Spring Cleaning...Everything

Spring is definitely around the corner and with that, it's time to get out of hibernation mode! And the best way to get prepared for the arrival of the loveliest time of year is to lighten up...and that means everything. From your home, to your body, to your mind...it's a great time to reset and clear your focus on the path ahead.

Nothing feels better than a healthy body and open mind. Each Spring I do a simple cleanse to rid myself of everything my body was holding onto over the long winter.  I've never been one for the extreme "no eating" or "drinking something weird" type of cleanses so, I make Kitchari...an Ayurvedic dish that's known for its ability to detox the body with the specific ingredients in it. It's a one pot meal and provides all the nutrition you need in a day. So like other mono-diets it's the only thing you eat throughout the day. I'm using this basic recipe and you can add whatever vegetables you would like to it. I'm doing a week but, you can do as little as 1 day to as much as 2 weeks.

Meditation is a wonderful way to clear your mind and take time out of your busy day to just step back and refocus. It's not an easy thing to do. I have found that guided meditation is a good place to start. The Chopra Centre offers a bunch of free guided meditations that you can do in as little as 15 minutes.

It may seem odd, but spring-cleaning your home can be surprisingly uplifting. It's an amazing ritual to go through every nook and cranny of your space and rid yourself of stuff you don't need and dust off the cobwebs. The instant gratification of a neat and well organized dwelling is inspiring. It's almost like seeing things in a new light. Use this really comprehensive checklist from the expert Martha Stewart.

So pick a day (pick today) and get started...you'll be amazed that these little things will help simplify your life and help you live lighter!

xo

And the Oscar Goes To...

There are some really good movies in the running for best picture this year at the Oscars...or so I hear they are good. I love movies but am generally pretty slow to actually seeing them. Of those on the nominated list, I have seen two: Django Unchained and Zero Dark Thirty. Both were extremely violent, but both were also outstanding stories.   

Although I have not seen many of the movies, this does not stop me from hosting an Oscar's party. Any reason to have a party works for me! I'm working on a movie themed game and of course we'll have the ballots. As per usual, because of my lack-of-movie-viewing, my ballot will be filled with guesses based on what my friends who have actually seen the movies say or what the entertainment shows have just reported as the front runners in each category.

Food wise there are a myriad of ideas. Here are a few movie-themed suggestions for you to use at your own Oscar's party:

Zero Dark Thirty - Classic Hummus as it's a traditional middle eastern dish. Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

Life of Pi - Fish Pie Need we say more? Recipe from Food it Forward.

Lastly, we had to pick Argo for the Canadian connection and what's more Canadian than maple syrup? We found this wonderful recipe for Maple Spice Cake from where else but Canadian Living :)

Have a ball on Oscar night!

Happy Valentine's Day Eve

Valentine's Day is tomorrow and no matter how you feel about the holiday, you can't deny that any reason to celebrate love and eating chocolate is a good thing.

This year the pressure is off for my sweetie and I as we are going to a wedding on the big love day. Not only are the happy couple getting married on Valentine's Day, it's the 1 year anniversary of their first date! I can't imagine more pressure for a first date then one on Valentine's Day. Then again, a first date on St. Patrick's Day would be worse...yikes!

Anyway, we are excited to be getting dressed up, going to a fancy event and watching people we love, express their love and commitment to each other.

Enjoy celebrating all the people you love in your life! xo

And in case you need a quick and delicious chocolate recipe (who doesn't?), try this one from my good friend Tom.

Black Bean Brownies
-1 15 oz can of black beans
-3 eggs
-3 tbsp of oil (canola)
-1/4 cup cocoa
-1 tbsp baking powder
-1 tbsp vanilla extract
-3/4 cup sugar
-1/2 cup chocolate chips (I use dark chocolate ones, but you can use milk chocolate)

Preheat oven at 350. Grease a 8x8 pan (or whatever you have).
Combine all ingredients in a blender (except for the chocolate chips). Blend until smooth (it'll look and taste like pudding, yum!). Pour into the pan. Add the chocolate chips on top and bake until top and edges are dry (I usually stick a knife in the middle and if it's dry, the brownies are ready).

Gonna Party Like it's 4711!!

Image from saynotes.com

The Lunar New Year is the most important of all the Chinese holidays. It starts this year on Sunday February 10th and lasts from the new moon to the full moon on the 25th. So there will be lots of celebrating and FOOD!!

This year is 4711 (or around there) and will be the year of the snake. As with every new year, a it's a time to reconcile and sincerely wish for peace and happiness to everyone.

Many of the traditional foods eaten at this time represent the hopes for the coming year. Here are a few:

Tangerines: A great gift to bring to someone as they are associated with good luck, having an abundance of happiness and prosperity. Get the big round ones and if possible, with the leaves still attached.

Spring Rolls: They look like little bars of gold and signify wealth. Try making your own gold bars of goodness with this recipe from Steamy Kitchen

Long Noodles: The noodles symbolize long life so the longer the noodle the better! Here's a recipe with the very tasty garlic chive and mushrooms.

Shitake Longevity Noodles

Ingredients:

• Dried, thin egg noodles
• 20 fresh shitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
• 1/4 cup of canola oil
• 1 inch of ginger thinly sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup of roughly chopped garlic chives
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 1 Tbsp Chinese red vinegar
• 1 tsp of sesame oil
• 1 1/2 Tbsp of light soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp of oyster sauce
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 cup of warm water
• Special equipment: A wok and chopsticks

Preparation:

1. Cook noodles in boiling water for 1 minute or until tender. Drain and set aside.
2. In a small bowl mix together the Chinese vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce and cornstarch. Mix well to combine sauce. Set aside.
3. Heat canola oil in a wok over a medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for 30 seconds. Next add the shitakes, garlic chives and spring onions. Fry for another 30 seconds then add the sauce. Stir well to combine then add 1 cup of warm water. Let the mixture bubble for about 2 minutes then add the cooked noodles.
4. Use chopsticks to toss the noodles in the wok. Toss them well to coat them in the sauce and mix through the mushrooms, chives and spring onions. Let the noodles cook for another minute or two and then serve.

Enjoy and we wish you happiness, health and prosperity for this Lunar New Year. Kung Hei Fat Choi!!

Quick and Easy Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

I expect that this recipe I tore out from Chatelaine magazine is going to keep me fueled for the upcoming CGTA show (our big wholesale show). I love quinoa, it is chock full of protein and I need something that will be easy to pack and nibble on to keep myself fortified during the long hours at the booth. The best part is that this tasty recipe is not only healthy, but quick and cost effective too...Enjoy!

Quinoa-Tabbouleh Salad
Cooking time: 10 minutes  Preparation time: 10 minutes
Refrigeration Time: 60 minutes  Makes:  8 cups

Image: Roberto Caruso

 Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups (425 mL) water
• 1 cup (250 mL) quinoa
• 1/4  English cucumber
• 2  tomatoes
• 1  green pepper
• 5  green onions
• 1  large bunch parsley
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) olive oil
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) chili powder

Instructions

• Pour water into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Rinse quinoa with cold water several times. Drain and stir into boiling water with a pinch of salt. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until all water is absorbed and quinoa grains are transparent.
• Meanwhile, dice cucumber, tomatoes and green pepper. Thinly slice green onions and finely chop parsley. In a bowl, whisk oil with lemon juice, salt and chili powder.
• Pour hot quinoa into oil mixture and toss well. Cool to room temperature. Toss with chopped vegetables and parsley. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.