Listen to Lena

Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion

snacking

PROTINIS: The Science of Snacking

By

Sure, you could just lob a few cookies in your mouth, but you’d be doing it all wrong. Because there’s a science to snacking, you know. And today, I’m here to school you.

First, let’s go over the basics. According to a Harris Decima survey, more than half (52 per cent) of Canadians snack at least twice a day. Of those serial snackers, 71 per cent are seeking healthier snacking options, and 85 per cent of Canadians prefer a snack that leaves them feeling fuller, longer.

Perspective: In 2013, Canadians reached for a snack 10.3 billion times.

So, if you’re going to be noshing between meals, you may as well do it right. Are you aware that eating protein can help keep you fuller longer, and is a good source of energy? It’s true! But not all protein is created equally –

According to Sue Mah, registered dietitian and nutrition expert, “Complete protein contains all of the essential amino acids your body needs and cannot produce on its own,” Some examples of foods with complete protein are milk, eggs, fish, meat and poultry, like the oven-roasted chicken bites in PROTINIS. This type of protein helps slow down the digestion of food, keeping you feeling fuller, longer, and protein snacking can support physical activity and weight management goals by building and repairing muscles and tissues.”

Maple Leaf Natural Selections PROTINIS are the completely packed protein snack. That’s why they’re the Official Snack of Everything. With mouthwatering bites of chicken or combinations of chicken and dried fruit, they’re an excellent source of complete protein ANYTIME, ANYWHERE.

Longtime readers will agree that I have a thing for snacking. Okay, it’s more than a thing; it’s actually part of my daily routine. My body often knows when it’s 3:00pm before I do! That’s right… bring on the predicted tummy growl. (Insert hunger pangs here.) …

Read More

BBQ This: Grilled Picnic Taco Nachos

By

I’ve heard of a lot of non-traditional foods being grilled on an open flame, but nachos? 

Turns out, you can slap them down on the ol’ BBQ too.

I originally posted this recipe, courtesy of Life Made Delicious, last year – and have since made barbecued nachos a handful of times. However, remembering that the long weekend is around the corner, I decided to bump it up for Canada Day enjoyment. It’s a super-easy recipe for vegetarian nachos that go from grill to picnic table in just minutes. Simply assemble the ingredients in a foil pan, cover – and 10 minutes later, you’ve got munching perfection. A great way to keep the party outdoors, especially on those lazy summer evenings.

GRILLED PICNIC TACO NACHOS

5 cups tortilla chips
1 can black beans, drained
1 can Old El Paso Chopped Green Chilies, drained
2 tsp Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Mix (from 35 g package)
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 cups finely shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese

Heat gas or charcoal grill. Spray 12×18-inch foil pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spread tortilla chips in pan.

In medium bowl, mix beans, chiles and taco seasoning mix; spoon evenly over tortilla chips. Top with tomatoes and onions. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover pan with foil. Place foil pan on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Carefully remove foil. Serves 4.

QUICK VARIATIONS

Make it HOT: Replace chopped green chilies with one fresh jalapeno, chopped fine with seeds removed.

Make it a MEAL: Brown ground beef or chicken in a skillet until fully cooked, drain fat, and add to nachos before sprinkling cheese.

Make it POP: Sprinkle sliced green onions on melted cheese just before serving.

Serious Snacking Alert + PC #Giveaway

By

NOTE: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

What can I say about President’s Choice that I haven’t already said? Yes, I love the brand, yada, yada, yada. No, you’ll never catch me shopping at a grocery store that doesn’t carry PC products, yada, yada, yada.

I know and you know – and I know that you know – I am obsessed with President’s Choice.

But what is it that keeps me coming back for more? Simply put, I am constantly amazed by their innovative products, delicious recipes and affordable luxuries. Frequently, I find myself shunning popular brand-name items in favour of PC’s offerings, and, coming from someone who was raised to only buy the highest quality, that says a lot about my confidence in the company.

PC ketchup. PC chicken wings. Even PC lawn chairs! If they make it, I’ll buy it.

(Though I may draw the line at PC condoms. Dear Mr. Weston: Please do not make PC condoms; I don’t want to be confronted with having to make that choice.)

Anyhoo, if you’ve got a serious snacking addiction like moi, you may want to stop reading here. Because I’m absolutely certain of one thing: You will LOVE all of the following products in a mildly obsessive manner. Even though I received the goodies as part of a press drop two weeks ago, I’ve already replaced most of them at our last grocery run. (The Honey Chipotle Almonds I’ve replaced twice. My hips just sighed in defeat.)

Snack on, friends, snack on! And… read on for an amazing giveaway!

Decadent Chocolate Chip Bars: All the goodness of your fave PC cookie – in bar form – and peanut free! Plus, they’re perfectly portioned for little hands and tummies. I must admit I didn’t bother reading the package and just tore into these, thinking they were granola bars and hence, acceptable for breakfast. It was on the third morning that I realized I was actually eating a dessert bar. #oops #mybad

On the bright side: Best “granola” bar ever!…

Read More

Join Goldfish Pretzels & Me for a Night of Snacking!

By

***EDIT*** Thanks for your interest in the Goldfish Pretzel screening of Finding Nemo 3D in Toronto. We’ve officially hit our maximum capacity for this screening – yup, the event is now sold out! Check back later for your chance to win great prizes from Goldfish!

When Ryder was just a baby, I received a lot of unsolicited advice.

“Swaddle him tightly!”
“Put him to bed crying – let him learn to soothe himself.”
“Start him on vegetables before fruits, otherwise he’ll grow up with a sweet tooth.”

As Ryder grew, the well-meaning suggestions continued, but I’d learned to take it all with a grain of salt. However, there was one recurring piece of advice that I commit to memory:

“When Ryder’s a young boy, Goldfish Crackers will become your new best friend.”

Truer words were never spoken! Whether it’s during a long car ride, after school, at the playground, or especially in the grocery store (cue: I’m hungry! I want to go home! I want candy!) Goldfish Crackers have been a hero in our household. The boys originally took a shining to the Three Cheese Trio, but there’s a new favourite in the house –

Goldfish Pretzels!

Yes, they are AWESOME! Goldfish Pretzels are baked into the familiar trademark shape that the boys know and love, and are the perfect snack for every occasion (especially TV and movie night at home!). With no artificial colours or flavours, no saturated fat and no trans fat, they give the satisfying crunch kids are looking for. One caveat: with all that snacking going on, you may have to turn up the volume on the telly!

And so we’ve officially got a new “most requested” item on grocery shopping list – yes, it’s imperative that I keep a pantry well-stocked with Goldfish Pretzels. Have I persuaded you to try them for yourself? Well, if you still need convincing, how about this:

Join Goldfish Pretzels and me for a very special night of snacking! On Monday, September 17th, I’d like to extend an invitation to my readers in the Greater Toronto Area. 

The Event: A FREE screening of the Finding Nemo 3D for you and your family!
The Venue: Cineplex Odeon Queensway Cinemas in Etobicoke (7:00pm showtime; please arrive by 6:30pm)
The Snacks: Goldfish Pretzels, of course!

Tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis with a limit of five (5) tickets per family until the theatre is full. Please RSVP with your first and last name, as well as the total number of adults and children in your party, to goldfishtoronto@gmail.com. (For example, for myself, my hubby and two kiddos, I would RSVP: Lena Almeida, 2 adults, 2 children.)

It’s no secret that Goldfish crackers have been known to unleash smiles, often saving the day by satisfying a snack attack and helping parents create special moments with their kids.  We call these Goldfish Moments and I’d love to share one with you – I look forward to seeing you all at the movie theatre!

I have received compensation from Campbell Canada for my participation in this program. While Campbell Canada has provided the prizes, Listen to Lena is the administrator of the promotion.


Make Way for the Packed Snack Newbie!

By

Ladies & Gents… this week, I’m about to do something I’ve NEVER done before.

Skydiving? Ziplining? White Water Rafting?

Bah, I’ve never done those things either. But they’re along the same lines in skill and difficulty as what I’m about to take on. Are you ready for this? Deep breath.

This week, for the very first time… I will pack a school snack.

(Okay, stop laughing at me. I know it’s not the most daunting task in the world, but frankly, I’m terribly excited about it! I even took Ryder on a grocery run specifically so we could identify some of his favourite snacking foods. And before you totally roll your eyes, it’s not even a school lunch – just a snack. I know, I’m getting way too into this.)

We recently attended an open house for Ryder’s new school, and one of the first questions I asked his new teacher:

“Can you please talk to me about snack time etiquette?”

Well, it was pretty simple – no nuts, litterless packaging is preferred, and sharing of snacks is completely forbidden. Cool! I can deal with that. But I had a nagging question that I just needed to have addressed:

“So, um, if the child would like more than one snack, is that allowed?”

I know what you’re thinking – it’s only a couple of hours of school! Surely a handful of grapes would suffice? Er… no. You see, Ryder has officially been diagnosed with hollow legs. (Note: there was no official diagnosis.) He can eat and eat and eat and he’ll say after about 10 minutes, “I’m hungry please.” He has snackitis, with his peak snack attacks happening between 2 and 3pm. And so I was concerned that he’d crave more than just a little noshing during school hours. The good news?

“He can have as many snacks as he’d like!” responded his new teacher with a tight smile.

(Translation: He can have two snacks. We’re not running a restaurant.)

And so I came home, thinking that I had to run out and buy some cute, toddler-sized snacking containers for my little man. But then I remembered the Rubbermaid had recently sent their new LunchBlox Sandwich Kit for review, and I was quite certain it’d be the perfect solution!

“Rubbermaid LunchBlox makes packing lunch easier than ever. These modular containers snap together in multiple configurations to efficiently use the space in your lunch box or bag. Containers are perfectly portioned for your favorite lunch foods with handy measurements on the sides of each container. Your lunch stays chilled with snap in Blue Ice. Individual containers are sold separately from kits so you can configure a different way everyday.”

YAY for Rubbermaid! The LunchBlox was the perfect size to store an assortment of snacks that I know Ryder would plow through in a matter of minutes….

Read More

If You Only Do TWO Things This Weekend…

By

1. Make this Guacamole
2. Buy these PC Lime & Habanero Chili Flavour Kettle Style Tortilla Chips

This Guacamole

3 medium, ripe avocados – peeled, pitted, and mashed
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 large tomato – seeded and diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
pinch ground cumin
pinch ground cayenne pepper

In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, tomato, garlic and cilantro. Stir in cumin and cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately. Serves 4.

These Chips

From PC: “Made from whole white corn – ground using volcanic stones – these exceptionally crisp tortilla chips deliver an eruption of flavour with every crunch. Perfectly seasoned with juicy lime and fiery habanero chilli flavour, enjoy them right out of the bag!”

Everything about this snack is loaded with flavour, and I can’t seem to get enough of the guacamole’s creamy texture against the sharp, crunchy tortilla chip. TRY IT – you’ll love it! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Your #GoldfishMoments Revealed!

By

A short time ago, I shared with you my favourite Goldfish Moments – grocery shopping in peace while my boys snack on the  delicious, cheesy crackers. Of course, my Goldfish Moments happen on a somewhat regular basis, but every one is just as special!

If you joined us for our Twitter Chat on February 21st, you’ll recall some heart-warming stories, tips on how to enjoy Goldfish crackers the non-traditional way (in soups and even crushed over salads!), and all-round banter about how they’ve saved your sanity on play dates, shopping excursions and as a treat after school. Trust me, it was the place to be that night!

Today, I’m happy to share with you some highlights from the night:

(Feel free to click “Open Publication” to view the document in Full Screen.)

I’m also pleased to announce the winner of the Goldfish Moments prize pack, including Goldfish Grahams and a Kodak Easy Share digital camera (Value $180) – Congratulations to Soozle!

Thanks to everyone who participated in our chat and entered the contest. And, here’s to many more Goldfish moments!

#GoldfishMoments Twitter Chat & Giveaway!

By

We’ve all had those moments.

After school, when the kids are raiding the cupboards with their shoes still on.

At the grocery store, when they’re throwing the salad dressing out of the cart and hollering for candy.

In the car, when they demand that you to pull over/change the radio station/”are we there yet?”/I’m hungry.

At the playground, when they just don’t want to stop – even though you know they need to re-fuel.

Those, my friends, are Goldfish Moments.

Goldfish Crackers have been an absolute hero in my household; when patience is at an all-time low and a wholesome snack is the priority, I’ve always felt good about doling out the little fishies to my boys. In fact, Goldfish Crackers are my go-to snack during those crazy supermarket runs – as soon as both boys are strapped into the cart, I make a mad dash for Aisle 8 where I know the beloved crackers are waiting for us. I normally rip open a bag and watch as it’s slowly passed back and forth between the two – usually I can get the grocery cart at least half full before I need to once again resort to my bag of tricks. But just seeing them happily munch away on their favourite, cheesy crackers is a moment in itself – a moment of sanity for mom, that is!…

Read More

La Crème Cow #Giveaway

By

Note: This giveaway is now closed.

It’s no secret that for the past couple of weeks, we’ve been trading sickness here chez Lena. First Ryder, then myself, followed by Reid, and finally my husband succumbed. What a complete disaster! The good news is that we’re all on the mend, and in the meantime, I was enjoying delectable snacks courtesy of La Crème Cow.

Okay, I suppose “enjoying” is putting it lightly; I was actually participating in the snacking Olympics. La Crème Cow on crackers. La Crème Cow on toast. La Crème Cow stirred into pasta sauce. La Crème Cow mixed into a dip. And I even received a wonderful tip from fellow blogger Deborah from Raising My Boys – La Crème Cow in scrambled eggs! Yum!

“Parmalat Canada is excited to be introducing La Crème Cow – a new line of spreadable snack cheese adults will love, whether on-the-go or sharing with friends. Available in three delicious flavours; Original, Light and Parmesan and Peppercorn, each wedge of cheese has a delicious mild taste with a very smooth and creamy texture. La Crème Cow spreadable cheese is a great everyday snack option because it is convenient – each piece is individually wrapped and can easily be stored and spread on whatever you enjoy.”…

Read More