Easy Kids New Year's Eve Party

With jacked up parking,  club admission and military like police patrols, there is no better place to celebrate the new year than at home with the little ones.

Check out these inexpensive, easy to recreate ideas that are sure to please your crew.

Party hats

Top your heads with sparkly, shiny top hats to set the mood.

Table decorations

Pick a color theme (I chose silver) and purchase recycleable plates, cups and champagne glasses for a fancy fun setting.

Silly strings, funny glasses & noise makers

Tune into the live from time square show, pop on your awesome glasses & blow your noise maker! Don't worry about the neighborhood, it's New Year's Eve!

Cake! Well why not, blow out a candle in celebration of the new year while popping bottles of sparkling grape juice!

Veggies and dip are a nutritious and delicious party staple that shouldn't be forgotten.

Honey-chili meatballs, sticky, sweet and savory. A kids favorite and definitely parent approved. Leftovers make for great sandwiches next day.

No better way to get the family closer than a giant share platter of nachos, salsa and guacamole!

The perfect finish, crispy golden cinnamon bun fries drizzled with icing!

Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think.

Happy New Year and blessings to you and yours ❤️

How to make salmon

Ingredients:

Salmon fillets
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat a non-stick skillet on medium high heat.

Season the top side of the salmon fillets and gently place into pan.

Season the other side with more salt and pepper.

Cook for 3-4 minutes or until edges are beginning to brown and then flip over.

Cook an additional 2-3 minutes and then remove from the pan and set aside.

Let the salmon rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe can be used for as many portions as desired.

Here are video instructions:

How to make French toast

It's the weekend! So you have a few extra minutes to prepare a special breakfast for those you love.  Try this quick, easy and delicious recipe for French toast, it's a classic that won't disappoint!

Ingredients:
8 slices of bread
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp butter

Maple syrup, strawberries and whipped cream


Instructions:

Preheat Oster non-stick skillet to 300 degrees or non-stick pan to medium heat

Add butter to pan and allow to melt completely

In a shallow bowl, whisk eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla until combined.

Dip bread into mixture making sure both sides are well coated.

Place coated bread into skillet and cook until lightly browned (approximately 2-3 minutes)

Flip bread over gently and cook on other side an additional minute or two.

Serve immediately topped with whipped cream, strawberries and maple syrup.

Recipe yields 4 servings.

Italian white wine - The Unadvertised Winner

October 31, 2016 - Roy Thomson Hall - Toronto, ON
Italian Trade Commission - Master Class 2016
By Fire & Sea - A Tasting of Wines From Italy
 

I began the tasting with a diverse assortment of rich red wines from the Puglia, Calabria and Sicilian regions of Italy.  Although I could go on for days about the reds, the new flavors and perfume like aromas I discovered by trying grapes grown in rare climates like at the base of volcanoes.  I feel like everyone knows Italy produces amazing red wine. So this time I think it far more interesting to tell you about how surprised I was about the unbelievable quality of their white wine production.

On a day to day basis it is easy to say that I prefer to drink white wine.  The rich concentrated color of these red wines sure was beautiful, just not on my teeth or my clothes, so for vanities sake, for me anyways, usually white is right. In past, I have always preferred the flavors of whites from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Unbeknownst to me the light, fruity and fresh flavors I crave could be further magnified with the calcium rich, chalky, clay soil used to grow these Italian Bad Boys.

So next time you head out to the liquor store, pick yourself up a bottle of Italian white wine and start your own winecation.  Here are some  Italian whites that I would recommend as a perfect stand alone drink or to go with chicken or seafood:

$21 - Vermenti - Bolgheri DOC - 2015 - Very fresh and light with tons of bright citrus aroma.  Balanced acidity with fruity flavor and good length.

$27 - Alois Lageder - Pinot Bianco 2015 -  Brightly colored, light, fruity, palate awakening.  

$31 - Colli di Lapio - Fiano di Avellino DOCG - 2014 - Ripe summer fruit and floral aroma, rich full body with excellent length, soft fresh flavor.

How to cook rice

Always tasty, yet often over complicated!
Making rice is so easy to make and once you know how, it will surely become one of your go-to side dishes of choice.

Ingredients: may vary depending on variety of rice so check your package for the correct rice to water ratio*

1 cup parboiled rice, rinsed
2.5 cups water
Pinch salt

Instructions:

Combine ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer until the rice has completely absorbed the water.

Remove from heat and gently fluff rice with a fork and serve.

Check out this video for visual instructions!

Pascual Toso celebrates 125th Anniversary in Toronto

Fabulous Faith at Pascual Toso 125th Anniversary celebration in Toronto

Toronto, ON - October 12, 2016

The National Club, located in the financial district of downtown Toronto. Traditionally filled with the upper echelon of Toronto's business community, today hosted Argentinian winery Pascual Toso.

Pascual Toso's current Winemaker Felipe Stahlschmidt, described his expansive vineyard that features a variety of altitudes and soil types offering the ability to produce a variety of high quality grapes. With over 300 acre's and over 40 lots of various Malbec and Cabernet grapes, Argentina's warm Climate affords a long ripening season allowing for a diverse variety of flavors to develop.  

Beginning in the 1890s, Italian immigrant Pascual Toso stumbled upon Argentina's ideal climate for growing grapes and established his first winery in San Jose. Then later, at the beginning of the 20th century, he acquired further land and built another winery at his estate making Pascual Toso one of the oldest and most prestigious wineries in Argentina.

Unlike other wineries, Pascual Toso doesn't depend on recipes.  Their master wine makers taste the wine daily and decide when it's ready for market  and what quality has been created. Today, for this exclusive wine tasting event, we were delighted with a celebratory tasting of 12 varietals to mark the 125th Anniversary of their vineyard and award winning wines.  All of the Malbecs, Cabernet Sauvignons and red blends were lovely but here are my favorites:

Everyday wine - Pascual Toso Malbec Limited Edition

Made of 100% Malbec grapes aged in American Oak, this mid-weight flavorful wine exudes a sweet berry aroma.  Upon meeting your palate, you are greeted with a rich balanced peppery fruit flavor, followed with a clean berry finish that rolls right off your tongue.  At just $16 it's perfect for dinner tonight and everynight!

Special Occasion - Magdalena Toso - Ultra Premium Blend

Further to the above, it seems like I enjoy a lot of fruit flavors in my wine :) So this varietal was definitely the mack daddy of them all, like loaded with ripe juicy berry-plum flavor. It's rich and strong, like loads of tannins but unfortunately it's aged for 18 months in premium French Oak barrels in limited quantities which pushes the price point to up to $100 a bottle. Making it the perfect gift for the wine lover in your life, your boss you need to impress or a last minute gift for that special person in your life.  But that special person could be you too, I mean it's definitely going to be me on pay day.

Kale Salad & Kale Chips

Kale's everyone's new favorite super food. But let's face it, kale salads are usually unpalatable rabbit food or smothered in high fat dressing. Kale chips are everywhere these days but they are too expensive, especially when preparing fresh is so simple.

I picked up a giant bunch of red kale on sale at the market this week, as having greens on hand is the first step towards cooking them and being recently diagnosed with P.C.O.D. I am trying to make the drastic changes required to balance my hormones naturally. So having a giant bunch of kale staring at me everytime I open the fridge is the reminder that I need that eating healthy is just a few chops away.

So on to the food.  I felt like asian flavors so I created these delicious and healthful recipes that are easy to prepare and can be stored for up to a week.

Asian Kale Salad

Ingredients:
3 cups finely chopped kale
1 cup finely chopped cabbage
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of roasted sesame seeds

Dressing (prepared asian sesame or peanut would work well if you don't have the time!)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon miso paste
1 tablespoon tamari
Splash mirin
Splash pineapple juice
Splash sesame oil
Pinch garlic powder
Pinch onion powder
Pinch ground ginger

Instructions:

Combine dressing ingredients in the bottom of a large bowl and whisk until combined.

Add the other ingredients and toss until coated.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.


Kale chips

Ingredients:

3 cups roughly chopped kale leaves
2 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce)
3 tablespoons sesame oil
Pinch granulated garlic

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Toss ingredients until the kale is evenly coated and layer onto a baking sheet.

Turn the broiler on the lowest setting and bake for 10 minutes and then check to see if the kale leaves and dry and crispy. If not return to oven for a few more minutes and then check again.

Allow to cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

Kidney bean salad

Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Here is a super easy, healthful and flavorful salad filled with Texmex inspiration.

Kidney bean salad recipe

Ingredients:
1 (796 ml) can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed.
1/2 cup diced English cucumber
1/2 cup frozen kernels, thawed
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup diced sweet red pepper
1/4 cup roughly chopped parsley

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
Pinch oregano, salt, pepper and sugar
1/2 clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard


Instructions:

Combine dressing ingredients in serving bowl, whisk until smooth.

Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat.

Allow to marinate at least 30 minutes before serving.

Recipe yields 4 side dish size servings or 2 entree portions.

Tex Mex couscous salad recipe

Tex-mex couscous salad

After the gym I needed some good carbs to soothe my yoga pains. Enter couscous and a ton of healthy Texmex flavor!  Check out this perfect stand alone or side dish tonight, you won't be disappointed!

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked couscous, Israeli or large grain
1\2 an avocado, slice
1\2 small tomato, sliced
1\4 cup each black beans & corn kernels
A few slices of onion
A black and green olive, pitted and chopped
A sprinkle of Natera Life Himalayan Sea salt hemp seeds
A sprinkle of Cayenne

Dressing:
Juice of half lemon
Drizzle of olive oil

Instructions:

In a small bowl combine ingredients and stir gently

Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes before eating

Recipe yields two side or one entree serving

Prep time 5 minutes

Chick pea salad with sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts

Spring has sprung so I thought it about time to introduce a new healthy easy to prepare salad recipe.  Introducing this new vegan chick pea salad with sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts.  Loaded with flavor and light on your waistline.

Chick pea salad with sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts recipe

Ingredients:

1 can chick peas (580ml or close)

4 sundried tomatoes, chopped

4 artichoke hearts, chopped

1 plum tomato, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

Dressing:

2 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp. Olive oil

2 tbsp. Olive from artichoke hearts

Instructions:

Combine dressing ingredients in bottom of a large bowl and whisk until combined

Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine

Refrigerate for an hour or two to allow for flavors to combine

Recipe yields 4 - 6 servings 

How to make vegan tacos!

Vegan tacos recipe

Tacos, one of man's greatest creations. The options are endless, unfortunately mostly for meat eaters. So I introduce you to my roasted butternut squash and potato tacos, easy to recreate even on the fussiest night of the week.

Oh and they are so delicious, you won't even miss the meat!

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped, peeled butternut squash
1 potato peeled and chopped
1 package Taco seasoning (as hipster friendly as possible)
1 tbsp. Oregano (preferably Mexican)
Some slices of onion (like a handful)
A pinch of salt and pepper
4 tbsp. Oil (coconut or olive)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place the squash, potato and onion in an oven safe dish

Add the rest of the ingredients

Mix it up so everything is well coated

Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes or until brown around the edges

I served mine with guac and some lightly dressed zingy cabbage but you can add we whatever you like! Dairy fans would love some zesty vegan cheese :)

Enjoy!

Easy, Cheesy jalapeño cornbread muffins

Who doesn't want fresh, hot bread with their meal?  These easy, comforting little quick breads are ready in minutes and perfect anytime of day!

Ingredients:
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. Brown sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1 tbsp. Baking powder
1 egg
1 1\2 cups milk
1\2 cup melted butter
1\4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 tbsp. Finely chopped jalapeño

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Combine dry ingredients (first 5) in a large bowl and stir until combined

Make a well in the center and add the egg, milk and butter.  Mix in the well until the egg is broken and then combine with dry ingredients.

Stir until well blended and then ntly stir in cheese and jalapeño

Scoop 1\3 of a cup batter into well oiled muffin tin

Bake for 15-20 minutes

Recipe yields 8 muffins

Homemade pita chips

Pita bread it's delicious and perfect for stuffing with just about anything. Unfortunately, after a few days it's not so plyable and becomes unappealing. The solution pita chips!

I love bagged please pita chips but they are over priced this 5 minute alternative can be easily and quickly prepared for your snack or party anytime!

Homemade Pita Chips Recipe

Ingredients:

Pita bread
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper


Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Rip pita bread into bite sized pieces

Drizzle with olive oil

Sprinkle with salt & pepper

Bake for 5 - 7 minutes or until the edges of the chips are golden brown

Takes less than 10 minutes total and you get these!

Homemade pita chips 

Five Dollar Friday! Spaghetti and meatballs for under $5!

Stumbled upon these awesome cheat meatballs in the grocery store and thought what and perfect weeknight dinner idea!

Not big into the texture of traditional frozen meatballs but these ones are fresh/frozen raw so it's the closet to homemade that I have seen.

Paired with some of my price matched pantry staples, dinner for the kids was ready in under 30 minutes and very well received.

Here's a photo of what I used to create this easy, delicious and budget friendly supper!

Five Dollar Spaghetti and Meatballs

Homemade Healthy Chocolate Bar Recipe

Every month I get a sharp pang in my sweet tooth begging for a dose of chocolate.  Lucky science gave us the wonderful news that dark chocolate is actually good for you, how exciting is it to think of chocolate as a healthy snack!

This quick and easy recipe will give you a sweet, delicious box full of healthy nutrients your mouth will totally accept as junk food.

Homemade Healthy Chocolate Bar

Ingredients:

1 cup dark chocolate melting wafers
5 slices candied ginger
5 Brazil nuts

Instructions:

Place chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for one minute

Stir gently until smooth

Chop ginger in a small dice and Brazil nuts into small pieces

Arrange a sheet of foil on a flat surface and pour chocolate into center

Smooth gently until one centimeter thick

Sprinkle ginger and Brazil nuts over the chocolate

Fold foil in half so that all of the nuts are covered with chocolate

Place flat in  freezer for 30 minutes

Remove and peel back top layer of foil

Break into bite sized pieces and enjoy or pack up in a cute box for the perfect gift!


Check out some video instructions if you need:

Vegan Superbowl Menu

Click here for the deets!

Vegan Superbowl Menu

Roast Kabocha Squash Recipe by Fabulous Faith

If you haven't heard of Kabocha squash before you are in for a treat!  This sweet, fluffy Japanese squash is not only delicious but loaded with vitamins and nutrients.

The flavor and texture are a cross between yam and pumpkin making Kabocha squash perfect for soups, stews, desserts or as a stand alone super food side dish like:

Roast Kabocha Squash by Fabulous Faith

Roast Kabocha Squash

Ingredients:

1 Kabocha Squash

As required:
Raw Coconut Oil
Cinnamon
Sea Salt
Black Pepper


Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cut the Kabocha squash in half and remove the seeds and discard

Cut into large wedges and place on a baking sheet

With the back of a spoon, schmear each segment with coconut oil

Sprinkle salt, pepper and cinnamon generously over the segments

Place the tray into the oven and bake for 30 - 45  minutes or until fork tender

Recipe yields 4 - 6 servings

Vegan Italian Pasta Salad Recipe - by Fabulous Faith

Vegan Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

1 - 375g package of whole wheat pasta shells, cooked as per package directions
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup diced cucumber
1/4 cup pitted, diced olives (kalamata or similar preferred)
1/8 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
Bunch fresh basil, torn
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. oregano
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Combine warm pasta and remaining ingredients in large bowl

Allow to chill until cool in refrigerator

Serve when chilled or can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance

Recipe yields 4 - 6 servings

Diet Friendly Burger by Fabulous Faith

Today I was craving a burger so badly!  But it's January and I am trying to adhere to my New Year's resolution of eating better.  So I headed to the kitchen and concocted possibly the healthiest burger known to man!

Served on the legendary Ezekiel Bread made by Toronto's Own Sha Sha Bakery Co. and featuring Sol Cuisine Sprouted Quinoa & Chia Burgers these burgers pack a serious nutritional punch.  So here's the 411...

What you need:

A package of Sol Cuisine Spouted Quinoa & Chia burgers (because you will make more after!)
2 Slices of Ezekiel Bread per burger

Toppings:
A few tablespoons of hummus (homemade preferably)
A few slices of tomato
A few sliced pickled jalapeno (totally optional)
A sprig of Kale
1/4 cup of thinly sliced cabbage mixed with a splash red wine vinegar and salt

What to do:

Put the burger or burgers a non-stick pan over high heat and add a splash of cooking oil

Put the bread in the toaster and assemble the remaining toppings

Flip the burger over when you see the sides starting to brown

Arrange the toppings on the toasted bread and when the burger is ready put it on top and serve

Recipe takes around 10 minutes to prepare and serves one

World's Healthiest Burger