The Blue Brick

A new endeavour – cooking for diabetics.

November 15, 2011
My mom has recently been diagnosed with type II diabetes. Learning how to change her diet has been challenging, because so much of it feels like a list of restrictions. Other guidelines might have well been in another language for all the good they did us, (what IS a complex carbohydrate?!). I’ve been doing a lot of research on how to help my mom eat better, and to make it simple, tasty and flexible for her.

My research showed me a few things worth noting. One is that type II diabetes CAN be beat. When I say ‘beat’ I don’t mean that you can get your body back to a place where lots of coca cola and cheesecake are ok, but I do mean that it’s not a life long sentence, or a lifetime ban on sweet foods, or the inability to enjoy eating out. It’s about balance and not restrictions, and I’m hoping to help my mom find her balance :) it takes discipline and commitment, but it can be done.

The other thing I learned is that we could probably all stand to eat like diabetics. The decrease in sugars and processed foods, the increase in fibre and lean proteins… this is good for everyone. I am going to change my eating habits as well, not just to stand in solidarity with mom, but because it’s good for me too.

So all this leads to my new side project here at the Blue Brick :) I’m going to go on a quest for healthy, easy, tasty recipes and share them here on my blog. I’m no chef, so rest assured if it shows up on this blog then it must be easy to make. I also have to say this, though it should be obvious: I’m no dietician either. Complicated questions and in-depth discussions about your particular situation need to be addressed to your health care providers.

I’m going to start with deserts, because mom loves them and I want her to be able to keep eating things she loves. Enjoy!

~The Blue Brick ~

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Cupcakes:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup Splenda
- 4 egg whites
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Coat 18 muffin cups with cooking spray, or line with cupcake paper

Whisk together flours, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

Beat together the granulated sugar, egg whites and egg in a large bowl. The original recipe calls for an electric mixer on medium speed but I made do with my own hands and it turned out fine ;) Keep going until the mixture is thick and pale.

Add in the oil and vanilla extract. Alternately add the reserved flour mixture and yogurt and beat at a low speed until smooth. Divide your mixture into the cups, filling each one to just over halfway.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow them to cool before adding the frosting.

Frosting:
- 3/4 cup omega-3 enriched, low fat peanut butter
- 3/4 cup Splenda
- 1/4 cup fat-free evaporated milk
Whisk together the peanut butter, Splenda and milk until well blended. Spread one tbsp over each cupcake.

Enjoy!
I ♥ Autumn

November 10, 2011

My last round of I ♥ Autumn jewellery did so well I decided to do one more round before autumn in Toronto is over. I’ve added some new bezels, silver finishes and a new ‘tree of life design’ check it out!
Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia.

November 8, 2011

I apologize for the image intense post coming up – narrowing down photography of Peggy’s Cove is impossible. It’s worth it, I promise.

Peggy’s Cove is like being on the moon. The austere beauty of this rocky landscape makes this one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever shot.

Of course there is the lighthouse, but if you walk about 5 minutes away from it then you find yourself completely alone with the rocks and the ocean.

The population of Peggy’s Cove is less than 100. It’s a beautiful little fishing village. It’s got one restaurant where, as you might imagine, I had the best Fish N’ Chips ever.

The rock formations were left behind by a retreating glacier. In parts of Peggy’s Cove it looks like it literally rained boulders.

There are lots of places to lie on the rocks like a sunning salamander and nap while listening to the waves.

In the evening, long exposure shots make for beautiful textures.

The town itself is lovely. It’s got one B&B, where we stayed.

Tide in at the town’s fishing wharf.

It’s got one church.

And a small maritime museum.

…And the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen. My soul sings in a place like this. Give me rocks and ocean and I’m a content gal.

Yvette and I were sorry to leave, but very very happy that we made the time to see this magical spot.
The Ice Cream People – Dress Trashing!

November 4, 2011

Jessica decided to trash her dress :) It’s very Jess; carefree and all about maxing out the fun of her dress. Jess decided to hit the Brickworks in the Don Valley and she couldn’t have picked a more perfect spot.

The Brickworks has lots of drama, and I love how different it was from shooting the wedding itself. I had total control over time and lighting, and we got to really stage some fun shots.

It was a perfect place to trash a dress – you should have seen the condition of it afterwards!

This one was my favourite shot of the lot :)

Jess is such a beautiful girl. I love her eyes in this shot.

The colourful graffiti added a nice touch.

Couldn’t resist a few sexy details :)

And happily ever after :)
The Ice Cream People

November 3, 2011

You might remember Jessica and Mike from their engagement photos last summer. I was telling a girlfriend about this lovely couple and she said…

“Wait..do you mean the ice cream people?”

“Yes!” I replied, “The ice cream people!”

“OMG!” (she actually said oh my god) “I LOVE the ice cream people! They were so in love that it shone through every picture.”

And that’s how I feel about Jessica and Mike. They’re so in love that it shines whether they’re dousing each other in ice cream, or dolled up and nervous for their wedding day. Jessica was so beautiful on her special day that I had to show off a few of the portraits.

Pics of the dress trashing coming soon!
I ♥ Canadian Autumn

November 1, 2011

Another round of new, autumn themed jeweller has been added to my Etsy page! These one of a kind pieces are lovingly crafted from real flowers and leaves, preserved in jeweller’s grade resin and encased in antique copper. Each one is unique.

This copper necklace contains real autumn leaves in a heart shaped bezel setting, preserved in resin. The pendant is 19mm wide, the leaf is 1.25 inches long, and the collar is 18 inch long coated cable.

This copper necklace contains real autumn leaves in a heart shaped bezel setting, preserved in resin. The pendant is 19mm wide, the maple leaf is 1.75 inches wide, and the collar is 18 inch long coated cable.

Autumn is almost over here in Toronto and we’re expecting our first snowfall soon, so I’d better get out there and get more leaves before it’s too late !
Hopewell Rocks on the Bay of Fundy

October 31, 2011

The Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick are rock formations on the Bay of Fundy.

From wikipedia:

“The formations consist of dark sedimentary conglomerate and sandstone rock. The large volume of water flowing in to and out of the Bay of Fundy modifies the landscape surrounding it. After the retreat of the glaciers in the region following the last ice age, surface water filtering through cracks in the cliff has eroded and separated the formations from the rest of the cliff face. Meanwhile, advancing and retreating tides and the associated waves have eroded the base of the rocks at a faster rate than the tops, resulting in their unusual shapes.”

For perspective – Yvette is 6′ tall exactly, she kindly posed for this picture to show how big these rocks really are. The tidal range in this area can be as much as 46 feet during the new moon.

To explain the tidal range I defer to wikipedia once more:

“ Oceanographers attribute it to tidal resonance resulting from a coincidence of timing: the time it takes a large wave to go from the mouth of the bay to the inner shore and back is practically the same as the time from one high tide to the next. During the 12.4 hour tidal period, 115 billion tonnes of water flow in and out of the bay.[6]“

The Bay of Fundy is a finalist in the vote for 7 Natural Wonders of the world. You can read all about it, and vote here. One of the things I hope to accomplish with these photos is to inspire more folks to vote for the bay of Fundy – it truly is a natural wonder.

The rocks do occasionally fall down, as evidenced by this photo, and the caution tape around the cliffs.

It’s very humbling to walk between these giant formations.

I didn’t go back at high tide, but the water level comes up to where the rocks start to belly out.

It’s definitely worth a visit!
Autumn Beauty Preserved pt II

October 28, 2011

I wanted to share an update to my Etsy shop – resin rings have been added to my Autumn collection!

These rings contain real autumn leaves, vintage sequins and occasional embellishments like sprigs of Queen Anne’s lace.

They are both in antique copper for now, though I’ll be making some in copper, silver and gold finishes as well.

They are adjustable in the back, I love them so much I made one for me :)
Northern Lights at last. And this time I’m sure.

October 25, 2011

This is how this goes.

I’m exhausted – spent yesterday in a state of panic over an important project, then went home and delivered 2 photoshoots, then went into the studio to glaze a bunch of yarn bowls (yay, new yarn bowls!) and then was ready to have some food and collapse. As if.

Then I get this email from my friend Brett saying the following:

CME IMPACT: A coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth’s magnetic field on Oct. 24th around 1800 UT (2 pm EDT). The impact strongly compressed our planet’s magnetosphere and may have exposed geosynchronous satellites to solar wind plasma. Mild to moderate geomagnetic storms are possible in the hours ahead as Earth’s magnetic field continues to reverberate from the hit. Sky watchers in Scandinavia, Canada, and northern-tier US States should be alert for auroras, especially during the hours around local midnight.

(From http://spaceweather.com)

All of a sudden I’m wide awake and Tito and I hit the highway. Around Barrie we hit a huge raincloud, but got just enough tantalizing glimpses to know that they were out there. We drove, stupidly and stubbornly, all the way to Parry Sound. Got home at 5 am. Back at work by 8.

Here you go. Thank you Brett, thank you Tito. One more off the bucket list.
Autumn Beauty Wearables

October 19, 2011

I’ve been working in resin again and this last round has me thrilled. So thrilled in fact that I’ve finally updated my Etsy store to share some of these beauties.

Ever since I started working in resin I’ve been obsessed with the idea of preserving beautiful, natural elements to wear. In particular, the magic of autumn in Ontario is something I’ve always found inspiring. The idea that this transitory beauty could be preserved in a unique piece of jewellery was very appealing to me, and is what kick started my journey into working with resins. It’s taken a pretty long time to perfect my technique but I think I’m finally there :)

Some of them are simply flower petals preserved. Some of them took lots of squinting and composing using exacto knives and tweezers ;) I do a double pour; once to seal my composition, once to give it a nice finish.

The one above contains a maple leave and a sprig of queen Anne’s lace.

If you like what you see head on over to my Etsy page to check out the rest :)