I’ve been obsessed with many things over my lifetime, but one habit I’m not willing to kick is my new-found penchant for making Vietnamese Pho at home. Quite simply, the combination of richly flavoured broth, comforting noodles and spicy beef or chicken is just too good to resist. And now that I can make it myself, whenever a craving strikes – let’s just say that I *may* have found a new hobby.
Last night, we made it with frozen Kobe beef meatballs and copious amounts of Thai basil. Verdict? Heaven. However, if you look closely, there’s another Nu addition to my noodle bowl – namely, the noodles! Now what would you say if I told you that one suggested serving of NuPasta – which 210g, a full package! – is only 25 calories and gluten-free? It’s TRUE! NuPasta is an incredibly healthy alternative to traditional pasta dishes, and it couldn’t be easier to make. …
healthy eating
Pho Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup) – The Fast Slow Pro Way!
NOTE: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.
Growing up, it was the most horrific small appliance in my mom’s arsenal of horrific small appliances. I can still picture it: a turbulent aluminum contraption, rattling, hissing and spurting bursts of steam violently until I was certain it would explode, blanketing the kitchen with shards of beef bones and perfectly flavoured broth.
My few encounters with my mom’s pressure cooker was enough to put me off them for life.
However, rave reviews for Breville’s Fast Slow Pro started popping up everywhere. A modern day combination pressure and slow cooker, which moms like me – with no HAZMAT or ninja training – were using with ease and producing mouth-watering results… it was almost too good to be true! I had to check it out for myself, and Breville graciously obliged, sending over a Fast Slow Pro for me to experience.
Folks, I am in love. Pho Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup), made on my very first try with the Fast Slow Pro. It was flavourful, authentic-tasting and ready in under an hour.
I suppose the first, and most important, fact to share is that today’s pressure cookers are nowhere near as frightening as models from years past. Breville’s simple controls and exclusive dual sensor technology remove the guess work – detecting when and how the pressure should be released, while monitoring time and temperature for perfect results every time, no matter the dish. …
Make it Better with Bertolli!
Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.
There are a few brands in my pantry that I consider “iconic”. At the top of that list: Bertolli Olive Oil.
Renowned as the world’s leading brand of olive oil, the Bertolli tradition began in 1865 in Italy in the small town of Lucca. There, Francesco and Caterina Bertolli opened a trading shop underneath the family home, where they sold olive oil.
Thank you, Francesco and Caterina, for bringing deliciousness into the homes all around the world for more than 150 years. From full-bodied to mild and sweet, the Bertolli range has an olive oil for all my cooking needs. 
Salads, pasta dishes and grilled vegetables come to life with Bertolli Originale or Gentile Extra Virgin Olive Oil. For an all-purpose cooking oil for stews and sautés, I always reach for Bertolli Classico Olive Oil for its mild olive taste. And when I want a light tasting all-purpose oil with a very high smoke point (including deep frying and baking), I can trust Bertolli Delicato Extra Light Tasting Olive Oil.
And now, Bertolli introduces 100% Olive Oil Sprays! Available in Extra Virgin and Extra Light Tasting Olive Oil, these new products offer the versatility of 100% olive oil for both raw and cooked dishes, with the convenience of portion control and just 4 calories per spray. Plus, they are all natural and contain no gas propellants. …
Less Bun. More Flavour! Easy Breezy Back-to-School Breakfast
NOTE: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.
Normally, when I tell people that my kids don’t like breakfast, their reaction is quite predictable.
Really? But breakfasts for kids are so yummy!
I’ve never heard of a kid not liking breakfast!
OMG, my kids are starving in the morning! Aren’t yours?
And so on and so forth.
Thing is, my boys just aren’t interested in eating at all when they wake up. If I sit them at the breakfast table, they’ll play with their food. If I let them camp out in front of the TV, they’ll ignore their breakfasts completely. I’ve tried bribing, begging and everything in between… and still, they don’t eat.
So, I decided if I can’t beat ’em, I’d join ’em. I started thinking about foods they do love to eat – and how they love to eat them. And I realized that my boys really are finger food people; they like to select, dip, repeat. I made it my mission to create a well-balanced, dippable meal that they’d enjoy.
First, it had to be loaded with protein. Breakfast meats like bacon and sausage are great… in small doses. I simply don’t want to create an environment where high-sodium foods are a dietary staple. So I turned to my old stand-by: Greek yogurt. Loaded with protein and calcium, it’s the perfect breakfast food! I selected an Oikos Banana Greek Yogurt as I figured it would be pleasing to young palettes. Then, to up the protein content even more, I added a tablespoon of smooth peanut butter. Could there be a better combination? I think not. …
Take the Pledge to Snack Healthy #Giveaway
*Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only*
Friends, we’re one month into the New Year. So, how are those New Year’s resolutions coming along?
The truth is, for over half of y’all reading at this very moment, you may have already fallen off the wagon. The thing is, habits are habits, and lifestyle choices are often hard to change. Plus, even though January 1st has a good ring to it, so does the day after Valentine’s Day, post-Easter weekend, never before Cinco de Mayo… I mean, is there ever the perfect time to start a new lifestyle?
Here’s one thing we can do: make simple substitutions that take the pressure off. You’ve all heard the popular suggestions such as taking the stairs at work, reducing processed foods and eliminating sugar-filled sodas. And it works, for sure… but only if you stick to it. (Raise your hand if you’ve had a problem sticking to it. Yeah, me too.)
However, when the change you make is not only healthy, but delicious too, you’re well on your way to snacking success.
Earlier this year, I was contacted by Taste of Nature to Take the Pledge to Snack Healthy. Taste of Nature – the unique Canadian company that has developed a cult-like following for its organic fruit and nut bars in 35 countries around the world – was motivated to create the Taste of Nature Pledge to Snack Healthy after a survey uncovered that Canadians want to snack better and that almost half of respondents (45%) felt that “adding one healthy snack to my diet every day” was something they could do in order to be healthier.
Sounds simple enough, right? But to tell the truth, I faltered. Because I’ve been pitched before to try “healthy” granola bars and snacks, and let me tell you, they tasted awful. Not gonna lie: if healthy snacking involves eating cardboard-like substances, I AM OUT.
But here’s why Taste of Nature is different – the organic food bars are absolutely, positively delicious!
I’m partial to Quebec Cranberry Carnival, and have found the perfect, satisfying breakfast, snack or answer to life’s hunger pangs: crumbling it over vanilla Greek yogurt. YUM.
Say oui to a snack bar that explodes with certified organic cranberries, luscious nuts and tasty seeds. This uniquely delicious fruit and nut bar is 100% certified organic, non-GMO project verified and certified gluten free.
Friends, I am addicted! Taste of Nature bars are a source of fibre, are low in sodium, and, best of all for Canadian snackers, they taste great. They contain nothing artificial: no fillers and no chemicals with names as hard to pronounce as they are to digest. Such a simple – and yummy – snacking substitution!…
It’s a Dempsters #VeggieBread Twitter Party!
It’s a win-win situation, friends.
You take the veggies, you take the bread;
You take them both, and there you have… Dempsters Vegetable Bread!
Okay, so it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue… but seriously, you can now super-charge your sandwiches!
Dempster’s Garden Vegetable Bread offers the delicious taste and same smooth texture as your favourite 100% Whole Wheat bread. PLUS, with the added nutrition of vegetables like finely ground carrot and pumpkin baked inside, every 2 slices contains ½ a serving of real vegetables. So you now have a tasty way to add extra nutrition to any sandwich!
Let’s be real, folks. Dempster’s Veggie Bread is NOT a substitute for vegetables (even though technically, there are REAL vegetables baked inside). So yes, you’ll still have to eat your broccoli and maybe even your brussels sprouts.
However, given the opportunity, why not sneak in as much nutrition as possible? Garden Vegetable Bread is a source of fibre, 13 essential nutrients, and is low in fat. And I’m pretty sure I would adore a Toasted Western made with Dempster’s Garden Vegetable Bread (pictured below), a Chipotle Club Sandwich, Double Decker Grillers or a Dilled Salmon Spread with Cucumber Sandwich. They’re just a few of the drool-worthy recipes (created by the magnificent @Chef_Bob_V) that you’ll find on Dempster’s Pinterest Page!
Of course, sandwiches are just the tip of the iceberg; think of all the things you could make with delicious Dempster’s Garden Vegetable Bread: savoury stuffing, breadcrumbs for coating foods (and for incorporating in meat loaves), layered egg casseroles, croutons, garlic bread, pizza sticks…. oh yum, I could go on for days!
Want to get in on the conversation? Join Dempster’s for a #VeggieBread Twitter Party!…
Yes, My Readers Were Inspired by Fresh Inspirations
Last month, I offered twenty (20) lucky readers the awesome opportunity to try out the NEW Lean Cuisine Fresh Inspirations.
Did you catch my review? Because I pretty much adore the frozen entrees. In fact, since first trying them out, they’ve become a staple in our home. And why not? When was the last time your frozen entree looked like this?
Pictured above is the Mediterranean Chicken entree; a fibre-filled meal with delicious broccoli, carrots and red bell peppers, served with savoury chicken and penne pasta in a tomato sauce. I wish you could reach through your computer screen and feel the penne, because it’s perfectly al dente. Of course, I’d then convince you to pierce a morsel of the tender, juicy chicken – and taste how fresh and crisp the broccoli and peppers are. And rubber carrots? NEVER! Nothing but Fresh Inspirations here….
Fresh Inspirations to Combat Brown Bag Boredom
What if I told you that I have the perfect way to shake up your lunchtime routine? One that will combat brown bag boredom, relieve you of soggy, uninspiring leftovers, and free you from your sandwich rut? And, what if my solution was convenient, affordable, delicious and healthy, too?
Okay, I’ll share my little secret. It’s Lean Cuisine Fresh Inspirations.
The thing is, before trying Fresh Inspirations, I thought I had frozen entrees down pat: protein, carbs, sauce, repeat. And for the most part, they can be pretty tasty… but what if you don’t like mixing your protein and carbs? Or, if you’re more of a “drizzler” when it comes to sauces and condiments? The average frozen entree gives you little freedom to customize your meal.
Until now. Lean Cuisine Fresh Inspirations offer healthy, delicious meals that YOU make your own. First, the new and unique “Simmer & Steam” tray design cooks each ingredient the way it is meant to be cooked. Hence, the tender beef, chicken or shrimp is simmered in their own delicious sauce, and vegetables are steamed to perfection to lock in their taste and texture.
Then, you create your own personalized meal, just the way you like it. Want your protein on the side? Sauce drizzled on top? Or maybe you like to simply toss everything together. You can prepare each dish in the way that inspires you. And because it’s from Lean Cuisine, you know that it’s a tasty, calorie conscious, good-for-you hot meal. Can you think of a better way to beat the brown bag blues?
Lean Cuisine Fresh Inspirations are available in six (6) varieties:
Thai Chicken: Juicy chicken simmered in an authentic Thai sauce with sweet baby corn and market vegetables on a bed of 100 per cent whole grain brown rice for a fibre boost
Chicken Teriyaki: Tender chicken in a sweet Teriyaki sauce, snap peas and a vegetable medley served on brown rice provides two whole servings of vegetables in a tasty low fat dish
Chili Lime Beef: Tender beef in a zesty Asian-inspired sauce, edamame, red peppers and broccoli served on a bed of white rice loaded with fibre, iron, and two servings of vegetables
Roast Garlic Chicken: Low fat, low calorie and delicious! Enjoy succulent chicken simmered in a creamy garlic sauce served with red potatoes, broccoli and zucchini
Shrimp Alfredo: An elegant mix of shrimp, creamy Alfredo sauce, fusilli pasta, broccoli, yellow carrots and red peppers that’s low in fat and provides you with two full serving of vegetables
Mediterranean Chicken: Enjoy a fibre filled meal with delicious broccoli, carrots and red bell peppers, served with savoury chicken and penne pasta in a tomato sauce….
M&M Meat Shops Steam and Serve #Tots2Toddlers
Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.
If you’re wondering about the #Tots2Toddlers hashtag above, this month I’ll be featuring some of my favourite products that have helped me make the transition from a mama of babies… to a frenzied, erratic, disorganized and downright exhausted mama of toddlers. (I thought staying up all night with a newborn was bad. Ha! I’ll have that any day over playing referee and chasing naughty troublemakers!)
Did I mention that for each feature, I’ll also offer a kick a** giveaway? I never like to leave my readers hanging!
Now you all know that I’m an M&M Meat Shops junkie. And I’m not alone – Canadians LOVE the convenience of selecting from over 375 mouth watering goodies, specially fast frozen for optimal freshness and flavour. And, the majority of their dishes are ready to thaw-and-serve or heat-and-serve to make meal prep easier for you!
Since I love to cook, I must admit that I enjoy my time spent in the kitchen engaging in culinary adventures. But the truth is, ever since the boys entered their toddler years, it’s very rare that I have enough time to put together a meal that can be labelled haute cuisine. Hence, with two little guys competing for my attention and my husband’s erratic schedule, sometimes life demands a quick and tasty meal. And for that, I’m happy to turn to M&M Meat Shops.
(One great thing about going from tots to toddlers? They eat whatever you do. No more baby gunk, hurray!)
Recently, we had a chance to try out M&M’s NEW Steam and Serve Entrées.
“The new steam and serve entrée collection features a selection of meal-in-a-bag solutions that slow steam in the microwave from frozen in just 10 minutes. The tasty ingredients are packed in a special polybag technology, to allow for the perfect venting of excess steam during heating.”
Pictured right – Triple Cheese Ravioli, which is generously stuffed with rich ricotta, romano and parmesan cheeses and smothered in a richly herbed homestyle marinara sauce that features vine-ripened California tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and parmesan cheese.
Oh… yum….