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Winter Reading List

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Last week I finished off my fall reading list- and I enjoyed it SO MUCH! The three books on it were each unique and fun reads. First, I finished the Three Dark Crowns series by reading Five Dark Fates, which I think is a suitable ending to an intriguing story. All loose ends are tied up and all questions are answered. The second book that I read was House of Salt and Sorrows. It was an enjoyable read and is full of twists and turns that will definitely keep you guessing. The story wasn’t like what I expected it would be which was a little disappointing, and I know that sounds weird because usually you want a book full of surprises, but I kind of had it in my head how I wanted it to go and had made some inferences of my own, so that’s why I was let down. Overall though, it’s a great read. The Book Thief was the last novel on my list, and I absolutely loved it! It made me cry, and few other books have had that effect on me. It’s written from a unique perspective and makes you fall in love with it’s characters. I definitely recommend reading it if you haven’t already.

Onto this season’s list! On it are some new releases and some older ones, and they’re from all different genres. This list might help you with what to ask for for Christmas;)) Enjoy your holiday reading!

My Winter Reading List

The Beautiful

First up is The Beautiful. I actually just started this book a few days ago, and am enjoying it so far. It’s about a girl named Celine who comes to New Orleans from France in the late 1800’s to start a new life, and becomes involved with a sort of mysterious society. Murders begin to occur in the city, and Celine begins to suspect the society’s attractive leader. After a third murder, the killer sets their sights on Celine and she tries to discover them herself, only to become further involved in a battle between ancient dark forces. This book has been really hyped up on Instagram lately, so I’m hoping it lives up to all of the praise it’s getting! Also, who doesn’t love to curl up by the fire and read a good book about murder?

Lion

Lion was adapted into a film in 2016, and I remember that it was a big deal and got crazy good reviews. Movies aren’t usually as good as their novel counterparts, so if Lion the movie is good, then Lion the book has to be amazing. I got this novel as a gift recently and am excited to read it after The Beautiful. It’s about a boy living in India who gets lost on a train one day, ends up living in Australia, then finds his way back home twenty-five years later. The story sounds incredible, and I’m sure it will be.

Little Women

I’d like to read Little Women because I feel like it’s just one of those classic must-reads, you know? There’s also a Little Women movie coming out with Emma Watson (who I love), so I’d like to read the book before seeing it. I think this book is sort of like Anne of Green Gables or Little House on the Prairie; it’s a coming of age story about four girls that takes place in the 1860’s.

One of Us Is Next

Unfortunately I couldn’t find a good picture for this one, but it’s Karen McManus’ third murder mystery novel and is the sequel to One of Us Is Lying. It takes place one year after the incidents mentioned in the first novel, and includes a dangerous game of truth or dare which leads to the spilling of dark secrets and crazy taunts. This book doesn’t actually come out until January 7th of the new year, but I’m really excited for the release date! In the meantime you should check out One of Us Is Lying and Two Can Keep a Secret, McManus’ other novels of the same genre.

Those should keep me busy all winter! Be sure to check my instagram for book updates and to let me know of any more novels you think I should read. Have a great week and I’ll see you on Wednesday!

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked;))

December Bullet Journal Set Up with November Monthly Recap

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Hey guys! I apologize for the late post… this week was a little crazy for me😂😂 However, I’m really happy with the way that my December spreads turned out. I’m coming to the end of my journal, which by the way is the first notebook that I’ve ever filled up completely! This month I went with some classic Christmas designs like evergreen boughs and mistletoe, and tried to keep it simple since I feel like my last few spreads have been a bit busy. Green is the main colour that I used, but there are also some red accents thrown in. Creating my December spread really got me excited for the holiday season! This year I decided to include the advent calendar that I make each year in my bullet journal, and I love the way it turned out. Hope you like it!

My monthly recaps haven’t really changed throughout the whole year. I didn’t use a ton of scrapbook paper in this one to keep it a bit simpler.

This is my December title page!! I alternated drawings of evergreen boughs, mistletoe and bare tree branches. I used my black brush pen to write the month to keep things simple and classic looking. On the opposite page my quote is “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”, because I love the joy that Christmas time brings.

Here’s my calendar spread for December;) It’s pretty simple but I did add a space to blog plan along with my goal tracker. I might need to designate a whole page for blogging though because I have some big ideas for the Christmas season!

Next, my habits and mood trackers, both of which haven’t changed much throughout the year because I find them easy to fill out and they really work for me. I might experiment a bit next year with different types.

Annnnnd the most exciting spread of the month, my advent calendar! Last year I posted a tutorial on how to create a DIY No Candy Advent Calendar, and this one is pretty much a mini version of that. I created little pockets for each day of the month and stuck a note with an act of kindness that needs to be completed in each. I’m so excited to get started with it!

My last spread is a gratitude log/weekly spread since I ran out of space;)) I have a feeling that this month I’m going to have to do a lot of one-page weekly spreads because I want to include things like a gift list and blog planner in my journal.

That’s my last bullet journal set up post of the year! I absolutely love bullet journaling because it allows me to reflect on my life and express my creativity, not to mention plan ahead and track mood and habits and all sorts of stuff. It’s so fun to look back on all of my spreads from the past year and see what was happening or what I was feeling at the time. I’m really excited for a new journal in 2020 and to try out new things and have more fun!

As a side note, I will be posting three times a week during December…… lots of Christmasy posts are soon to be coming your way!

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked

Walnut Brownies

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The other day I was craving something sweet, and I was like, “you know what would hit the spot right about now? A good brownie”. So I headed to the kitchen and made myself some darn delicious brownies. These delectable bites of chocolate goodness aren’t too sweet and have a super intense chocolate flavour. The walnuts add great texture and also some holiday vibes; but feel free to use a different nut or no nuts at all if you’re not a nut person. My brother even approved these brownies before I told him that they were healthy, as he has a strange aversion to healthy food. But he couldn’t tell the difference so I mean….. GO MAKE THESE BROWNIES!👍

Walnut Brownies

Serves: Makes 16 small brownies

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. In a large bowl, mash the banana. Stir in the oat flour and cocoa powder and mix until combined.
  3. Next, add the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla and salt and stir to form the brownie batter. Mix in the walnuts at this point.
  4. Grease an 8×8 baking pan with coconut oil. Pour in the brownie batter and spread it evenly around the pan. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  5. Let the brownies cool, then freeze them in a ziploc or store in the fridge in an airtight container.
  6. Enjoy!

Hope you love this recipe!

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked;))

Beans and Broccoli

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Hey there! Today I have another fantastic recipe that can be easily frozen and is great for meal prep. This take on beef and broccoli uses red kidney beans to make a delicious vegan meal. When the beans are fried, they resemble ground beef, and the seasoning used enhances their flavour. These beans and broccoli are great with quinoa, noodles, or in a salad. Hope you enjoy!

Beans and Broccoli

Serves: 2-3

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tsp + 1 tbs soy sauce
  • 1/2 tbs chili flakes
  • 1/2 tbs garlic powder
  • 1/2 tbs ginger
  • pepper to taste
  • 1/2 a head of broccoli, separated into small florets.
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1/2 tbs sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • quinoa, for serving (optional)

Directions:

  1. In a bowl, mash up the beans, leaving some whole. Stir in 1 tsp soy sauce, the chili flakes, garlic powder, ginger, and pepper.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add in the bean mixture and the broccoli florets and cook for about fifteen minutes, until the broccoli is tender and the beans begin to resemble ground beef in texture; crumbly and firm.
  3. Mix the sesame oil, 1 tbs soy sauce, maple syrup and garlic in a small bowl. Pour over the beans and broccoli and stir, cooking for two more minutes.
  4. Serve over quinoa with green onion and enjoy!

Hopefully this recipe helps you get ahead this week:))

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked;))

Winter Smoothie

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Hello guys;) Although you can get pretty much any fruit in the winter time, today I decided to make a smoothie that features some seasonal winter fruits and veggies. It includes banana, carrots, frozen berries, cinnamon and mandarin oranges to make a delicious holiday-inspired drink. Hope you enjoy!

Winter Smoothie

Serves: 1

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries (I used Saskatoon berries, since I still have a bajillion of them in the freezer from the summertime)
  • 1 small carrot, chopped
  • 1 mandarin orange
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

  1. Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth;)

Have a great week!

Yours Truly,

MyDayIsBooked;))