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**BULLET JOURNAL GIVEAWAY!!** + My Favourite Bullet Journal Spreads of 2020

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Hey guys! I’m so excited to announce my first ever giveaway!!

Leuchtturm 1917 Canada very kindly sent me one of their beautiful journals to giveaway to you guys! I’ve been using a Leuchtturm 1917 journal for the past two years now, and the journal that I’m planning to use next year is a Leuchtturm as well. I love them so much because of the quality and all of the features that they have. Their dotted notebooks have a pre-made table of contents, an elastic band for closure, numbered pages, and a super handy back pocket! They’re also one of the only journals that I can find with over 200 pages, which I need because I like having just one journal for the whole year.

The specific journal that I’m giving away is a gorgeous emerald colour and was a collaboration with the founder or the Bullet Journal system, so it has BULLET JOURNAL embossed on the front and comes with a bullet journaling guide! It’s absolutely amazing and great for both a first time and veteran journaler.

I’m also including a set of Tombow Fudenoske Brush Pens (these were not sent to me by Tombow), which are my favourite pens to use in my journal, as well as a MyDayIsBooked bookmark, and some super cute washi tapes! So this is perfect if you’re looking to start your first bullet journal this year!

This giveaway will be taking place on Instagram, so make sure that you check out my Instagram page for all of the rules and instructions on how to enter!

Moving on with my post… I wanted to look back on some of my favourite spreads from 2020! I did such a range of styles this past year, and I love to see the progression that I make with my writing, doodles, and different spreads that work for me at different times. Also something that struck me when looking through these was how my photography evolved- I really want to scream at my January 2020 self for having sucky lighting and not showing my journal off to it’s full potential! I kept the same photos in here from when I actually made the spreads, so that picture-taking journey is on display here as well.

I love that I found out a lot about what I absolutely need to have in a journal this year. That’s what’s so great about bullet journaling as opposed to having a pre-made planner; you can totally customize everything, and all of your essentials are in one place! If you haven’t already, defintely experiment with different spreads. The only way to find what is the best for you is if you go a little out of your comfort zone!

Here are some of my favourite spreads from 2020:))

This is my favourite weekly spread from January! This is the month where I did sort of a 1920’s art deco theme, which was a kind of style that I’d never really done before. I love the combo of the gold and black, and how much space I had to plan in this spread. I’ve realized that planning space is a number one priority for me! I also love how the quote came together at the top- I glued in some pieces of paper here for a more scrap-booky look.

I just LOVE this February title page. It’s so simple and clean yet so elegant! I want to do more things like this in my 2021 journal because I feel like I’ve been going a little heavy on the detail and the drawing lately. I love the quote, cute borders, and colours on this page. Plus my calligraphy is pretty good:)

March was a fun month! In my journal at least; I know that March was the time when we really got hit with COVID stuff. This was the first time that I went with this more graphical tracker, and I actually stuck with this style for the rest of the year. I love the way that the plants are coming out of the side! On the left side of the spread I did some really nice habit trackers as well. I’m not a huge fan of that style of tracker functionality wise, but I like the way that it looks.

May was one of my favourite themes this year, and this is definitely one of my favourite tracker spreads of all time. Just the way that everything looks together, from the illustration to the boxes to the font, is so good! It’s the first time I tried this layout and I absolutely love it; I stuck with it for the remaining seven months of the year. So yeah, totally in love!

Here’s another spread from May because I just love it so so much. My font and the design of the page for my gratitude log just stands out so nicely! And on the opposite page I did a Crash Course episode tracker. The logo turned out really well:))

This spread was great for some mid-year reflection! My quote is so pretty and it’s a really meaningful one too. It went hand in hand with my word for this year, which was flourish. I kind of fell off the track of writing about my thoughts and feeling, which is something that I want to do more of in 2021 because it helps me assess where I’m at and what I need to be doing better.

This is another candidate for my favourite tracker spread!! The drawings are so cute, and I love how the colours go in and out of the black border. Again, just something about how this spread looks just makes me happy! Anne of Green Gables was such a great theme.

August had such a pretty title page! The colours worked so nicely together, and I was totally getting Mediterranean tile vibes. I love the patterns and how simple yet beautiful it is! My quote for this month was really inspirational too- all about giving 110%.

October was a lot of fun to do because of the contrast between the black and white! Something cool that I included this month was a moon journal, where I did some reflection based on different phases of the moon. It was a really unique and interesting spread! I love incorporating pages like this because it breaks up the repetition of having the same spreads over and over.

This full-page title page is gorgeous! It’s so nostalgic for me because I love watching The Sound of Music every year. It was really drawing heavy, so I kind of want to do some simpler spreads soon, but I do love the way that it turned out!

My Advent calendar spread is so cute, and was inspired by the song “My Favourite Things”. In each pocket there’s a little self-care task or act of kindness to complete. I’ll be honest, I haven’t been the best at keeping up with this! But I still love all of the doodles and how I wrote out the lyrics at the top.

Those were my favourite spreads from the past year! I’ll see you guys tomorrow with a delicious recipe! In the meantime, don’t forget to check out my Instagram page and enter my giveaway!

Yours Truly,

Olivia:))

Chocolate Tahini Snowballs

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Hey guys! There’s only a week until Christmas time and I’m so ready! I’ve been thinking about how I’m going to wrap my gifts and make them all pretty and it just brings me joy. And you know what else brings me joy? These Chocolate Tahini Snowballs!! They’re super cute and are a great addition to your spread of holiday baking.

I think that bite-sized desserts are honestly the best, because how else are you going to sample all those delicious holiday treats? These Snowballs are the perfect size and are absolutely stunning. They’re rolled in coconut just before baking to give that snowball effect, but the coconut adds so much to the flavour and texture as well. So yum! When you pick up these snowballs, they feel pretty hefty, and so it seems like they’re going to be dense and dry. But when you bite into them you get a warm, fudgy inside that is to die for! The tahini gives such a nice rich and nutty flavour, contrasting the chocolate perfectly. And these little bundles of joy deliver all this while being vegan, oil free, and refined sugar free!

I love how simple these are to make too:)) I started by mixing all of the ingredients together in a big bowl, and then rolling out little balls, covering them with coconut, and baking them for just fifteen minutes!! The recipe can easily be doubled if you want double the chocolate-y deliciousness, and why wouldn’t you? So yeah, these are amazing if you need a festive recipe in a pinch, or are just looking for a quick and healthy dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth. They would be great next to some of my Ginger Oat Cookies– just sayin.

I hop you enjoy these bite-sized holiday treats! They’re so fun to make and to eat:))

Chocolate Tahini Snowballs

Serves: Makes about 10 Snowballs

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup oat flour (blended oats)
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder (I used organic)
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp almond milk
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Mix all of the ingredients, except for the coconut, together in a large bowl.
  3. Scoop out tablespoon fulls of the mixture and roll into balls using your hands.
  4. Dump the coconut onto a small plate, and roll the balls around in it until they are completely covered.
  5. Place the snowballs on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
  6. Remove from the oven, let cool and enjoy!!

Make sure you come back for more delicious holiday recipes next week!!!

Yours Truly,

Olivia:))))

Brussels Sprout, Fig and Walnut Salad

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Who else thinks Brussels sprouts are the most underrated vegetable?!??! Because they are. It’s a fact. If I unwrapped a Tupperware full of roasted Brussels sprouts on Christmas morning, I don’t think that I would be mad about it. These little green bundles of joy are one of my favourite winter side dishes. Today we’re getting even more festive and mixing some roasted sprouts with figs and walnuts to make an AMAZING quinoa salad that is a perfect take on a classic accompaniment to your holiday dinner.

Like many other great recipes, we’re starting this one off by roasting a vegetable! Brussels sprouts are chopped in half, then given a nice massage with some salt, pepper, and olive oil. They go in the oven cut-side down (so they get nice and crispy) on a parchment lined baking sheet. But guess what? You get quadruple the roasty deliciousness because at various stages during the cooking time, the figs, walnuts, and some garlic get added onto the pan. The result is some crispy Brussels sprouts, caramelized figs, golden brown walnuts, and amazingly aromatic garlic.

Since we’re on the topic of garlic, let’s talk about the dressing, shall we? It starts with some tahini, lemon juice, and maple syrup, which would all make an awesome dressing on their own, but when they get combined with the roasted garlic, everything gets kicked up a notch. Actually, like, quite a few notches. This dressing is creamy, full of flavour, and is the best thing that you could possibly drizzle all over those roasted sprouts, nuts, and figs on a bed of quinoa. Because yes, there’s quinoa in here too. Talk about hearty and delicious!

This salad is a great side dish for dinner with your family, or just lunch on a weekday. Add a protein like some cooked chicken or chickpeas, and you’ve got a filling and super tasty meal! The best is when you get a bite of Brussels sprout, fig, and walnut all together…. MMMMMM!

Hope you enjoy!

Brussels Sprout, Fig, and Walnut Salad

Serves: 4-6

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 12 Brussels Sprouts, halved
  • 1 cup shelled Walnuts
  • 3 figs, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Dressing:

  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 3 cloves of garlic, skins on, wrapped in tinfoil
  • 2 tbsp water
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Place the Brussels sprouts on a parchment lined baking sheet and toss them with some olive oil and salt and pepper. Place them in the oven to roast.
  3. After 10 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and add on the packet of garlic. Place back in the oven and roast for another 10 minutes.
  4. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and sprinkle on the chopped figs and the walnuts. Place back in the oven and continue to roast for a final 10 minutes.
  5. Remove the pan from the oven, and carefully unwrap the garlic packet. Remove the cloves from their skins and use a garlic mincer to mince the roasted garlic into a small bowl. Add in the rest of the dressing ingredients and stir to combine.
  6. Spread the cooked quinoa on the bottom of a large serving dish. Scoop all of the roasted Brussels sprouts, figs and walnuts on top. Finally, pour the dressing over everything and toss the salad so that it is evenly mixed together. Serve warm and enjoy!

I’ll see you guys Friday with another festive recipe!

Yours Truly,

Olivia:))

Cinnamon Spice Hot Chocolate

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Hey there! I’ve been really getting into the Christmas spirit this past week, and embracing the cozy winter vibes. And nothing says cozy winter vibes more than hot chocolate! So today I’m bringing you an amazing Cinnamon Spice Hog Chocolate recipe that is SO delicious and made with actual dark chocolate- not just cocoa powder.

That’s right, I used 3 squares of a Lindt 100% Dark Chocolate Bar in this stuff🥰 You can always sub for a lower cocoa concentration, but I find that the 100% gives the hot chocolate a nice, rich flavour. Plus, it doesn’t contain any sugar or dairy, so that keeps this recipe refined sugar free and vegan! I sweetened it by adding a bit of maple syrup, which is the perfect touch👌👌 It’s not too sweet, and allows the chocolate and the spices to shine through.

This recipe also contains some nice spices, namely cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. Working together, they make for a nice and aromatic cup of hot chocolate🥰 They’re the first thing I added to the pot along with the almond milk, proceeding to stir in the chocolate and maple syrup. Then I brought everything to a low simmer and poured it into my favourite mug. Winter heaven!!

I hope you enjoy this cozy recipe! I can definitely see it becoming a new weekend go-to for me:)

Cinnamon Spice Hot Chocolate

Serves: 2

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground allspice
  • 3 squares (about 2.5 grams) Lindt 100% Dark Chocolate
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup

Directions:

  1. Heat the milk, along with the spices, in a small pot over low heat.
  2. Stir in the squares of chocolate and allow them to melt. Add in the maple syrup and continue to stir.
  3. Bring the hot chocolate to a slight simmer, then remove from the heat and pour into your favourite mug:)
  4. Enjoy!

The perfect way to start a Monday! Can’t wait for more great holiday recipes coming soon😍 Also, I have an exciting announcement to make later in the week, so make sure that you stay tuned to my Instagram account- mydayisbooked_blog. See you Wednesday!!

Yours Truly,

Olivia:))

Roasted Winter Fruits

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Hello! I’m sure you’ve heard me talk about my love for roasted veggies before- honestly I think that I could eat them all day. They get so tender and caramelized in the oven, making them the perfect addition to bowls, or one of my favourite stand-alone sides. However, when we’re talking about raw, uncooked veggies, I definitely prefer fruit. So I was thinking, what would happen if I roasted fruit?!!??! And, ladies and gentlemen, I can assure you that what happens when you roast fruit is PURE MAGIC.

Seriously. Magic. You get ten times the caramelization that you get with veggies because of the higher sugar content, and everything gets all soft, bubbly, and sweet. I roasted some nice in-season winter fruits that you might not think to roast. We’re talking grapes, mandarins, and apples, all of which release some beautiful juices and get amazingly tender. It all feels so Christmas-y and heartwarming!

There is so little prep that goes into this- just washing some grapes, peeling some mandarins, and roughly chopping an apple. I tossed everything in some allspice before roasting for some extra holiday flavour. Then it all goes in the oven for about forty minutes; this is where the enchantment happens. Halfway through the baking time, I took a fork and smashed some of those mandarins and grapes, just to get the juices flowing. Other than that, you just let those fruits do their thing.

Not gonna lie, I sneaked a few of these fruits right off the pan. They would be amazing over oats, yogurt, ice cream, cake, pancakes, waffles- you name it, these would make it better!! Feel free to add some more spices if you like as well- I know that cinnamon would be a welcome addition to the flavour explosion.

Hope you enjoy these festive fruits!

Roasted Winter Fruits

Serves: 2-3

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 Gala apple, chopped
  • 2 mandarin oranges, peeled and split into segments
  • 1 1/4 cup red grapes
  • 1 tsp ground allspice

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and combine. Spread out the fruits onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
  3. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for about 20 minutes.
  4. At this point, remove them from the oven and use a fork to lightly smash the mandarins and grapes, just bursting them so that the juices can escape. Place the pan back in the oven and roast for another 20 minutes.
  5. Take the fruits out of the oven, serve warm and enjoy!

Have a great weekend everyone! Can’t wait for more holiday recipes coming next week:))

Yours Truly,

Olivia:)))