Salba Day 3

Ok - at this point, I'm sure that I need to keep trying out this Salba for a longer period of time to see if it has any positive impact. I have read all this really great stuff about it but I want to make sure it really works for me before I suggest it to others. I will follow up in a few weeks with any news.

Salba Day 2

Ok - so I'm on Day 2 of the Salba trial. It could just be my imagination but I really do feel that I have more energy tonight. Yesterday I didn't really notice a difference but today I seem to be more energized.
I hope this is the start of a new trend but I really think more than a 3 day trial is required. Therefore, I ordered some chia seeds online and hopefully, I'll be able to tell if I feel any different.
Anecdotal evidence is hard to fully capture so only time will tell.

Salba - Chia Seeds

When I was at the Good Food Festival and Market, I spoke to some folks from Salba. I had previously been doing some reading about all the benefits of chia seeds and was eager to try it out. I received a 3-day trial of Salba.
Today is day one.
I mixed the Salba with some vanilla yogurt. The Salba seeds are tasteless and just add texture to whatever you're eating to you can pretty much add this stuff to anything.
What are the benefits?
3x the antioxidants of blueberries
6x more calcium than milk
8x more omega 3 than salmon
15x the magnesium of broccoli

With all these nutrients, I can't say for sure that I have more energy today, but the true test will be how much energy I still have tonight.

Chia Seeds are considered the next superfood - providing many nutritional benefits. In addition, they expand in size once digested to make you feel fuller for longer. They are quite steep in price ($12.99 for 120g at Loblaws), but I'm going to check out Bulk Barn tomorrow to see the prices there. I will post what (if any) impacts I feel from this superfood - perhaps I may be on to something here.

17th Annual Food Festival and Market

I just got back from the last day of the Food Market and festival at the International Centre in Mississauga. The crowds were huge, the samples were plentiful, and the cuisine was full of variety.

There was so much to do and see, it was very overwhelming at first, but I will contend that the free samples and goodies are well worth the price of admission.

Some of the highlights from the show for me were:

• the parchment paper place: from my previous entries, it is clear that I LOVE parchment paper
• Erich's bread: the staff was extremely knowledgeable about the bread and it was very reasonably priced; they also cram more fibre into a slice of this bread than I would get in an entire loaf of regular bread!
• Tofutti: ice cream made from tofu - sounds gross but my husband didn't even know he was eating tofu until I mentioned it several hours later - I have to admit this was the BEST tofu I've ever had
• Salba: I got a 3 day trial of Salba - similar to chia seeds and thought to be the new Superfood - I plan to follow the regime and post the results (if any).
• Sauces/Mixes/Quick Fixes: I'm not really a fan of pre-made sauces but there were some very interesting ones available. The sauce from Canton had nothing in it that I couldn't pronouce so that was a great thing.

Overall, I had a great time at the show, but for next year, I've learned some tips to pass on to you.

1. Make sure you bring some cash - there are some great deals but it's CASH ONLY!
2. Bring a collapsable trolly (or a strong helper) - some of the products are very heavy and when you're walking around, they really start to wear on you.
3. Get a map of the show area - this will tell you where the most interesting stands are located and also help you build a route to take you for the show.
4. Arrive early for the cheese demos - there were always line-ups at the cheese stage!
5. Don't bring a purse of anything bulky. It will only hold you down - pack as light as possible!

I hope to attend again next year and will post again before next year's show recapping the tips I've learned!

Local food map – Essex County, Ontario

About a week and a half ago, The Windsor Star published an article about the demand for the much anticipated local food map.

There has been a lot of press about the 100-mile diet and it seems that even in Windsor, Ontario, there is a strong demand from residents of the area to find local foods.

The 100-mile diet is supposed to reduce the environmental impact of our food – but I wonder how driving all around Essex county in the search of local produce will be good for the environment.

Local food map: 'People are craving this info'

The GoodFoodFestival – Calling All FOODIES!

This weekend is the 17th annual Good Food Festival and Market. This year, there will be over 150 FREE cooking lessons, food talks and demos. My taste buds are already tingling!

The Dairy Farmers of Canada are hosting the “Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich Contest”.  I think that I make a mean grilled cheese but I can’t wait to see these creations.

There will be celebrity food experts to share their wisdom on the Get Cooking Canada Stage. But what really gets me going is the availability of the hottest food items of the season – including Himalayan salts, gluten-free goodies, probiotics, safe and nutritious pet foods, planet-safe packaging options, anti-aging & disease-fighting natural products and remedies!

See the website for hours and details.

GoodFoodFestival.com

From Studying Chimps, a Theory on Cooking

Very interesting article in the New York times about cooking. Richard Wrangham studied chimps and theorizes that cooking food has contributed to the evolution of humans.

A Conversation With Richard Wrangham - From Studying Chimps, a Theory on Cooking - Interview - NYTimes.com

Simple, Delicious Pasta

I've made this a few times now and find that with pasta, simple is best.

1 can diced tomatoes
1-2 cloves garlic -crushed
1/2 package Europe's Best Chef Spinach
1 box Catelli Smart Pasta - I use Rotini but any shape will do
2-3 tablespoons Cream cheese
cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, heat oil in pan on medium high and add in garlic.
Saute 1-2 minutes.
Add tomatoes, sugar, cayenne, salt and pepper and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
Add spinach and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Add cream cheese and stir until melted.
Serve over pasta with Parmesan cheese if desired.

This recipe is simple and quick to prepare. It's great after a long day of work when you want something wholesome but don't want to spend a lot of time in preparation.

Simple, Easy Pasta with Veggies

Yesterday I wanted to make something simple using just what I have around the house. This is the recipe that I came up with.

1 package "no yolk" broad egg noodles
1&1/2 packages Europe's Best Nature's Balance Vegetables*
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls butter or margarine
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
cayenne
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions. While pasta is cooking, place olive oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. Add vegetables, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste. Drain cooked pasta and transfer to serving dish. Mix in butter to coat pasta. Mix in parmesan cheese and add cooked veggies.

This simple pasta keeps well overnight so make sure to save leftovers for lunch the next day!


*I used only one bag, but I think 11/2 bags would have been better.

Parchment Paper - My Magical Lifesaver!

I was recently speaking with a friend who was complaining that everything was always sticking to her cheap cookie tins. I told her about parchment paper. This paper is like magic! Nothing will stick to it and it doesn't ruin the cookie tins resulting in less clean up. The amount of time and hassle I have saved has made this more than worthwhile.

Since I started using parchment paper a few years ago, I have not looked back! I use it for all my baking and even for things like chicken, fish, etc. that go in the oven.

If you haven't tried parchment paper yet, I highly recommend it.

PC Meatless Breaded Chicken Strips

I'm always looking for new and interesting vegetarian foods that can be created with little or no effort. When I found the PC Meatless Breaded Chicken Strips, I knew that my search was over! In Canada, there is just not as much variety as there is in the United States. I tried these when they were first introduced and I was instantly hooked.....
Fast Forward to today....
Just a few months after they debuted and I can't find these things anywhere. The price increased from a reasonable $6.99 to a more expensive $9.99 but I was still willing to occasionally buy them - if only I could find them!

To President's Choice - where are your chicken strips? And what's with the price gouging?

Morningstar Coupons??? Where, oh where are you?

I used to get Morningstar Farms coupons once every couple of months with my subscription to their website, but for the LONGEST time - nothing! I occasionally travel "south of the border" to our friends in the US and I like to get the most bang for my buck - these coupons were great.

What happened to you Morningstar Farms? I miss my coupons!