Shoe Binge

Trying to make up for lost time (or posts?) so I wanted to share a recent shoe binge that I went on since discovering gojane.com; an amazingly diverse and reasonably priced online shoe, clothing and accessory site. After seeing these beautiful yellow wedges on A.Co, I HAD to get them in Pink...... and then order two different pairs of heels....... then another pair and some flats! It really is like a crack addiction sometimes, isn't it?!

Top to bottom: Oversized Buckled Wedges (they come in yellow, black and white as well), Velvet Butterfly Caged Heels (these did come in black too but they only have nude left) and Faux Patent Espadrille Wedges (no longer available).

Top to Bottom: Play for Peeps Faux Patent Pumps (available in black & beige too) and Pointy Laser Slit Flats (only color left is this champagne, wish is really gold in person).

Now I can't wait for Summer to hurry up and get here so I can wear these! Here are some of the new additions settling into their new home; not the red peep toe pumps & flats as I just got them today at work.

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Recipe: Butternut Squash Frittata

First of all, please let me apologize for my absence and for not letting you guys in on the news regarding my blog just yet. I will let the cat out of the bag as soon as I am able too and I really hope that those of you that are following my blog (if there are any of you left!) will follow me on my journey!

Second of all I am also apologizing for my lack of posts in 2014. Truth be told, I have had little time for blogging and even though I really miss it, other things in my life have taken a priority. However I really wanted to share this AWESOME recipe I tried last night. It is super good for you, easy to make, different than a "meat & potatoes" type meal and it's delicious! Perfect for a week night dinner for a family or you can adjust the measurements for a smaller portion. If you have never tried a Frittata before, it is simply eggs, potatoes, cheese and veggies. That's all! My Mom has made them for me many times but this was my first attempt and I can say it was super easy.

So here we go, how to make this Frittata....

Healthy Recipe: Butternut Squash, Spinach and Feta Frittata Ingredients 

• 1 package (10 oz./300 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained 
• 1½ cups cubed peeled potatoes (375 mL) ( substituted sweet potatoes as they are more nutritious)
• 3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion (175 mL ) 
• 8 eggs 1/2 cup 
• 1% milk (125 mL ) 
• Freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (250 mL) 
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (125 mL)
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed (4 to 5 cups/1 to 1.25 L)  

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) | 13- by 9-inch (33 by 23 cm) glass baking dish, lightly greased.
Place squash in a large microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap, leaving a corner open to vent. Microwave on High for about 5 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain off excess liquid. Place in the greased dish and gently stir in spinach, potatoes and red onion. 

In a bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season to taste with pepper. Pour over vegeta-bles and stir gently to distribute. Sprinkle evenly with cheddar and feta.

Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until eggs are set. Makes 12 servings

Nutrients (per serving) 
Calories 151
Fat 8.0 g 
Carbohydrate 12 g 
Saturated Fat 4.1 g 
Protein 9 g 
Fiber 2 g (8% DV) 
Sodium 192 mg (8% DV) 
Calcium 177 mg

(16% DV)
 Iron 1.2 mg (9% DV)
Very high in: Vitamin A and vitamin B12. High in: Magnesium, folate and riboflavin. Diabetes Food Choice Values Per Serving: 1/2 Carbohydrates, 1 Meat & Alternatives, 1 Fat

Here's a shot of the finished product

This was very rich tasting for such a light meal. One thing I changed from the original recipe above (which I got from our Wellness Committee at work) is I roasted the sweet potato and squash in the oven. I placed on a baking sheet, drizzled on some EVOO, sprinkled with sea salt and backed in the oven at 400 F until tender. I did that to give the veggies some extra flavor through the roasting process. But if you are short on time or live for convenience you can easily microwave too.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and again I promise more new to come on the MelMac Blog Journey!




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Must try: Green Tea Ice Cream

If you like anything about Green Tea or ice cream you need to allow these worlds to collide into one perfect dessert, Green Tea Ice Cream! I was lucky enough to be taken out for one of my fav meals today, Sushi, for my Birthday. For dessert I was handed this mound of lusciously refreshing iced perfection.

It may sound like a weird combination but the flavor is so unique and not too sweet, it is the best way to end a fabulous meal. 

If you want to try Green Tea Ice Cream out to see why I am raving about it, you can find it at any Asian Market in the frozen section. Or if you are feeling adventurous, there are tons of recipes on Pinterest to try making it on your own at home.





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Some exciting news coming!

Hi everyone, so sorry for the radio silence. There are some things in the works for my blog that I will be revealing soon.

My 36th Birthday last year. My 37th is coming up this month. Ugh..... can I stay 29 forever?????

Merry Christmas!

I will be taking some vacation starting this afternoon after a work Sushi lunch (YAY) and will need to BEGIN my Christmas Shopping soon after. I wanted to say a quick Merry Christmas to anyone passing by my blog during the Holiday Season. I hope you all get to spend some time with your loved ones and are able to enjoy this time of year.

Be safe and all the best for the New Year!

Love, MelMac oxoxox

Taken at the Ottawa Convention Center

Dress: Le Chateau

Tights: Target

Boots: Target (seen here)

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Work Christmas Party 2013

Some of you love them, some of you hate them, but like it or not Christmas Party time has arrived and is in full swing! I had my work "Holiday" party this past weekend and I wanted to share my getting ready process and show you the dress that I hinted at in my last post.

A co-worker recommended that I try Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs to give my legs a pantyhose look without actually wearing them (hate the pantyhose). I tried this easy to use spray in Light Glow and here is a picture of one leg with and one with out. The right is the one with the spray and it does look smoother. The spray stayed on all night too, through dancing and everything. I would definitely use this again to give my pale Winter legs a smoother look.

Oh boy this is scary! No make up and half hair straight, half in a really creepy side ponytail. Just keeping it real y'all! This is what we all really look like before we are camera ready, so there you have it!

My other "trick" of the night, Dr. Scholl's For Her High Heel insoles. They don't take away the sore feet but they definitely help.

Hair and makeup done. If you would like a video of what I used to get this look let me know in the comments.

Voila! Christmas Party ready!

Dress: Dynamite (new), this dress was ALL sequins. I really liked the long sleeves too.

Shoes: Nine West (old)

I bailed on the work party around 11:30PM and met up with Amanda at a Birthday Party. 

Photo credit: A.Co Est 1984

I hope everyone is enjoying their Holiday Season, parties and all. Please make sure to be safe and don't DRINK and DRIVE.

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Quick Post about Chili

Yes, that's right, chili. I made a HUGE batch of chili this weekend - sorry no pics or recipe as I didn't really follow one - that I planned on eating all week for lunch or dinner. But like most things, I got tired of eating it on Day 2. Something about cooking the dish and smelling it for hours kind of takes the wind of out its sails once you sit down to eat it. I still really enjoyed this warm, spicy and slightly sweet meal (I added brown sugar) on a cold Winter's night/day; but last night I needed to change it up a bit!

So I boiled up some Rigatoni pasta (you can use whatever you have on hand) then poured a bunch of the leftover chili in a pan to heat up. The chili turned out rather thick so I poured some red wine to thin it out a bit and make it more of a sauce; really, red wine makes anything better, right? I also added a bunch of baby spinach to the "sauce" for some extra nutrition, though the chili itself is super good for you with tons of beans and veggies. After the pasta had boiled to an al dente texture (slightly under cooked) I added that to the chili sauce, grated some cheese and combined everything together in the pan for about a minute.

This was the finished product and it was SO DELISH!

This chili take on pasta really turned up the flavor and changed it into a completely different meal without wasting any of the chili goodness!

Some other random snaps...

My beautiful Fur-Babies keeping me company, they follow me around the house wherever I go. They make really good sous-chefs too!

Here's a sneak peek at my dress for an upcoming work Holiday Party; cannot wait to wear this!

Next time you have some left over chili or even a thick soup that you are tired of eating; try adding pasta to it to change it into an entirely different meal. You could also change up chili by:

• Making Sloppy Joe's - just heat up in a pan, top on a nice bun with some cheese and you're in Lunch Lady Land!
• Making Chili Dogs - fire up some doggies on the BBQ, top with chili and cheese or any other toppings and you have yourself a ball park favorite at home.

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Black Friday @ Place D'Orleans!

For my Ottawa and surrounding area readers, I have a treat for you. Our local mall Place D'Orleans, who I partnered with back in October for #MYVIP Night, is having a HUGE Black Friday Sale! 

This is a great way to put a dent in your Christmas Shopping and you don't have to travel all the way to the US to take advantage of some INCREDIBLE deals.

To add to the excitement, Place D'Orleans is opening their doors early and they will have promotions going on ALL DAY! Read more below:

I suggest we all take the day off work tomorrow and go shopping to take advantage of this event! See you there!







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TBT: Florida 2010

Since everyone seems to be taking a trip somewhere warm lately (yes, I'm jealous) I thought I would post a Throw Back Thursday from my trip to Florida from 2010. It was around this time 3 years ago that I was in sunny Orlando, going Black Friday shopping (deals like no other), going to Blizzard Beach and Seaworld (AHHH-MAZING), buying my first pair of Cowboy boots (out of my comfort zone), trying indoor Skydiving (how many people can say you have tried that?) and my first visit to Clearwater Beach (so beautiful).

It was a vacation to remember because we did SO MUCH and had SUCH FUN going on all of these adventures. This trip was bitter-sweet because upon returning - and spending a TON of $$ - I found out that I was laid off from my job of 10 years, two weeks before Christmas no less. Ugh, was a punch to the stomach that was. It all worked out for the best and took my life in a new direction. Things have a way of working out when they seem hopeless at first. That is a lesson I learned well and this trip reminds me of that :-)

Here are some snaps from that trip, I wish I was there right now since we have 20cm of snow here in Ottawa.

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What's in my Purse????

I love when Bloggers post a "what's in my purse" because it's a great way to get ideas on everyday essentials that you may be missing from your purse repertoire. I am posting what is in my purse today but I must warn you, after looking at the pictures, it's kinda boring. Boring to me anyways, maybe not to you! I have recently done a purse purge to keep clutter out of my life -which I hate - so that is why the pickin's a slim when it comes to my purse essentials.

With that said, let's dive in!

 From Left to Right:

My ESPRIT eye glasses: Need those from driving at night (yep, I'm old)

Guess Wallet: It's black leather and I have had it for years. The coin purse is broken though so I need to carry...

Coin purse - Catseye London: I received this as a gift and didn't think I would use it! I actually am kinda digging the coin purse separate from my regular wallet thing. It may seem like a pain but it makes things easier for carrying cash and heavy coins around.

My Emergency bottle: Ha ha, I am not a pill popper per se but I like to have Advil, Gravol and some prescription back pills on me at all times in case of a bad headache, tummy ache/sleep inducer or my back goes out on me (for those who don't know I had a disc removed from my spine a few years ago)

My beauty bag from Bath and Body Works: More on this in a jiff

A memory stick: Comes in handy!

Tide pen: A necessity for a clumsy person

C.O. Bigelow - My Favorite Night Balm x2: This IS my fav lip balm that I use all the time, not just at night. It is super moisturizing, leaves a little sheen and goopy enough to stick to your pucker with out being too goopy.

My iPhone (not shown as it was taking the picture) and a charger: Who doesn't have their smartphone with them at all times? I also need my charger with me as a safety net of sorts, what if the battery dies at a crucial moment?

Above is my current purse of choice.

So what is in the mysterious beauty bag?

 From Left to Right:

Black hair elastics: needed for those unruly hair days

Dental floss: for when you have spinach at lunch, LOL

Pink Sugar Roll On perfume: I am not a huge perfume person. I hate walking into a room and being punched in the face by someone wearing Angel or Hugo Boss. But I do really like to have a roll on perfume on hand as a subtle touch up fragrance. These are also much more inexpensive to buy than a full sized bottle  and they last a long time.

Clinique moisture surge extended thirst relief: This is a great moisturizer to carry with you as a touch up during the day. It is light and non-greasy but really moisturizes and doesn't disturb your make up. I use it under my eyes in the afternoon to keep them looking fresh.

Clinique  Different Lipstick and mascara combo: Great for touch ups!

CG TRUBlend Pressed Powder Compact: for my sometimes shiny T-Zone

Nail file, clippers and tweezers: I can't handle snagged nails, hang nails or fly away eyebrow hairs!

Eye Drops: when you work a desk job, your eyes take a beating. I keep this with me when my eyes are feeling dry at the office.

Aveda Hand Relief: Ahhh just the smell of this stuff puts me in a better mood. Great for our Canadian Winters

Jelly Lips: I have a lip balm/gloss obsession!

L'Oreal Magic Lumi Concealer: Not my fav concealer but I keep it with me for touch ups as I have really dark circles. This product does brighten, but conceal? Not so much.

Revlon Lip Butter: In Sugar Frosting #005 and Fig Jam #030 for when I want some color.

Maybelline Baby Lips: I had heard amazing things about Baby Lips, but the moisture doesn't really last for me. I still keep it because the Pink Shock color is cute.

So there you have it! I hope you found something useful in my bag of tricks!

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