NO-BAKE, NO PROBLEM

The other day I was craving oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, but didn't want to bake because of the hot weather (our galley kitchen traps the heat, and it can be a real boiler room to cook in). Instead, I made my own version of these no-bake energy bites by Maggie at Smashed Peas and Carrots. They were perfect to satisfy my cookie craving and I didn't even have to turn on the oven.

No-Bake Energy Bites

adapted from Smashed Peas and Carrots

2 cups oats

1 cup natural peanut butter

1/2 cup agave nectar

2 tbsp. Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

2 tbsp. chia seeds

2 tsp. vanilla 

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well until thoroughly incorporated. Let chill in the refrigerator for an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy! Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week. 

Try This: These bites are delicious straight out of the freezer, too!

As Maggie of Smashed Peas and Carrots says, make these bites your own. Use a different nut butter, try honey or maple syrup in place of the agave, add chocolate chips, raisins, or chopped nuts!

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T IS FOR TUM

Saturday, June 9th marked my first TUM experience and it was a fantastic one, to say the least. It was everything I had imagined it to be: foodies (and non-foodies) young and old(er) pouring out $5 bills for a taste of this and a mouthful of that. Held at the Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto, TUM is an opportunity for locals to come together and taste the food of aspiring chefs. 

I'm proud to say that I ate my weight in food and feel that my money was well-spent. I attended the event with my friend G, who managed to get us some last-minute tickets. We had a great evening, sampling everything from tacos and vegan baking to potstickers and typical Indonesian street fare. Here's a brief run down of everything I tasted, my thoughts, and whether or not I'd ever go back for seconds.

While waiting in line for ceviche and marinated shrimp tacos from Seven Lives Tacos, G and I nibbled on dark chocolate covered bacon from Leonard's Pig Candy. I'm glad that I had the chance to try this sweet and savoury treat, but would I eat it again? Probably not. I prefer my bacon sans chocolat. As for the tacos, they were delicious! I enjoyed the Gobernador Taco, made up of smoked marlin and shrimp, while G enjoyed a ceviche taco. Topping of our tacos, we piled on the delicious condiments, including pickled onions and extra hot sauce.

Our next stop was Babi&Co., where we enjoyed samples of common Indonesian street food. We ordered the shrimp and corn fritters and the charcoal grilled pork skewers. Both were delicious, particularly the pork. It was so tender and flavourful, and had just the right amount of spice. As for the fritters, I'm not usually one for deep fried foods, so I probably wouldn't order these again, but they were good nonetheless: sweet from the corn and crunchy from the batter and shrimp, they were tasty with a little hot sauce.

As we continued to explore the venue, long lines began to form at the different vendors. Afraid that we might not get the chance to try everything we wanted to, G and I decided to split up and line up for different samples. My line at Little Tomato Catering moved surprisingly quickly, so while G was still waiting to order jalapeño cornbread grilled cheese from Comida del Pueblo, I joined him in line with what I would rate the best/most delicious/original/amazing/incredible sample from that night. It was a perfectly cooked quail egg on top of peameal bacon and sandwiched between a freshly baked buttermilk biscuit with a sweet and savoury red onion marmalade, a zesty dijon mayonnaise, and an earthy pesto. With no knife, it was a mess trying to share this with G, but well worth it (I'm salivating just thinking about it). 

We finally made it to the head of the grilled cheese line, but not without G sneaking away to grab us a couple of gluten-free guava macaroons from Cookie Martinez. Made from almond flour and guava paste, the cookie was dense and chewy and had just the right amount of sweetness, a delicious way to break up all of the savoury foods we had been enjoying!

Then it came time to try the much anticipated grilled cheese. The  jalapeño cornbread was cut thick and was full of that sweet corn flavour with just the perfect amount of spice. I love spicy food, so I could've done with a bit more jalapeño, but I think this was just perfect for serving a large, diverse crowd. The sandwich was served with guacamole, crème fraîche, and cilantro, adding to its unique flavour and making this dish one to savour. In addition to the grilled cheese, we also enjoyed a duck empanada from Comida del Pueblo. I'm a big fan of duck, so I thought this was delicious. The duck was well-flavoured and plentiful--there definitely wasn't any skimping on the duck filling for these empanadas.

From here, we enjoyed samyozas from Nomad Food Creations (what I would call gourmet pot stickers served with sauce pairings), beef and vegetable samosas from Mama Nashi's, pulled pork pa-jun from Eat Here (whose homemade tortillas were to die for!), and finally, mini cupcakes from Kappukeki Fusion Cupcakes, which I was a little bit disappointed by (and I'm not just saying that because of my own cupcake creations).

So, what would I enjoy a second time? And what weren't we able to try that I wish we had? Well, you already know my love for the quail egg and peameal bacon sandwich. I should probably just try and re-create it at home (but you and I both know that it just wouldn't taste as good). I also really liked both the grilled cheese and empanada from Comida del Pueblo. The concept from Nomad Food Creations to have samyozas with paired sauces is creative. However, the flavours of both the samyoza fillings and the sauces weren't as pronounced or distinct as I would have liked. G and I tried the pulled pork pa-jun near the end of our food adventure, so I was very full, but I do remember having a bite of his order and finding the tortilla to be so incredibly fresh tasting and the pork just melting in my mouth. 

As for what I wish we had tried but didn't because a) the line up was outrageous, and b) I just ate way to much of everything else, it would have to be the mini lobster rolls and lobster poutine from Rock Lobster Food Co. Need I say more? 

Would I ever return to TUM? Absolutely.

Admission for the event is $10, plus each vendor charges a small price for different menu items. These items usually range between $3 and 6. 

Hungry yet? 

images via the passion-ate, my life is food, and google
  
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STRIPES 2.0

Although I once had a fear of striped apparel, the nautical look has now become a huge part of my wardrobe. And while mixing prints seems to be one of this season's go-to trends, stripes are no exception.

Breaking all the rules: dark versus light & bright tones in horizontal and vertical stripes.

Denim, blue, and stripes all over is an easy, casual look that anyone can re-create.

Another take on stripes? Wide versus skinny stripes. 

How do you like to mix your stripes? 

images via refinery29, what i wore, and pinterest 

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HOW TIME FLIES

I fell off the bloggin' bandwagon, but I'm back by popular demand (or something like that). So, why the lack of posts? To be honest, after I finished school, I really lost sense of what I should be doing with my time and with that came a lack of inspiration for posts. That said, I've been busy for the past month working (or trying to), training with my acting coaches, and catching up with old and new friends.

And just like that, June came and went. 

So, while I'm still figuring out my career path post-graduation (which I'm learning is quite the process), here's a brief re-cap of what's happened over the past several weeks:

1 / my pal G and I attended TUM's June 9th soirée (and while a little late, I will definitely be doing a follow-up post on this delicious event!). 

2 / I fell in love with a cat named Maru, thanks to a friend who knows my undying love for cat videos. 

3 / I graduated from York University (again), this time with a Master's in Communication & Culture. And my parents came to visit! 

4 / I stubbed my pinky finger (like bad, real bad) playing footy. Here and now, I vow to plaster my hands with tape while playing footy. 

5/ Oh, and I cut off all my hair (see before and after pics). What do you think?

Stay tuned for new recipes and easy DIY projects!

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WEEKEND SALUTE (SUMMER'S HERE)

In addition to flip flops and short shorts and ice cream cones and iced coffees and camping and profuse sweating...the recent warm weather has brought excitement to some of the things I enjoy most during the summer (despite that the official first day of summer is weeks away!).

Physical activity / When the weather's warm and sunny, all I want to do is be outside. And, what better way to enjoy the great outdoors than with a footy game? This is my second season playing with the Lady 'Roos Australian football team. Last year, I was asked to play one game, but then enjoyed it so much that I decided to join the team. Now, I don't think summer would feel the same if I wasn't a part of the team. It's an awesome workout, it gets you outside, and bonus: it's a social experience! There's always socials outside of training and games; it's like a great, big family! If you're in the area, come watch our third game of the season tomorrow at 1pm at 1000 Mohawk Road, East Hamilton. It's free! And better, if you want to join the team, message me for details--we're always looking to recruit!

Festivals / I love summer in Toronto for endless festivals and events (many of which offer free entertainment and if you're lucky, food!). Whether it's Luminato, Taste of the Danforth, Woofstock, or the Beaches International Jazz Festival, there's always something to see or do in Toronto during the summer. This summer, I'm particularly excited about an ongoing event that my friend G recently told me about. It's the Toronto Underground Market (or TUM), and it's a social food market for the community to sample the food of Toronto home cooks, some professional and others not. G and I officially have a date for TUM's June 9th event, and while I'm looking forward to tasting what others have cooked up in their kitchens, I'm also curious to see what kind of sweet treats the vendors/budding entrepreneurs will have to share (and what competition might be like, were I to go through with my plan to pursue a small confectionery business of my own!). You can bet I'll do a follow-up post on the event.

R&R / And of course, a little rest and relaxation. While the warmth and sun can energize us and make us want to get outside and get active, at the end of a long summery day, doesn't it just feel the best to kick back with a light dinner, your favourite cocktail, your favourite book, your favourite person? R has been working very hard lately--me, not so hard, but I like to think I'm conserving my energy for something to come...err...? Regardless, I think we'll be taking in some easy relaxation this weekend. I'm thinking: laying in the sun and reading a good book? Right now I'm reading The Only 127 Things You Need by Donna Wilkinson. I'll let you know how it is when I'm finished reading. So far, the book has been a review for me.

What are you looking most forward to this summer (or even this weekend!)?

images via the thrifty gourmet cooks, pretty stuff, sequined serpent, and toronto underground market

(ONE FLOUR) G-FREE BANANA BREAD

After making this recipe yesterday, I couldn't not share it with you. The recipe is for gluten-free banana bread, but what I find so exciting about this recipe is that it uses only one type of flour (brown rice flour), yet still retains a moist and sturdy (and fluffy!) texture like that of a standard banana bread. 

A lot of gluten-free baking calls for the combining of multiple flours in order to achieve a texture that is comparable to goods containing wheat and gluten. Different flours are combined depending on their individual compositions and in relation to whatever end-product is to be achieved. The problem with having to use multiple flours is that it can be costly (key words: can be--some flours are relatively inexpensive, especially if purchased in bulk) and quite frankly, a little bit of a hassle--do you really want to always have to combine three to five flours together to achieve the perfect mixture? 

Here it is, my best homemade gluten-free banana bread to date (if you don't tell your taste-testers, they won't even be able to tell it's gluten-free):

Gluten-Free Banana Bread with Chocolate Chunks
adapted from eat life whole

2 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten 
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup dark chocolate, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease bread pan with coconut oil.

2. In a large bowl, combine rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, and cinnamon.

3. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, bananas, applesauce, agave, vanilla, and coconut oil. Add banana mixture to dry mix and stir until well combined. Fold in chocolate.

4. Pour batter into prepared bread pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.

Makes 1 loaf.  

WEEKEND SALUTE (& CONTEST)

As always, here's the past week at Tomfoolery & Bright:

get that flawless face for summer with Lisa Eldridge 
my recipe for Braised Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes & Olives
easy substitutions in the kitchen
and old and new insta-photos

It's supposed to be a hot one in Toronto this weekend! And, you can find me downtown at The Bay and at Yonge & Dundas Square promoting a new fragrance by Hugo Boss. Usually, I wouldn't feel the need to tell you about the work that helps pay my bills, but since there's a contest involved (and a $20 gift card to The Bay!), I thought that I'd fill you in on the details. 

BOSS Bottled. Sport. is the name of Hugo Boss's new fragrance for men. The inspiration behind the fragrance is "high tech, energetic, and fundamental to preparing for any challenge that lies ahead." Okay, maybe the marketing is a bit goofy, but you get the point. The scent is clean and fresh. 

And, while this one may be for the men...ladies, the talent behind BOSS Bottled. Sport. is Jenson Button, World Drivers' Champion 2009. Still not sure? Well, for one, he's the handsome chap featured in the video above. But also, he's the youngest British driver to ever start a Formula 1 race.

(Apparently if you're into racing, he's a popular guy!)

This weekend, myself and the rest of my promotional team will be downtown promoting the new fragrance, handing out samples, and encouraging people to enter a contest to win a VIP trip for 2 to the Montreal Grand Prix, as well as handing out $20 gift cards for purchase of the fragrance. If you aren't in the area this long weekend, though, and would still like to take part, enter the contest here. Good luck!

Whether you're in the city or at the cottage, have an amazing long weekend!

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video via youtube