I Was The Little Seed That Could...

Recall this pretty papaya from my last post... I mean look at it! How rare of a sight, it has to metaphor something right? What could this germinating seed be trying to tell me? It took a while to make the connection, but when I did make sense of it, everything unfolded like a flower blooming 🌸- literally 😊.

First, a little about myself to give you a back story. The time I spoke in front of 1500 people at my largest event ever- a noteable 2015 Food Revolution cooking event with the entire Northview high school body with Mr.Jamie Oliver himself connecting in live...

You see presenting was one of my biggest fears 😬... All my life I shied away from speaking to any crowd if I could. At school, at work, I'd rehearse my lines over and over again, and I'll get super stressed out as presentation day nears. I was to kick-start this huge food event; even though I only had two paragraphs to sound off, I grew anxious as peeps trickled into the jam-packed cafeteria. It went without a hitch; it was that pivotal moment I knew I conquered my fear 🙂. I mean I was speaking in front of strangers- 1500 students, teachers, principals, VIP guests, the police and heck I was on live TV!! Our moment with Jamie was short and sweet. But OMG! I did it 🤗!!!

For all the event details, check out my Post.

Fast forward to the last two years... how blessed am I to have the opportunities to speak in front of crowds regularly, to let my passion for cooking, health & wellness and food education be my VoiCe! Because speaking from the heart is as authentic and un-rehearsed as you can get 😊. Times a-changed and the potential to grow and expand feels real and liberating. So finally back to the papaya... a couple days after new year I cut open the papaya to find this germinating seed. As a person who looks for meaning in everything, I pondered what this conveyed. I know I figured it out... it has to be... Bloom 🌸! 

Brings me back to the magazine Bloom- for women when I was Food Editor at the start of my food career 20 years ago. A reminder in #2020- I was the little seed that could! Nourished with love and passion for food, flourished and is still blooming. And if it can't get more symbolic... my birthdate is also a 20 😯❤. 2020 for a 20!

Grateful for moments experienced, lessons learnt, and the new opps that lay ahead. If we are not a little bit uncomfortable everyday, we're not growing. All the good stuff is outside our comfort zone. I see and hear acts of heroism, strength, courage and wisdom in women I encounter all the time! 

Let it be this year for us to shine and bloom together 🌸🌸!

Furthermore, somethings that never change. I said it then (at 30) and I say it again... 

Life is to be lived now. Live. Love. Learn. Be All You Can Be. Now. Not Later.

Every sunset is an opportunity to reset. 

"Each morning we are born again. 

What we do today is what matters most"-- Buddha

It really has been 360 for me- the seed that wants to help others suc-seed.

Truthfully, isn't that what we are all doing here, planting seeds? For our future? For the next generation?

Food Revolution Toronto December Contest-- Celebrations!

Resharing from Food Revolution Toronto:

Happy December! This month's #CookwithFoodREVTO challenge is all about celebrations! This month, share a photo of your holiday celebrations, whatever they are, and the foods you prepare and eat with our team on social media and you will be eligible to win a Jamie Oliver cookbook courtesy of HarperCollins Canada!

For me, holidays is for spending time doing engaging things with friends and family, and what better than cooking something yummy together? One year, I had just learnt the techniques for baking up tall, flaky, brown-golden, crunchy and chewy basic best-ever scones, and our annual pre-Christmas dinner gathering was imparting these very tips to my girlfriends-- perfect for a hot-out-of-the-oven midday treat with tea, and to enjoy while we painted! 

How are you going to celebrate this festive season?

Best-Ever Scones and Homemade Lemon Curd

Celebrations with Baking, Painting and Feasting!

How To Enter:

Snap a photo of your celebration and tell us a little bit about it!

You MUST use the hashtag #CookwithFoodRevTO AND tag us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. That's it! Then you'll be entered to win a cookbook!

Eligibility and Contest Rules:

– Contest begins on December 1st 2017 at 6am EST on and closes January 6th 2018 at 6pm EST.
– Prize consists of one (1) Jamie Oliver cookbook.
– Open to readers of the age of majority with a Canadian mailing address.
– No purchase of any product necessary for entry.
– Winner will be chosen randomly (using random.org) from all qualified entries on January 6th 2018 after 6pm EST.
– Winner will be notified January 7th or 8th 2017 and will have 48 hours to respond to the message.
– Winner will be required to answer a skill testing question.

Food Revolution Toronto November Contest-- Vegetarian Comfort Food!

Resharing from Food Revolution Toronto:

Happy November! This month's #CookwithFoodREVTO challenge is vegetarian comfort food favourites! We'll be sharing recipe ideas all month here so follow along for some seasonal inspiration!

This month, share a photo of your vegetarian comfort food dish with our team on social media and you will be eligible to win a Jamie Oliver cookbook courtesy of HarperCollins Canada! To get you started, how about Jamie's lovely looking Baked Squash? “Based on a beloved old recipe of mine, this method really takes advantage of stuffing and slow-roasting the sweet, versatile squash. You get wonderful flavours exchanging in the centre, great textures, and the slices look amazing. ”- Jamie

Photo Credit: Strongertogether.coop

How to Enter:

Snap a photo of your veggie comfort food dish and tell us a little bit about it!

You MUST use the hashtag #CookwithFoodRevTO AND tag us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. That's it! Then you'll be entered to win a cookbook!

Eligibility and Contest Rules:

– Contest begins on November 1st 2017 at 6am EST on and closes November 30th 2017 at 6pm EST.
– Prize consists of one (1) Jamie Oliver cookbook.
– Open to readers of the age of majority with a Canadian mailing address.
– No purchase of any product necessary for entry.
– Winner will be chosen randomly (using random.org) from all qualified entries on November 30th 2017 after 6pm EST.
– Winner will be notified December 1st 2017 and will have 48 hours to respond to the message.
– Winner will be required to answer a skill testing question.

Live. Love. Learn. Be All You Can Be. Now. Not Later...

Nearing two decades, I've worked with food in many arenas... restaurants, catering, TV, magazines, R&D, test kitchens, from private to corporate with the humblest to the gourmet of ingredients, and in the most-detailed and adrenalin-pumped of pace... but you know what? The satisfaction and rewards does not compare to part of what I do today-- simply serving lunch of wholesome yummy real food to school kids. Seeing a child try something new, a kid enjoy a food they couldn't stand before and just hearty happily-fed smiles all around... that is my joy! The kids here have special learning challenges which makes it even more special.

“So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.” -- Morrie Schwartz

-- Author Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie (An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson)

On-site lunch club coaches are hired to serve the prepared food at each of the participating schools and impart food education as well as encourage the kids to try new foods. I am one of those lucky lunch club coaches and I absolutely love engaging my young students on what they are about to eat. The monthly-changing menu offers an array of globally-inspired dishes that focus on whole grain products, in-season fruits, vegetables and products grown & produced locally. Wholesome, hearty and energy-sustaining. "Seconds please!"... :D

Enjoying lunch leftovers brought home-- Chili Chili Bang Bang over whole wheat couscous balls and Carrot Slaw with savoury sweet Samurai Sauce. And sliced oranges for dessert.

Too often I hear many say they are counting down the years to retire so they could finally get to do what they enjoy or love. But really, who knows ten years when we don't even know what happens tomorrow right? Should we not be enjoying in the here and now? If you love what you do, it's not work and the word 'retirement' may sound foreign. I mean, sure we could go on sacrificing our inner passions and minds of fulfilling nourishment... We will continue to be, but at the end of it all, have we truly lived? #lifeistobelivednow #makeeverydaycount

“Everybody knows they’re going to die, but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently. There’s a better approach. To know you’re going to die and be prepared for it at any time. That’s better. That way you can actually be more involved in your life while you’re living. . . Every day, have a little bird on your shoulder that asks, ‘Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?... The truth is, once you learn how to die, you learn how to live… " -- Morrie Schwartz

Live. Love. Learn. Be All You Can Be. Not Later. Now..

Food Revolution Toronto October Contest-- Soups!

Resharing from Food Revolution Toronto:

This month's Food Revolution Toronto contest, share a photo of your SOUP with our team on social media and you will be eligible to win a Jamie Oliver cookbook courtesy of HarperCollins Canada! We are featurng Jamie Oliver's Super Squash Soup with the best Parmesan croutons for inspiration “A totally delicious spiced squash soup, served with mega cheese on toast for dunking.”- Jamie.

Here are some of my own inspirations with our orange friends this fall. This is my twist on butternut squash soup with the addition of apples and fresh dill.The apple's tartness livens up the squash and balances its natural sweetness. So simple to do with little ingredients, and just a little blender magic at the end, you'll have a smooth, velvety soup ready in less than an hour. Fresh dill and bits of red onion adds texture and a refreshing dimension of flavours.

Butternut Squash Apple Soup with Dill

In this Thai-Style Pumpkin Soup, the mellow pumpkin off-sets the richness of coconut milk and a gentle blessing of spicy Thai curry paste makes the soup really delightful to sip and savour. Pumpkin can easily be substituted with butternut squash. But the key to taking this soup from good to great is the cilantro lemon garlic pesto you swirl on top.. it truly elevates the taste to another dimension of flavours-- one with tang and bite!

Thai-Style Pumpkin Soup with Cilantro Pesto

How to Enter:

Show us your soup! Snap a photo of your soup and tell us a little bit about it!

You MUST use the hashtag #CookwithFoodRevTO AND tag us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. That's it! Then you'll be entered to win a cookbook!

Eligibility and Contest Rules:

– Contest begins on October 1st 2017 at 6am EST on and closes October 31st 2017 at 6pm EST.
– Prize consists of one (1) Jamie Oliver cookbook.
– Open to readers of the age of majority with a Canadian mailing address.
– No purchase of any product necessary for entry.
– Winner will be chosen randomly (using random.org) from all qualified entries on October 31st 2017 after 6pm EST.
– Winner will be notified via email November 1st 2017 and will have 48 hours to respond to the email.
– Winner will be required to answer a skill testing question.

Food Revolution Toronto September Contest-- Packed School Lunches!

Resharing from Food Revolution Toronto:

September means back to school and we want to help you get off to a great start with this month’s extra special contest! A healthy and delicious lunch sets your kids (or you!) up for a productive day of learning and fun. 

I had created a Packed Lunch Series two years ago with a first week worth of daily Back-to-School creative lunches for my kids. A personal mission to challenge myself beyond the lack-lustre basic brown bag and learn somethings along the way to provide tips that has worked with my family and some inspiration for many of you going through the same-- (Creative Sandwiches, Make Once, Eat Twice, Creative Leftovers, and Compartmentalize). The key learning is getting your kids involved with the menu planning and cooking! And have some fun!

For more ideas and expert advice on packing with nutrition in mind, head over to Yummy Lunch Club with R.D Carol Harrison also a Toronto Revolution Ambassador that aims to equip everything you need to know to plan and pack healthy lunches that your kids will actually eat.

Creative Sandwiches, Make Once, Eat Twice, Creative Leftovers, Compartmentalize

For our contest, share a pic of your healthy lunch with our team on social media and you will be eligible to win not only a Jamie Oliver cookbook courtesy of HarperCollins Canada but also an OmieLife lunchbox!! This is no ordinary lunchbox – you can pack hot and cold foods all in one box and when you don’t want hot food, you can just remove the thermos! Think soup and a salad, pasta and some fruit, fried rice and a nice slaw – the options are endless! We will sharing all kinds of great ideas here and can’t wait to see your healthy school - or work - lunches! #omielife #omiebox #foodrevolution #backtoschool

How To Enter:

Show us your healthy lunch! Snap a photo of your lunch and tell us a little bit about what you made and how.

You MUST use the hashtag #CookwithFoodRevTO AND tag us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. That's it! Then you'll be entered to win a lunchbox and a cookbook!

Eligibility and Contest Rules:

– Contest begins on September 1st 2017 at 6am EST on and closes September 30th 2017 at 6pm EST.
– Prize consists of one (1) Jamie Oliver cookbook and (1) OmieBox lunchbox
– Open to readers of the age of majority with a Canadian mailing address.
– No purchase of any product necessary for entry.
– Winner will be chosen randomly (using random.org) from all qualified entries on September 30th 2017 after 6pm EST.
– Winner will be notified via email October 1st 2017 and will have 48 hours to respond to the email.
– Winner will be required to answer a skill testing question.

Food Revolution Toronto August Contest-- Show Off Your Salads!

Resharing from Food Revolution Toronto:

Happy August! This month's #CookwithFoodRevTO challenge is all about SALAD! Each week we'll be showcasing an idea for you to use your produce - this week, how about these twists on Jamie's simple green salad?

This is my kind of salad! Toasting almonds to just short of being burnt gives an interesting slightly bitter dimension to this unique salad dressing. Balanced with the sweetness of honey, sourness of red wine vinegar, piquant Dijon mustard, and salt, this nutty vinaigrette strikes a harmonious chord in fresh green salad mixed with the juiciness of grape tomatoes, licorice crunch of fennel and the creaminess of avocado. The results are gloriously addictive- full of flavour and textures, and easily a star at any gathering! What's yours?

Mixed Green Salad with Fennel and Avocado in a Burnt Almond Vinaigrette

And hey, just by showing us your seasonal fruit, you could win a Jamie Oliver cookbook thanks to HarperCollins Canada!

How To Enter:

Show us your salad! Snap a photo of your seasonal salads and tell us a little bit about what you made and how.

You MUST use the hashtag #CookwithFoodRevTO AND tag us on FB, or at @FoodRevToronto on Twitter or Instagram. That's it! Then you'll be entered to win a cookbook!

Eligibility and Contest Rules:

– Contest begins on August 1st 2017 at 6am EST on and closes August 31st 2017 at 6pm EST.
– Prize consists of one (1) Jamie Oliver cookbook
– Open to readers of the age of majority with a Canadian mailing address.
– No purchase of any product necessary for entry.
– Winner will be chosen randomly (using random.org) from all qualified entries on August 31st 2017 after 6pm EST.
– Winner will be notified via email September 1st 2017 and will have 48 hours to respond to the email.
– Winner will be required to answer a skill testing question.

Food Revolution Toronto July Contest-- Show Off Your Fruit!

Resharing from Food Revolution Toronto: 

Happy July! This month's #CookwithFoodRevTO challenge is all about FRUIT! How do you like to show off your gorgeous seasonal fruits? Each week we'll be showcasing an idea for you to use your produce - this week, how about Jools Oliver's smoothies and ice lollies?

Jools says... “These are two of my favourite recipes, but feel free to have fun experimenting with different flavours.” 

And hey, just by showing us your seasonal fruit, you could win a Jamie Oliver cookbook thanks to HarperCollins Canada.

My Summer Berry Fools and Raspberry Cheesecake Popsicles
(my patriotic version to celebrate Canada's 150th!)

How To Enter:

Show us your fruit! Snap a photo of your seasonal fruit and tell us a little bit about what you made and how.

You MUST use the hashtag #CookwithFoodRevTO AND tag us either on FB, or at @FoodRevToronto on Twitter or Instagram. That's it! Then you'll be entered to win a cookbook!

Eligibility and Contest Rules:

– Contest begins on July 2nd 2017 at 6am EST on and closes July 31st 2017 at 6pm EST.
– Prize consists of one (1) Jamie Oliver cookbook
– Open to readers of the age of majority with a Canadian mailing address.
– No purchase of any product necessary for entry.
– Winner will be chosen randomly (using random.org) from all qualified entries on July 31st 2017 after 6pm EST.
– Winner will be notified via email August 1st 2017 and will have 48 hours to respond to the email.
– Winner will be required to answer a skill testing question.

Angel Deviled Eggs with Greek Yogurt and Smoked Paprika...

Deviled eggs were often on my menu wayyy back in my entertaining days. They were the perfect cold apps to make ahead and serve on a passing platter at parties between oven-warming ones. Simple to make with just a few ingredients but oh so attractive and enticing for the senses-- one that never fails to receive rave reviews. The cooking term devil means 'to chop food finely and mix with hot seasoning or sauce, usually after cooking'. I haven't made these in ages and when a potluck brunch was being organized for peeps from Food Revolution Toronto and Food Bloggers of Canada, this easily came top of mind. The idea was to bring a favourite brunch dish or two we consider as healthy to share, and thus the comeback kid deviled eggs. The classic way is to mix the yolks with creamy mayo for the filling. For a healthy spin, to derive the "angel" in its name, I used low fat high protein Greek yogurt. Added a bit of Dijon mustard, chopped chives and a dusting of smoked paprika, and it was more than good to go.

Angel Deviled Eggs with Smoked Paprika

Makes 12 halved deviled eggs (double the recipe for twice more)

6 large eggs
2 Tbsp. Greek yogurt
2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

water to thin out filling (start with 1/2 Tbsp. cold water)

fresh chives, finely chopped for filling and garnishing

Salt and pepper to taste
Smoked paprika for garnishing

Hard-boil the eggs by placing eggs in a pot filled with enough cool water to cover by an inch or two. On high heat, once water comes to a boil, remove from heat, cover and let stand for ten minutes.

Peel the eggs by tapping gently against the counter to crack the shell in a few places, then submerge in ice water for at least one minute. Peel the eggs. Slice the eggs in half down their length, from tip to bottom.

Gently squeeze the eggs to separate the yolks from the whites (it should pop out) or use your fingers to remove. Place all the yolks to a mixing bowl. Arrange the whites on a platter.

Mash the yolks with a fork until they are completely crumbled. Mix in the Greek yogurt and Dijon mustard. Squeeze 1/2 tsp. lemon juice and add some chives. Mix and mash the filling until you form a smooth paste. If the filling is stiff, add cold water a little at a time. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

With a fancy fluted piping nozzle, place into piping bag or into opened corner of plastic sandwich bag. Use a spatula to scoop into bag all the filling and press the bag with your hands to push all the filling to one corner and press any air out of the top. Alternatively with no nozzle, do the same filling a plastic bag, but snip one corner off with a pair of scissors. Pipe the filling into the egg whites so that the filling mounds a little over the top. Squeeze the bag from the top to force the filling downward. Sprinkle a pinch of paprika and a pinch of chives over the top of each egg before serving.

With a fluted piping nozzle...

Without the nozzle, use a plastic bag to make piping easier.

Make-Ahead Eggs: Deviled eggs are best eaten within 24 hours; they can be made the day ahead and kept refrigerated in an airtight container. Sprinkle with paprika and fresh herbs just before serving.

Voila! My angel deviled eggs and mixed greens with fennel, avocado and grape tomatoes in a burnt almond vinaigrette salad at the potluck table, amongst other fellow savoury and sweet delectables.

A lovely healthy brunch spread!

It was nice connecting with all you amazing Food Bloggers!

@susanssavourit @lindamatarasso @ilonaspassion @shebakeshere @nomadicnutritionist

Food Revolution Toronto June Contest-- Show Off Your Veggies

Resharing from Food Revolution Toronto:

Happy June! This month's #CookwithFoodRevTO challenge is all about seasonal vegetables! How do you like to show off your veggies? Each week we'll be showcasing an idea for you to use your produce - this week, how about Jamie Oliver's Superfood Salad? 

Jamie says, “Full of great veggies, this easy-to-make salad is nutritious, delicious and super-satisfying.”

My Superfood Greek Quinoa Salad 

And hey, just by showing us your seasonal veg, you could win a Jamie Oliver cookbook thanks to HarperCollins Canada.

How To Enter:

Show us your veg! Snap a photo of your seasonal veg and tell us a little bit about it (how you prepared them).

You MUST use the hashtag #CookwithFoodRevTO AND tag us either on FB, or at @FoodRevToronto on Twitter or Instagram. That's it! Then you'll be entered to win a cookbook!

Eligibility and Contest Rules:

– Contest begins on June 1st 2017 at 6am EST on and closes June 30th 2017 at 6pm EST.
– Prize consists of one (1) Jamie Oliver cookbook
– Open to readers of the age of majority with a Canadian mailing address.
– No purchase of any product necessary for entry.
– Winner will be chosen randomly (using random.org) from all qualified entries on June 30th 2017 after 6pm EST.
– Winner will be notified via email July 1st 2017 and will have 48 hours to respond to the email.
– Winner will be required to answer a skill testing question.

Food Revolution Kids Can Cook Brunch...

It's that time of year I always look forward to... Food Revolution Day, an annual themed good and real food celebration taking place world-wide the third Friday in May. However, the official Food Revolution Day on a global scale has been postponed until later this year. The UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, called a snap general election to take place on June 8th, just two weeks after our intended Food Revolution Day. For many political and press reasons, we know this timing isn’t right to have the impact we (ambassadors) want and for Jamie Oliver to make big noise about child obesity policies that best benefit children's health. As our Food Revolution campaign is year-round, many of us still held events while postponing some others until we get the new date. 

For me, while I do enjoy large events to have a greater reach with our universal message (eat real food, get back in the kitchen to cook and food education), I believe intimate, smaller-scale ones are just as if not more impactful. There is better engagement and personable interaction which is harder to come by in a big event. This year, I'm deferring a few school events and held a kids cooking session with my three young boys and their cousins. They did everything from washing, prepping, slicing, chopping, and cooking for the most part with us parents supervising. We made brunch with recipes inspired by Jamie Oliver-- blueberry pancakes and customized omelets. Instead of fruit juice or vitamin water which are loaded with sugar and other stuff, we made real fruit-infused water for a refreshing drink. Now let the cook-off begin! :D

I asked the kids, "What are you cooking with today?"

Instructions first. Ready set go... 

Washing...

Chopping and slicing...

IKEA has an amazing SMABIT kid-friendly knife and peeler set.

These five-year old cousins were in charge of measuring, pouring and whisking up blueberry pancakes.

It's all about breaking the eggs and whisking. Taking turns to make a big batch!

Wiping the earth off mushrooms, while explaining why you must never wash them-- 
gets water-logged that diminishes flavour and texture. The adults were surprised at this too.

It's a whole family affair!

How to cook pancakes...

Lay cooked pancakes on a heightened rack to keep crisp and not soggy.

Grate that cheese- but carefully!

My dad imparting safety chopping techniques.

Customizing omelets from a selection of meat and veggie fillings! 

Individual omelet making! Cooking the selected filling and then encasing in cooked egg crepe.

Mom and Uncle Quan getting in the action! Quan put banana slices 
in his omelet, and he said it was different and sweet-good at the end. Why not? :D

Preparing a variety of fresh fruit for real fruit-infused water.

I just love seeing kids build knife skills confidence holding a real but safe sharp knife.

Make-your-own real fruit water station with tap & carbonated & coconut waters or combo as a base.

Beautifully vibrant, fresh and delish!

To make the most of the fruits' flavours in cold water, crush the fruits in glass or pitcher with spoon or fork, and/or let meld for two hours before serving.

Much better than sugar-laden commercial soda and fruit drinks.

Enjoying the fruits of their labour- literally!

Omelet served with hot salsa sauce, and a yummy real mixed fruit beverage. YUM!

What a great day with the family cooking together and forgetting all else for a while. Hearing that the kids had so much fun, and some saying that they don't usually eat omelets but will now because they really liked making and eating it, or liking the fresh fruit water was music to my ears. We will definitely be doing this again with the extended fam. Cooking is a necessary life skill, a rite of passage and opens up a whole world of eating healthily and discovering new tastes. Starting them young is key. The core of cooking is the knife-- get your kids in the kitchen early, teach them how to use it and they will never lose it! 

It's been proven, that kids enjoy cooking given the chance. Throw caution in the wind, let it go and let your kids cook with you. Before you know it, they will be trying new foods, getting creative and helping to bring a positive and healthy attitude to the family table.

You guys were Super Awesome! So proud of you all!