I’ve been going to  Las Vegas with my mom for almost 10 years. We typically leave on a Thursday night and return on the red-eye that leaves at midnite on Monday.

We keep going back to Vegas for two reasons: the food and the weather.

The weather did not disappoint. It was certainly above seasonal for this time of year and we were very happy about this!!

My mom and I take our sun very seriously and sat in the sun everyday from 9 to 5. One of my favorite activities to do in the sun is to read and that’s exactly what I did. I managed to download a whole bunch of books for FREE (thanks Tuebel) and got thru the following books:

-Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (which I’ve been trying to finish for a year)

-Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling (perfect pool book).

-The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (just started reading this book)

-The Book of Aron: A Novel by Jim Shepard (which I’ve been trying to finish since August)

-The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simpson (got thru most of it)

Not bad eh?

As for food:

Dinner #1: Lolas: A Louisiana Kitchen

We selected this restaurant as it was featured on  Diners, Drive Ins & Dives. Plus it had shrimp and grits on the menu which is something you never see in Toronto.

Dinner #2: Arawan Thai Bistro & Dessert

This new Thai restaurant opened up only 4 months ago and it was one of our favorite meals. For some reason, Las Vegas has some unbelievable Thai restaurants. (we’ve been to 3 over the years and they are all exceptional)

Dinner #3: Glutton

Another winner!! We ordered four dishes and every one was flavourful and presented beautifully.

Dinner #4: Society Cafe. We selected this restaurant as we were already at the Spa at the Encore and needed a bite to eat before heading to the airport. We scored.

Please note: This trip did NOT involve shopping. That’s right – we didn’t go to one outlet mall or one store.

Nor did this trip involve gambling’ OK – we spent $16 in 4 days on a slot machine. Does that count?

This trip did NOT involve drinking either. OK – there were a few jello shot involved. Hee Hee.

However we did go to the Spa at the Encore and it was seriously a great way to end our trip before heading to the airport.

It was a spectacular space. All 55,000 square feet of it. I took advantage of the waterfall shower, the shower with 12 sprays, the wet sauna, the dry sauna, the relaxation room, the cold plunge and the jacuzzi. Plus I had a massage.

There is a reeason why this spa is listed as one of the best spas to visit while in Las Vegas.

Sadly the trip is over, however I’m already looking forward to my next trip to Vegas in 2016!!

I think I hosted a brunch three times in six weeks. But thanks to Pinterest I didn’t serve the same thing over and over again. All I did was punch in the word “BRUNCH” and a ton of photos came up which provided just the right amount of inspiration.

The last brunch I made consisted of: Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries, Crustless Quiche, Baked Cinnamon French Toast, Baked Granola Cups, and a cheese platter. Needless to say, no one left hungry!

Plus, one of my guests brought this DELICIOUS baked brie.

Here’s one of the recipes that I found on Pinterest and was an instant hit with my guests:

CHEESECAKE STUFFED STRAWBERRIES (original recipe can be found on www.thegirlwhoateeverything.com)

Ingredients:

A container of strawberries

6 tablespoons of soft cream cheese ( a little goes a long way)

1 tsp of vanilla

1 or 2 graham crackers that I smashed into little crumbs!! (again – a little goes a long way)

Instructions:

1. Using a sharp knife, dig a cavity into the top of the strawberry.

2. Using a sharp knife, also take off the bottom of the strawberry so it stands up nice and pretty

3. Mix the cream cheese and the vanilla

4. Carefully spoon the cream cheese mixture into the cavity of the strawberry.

6. Sprinkle the graham cracker on top.

FINAL RESULT

Happy Cooking!!

 

 

 

 

 

The other night, my boyfriend and I went went out for dinner followed by dessert. As always, I’m always open to checking out new restaurants so we went to TWO new places that have been on my radar.

For dinner, we decided to go to Baju BBQ seeing as my BF really enjoys BBQ and I was craving some protein too!

This restaurant is owned Deli king Zane Caplansky and the kitchen is run by Jason Rees. I’ve tasted Jasons’ BBQ before so I knew that the food was going to be beyond-good. I was right.

We ordered the Meat Tornado which features: 2 rib bones, 2 brisket slices, 2 chicken thighs, pork belly, pulled pork, 2 wings, plus your choice of 1 side! It was perfect for sharing.

The meal consisted of a lot of these phrases:

“hmmm…this is delicious have you tried it yet”.

“hmmm….no no this is delicious! Have you tried it yet?”

“hmmm..what’s your favorite meat that was on this platter”.

This $35 dish satisfied both of us in a big way. In fact, we had to take home some leftovers cause we were TOO full to finish it.

Every piece of meat was tender, juicy and I could also add a lot of other adjectives that used when describing BBQ meat that’s cooked properly.

Jason Rees sure does know what he is doing when it comes to BBQ!!

Then we continued to Sweet Jesus . I heard about this new soft serve place thru facebook as many of my food blogger friends have been posting photos over the last few weeks!

I asked the cashier what’s the most popular item on the menu and he replied the PBC. This is described as: Peanut Butter Sauce, Crumbled Toasted Salted Peanuts, Chocolate Soft Serve. Naturally that’s what I ordered.

Their soft serve specialty menu appeals to me in a huge way – soft serve with a unique combo of toppings, sauces and flavours.

For example: Cinnamon Crunch – Crumbled cinnamon toast crunch, cream cheese frosting, vanilla soft serve.

See what I mean? There’s 10 unique soft serve specialty items on the menu and one sounds better than the other. There’s also 5 soft serve menu items without all the fancy toppings!! Plus there’s Paletas, coffee and tea from Lemon Lily!

I haven’t enjoyed a serving of ice cream in several years, however I popped two lactose free pills and devoured the whole thing!

True Story: Barely had to eat breakfast or lunch the following day!

For more information:

Baju BBQ: Upstairs @ The Monarch Tavern, 12 Clinton St, Toronto

Hours: Tue-Wed: 12:00 pm-10:00 pm, Thu-Sat: 12:00 pm-11:30 pm

Twitter: @BajuBBQ

Sweet Jesus: 106 John St, Toronto

Hours: Sun – Mon: 7am – 10pm, Tues – Sat: 7am – 11pm

Twitter: @SweetJesus4Life

I’ve been a fan of Real Sports since it opened. In fact many years ago I organized a small tweet up at Real Sports, to watch the final of the Australian Open.

It’s a pleasure to watch the most exciting moments of  a game on their 39-foot HD Big Screen and 199 HD TVs.

Plus you can sip from over 50 beer selections or select from one of their 126 draughts on tap. To sum it all up – there’s 25,000 square feet of incredible atmosphere.

This month, they have introduced a new menu. I found out that they developed a menu that pairs well with beer and I think this is a fabulous strategy!! Not to mention that they made the menu a bit smaller so that they can focus on quality and consistency vs. quantity! Again, a great strategy.

Here are 3 dishes that I would certainly order again:

1. #Litterally Popcorn Chicken – Popcorn dusted fried chicken bites in a sweet, hot chili sauce.

(oops can’t find a photo cause I guess I was too busy eating this dish)

2. Buffalo Cauliflower – Fried Southern Style with Buffalo Sauce, Coleslaw and Blue Cheese. True story….a blogger sitting beside me thought this was a chicken dish. That’s how good it was.

3. Hawaii 5-0 Pork Chop – Double cut pork chop served on bacon fried rice with pineapple blue cheese salsa.

 

For more information:

Www.RealSports.ca

Address: 15 York St, Toronto (Maple Leaf Square)

Phone: 416 815- REAL

Twitter: @RealSports

Instagram: @Real_Sports

Disclosure: My meal was complimentary however all opinions are my own.

Meal planning is a challenge! I admit that often when I’m running on a treadmill, I’m thinking about what I will be serving for dinner or making for lunch.

In particular I find breakfast can be challenging. Mostly cause I’m always running late!!

In fact, according to a recent survey from the Loblaws and President’s Choice® teams, 68 per cent of Canadian parents have less than 10 minutes to make their child’s breakfast on a weekday.

So here’s a suggestion, make this treat THE NIGHT before. Just like you might make lunches the night before too.

With just a few ingredients I discovered a fabulous breakfast idea:

Baked Granola Cups (taken from www.chocolatecoveredkate.com)

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup PC® applesauce or mashed banana (I used both)
• 1/4 cup agave or honey
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup rolled oats
• yogurt

Instructions

Final Result!!

Then take out your favorite yogurt, add some fruit and bingo – you have yourself a tasty and pretty healthy breakfast.  Seeing as I’m always late there’s a good chance I will be eating this in the car! As you can see from this stat, I’m one of the 28%!!

• Twenty-eight per cent even said that they eat on the go (stop at fast food restaurant, ate the meal in the car, etc.) to ensure their children have a proper meal.

If you are looking for more great recipe ideas, please click here.  Loblaws and President’s Choice have put together  some delicious and nutritious recipes Canadian parents can cook in the time they actually have.

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post, however all opinions are my own

Great news, Reese Spreads are now available in Canada!!

Based on the iconic Reese Peanut Butter Cup, new Reese Spreads deliver the one-of-a-kind combination of chocolate and peanut butter taste to any food. Whether you spoon it or spread it, these delicious spreads can transform the ordinary into something extraordinary.

From the simple pairing of Reese Spreads on an apple, banana, or a pretzel, to taking your dessert recipes to the next level, the snacking opportunities are endless.

 I don’t know about you, but the combination of Peanut Butter and Chocolate has always been one of my favourites.

Here are 5 ways how you can enjoy Reeses Spreads:

a) Simply spread it on a waffle!

b) Dip Pretzels into Reese Spreads.

c) Dip a spoon into the jar. (no fancy recipe required)

d)  Freeze a bit of Reese’s Spreads and then crumble it onto ice cream!!

5. Use Reese Spreads on a slice of apple.

As you can see from the photos, I had a lot of fun using Reese Spreads in a variety of snacks.

What’s your favorite snack using Reese Spreads? For more amazing recipe ideas, please click here  or head to their facebook page.

Disclosure: I was compensated for this blog post, however all opinions are my own.

As the temperatures start to drop, I immediately start to cook. I have this “thing” for cooking in bulk and freezing it. I love the convenience of coming home and simply having to grab something from the freezer and heating up a hearty meal in just a few minutes.

This is what’s been happening in my kitchen lately.

Homemade lasagna plus an abundance of Mac and Cheese!

Can you see a trend? As we all step into the fall, I  seem to be eating more comfort foods than in any other season. I’m not only worried about my waistline but I’m worried about my digestive health too.

I must admit, I really do eat more fruit in the summer and miss them during the cooler Canadian months.  Because let’s be honest, buying fruit frozen just isn’t the same and my tummy seems to feel the impact. Anyone else feel this way?

This fall, to combat the cooler weather eating blues, I’m trying my best to get back into my normal routine and get back in control (i.e. getting back to the gym) so I can start my days off on the right foot with a happy tummy

My new goals include:

 Eating Smarter and Exercise • limit low-fibre foods i.e. cheese, processed foods, ice cream (sugar and fat!); drink lots of water and exercise at least 30 min a day.

 Get Relief •  Sometimes changing your lifestyle habits aren’t enough, so I’m not afraid to seek help when I need it. i.e. Dulcolax® Laxative tablets for gentle, predictable overnight relief ; I might even bring this subject up to my doctor or pharmacist!

Right now, you can find a high-value offer from Dulcolax® available at major retailers across the country (English Canada only). It’s available in-store now until the end of October. When you buy Dulcolax® at your local pharmacy it’s easy to pick-up a $5.00 off rebate coupon and mail-in for redemption – it’s an offer you won’t want to miss! (Applies to Dulcolax® and Dulcolax® for Women Laxative tablets).

My main goal is to #takecontrol and #ownthethrone (don’t you just love that hashtag?) – according to the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation, poor digestive health can affect your mood, energy, concentration and ability to fight sickness. So join me, and make your tummy’s health a priority!!

Disclosure: I was compensated for this blog post however all opinions are my own.

As much as I love to discover new restaurants, I must admit that I really like to eat at home and I also love to entertain.

I swear I have been been sharing my food with friends, since I lived in a dorm at Tel Aviv University. Here’s some photos I dug up for proof.

I continued to have people over on a consistent basis throughout the next few decades.

Food unites people. It encourages good conversation, sharing and laughter, and it facilitates a communal experience. No matter where you are from, Real Canadian Superstore® has all the foods that will make you feel at home. I adore this store for many many reasons!!

Please take a peek at this heart-warming video which showcases how Real Canadian Superstore® has committed to uniting people through all of their favourite tastes of home. They believe that family is the secret ingredient to any special meal, so Real Canadian Superstore® brought food and family together for three deserving colleagues.

I really try to entertain at least every month. Lately I’ve been having fun serving brunch. It’s less stressful than serving a dinner and a bit more relaxed.

Last year, I hosted a ton of wine and cheese parties.

I encourage you to entertain as well. It’s not as hard as it looks and it really does bring people together.

Happy Entertaining.

Yes – it’s that time of year where there’s an insane amount of food events. I went to the Toronto Food and Wine show on Friday, took a rest on Saturday and went to two food shows on Sunday. (Toronto Garlic Festival and the Canadian Health Food Association Trade Show).

Todays blog post is going to be dedicated to the CHFA Trade Show as I want to share with you some of the trends I noticed. I walked around the show for almost 3 hours but needed more in order to walk thru the 800 exhibitors that are at this show.

Naturally I picked up some samples to take home plus I sampled plenty while I was walking thru the show. No need for breakfast or lunch.

1. DRINKS – I spotted: cold pressed watermelon , blueberry juice, water infused with a variety of flavours and fruit, and more. This category seems to be exploding!!

2. TUMERIC – There was tumeric tea and a tumeric drink that caught my eye. Something tells me that we are going to see more and more products that contain this spice.

3. PUFFED QUINOA  – I’m guessing that this is going to be the new “granola”. I can see myself sprinkling this on top of my yogurt with fruit or integrating it into fruit crisp recipes.

4. BARS – Cricket bars, and sprouted bars and more!! I actually first got introduced to Cricket Bars on a trip to San Francisco last year so I’m delighted to see that they are now in Canada.

5. COCONUT – Not exactly a new trend but it’s certainly continuing to grow. I sampled the Wasabi Coconut Chips and can’t wait to try them in a salad or crushed on top of a piece of salmon.

 

Hopefully you will see many of these products in local health food stores, and even in the health section of major grocery stores in the near future.

For more information:

Please visit the Canadian Health Food Association Website: www.chfa.ca

It’s that time of year where the Jewish Community is entertaining. Conversations go like this:

Me: Will you be entertaining over the holidays?

Friend:  Having 1o guests for dinner on Sunday night and on Monday night, 16 guests are coming over. For lunch we got invited to X house on Monday and X house on Tuesday.

Me: I’m off to Ottawa. I won’t be cooking a lot but will be bringing in kasha and bow ties for my parents and some challah buns for my friend.

So let’s talk about those challah buns. You see, I saw a link for 20 Rosh Hashanah Inspired Dinner Ideas by www.shiksaguide.com.   I shared it on Facebook and asked my friend in Ottawa if I should make #16 and bring it her house for lunch. She replied: Yes Please.

So I assembled the ingredients: (P.S. for the complete recipe please click here).

-small frozen Challahs (available at No Frills at Bathurst/Wilson).

– 1/2 cup of Craisins

– 1/2 cup of PC  Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

-Zest from one orange.

Then I had fun breaking the challahs apart and stuffing them with the combo of chocolate chips, orange zest and Craisins, and the forming them into little knots. The last step was a quick egg wash. Then they went into a preheated oven at  325 F for 20 minutes.

From those six small frozen challahs, I got 12 small DELICIOUS stuffed buns. They were almost like a dessert bun. Next time, I think I’m going to stuff with them with apples and cinnamon. Seriously, one could get very creative with this recipe!!

I also bought 16 honey sticks for each guest. I took this idea also from facebook as I follow these four fabulous sisters who have a blog called Dinner Table HQ. When I read their latest blog post about Rosh Hashana and the Dinner Table, I said “wow I like that idea” and went out and bought some honey sticks at Wychwood Farmers Market.

To all my Jewish Friends……wishing you all the best for a sweet New Year.