The post Why You Should Use Canadian Ingredients For Your Next Recipe appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>As a discerning home chef, you want to source the very best of ingredients for your next dish to impress and nourish your friends and family. You want to be proud of the food you put on your table and present to your guests. You can wow them with exotic finds from all the corners of the earth, but it turns out you don’t have to venture far from home to find what you need to make your next dinner party a success. Why use Canadian ingredients for your next recipe? These are a few reasons:
Give the planet a break. Food that doesn’t have to travel as far has less of an impact on the atmosphere, climate change and contributes fewer pollutants to the air we breathe. You can reduce your carbon footprint by choosing Canadian ingredients when you prepare your next culinary masterpiece at home.
When you buy food grown in Canada, you are doing your part in supporting the Canadian economy. You are putting money in the pockets of Canadian farmers, Canadian truckers, Canadian feed stores and Canadian families. Buying Canadian is a great way to give back to your community and support the people in your own neighbourhood.
Behind every one of Agropur’s Canadian products is a cooperative of passionate and committed dairy producers. These products taste like home. You can wander the entire earth and find beautiful places, but like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz says, “There’s no place like home.” There’s no taste like home, either. Taste for yourself.
Reduce your carbon footprint, contribute to the Canadian economy and add local flavour by choosing Canadian ingredients for your next recipe. It’s as simple as that. Now, go make something to be proud of that tastes like home!
Our friends at Agropur sponsored this post but we agree with supporting Canada by enjoying delicious dairy products that taste like home. You can find them on Facebook and Twitter.
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]]>The post Tropical Green Juice appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>Ingredients
1 handful parsley
1 handful mint
3 – 4 kale leaves
1 lime, zest removed but leave as much pith (the white stuff in between the skin and the fruit) as possible
1/2 pineapple, peeled
1 green apple, cored
Directions
Feed fruits and vegetables through your juicer. I have an Omega J8006 which is a masticating juicer so I do my herbs first, followed by leafy greens and citrus, and I leave my hardest fruits and veg for the end to sort of “clean” as much out of the machine as possible.
Serve over ice. Makes two juices (quantity varies because of natural products).
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]]>The post Focus And Clarity In A Mug appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>As someone who deals with chronic pain, cares for two small kids, and is growing a business where I work from home, my brain is taxed to the limit. It takes laser focus to get through all that stuff with a smile on my face and the kids by my side. So many days I have just wished that things would come easy, just this once. I am thankful to be so busy, but I need a little kick in the morning to get through everything on my to-do list. Or even to make a teeny-tiny dent.
Bulletproof Coffee in my cup gives many, many kicks to get me moving. I’m moving on my business goals, I’m moving on my mommy goals and I’m even moving on my blogging goals. I even got my husband to switch over from the “dark side” (coffee with a gallon of milk and sugar.)
At the best of times I need an extra boost. This past few weeks have been even more full than usual, between planning my daughter’s winter birthday party and the Christmas tree needing a makeover. Beyond that, there’s the shopping and all of the events that come along with being a blogger at Christmas time. Events are like tinsel, bright and shiny but so tightly scheduled they get stuck together. This is prime time, baby.
How ever was I going to get it all done? I’m tired, I’m sore, I’m cranky and to be honest it all felt a bit much. Enter Bulletproof Coffee to save the day. Santa’s sleigh is pulled by 8 tiny reindeer, and my holiday season is pulled by the contents of my coffee mug. What the heck is this stuff, you ask?
Bulletproof Coffee is Upgraded Coffee blended with grass-fed unsalted butter & Brain Octane Oil. It’s also low toxin, high performance & full of healthy fats to fuel me. It’s a way better energy source than sugar because you don’t crash. But what about the low-toxin part? Well, low-quality beans can actually contain mould. Gross. Upgraded Coffee beans are certified clean so you don’t have to worry about that. Thank goodness. I’ve got enough to worry about!
All that energy did me well. I decorated the Christmas tree with my family and I blogged all the blogs and wrote all the plans and wrangled all the kids and planned the most exciting birthday party ever. I had my best week yet! I was proud of everything I had accomplished and I didn’t feel like I was treading water at a polar bear swim anymore. I really needed this confidence boost Bulletproof Coffee delivers.
I thought I was a bit old to still believe in magic, but this season Bulletproof Coffee helped me believe in the magic of the season and in myself. That gift, my friend, is priceless. It turns out I really needed to give myself a break – a coffee break.
I’m so glad the rain (and brain fog) is gone and I can see clearly now. I’ve got Bulletproof Coffee in my mug and I can take on the world (even tinsel.)
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]]>The post West Coast Tuna Sliders and Salmon Cucumber Rolls appeared first on Creative Sides.
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St. Jean’s has been an important part of my family’s table for many years. They still process all the fish my dad catches and each time we travel to see my husband’s family in France, we stock up on cans of salmon and frozen filets and bring them as gifts. Canned Salmon as gifts, you say? Not Nanaimo Bars? Yes, it is a huge hit every year. Next year we’ll be bringing the dips and marinades.
After finding out St. Jean’s Cannery acquired Raincoast Trading in 2013 I was happy that the standards of sustainable catching (hook and line caught – no nets, yay dolphins!) and processing (these guys know their stuff) will continue to be top notch. All of their fish is sustainably sourced in the Pacific Northwest off the coast of BC. All wild – not farmed.
Raincoast Trading Tuna and Salmon is only cooked once during the canning process and there are no preservatives. It is not packed in water – just the fish and all of its natural oils and nutrients. This means the tuna provides as much as 8 times the Omega 3 Fatty Acids compared to other commercial brands. As for quality, open a can of salmon or tuna from a competitor brand and a can from Raincoast Trading and do a side by side comparison to see the difference – it’s striking.
Raincoast Trading products are available at most major grocery retailers in Canada as well as online at Amazon.ca
Disclaimer: Although this post has been generously sponsored and compensated by Raincoast Trading, the opinions and language are my own. If I would not serve it to my family, I would never suggest you serve it to yours.
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]]>The post Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>This Black Bean Sweet Potato soup is quick and easy to throw together, full of vitamins and minerals, and is comprised wholly of ingredients I always have in my pantry (a major win in my books). It can be jazzed up with shredded cheese and sour cream or left plain and simple. The recipe makes a lot but it freezes well.
A version of this post originally appeared on Hillary with 2 Ls.
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]]>The post Salmon with Avocado Dill Yogurt Sauce appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>Here on the West Coast of Canada, there are a few things we know to be true:
Some of our best and most memorable gatherings are planned at the last minute. Friends coming over? Put some ice in a bucket with your beverage of choice, throw a salmon on the BBQ and whip up this tasty sauce. This sauce is quicker to prepare than the salmon and is a crowd pleaser. It adds a lot of flavour and interest to a simple meal and it lets you spend more time with your friends than in the kitchen.
What’s the secret to this easy sauce? Olympic Natural Yogurt. I’ve raved about it before in my Coconut Lime Banana Bread recipe. I love it because it’s so versatile and can be used at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Does this make me a Yogurt Aficionado?
1 avocado
½ cup Olympic Natural Plain yogurt
3 tbsp dill (chopped)
1 clove garlic (pressed)
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
4 salmon fillets
1 tbsp olive oil
Cedar Plank or parchment lined baking tray
Avocado Dill Yogurt Sauce
Cedar Plank Salmon (Baked)
Cedar Plank Salmon (BBQ)
As mentioned in my previous post, Olympic products are made right here on the west coast in Delta, B.C. with 100% natural ingredients and fresh milk from cows who live close to their dairies. The milk has a shorter commute than my husband does to go to work. It’s that fresh!
Olympic’s packaging has a great new look and easily spotted in the grocery isle (as well as my fridge – my husband and I both went to the store and picked up yogurt last Tuesday without telling the other. I’ll be referencing these recipes over the next few weeks as I have approximately 3kg of yogurt in my fridge. Thank goodness it’s Back to School time!)
Disclaimer: Although this post has been generously sponsored by Olympic, the opinions and language are my own. If I would not serve it to my family, I would never suggest you serve it to yours.
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]]>The post Cold Brew Coffee appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>The weather is warming up which means it’s the season of flip-flops, late evening sunsets, and my favourite summer staple: cold brew coffee. Don’t confuse cold brew with iced coffee; this isn’t your traditionally brewed coffee poured over ice. Cold brew takes time and a little love but it’s worth the wait. Removing heat from the brewing process removes coffee’s acidity so you end up with a coffee concentrate that’s subtly sweet. It’s also ridiculously cheap to make so wave goodbye to your overpriced lattes and embrace the magic that is making a week’s worth of coffee for just a couple of bucks.
1 cup coarsely ground coffee
4 cups cold-to-room-temperature water
Pour 4 cups of (not hot) water into a container that gives you a bit of stirring room at the top once you add your coffee. Sprinkle coffee over the top and give your mixture a gentle stir to incorporate your grounds and make sure they aren’t dry. Cover container with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for 12 – 24 hours.
Strain mixture through cheesecloth or a very fine sieve. Cover tightly and store in the fridge.
This makes approximately 3-3/4 cups of coffee concentrate. Serve over ice with water or milk, depending on how you like your brew. I’m a fan of a 1:1 coffee concentrate to water ratio with a healthy splash of cream and a dash of maple syrup but half the fun is playing around with ratios and additions to find your perfect cup o’ (cold) joe.
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]]>The post Apricot Glazed Pork Kebabs appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>If you are planning to make this meal to freeze, follow the recipe below but mix the pork AND the peppers in with the marinade. Then, once you have threaded the skewers, my secret tip is to seal them individually with GLAD® Press’n Seal. I lay out a sheet (textured side up) that is twice as long as the skewers plus an extra inch. Then I lay 3-4 skewers side by side, leaving an inch between each skewer, plus an inch on either end. I fold the sheet length wise overtop of the pork kebabs and run my finger along each edge to seal. Then I run a finger in between each kebab to seal them off individually and voilà! No more fighting with kebabs that are stuck together! You can place each packet into a GLAD® Freezer Bag and you’re good to go.
One thing to note: some people prefer their kebabs with extra crisp vegetables. If this is you, I would recommend freezing meat-only kebabs, and making separate vegetable kebabs the same day you’ll be eating them. If you’re not so picky about the texture of the vegetables, or like them a bit softer, you’re good to freeze.
To cook, thaw the pork kebabs overnight in the refrigerator, or for a few hours on the counter. Then grill away!
All on the table disclaimer: Although this post has been generously sponsored by GLAD®, the opinions and language are my own. If I would not use it with my family, I would never suggest you use it with yours. Read our full disclosure statement here.
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]]>The post 3 Tips For Quick & Effective Meal Planning For Busy Families appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>As our own schedule has gotten more and more hectic, I’ve realized that planning ahead and being more organized is the only thing to stop the trend of shrinking wallets and expanding waistlines. Before you write this off as something you can’t manage, understand that I am the QUEEN of procrastination. Especially when it comes to my home, I really have a mental block against organization and preparedness. But when I was left with no choice, I found it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had feared. Here’s what I learned:
This works in 2 ways. First off, there is no sense in buying a bunch of new ingredients when you can use what’s already at home. Before you start meal planning, make a sweep of your fridge, freezer and cupboards to see what you’re starting with. Secondly, plan your menu around several key ingredients. You don’t want every meal to be exactly the same, but having some overlapping ingredients means you can save time in prep and potentially save money in bulk purchasing as well. In my meal plan for this week I used chicken and peppers in many of my meals, but the overall menu is anything but boring. Flipp is a great app that lets you search by ingredient and helps you find low prices and great sales at nearby grocery stores. I do all my meal planning with it!
It may seem like a no brainer, but don’t forget to plan your storage. There’s nothing worse than spending the time to plan and prep a week’s worth of meals only to find you don’t have enough containers or space to store it all! Additionally, take some time to think through where everything is going to be stored. Will it be in the freezer or fridge? Not only do you need to make sure you have the space AND the right type of storage container for the location, but you also need to think about how your fresh ingredients will keep until you use them. I always knew certain foods needed to be stored in specific ways, but I could never remember the details. I printed out this handy reference page below and stuck it to my fridge so I don’t forget again! There’s nothing sadder than throwing out food before you have a chance to eat it.
There is almost always a use for every bit of food you’re cooking with. I have a container in the freezer where I toss my strawberry greens, and any fruit that is less than awesome for eating fresh and use them whenever I make a smoothie. I also have an ongoing collection of chicken and beef bones, along with less than fresh veggies in my freezer (I know, it sounds kind of creepy), and whenever it’s full, I toss it in my slow cooker with water and a ton of fresh herbs and make a delicious homemade broth! Point is, before you toss it, think if there’s another way to use it.
These are the tips that keep me sane, plus save me time and money when I’m doing my meal planning. Even if you’re hesitant like I was, I encourage you to give it a try and see how it goes. I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised. There is NOTHING better then coming home at the end of a long day and having dinner all ready to go with minimal work on your part.
To get you started I’ve got a super simple, SUPER TASTY recipe that you can include in your first weekly meal plan. Check out this Apricot Glazed Pork Kebabs recipe, and get planning! If you’re stuck for other ideas, find more recipes here.
If you’re in need of storage solutions, I’m a big fan of GLAD®’s line up of food storage products that make my meal planning so much easier. I love their Deep Dish and Large FreezerWare™ containers for my main meals and the Press’n Seal wrap is my go-to when I’m portioning off individual things to be frozen, like my kebabs, or super saucy meat portions. They also are a great resource for tips and tricks to help your keep your food fresher, longer!
All on the table disclaimer: Although this post has been generously sponsored by GLAD®, the opinions and language are my own. If I would not use it with my family, I would never suggest you use it with yours. Read our full disclosure statement here.
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]]>The post Toasted Coconut Lime Banana Bread #OlympicDairyGood appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>Being married to a Frenchman, yogurt is a must have in our house. Walking the grocery aisle in France, it’s quite impressive to see the selection of yogurt available. In Canada, the entire aisle devoted to the many options of chips and pop/soda available has the same square footage devoted to the different kinds of yogurt. I’ll take a picture on my trip this summer and post it for you; it’s quite something to see!
Here at home in British Columbia, we are surrounded by an abundance of farms, so we try to eat fresh, local ingredients whenever possible. A few great farm to table recipes can be found here.
I was happy to hear that Olympic Dairy products are made close to home in Delta, BC and made from 100% natural ingredients. We regularly stock our fridge with Olympic Krema Greek Style Thick & Rich Yogurt and the larger tubs of Olympic Organic Probiotic Yogurt. They are handy for lunches, and my little ones can help themselves from the fridge in the morning (especially on Saturdays when morning cartoons are on – thank you Olympic for those precious extra minutes to sleep in!)
One of our favourite family recipes is Toasted Coconut Lime Banana Bread. I must warn you though… be prepared to have the entire loaf disappear as if by magic. I have never had a loaf last more than 3 hours in our house. It’s that good!
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4-1 cup sugar
1/4 cup softened unsalted butter
1/4 cup Olympic Organic Probiotic Vanilla Yogurt
1 to 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (approx 3 bananas)
3 tbsp applesauce or apple juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1-2 tbsp coconut to sprinkle on top of bread
Glaze:
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice (approx 1 lime; you may substitute store-bought lime or lemon juice if needed)
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare your loaf pan by cutting out a piece of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of the pan.
Step 2: In a shallow baking/cookie pan spread the coconut. Place in preheating oven for a few minutes often checking to make sure it does not burn. The coconut is ready once it is pale to golden brown.
Step 3: Mix flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
Step 4: Beat together eggs, butter, and sugar on medium speed for 1 minute. If your butter isn’t softened stick in the microwave for 5 seconds at a time. Don’t let the butter melt!
Step 5: Add Olympic Organic Probiotic Vanilla Yogurt, bananas, applesauce, vanilla, ½ cup toasted coconut and mix until well blended.
Step 6: Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just blended.
Step 7: Pour mixture into your prepared loaf pan and top with 1-2 tbsp of coconut.
Step 8: Place in preheated 350° oven for approximately 1 hour.
Step 9: Prepare the glaze while your loaf is baking. Whisk together lime juice with ½ cup of icing sugar. You want a slightly runny consistency. Add more icing sugar or lime juice as needed.
Step 10: When your loaf is done, place on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Do not let it cool completely! Remove the loaf from the pan and place on a cooling rack with a plate or pan underneath. Drizzle the glaze over the top and let it drip over the sides.
Step 11: Slice and enjoy!
You could also substitute with Olympic’s refreshingly smooth NEW Vanilla Kefir. Kefir is a probiotic, fermented milk that contains 2 billion probiotics (per 250 ml) and is great for a healthy digestive flora. Olympic Kefir is organic, contains 10 different bacterial cultures and is low fat with only 1% M.F. The Olympic Organic Kefir also can be found in plain or strawberry flavour.
Disclaimer: Although this post has been generously sponsored by Ultima Foods, the opinions and language are my own. If I would not serve it to my family, I would never suggest you serve it to yours.
The post Toasted Coconut Lime Banana Bread #OlympicDairyGood appeared first on Creative Sides.
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