There are many many charities out there – infact I use to work for a variety of non profit organizations,  as a special events coordinator. I know how important it is for these charities to raise money and I know how hard the volunteers (and staff) work to get these events off the ground!!

Usually people have a favorite charity for one reason or another. For me – I like to give back to charities that have affected my family or my friends families.

In particular there are four charities that I will always support:

• War Amps of Canada
• Ontario Track 3 Association
• SickKids Foundation
• Zareinu Educational Centre

Here’s the story how I am connected to all four charities:

a) Ontario Track 3 Ski Association is a cause I will always support, as my son participated in their program for years and as a result of being in their program  he is a confident, accomplished snowboarder who now snowboards with Snowhawks. I use to go to their event at Steam Whistle to decorate the room – for years and years. Their gala will be taking place sometime in early 2012 and I know that I will try to help out anyway I can.

What’s important for you to know is that Ontario Track 3 Ski Association has 200 disabled participants (from the age of 6 to 19), 450 volunteers and 17 Ontario Ski Hills (from Earl Bales Ski Hill to Craigleith) I can’t say enough about how organized, efficient and professional everyone is and I am forever grateful to all the volunteers and staff!!

By the way, I heard of Ontario Track 3 Ski Association due to War Amps of Canada and their matching mothers program. War Amps was instrumental to my family back in 1996 and continues to be a big part of my life. There are no words for me to express how grateful I am to them.

b) Zareinu is the also important to me as I know several families who have benefited from this outstanding school for children with developmental and physical disabilities. This is the 8th year that they have held the Zareinu Fashion Show and I’m sure I have attended at least 4 of those events. Each time I attend, I leave inspired. We are SO lucky to have a world leading facility like Zareinu in Toronto. This year the event will be held on Nov. 16th at On The Park and once again will be hosted by  Jeanne Beker from CTV’s Fashion Television.

c) Back in 1996, 1999 and 2010, The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto,  was an important part of my life. I am truly grateful for all the wonderful care my son received during his clinics, surgeries, appointments etc. Therefore I will always support SickKids Foundation. This week some of Toronto’s most terrifying homes are raising money for SickKids Foundation. All of these haunted homes are FREE but will happily accept donations for SickKids.

• Thornhill Woods Haunted House
• Haunt on The Hill
• Scare for a Cure (1 Plover Heights, Woodbridge, Oct 31)
• Legacy of Horror

I’m hoping that in the future, not only can I provide a donation but more important I can give my time to volunteer to these amazing charities.

As always, I was on the internet browsing through tastespotting and came across a recipe for Sweet Potato Falafels.  The recipe appealed to me for the following reasons:

• It only required 5 ingredients: corriander, cumin, sweet potatoes, sesame seeds, chick pea flour
• It didn’t require a ton of work
• Sweet Potatoes are in season (I think – can anyone confirm this for me)
• It would appeal to vegans

The only downsize was the fact that chick pea flour is not something I have in my pantry and required a trip to the bulk store. Not the end of the world  – happy to support my local health food store.

Here’s what you need:

2 medium sized sweet potato

1 1/2 tsp ground corriander (I used a handful of fresh – well washed)

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 cup chick pea flour

1/2 a lemon

sesame seeds

Method:

1. Bake the entire sweet potato in the oven at 425 degress and bake till soft (app. 45 min). Let cool and then scoop out the insides of the sweet potato. (note: I peeled them, sliced them, and then baked them)

2. When they are soft, put the sweet potato in a Cuisinart and add the chickpea flour, corriander, cumin and the juice of the lemon.  Pulse till smooth. (note: this could be done with a fork)

3. Roll them in your hands and shape them into small, thick logs. (best way to describe it).

5. Once shaped, roll them in sesame seeds.

6. The original recipe says to bake them – but I felt like frying them (me. bad). So I fried them in a small amount of oil till lightly browned.

Final Product:

There was a suggestion to serve them with tzaziki but you could dip them into any of your fav condiments or even eat them plain.

Hope you like this recipe as much as I did.  Many thanks to the honeycomb blog for posting this on tastespotting and to 101cookbooks who originally posted this recipe in 2009.

Happy Cooking.

A new show was introduced to Toronto this past weekend. It was called the Delicious Food Show and they promised the best in cooking, food and kitchens.

As a huge fan of food shows (I probably go to 6 a year – mostly trade but some consumer)..I was definitely intrigued to see how this show was different than the others. In particular I wanted to see how it compared to the Good Food Festival.

To begin with, the venue (the Better Living Centre at Exhibition Place) was extremely appropriate – not to0 big, not too small. When you walked in, there was plenty of pink carpet (to match the pink logo), and a beautiful modern contemporary seating area for those who wanted to eat or rest. There was certainly an “upscale” feel to the show from the minute you entered the door.

I loved the lay out too and the introduction of food trucks to the show. How brilliant!! Not only did the food trucks give the show some interest but I’m now a fan of the Cupcake Diner. Sadly they are located in Hamilton, but they told me they have participated in all three food truck events in Toronto!! (hooray to the Food Truck Movement).

There was lots of macarons to purchase, shortbread cookies, but I was drawn to Augies Gourmet Ice Pops and Sodas. For $5 we tried a soda and a popsicle and it was indeed a refreshing treat. (and unusual too).

I was also impressed that the show had a nice combination of everything – sweets, coffee/tea, food trucks, local food products, vegetarian food products etc. There was certainly something for every one.  Not to mention, a nice variety of cooking demonstrations on the main stage. (which I sadly didnt have time to attend).

They even had an exhibitor that taught you about MANNERS. After looking at this table setting – I probably could do with a lesson from the “Business of Manners”.

My favorite product was this CHOCOLATE SHOE from chocoStyle. I am kicking myself that I didnt pick up a few gifts. I know exactly who I would give them too. Why oh why did I just  snap a photo and not snap out my visa card. (grrr).

No question this show will be around next year and guess who will be returning? Thats right – Me (after my run..hee hee).

The Canadian Health Food Association held their annual trade expo last week, and naturally I took the opportunity to visit the show. I walked thru the show for several hours, gazing at new products, sampling, and talking to exhibitors !! (not in that order).

At the end of the show, I made an observation that I kept seeing “COCONUT’ in a lot of new products. Here’s a few products that were introduced at the show that involved the application of coconut.

a) Blue Diamond Almond Milk that is blended with Coconut Milk. Not only is it lactose free and soy free but its ONLY 45 calories. Love it.

Ive been a fan of their plain and chocolate version Almond Milk for years and I’m sure I will be buying this flavor as well.

b) Madhava Organic Coconut Sugar. This is an unrefined sweetener produced from the flower buds of the coconut tree (kinda kewl if you ask me) and is an alternative to processed sugar and artificial sweeteners.

c) Earth Balance introduced an organic coconut spread. At first I was a bit apprehensive, but after tasting a sample of the coconut spread on a piece of bread, I decided that it was a neat idea. I can really see how this product would introduce some flavor when cooking with it. i.e rice, stir fry vegetables etc.

d) This product at the Neal Brothers Booth also caught my eye… Organic Coconut and Cherry Quinoa Granola from Lotus Fine Foods. It’s 100 % Gluten free and low in sodium too. The ingredient list was impressive: quinoa flakes, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, agave nectar, sunflower oil, apple juice sweetened, cherries and coconut. Not to mention this product is local. Yay Local!!

The CHFA was a great way to kick off all sorts food adventures. I went to the Delicious Food today but will be  also be attending a Food Show featuring foods from Quebec on Monday  and on Tuesday I’m attending Grocery Showcase.  Have I mentioned before – that I love food shows!!

There’s a restaurant called Table 17 that I have been following on twitter for the last few months. They do an AMAZING job of engaging with their followers and several bloggers have blogged about their meals at Table 17.  i.e Food Junkie Chronicles and Eat Here Next.

In the summer, I quickly purchased a fabfind deal ($50 of food/drink for $25) and finally decided that it was time to use the certificate and try their famous hot balls.

One day while on twitter, a few twitter friends started to chat about  hot balls and within 2 hours we had decided a date and time to go to Table 17 as all of us had never been there and all of  us had heard of their famous hot balls.

Table 17 did not disappoint!! I loved the atmosphere, the service and the food!! It was a perfect evening out. I started off my meal with a cocktail (no picture – so sorry). It was an interesting cocktail that involved some unique flavors (I’m all about flavor – did you know that?).

The drink consisted of: Bombay Sapphire, juices of a fresh lemon, basil, mint, and corriander leaves. It was a winner!

For an appetizer I ordered: HOT BALLS. They were light and each ball had a different filling (ie mushroom and fontina stuffed risotto). Plus they were perfectly fried. The accompanying sauces were divine!!  I’m not sure which one I liked better – the wildflower honey or the sweet mint sauce!! I didnt waste a drop and mopped up my bread with the leftover sauce.

For the main I ordered;  Manicotti Arminda – house made pasta rolled with mozzarella and basil, cooked with a tomato sauce.

We had such a good time, that the party continued and we went to the Avro for some post dinner drinks. I had never been to  The Avro before but was so glad to be introduced to it. What a gem of a spot. I loved the unique decor and the overall feel of this bar. …so different that other bars that I’ve been to.

The evening was a perfect combination of great food, great company and great drinks. Exactly what I needed!!

Table 17, 782 Queen St. East, (416) 519-1851

The Avro, 750 Queen St. East (416) 466-3233

My mom has been making pita chips for years and then I got into the habit of making them too. It’s such a great alternative to eating a tortilla chip plus they are simple to make and freeze well. (always important for freezer junkies like me)

Ingredients:

Pita

1/4  cup melted butter or margarine

2 cloves of garlic (minced)

chopped parsley

Method:

1. Take scissors and cut the pita into triangles. Open up the triangles and lay them flat on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper).

2. Melt the butter, and add the parsley and chopped garlic

3. Take a brush and start painting the pita triangles – liberally or not so liberally!!

4. Bake in a preheated 325 F oven for 20 minutes till slightly brown and crispy.

These Pita Chips go perfectly with hummus. Speaking of hummus…have you ever made your own? Stay tuned for that recipe!!

Happy Cooking!!

The conference is now over and it’s time for a NEW definition of BlissDom.

B is for BELIEVE: The message to believe in yourself, to stay true to yourself…was repeated over and over. I couln’t agree more how important this statement is.

L is for LOVE. There was a lot of love going on during the conference!! Hugs were even being given by panelists. I loved when Jeff Pulver declared in his session that “hugs would be given out in the lobby between 2 – 4  p.m. All you had to do was show your badge”.

I is for Inspiration: There is nothing like being surrounded by hundreds of bloggers to give you inspiration. On Sunday I went to Ezras Pound (one of my favorite independent coffee shops) to write 4 blog posts in a row. Can’t remember the last time I did this…clearly I was inspired!!

S is for Sharing: The food bloggers roundtable was an important session for me, as I had the oppotunity to listen to other food bloggers share their experiences, their expertise etc.

S is for Sponsors: I give full credit to those companies who sponsor BlissDom (the conference) or individuals (so that they can attend the conference). These companies “get it”.

D is for Dynamic: Everyone who attends this conference is dynamic. I often sit at the back of a session and marvel at the energy that is in the room!!

O is for Optimism: Over the two day conference, I realized that Bloggers are really optimistic people. We love blogging and are truly optimistic about the paths that we have chosen.

M is for Memories: BlissDom is also about creating memories. Here’s a few memories that I captured by camera:

I’m already looking forward to next years conference!!

I’ve got a confession to make. My twitter handle is “momwhoruns” – but I haven’t put on my running shoes for MONTHS. I should rename my blog “momwhoeats” coz I certainly haven’t been running. But I would never do that – coz I really really like going to the gym.

Just a few months ago,  I was regularly going to Body Pump classes, Zumba Classes at GoodLife Fitness (sometimes two classes back to back), or running on a treadmill. Now I am doing NOTHING ..absolutely NOTHING.

I have even participated in triathlons over the last five years and this was the first year I didn’t do one (sniff).

It kinda feels good and it kinda feels bad.

Here’s why it feels good:

-I have more TIME

-Im not as hungry (infact I have not gained weight at all – huge surprise)

Here’s why it feels bad:

-I miss having a goal i.e to accomplish a half marathon, or do a sprint or an olympic distance triathlon

-I miss zumba and body pump. I totally enjoyed those classes.

I’m sure I will return to the gym one day soon!! It’s just a matter of time….right?

p.s I shouldn’t be so hard on myself (but I am) as I did complete the Sporting Life 10K and The Toronto Half Marathon…but they were in MAY!!

On Oct 13-15, hundreds of women (from Canada and the U.S.) who are bloggers, social media pros and PR divas, will get together at the Toronto Hilton to attend a conference called BlissDom.

This is my definition of BlissDom:

B….is for BLOGGING. Many of the women who attend this conference will be bloggers. They are passionate, engaged and love to share and network. This conference will be the perfect place for them!!

L….is for LEARNING. Throughout the conference, there will be roundtables, speakers, and panels that will cover a variety of topics such as:

• Taking Your Craft To The Next Level: A Little Sprinkle of Viral Dust. Making Your Message Blaze Against the Medium
• Being In A Borderless Digitial World
• She Works Hard For The Money. Why and How You Should Be Making Money From Your Blog.

I…..is for INTERACT. BlissDom will be all about interacting!! It will be a fabulous opportunity to interact with other bloggers, publicists, and women who just love social media!!

S…..is for SOCALIAZING. I suspect there will be a party or two. Enough. Said.

S…..is for SOCIAL MEDIA. Women who attend this conference will be on TWITTER and will be tweeting using the hashtag #BlissdomCanada. You too can follow along, even if you aren’t there. HINT.

D….is for DISCUSSION. There will plenty of discussion!! Participants will want to discuss photography, WordPress, business cards and more. There simply won’t be enough time. (this always happens).

O….is for OPPORTUNITY. BlissDom is all about giving women the opportunity to learn and connect. No doubt, participants will walk away from this conference filled with information, new friendships and a deeper understanding of  social media.

M…is for MUCHO INFORMATION. Participants will walk away with MUCHO INFORMATION (I know I know…I made up this word) that will help them become better bloggers. They will learn from each other and from the speakers and will definitely will be recharged when the conference is over.

I am thrilled to be able to attend this conference and will be blogging about my experience on Friday Oct. 15….i.e You will be able to find me at the nearest Starbucks on my MacBook at the end of the conference!

I honestly did not know a lot about garlic until a visit to the farm of  The Cutting Veg last year. Plus I subscribe to their newsletter so I can further educate myself about the varieties of different types of garlic you can order!! I have done NOTHING with this information, but I continue to read about garlic (go figure).

I also knew that Perth, Ontario has had a garlic festival for many years but never went. However, a few weeks ago, I stumbled across a flyer posted on a tree while visiting Riverdale Farm (cant believe posters still work – but I’m living proof that it worked). I immediately knew that I was going to attend Toronto’s 1st Annual Garlic Festival which was held at the beautiful Evergreen Brickworks.

I wasnt the only one interested in the world of garlic as there were lots of other interested “foodies” who got up bright and early to attend this great festival.

I strolled from vendor to vendor to try and educate myself a little more about garlic. There were over 20 garlic farmers in my brain was busy trying to absorb the different varieties of garlic:  Russian, Mexican Purple, German Red, Legacy, Bogatyr, Spanish Roja, Siberian, Brown Rose, Killarney Red, Music, Polish Hardneck, Floha, Korean Red, Thai, Tibeta….SHOULD I GO ON?

It’s an endless but facinating world.

I enjoyed some delicious samples of garlic scape pesto and bought some garlic as well. Naturally I haven’t done anything with it yet, but I enjoy looking at it as it sits above my stove in a empty flower pot.

What should I make with it? should I roast it and then spread it on a baguette? should I use it in a dressing? I’m open to suggestions …I know there are other garlic readers reading this post!! What is your favorite thing to make with garlic? do share….