This Mother’s Day,  Rabba Fine Foods has joined up with OASIS to offer mothers (and their loved ones) an opportunity to win some exciting prizes – all for sharing #RabbaMomMoments on social media.

Sounds easy and sounds fun. True Story:  I recently participated in a contest at a trade show and I won!!

Entrants for this contest, are encouraged to showcase the realities of motherhood – happy, proud, silly, and even frustrating. Entrants who share their posts or tag three friends will receive an extra entry into the sweepstake for a possible total of three contest entries.

I can definitely show case the reality of motherhood and I bet you have a few stories to share as well.

Here’s a “motherhood moment” – I’m proud that my kids have found jobs. It’s not easy out there to find a job and I’m over the moon that both have found employment over the summer.

Here’s another #RabbaMomMoment that I posted on Twitter:

On Sunday May 14, winners will be announced on Rabba social media accounts. Prizes include:

· First place: a weekend trip for two to New York City including airfare and accommodations (1 winner / prize worth $1,500)

· Gift certificates to a day spa (3 winners / each certificate worth $250)

· Rabba $50 gift cards (5 winners)

Now that you have finished reading this blog post, I hope you pick up your smart phones and start to enter the contest.

Here’s where to post your #RabbaMomMoment: 

Twitter: @RabbaFineFoods

Instagram; @RabbaFineFoods

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RabbaFineFoods/

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE A WONDERFUL MOTHERS DAY!!

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

 

Seeing as I did a blog post about eating my way thru Toronto, I thought it would only be fair to write a blog post about the variety of drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) that I’ve discovered in the last few months.

1. SoCIAL Lite

This new drink is right up my alley as it’s the first ever ready-to-drink sparkling vodka cocktail that has no sugar, no sweetener and no artificial ingredients. It’s made with a blend of premium Canadian vodka, soda and 100% Natural Flavours. What’s most impressive, each 355mL can is a mere 80 calories and is gluten-free. Hello Summer!

I love the story behind the drink: Theses entrepreneurs wanted to drink on a Saturday night and still be able to run on Sunday mornings.

2. Root Beer is the latest trend with alcoholic drinks these days and finally I scored these two products at the LCBO on Yonge Street/Summerhill. The brand on the left (Crazy Uncle) disappeared from the fridge before I got a chance to try it, and the brand on the right (Dusty Boots) is Root Beer with Beer and produced by Crazy Beard Brewing Co. right here in Toronto. I tried the Dusty Boots and I liked it…A LOT. Then again I’m a root beer fan so I was pretty sure I was going to like it. Read more about the guys behind Crazy Beard Brewing Co. here!

3. Fresh – This apple glow ginger is beyond refreshing. Had a sample of it at an event and will certainly be buying this in the future.

4. The Iced Aroma or Lemon Mint at Aroma Espresso Bar is another summer time favourite.

Aroma Espresso Bar is also running a cool summer time contest (with Simon & Schuster Canada) where you can win free coffee for a year as well as some great books. Enter soon as the contest closes July 15th … K? Ps the name of the contest is Read, Chill, Repeat – LOVE IT.

6; Smoothies!

This weekend I enjoyed the Wimbledon finals while sipping Smoothies made with Genuine Health Fermented Greek Yogurt Protein +. This Canadian product has no GMO, vegan, soy and gluten free.

I grabbed some Almond Milk Breeze and some berries – added the Fermented Greek Yogurt Proteins+ and before you know it, I had a satisfying Smoothie. I’m also a fan of the Fermented Greek yogurt proteins+ Cherry Almond Vanilla bar. Check out all their products here.

Here’s to Staying Hydrated over the Summer!!

Have you ever wondered what it means to “Have it All”. Well, lately I’ve been thinking what that means.

When I was in my 20’s I was definitely “having it all”. I had a job a month after university, shared an apartment with a room mate, did some travelling and was enjoying living in Toronto.

In my 30’s, I continued to “have it all”. I was busy having kids, lived in a lovely house, and still managed to travel.

In my 40’s I still had it all but “having” it all meant being more responsible with $$ seeing as the kids were growing and there were definitely more expenses.

I’ve always been budget conscious but I was now paying more attention to my grocery bill, the cost of clothing etc. As for the car I drove – it was always second hand. I loved the idea of buying second hand so much so that I even owned a consignment store for 3 years.

“Having it all” is possible at any age but I really do believe it means being mindful of how much you spend and knowing what your priorities are.

At this stage in my life, (early 50’s), I continue to have the desire to travel and I’ve also added home renovations to that list.

Seeing as I’m a food blogger, I entertain quite a bit. I love throwing small parties and having friends over for brunch or dinner. I  also love setting a nice table (see blog post here).

All of the above, requires more groceries which can add up. I try my best to create seasonal menus and cook/bake vs buying store bought dishes/desserts. Again, I’m aware that entertaining is an additional expense but it’s definitely important to me.
No question Food Basics knows what I mean by “having it all”  and offers their customers great value. I will continue to look at grocery prices so I can travel, entertain, renovate and save for a rainy day too!!

News alert: Beginning on June 3rd, Food Basics will be launching the I Want It All Event.
Here’s what you need to know:

Film a 5-15 second video answering the question: “If you won free groceries for an entire year, what would you do with the savings?” Upload the video to www.foodbasics.ca/videocontest for a chance to win one of three prizes of groceries for a year—$1,000 in Food Basics gift cards!

In-store teams will walk around with cameras to ask customers what “I want it all” means to them for additional chances to win

Share what having it all means to you on social media with the hashtags #iwantitall #foodbasics

Check out this video to learn more. Check out complete contest rules by clicking here.

Note: To be entered in the contest, videos must be uploaded to the web, sharing on social media won’t count as a contest entry.

Happy Grocery Shopping!

Website: www.foodbasics.ca

Disclosure: This is a sponsored blog post. 

I’ve just returned from an incredible stay in Erieau, Ontario.  This charming small city, is home to great sport fishing, a fantastic beach and lively community. I don’t know about you but I had no idea Erieau existed and I’m so glad that it’s now on my radar. 

For some reason I’ve been driving north on the 401 or east along the 401 but never west. Silly me!! It’s so close to Toronto and there’s way less traffic.

The highlight of the trip was a fishing trip with J&P Charters. I’ve never been on a chartered fishing trip but it’s always been on my bucket list. Lake Erie is known for it’s Walleye and Rainbow Trout and that’s exactly what we caught.

I couldn’t have been happier with this experience. Not to mention that the weather and the water conditions were perfect too.

J&P Fishing Charters has everything you need..a) a well equipped boat b) state of the art technology c) and 26 years of experience. What more could you ask for? Not to mention, Captain Paul will clean the fish so you can take it home! (Which we did).

One great thing about this experience is you don’t have to have any experience to go out on a fishing charter. While on the boat, I decided to leave the reeling up to the experts (Captain Paul and his son Tyler) however they are more than happy to assist you and give you the guidance you need to reel in your catch!! The choice is yours.

With the help of Tyler, my boyfriend reeled in the biggest catch of the day (about an 8 pound Walleye ) and Tyler was very helpful and walked him thru the entire process of  reeling it in.

We got off the boat at 6:30 pm and by 8:30 pm we were perched at Molly and OJ’s restaurant eating our catch of the day cooked up by the chef.  Does not get any fresher! Our dinner included soup, salad, dessert and the fresh fish that we had just caught, all for $15 per person. INCREDIBLE.!

After dinner, we relaxed at the Bayside Brewing Company.  Yes – Erieau has a microbrewery and it’s right across from the marina!! Of course I had a flight of beer. They had a chocolate mint beer that was most interesting and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

We stayed at Molly & OJ’s Lakeside Cabin Rentals, in a very clean and well equipped cabin (ie fridge, cutlery, and microwave) that was located just steps away from their private beach. There were bicycles, paddle boards and a kayak too but I was content to just go for a swim and relax.

This stunning private beach was just steps away!

For breakfast we went to The Galley Grill and Pub and we certainly enjoyed a unique breakfast that included eggs over easy, fried potatoes and cheese and several pieces of fried perch. 

I figured including fish in every meal was the right thing to do since Erieau is known for its fresh catch.

If you are considering a trip to Ontario’s Southwest for a fresh foodie adventure, check out oswculinary.com. You can also enter to win a Dream Foodie Escape Contest. 

Sadly we didn’t have time to go to Rondeau Provincial Park but I’m already thinking about going camping there next year.

In fact, on our entire drive back to Toronto (which was not a nightmare, unlike some other routes), I couldn’t stop thinking about this unique trip.

For more information:

Molly & OJ’s: 875 Mariners Rd, Erieau, ON (519) 676 8812

Bayside Brewery and Pub: 970 Ross Lane, Erieau ON (519) 676 1888

J & P Charters:  (519) 745-1992  or  cell: (519) 897 1042

Galley Grill Pub: 1005 Vilder Ave, Erieau, ON  (519) 676 4469

Huge thanks to the Ontario’s Southwest for helping set up this amazing experience.

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

I’m pretty pumped about the upcoming Pan Am Games and would like to share my enthusiasm with a contest. Yes….a contest where you could win $200 worth of atoma products!

atoma, is actually the Official Pharmacy to the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. In addition to the partnership, atoma will be supporting ALL the athletes taking part in the Games. Through its four banners (Guardian, I.D.A., The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy and PROXIM), the brand will provide pharmacist services, prescription medications, first aid supplies and atoma over-the-counter medications to all athletes participating in the Games.

Here’s a bit more about atoma products:

 

With Father’s Day right around the corner, enter to win your dad or husband the go-to tablet for his family’s digital needs  – the Samsung GALAXY Tab A. (app value $429)

• Thanks to the 4:3 screen ratio, the 9.7-inch screen offers a better viewing experience so your Dad can can create, consume and connect to his favourite content – sports, movies or magazines.
• Another great family feature is Multi-User, which allows for up to six unique profiles to be that everyone can enjoy the device with a personalized experience.
• The impressive multi-tasking capabilities will allow dad to read, email or use social media simultaneously.

I recently received a Samsung TAB S and quickly ditched my Ipad Mini.  I absolutely adore how quickly I can download apps WITHOUT remembering another password. Not to mention it’s going to sync with my Samsung Galaxy S5 phone. #ohhowIlovetechnology.

All you have to do to enter this contest is answer this question:

Why would you would like to win a SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab A? 

Just click on the REPLY button and leave a comment!!

Other important details:

-this contest is open to all Canadian Residents

-this contest will close on Monday June 15th, 2015 at midnite.

-if the winner does not get back to me by Wednesday June 18th at midnite – another winner will be selected

Happy Father’s Day!!

 

For many years, every time I travelled to Ottawa we would stop at SUBWAY for lunch in Kingston. It was right off the highway and offered us a quick and healthy meal.

My relationship with SUBWAY continued as I recently turned 50 and served my guests a 6 ft subway. It was a HUGE hit with my guests (sorry..couldn’t resist the joke). Take a peek at this enormous box that it’s packed in!!

Not sure if you know this, but there’s a Build a Winner contest that is taking place now, that invites SUBWAY Canada fans on Facebook to build out their unique sandwich combination!

There’s weekly draws for a $100 SUBWAY cash card, and a grand prize of $1000 up for grabs.
Please click on this link for further information http://bit.ly/1Gbmdzx.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SubwayCanada

Twitter: @SubwayCanada

Hashtag; #BuildAWinner

Hope you get a chance to enter this contest soon as the contest ends May 31st, 2015!!

Disclosure: This blog post is sponsored however all my opinions are my own

 

I have a relative who rarely snacks in between meals. I kind of envy his discipline but not quite sure I could ever adopt that lifestyle! I absolutely adore “noshing” on stuff in between meals. A chunk of cheese, a few berries, a few nuts or even a few crackers will do the trick!

Notice that I’m not snacking on chocolate or ice cream? I really do prefer snacks that are savoury vs sweet. All the better if the snack is crunchy!!

Goldfish® Canada would like to invite you to share your own “snackable moments” using the hashtag #GoldfishSmiles to show them that Goldfish Crackers brings little smiles to your family.

The winning smile will win $500 and a year supply of Goldfish® Crackers to enjoy. Yes – that’s 48 packages!!

Here’s my smile!

Here’s some interesting facts about Goldfish® Crackers:

-they are BAKED with REAL cheese

-they contain no artificial colours or flavours

-they have zero trans fats

So sit back and feel good about eating your favorite snack that smiles back.

Here’s another announcement: I’m tickled pink to announce that Goldfish® Princess Crackers have now arrived. This is a limitation edition cracker so make sure to grab a pack before it’s too late.

There’s many varieties of deliciousness to choose from – try them all! Original, Chedddar, Cheddar made with Whole Grain, Cheese Trio, Colours, Pretzels, GIANT Cheddar, Flavour Blasted, Atomic BBQ, Screamin’ Salt & Vinegar, Xplosive Pizza, Xtreme Cheddar, Vanilla Cupcake Grahams, Honey Bun Grahams and Cholcolate Brownie Grahams.

In the meantime, I’m grabbing a few Goldfish® Crackers to take with me on an outing to Crawford Lake!!

 

For more information:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoldfishCA

Instagram: GoldfishCanada

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

When I was asked if I would be interested in interviewing Canadian two-time Olympic medalist and four-time Olympic Triathlete,….Simon Whitfield….I didn’t hesitate to say YES!!

Here’s a recap of the interview!

Momwhoruns: I drink coffee after I run on the treadmill. Not good, right? What should I be drinking?

Simon: Chocolate milk!!

Momwhoruns: Any tips how I can get motivated to get off the dreadmill and start running outside?

Simon: There’s nothing wrong with running on a treadmill but I would suggest running on an incline of 1%.

Momwhoruns: I understand you are a huge fan of Chocolate Milk. How would you answer this question: chocolate milk AND _____________.!

Simon: Chocolate milk and a banana with almond butter

Momwhoruns: Sometimes after a workout I just want to nap – what am I doing wrong? shouldn’t I feel energized?

Simon: Perhaps you you don’t have the right pre workout fuel?

Momwhoruns: What’s your cheat food?

Simon: A good croissant!

Momwhoruns: Do you add chocolate milk to any smoothies? I bet that’s a great way to incorporate chocolate milk into a post recovery workout drink.

Simon: My favorite combo is chocolate milk, greek yogurt, blueberries and lemon fish oil

Momwhoruns:  Avocado Chocolate Pudding: yay or nay?

Simon: Those are two of my favorite foods but I have never tried this combo.

Momwhoruns: What do you remember about your first triathlon?

Simon: I was 11 years old and I wore a Mickey Mouse hat and boxer shorts with cows on them.

Momwhoruns: Any advice for momwhoruns so she can keep on running?

Simon: Consistency

Clearly Simon is a huge fan of Chocolate Milk as it’s an ideal recovery drink after vigorous exercise that helps people to rehydrate, refuel and recharge their bodies.

Here’s a photo of me listening to Simons advice!

I also want to share a (cool) contest that’s going on. Please click on RechargewithMilk.ca!  for complete information and all the details!!

The contest involves a prize that is a runner’s dream …(seriously)

• Residents of Ontario and Atlantic Canada have the chance to win a 12-week training program with four-time Olympian and Canadian triathlete, Simon Whitfield, as their very own personal trainer to prepare for one of the races at the 2015 Halifax Blue Nose Marathon or the 2015 Mississauga Marathon. 
• The winner will also receive an all-expense paid trip for two people to the Halifax Blue Nose Marathon or the Mississauga Marathon, new running gear and a supply of chocolate milk.
• This prize is valued at approx $10,000.

These days, I have been busy using my KitchenAid Diamond Blender. I simply can’t sop making smoothies and pureeing soups. Life is good.

One evening I got creative and put together a smoothie using some of my favorite ingredients; Chocolate, Banana and Peanut Butter.

 In less than a minute I had a pretty satisfying snack. The list of smoothies I intend on making are endless and infact I have a list on my fridge as a reminder that I don’t have to make the same smoothie every day!!

I’m so excited about using my KitchenAid Diamond Blender on a regular basis that I’m running a contest to give away a KitchenAid Diamond Blender to one of my readers.

 Here’s what you need to know about the KitchenAid Diamond blender!!