Check out what arrived this week…
2.5 cubic yards of triple mix soil for the veggie garden. :) Thrilling, I know.
After weeks of looking at different types of soils, I went with a triple mix from Van Beek’s. It’s made from composted manure, black loam, and sandy topsoil. I couldn’t find ‘certified’ organic anywhere, but the owner said it is organic and assured me that they do not add any chemicals or fertilizers to it. That will have to do!
We used this soil calculator to determine how much soil we needed:
Take the Length (ft) of the area to be covered x Width (ft) x Depth (inches) divided by 12, then again divided by 27 and you have your cubic measurement!
For two 4 foot by 8 foot beds, I calculated our soil need to be about 2.37 cubic yards, so we ordered 2.5.
[We used this step by step tutorial to build the beds.]
When we filled up the beds it was raining (of course!) and shoveling the soil was like shoveling bricks. What a workout! At least I know that the soil is nice and moist for planting. :)
The rain sure has made our lawn green though!
I’m going to the nursery tonight to check out the new organic plants that just came in and figure out what I need to buy. So far, I have sketched out a rough plan for both of the beds using this Companion Planting info to guide me. I’m trying to plant veggies with their companion plants, figure out specific spacing/planting requirements, and also how many of each plant I will need.
I also put a compost bin and gardening tools on my Birthday list. How cool am I? :)
Meet: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cereal- a new breakfast and snack infatuation.
In the cookie bowl: Nature’s Path Spelt cereal, chopped banana, 1 tsp chia seeds, 8-10 mini Chocolate chip cookie dough balls, and non-dairy milk.
It tastes like you are eating a bowl of chocolate chip cookie dough for breakfast!
Another breakfast I’ve been rocking this week…The Mango Banana Green Monster.
I recently discovered that President’s Choice sells frozen mango chunks. I haven’t had the best experience with some frozen fruit mixes, but this frozen mango is super fresh and sweet. You can nibble on it straight from the bag. :) It is great to keep in the freezer for quick and easy smoothies.
This week’s favourite mix: 1 cup frozen kale, 1 ripe banana, 1/2-2/3 cup frozen mango chunks, 1.25 cup almond milk, 1/2 scoop wheatgrass powder, 1 tbsp chia seeds.
So refreshing. :)
Have a wonderful Friday!
“We are all functioning at a small fraction of our capacity to live fully in its total meaning of loving, caring, creating and adventuring. Consequently, the actualizing of our potential can become the most exciting adventure of our lifetime.” – Herbert Ottto
{ 134 comments… read them below or add one }
YUM YUM YUM!!! I love your smoothie recipe!!! Where do you get the Wheat grass powder?
Your breakfast sounds INCREDIBLE!!! :)
The wheatgrass powder is from amazing grass :)
http://www.amazinggrass.com/organic-wheat-grass-powder.html
It does NOT taste good by any means, but you can mask the taste in a smoothie.
Ok. Thanks! :)
funnny! I thought you’d love the taste. I actually love it! :P I guess the nutrition is a great motivator anyway
Oooh yum everything looks delicious this morning! Well, except the soil I suppose, but that is exciting too! I was at Costco on the weekend and found that they have big Kirkland bags of frozen fruit, including mangos, for a pretty reasonable price. I might have to get a couple of bags next time. I can’t believe how all-out you guys are going with these flower beds – they look great!! I hope you have a lovely day Ange!
Can’t wait to see the veggie garden in a couple months at full effect!!
Where do you buy the frozen kale?
I got it at Superstore in the natural food section :)
Oooh, I love the idea of bite-sized cookie dough snacks! I could taken them anywhere and happily munch away! :)
Chocolate chip cookie dough = breakfast of champions!
What perfect breakfast! Now all I need is food professor to make those cookie dough balls :D
I want to have that for breakfast — ok any meal of the day will do.
I love anything with Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough–in fact, I’m eating some of the raw stuff (it comes in a cute container) on a piece of banana right now!
You should also ask for a rain barrel for your birthday if you haven’t already! ;)
ummm why wasn’t this my breakfast?!
I love the PC frozen fruits, they’re very good and mango is a staple in my freezer! Also if you brave Costco they have really large bags of frozen mango for about $10 that’s just as good as the PC but cheaper. I just always have to bug a friend with a membership :P
thanks for the tip!
PC’s frozen mango is AWESOME in smoothies! Just remember to make sure they are blended well. :-)
Steph – great tip on Costco for frozen fruits. We use their triple berry mix and it’s at a great price (even more so when it goes on sale). ;-)
your beds look great….. all ready to go :)
I have a very small veg patch and so planted out my sweetcorn plants and rhubarb plant earlier…. the rest – Tomatoes, cucumber, chillies, lettuce, mint, coriander(cilantro), peppers, strawberries, I grow in grow bags or pots…. gonna build some beds too next year I think… xx
This is DEFINITELY my kind of breakfast :-)
Ohmigawd – cookie dough for breakfast?! That looks sooooo good! I’m going to make some chocolate cookie balls today.
The garden is looking great!
Holy crack-ola – that looks phenomenal…the dough balls! Thanks for the recommendation re: the mango…anything that’s good ‘from the bag’ ;)
Seriously. You are SO inspiring. Thank you for doing what you do! You ROCK!
Will you be posting your garden plan? I love to see how other people plan out their gardens!
Yes I hope to once it is finalized :)
Great work on the veggie garden…I’m trying to figure out the logistics of building my own on my condo balcony(first time)…how deep do you think I should make to planter to get anything other then herbs growing??
This is only my husband’s dream come true! And now that I think about it, mine too ;)
Cookie dough for breakfast?! You’re my kind of gal!
Your green monster looks fabulous too ~ mango has been everywhere in the blog world lately!
I could dive into that cereal, I swear! Did Cananda have Cookie Crisp cereal? I was never allowed to have it, but had it at friends now and then and it was mighty tasty ;)
you’re killing me! cookie dough for breakfast….YOU CRAZY!
Oh that looks so good.
I’m further south than you so we planted in our raised bed last weekend. Heirloom tomatoes and peppers, lettuce, chard, spinach and lots of herbs. We’ll see how it all turns out!
There are so many awesome things going on in this post! The gardening thing is super exciting, that cookie dough cereal looks to die for as does the mango green monster! And the quote is SO fabulous, I love it!
do you buy your kale already frozen or do you do it yourself? I normally put spinach in mine but I want to try kale next time!
Your garden plots look great too!! you are so lucky to have a big yard. for now my veggies growing on my deck will have to do.
This was my first time trying a bag of frozen kale. Our grocery store never has fresh or organic kale (and when they do it is often wilted) so I picked up a bag of frozen kale in the natural food section. It is GREAT for smoothies…not bitter like fresh kale in a GM.
Both breakfasts look delicious! That smoothie is so GREEN! Love it!
Thanks for posting the list of companion plants, I honestly didn’t know that existed. Who knew basil kills rosemary?! I am buying the plants for my raised bed this weekend, I may be re-thinking that list! Thanks again!
I don’t know what looks better – your garden or that smoothie!
I wonder if I could make that smoothie with dried mango. I bought some dried mango, and I have no clue what to do with it!
I wish I had a green thumb, I’m lucky I can keep me and my daughter alive, lol… oh, and bamboo plants, anything else and I can’t say I didn’t warn you.
And mangoes in green monsters absolutely rock!
Oh yuum!! I must have missed the post about the cookie dough balls – so trying this!
I’ve been loving the frozen mango too! How amazing are they?? They just taste like summer to me. I’ve just been having them in regular or berry smoothies; I’ll have to try them in green monsters too…yum!
Fresh dirt is exciting! I need to work on my garden desperately this weekend. It’ll be raining of course.
Whooo, cookie dough for breakfast! Don’t even tell me that. Now I have an excuses to eat cookie dough all day!
Looks like your garden beds are ready to go!!!!
I got fresh soil in my bed last weekend. All it needs is some sheep manure and then I’m ready to plant onces the warmer temps hit. (I like to wait until may 24 weekend as there’s less chance of frost then). Thanks for posting the companion plant link. I have a vague idea of what I want to plant veggie-wise this year, and this will help make my final decision! :)
I am on a serious mango kick right now…I can’t get enough of them!!
We are having a major kale shortage here!! I usually go through 2-3 bunches a week, but have only had it about once in the past two weeks. So sad! The garden beds look great + I am completely jealous!! :) We just don’t have time to add that to our list of things right now!! Maybe, mid-summer I can plant a mini garden though or at least some herbs. One other thing you can add to your birthday list, is a rain water harvesting bucket!! hehehe http://www.rainbarrelsource.com/rain-barrels/12440+12448.cfm?source=googleaw&kwid=rain%20water%20barrels&tid=modbroad I definitely want a compost bin started pronto! Happy Friday!!
What a great idea for a cookie dough breakfast! And that smoothie looks amazing. Okay, I just love it all :)
I can’t believe you just went there with the cookie dough! You know how to do breakfast ;)
That GM combination is one of my favorites! Mango adds SO much to a smoothie. I’ve actually been adding coconut to my banana-mango GM and it is soooo deliciously creamy.