If you asked me “what is my definition of a healthy meal?”…this is how I would reply.

The meal would consist of fruit, veggies, protein and some carbs.  Now how would I ensure that these meals would appeal to kids?  Let’s see…here’s a few TIPS.

a) Make sure that the meal is colourful.  It’s funny how presentation can go  along way!

b) A deconstructed salad (see photo) is a great way for your kids to choose what THEY like. This is perfect for those families where one child doesn’t like tomatoes and the other child does. (you know exactly what I mean..LOL).

c) Have fun with your food! Again – presentation goes a long way. This is a photo of a homemade healthy pancake with just a touch of Nutella.

d) Invest in a Spiralizer and turn boring vegetables into FUN vegetables. Trust me – this works!!

To ensure that I stay within my budget, I always shop at No Frills so I can get the best prices and take advantage of using my PC Points.  I signed up for the PC app when I attended the launch of the PC Plus program back in May 2013. I’ve been a faithful user ever since. In fact I’m pretty sure I was downloading the app while Kathy Buckworth was talking about it at the launch. (yup – I’m an eager beaver when it comes to saving $$)

There is no doubt that making healthy meals is important to me and it’s also important to me that I spend my money wisely. No question that the PC Plus program and No Frills helps me obtain my goals.

For more information:

No Frills: www.pcplus.ca

Instagram: #PCPlus

Disclosure: I am blogger participating in a program with No Frills. I have received compensation for this blog post however all opinions are my own.

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I know..I know….I’ve posted three restaurant reviews in a row. I promise next week there will be NO restaurant reviews K? However bear with me for my last restaurant review K? I attended a media event for Portland Variety and they really nailed it with some spectacular presentation and flavours. Not to mention…they serve coffee that is WICKED.

Ok let’s start from the beginning.

The front of the restaurant serves breakfast (coffee and pastries etc) …take out lunches (sandwiches etc) and after work there is this INCREDIBLE spread of  tapas.  I mean INCREDIBLE…with incredible prices too. There’s also dinner!!

Now let’s talk about the food that is served during dinner. Top Left:  Chickpeas in a creamy sauce, Top Right: Smoked Octopus, Iberico Chorizo, Smoked Tomato, Olive Oil, Lemon. Bottom Left: Crispy Pork Rinds that I wrapped up and put in my purse (no joke).  Bottom RIght: House Made Ricotta with Honey, Hazelnuts and Pear

I’m in love with all the sauces. I could marry them!

I didn’t taste any of these cocktails but I sure did want to take a photo of them. One drink was prettier than the next drink!

Naturally I didn’t have any battery left to take photos of the desserts but I beg of you to try to beignets. (I haven’t begged before but seriously – Im begging you this time).

As for the coffee. It’s not to be missed. Milton (one of the co-owners) made me a spectacular Americano. It was so good that I had one at the beginning of my meal and one at the end of my meal. This is NOT something I do on a usual basis – especially at night.

ps..Notice how gorgeous the machine is? Well, there’s only 2 in Toronto and he spent a week in Delaware learning how use it!

Congratulations to Portland Variety. I can’t wait to return.

For more information:

Porland Variety  587 King St. W, Toronto (416) 368 5151

Twitter: @PortlandVariety

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Many years ago, I was a special events coordinator and part of my job description was hiring caterers and working with them to develop menus for cocktail parties, dinners and events. I truly loved this part of my job. I’m no longer in that industry but I still enjoy checking out new caterers, learning about food trends etc. Therefore, I was pretty excited to attend the launch of O&B Caters. 
Yes – that’s right – O&B – as in Oliver & Bonacini. After 25 years in the restaurant business, they have finally decided to launch a catering division!

The dishes that I sampled at the launch were superb and I have no doubt that guests at any function would also be impressed.

Seriously – how gorgeous is this presentation?.  This dish had it all – delicate flavours, presentation and textures. See the three “brown/white” chunks – well that’s QUINOA BRITTLE! I don’t know about you but that’s certainly not something that I usually see  in a salad, when I go to a catered event. O&B Caters certainly take things an extra step!!

And there’s more gorgeous presentation…

I simply adore presentation. Sorry – if I’m repeating myself. But it’s so true.

But there’s more to catering than just a good menu and amazing presentation. There’s a whole team behind a caterer that also adds to the success to an event – i.e professional staff, decor, and a creative team. No doubt about it – O&B Caters delivers on every level.

For more information:

O&B Caters: 416.364.1211

events@oliverbonacini.com

Twitter: O&B_Caterers

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