{Oh} Canada Day Cookies

HAPPY LONG WEEKEND CANADA...


Is what I would say If I actually had a long weekend. But I don't. This is the first year I can remember not having a long weekend. Why is Canada Day on Tuesday this year? Why Why Why!


 Also..

RAMADAN KAREEM/ RAMADAN MUBARAK to all who are celebrating. I hope this Ramadan does not bring to you anything more than you can handle and you have a safe and fulfilling month, Inshallah!

Here is a quick little diddy about a holiday to celebrate us canucks!

I couldn't resist the urge to make some Canada Day treats..

And cookies, of course fit the bill. Don't they always?

To see more pictures and some other Canada Day recipe ideas, keep on keepin' on!

School Snack Team Sugar Cookies

Nothing is more school appropriate than apples and carrots.

Okay, these are COOKIES that only LOOK like apples and carrots but I won't tell anyone if you won't?

These were made for a school's snack team -- and while apples and carrots are full of nutrition, these cookies are high in Vitamin C....ha, do you see what I did the-- oh, nevermind!

Aren't they the cutest?!

I thought that I would get tired of taking pictures of the same cookies...but I didn't!

To see more cookies and how I package my cookies, keep on keepin' on!

Beach Themed Sugar Cookies

School's out for summer! Well, for most kids anyway. Unless you mean Summer. Which is me! Which technically school is out for me because I'm done... enough with the technicalities-- look at these!

I made these cookies to send to a local elementary school and thought what better way to end the year than beach themed cookies?! 

Probably lots of better ways, actually. But this is what I chose to do!

And I had so much fun with them, as you can tell:

Yes, that is a teeny tiny little person enjoying a swim in his cookie pool! I couldn't resist ;) I saw Sweet Ambs do a beautiful pool cookie and wanted to try it! Hers is flawless, though!

This is a picture heavy post...so sit back and relax,  let's go to the beach!

Father's Day Sugar Cookies

A bit belated but I wanted to share my Father's Day stuff! Dad's are so great, aren't they?

They usually aren't very fussy. What's for dinner? Food? Great!

Don't usually care about clothes, hair or anything else. I have hair, still? GREAT!

And they are pretty easy to please. You bought me a thing? COOL. Where's the remote?


This rule also applies for my grandpa. He is the absolute sweetest thing in the WORLD.

This Father's Day my siblings and I brought dad the gift of food, gift cards and good company. But on top of that I had to make cookies!

But you just knew I would, didn't you?

Dr. Dad was my theme! I worked at my dad's medical office alongside other jobs to help pay for school -- and it always makes me so proud of what he does. Why not show that appreciation in a cookie!

Yes, those are needles. LOL Gruesome, I know! I saw the design online and I thought it was cute :)

Scrubs and coats! I loved these little cookies. 

Want to see the rest??? Let's go!

Guilt- Free Strawberry & Lemon {Protein} Cake

Summer is here! Well, mostly.

Canadian winter was cruel to us this year, and more or less anything higher than 10 degrees Celsius is a win for us, am I right, Canada?!

Warmer weather means fresh product, beautiful colours and cake. Wait...maybe not the last thing. But I couldn't resist a fresh, summery take on a beautiful flavour combination: strawberry and lemon.

As usual, the cake is gluten free, without the use of refined sugar or artificial colors/flavors/weird things.  The protein comes from the protein powder, greek yogurt and gluten free flour and the fat comes from COCONUT OIL, the fatty acid superstar!!!

Your face will melt off into a puddle of goop onto the floor when you taste this. Yours knees will buckle, palms will sweat, heart rate will elevate -- yes...yes, it's love.


Because it's fresh, oh so fresh, fresh to DEF!

And looks GORGEOUS.

Did I mention FRESH! Locally grown berries = no words.

Incroyable.




And the frosting? Light and cloud-like fluff status.

Not enough pictures you say? I hear you LOUD AND CLEAR. Let's talk ingredients, more pictures and other things.

Double Chocolate Protein Cupcakes with Paleo Frosting

A cupcake heavy week here at the blog, I know.

But cupcakes are the ultimate in adorable fun portable individual sized treats.

Why? Because I am greedy and I don't like sharing and who asks to share a cupcake? Only crazy people.

These cupcakes are moist, fluffy, super chocolatey and hands down the most delicious deceitful cupcakes I have ever made/eaten.

More importantly they are free of refined sugars, gluten, artificial ingredients and have lots of PROTEIN! Because ...that's kind of my jam. Additionally, all the healthy fats in this recipe alongside the protein make these good for you and so satisfying!

Every attempt at a recipe with extra protein is really a surprise end result to me. I do write the recipes myself for almost everything so it can be nerve-wrecking! But this puffed and fluffed in normal cupcake fashion and I am feeling pretty smug. Even though I have chocolate on my every place.

The frosting looks so luxurious, no? Creamy, glossy, chocolatey and beautiful!

Guess what?

NO. Guess again.

Okay, again. Not that!

The frosting...has...something special in it. No sugar, no butter, nothing crazy.

Can you see it? Avocado! I don't know how it happens or who figured it out but BLESS THEIR SWEET HEARTS! Naturally, I added my own twist to the recipe but WOW. The most healthful and deceptive chocolate frosting you will ever eat! I was insanely skeptical about this. It sounded very gross. Thank goodness I had some extra ripe avocados laying around alongside some extra courage!

Just look at that!

Simply beautiful. And on the cupcakes? It takes the cupcakes to another level. Soft, smooth, silky perfection! I have never tasted anything so smooth in my life. You could eat this alone as a mousse or pudding! It's unreal!

Know what else? You can even make this Easy Vegan Caramel Sauce to go on top! Mmm!!!

Simply perfect.

In the end, we get something like this:

Now I know the avocado scared you, but once you read the recipe and see how easy it is, you'll want to give it a try too!

Marshmallow Fluff Birthday Cupcakes

In my office there are 8 of us with the same position.

I treasure and love each and every one of them! We have been super busy lately and so to commemorate the end to a successful event and a long few weeks--why not celebrate two of their birthdays with CUPCAKES!

Lugging them to the office was well worth it to see how much they appreciated it. And we needed the extra boost Friday afternoon, let me tell YOU!

I even had some passersby ask if the cupcakes were for them. I suppose it is a frequent enough occurrence that random strangers offered them cupcakes? Regardless, I was flattered.

For the flavours, I decided to go with a classic vanilla cupcake and this marshmallow buttercream. So please, go read all about it!

These turned out beautiful!

Both with and without their beautiful yellow frosting!

But just to be sure...add some of this:

Because then you get these!

More pictures? Obviously!

Birthday Cookies and a Hello Kitty Birthday Party!

Nothing beats themed parties.

I'm sorry if you disagree...but you're wrong!

So when my Aunt decided on a Paris & Hello Kitty themed 9th birthday for my cousin....I was THRILLED. I think I was more excited than the birthday girl!

And when she asked me to decorated cookies...I was even more excited! My Aunt is 100% the most talented decorator I know. She does fondant, macarons and cake pops like nobodies business. So the party was absolutely GORGEOUS.

I wanted to share my cookies...but mostly just show you how beautiful her dessert table(s) were!

BTW you cam find her on Facebook! Her page name and business name is: Pour Toi Sweets and here is a link! Check out all her other stuff too! She does AMAZING things. AHHH MAAAYY ZING!

Also, fun fact: 9 year olds today are way too advanced. Iggy Azalea and Iphones? Unreal!!!


Let's start with the table:

Look at the little Hello Kitty bags for the popcorn! The cute!!!!

Her macarons...unbelievable. I don't eat sugar very often, but those macarons! AHH!

Let's check out the cake and cookies!

Gluten Free Chocolate Protein Pops {And a Protein Mistake!}

Sometimes things just don't work out.

You try to put the pieces together, make adjustments, add things, and yet still you come up short. Too lumpy, too runny, to thick, too thin, not sweet enough, to sweet, and the list goes on and on!

I have been wanting to do 'protein oreos' for a while now. So I finally sat down to write the recipe and I promptly headed to the kitchen Sunday morning to work some magic.

Made the dough...so far so good. I even piped them a la French macarons!

Baked the cookies....also, not too shabby. Pretty cute, actually!

Then the icing. A bit runny...but...we will see what happens?

This happened:

And this:

Delicious, yes. But a runny, liquidy soupy stream of godforsaken protein mess!

Then I got so angry and cursed so loudly as I fervently mashed all the cookies into a giant bowl.


Then a light bulb went off...I added the icing to my mashed up cookies, rolled them into balls and then...

CAKE POPS!


PROTEIN CAKE POPS! PROTEIN POPS! PROPS! Ok maybe not THAT far...BUT STILL!


Sometimes when life gives you lemons...or in this case failed pr-oreos (protein oreos, bazinga!) you make protein pops. That analogy will catch on soon, I just know it!


Before I show you the recipe, know that I made so many little cookies because I was making oreo cookies. If you aren't...then just make normal sized cookies--they will get mashed up later anyways!

It seems like a lot of steps BUT it's pretty easy. Hopefully the pictures will help. Just remember - cake/cookie mix gets mashed up with icing. Then you roll it into balls. Freeze. Skewer. Dip. SERVE!

Let's get to it!

Simple Chocolate Protein Soft-Serve

Working out is important.

But sometimes, motivation wavers. This is totally normal and happens to the best of us. Well, I must be the best of the best because mine is almost always wavering! Just kidding...mostly...

I remember when I first started going to a big gym, it was really intimidating. I swear the entire lot of males at the gym were profession competitors, fitness models and all around...*ahem*...lovely people on the inside?

Getting to the gym became a bit of a struggle. I wanted to go, but sometimes it took some help. Food is a great motivator. I am more or less like a puppy dog in that sense.

I introduce: Protein Soft-Serve:

Thick. Soft-serve-like, super thick milkshake tasting protein amazingness. With only a few ingredients I *KNEW* I could whip this up post-workout.

Err...I sometimes had it even if I didn't make it to the gym...OOPS. Can you blame me?

CAN YOU?

See how it spills out? Yeah...it makes A LOT! But to get a better look, let's switch to a bowl.

Ahhhh. That's better! I couldn't drink it out of the straw. It's way too thick. Don't let the pictures fool you--it is very soft-serve like! Want to amp up the texture? Add more ice. Sadly, I was out. I know, terrible!

Grab your toppings:

And let's go make some protein soft-serve! In chocolate. Because...duh!