Happy List!

For a blog that's called Two Cups of Happy, I really don't write about happiness very much. I'm hesitant to share too much about my personal life on this blog. That said, I have always loved making grateful/happy lists to put things in perspective and remind myself that life's good. Everyone could use a reminder, I think.

Things that made me happy this week:
 
1. Playing tennis ball with Abby. She is the most hilarious dog. She will pummel herself towards the couch and bounce against the back of it. She's always good for a laugh.

2. Having lunch with a former co-worker. I hadn't seen this lady since June, so we had a lot to catch up on. Lots of laughs. LOLZZZ.

3. Getting groceries. Now before you call me a glutton, it wasn't because of the groceries themselves. D kept making me laugh and we just had fun. Ewww, right?

4. Getting in a good workout on Monday. Going to the gym never fails to lift my spirits and make me feel like I did something with my day. Oh, and this was MY JAM for the treadmill on Wednesday:

WARNING: This is NSFW. There is penis bouncing.
(That's the first time I've ever said those 2 words together....)

Another happy thing happening tonight. My friend is coming over to make me supper. Yay! Hope you enjoy your weekend. I may see you here on Sunday for a Steppin Out post, unless the rain keeps it up.

  Love & Speedos?

Janelle

Tasty Tuesdays: Black Bean Soup

Remember on Friday when I told you I made soup? Well I got the recipe for Black Bean Soup from Jen @ jenloveskev. Click for recipe. It turned out pretty good and it definitely hit the spot with some naan on a cool day. We brought some down to D's sister and she seemed to like it too! The recipe measurements are a little wonky (ml/oz etc.) but you really can't mess it up. I just used an online converter.

I made a few substitutions. I added one can of black beans and one large can of chickpeas instead of 3 small cans of black beans. I also added about a tsp more chili powder, a bit more cumin and a dash of garam masala. Yum.

Since I was too busy rushing to get everything in the pot, I only took a few pics. For the best pic of the soup, go to the jenloveskev link above! I know the one below doesn't look that appetizing... woops.

sunny yellow pot!

ingredients

after adding spices

Try this soup if you want something different that's not too outlandish. You'll like it. I promise... :)

Thanks for visiting,

xo Janelle

Steppin Out: my surprisingly not-lazy Sunday

Hi, friends. I hope you are all having a beautiful day. After yesterday's post I was sure that we had seen our last summer day, the kind of day when just sitting leaves sweat on the back of your knees. Instead, I woke up this morning to a hot, humid day with sunshine streaming through my windows. I immediately knew I wanted to do something productive instead of lazing around in my usual Sunday slump.

The couch was in desperate need of a vacuum, as were the floors, so I got right to work. While I was at it I figured I would mop the living area, too. After my Molly Maid possession (seriously, I hate cleaning), I met up with my friend M and we took Abby-dog down to the waterfront. We walked along the boardwalk for a bit and ran into some friends. We eventually decided to head back up towards home and sit outside the Smiling Goat coffee shop in the shade. I usually only go there when I'm grabbing a coffee to go, but there was plenty of seating outside. Plus, I love that they leave out a big bowl of water for the dogs. I had a delicious Arthur's smoothie with ice and M had a coffee. Abby had some ice cubes and a few licks of my smoothie. So spoiled...

Here's what I wore on our lovely Fall adventure with Summer weather:

Abby will work her way into any photo

I was sold when I found it buttoned up the back.

Tank: "Mine", thrifted from Crimson & Clover (new store!)
Jean Shorts: Garage jeans, cut-off into shorts
Shoes w/ heart cut-outs: Forever 21
Bracelet: from Turkey, international market
Belt: H&M

 


This turned into the best day. I can't stop smiling. I hope you have a good night! Come back on Tuesday for a soup recipe.

 Love & sunshine,

Janelle

crunchy leaves, cozy sweaters & hot soup

 
For the first time in a while I am looking forward to the coming season. I usually dread the end of hot summer days and fear the first blast of cold wind, but not this year.

I think my newfound excitement for Fall stems from the particularly rainy, lukewarm summer we had. I am looking forward to moving on to weather that makes sense, weather I can prepare for. At least somewhat... This is Nova Scotia. Right now, I have a nice hot pot of soup waiting for me, a dog that needs a nice long walk and endless movies on Netflicks. So here's my invitation. I'm ready for you, Fall.

Love,

Janelle

Pssst: Pop in on Sunday for a Steppin Out Saturday post!

Sweet Potato Roasties & BBQ Mayo

 When I eat sweet potato fries I try to convince myself that they're healthy. I mean, they are vegetables. Not that I feel guilty about eating food. I really don't. But, I try to follow the Canada Food Guide as much as I can so I guess it's more like me squeezing in an extra serving of veggies. Moving on, last week I had a few sweet potatoes to use up and because I definitely do not have the patience to cut them into perfect fry shapes... I made roasties aka. hashbrowns. Much less time consuming and just as delicious.

It would be pointless for me to type up a recipe for these. Really all you need to do is cut up the potatoes, toss with some olive oil, salt, pepper and chili powder. Roast em in the oven for a bit and then broil them.

Now, if you're going to try one thing from my blog... trust me, try this BBQ mayo. I whipped this up sometime last year trying to recreate the cajun mayo restaurants serve with their SP fries. Ketchup is just not the same. This sauce is tangy, sweet and can be spicy if you ramp up the chili powder. It works well with fish, steak, sandwiches, regular fries and chicken too. I've started making a little extra so I can have some for leftovers. Oh, I bet it would be awesome on hamburgers too. Someone should try that and let me know how it is... Haha.

So listen, it only takes 1 minute to make and I guarantee you have everything you need to make it in your fridge/cupboard right now. Mayo, BBQ sauce & chili powder. That's it. Mix half mayo, half BBQ sauce and sprinkle in some chili powder. Done. (Almost) instant sauce.

she doesn't photograph well...

Enjoy & indulge,
Janelle