I’ve interviewed an NHL Hockey Player before, but never interviewed a Chef till today!!

I put together a few questions for CHEF IVAN FLOWERS  (also known as the “Biker Chef) who brings 25 years of fine cuisine experience as Executive Chef at Top of The Market in San Diego.

Chef Ivan Flowers is in Toronto, as he will be joining forces with Paul Boehmer, owner of Boehmer Restaurant to collaborate on a Mediterranean style meat extravaganza for a U-Feast event that is being held tonight (June 18) at Boehmer (93 Ossington).

Both Paul and Ivan are biker enthusiasts and will be joined by comedian and radio host Mike Bullard (also a biker enthusiast) as the MC for the evening. Sounds like a fun evening, non?

Here’s a synopsis of my interview:

Question: How many bikes do you own?

Chef Flowers: Only one.

Question: What type of bike do you own?

Chef Flowers: A Harley!

Question: Do you have a favorite cookbook?

Chef Flowers: No I don’t use any cookbooks.

Question: Do you miss NY?

Chef Flowers: I do not miss NY. It was nice when it was diverse but it’s not like that anymore.

Question: Favorite food to eat after a day riding your motorcycle?

Chef Flowers: A sandwich!!

Question: What inspires you to cook?

Chef Flowers: I love to feed people!

Question: Favorite place to travel?

Chef Flowers: Greece (especially the island of Paros)

Question: Poutine..yay or nay?

Chef Flowers: YAY.

Question: When was the last time you were in Toronto?

Chef Flowers: Back in the 1980’s

As you can see, I like to keep my interviews short and sweet.!!

Please keep in mind that U-Feast brings together food lovers who are looking for an alternative to traditional restaurant dining with top chefs, restaurants and wineries.

They offer an experience for those people who are searching for more than just good food – but are looking for “experiential” social dining!

NOTE: Tickets are still available for tonights collaborative dinner!!

For more information:

Website: www.U-Feast.com

Twitter: @U-Feast

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

I’m pretty excited about the 2015 Pan Am Games for several reasons.

a) Believe or not, I’m a torch bearer. I think I saw a link to apply on twitter or facebook and applied on a whim. Sure enough – I was selected!! You can find me on July 7th at noon somewhere between 1470 Gerrard St East and 270 Coxwell. It’s a short run (250 meter) but it sure will be a memorable one!!

b) I will also be attending the opening ceremonies of the PanAm Games as a guest of McKesson Canada, through their atoma brands. They are one of the sponsors of the 2015 Pan Am/ParaPan Games and I’ve been fortunate enough to be selected as one of their Blogger Ambassadors. (pinch me, please).

For over 100 years, McKesson Canada has been the logistics and distribution leader in the Canadian healthcare sector. Their atoma brand is the private label brand of the IDA, Guardian, MSC and PROXIM retail pharmacies in Canada.

Therefore over the next few weeks, you will be noticing a few blog posts that will be associated with the 2015 Pan Am Games. Look out for a contest with atoma products, an interview with Mark Oldershaw (who is a Canadian Sprint Canoeist) and more!

 Mark is one of the five athletes that McKesson Canada is supporting on their journey to the Games. (The others include Jennifer Abel, Ryan Cochrane, Ellie Black and David Willsie).

I hope you are as excited as me about the 2015 PanAm Games!

In the meantime, you can start to follow me on twitter using (@momwhoruns) and look out for this hashtag too….#atomaPanAm K? Also, please take a peek at this fantastic contest that atoma is running. Click here!! This is one contest that you don’t want to miss!!

Disclosure: I have been compensated to participate as an ambassador however all opinions are my own.

I discovered a few new things last week, which I would like to share with you.

1. JURASSIC WORLD: This is the perfect summer movie. I’m not saying its going to win any Academy Awards but it will certainly entertain you. After the movie, make sure you head to Dairy Queen to grab a Jurassic Smash Blizzard.  (Peanut Butter Cookies, chocolate chip cookie dough, peanut butter, and choco chunks blended with creamy vanilla soft serve)

2. HONDA INDY TORONTO: I had never been to a racing event of any nature before, but now I know why people love attending this event. All I can say is “see you next year at the races” (with ear plugs). LOL

3. BEAN AND BAKER MALT SHOP: (327 Harbord St.) This adorable shop just opened a few weeks ago and is Toronto’s only fountain soda malt shop! I had a spectacular cherry pie but I know I will be returning for a float one day soon and/or one of their milkshakes.

4. SAMSUNG SUHDTV just launched a new TV with 60 x more colour. Seriously, this TV is brilliant (sorry for the pun) and delivers “colour” like never before. PS this photo was taken with my new Samsung S6 #justsayin’

5. Lastly, I discovered that I really like “plating” food!

Do you have any “discoveries” you would like to share? Please do!

I had some company over on Friday night for dinner and I have to admit – the meal was divine. I served one main course and three salads plus dessert. Right now, I feel like I need to share one particular salad recipe with you STAT.

This Thai Crunch Brussels Sprout recipe was worth all the chopping and all the ingredients. TRUST ME. LOL

Thai Crunch Brussel Sprout Salad (taken from a fantastic blog that I subscribe to..Sweet Eats)

Happy Cooking.

 

Today, Aroma Espresso Bar introduced a nutritious AND delicious new salad made with Freekeh!

I had never heard of this  ancient Middle Eastern grain before but rumour has it that its the next trendy superfood. This salad will now be available to health-conscious consumers as new salad at aroma espresso bar.

I had the chance to try it last week and I loved it. Then again, I love all the salads at Aroma! This particular salad agreed with me, due to the lemony dressing and the dollop of labneh cheese with za’atar sprinkled on top. Other ingredients in this salad include: black quinoa, and brown rice blended with organic baby kale, tomato, cucumber, carrot, pickle, red onion, and parsley!

“The 28 aroma espresso bar locations across Toronto and GTA stores are the first among the global chain’s 165 locations to carry the signature salad, which could be adapted in other countries based on Torontonian’s reactions. #verykewl

Freekeh Facts:

• A flavourful ancient whole grain used for centuries throughout the Middle East, freekeh is made from fire-roasted wheatberries
• The word freekeh comes from the Arabic faraka referring to the wheat-roasting process
• High in protein
• High in calcium
• High in wholegrain fibre (up to four times the fibre of brown rice)
• Low glycemic index
• Rich in probiotic properties
• Low in carbohydrates
• Slightly sweet, nutty taste
• Vegetarian
• Kosher
• Not gluten-free

Hope you get a chance to try it soon. I have no doubt that this new salad is going to be a hit with their customers.

For more information:

Website: www.aroma.ca

Twitter: @aromaespresso

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

Disclosure: I was invited to a media event however all opinions are my own

I’ve just returned from the 2015 President’s Choice® Summer Retreat. To say that I was spoiled rotten would be an understatement. I was well fed and well taken care of!

To begin with the retreat took place in a spectacular 18,000 sqf “cottage” that was situated on Lake Rosseau. Yes – that’s right, 18,000 square feet!

When I walked into my room there were no fewer than 3 bags of goodies waiting for me:

1. a personalized outfit from Joe Fresh

2. Sun Bum Sun Care products from Shoppers Drug Mart

3. Products from Real Canadian Superstore® including some fun PC®  products (animal baking tray, waffle maker from Everyday Essentials, napkins and more)

When  I woke up in the morning there was an incredible spread that featured sweet AND savoury waffles, fruit and more. Chef Andrea Buckett ensured that we started off our day on the right foot with a solid breakfast.

I especially loved this PC®  Pineapple Kale Smoothie that I had never tried before.

After breakfast, we were treated to a relaxing yoga session on the lawn. My Bad…I only took a photo and didn’t participate!

For lunch, there was a tasty BBQ….seriously no one was hungry. I was in condiment heaven!!

Naturally in the afternoon, I relaxed on the dock with my favorite beer that I purchase all the time – the PC® 2.5 Carb beer.

There were certainly no shortage of magazines to read or snacks!! I must admit – I was in heaven!

Here’s one of the recipes that was used over the weekend that I really enjoyed:

RECIPE: Cauliflower and Sweet Pea Salad

1 bag PC® Frozen Cauliflower, thawed

2 cups PC® Frozen Peas

1 cup thinly sliced celery

1 cup thinly sliced radish

2 tbsp chopped tarragon or dill

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp sea salt

Dressing:

1 tbsp PC® whole grain Dijon Mustard

3 tbsp PC ®black label Honey & Ginger Condiment

4 tbsp PC® New World EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl

2. Whisk the ingredients for the dressing together

2. Pour dressing over vegetables and serve.

As you know, I’ve been along time fan of PC® products and gravitate toward them for their unique flavours and quality. I’m actually going to be posting a dessert using a few PC® products later this week so stay tuned. It’s a winner!!

Many thanks to the entire team at Citizen Relations and the team from Loblaws who worked really (really) hard to put this fantastic retreat together. I am truly grateful.

For more information:

President’s Choice: Twitter: @PresChoice, Instagram; @PresChoice Facebook: PresidentsChoice

Joe Fresh: Twitter: @JoeFresh, Instagram: @JoeFresh, Facebook: JoeFresh

 

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!!

 

See my smile? Well I’m smiling because I bought my condo!!

Here’s the story:

When I moved out of my matrimonial home, I rented a 2 bedroom HUGE apartment. However I was paying a lot of $$ and had ZERO amenities. (ie not even a balcony).

After 2 years, I decided to rent a condo a mile up the road that had: laundry ensuite, a 24 hour concierge, a beautiful outdoor poor, a gym, a guest suite, 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, a party room, a balcony, VIP cable for $6/month, and the perfect location…..plus I would be saving almost $300 a dollar a month.

Then in April 2015, I received an email from my landlord that she wanted to sell the condo and asked if I would be interested to buy it.  To be honest, I was happy to rent…. but I knew that it was time to buy so I replied that indeed I would be interested. We sat down to negotiate and before you knew it I was busy signing a lot of paperwork!!

Throughout the last 6 weeks, I was lucky to have two professionals guide me thru the process:

a) REMAX Realtor – Eric Potechin: (416 737 6782 or ericpotechin@gmail.com).

Eric guided the landlord and I – every step of the way! He patiently walked us thru the necessary forms and provided me with the information I needed in order to be a knowledgeable buyer.

If you are looking for a honest and competent real estate professional, please don’t hesitate to call him.

b) Get a Better Mortgage – Sharon Shilmover:  (647 389 9038 or email Shilmover.s@mortgagecentre.com or SShilmover@hotmail.com

With over 20 years of experience, Sharon knows her stuff. Again, Sharon was the type of professional who was extremely thorough and dedicated to her clients. I was extremely happy with the level of service I received and would strongly recommend her.

Now that I own my condo….I’m lifting the carpets STAT and by the end of the week, the condo will have gorgeous hardwood floors.

Can you say – time to decorate?

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

Here’s a round up of a few new places to check out. After all…it’s summer so it’s the perfect time to get out there and embrace the warmer temperatures and introduce your taste buds to some new restaurants:

a) BareBurger: This is a hot hamburger chain in NYC that has recently opened their first franchise in North America. #luckytoronto. Bareburgers’ menu embraces vegan and vegetarian menus. Observers of paleo and glutenfree and low carb diets: and of course, lovers of meat, game and poultry! They are also committed to organics.

What to try? Any of their salads, a hamburger (of course) and save room for their the ice cream sandwich for dessert!!

b) Booyah Ice Cream Parlor: This new ice cream parlour just opened and it’s a few blocks from Dutch Dreams. So if you ever see 50 people in line and don’t have time to wait – you should really walk one more block and try one of their ice cream sandwiches. I tried a GRAPE NUT ice cream sandwich and was a happy camper!!

c) ZaPizzeria: This new pizza restaurant has my name all over it. I simply fell in love with their Oh Canada Pizza! (maple syrup, bacon and potato chips). This combination of sweet/salty and crunchy is exactly the type of combination that I adore. However I sampled their entire menu and seriously they were all equally tasty!!

Disclosure: I was invited to media events at BareBurger and ZaPizzeria however all opinions are my own.

For more information:

Bare Burger, 111 Dundas St. W, Toronto (647 345 2273)

Booyah Ice Cream Parlor, 16 Vaughan Road., Toronto  647-347-2001.

ZaPizzeria,, 402 Bloor St. W, 647 345-9292