The Many Food Hats I Wear In The Name of Health and Fooducation...

I Love Food and that also includes a host of packaged and bottled products in the market that are more natural and developed with health and wellness in mind. As a seasoned food professional who has worked in R&D (Summersweet Fine Foods) creating entertaining products using high end gourmet ingredients (foie gras, shrimps and real crab meat), and in Kraft's Test Kitchen working with everyday convenient products, I have a strong understanding and appreciation for the wide-range of accessible premade goods. And how important sensory (taste #1- flavour and mouthfeel, texture, appearance and aroma) plays in enjoyment and repeat consumption, particularly in healthy-for-you foods. I am though, first and foremost a consumer, and with high expectations. Whether I am immersed in product development, recipe development or food product demos, I try to put myself in the shoes of the end user. What characteristics would I expect/want in this product/recipe? What makes it unique and stand out from the rest? How can I make this experiential and memorable for repeat customer uses/purchases? Most importantly, it's the story. How did this product originate- the back story, inspiration and journey to the product in my hands? 

Over the year, I have been conducting various food demos as a Wellness Ambassador for a creative agency LiveWell Marketing who are passionate for connecting brands and consumers in the pursuit of health and wellness. As a culinary instructor and food educator working with kids, youths and adults of all ages, being hands-on, and communicative are my essential tools. I really enjoy travelling around the city, meeting different people and sharing on food products from brands I feel good about and being a part of some AmaZing events. With so many different diet-restrictions on the rise, it keeps me abreast in learning about food alternatives, innovative healthy goods and services and adds to my overall food knowledge. To me it's learning the most I can, so I can continue to pay it forward in my every day interactions with people around food.

Here are some highlights of the great brands I have had the privilege of working with and repping for LiveWell:

Repping Bobo's for LiveWell Marketing.

Healthy Planet Scarborough 

I was very proud to be part of the final product testing process to launch two tasty bar products by Suzie's Good Fats Company renamed to Love Good Fats -- Peanut Butter Chocolatey and Coconut Chocolate Chip. In less than a year, they are smashing it as recipient to multiple retail and consumers choice awards. Their motto is "Fat is Back. Sugar is Out" and now with more flavours in their line-up including keto-diet plant-based snack bars peanut butter and jam and chocolate chip cookie dough. The story... A busy marketing exec, mom to two and a triathlete, Suzie developed health issues by neglecting good nutrition and avoiding fats. She then spent three years uncovering the truth about sugar and fats, which led her to create this ridiculously delicious line of snacks. Congrats Suzie... can't wait to see what other flavours and products you are working on!

The meticulous measuring, weighing and chocolate tempering.

The gorgeous handmade kitchen bar samples for a couple of food trade shows.

Bars to be foil packaged and sealed.

One of my first demos with LiveWell was with Daiya, a popular alternative to dairy-free products, and is also soy-free and gluten-free. I don't eat cheese, and I never buy cheesecake, but Daiya's cheezecake made with nutritious creamed coconut as their base,  especially key lime is addictively good. So deliciously rich and creamy, you won't know it's dairy-free. I would serve this as an indulgent treat once in a while. The story... Friends for over 20 years, Andre and Greg shared a passion for music, ideation and a plant-based lifestyle. The same passion inspired them to create a delicious dairy-free alternative made entirely from plants which started with Daiya Cheddar Style and Mozzarella Style Shreds debuted in 2009 at the Natural Products Expo West. Consumers raved- and plant-based dairy innovation changed forever.

I love Kind bars. So many combination of flavours in their chunky fruit, and nut bound with honey bar line-up and also in their pressed fruit category- with some veggies. How about pineapple banana kale spinach likened to a green smoothie in a bar? They are perfectly tote-convenient for a go-to quick but satisfying snack. The story... Daniel Lubetzky is on a mission to build bridges between people. He is the founder & CEO of KIND, a not-only-for-profit that makes delicious and nutritious snack foods. Drawing on his experiences in the food industry, Daniel recently founded an independent organization called Feed the Truth, which seeks to improve public health by making truth and transparency the foremost values in today’s food system.

At Whole Foods Markham

I really like the texture in this low cal pasta-alternative. NuPasta made from konjac root is a low cal, high fibre and gluten free alternative to regular pasta. Konjac, a plant that grows on slopes 2000 ft to 4000 ft above sea level mainly in Japan, Korea and China. You may heard of konnyaku and shirataki, which is very common in Asian cuisine. The texture is chewy and firm to the bite. NuPasta has reformulated konjac food to taste more like pasta, making it more accessible to the Canadian palate. Get this.... a full plate of regular cooked pasta (210 g) has about 300 calories and 2 grams of dietary fibre. The same amount of NuPasta contains 25 calories and 6 grams of dietary fibre, and is starch-free and gluten-free. It is shelf-stable at room temperature, requiring no refrigeration. Already precooked, there is no need to boil, just rinse with cold water and heat with your favourite sauce. I have a really awesome idea for a healthy-for-you alternative to a popular cuisine comfort dish that uses a similar texture noodle that contains a whole lot of starch. I just need to find time to call NuPasta and pitch it to them :D.

Demo at Good Life Fitness' 39th Anniversary

Fresh From Florida saves the day giving us the earlier taste of summer when our Ontario produce are not quite ready. Fresh From Florida programs help to connect Florida farmers with consumers both in Canada, US and across the world promoting 47,000 agricultural producers, as individually these farmers do not have the resources to take their goods to market. This was a fun outdoor event that took place at Sobeys Etobicoke.

How about zucchini noodles with watermelon and grape tomatoes with a touch of basil and lime vinaigrette at your awaiting picnic weekend gathering? For recipes and more see my Post.

Serving up some taste-like-home real Black River Juice classic lemonade with added lime to round out the flavour and cane sugar for just the right natural sweetness (their only beverage with added sugar). From humble beginnings in the cherry orchards of Prince Edward County, Ontario since 1979 to delivering an array of refreshing, naturally delicious no sugar-added, preservative-free, pure juices and juice blends made from mainly locally pressed fruit. Love all their mouth-watering fruit flavours with organic options and fun spritzers too! The glass jars are perfect for storing herbs or as cute flower vases 🌷 

Demo at Highland Farms in Vaughan

Black River's line-up is extensive. I like Pure Tart Cherry Juice and my family loves the Apple and Mango blend. 

Friendly yoga sessions with Healthy Planet North York staff and other vendors for Customer Appreciation Weekend (It was Father's Day and the hottest day of the summer).

Canfitpro's World Expo 25th anniversary took place at MTCC in August. Overwhelming L❤VE for these AmaZing Bobo's oat nutrition bars out of Boulder, Colorado and available in Canada with their four top flavours- Coconut, Lemon Poppyseed, Maple Pecan and Chocolate Chip. Gluten-Free, Vegan, Soy-Free, these bars are made from organic whole grain oats, coconut oil, brown rice syrup and cane sugar. My favourite is Lemon Poppyseed, just like a home-baked mini lemon poppyseed loaf. The bars are dense and hearty, and great over two occasions. I eat half before hitting a work-out and then the other half after. So many samplers can't get over how filling and homemade they taste.

With lovely Wellness Ambassador Jessica and LiveWell's President and Founding Partner, our fit and fierce leader Kelly Atyeo-Fick.

Photo Credit: Kelly Atyeo-Fick

The Bobo's Story... On a rainy afternoon in 2003, Beryl Stafford and her daughter "Bobo" baked oat bars that soon became a Boulder, Colorado cafe favorite. in 2016, they expanded their business, captivating loyal fans nationwide, with no compromise to the original recipe, small-batch baking process, or mother-daughter tradition. They have 15 bar flavours and I've been hearing about this delicious stuffed bars, bites and toast'rs. They have been in Canada for a year, but my demos with them have never been short of eye-widening, mouth-dropping reviews. They are really that good!!! Check them out at most national supermarkets and all natural and health food stores.

Veg Food Fest 2018

My most recent food demo has been with beverage company Rise Kombucha, a sparkling live fermented tea that is activated with kombucha culture of yeast and bacteria and cane sugar to produce a high antioxidant, digestive-aiding, immune-boosting drink. They are the leading kombucha brand that started in Montreal since 2008. The story... World travellers Mathieu Gallant and David Côté crossed paths randomly in Hawaii, bonding over their interest in the islands' raw food and drink scene. An idea germinated, and along with an actual piece of a Hawaiian kombucha SCOBY (live culture) in their carry-on, they went home with a business plan and the rest is history.

I was at a Quebec trade show 2014 in Toronto when Rise debuted here. I said in my post, "We are definitely going to see a "rise" in this healthy market trend- mark my word!" :D. To read more see my post Rendez-vous Gourmet Québec Product Show. 

Their most popular flavours are ginger (for detoxifying, anti-inflammatory and restoring), Hibiscus & Rose Hips (calming and helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol), and Mint & Chlorophyll (refreshing, detoxifying and good for skin). My favourite is Hibiscus & Rose Hips for its floral fragrance and balanced tanginess and sweet. Rise is all natural, organic and raw. I've been sharing the benefits of kombucha to my friends and family. So good for you!

The Big Carrot over at The Danny

As much as cooking and eating fresh produce is important, knowing what's out there in the market with brand products and services that align with your eating philosophy is just as. The fact is, we live in a fast-paced world, and we need convenient healthful foods when scratch cooking sometimes is not an option. And there's some really credible highly nutritious products that take the guesswork out and make it easy for you to enjoy health benefits. It's filtering through all the information and turning up with tried and true snacks, foods and drinks that you feel good serving to yourself, family and friends... And want to highly recommend to others so they reap the benefits too!