I haven’t made an interesting salad in a while and was in the mood for something refreshing. Not to mention, mint was on sale at No Frills for 99 cents and I always love a bargain!!

I was inspired to try this  recipe as it was posted today on twitter by @jenncuisine who has an amazing blog called JennCuisine. Her photos are WAY better than mine so I hope you go take a peek at her blog post too (which is a gluten free blog, by the way)

Grapefruit and Mint Salad (adapted from JennCuisine)

Ingredients:

1 grapefruit cut into small chunks

1 romaine lettuce, chopped

a few mint leaves chopped up (I use scissors for this step…so much easier)

balsamic vinaigrette (I used balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey mustard, salt and pepper)

**note the original recipe calls for sliced cucumber too.

**note 2: this recipe is gluten free and vegan too

Instructions

Mix all ingredients into a bowl. Toss with dressing. Serve

Results  (my apologies for the not-so-pretty-as-I would-like final photo)

I loved this salad as it was so refreshing and certainly different than any other salad I would normally make.

Hope to serve this salad along with grilled salmon and a quinoa dish. What do you think?

Happy Cooking.

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I was invited to a media dinner at Noka a few weeks ago. We tasted a selection of amazing specialty rolls and I was impressed enough to return in order to eat “Chirashi”. I have been eating Chirashi at Ichiban (in North York) for well over a decade and was curious to check out the Chirashi at Noka. I went on of of those nights when I had nothing in the fridge (sound familiar)?

Our meal started off with a decent bowl of salad and miso soup. I appreciated the addition of some mushrooms in the miso soup and the salad was crisp with just enough dressing.

A great start to our meal.

Then the “main” attraction appeared at our table. If I were handing out Presentation Points…I would be giving this dish a 10/10. The chirashi  arrived with a bed of perfectly seasoned rice and 12 pieces of sashimi. I had called in advance to see if they would accommodate our needs: (no shrimp, eel etc) and the chef gave us exactly what we wanted: 8 pieces of salmon and 4 pieces of salmon. Bonus points to Noka for amazing customer service.

Stunning.

Speaking of “special requests” – if you are a vegetarian then you are going to love their selection of rolls. Check this out:

Impressive selection of Vegetarian Options

Seeing as I am on a carb free diet, I just nibbled on the chirachi (ie the fish) and ordered their Spicy Salmon Salad:

Spicy but Nice.

I really enjoyed it but then again I like spice and can understand why it’s a popular item on the menu.

Sadly I didn’t take a picture of the space but Noka is really inviting, clean and comfortable.  Seeing as there are so many sushi restaurants on Bloor St. – these small things make a difference. Not to mention that they have gluten free options available as well as gluten free sauces and salad dressings. Plus they are nut free and vegetarian friendly.

One more thing: they totally “get” social media. Super impressed to see them on twitter (@nokatoronto) and on facebook. On my way out I even noticed a contest that they are running on their facebook page.

Noka 513 Bloor West, Toronto 647 351 1188

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Back in 1994, I ate at P.F. Chang’s in Las Vegas. See, I was a foodie even in 1994! I remember how impressed I was with their vegetarian options and can still remember ordering their famous Lettuce Wraps. (which are still on the menu). Now I don’t have to eat at P.F. Chang’s in the States anymore , as they have finally arrived in Canada! Just last week, they opened at Shops At Don Mills. I’m pleased to say…that they still have vegetarian options and now offer gluten free options as well.

Here were a few highlights of the evening.

Would go back for this dish – in a heart beat

Described on the menu as: Sushi grade ahi tuna served with a spicy mustard vinaigrette on a bed of fresh mixed greens.

Described by my belly and taste buds: I want more.

Not your average green beans

Described on the menu: Fresh green beans lightly battered and served with a tangy dip.

Described by my belly and taste buds: Goodness.

Dessert was epic. I’m not kidding. My eyes were popping out of my face.

Described on the menu: 6 rich layers of frosted chocolate cake topped with semi-sweet chocolate chips, served with fresh berries and raspberry sauce. Appropriately called: The Great Wall of Chocolate!!

Described by my belly and taste buds: There are no words.

Banana Spring Rolls

Described on the menu: 6 warm, crispy bits of banana served with coconut pineapple ice cream and drizzled with caramel and vanilla sauce.

Described by my belly and taste buds: Please take me back to P.F. Chang’s.

As you know, I’m on a carb free diet so I tried hard to just nibble my way thru the media dinner. I can’t wait to go back when I’m not on this diet and can really indulge.

I’m not kidding..it’s great to see this fabulous restaurant in Toronto. What a welcome addition to the already amazing selection of restaurants at Shops at Don Mills.

P.F. Chang’s can be found at Shops at Don Mills, 1090 Don Mills Road, 416 510 8838

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So much is happening in the world of stores/products these days, who are catering to those with food allergies.  I would like to share some exciting “gluten free” news flashes with you in this blog post.

GOOD BYE GLUTEN…GBG:

A new store opened up recently  called Goodbye Gluten in North Toronto. ( 2066 Avenue Road to be exact). The store is stunning and has a full range of gluten free items. Everything from dry goods, (ie Gluten Free Pebbles), to frozen goods, to freshly prepared goods. I’m sure the neighborhood is delighted that this store opened up.

Goodbye Gluten

BETTY CROCKER GLUTEN FREE  CAKE MIXES:

This is truly amazing news that Betty Crocker has introduced a gluten free cake mix. I made it tonite and no one said anything except “Can I have another slice”. LOL.

I know its not valentines day ..but I couldnt resist.

NUT’N GLUTEN:

Nut’N Gluten is located near Wonderland (3120  Rutherford Rd Unit 17). It has everything one would need and the service is amazing.

There is no question, that more and more people are discovering that they are gluten sensitive or have a gluten allergy. I went out for lunch a few months ago and all 3 off us had some type of food allergy. Two of us were lactose intolerant and the other person needed a gluten free option.

Years ago, when visiting NYC, my friend and I had dinner at Risotteria in the East Village (270 Bleeker St). It was packed with people who were seeking a gluten free restaurant. I thought it was a brilliant concept and I’m sure one day we will see a restaurant like that in Toronto. In the meantime, congratulations to restaurants like Milestones, Il Fornello, Magic Oven, The Burgers Priest and Yes to Fresh who have gluten free options for guests.

Have you noticed that more and more people have gluten allergies? Have you noticed more and more restaurants that have gluten free options?

Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Connector Program and I receive special perks as part of the affiliation with this group. The opinion on this blog are my own.

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I seem to have been attending food shows for as long as I can remember. Its a great chance to discover new products and it’s a great way to notice food trends and meet others in the food industry too.

On Sunday, I attended the Canadian Health Food Expo with an empty stomach so I could enjoy a sample (or two..or three..or four…hee hee).

Here’s a look at a few of the new products I discovered:

love the marketing campaign!!

The product is called POPCORNERS.…The New Shape of Popcorn. It’s actually triangular in shape!! (perfect for scooping).Why do I love it? let’s see…a) it tastes great b) its all natural, gluten free c) its kosher d) only 8 % fat per serving e) available in 3 flavors: butter, sea salt and kettle.

Now here’s an interesting beverage:

The owners with their new product!

It’s called KIKI…and its maple sweet water. Interesting concept – that’s for sure. It’s 100% natural, no additives, no preservatives, and contains over 80 nutrients. What’s really cool is that a 473 ml bottle only has 55 calories. Now that’s sweet!! (sorry – I couldn’t resist)

Finally: A new veggie burger.

Great tasting veggie burger

I’ve met the owner of Sol Cuisine at food shows for the last fifteen years.  Now there is an new addition to their line up: A mushroom rice burger – that is indeed very tasty. I’m always looking for new veggie burgers for the family and I certainly will be buying this new flavor.

As for Trends. Here’s what  I noticed:

-COCONUT water was EVERYWHERE.  I even saw coconut milk (not the canned stuff – this one was in a carton like normal milk)

-GLUTEN FREE products were EVERYWHERE

I had a lot of fun walking thru the aisles and of course, when I got home, the kids loved the samples!!

Happy Grocery Shopping!!!

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