As a sales rep for St. Albert Cheese Co-op,  I often myself walking along the streets of Toronto looking for prospective customers. One day I walked into a very cool hip restaurant only to find out that it was a vegan restaurant. Oops!!

However the menu really intrigued me, as did their cocktail list so I went back as a customer!!

I went back on a Sunday night at 630 pm and the place was packed. (always a good sign). However we did manage to get a table at the back for our party of four people. I should mention that no one was a vegan but everyone was open minded to check out a new restaurant!

We immediately ordered the (vegan) nachos and then immediately devoured the nachos!!

I ordered the fried chicken and waffles but only managed to eat half of it as it was a massive portion. I happily ate the leftovers for breakfast the next day.

It was positively delicious and I want to order it the next time I visit. It was that good.

The rest of the gang ate veggie burgers and everyone seemed pleased.

I love this restaurant as they don’t have one single salad on the menu. As much as I like salads, I love eating creative food that I can’t make at  home i.e. fried vegan chicken.

Next restaurant review: another vegan restaurant called Planta. Stay tuned!!

For more info:

Doomie’s 1263 Queen St W Toronto

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

Twitter/Instagram: @DoomiesToronto

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Its that time of year where there’s a lot of entertaining going on. So I thought it might be useful to share two recipes for you.

The first recipe is ideal for breakfast or a brunch. I discovered it while flipping through a RICARDO magazine and thought “hmm..this sounds interesting AND easy”.  I tried it and it worked!! In the event you have never heard of Ricardo before, he is a well known media personality in Quebec who launched an English version of his magazine in 2014.

Basically all you need is some cheddar cheese (I used St.-Albert cheddar of course), Wonder Bread and a waffle maker (I used my beloved Breville Waffle Maker)

Place one piece of buttered Wonderbread onto the waffle maker (buttered side facing down), place some cheese on top, place another piece of buttered Wonderbread on top (buttered side facing up)…close the waffle maker for a few minutes and bingo you have these delicious Cheese Waffle Sandwiches (with NO MESS).

The second recipe is ideal for an appetizer for a party.

This Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Bread Dip Ring is once again super easy to make and delicious.

The entire recipe can be found on this video. 

But here’s a recap in case you don’t want to watch the video!!

Basically you take pizza dough and make golf sized balls. Place these balls in a greased, oven-proof dish. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

Mix in a bowl: sour cream, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, drained artichoke hearts, drained frozen spinach, garlic powder, salt and pepper

Place the spinach mixture into the centre of the oven-proof dish. Brush dough with an egg wash.

Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes. VOILA – delish appetizer

Happy Holidays!

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I had the opportunity last week to check out some innovative menu items made with Nutella® at the Loblaws® store at Maple Leaf Gardens.

How could I say no?

Once I walked into the store, it only took me a nano second to spot the Nutella® Cafe.

 Then my eyes went right to the menu!!

There’s  Nutella® Pizza with a variety of toppings: Strawberries, Cookies ‘n Creme, Berry Medley, Pretzel, Pear, Puffed Rice, Tortilla, Banana, Tropical and Fruit. So many choices and one is prettier than the next!

b) There’s Waffles as well. As you can see from the photo, I had a bite and it was DELICIOUS.

Theres Crepes (sorry no photo) and even Nutella® Milkshakes.

I took home a Nutella® Banana Panini which is one of my favourite combos. It was indeed a great choice.

Besides eating, I had a great conversation with Executive Chef Mark Russell who is behind this initiative.
So help “Spread the Word” about the Nutella ®Cafe at Loblaws®. It’s worth visiting. Promise.

I’m always happy to visit Loblaws® at Maple Leaf: underground parking (free for an hour when you spend $20), a gorgeous grocery store, Joe Fresh and an LCBO. What more could one want?

For more information:

Loblaws, Maple Leaf Gardens, 60 Carlton St, Toronto, ON
Phone: (416) 593-6154

Twitter: @LoblawsCarlton

Hashtag: #MorewithNutella

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

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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.

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Did you know that there’s dairy products where the cows are grass fed? Well, Rolling Meadow Dairy are proud to offer premium quality products made with Canadian Grass Fed Milk. They allow their cows to graze on pasture as long as the Canadian weather will allow. 

My kitchen has been “dairy” for over 2 decades so I really thought I was an ideal candidate to try their products. Sadly the butter was out of stock but I will be looking out for it on my next run to the grocery store.

It was natural for me to enjoy Rolling Meadow yogurt for breakfast along with a homemade strawberry/rhubarb jam.

I enjoyed it so much that later that night I decided to serve waffles for dinner, with a dollop of yogurt and homemade blueberry jam. (recipe to follow)

Then for an after dinner snack, I decided to make a Strawberry Milkshake (using the strawberries I had picked from Whittamore’s Farm).

In my opinion, the Rolling Meadow Yogurt and Milk tastes different than other brands, however I say that in a good way not in a bad way.

In the event you are wondering what’s the benefit of eating Grass Fed products? Here’s your answer: The primary benefit is that the ratio of  Omega 6 to Omega 3 is significantly improved (up to 300%) vs. non-grass fed milk. One could say it’s a healthier product in addition and that it makes it more digestible for some consumer who have had challenges with milk digestibility in the past. (um..like me, who has been suffering from lactose intolerance for 5 years now)

For those who are interested how to make the jam, here’s a not so precise recipe.

1. Take some strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or even a combo of rhubarb and strawberries….and place it in a pot with a bit of water.

2. Add a bit of sugar (a bit).

3. Let it boil and after a few minutes, you have some  homemade jam.

Perhaps one day I will actually use my measuring cups and measuring spoons!!

For More Information:

Website: www.rollingmeadow.com. On a side note: I think there website is so well designed with fantastic content. Please take a peek.

Store Locator: Click here

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

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I have no idea why I have never owned  a Waffle Maker before. However I’m thrilled that I now own a Breville No Mess Waffle Maker.

This waffle maker really made my FIRST experience making waffles super easy!!

Features that I liked about the Breville No Mess Waffle Maker:

– it has a wide wrap around moat that catches the over flow. Which also makes cleaning up, really easy!

– you can select your preferred color from light and fluffy to crispy golden brown. #loveit

-the best part? It BEEPS when the waffle is ready. How cool is that?

I’m delighted to announce that this is what my morning breakfast looked like!

Here’s the recipe I used. (taken from www.bettycrocker.com)

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter (I used melted butter of course)
Fresh berries, if desired

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the waffle maker

2. In large bowl, beat eggs with wire whisk until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients except berries just until smooth.

3. Pour slightly less than 3/4 cup batter onto centre  of hot waffle iron. Close lid of waffle iron.

4. Bake about 5 minutes or until steaming stops. (I simply had to wait for my waffle maker to BEEP!!)

5. Carefully remove waffle. Serve immediately. Top with fresh berries. Repeat with remaining batter.

I promise that you will continue to make waffles on a regular basis as the Breville No Mess Waffle Maker really delivers.

P.S. Now it’s time for me to host a brunch with a Waffle Bar. I’m already thinking about the topping options – whipped cream, strawberries, blueberries,  raspberries, banana chips, nutella, chocolate chips, chopped pecans etc. OH MY!!

Disclosure: The waffle maker was provided to me, however all opinions are my own

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