheating the oven to 375 degrees F, roll dough into balls, and flatten gently with a fork.
6) Bake 10-12 minutes, until slightly brown.
7) Remove from oven and cool completely
8) Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil using double boiler.
9) Dip cookies into the chocolate and sprinkle with shredded coconut.

1/2 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup applesauce
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons organic shredded coconut (unsweetened) 

3/4 cup dairy free dark chocolate chips
1 tablespoon coconut oil
shredded coconut for sprinkling

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What are your favourite cookies during the holiday season? Try these and the recipes from the cookie swap below! Let me know if you've tried these with the hashtag #MapleAlps

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Speculoos Button Cookies via Katherine in Brooklyn

Chocolate Dipped Matcha and Ginger Shortbread Cookies via Madeline Marie

Walnut Pepita Chocolate Chip Cookies via Nommable

GF + Vegan Gingerbread Men via Soul and Spoon

Chocolate Peppermint Coconut Macaroons via Pumpkin & Peanut Butter

Almond Spritz Cookies via Flours In Your Hair

Coconut Peanut Butter Cookies (vegan) via Maple Alps

Flaxseed & Pistachio Shortbread with White Chocolate Ganache Glaze via Lyndsey Eden

Speculoos Coffee Caramel Slices via Les Filles de Madeleine

Salted Dark Chocolate Cookies via The Foodwright

Dark Chocolate Butterscotch Cookies via Seek Satiation

Pretzel & Caramel Drizzled Snickerdoodles via Hopeless Thunder