The past few months I’ve really enjoyed being able to cook more at home. I’d chalk that up to having a much better kitchen to cook in, but it’s also a function of trying to eat healthier and save money. I’ve been cooking for most of my life, but these days it seems to be more frequently.

A few weeks ago I tried making my first risotto, and I was really happy with the results. Since then I’ve made it a few times and I’m surprised by how creamy and filling it is without any heavy cream or butter.

So the main ingredients I used to cook this were the good quality Arborio rice, a good white wine (I don’t drink wine so I had to rely on the wine store guy on this one), homemade chicken stock, shallots, Parmesan, asparagus, and a variety of wild mushrooms.

A lot of people say cooking risotto is too complicated for cooking at home. I beg to differ! It is actually super easy… but it takes quite a long time to make and it is quite labour intensive (stirring a pot for 45 minutes can get tiring!) but it’s totally worth it. And leftovers for lunch re-heat really nice.

I also quickly browned up some homemade pecan and panko-encrusted chicken breast strips to add some meat to the dish, but it’s definitely not necessary to enjoy.

So give it a try if you haven’t already! If anyone would like the recipe for this or anything else I’ve posted in the Food category to the right, please let me know.

So I know I said I was going to have a moving timelapse video up on the weekend but I got stuck finishing off Resident Evil 5 on the Xbox 360. I can’t help it — I’m a sucker for good video games .

P.S. Looking forward to the Canucks game tonight anyone?

It’s important to me this year to be more conscious of my spending. I gave some tips in my post on how to spend less in a recession, and of course it applies to myself.

While I’m still planning on snowboarding, surfing, and furnishing my apartment this year… I will be cutting down on a major expense… and that is travelling outside of BC. I love travelling. I love the photographs, I love meeting new people, I love exploring, trying new food, and learning about how people live in the rest of the world, outside our little bubble.

I’ve been to a number of places, and there are still SO many places I want to go. Alaska… Africa… South America… China… Russia. Ah well, that’s what the rest of my life is for, right?

So in my decision to not travel anywhere this year, I couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic. So here are some pictures from my trip to Europe and the Mediterranean in 2002. I’ve also posted a few here in previous posts, and here. These were all taken with my Nikon D50 back in the day.

The harbour in Cadiz, Spain. Such a beautiful place.

Gaudi’s work in Barcelona, Spain. Gaudi is all over Barcelona and it’s easy to see why it his art has become such tourist destinations. Talk about a visionary for his time.

Some workmen lining up outside in Lisbon, Portugal. Portugal is was one of my favourite stops. The food was delicious and the people are incredibly warm, kind, and have a passion for life you don’t see much anymore.

The sidewalks and roads in Lisbon are incredible. Such intricate detail on something so everyday.

Aging columns in Athens, Greece. If you get a chance to lie down in the grass and stare up at the sky and the columns, it’s easy to feel like you are back in ancient times and Adonis or Athena will come charging by.

This statue in Florence, Italy was one of the sculptures that touched me most during my trip (and trust me, we saw a LOT of statues… especially in Florence).”Il ratto di Polissena” or “The Rape of Polyxena” by Pio Fedi has such incredible emotion and detail carved into it; it’s hard not to feel moved by something immovable while standing there.

These donkeys/mules? in Santorini Greece did a lot of work… whether it was carrying people around or heavy loads. It’s amazing to see how people can get along just fine in life without cars, planes, or computers. It’s definitely a simpler life on Santorini.

A flower shop in Rome. There are no big box stores or sprawling shopping malls. Just normal people selling their wares on the street… anything from flowers to fish to shoes. Shopping takes on a whole different meaning and feeling.

A single rose in the trash in Barcelona on their version of “Valentine’s Day” there (La diada de Sant Jordi). Nope, this wasn’t a planted shot.

A gorgeous vista from Nice, France. One of my favourite places in the whole world. Nice moves at a different speed it seems, and when the sea is so blue and there’s so much sun it’s hard not to feel at peace. Just take a moment to yourself on a bench…

That’s it for now. On Saturday I hope to finally post those moving pictures I’ve been struggling to compile. Darn timelapse! Plans for this weekend: Seeing my best friend off from the UK with dinner, drinks, and TheatreSports… more furniture browsing, and cooking. Your weekend plans?