We’re switching things up a little bit today in Ceara’s Kitchen! Instead of my regular #WIAW posts here are some random facts about me – the girl behind #cearaskitchen 🙂 I was elected for the Liebster Award from my friend Laura over at Raise Your Garden. I’m honestly blown away by her gardening skills & knowledge. Thanks for the nomination Laura!
10 + 2 Random Facts about little old moi:
- I went to high school for Drama and once dreamt of being a famous actress.
- My favorite move of all time is Moulin Rouge. I’ve seen it so many times I can literally mouth the words and sing along to the entire film.
- My favorite musical is Les Miserables. I started watching the 25th anniversary live-taped musical with my grandma when I was 7 years old and we’d sing along together. We saw it together live twice last Christmas when I was home in Toronto and we held hands and silently sang along to the entire show. #adorable
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- I’m a bit of a musical theater nerd if you hadn’t already guessed 😉
- Since I was a little girl I’ve always dreamt of having my own cooking show (who doesn’t lol)
- I do all my cooking in my super tiny kitchen (we’re talking a 2 m. by 2 m. – or 6 ft. by 6 ft – kitchen with no counter space and in the shape of a weird triangle). #studentliving
- My entire life has become a #nomakeupselfie. At one point in time I used to hate leaving the house without makeup. Now 9/10 times the only ‘cosmetic’ I wear is coconut oil and it feels ahmaaazing.
- I met my Belgian boyfriend J in a kitchen in France almost 3 years ago now. We were both on exchange and he lived in the room exactly 2 floors above me. #fate
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- I have an obsession with to-do lists. #getitdone
- My favorite cake will always be chocolate.
- I love to paint.
- My name is pronounced “Key-Air-Ah” not “Siara” like it’s spelt.
The Questions
1. Why did you start blogging?
I started this blog back in October 2013 as a way to document the healthy recipes I was whipping up in the kitchen in my new home in Belgium. I had just moved across the world, in with J and didn’t know a lot of people. Cooking and writing became a great outlet for me as I was settling into a new chapter of my life here. I had also just lost almost 70 pounds and come to a new-found love of vegetarianism. I wanted to share the healthy recipes I was creating with others and save them for later for myself. I wanted to prove that it is possible to live a healthy and happy life filled with delicious eats that is free from dieting!
2. What blogs do you follow regularly
Honestly, soo many and the list is always growwingg! And I love them all for different reasons! I’m so happy to have met so many creative, talented and unique bloggers from around the world through my blog!
3. What is your fave quote/saying?
“Dance like nobody’s watching,
Love like you’ve never been hurt
Sing like nobody’s listening
live like it’s heaven on earth.”
4. Do you have any pets? Is so, what kind/how many?
Not with me in Belgium (the only living thing we own is a cactus for the moment lmao).
At my mom’s place we have the most adorable and fiery red Standard Poodle ever – Bijou. She’s a rescue, super cuddly and we sometimes skype.
At my dad’s we have a Cairn Terrier, Maggie, and an allergy free Russian Blue, Mavi. They are best friends and when they are not play-fighting they love to groom each other.
5. What characteristic do you think it your best quality?
Optimism.
6. Who is your favorite musician/band?
The Dixie Chicks.
7. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
The one question every international couple gets asked all the time 😉 I would love to live on the beach in a tropical country at one point in my life just to see what it’s like to live in a place with beaches as far as the eye can see and where snow is never shoveled.
8. What is your favorite meal?
My mom’s homemade mac and cheese. I managed to make a dairy-free version of her recipe & am a little bit too excited to share it tomorrow!
9. If there was a movie being made about your life, which actress would portray you?
Eugene Levy. Just joking, it would probably be Anna Kendrick because #love.
10. If you could have any job, what would it be?
A travelling cooking show where I could investigate cultures through food and travel – can you tell I study anthropology? 😉
11. What is your fave season?
Fall. It is hands down the coziest and prettiest month ever. The leaves always get me 🙂
I nominate a few of my blogger friends for the Liebster award to get to know each other better! Basically, you share ten random facts about yourself and answer the 11 questions and pass it on 😀
Gayle from Pumpkin & Spice – her warmheartedness shine through in everything she writes! I look forward to her mouthwatering posts and delicious new recipes every week – these peanut butter – pumpkin bites are to die for!
Katrina from Warm Vanilla Sugar – because she’s a fellow Canuck, living in Italy right now and her pie recipes are next-level good.
Cheryl from 40 aprons – her food photography is stunning, her recipes are gorgeous and I’m still dreaming of these Vegan Pumpkin Waffles.
Reading your article has greatly helped me, and I agree with you. But I still have some questions. Can you help me? I will pay attention to your answer. thank you.
Reading your article helped me a lot and I agree with you. But I still have some doubts, can you clarify for me? I’ll keep an eye out for your answers.
I would like to say a happy family bonding like this is Inspiring. Wish you all the happiness for coming days.
Love posts like this, its always nice to know a bit more about the blogger behind the blog x
Thanks so much girl! xx
Hey, wow! Congrats on the Liebster! So fun learning more about you! I’m totally a list-lover, too … and you know I adore rescued pups (loved the pet pics and the story about Mavi and Maggie grooming each other – too cute)! 😀 And when you get your traveling cooking show, I wanna come along, ok!?!?!
You can totally come along, Shelley! Hehe, and Mavi and Maggie are the cutest – they are truly the best of friends 🙂
Aaaw, I loved reading this post and getting to know you more 🙂 Holding hands and singing while watching Les Mis with your grandma sounds like the sweetest! I was totally pronouncing your name wrong in my head too, so glad I can say it correctly now 🙂 I love the quote you shared with us too – so true!
I agree with everything everyone posted here. I really enjoy reading all the wonderful comments! But want to add that I love that quote you chose, Kee-Air-AH! If we can live life that way, that is pretty powerful!
Yay! Thanks for the nomination Ceara 🙂 I am totally with you on the no-makeup selfies.. and I feel like I’m constantly apologizing for it when I see people out randomly. Like, “Oh I knew I would run into someone since I’m not wearing makeup!” Yet.. I like hardly wear it anymore. It just feels so heavy and clunky, bleh. Anyway, i loved this! I pretty much am insanely jealous of your life, but I”m going to keep that to myself….. 😀
I love posts like this as it is always nice to get to know the people behind the blog a little bit more 🙂
A travelling cookery show is my dream too. One day 🙂
Thanks, Dannii! We should start a joint travel-cooking show together!! tehe 😉
this was a great post! It was lovely to know more about you Ceara 🙂
Thanks, Manali! 😀
This is such a fun post, Ceara! I love learning more about you and what makes you tick! 🙂 And I was totally pronouncing your name wrong in my head…glad I know how to correctly say it now. And I’m obsessed with lists too,.specifically post-its! Fall is my favorite season and I would definitely want to live on a beach or somewhere with no snow ever again!
And thanks SO much for the Liebster award nomination, Ceara! I’m so honored that you thought of me and that we’re great blogging friends! Unfortunately I already did a Liebster award post back in July (http://www.pumpkinnspice.com/2014/07/24/liebster-award-time/), so sadly I can’t accept again. But thanks again so much!
Just read your Liebster post, Gayle! I love it and you and your hubby are adorable! 🙂
I was pronouncing your name wrong too! SO glad to know the correct way. Such a great post Ceara! I love to paint too and have been painting for years. I am much less polished than I used to be too, since having a daughter, I just don’t have the time to do my hair perfectly or any of that stuff…almost always in a ponytail when I go out for errands! The mac -n- cheese looks awesome too!
Happy I cleared that up – haha! My name isn’t phonetic by any means 😉 And I love that you love to paint as well – I don’t get to it as often as I should but love it when I get the chance! And I can’t be bothered with doing my hair every day either – the pony tail is my usual look! 😀
Ceara, you’re adorable! I can say that because I am the mom of two twenty something year old “kids.” 🙂 Les Miserables is one of my favorite musicals, it’s tied with The Phantom of the Opera. I think I just like to cry-haha!
I can’t wait to compare your dairy free version of mac n cheese with mine! I like to keep improving my recipes and I take away something new from every new recipe that I see.
I love the P of the O too and I without a doubt cry every time too – haha! I can’t wait to try your Dairy Free Mac & Cheese soon – I’m always looking for new recipes as well to try! 😀
Haha, I was totally pronouncing your name wrong in my head. Totally love Les Mis too! And Toronto is one of my favorite places to visit – I need to renew my passport ASAP! I used to be big into makeup too, couldn’t get the mail without full on makeup. Now in my mid 30’s, it’s strange that I’m more confident and don’t need all the makeup. Just wear a little eyeliner =) Thanks for the great shout out! Have a wonderful day.
🙂 Happy to hear your a Les Mis fan too! Have a great day too, Laura!
This is great love!!! Very cute!!!!!!!
Thanks <3 Hehe!
love this! That way everyone can know what a wonderful caring person you are! 🙂 So glad to count you as one of my good friends even if we aren’t on the same continent most of the time!