CONTEST - Win 2 Free Tickets to Taste of Toronto

It's almost that time again! I am so excited that one of my favourite food festivals, Taste of Toronto, is returning again to Fort York for its 3rd year from June 23rd to 26th! An exciting lineup for this summer's hottest restaurant festival has something for everyone with live entertainment, a lively marketplace, and hands-on cooking demonstrations with our city's best chefs!

This year celebrity chef Chef Chuck Hughes kicks off opening night, with coveted restaurants in the line up you for sure will not want to miss! Old favourites like Richmond Station, The McEwan Group, Drake One Fifty, and Los Colibris are back at it, while new restaurants such as Alo, Piano Piano, Antler, and Miku just to name a few will surely leave its mark during these 3 days.

I have teamed up with Taste of Toronto to give away a free pair of tickets to this year's festivities to one lucky winner. You will both gain free access to the grounds for any one of the sessions of your choosing! Head on over to my Instagram page to enter!

Pure Leaf Canada - #tweakyourtea

It seems like everyone I have been talking to lately have been raving about this brand of beverage that they all have been loving. If you haven't heard this yet from your friends or family, the drink so many people have now been converted to is called Pure Leaf. If you have not been exposed to this drink yet, today is your lucky day because thankfully I have had the opportunity to try this delicious drink and am here to share with you the new Pure Leaf Unsweetened Tea launching right here in Canada!

Pure Leaf is brewed from real tea leaves picked at their freshest to deliver a genuine tea experience. The unsweetened portfolio (Green Tea, Black Tea, Lemon) has 0 sugar, 0 artificial sweeteners, 0 calories, which means 0 compromises! The best thing about these drinks is that they are so versatile and can be used and mixed in so many different ways with an endless amount of personalized flavour combinations. Below are 3 of my original variations of these drinks using a combination of different fruits to maximize its flavour potential. Each variation uses one of the three Pure Leaf Unsweetened flavours, and I've standardized each drink by adding some mint and a lime/lemon to spruce it up. Add some ice cubes in it to make it extra cold and refreshing.

Very Berry with Unsweetened Pure Leaf Lemon Tea.

Strawberries + Blackberries mixed with Unsweetened Pure Leaf Lemon Tea

The Tropics with Unsweetened Pure Leaf Black Tea.

Mangoes + Pineapples mixed with Unsweetened Pure Leaf Black Tea

Kiwi Razz with Unsweetened Pure Leaf Green Tea

Kiwis + Raspberries mixed with Unsweetened Pure Leaf Green Tea

No matter the flavour and combination of your favourite elements, Pure Leaf is the perfect beverage to go with lunch, brunch, dinner, cocktails, get-togethers, post workout re-hydration; well just about any occasion you can think of! As summer is quickly approaching, don't forget to grab yourself a few bottles of these Pure Leaf Unsweetened Teas, the drink with zero compromises without sacrificing any flavours. How will you #tweakyourtea? Cheers!

Heart Healthy Recipe: Herbed Dipping Sauce

Prep time: 10 min | Refrigeration time: 1 hour | Yield: 250 mL/1 cup | Servings: 16

Make this tasty side dish or appetizer by serving with grilled vegetables.

• 250 mL (1 cup) 1% plain yogurt
• 30 mL (2 tbsp) fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 mL (1/2 tsp) ground cumin
• Pepper to taste

Directions

• Combine all the ingredients.
• Refrigerate at least one hour to let flavours blend.
• Serve with grilled vegetables.

Nutritional Information Per Serving

• Calories: 10
• Protein: 1 g
• Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 1 g
• Fibre: 0 g
• Sodium: 11 mg

Heart Healthy Recipe: Greek Veggie, Chicken and Cheese Wrap

Prep time: 10 min | Servings: 4

Wrap up this tasty vegetable mixture, chicken and zingy Canadian Feta cheese in a pita with luscious yogurt dip on the side, and your lunch will be the envy of your co-workers.

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) 2% plain yogurt
• 1 tsp (5 mL) grated lemon zest
• 1 large black olive, minced
• 4 large lettuce leaves
• 4 large (about 9 inches/23 cm) whole wheat pita breads
• 1 cup (250 mL) shredded cooked boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 cup (250 mL) chopped English cucumber
• 1 cup (250 mL) grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) very thinly sliced red onion (optional)
• 2 1/2 oz (70 g) diced Canadian Feta cheese
• 1 tsp (5 mL) dried oregano

Directions

• In a bowl, combine yogurt, lemon zest and olive. Portion into individual containers or one container, cover and refrigerate until serving, for up to 1 day.
• Place one lettuce leaf on each pita; arrange chicken, cucumber, tomatoes, onion (if using), Canadian Feta cheese and oregano in a line down the centre of each, dividing evenly. Fold top and bottom of pita over filling, then roll up pita tightly around filling to enclose.
• Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerate until serving, for up to 4 hours.
• To serve, unwrap pita, cut in half crosswise, if desired, and serve with lemon-olive yogurt for dipping or spreading.

Nutritional Information Per Serving

• Calories: 312
• Protein: 22 g
• Fat: 7 g
• Carbohydrates: 42 g
• Fibre: 6 g
• Sodium: 601 mg

Heart Healthy Recipe: Pear Raspberry Yogurt Muesli

Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 8 min | Refrigeration time: 12 hours | Makes: 6 servings

Toasted oats, seeds and nuts, plus sweet pears and tangy raspberries all combined with yogurt for a satisfying and tasty breakfast. Prepare it in the evening and you’ll be off to a great start to the next day before you even go to bed.

• 1 cup (250 mL) large-flake rolled oats (see tip below)
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) sliced almonds
• 1 firm-ripe pear
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) ground flax seeds
• 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) ground nutmeg or cinnamon
• 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) 1% plain yogurt
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) maple syrup or liquid honey
• 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) fresh or frozen raspberries (thawed if frozen), divided

Directions

• In a large, dry skillet, toast rolled oats, sunflower seeds and almonds, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a medium heatproof bowl and let cool. Set 1/4 cup (50 mL) aside for topping; cover and store at room temperature.
• Coarsely shred pear on the coarse side of a box grater. Stir pear, flax seeds, nutmeg or cinnamon, yogurt and maple syrup or honey into bowl with oat mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• To serve, stir 1 cup (250 mL) of the raspberries into yogurt mixture, mashing berries slightly as you stir. Spoon into bowls, sprinkle with reserved oat mixture and top with remaining raspberries.

Tips

• Use a mixture of rolled oats, quinoa flakes and/or barley flakes for a change in texture and flavour – just keep the total amount at 1 cup (250 mL).
• Use a pear that’s ripe and sweet but still firm enough to shred. Pears ripen from the inside first; to check for ripeness, gently squeeze the neck of the pear closest to the stem and it should give slightly.

Nutritional Information Per Serving

• Calories: 256
• Protein: 10 g
• Fat: 9 g
• Carbohydrates: 37 g
• Fibre: 7 g
• Sodium: 46 mg