Everything is a Photo Opportunity #20

The weather has been beautiful for much of October. A few rainy days, but mostly just bright sun and perfect for walking. I love fall colours and the rail trail doesn't disappoint to show off the beauty of this time of year. I'm attempting to soak in every moment of sunshine I can. Outdoors or bust!

Canton Restaurant #FoodPicFriday

John had a birthday a few weeks ago and his family always gets him a big Chinese food dinner to celebrate. Our favourite place to order from is Canton Restaurant in Midhurst, ON, and it is always worth the 25 minute drive (each way) to get it. We always order a tonne of food and basically have our own Chinese buffet at home.

From L-R:

(back row) Chicken balls, deep fried shrimp, egg rolls, chicken wings, almond soo guy

(middle row) Sweet and Sour sauce (it's giant!)

(front row) Cantonese Chow Mein, chicken fried rice, chicken chop suey, BBQ pork spareribs

I first discovered Canton Restaurant with my family when I was in highschool, and if I was ordering take out with them, chicken chop suey would be replaced with lemon chicken, and there would also be an order of deep fried wontons. No matter who I order with, the food is always excellent and there are plenty of delicious leftovers for lunch the next day.

This post is part of Big Dude Likes Food #FoodPornFriday link up. Feel free to head on over to his blog and link up an awesome food post!

Roast Beef Dinner

I grew up on a beef cattle farm so a meat and potatoes dinner is not only full of wonderful flavours but great memories too. There are many ways to prepare and season a beef roast, and I am very fond of the easy one pot meal.

Ingredients:
-Beef Roast (ours was 1.5 lbs)
-Spices to taste (we use salt, pepper, garlic salt, and Montreal steak spice)
-Onion and garlic, chopped
-Assorted vegetables for side dishes (today we had potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots)

Method: 
1. Place roast in 9x13 pan. Season with spices. Surround roast with chopped onion and garlic for flavour.
2. Chop other veggies (potatoes and carrots) and place in pan beside the roast.
3. Add about 1/2 inch of water to pan. Sprinkle with extra spices if desired.
4. Cook in 350°F oven for 1.5 - 2 hours (time will vary on size of roast).
5. Remove veggies and roast from pan and set aside.
6. Strain juices from pan into small pot for gravy.
7. Serve with dinner rolls and enjoy!

This post was originally featured on my friend Kim's blog Meanwhile In the Country in a section called Favorite Recipes Around the World. Please check out Kim's blog for this and many other wonderful recipes.

Everything is a Photo Opportunity #19

We are surrounded by a lot of outdoor beauty around here, and this summer we found a boardwalk along one of our local beaches. It's a great place to go walking, and each time we've been, we've run into other people walking dogs, pushing strollers, jogging, or just standing around watching the sunset. I think the boardwalk is pretty neat, and with a gorgeous view of the water, it's a very peaceful place to spend an evening.

Something in the Way She Moves

I'm working on my second 28 day reboot, the goal of which is to amp up my physical activity, mainly through walking. I have a semi broken pedometer, and while I'm waiting to order a Fitbit (because I love stats), I have been going out on timed walks and enjoying the shit out of the beautiful weather we are having.

Week one: 2.75 hours walked

Week two: 4 hours walked

Week three (current): I already have over 3 hours walked! Today will take me to the 4 hour mark, and I still have 3 days left in the week. Very, very pleased with myself.

I found a great route that I've been walking that varies between 50 and 75 minutes, depending on which turns I take (or don't take). There is a public washroom ideally located at the midway point, which allows me to be out on longer walks without worrying about having to pee.

My body has adjusted to all the walking and I haven't woken up with that exhausted, can't-hardly-move feeling in a few weeks. Also my aches and pains are at a minimum (I've been doing post walk stretches, which I think are helping). The bonus of all the walks is that I've been getting great sleeps and soaking up a tonne of fall sunshine. Which allows for the greatest bonus of all: feeling pretty damn good!