DLish Cupcakes

Posted on October 23, 2012 | Leave a comment

I discovered DLish cupcakes shortly after the shop opened on Queen Street West. I became particularly enamoured with their red velvet cupcake. I quite enjoyed the rotating flavours with the days of the week (it keeps you going back!) and I did eventually try most of the flavours.

I was in New York and San Francisco in the fall of 2011 and tried some other red velvet cupcakes. I must say the DLish red velvet cupcake with its perfect size, moistness and proportion of great icing to delicious cake, stands out as my favourite even in comparison to the red velvet cupcake at Magnolia in New York.

It was with great delight that I bought and enjoyed some cupcakes with friends last week from the second location of DLish at Yonge and Yorkville. Red velvet, salted caramel and apple caramel were my picks. Apple caramel being a great new flavour! It was great to see the same store concept and quality of cupcakes replicated with such consistency.

Of course, this is a question I am asked often: ‘You’re a fitness trainer and/or nutritionist-You eat cupcakes!? ‘

My answer is a resounding yes. I love food and I love to enjoy good food. I was encouraging people to try DLish cupcakes this weekend (yes, I bought people cupcakes). They are delicious and made with great care. A huge component of good nutrition, health and well being is enjoying life, which includes truly enjoying what you want to eat. Enjoying a cupcake is most certainly a part of Making Life Good!

www.dlishcupcakes.com

 

Leave a comment

Posted in product review, Review, Toronto

Tagged , ,

Vivian’s Picks at Foxley, Toronto

Posted on October 20, 2012 | Leave a comment

We had a special occasion to celebrate last night and our group of four friends had dinner at Foxley 207 Ossington Avenue, Toronto. Somehow I got carte blanche to do the majority of the ordering…I’m pleased to report all  four of us had a most inspired dining experience with all the amazing and unique flavours Tom Thai creates.

Here is what we ordered and shared. I highly recommend trying this list sometime. This is a top Asian fusion dining experience I have had and it won over three friends. Enjoy!

Blue Crab Avocado Salad

Seaweed salad with mango and herbs

Kale salad with pecorino cheese

Lamb and duck proscuitto dumplings

Oven steamed black cod with asian greens and truffle oil

Scallop ceviche with kumquat

Tempura oyster handroll

Lemongrass marinated grilled cornish hen

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Greens, Recommendation, Restaurant review, Review, Toronto, Vivian Law

Tagged , , , ,

Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup

Posted on October 15, 2012 | Leave a comment

Locally grown butternut squash is available at this time of year and the colder weather makes this soup a natural choice. Butternut squash contains beta carotene, vitamin C, manganese, calcium, magnesium and potassium. This is a simple recipe that was told to me verbally by another foodie who highly recommended fried sage as a secret ingredient. The soup is still good even when you cannot get your hands on fresh sage.

1 butternut squash, peeled and seeded, cut into cubes (bake the squash at 350 for 10 minutes if is hard to peel or cut)

1 onion, finely diced

1-2 apples or 1 pear and 1 apple, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil (if you prefer a vegan version)

4 cups vegetable broth or stock

salt, pepper, cardamom, to taste

In a large pot, heat butter or oil over medium heat. Saute onion, apple and pear until softened. Add cubed squash and saute briefly. Add vegetable stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for 15-20 minutes or until squash is soft. Let soup cool slightly and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, cardamom or any other spices to your taste. Enjoy!

Leave a comment

Posted in gluten free, healthy recipe, plant food, Vegan

Tagged ,

Momofuku Noodle Bar Toronto

Posted on October 11, 2012 | Leave a comment

I just had dinner with a friend at the Momofuku Noodle Bar in Toronto. I did not have patience to wait in line for the noodle bar in New York, but I did have dinner at Momofuku Tsam and a little dessert at the Milk Bar while I was there last year. My friend was recently at the Momofuku in New York and we were both interested to see what it was like in Toronto.

It’s a loud, bustling atmosphere with a modern dining room in Toronto. Momofuku noodle bar is very well executed fast food. We really saw that in action while sitting at the bar in front of where the food was being assembled. The shrimp fried rice looked pretty enticing as it was being put together. We did not get to try it, as our server forgot to tell us about the specials, because I distracted him with my questions about the short menu. Service was quite attentive and informed throughout the restaurant, which I really appreciated. Apparently they serve only Tito’s vodka here and in New York and the bartender handled my grumbling with grace. It was a pleasant experience to wait in the upstairs bar area and overlook the busy restaurant below.

The brilliance of the noodle bar is in its small menu. David Chang has created a great formula for flavourful asian food and trained the staff well to execute on a focused list of food. The famous pork buns are assembled in volume and are the same as they are in New York. These buns are a great fast food take on Peking duck with its combination of tasty animal fat, sweet sauce, scallion and cucumber in a bun.  The ramen comes in a broth that has flavour depth and an egg that is specially slow poached in the combi oven. Special egg poaching technique seems to be a current food trend. We tried a sous vide ‘poached’ duck egg at Peller Estates this summer where the egg texture was the same throughout the white and yolk.

The Momofuku brand has a lot of potential to expand further with its fun atmosphere and tasty food that can be replicated. The food here is more exciting than the UK chain Wagamama. However, my favourite asian influenced restaurants remain Mission Chinese in San Francisco for its amazingly spiced food and Foxley in Toronto for its bold and unique flavours.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Restaurant review, Toronto, Vivian Law

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Urban Farming?

Posted on October 10, 2012 | Leave a comment

In case you missed it, this was a great Thanksgiving piece on ‘local’ food.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/thanksgiving/a-thanksgiving-bounty-that-begins-at-home/article4585608/

People growing and harvesting food in an urban setting. If we all made a little effort and tried to contribute to growing some food in whatever space we have, it would start to make a difference in our community and the environment. The people featured in this article are already setting an example and making a difference.

At a time of giving thanks to our bounty, we can consider ways to contribute to the harvest next year. It will take a bit of planning and effort for worthwhile results of producing good food in your own space. The concept of urban farming is not a fad, it is the way of the future.

Leave a comment

Posted in Healthy food, local food

Tagged , ,

Recipe: Fall Fruit Crisp

Posted on October 6, 2012 | Leave a comment

This is a rather loose recipe to inspire you to make a healthy dessert anytime. I consulted with Chef Melissa Saunders to ascertain the appropriate amount of fruit per person. For example, if making apple crisp, allow for about 1-1.5 apples per person you are making crisp for. Or about 1 cup of fruit per person. I tend to leave the fruit plain to let the natural flavour come out through the cooking process. You can always squeeze a little lemon or add a sprinkle of sugar or honey if desired.

For the crisp topping. I prefer a simple version with just oats, butter, and brown sugar, because it has more crisp. It is also easy to create a gluten free version by using gluten free oats. Oats on their own are gluten free, it is in processing that they may come into contact with gluten. The formula for the crisp topping would be 1/4 cup oats, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon brown sugar per person. You could use coconut oil instead of butter to make this a vegan recipe.

Crisp Topping

(Serves 4 as an example)

1 cup quick oats

1/4 cup butter at room temperature

1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange sliced fruit in an even layer in a glass baking dish.

In a medium bowl, mix together oats, butter and brown sugar with your hands until well combined.

Spread over prepared fruit in glass baking dish.

Bake for 30-45 minutes or until topping is browned as desired. Enjoy warm on its   own or with a little whipped cream or icecream.

Leave a comment

Posted in healthy recipe, healthy treat, Recipe, Vivian Law

Tagged , , ,

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie with Whole Grain Crust

Posted on October 3, 2012 | Leave a comment

This is my favourite pumpkin pie recipe that I have developed over the years. Chef Michael Smith provided the inspiration for a whole grain crust a several years ago for an apple pie. He even created a gluten free version in 2010. I enjoy the whole grain crust with pumpkin pie filling, because it holds up well in texture and flavour. The filling with apple butter adds a luscious sweet flavour to the pumpkin. I found the original recipe for this filling years ago in my Bon Appetit cookbook. However, the recipe came with a delicious sounding gingersnap crust that included a rim of overlapping pastry leaves, which was sadly beyond my pastry skills. I had to find an alternative crust and this one here a tasty, reasonably healthy choice with the whole grains.

Gluten Free Version:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/chefs-recipe-whole-grain-crusted-apple-pie/article1241347/

Whole Grain Crust

1 cup whole wheat or barley flour

1 cup rolled oats

2 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup oil (try grapeseed)

1/4 cup water or orange juice

In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add oil, and mix well until combined. Add water and stir until the mixture comes together. Form a round disc with hands. Chill until ready to use.

Pumpkin Filling

1 1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin

3/4 cup whipping cream

6 tablespoons apple butter

5 tablespoons brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, then add and combine all other filling ingredients.

Roll out dough on a floured surface into a large disc enough to cover a 9 inch pie plate. Press into greased pie plate and gently push to cover edges of pie plate.

Pour filling into pie plate prepared with whole grain crust. Bake for 45 minutes or until filling is barely set. Remove from oven, cool and enjoy!

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Recipe, Vivian Law

Tagged , ,

Working for a Meal?

Posted on October 1, 2012 | Leave a comment

This week, I came across two articles on a food trend of people working for their lunch or dinner. Working in the sense of volunteering their time to help in the labour intensive process of bringing harvest from the farm to the table.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/food-trends/free-labour-diners-line-up-to-volunteer-at-restaurants/article4566712/

Having volunteers help a restaurant produce food product is quite the clever ‘win-win’ situation-helping educate the consumer in the farm to table process while the restaurant receives some extra labour they could use at a time of abundance. Creating good, high quality food does require work!

I particularly like the community spirit behind working for your dinner at the Irish Heather in Vancouver:

http://ltsmenu.blogspot.ca/

I truly believe that the more we can be involved in the process of bringing food from harvest to table, the more we can understand and become aware of best practices for environmentally and economically sustainable food production.

Perhaps this could be inspiration to go apple picking at this time of year. Great outdoor activity and opportunity to work for your Canadian Thanksgiving dinner…

Leave a comment

Posted in commentary, local food

Tagged

Drink More Water: Ways to Make Water More Fun

Posted on September 26, 2012 | Leave a comment

With the fall season here, many of us are motivated to make healthy lifestyle changes. One of the most important health changing tasks we give our clients is ask them to drink enough water on a daily basis. The calculation we use is:

Your Weight in kilograms X 0.033=Daily Water Intake in Litres

More details here: http://www.vivianlaw.ca/fat-loss-tip-daily-water-intake-goal/

It is great to have a technical goal and a number to achieve. However, what actually happens in practice on a daily basis is more of a challenge. One challenge that I continually come across is ‘I don’t like plain water’. In fact, this piece is inspired by this question I came across on a UK website:

Q. I really don’t like drinking water but worry that drinking squash each day isn’t good for me?

I really appreciate the honesty of this question. Squash is a sweet beverage that is  made by diluting a concentrated syrup, which typically consists of concentrated juice and sugar with water or carbonated water. I can understand that preferring to drink squash and other beverages is a natural consequence to not liking water. Having everyone drinking all the water they need consistently is like a magic bullet that we need in the health and fitness world. However, we are all human and have our idiosyncratic behaviour.

I think that making drinking water more fun will help. Ideally, we would all drink all the water we need in plain water and herbal tea. Since that is unlikely, how about these ideas to help meet your daily water intake goal:

-herbal teas (loose leaf teas have better taste and higher nutritional value)

-low sodium club soda, sparkling water

-infuse water with lemon slices, lime slices, cucumber, herbs, or other fruits

-try warm water with a teaspoon of organic apple cider vinegar

-try adding orange blossom water to plain water for extra flavour

-try plain water or sparkling water with Minisyrup, a natural, concentrated, unsweetened flavouring product. See the story on how: http://www.vivianlaw.ca/healthy-drink-recipe-mango-lime-soda-with-minisyrup/

Natural flavour minisyrup is available in lemon, mango, orange, pear, raspberry, and strawberry kiwi. Order at https://www.zavida.com/minisyrup

For example, if you manage to drink 1/3-1/2 of your daily water intake goal in plain water and drink the rest in the form of the ideas above, you will get to your daily water intake goal faster. You can meet your daily water intake goal more easily by making some small efforts to make water more appealing and fun. Does that sound doable?

Leave a comment

Posted in fat loss, Healthy Beverage, Recommendation, Vivian Law, water intake guideline

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Recipe: Pear and Arugula Salad

Posted on September 25, 2012 | Leave a comment

This is a recipe that was inspired after I got my hands on the best honey ever

http://www.vivianlaw.ca/the-best-honey-ever/ 

this summer and was also given a sample of sunflower oil from my friends at La Societe Orignal. This was what I came up with as a way to use honey and sunflower oil in the same dish, because those were the exciting new ingredients I procured that day. I’m still not sure where this idea came from, perhaps from ordering a pear, arugula and walnut salad on a Montreal patio and having the pear replaced with canned lychee(?). This is a really simple, and delicious salad to put together. The sauteed pears also pair very well with waffles and/or icecream (salted caramel was my pick).

Sauteed Pears:

Core and slice 1-2 medium ripe pears. Heat 1/2 tbsp butter in a small skillet. Add 1/2 tbsp of Classe Ouvriere honey (ordinary honey is alright too). Stir pear slices in butter and honey mixture and saute until lightly browned and softened.

Pear and Arugula Salad:

Organic baby arugula

1-2 sliced, sauteed pears,

drizzle of cold pressed sunflower oil

Place the desired amount of arugula (at least 2 large handfuls) onto a plate. Drizzle with sunflower oil. Top with sauteed pear slices and enjoy.

Leave a comment

Posted in Healthy food, healthy recipe, Recipe, Vivian Law

Tagged ,