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Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre (Osoyoos)

Osoyoos is a really beautiful place to visit, and the drive to get there takes you through lush vineyards and orchards framed by the backdrop of a semi-arid desert. The cultural centre makes for a nice break from the heat and is a great way to learn about local traditional culture and history, as well as to see some local wildlife. It is owned and operated by the Osoyoos Indian Band. If you visit their website they sometimes have coupons you can download for 10% off the entrance fee or your purchases in the gift shop.

Website:http://www.nkmipdesert.com/

Things of note:

  • There is plenty of dedicated parking and there are a few labelled disability spots closer to the entrance (you need a tag to park in them, of course).
  • There are ramps leading up to the centre from the main parking lot but they are rough gravel, as is the main ramp into the entrance. Alternatively, there are cement steps.
  • There are no stairs to navigate inside.
  • The washroom and all other areas of the facility are wheelchair accessible.
  • There are some outdoor trails you can walk that are also gravel. If you plan to hike them, bring lots of water, sunscreen, and dress appropriately. In this case, that actually means that long, loose pants are preferable. There are plenty of snakes in the area, including venomous rattle snakes. Of course, they do their best to avoid people and the centre offers plenty of information about how to proceed safely.
  • Multiple times per day you can watch the snake show in a small theatre-like room. There are steps to get to different levels of seating but there is also a ramp on one side that I saw someone in a wheelchair use while we were there. During the show you will get to see a live rattlesnake, feel the skin of any resident snakes that have recently shed, and watch/listen to a presentation by a youth and an expert who is working in the area (she’s studying gestation and birth places of local snakes in hopes of having certain land protected on behalf of the snakes). The young many who gave the presentation did an excellent job!
  • The seats in the theatre area are not particularly wide. I was only just comfortable and that’s after having lost 50+ pounds this year.
  • There are other places to sit inside and out, including sturdy wooden benches and cement benches in an amphitheatre style outside.

The indoor exhibits are small but there are a few things that are particularly interesting to me. The first is a device that you feed cards through. The card has a word written in English as well as the local indigenous dialect and when the card feeds through the machine you can listen to the word being spoken. I am interested in the indigenous dialects in Canada so I was amused and delighted by this device (pictured  directly below).

I have visited this centre once before, more than a few years ago now, and I was looking forward to one exhibit in particular. Unfortunately, it turned out it was closed for maintenance during this visit. It’s a round room where you sit on benches around the edges. Curtains cover the entrance so that you are sitting in the dark. Then, you are treated to local traditional stories told via a recording, including some drumming, chanting, and music accompanied by projections on the walls. It is a relaxing, magical sort of experience and I’m glad I experienced it before. I hope the exhibit will be up and running again next year.

Above: Not to worry! This rattlesnake is behind glass but comes out during the snake information sessionssssssss.

Outside, there are sculptures that represent traditional ways of life for the local indigenous people. Additionally, there are oversized sculptures of insects and local wildlife. There are some binoculars set up so that you can spy on the big osprey nest, as well. The nest was full of birds while we were there.

The gift shop is a fun place to pick up some souvenirs or beautiful indigenous art work in many forms (purses, mugs, scarves, prints, canvases, carvings, etc.). I’m trying to make a point of not purchasing anything I don’t really need or that isn’t consumable right now so I didn’t buy anything, but I did pick up some beautiful nectarines and golden plums directly from a farmer who had a stand on the road leading to the centre. There are a few stalls along the road so stop by and get some fresh, ripe fruit for a tasty snack and support local farmers!

 

 

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Salton Crepe & Tortilla Maker

Crepes are a much-loved food in our house, in savoury and sweet varieties. Recently, I keep seeing/hearing about crepe cakes (okay, mostly from ASMR videos I watch—if you love ASMR check out SAS ASMR on youtube) and I really want to try one but I haven’t been able to find one in my area. So, I decided I’d try to make my own!

I’ve made crepe before, years ago, and I remember that they took some finesse and having a proper pan really helped. With my hands often being stiff and not cooperating, it seemed as though crepe making might become a frustrating venture but I decided to look for a good pan on Amazon, anyway. In your head, please cue the sound of the heavens opening and angel singing because I found the most amazing  tool for making crepes. I cannot rave enough about how easy this thing is to use. Perfect crepes every time! It does also make tortillas, according to the package, but I haven’t tried it for that so I’ll stick to its crepe-making abilities for this post.

If you love crepes this is THE thing to have and you can find it here at Amazon: https://amzn.to/2M8i9Zg

Here is what comes in the box:

For my first attempt at a crepe cake I decided to go with a lemon lavender honey cream cake. I doubled this recipe for the crepe batter: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16383/basic-crepes/

The double recipe made about 25 crepes using this crepe maker (I admit I lost count at 21 when I started assembling my crepe cake). I also added a tablespoon of vanilla extract to the doubled batter since I was going to be making a sweet crepe cake.

One thing of note is that I often do read the comments on recipes before making them, because knowing how other people’s tweaks helped them is often useful information. A few people mentioned being confused about mixing the flour and eggs together and that had sounded strange to me as well so I did what many others did; I mixed all the wet ingredients together and them added in the dry ingredients. I was incredibly pleased with the results and I will use this recipe again.

The rest is so simple that, literally, a child could do it (one that is old enough to understand not to touch the hot black surface of the crepe maker, of course). This is also something that could be done from a seated position if you’re in a seated mobility device or you need to sit for any reason.

You plug the base into the wall and leave the black and white “paddle” piece on it to heat up with the on/off switch in the “on” position. It heats up quickly and from there you are a production line of crepe-y goodness! Pour some crepe batter into the shallow dish provided, dip the hot black side of the paddle into the batter and count to 3, turn it over and place it back onto the base. The edges of the crepe will begin to curl up and that’s your cue to turn it upside down onto a plate and return to the dipping stage. In no time, you have a stack of crepes.

I juiced one lemon into a mug and removed any seeds before adding two heaping tablespoons of lavender honey from Planet Bee Honey Farm and putting that into the microwave for 45 seconds. It melted into a liquid.

I assembled my cake by putting a crepe on the plate, brushing it all over with the lemon honey mixture, topping with a layer of stiffly whipped cream, another crepe, another brush of lemon honey, a thin layer of whipping cream, repeat, repeat, repeat. I think in the end my cake was 18 or 19 layers. I was focused more on the task than the counting.

Next, I put the whole cake back in the fridge for about half an hour to firm everything up. When I cut into it with a sharp knife it cut easily and I was impressed with the results. It was tasty and beautiful!

Above: I garnished plates with lemon and strawberries.

Above: look at all those luscious, creamy layers!

Everyone loved it and I will definitely make it again soon. I’ve had two household members request that the next one involves Nutella and I’ll be happy to oblige!

 

 

 

 

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Homemade Energy Bites

I’ve been looking for some “energy bar” types of grab-and-go snacks but the commercial bars I’ve tried have either tasted bad to me, been loaded with sugars, or make me feel bloated and unwell. For that reason, I decided to try making my own and I’m glad I did. I will definitely play around with my recipe and incorporate more protein into the next batch, but these are tasty and satisfying. I didn’t follow any specific recipe; rather, I read a whole bunch of recipes online to get a general idea about how to make these types of bars come together and then winged it. The following is what I came up with.

You will need:

  • 3 cups pitted dates
  • 5 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1.5 cup mixed nuts (I used peanuts, walnuts, cashews)
  • 1/3 cup flax seed
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 2 scoops (31g/each) vanilla why isolate protein powder. You can use any flavour or brand  of protein powder you like.
  • Parchment paper and your choice of pan or tray (I would have preferred to use an 8×8 or a 9×9 baking dish but I don’t have one that small so I used my 9×13 and only spread the mixture to just over half the pan.)
  • Food processor (I purchased this one from Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Am4lci )

Method:

  1. Add the pitted dates and the coconut oil to the food processor and blend until it’s a smooth, thick paste.
  2. Add the vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice. Blend again to incorporate.
  3. Add all the nuts and flax seed. Blend until they are as fine as you would like them. I blended mine to a very small consistency.
  4. Add unsweetened cocoa, whey protein powder, and mini chocolate chips (the choc chips are optional and you could substitute with cacao nibs, dried cherries or blueberries, coconut flakes, etc.). Blend again until everything is well incorporated.
  5. Line your tray or pan with parchment paper.
  6. Pour the mixture into the parchment-lined pan and spread to fill an 8×8 or 9×9, or approximate using a larger pan like I did. (You could also roll them into balls and roll them in something like dried coconut, cocoa powder, etc. but the pan method is quick and easy.)
  7. Set in the fridge for an hour or more.

Above: Blended dates, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice.

Above: All ingredients blended together.

Above: Mixture spread into a parchment-lined pan.

 

I cut mine into 36 squares with each square having 103 calories and 2.8 grams of protein (calories and protein are the two main things I’m meant to be tracking right now). Depending on what ingredients you use, your nutritional values will vary.

I’ve been storing mine in an airtight container in the fridge. They are tasty, so easy to grab, and I know exactly what is in them! Next time I make them, I plan to add more protein powder by adding another 2-4 scoops of the whey isolate to the recipe but that’s because I would like them to pack more protein punch for my personal dietary needs. In Canada, we have something called an Eatmore Bar and these remind me a bit of those!

This is the first time I’ve owned a food processor and I’m quite happy with the one I purchased (link up in the “You will need” list). It is noisy, which my dogs don’t appreciate, and I do need to keep my hand firmly on the top when it’s blending very heavy/dense items to keep it still but for the price this food processor was a great investment, for me. It’s easy to operate, easy to clean (dishwasher safe), and I look forward to trying it out for all kinds of recipes!

 

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Kangaroo Creek Farm (Winfield)

We like to make an annual visit to the Kangaroo Creek Farm, and it’s a wonderful place to take friends and family when they’re visiting from out of town.

I want to be clear that I’m normally not a fan of zoos or aquariums in that the animals in them are often clearly miserable and living in conditions that are not suited to their needs. That said, I can’t help but notice how well-loved and cared for all of the animals are at Kangaroo Creek Farm, and that their needs obviously come first. There are restricted hours for visiting so that the animals get plenty of time away from the public, careful instructions are given about how to behave (and how not to behave) around the animals, there are sections where the animals are permitted but humans are not so that any wallaby or kangaroo that doesn’t want to socialize with people can hang out in the shade  and not be touched, and there is always plenty of staff around to supervise.

The animals have a lot of room, are well socialized, and I’ve never seen an animal that appeared to be in distress due to humans at this place.  I say it that way because I did watch a little gang of male ducks unkindly chase a female duck out of a pond and she was clearly not pleased about it but that seems to be more about natural pecking order than anything “man made”. Also, the term “farm” is a bit of a loose one in that animals are not being bred and sold for meat here. It is clear to me that the owners put a lot of love and hard work into making a nice life for the animals.

Things of note:

  • The farm has dedicated parking but it fills up early. There is free street parking but it is limited and is also very busy. We have always found a spot but coming right before opening time (10am) to find a spot is your best bet.
  • There are a few designated disability spots directly inside the farm, and you must display your disability tag to park there.
  • The driveway leading down to the farm is very steep but it is paved.  One thing of note here is that there is a spot to turn around near the entrance at the bottom of the driveway, and we saw others drive down to let out elderly family members who had mobility challenges. When we paid our entrance fee, my husband asked the woman if he could please pull down to the bottom at the end of our visit as I’ve been having a particularly difficult time with my knees for the last little while (what he actually asked was along the lines of “Will it be alright if I just pull down to the bottom of the driveway when we’ve finished so that I can pick up my wife as she’s having some mobility issues?”). The woman at the gate indicated that only people with a disability tag could park at the bottom. He tried to explain that he wasn’t looking to park but just to pick me up and leave right away, as we saw multiple other vehicles do on our visit. The woman indicated again that we weren’t really welcome to do that. That encounter made me feel incredibly uncomfortable. I sometimes have a hard time speaking up when I’m looking to have my own needs met (the irony is that my career involves advocating for others, and I’m comfortable and confident doing that, but I digress) but I’ve been working on that. This experience made me feel very self-conscious about my body and its limitations. In the end, I left a little bit early, ahead of the others who were with me, so that I could make the long, steep climb back up the driveway at a very slow pace while taking a couple of short breaks for my aching joints. All of that said, I do still think this place is worth visiting based on every other wonderful experience I’ve had there. I refuse to let a single instance of ignorance (unintentional as it probably was) ruin a nice day!
  • This is a farm; there is uneven ground, animal droppings, etc. so be aware of your surroundings and footing.
  • There are port-a-pottys onsite for public use.
  • There are plenty of places to sit down including metal lawn chairs with arms (a bit pinchy for me), long sturdy wooden benches, and sturdy wooden picnic tables.  I appreciate the variety of places to sit when I need a little break.

Above: I get what they’re going for here and I’m sure they have to deal with all kinds of “silly” things. I agree that people should not use the “handicapped parking” without tags but, given my experience at the entrance, this felt a bit insulting. This sign is not at the entrance but is next to the “handicapped parking” spots further into the farm. I get it, because I want people who need the spaces to have access to them, but for people with invisible disabilities who aren’t using tags this kind of sign doesn’t feel kind. I’m not wearing high heels; I’m wearing knees that are riddled with pain and inflammation. Also, we didn’t want to park or even stop near the “handicapped parking” and we were still made to feel as though we were asking for something unreasonable. Again, the world does not revolve around my needs, and having a good time shouldn’t be ruined by my insecurities about some of the physical things I’m struggling with right now so onward and upward to the real stars of this place!

We are told that kangaroos and wallabies enjoy a lot of snoozing in the heat, especially after a nice breakfast. I think they have life figured out!

Above: This little group was hanging out in the shade of some tents in an area where humans weren’t to bother them, as indicated by some rope.

Above: Staff offer food pellets that you can feed to the kangaroos and wallabies.

Above: This gorgeous little goat was hanging around offering to take any stray food pellets off our hands. The goats are kept in a separate area. You can still pet them through the fence but I imagine that keeping the goats and kangaroos/wallabies separate is probably for their own safety.

As you will see from the pictures below, there are a lot of birds to be seen!

Above: These fluffy chickens are adorable. They look like feather dusters.

Above: This is the little gang of ducks that took over the pond and chased out the female. You can tell they’re trouble just by looking at them. ;o)  Also, we later discovered that maybe all the chasing was a bit of…ahem…foreplay. Ha!

Above: This emu likes to patrol the fence. There was a little boy who was keeping a bit of distance between himself and the emu but was pacing along the perimeter behind him. It was very cute and the two of them had quite a game of it.

Above: Baby emus! They are like little dinosaurs!

Above: A duck with bedhead. Hee!

Above: There are a few different types of parrots including Cockatoos, an African Grey (that one sat on my shoulder for a while), and some other varieties that I’m not as familiar with. They were all characters and I’m very comfortable around large birds. I particularly enjoyed this cockatoo.

The kangaroos and the wallabies are the main attraction and many of them seem to enjoy a good pet and some pellets.

This fellow (picture below) seemed to truly enjoy people scratching his back, though I won’t include the pictures with people in them for their own privacy.

Below: Look at these beautiful little wallabies:

 

Below: A picturesque scene on the farm.

Last, but certainly not least are the capybaras, friend to all the animals!

There are plenty of other lovely creatures to be discovered including sugar gliders, pigs, a magnificent snake, baby kangaroos to swaddle, and so much more but I’ll leave it up to you to go and discover them for yourself.

 

 

 

 

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Mug & More (reducing plastic use)

Lately, we’ve all been hearing about how bad plastics are for the environment, especially single-use plastic. While it would be silly, even from an environmental standpoint, to throw out all the plastic items I already own, what I can do is try to buy items that I need now and in the future made from materials that have less negative impact on the environment or that have lifetime-use potential.

One of the things that has been appealing to me about plastic items in the past is that they are light in weight compared to dishes made of ceramic materials. It is common for me to have pain and inflammation in my hands and arms that sometimes leads to difficulty holding heavier items (“heavier” being a relative term in this case, but I do tend to drop things or have things slip from my hands more frequently than most people because of nerve and inflammation issues).

Recently, I saw some beautiful bamboo bowls in a gift shop but when I touched them I knew I could not use them. I have synesthesia  and most of my experiences of it are very pleasant (or at least neutral) but touching anything that feels papery (newpapers, cardboard, etc.) causes a reaction in my body that is like fingernails running down a chalkboard. The hairs on my arms stand up, my shoulders get tight–it’s very unpleasant. Touching those bamboo bowls caused that reaction.

I decided to look into other products and that’s when I found this wooden mug on Amazon. I absolutely love it! It’s beautiful and it’s so incredibly light that I still feel suprised when I pick it up because I expect it to have greater weight based on appearance but it’s a relief to my hands to find that it’s not at all heavy. I can hold it by its handle or cup my hand under or around it, depending what is comfortable on any given day.

If you like, you can order your own mug, pictured below, here: https://amzn.to/2Aixe95

In addition, I decided to order some wooden spoons that are also light as can be. I opted for teaspoons as they suited my preference for smaller spoons very well. I am enjoying both of these products so much!

You will find a set of these spoons, pictured below, here: https://amzn.to/2AizM7b

Above: My wooden mug and spoon with non-fat greek yogurt and PB2.

I’ve also been working with a Registered Dietician in order to meet some personal health and wellness goals. She has advised me to increase my protein intake and one of the ways I’ve been doing that is by eating non-fat greek yogurt. I’ve been adding protein powder to it for an extra boost and I’m completely hooked on PB2. It has all the flavour of peanut butter without all the fat and fillers, plus it’s in a powder form so it travels easily and can be added to all kinds of things with ease because it blends very smoothly without leaving clumps or grit. Adding it to greek yogurt makes a snack or dessert that tastes like peanut butter pie filling (you can add sweetener of whatever kind suits your dietary needs, if you desire)! It comes in some different flavours but I’ve only tried the regular peanut butter version, so far.

You can check it out here: https://amzn.to/2K3Nc6M

Now, back to utensils and such…I realise that the wooden bowl and spoon require a bit of extra care in that they’re not meant for the dishwasher and the spoons are smaller so they won’t work for all foods you might be eating.

One way to reduce the use of plastic utensils is to carry your own in your purse, backpack, glove box, etc. so that you can skip the plastic next time you’re eating on the go. Here is a handy option in a couple of colours:

Red: https://amzn.to/2mOM4uz

Blue: https://amzn.to/2Lup17h

They also make a version that includes chopsticks (green): https://amzn.to/2OqdDXR

I’m always looking for new ways to be a “greener” consumer so if you have some ideas or favourite products, please share them in the comments section!