Herb Salmon with Baby Kale Salad

This is a recipe adapted from September 2014 issue of Canadian Living. I was recently introduced to this magazine by some coworkers and was floored at the quality of content - recipes, parenting, home decor. There was a section on "15 minute" recipes and I decided to try this appetizing meal since for the most part I had the ingredients.

Herbed Salmon

Ingredients:

• 2 salmon fillets
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp olive oil
• pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Farenheit. 
2. Mix olive oil and fresh parsley in a mixing bowl.
3. Place salmon on a greased (with olive oil) sheet of aluminum foil.
4. Lightly season salmon with salt and pepper

Baby Kale Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of baby kale (I chose a spring mix with baby spinach and chard)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 can of mandarin oranges (drained, for a healthy alternative use ones that are in its own juices rather than the syrup option)

Directions:

1. In a small, mix olive oil, wine vinegar, salt and pepper.
2. Add to larger salad bow along with mandarin oranges and baby kale salad mix.

Serve!

Japan: Kyoto

A view of Kyoto Tower and hte city from Kiyomizu Temple

Grabbing a quick breakfast before starting our day!

Creamy Pesto Avocado Pasta

Another recipe that I tried from With Peanut Butter on Top that I came across on instagram. This was such a tasty and unique pasta that I've never tried before, best of all its SIMPLE. Just grab your ingredients, boil the pasta, blend all ingredients in a food processor, mix and serve. Thats it! 

Creamy Pesto Avocado Pasta

Equipment:

• Food Processor/blender.

Ingredients

• Spinach Fettuccine (or pasta of choice)
• 1 avocado
• 1/4 cup Greek Yogurt Plain
• 1 tbsp pesto sauce
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp lime juice (freshly squeezed)

Directions

1. Boil fettuccine until al dente. Drain, set aside. 
2. In a food processor: add Greek Yogurt, Avocado, Pesto Sauce, Garlic Powder and Lime Juice. Blend until creamy consistency - you can pause to scrape down sides and continue blending.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
4. Mix pasta sauce with fettuccine, and serve.

Healthy Mac & Cheese

Whats interesting about this recipe is that it uses no butter. You use greek yogurt instead to achieve a creamy taste! This recipe was adapted from With Peanut Butter On Top, a wonderful health eating blog I came across while searching for healthy recipes on Instagram.

Healthy Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of large shell pasta (* whole grain pasta)
• 2 cups shredded cheese of choice
• 1 tomato, diced into cubes.
• 1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 cup skim milk (or almond milk, unsweetened)
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• Salt and pepper to taste. 
• 1 cup baby spinach

Instructions:

1. Boil pasta for 7-8 minutes or until desired tenderness. Drain and set aside. 
2. In a separate mixing bowl, add Greek Yogurt, milk, paprika, basil, garlic powder, and onion powder. Whisk together. 
3. Add 2 cups of shredded cheese.
4. In a heated pot (use the one you used to boil pasta), add drained pasta and your Greek Yogurt mixture. Mix around to allow the cheese to melt. 
5. In a separate heated pot, add a little bit of water, bring to a boil and add spinach. Allow the spinach to wilt and then remove. Mix with pasta.
6. Garnish with (more) cheese. You may Serve with diced tomato on top. 

Japan: Fushimi-Inari Shrine, Kyoto, Japan

Fushimi Inari shrine is the main shrine in Kyoto and sits at the base of a mountain (Mount Inari). You can walk up the mountain to smaller shrines. 

The earliest structures were built in 711 A.D at a smaller hill but later relocated in 816 A.D. It was built in dedication to the god of rice and sake. 

Nara, Japan

For 150 yen you can bbuy deer food. 

The deer overwhelmed a girl for now. 

The legendary deer that bow:

 

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Japan: Takasaki

Takasaki, Japan was added to our trip itinerary at the last minute. Takasaki has a population of approximately 379,000 people and is considerably more "small town" than Tokyo, Japan. It's a city in the Gunma prefecture famous for being the origin of the Japanese Daruma Dolls.

Rabbit Cafe R.A.A.G.F. in Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan

Today we left for Harajuku to go to a rabbit cafe. It's tucked away on a smaller street near the station so after asking a few locals we made it! I had heard about puppy and kitten cafés, and I'm sure I've come across rabbit cafés while perusing the Internet. This was a big "to see" on my list.