Baby Bandana Bib

My lil' dude starting drooling before he was 3 months old. I saw these cute bandana bibs on Purl Bee a while back and didn't think too much of them until I had the exact same thought as the author: putting a regular bib on him makes him look like he's ready to eat, but not wearing a bib is no longer an option.
So it was clearly time to make him a cute bib disguised as a bandana around his neck.

I'm also enjoying these because they give him a little extra warmth around his neck which is one area that is often exposed to the cold when I wear him in any sort of carrier.

Big Winter Cowl

I've been eyeing this Purl Soho pattern for what feels like forever. Before my son was born I decided it would soon come to fruition and the opening of a new yarn shop in my neighbourhood seemed like the perfect push I needed to get started. 

I really loved the idea of using thread throughout as a way to add different spurts of colour but couldn't find thread that was affordable enough at my local shop. So I chose one big ball of multi colored sock yarn, and just altered how many strands of the sock yarn I used (or didn't use) to create a similar effect.

I love how thick and wide it is and have already been wearing it non-stop. So cozy!  

Brown Butter Spiced Winter Squash Bread

Oh boy. This was a good one. I think I easily polished off the whole loaf by day two.
The spices! The texture! Oh my I do adore this cakey bread.

The recipe comes from none other than my current favourite Ms. Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks. I followed the recipe pretty much completely as is, except I used walnut oil instead of hazelnut, and I made my own garam masala-esque blend of spices (coriander, cumin, ginger, black pepper, bay leaf, cardamom, and clove).
One bizarre thing I did do though was NOT measure my squash. Yup, that's right, I chopped, roasted, and pureed it but somewhere in my zombie mom brain I didn't think about measuring the damn stuff. Oh well, turns out lady luck was on my side and this turned out great. Now the only thing is I wonder how it'll turn out the next time...

Beet & Corn Hash

This post seemed have gotten lost in the shuffle somewhere. Seems a little out of place now that we're almost heading into November but it was delish so here it is nonetheless!

I love meals that really represent the transition of seasons, especially summer to fall. Lately I've been diving into fall produce while still trying to use up some of late summers best offerings. I feel like the addition of sweet fresh corn really adds a touch of summer to an otherwise heavy fall dish. 

No recipe this time, just hoping to inspire you to take a breakfast staple like hash and give it a good ol' seasonal twist!

Summer Squash Soup

So it's official. This is the time for soup. 

Not just weather wise, but baby wise. 

I've quickly realized that soup is the perfect meal for me to cook while taking care of the babe while my husband's at work. I start it late in the morning while the babe is napping, eat some for lunch then serve the rest for dinner, or just save it for another days lunch. If the babe wakes up and I have to leave my cooking, it's so easy to just take it off the heat or turn it down while putting it together, and of course once its done its perfect to just leave on the low heat ready for whenever I can sit down and eat some.

I wish I had found this recipe earlier. It's the perfect way to use up oodles of zucchini or other summer squash that we all end up having a little too much of now and then. With a hint of coconut milk and green curry, this simple soup was another great way to celebrate the transition into fall. I think I'll definitely be making this again this winter with some of the zucchini I've tucked away into my freezer.

Quirky Baby Cardigan

The great thing about knitting for tiny babies is how quickly clothes can come together. This little sweater was so quick to knit up. The only thing that slowed me down was um, having to take care of the little babe who was to wear it. 

I made this little number for the upcoming cool fall days. So far the mornings are cool enough that he needs a sweater but by midday he could be in shorts. My other knit sweater I've made for him (shown on baby below) is too annoying to put on/take off repeatedly. Also I feel like this one won't be too warm for him to wear while he's in a carrier because the front is open. 

I roughly based this sweater off a pattern from Joelle Hoverson's "More Last Minute Knitted Gifts" but changed the dimensions a lot and then ended up realizing it was too small and added the grey portions for more coverage. 

Beet Greens with Tofu and Soba Noodles

When the end of summer nears closer and closer I feel myself clinging to the seasons best produce; green beans, tomatoes, peaches, and berries. Even though I'm actually slowly getting tired of these foods and actually can't wait to dive into my first winter squash or bag of brussels sprouts, I just feel like I need to avoid eating fall/winter vegetables as long as I can because before I know it beets, potatoes, cabbage and turnips will be some of my only culinary choices. 

During todays market trip however I just couldn't help myself. Its been weeks that I've been eyeing bunches of beets and piles of winter squash and I couldn't resist them any longer. We're heading out of the city for a few days tomorrow so I knew I needed to make quick work of the beet greens before my refrigerators crisper gets to them first. 

I think every fall I search for new exciting things to do with beets, especially the greens. I love their flavour but often find it quite overpowering.

After checking all my usual sources for inspiration and finding nothing, google provided me with this recipe from Canadian Living. I added this yummy tofu my friend Renee got me hooked on, as well as cashews and soba noodles. It was the perfect quick Saturday lunch!