Skinny Belle is officially two years old!! 

Time literally flies. How could this be? I started blogging an entire TWO YEARS AGO? Actual insanity. I honestly can’t believe that much time has passed. Skinny Belle started as a project to share some things I love with the world, and now has turned in to so much more. I have made countless ‘internet friends’ (which sounds weird but are legit the best things ever lol) and built relationships with some truly fantastic companies. So many great opportunities have come through my little corner of the internet, and I am forever thankful for that.

So thank you to YOU, my beautiful wonderful magical fairy-princess-readers (because everybody deserves to feel like a magical-fairy-princess) for letting me do what I love. Create, shoot, share, repeat. Skinny Belle makes me more happy than words can describe. To celebrate the last two years of awesomeness, I have pulled together a collection of memories from the Skinny Belle archives.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][uncode_index el_id=”index-182178″ loop=”size:All|order_by:date|post_type:post|by_id:4083,3866,3813,3779,3545,3529,3420,3332,3253,3129,3091,2777,2722,2680,2567,2457,2385,2084,2005,1721,1715,1541,1234,1146,949,859,702,257,255,286,4042″ filtering=”yes” filter_style=”dark” footer_style=”dark” footer_full_width=”yes” gutter_size=”0″ post_items=”date,media|featured|onpost|original” carousel_height=”equal” screen_lg=”1000″ screen_md=”600″ screen_sm=”480″ single_text=”overlay” single_overlay_color=”color-jevc” single_overlay_coloration=”bottom_gradient” single_overlay_opacity=”50″ single_padding=”2″ custom_order=”yes” order_ids=”2722,257,2777,3813,3332,3545,3091,3529,1541,3420,255,3129,2680,2567,2457,2385,3779,2084,2005,1721,1715,1234,859,1146,949,556,702,3866″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hope you enjoyed those throwbacks! Cheers to the first two years of Skinny Belle, and to countless more ahead. ?

x,

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Shoes: Vans / Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs / Skirt + Shirt: Aritzia

Pulling on a fresh pair of white kicks… is there anything like it? ?

My friends at Union Jack Boots and I have teamed up to bring you the dopest new shoes from Vans this fall. My pick? The “Old-Skool” style that is white on white. It’s a classic look and pairs well with pretty much everything — always a bonus in my books.

Usually in the fall/winter time I start wearing all-black-everything, but this year I am going to try and keep my wardrobe a bit lighter for the season. TRYING NEW THINGS, look at me go. ? And I have to say, fall has been GORGEOUS so far in Vancouver. The leaves have turned, there is that beautiful crisp feel to the air that lets you know winter is coming. It is unreal right now and I can’t get enough. Even the other day when it was rainy, I actually liked it (so suspect haha.) What can I say, I am falling for fall. ?

If you haven’t been to Union Jack Boots’ site, highly recommend you check it out.

So now tell me… what do you think of this look? Comment below!

x,

So flavourful you will want this morning, noon, and night.

Flawless. Literally flawless. Today I took the Middle Eastern dish called Shakshouka, and spiced it up Skinny Belle style. What does this mean? Adding ALL THE FLAVOUR. 

For real I am not even exaggerating with how fantastical this meal is. The best part? It will fly as a breakfast lunch or dinner. Diversity at its best. 

Ingreds:

• 3 – 4 large organic brown eggs
• Your favourite tomato sauce (I like to use the Classico Florentine Spinach and Cheese sauce. My friend told me I should be ashamed at this because I am Italian hahah)
• 1/2 chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• Salt/Pepper to taste
• 3-4 garlic cloves (the more the merrier)
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce

Step 1: Heat up your frying pan with the EVOO to medium/low heat. Cook the chopped red onion until it is soft. Be careful not to overcook it. Add the garlic in at the last minute and just begin to cook it (it burns super easy so be careful.)

Step 2: Add in the tomato sauce, worchestershire, and cumin. Stir, bring to a low boil, and reduce to low heat.

Step 3: Stir in parsely and simmer on low for about 5 – 10 mins.

Step 4: Make egg sized holes in the sauce, and crack the eggs into them. Cover the pan and poach for about 5-7 minutes.

Step 5: Spoon egg and tomato sauce over toast and ENJOY!!

I will be eating this all week long, without a doubt. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

x,

Dress: Zara / Shoes: Stuart Weitzman

Okay we need to start by talking about my addiction to these shoes. IT HAS GOT TO STOP. I LITERALLY WEAR THEM WITH EVERYTHING.

At home in pjs? I wear these shoes. At the gym? I wear these shoes.

K not really, but you get what I am trying to say. They are freakin’ beautiful and they match perfectly with basically every outfit. Could literally wear these with a giant hoodie and they would still look dope. Oh wait, Kylie Jenner is already doing that. ?

Anywayyyyyssss. These are gorgeous specimens and chances are I am not going to stop wearing them with everything. Because I am in love with them. Yes, love. Do you see that love-struck look on my face in the last photo here? Case and point.

Okay so on to the dress, this one is from Zara. It makes me feel like a western-cowgirl-fairy-princess which is PRECISELY how I want to be feeling 100% of the time. So that would be a win.

Thoughts? Comment below chikas!

x,

Corn, cheese, and a whole bunch of spicy goodness.

This is a recipe I tried from Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook the other day. I will be the first to admit that I am her number one fan. She is HILARIOUS. Back in the day (I am talking like 5+ years ago aka pre-famous times) Chrissy’s food blog was THE BEST. So authentic, so crude, so amazing. Her book is the bomb too, a few less swear words and a bit more censored, but nevertheless still great. I believe it says somewhere in there that cooking naked “brings out the flavour.”?  What I am trying to say is her blog was great, and so is her cookbook. #fangirl

This Mexican Street Corn will have you looking slightly savage. I promise you when I ate this there was nothing pretty about it. Cheese and corn everywhere. Soooo worth it. 

Here we goooo friends, ready?!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup of finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ears of corn
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp finely ground sea salt
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• Cayenne pepper
• Chilli flakes
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Lessssgooo!

Step 1: Preheat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Get a large plate and put the grated cheese and pepper on it.

Step 2: Grease up your corn (lol) with oil and season with salt. Lay the corn in the skillet and cook, turning every two minutes, until some bits are blackened and the corn is cooked. Should take about 8 minutes.

Step 3: Do this part quick so the corn doesn’t cool down and your cheese can get all melty melty. Brush each piece of corn with a thin layer of mayo (this got kind of ghetto. But trust me it’s good) and then roll in the cheese mixture and sprinkle with cayenne and chilli flakes to taste. 

Step 4: Put all that delicious cheesy corn on a flatter and cover with the chopped cilantro + lime wedges for serving. + one more salt + pepper for good luck. ?

SO DAMN GOOD. ?

Enjoy!!

x,

Dress: Zara / Shoes: Stuart Weitzman

This jumper is out of control cute. Was one of the funnest things that I’ve worn in a really long time haha. If it isn’t already obvious I loveeee to rock a good jumper, but the floral pattern on this one was just to-die-for. Zara just got these in and they are only $70 so I would get on that and pick one up quick if I were you. ?

ALSO. Friends who live in Vancouver… where did summer go? Why is this happening? Monday morning this week it just turned full on rainy/gross/dark/cold fall. I DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS. Girl was not ready for rainy season yet, and this sudden change in temperature is coming as a bit of a slap in the face if you ask me. Yes, the rainy season does bring snow on the mountains (which is THE BEST thing ever… because skiing ?) but I still wasn’t ready. Looks like I am going to have to take a trip south soon. ?

Anywho, enough complaining. IT’S FRIDAY PEOPLE! And we have a gorgeous long weekend ahead of us!!!

What are you going to be doing this weekend? Comment below!!

x,

Jumper: Morrisday | The Label

How gorgeous is this spot?! Shot these photos at a super cute little heritage building in Osoyoos this past weekend. For those of you who have never been Osoyoos is located about 4 and a half hours out of Vancouver, and it is to-die-for. 

There is a gorgeous lake, vineyards everywhere, local fruit orchards, and a unique desert landscape. Osoyoos is definitely one of my top spots to visit in British Columbia. 

Now it’s back in the city for a few days. Desperately need to clean my house + get unpacked from all this travel lately haha. Better late than never ?

x,

A zesty little pasta salad to brighten up your day!

Really don’t want to give myself toooooooooo much credit here, but I TOTALLY KILLED THIS ONE. Heaven on a plate. 

Fresh cherry heirloom tomatoes getting all amongst the basil + penne? I don’t even need to sell this one. Nothing about that combination could possibly be wrong. 

So let’s just get down to it.

Ingreds:

Lemon Dressing

• 3 parts EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
• 2 parts fresh squeezed lemon juice
• Finely ground sea salt
• Coarse ground pepper
• Garlic powder

Salad

• Cooked penne (al dante)
• Red + yellow heirloom cherry tomatoes
• Fresh basil chopped (or not, if you’re bad like that ?)
• Thinly sliced purple onion
• More salt + pepper to taste! 

And here’s how we do it folks.

Step 1: Make your dressing. Just put all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. I like to go wild with the garlic (because flavour,) so I use a VERY generous pinch of garlic in my dressing. Living on the wild side, I’m aware. ?

Step 2: Throw all your salad ingredients in a bowl, and lightly toss and add one last dash of salt and pepper. 

This should take you no more than 20 minutes in total to make, and probably under 3 minutes to consume. If you eat like me, that is. AKA like a rabid dog. (Wish I was kidding.) ?

My Lemon Basil Penne Salad is perrrrfect for a summer lunch or BBQ. 

Try it out and let me know how it goes! 

x,

Jean Jacket: Treasure & Bond / Flanel: Treasure & Bond / Dress: Aritzia / Shoes: Adidas

Beautiful British Columbia… will I ever get over you?!

BC is one of the most gorgeous places in the summertime, and I really doubt I will ever stop being amazed by its beauty. During the summer months I always make a point of exploring new places, so my latest conquest was the Sea-to-Sky Gondola in Squamish! This wasn’t big on my list of things to do because it kind of felt like the cheaters way to do the Chief (a popular hiking spot right next to the gondola.) That being said, once I was up there, the view was from a totally different perspective of that of the Chief! And there was beer. There definitely isn’t any beer at the top of the Chief. Winning.

These outfit shots were taken on one of the trails up the Sea-to-Sky Gondola. Totally obsessed with these drapey coats, they are the perfect transition item to add to your closet as our summer days get juuuuustttt a little too chilly to not bring a sweater out. This was my first time buying from the brand Treasure & Bond, but so far so good! Super happy with these picks.

Also my little red neck tie… OBSESSED. Picked this little baby up at a vintage shop in downtown Vancouver. Feeling it. 

What do you think of this outfit? Comment below!

x,

Taste like heaven and are basically negative calories. WINNING.

If you have yet to discover the wonder and joy of rice paper wraps, you have not lived. I repeat…. HAVE NOT LIVED.

These little wraps are the perfect vehicle for veggies/fruit/protein, basically whatever floats your boat. The calorie content in them is negligible which obviously leaves more room for Nutella later.

The only downside — they are tricker little suckers to wrap. Once you get the hang of it you will be fine, but I have to warn you the first few might be a little rough haha. ?

Ready to get started? Here is what you need:

• Rice paper wraps
• Lettuce
• Avocado
• Red cabbage
• Black sesame seeds
• Carrots
• Cucumber
• Mango
• Fresh Cilantro

Step 1: Chop up all your ingredients very fine.

Step 2: Get a large bowl and fill it with warm water.

Step 3: Completely submerge your rice paper wrap for about 5 seconds in the bowl of water. Then, place it on a flat surface and let it sit for another 5 – 10 seconds until it becomes sticky. 

Step 4: Put your ingredients of choice in the middle of the wrap, and wrap it up like a burrito! 

BOOM. Done!

Typically these are eaten with peanut sauce (which is not so good for you + annoying to make) so I decided just to eat mine with some spicy thai sauce I had in the fridge and soy sauce. Tasted delish to meeee. 

Thoughts? Comment below!

x,