Flowfit

We haven’t seen much of the sun lately, but on this particular afternoon a couple of days ago, it popped out to say hello.  And what perfect timing!  It felt so good to sit in the sunshine and eat my mushroom omelette for lunch.  Add in some fresh spinach to naturally wilt under the heat of the omelette, and it’s a lovely luncheon for one!

Mushroom Omelette:

• 2 organic eggs
• butter (I used Earth Balance)
• handful mushrooms of choice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• tamari sauce
• sea salt and cracked black pepper
• spinach (optional)

Crack eggs into bowl, and gently beat with fork.  Set aside.

Heat non stick skillet on medium high heat.  Melt enough butter to coat bottom of pan thoroughly.  Add in mushrooms and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. Add in Tamari sauce and pepper, cook for another minute.  Remove from pan.  Add in more butter, again to thoroughly coat bottom of pan.  Pour in eggs and swirl around to coat entire surface of pan.  Let sit for two  minutes – do not touch!!  When you can reach spatula under one side, it is ready to fold.  Add half the mushroom mixture on one side of omlette and fold the other side to cover.  Cook one minute, flip and cook for another 30 seconds to a minute.

To serve, place omelette atop fresh baby spinach and top with the remainder of the mushrooms.

YUM!

Do you ever get lucky and stumble upon something wonderful that was completely unexpected?

Well, that’s what happened to my husband and I the other day.  We just happened to be in Toronto shopping, and just happened to know exactly where we wanted to go for lunch. The pizzaria we were headed for just happened to be closed (or more precisely, not opened yet), and across the street from the pizzaria just happened to be Mariachi’s Mexican Restaurant.  Across the street we walk, and into the restaurant on what just happened to be Cinco de Mayo.

I knew we were in for a GREAT meal when we walked by their open kitchen, and every cook was Mexican.  Our hostess, waitress and the owner – you guessed it – Mexican!

I don’t give out recommendations lightly – so trust me when I say, this was the BEST Mexican food I have ever had!!  So clean, fresh, and authentic!

A great restaurant experience for me is made up of three key things:

1.  Service

2.  Food

3.  Atmosphere

CHECK CHECK and CHECK!

Mariachi’s has all three!

Since it was Cinco de Mayo, our server handed us a copy of a brief history of what Cinco de Mayo was.  I honestly, didn’t know anything about it other than it was a Mexican festival. The atmosphere was very casual, relaxed and authentic.  Although a little dark, it took literally minutes for us to feel like we’d been transported to Mexico and were sitting in a little hideaway off some cobblestone street.  I just wish I was wearing flip flops to finish that “on vacation” feeling!

Service was warm, friendly and perfectly attentive.

I had a margarita (OMG – seriously the BEST I’ve EVER had!!) along with made to order guacomole and homemade chips.  The guacomole comes still in it’s mortar and pessel, so you can make it creamier if you wish.  Hot sauce on the side.

Everything on the menu is made mild, unless you ask for it to be spiced up.  A kindness to our (lame ah-hem) North American pallets.

Our lunch came to just under 40.00 with tax and tip.  Excelente!!

If you love or even like Mexican food, Mariachi’s is totally worth the drive into Toronto!!  I can’t wait to go back and take my kids!

Triple YUM!

I love a good deal!

Nothing beats the feeling of getting something for nothing.  Well, for the months of May and June you can do just that!  JC’s Hot Bagels is celebrating their 15th Anniversary and are offering 8 bagels for the price of 6!

That’s right, buy a half dozen bagels and receive two free!

Gotta love that.

Also, you can get a coffee and a bagel for just $1.99.  Breakfast to go anyone?

If you’ve yet to try a JC’s bagel, you are truly missing out!  Take this opportunity to get something for nothing and stop in JC’s for your free bagels!

For those of you with kids at John T. Tuck, these bagels are TOP pick for Healthy Snack.

Okay.  I’ve talked about easy before, but this soup is easy peasy!  Seriously, you can’t go wrong and it is soooo good.  With all this chilly damp, rainy weather we’ve had lately, this hit the spot nicely.

Carrot and Lentil Soup:

• 1 bag organic carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups (I used 4 palmfulls) red lentils
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
• 1 carton vegetable broth (or 4 cups broth of choice)
• 3 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• Sunflower Kitchen “Zest-Oh Pesto” Cilantro Pesto to garnish
• 4 slices stale country style bread for croutons (optional)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In your favorite soup pot, saute onions and carrots with a good sprinkling of sea salt and pepper until onions start to turn colour and get soft – about 5 minutes.  Add in garlic, cumin, bay leaf and lentils and saute for another 2minutes.  Add in broth and water.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium low and cook uncovered for about 20-30 minutes.  Basically until carrots are cooked through and lentils are soft enough to squish with a fork against side of pot.

Get out your handy dandy hand held mixer (if using a blender to do this part, make sure you let it cool down a bit first), remove bay leaf and puree entire mixture until smooth.  Thin with water or broth to taste.  I like mine thick, but thin enough to fall off spoon.

Serve topped with garlic croutons and a few dribbles of Cilantro pesto.  Amazingly delicious!

Quick Garlic Croutons:

Simply cut stale bread (italian loaf or french loaf works best) into thick pieces.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with your favorite herb mixture (I used provincial herbs), sea salt and garlic.  Rub into bread.  Broil for about 30-45 seconds per side – watch them, they burn QUICKLY!  Remove from oven let cool for a few minutes and cut into bite sized pieces.  Awesome in salads, soups or just to munch on.

YUM!

You can’t always judge a book by it’s cover.  Sometimes you need to dig a little deeper.  As many of you know, I wouldn’t recommend something without first taking a good look into where it comes from, how it’s made and what it’s benefits are.  I am continually amazed with how much I didn’t know!  HA!

I’ve been buying these little individual Gold Seal Tuna packages for my kids lunches for the past year.  I know the ingredients are good, but decided to dig a little deeper this morning (internet research) to see where the fish comes from.  Well!

Gold Seal gets my gold seal of approval!!

Gold Seal is a Canadain company (under the Canfisco Group) that has been in the fishing industry since 1906. Canfisco has been part of the Canadian Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing since 1998.  This code includes conservation principles aimed at ensuring responsible fishing practices in all Canadian (and Alaskan) waters.  Alaska’s salmon fisheries are recognized world wide as among the most sustainable (and have received certification from Sustainable Fisheries – MSC).  Canfisco Group’s fisheries are in the MSC certification process and are on their way to ensuring they meet the MSC sustainability standards.

Awesome!

Even more exciting (for me anyway) is that they belong to many sustainable fishing organizations such as the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) which was developed in recognition of the pressure on many fishery stocks around the world.  As well, the Canfisco Group is committed to working with recognized international conservation organizations, including the David Suzuki Foundation and Ocean Wise (as well as many more) to ensure continual improvement on the impact of fishing our oceans.

Excellent!

So, in my opinion, Gold Seal Tuna individual cans are a GREAT lunch idea!

Canadian company, environmentally friendly, sustainable, healthy and easy.  Does it get any better than that?!

YUM!

Does this look like something you could send to school for your kids lunch?  Probably not.

But you can!!

It’s sunflower seed butter and it’s delicious!  If your kids are missing PB&J and are wishing they could have it at school, well, now they can!

Introducing SunButter! Peanut and tree nut free, gluten free, high in protein and fibre – a healthy alternative to peanut butter.  It comes in a variety of flavours and textures, including organic creamy and crunchy.  It has a toasty nutty taste that my kids and I loved.

Dontcha just love new finds?

http://www.sunbutter.com/

As I sit here eating my lunch, I am in awe of how beautiful all that green looks.  Something about green makes me think spring, life, energy and health.  All that would explain why spring is one of my favorite seasons.

This salad will take you less than 2 minutes to throw together – perfect healthful lunch!  Grab a plate and add a good handful of washed baby spinach, a whole avocado (TIP – cut avocado in half lenghtwise, remove pit and make cuts into flesh going both directions – so you’ve made little diamond shapes – now squeeze the avocado in the palm of your hand facing down.  All those little diamonds will spill out and you’ll be left holding nothing but the rind – COOL!).  Squeeze a quarter lemon onto entire thing, add a table spoon of hummus on the side, sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper and you’re done!  I added some left over roasted organic chicken breast as well.  A can of tuna or some garbanzo or cannelli beans would also be great.

Try it!  Time yourself… betcha it’s 2 minutes!

The Hummus on this plate is from Sunflower Kitchens.  As I’ve mentioned before, I have a bit of a love affair with their products.  This Wednesday April 20th, Marilou’s Market in Burlington will be carrying a new selection of all of their wonderful products.  They will have pestos, hummus, soups and dips.  I highly recommend the Oregano and Kale Pesto, the Cilantro pesto and of course all of the hummus!  Hurry in, they won’t last long!

To read about Sunflower Kitchens, go here:

http://www.sunflowerkitchen.com/about.html

Yesterday was snack day at John T. Tuck school.  We served (surprise!) – Hummus with french green beans, organic baby carrots and Mary’s Rice Crackers.  A hit overall, especially with the younger students.  What was interesting to me is that a couple of the moms commented that they considered raw green beans to be an “odd” choice for a snack.  Surprising?  No, but it still a little discouraging to see such old fashioned thinking.  In all honesty, the green beans were a bigger hit than the all too familiar baby carrots.

I so didn’t see that rant coming….but I feel a little more on it’s way….

For me, there really isn’t anything “odd” about eating a raw vegetable – even one that is typically eaten cooked.  But that’s me.  From where I’m standing (on my apparent high horse at the moment), this is the proverbial miss in why there are so many picky eaters out there.  Well intended parents feeding their children only a handful of choices (albeit healthy ones) because “it’s what they like”.  Sadly, what they are creating is a limited pallet reluctant to trying new things.  What they are missing is introducing their children to so many more wonderful flavours, textures and nutrients.  A shame really.

Rant complete.

I guess that’s one of the GREAT things about the healthy snack program.  Not only does it offer nutrition, healthful education and sustenance but it also gives some students the opportunity to try something they may have never been introduced to before – like raw green beans.  I can’t tell you the high I get when one of the students approaches me and says, “what were those green things called?  I love them and want my mom to buy them“.  BIG SMILES. Or when a parent writes to me asking what I served at snack because their son or daughter is raving about the new vegetable or fruit they’ve tried.  Awesome, isn’t it?!  I think so.

Lastly, something so important to remember, especially when introducing new foods… everyone EATS WITH THEIR EYES FIRST.  I put it in caps and bold because I think it is so important.  A little more effort, yes, but I really do believe that if it looks good, kids especially, are more apt to try new things.

Go ahead, make it pretty…. have fun with it!

Peace.

I woke up this morning to the sound of birds.  I love the sound of birds, especially in the morning.  Their happy little songs make me smile. I wonder what they are saying to each other?  ”Hello, good morning, hi there, oh hello….”?  I always peek out to see what they are doing.  I think the same three little birds hang out in the tree just below my bedroom window.

I wonder if they are related?  When I peeked out this morning, however, not only did I see my familiar trio, I saw SNOW!!

Wha-a-a-a-at?!

Even the super soakers left on my covered front porch are nearly burried in snow! That’s March for ya… a tease of spring, kids playing outside without coats – even using squirt guns and carrying out buckets of water to make their mud pies.  The bikes and scooters, footballs and bubble blowers were littered on our front lawn…. SPRING!!

We love the sound of the birds being back in town, the feel of the warm sun on our bodies and even the damp smell of compost that permiates the air.  And then – BAM!  Another snow fall.  Life is like that sometimes, isn’t it?  You’ve gotta laugh!

We all have our favorite comfort foods, ones we turn to on days like today.  For most (myself included), cold weather food is coated in gravy or spices or oooey gooey cheese!  Today, for me, I was craving colour… something green that reminded me of spring!!  My lunch was green indeed!  I made sauteed bok choy and mushrooms.  So totally yummy I had to share!!

Bok Choy with Mushrooms:

No amounts needed here, it’s all just to taste.  You really can’t go wrong…. get out a bowl and some chop sticks and enjoy!

• Baby Bok choy, ends cut off and washed
• Shiitake mushrooms (thank you Plan B – my new favorite!)
• fresh garlic
• fresh ginger
• Peanut oil
• Sesame oil
• Tamari Sauce
• sprinkling of Tom Yum seasoning
• Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
• 2 tbsp water

Heat oils in skillet.  Add garlic and ginger and mushrooms and saute for 1 minute.  Add tamari and bok choy followed by water mixed with Tom Yum seasoning.  Saute until bok choy starts to wilt.  Done!  Add sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste.

YUM!

I know the snow will once again melt away, and the newness of spring will shine through.  As I write this, lunch eaten and my belly full, I keep peering out at the falling snow. I am listening to Bob Marley – the man, the poet, the musical prophet.  I adore him, wish I was fortunate enough to see him live.  He is a legend that believed in peace, equality, living without judgement, spirituality and most of all love.

Sit back, take a moment and enjoy the feeling this song creates.  I hope it makes you smile ….

Three Little Birds – Bob Marley

Creating kids lunches can sometimes be a struggle and a bore!  Are you with me on that?

Looking for something interesting and different as well as healthy that the kids will actually eat is a constant challenge!  Add to that that their tastes are always changing and if you have more than one child, each with a different pallet you’ve got yourself a full time job!

Well, not quite, but sometimes it feels like it!

These cute little beauties were a hit!  The ones pictured above are simple tea sandwiches – cucumber and cream cheese.  A classic in our house.

Some other combinations worth a try are:

• sharp cheddar cheese, lettuce and mustard
• grated carrot, cabbage and green onion with favorite salad dressing
• Organic peanut butter and jam or banana (not for school – but you could use soy nut butter)
• scrambled egg, ketchup and cheese – even cold they’re good
• hummus, sliced black olives, cucumber
• red pepper, spinach, feta dressing, dried oregano
• tomato, lettuce, mayo
• tuna salad

YUM!

The little buns are another great product by President’s Choice -

Have fun with these!

Sometimes I will give them three completely different ones in their lunches, so they feel like they’ve got lots of variety.  Or sometimes I’ll put the ingredients separate from the buns and they can put them together as they wish at school.

Don’t you just love a GREAT idea!?

I wonder if we should try these for Healthy Snack…. do you think 630 is too much?

Isn’t it amazing how time flies?  I made these skewers for Superbowl Sunday and fully intended on posting right after.  Well, apparently renovations take up a lot of your time!!  I have to admit, I thought it would be easy breasy NOT hiring a designer.  After all, I knew exactly what I wanted, so why pay someone to make decisions for me?!  Well now I understand…. we’ve spent hours driving around to marble warehouses looking for that perfect slab, then to the faucet and sink places, then flooring, appliances, cupboard door styles, door pulls, and even paint chips!  At least if you have a designer, you are given three choices and THEY do all the leg work.  Alas…. when it is done and I have my new shiny kitchen, I am sure it will all have been worth it!  I’ll even have stories to tell about where we went and how it all came to be.

In the meantime, please forgive me for my long absences…. I have not stopped creating, I am still taking photos and writing recipes.  I will post when I can, as often as I can, but it will not be as frequent for a while.  Especially the next few weeks, when I am literally without a kitchen!

So!  Last Sunday was the Superbowl.  Of course, typical fare would include a big pot of chili or nachos or wings or maybe all of those!  But I had these little rainbow tortellini kicking about, so decided to do something with them for Superbowl.  This is what I came up with and it was a hit with both sport fans and kiddies alike!

Tortellini Skewers:

• 1 package Oliveiri tri coloured tortellini
• yellow or cherry tomatoes
• salami, ham, capocolla or your favorite lunch meat (can be omitted)
• fresh basil
• The BEST EVER Lemony Dressing or favorite dressing of choice
• 1 package of skewers

Cook tortellini according to package directions, drain and run cold water over to stop cooking.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Onto skewer thread tortellini, followed by slice of lunch meat folded twice, then basil leaf and finally tomato.  Line up like little soldiers on a plate and pour over your favorite dressing, or try my The BEST EVER Lemony Dressing.  Sprinkle with extra basil and salt and pepper to taste.  To eat, pull all into mouth for one tasty bite!

I had some leftover tortellini, so the next day I put them in my kids lunch with the same dressing drizzled over and tomatoes tossed in.  I added the same skewer on the side so they could poke them on their own.  They both loved them!  I love a win win!

YUM!