It's the height of summer in Toronto and sometimes the only thing that we want to do is drink something icy cold.  The only problem is that ordering lemonade at a restaurant or cafe is a guarantee for consuming added sugar.  And, although drinking unsweetened lemon water is still refreshing, it just doesn't have the same appeal as a classic glass of iced lemonade. The secret to finding that perfect glass of sweet lemonade (without the sugar) is to make it with a specific comb

When I was kid, I was in love with Eggo waffles and pancakes.   In love – like, we had a full on love affair.  I can remember galloping downstairs to our electric turquoise 90’s kitchen before school started, popping the Eggos in the toaster, coating them in honey and digging in.  It’s no wonder years later I would develop severe digestive issues… hmmm… I am not always a lover of sweet breakfasts, but every now and again a pancake will meet my eye and I will think…mmmm that l

We love granola and are always looking for new and different spins on the traditional granola recipe.  This recipe is still easy to make and uses some ingredients that are more unique than your average raisins. Walnuts: Walnuts are one of the best nuts because they provide omega3, which is only found in a small number of food sources.  Omega 3 is the essential fatty acid that helps combat cellular inflammation, which helps maintain healthy cells and protect them from developi

What is the best type of green tea to drink to prevent cancer? Green tea contains a compound called polyphenols, specifically catechins, which protect the plant from fungus and bacteria when it is growing.  When green tea is harvested, the catechins remain in the tea that we drink, which is why drinking green tea has been linked with preventing cancer.  There are several different types of catechins found in green tea, with EGCG having the strongest anti-cancer activity.   Ho

Unless you take turmeric as a supplement or make Indian food for dinner everyday, it can be quite challenging to get the bright yellow spice into your diet. As with most nutrients, turmeric is better assimilated by the body when it is eaten in a meal, in which other nutrients can help the body absorb all of the different components of whole foods (if you do take a turmeric supplement, try taking it with your meals as opposed to on an empty stomach to increase absorption).  Pe

Cashew Sumac Kale 1 bunch of kale, chopped finely 1 cup toasted cashews 2 tsp sumac 2 tsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, pressed sea salt to taste Directions: 1. Rinse and chop the kale. 2. Saute the minced garlic in olive oil for a minute, until softened.  Add the kale and sumac and cook for a few minutes until wilted. 3. Chop the cashews finely. 4. Remove the kale from heat and season with sea salt.   Sprinkle cashews on top. Kale is one of our favorite vegetables because it

Cooking with turmeric can sometimes be tricky- since it is such a vibrant, colourful spice.  Turmeric is one of the best spices out there to prevent inflammation and cancer in the body, which makes it one of our favorite ingredients.  This recipe is easy to whip up quickly and is vegan, gluten free and easy to digest. Coconut Turmeric Chickpeas 2.5 cups chickpeas 1 tsp Tikka Masala powder or Curry powder ( Aravinda's spices ) 1 tsp turmeric 1/8 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp coconut su

Za'atar Tahini Roasted Vegetables 1 eggplant, sliced into thin discs 1 zucchini, sliced into thin discs 1 yellow pepper (or you could use red pepper), sliced into thin strips 1 bunch fresh asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped finely 2 Tbsp tahini 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp za'atar sea salt Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350. 2. Rinse and chop all of the vegetables and spread out on a baking sheet. 3. Drizzle olive oil over all of the vegetab

Coconut Flour Savory Snack Bread (paleo and gluten free) 1/3 cup coconut flour 1 cup red pepper, diced 2 cups baby spinach, finely chopped 1 small clove garlic, minced 1 tsp dried Italian herbs 1/8 tsp sea salt 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted 4 eggs Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350.  Beat the eggs well, using a fork. 2. Wash and chop the vegetables. 3. Mix all ingredients together. 4. Pour batter into a parchment lined baking dish (a loaf pan or 8x8 square pan work well).

Chimichurri Chickpea Salad 1 large can organic chickpeas large handful cilantro large handful parsley large handful green onions 1 small clove garlic 1/4 cup olive oil 2 lemons, juiced 2 tsp honey (or add more to your preference) 1 beet, grated finely or steamed in cubes 1 carrot, grated or chopped finely 1/2 cucumber, chopped in pieces sea salt to taste sundried tomatoes toasted pinenuts goat feta cheese Directions: 1. Blend the herbs, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and

Lemon Spiced Moroccan  Chicken 3 or 4 organic chicken breasts 2 meyer lemons (or regular lemon) 2 cloves garlic 1 inch piece ginger root 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp cumin 3 tsp paprika 1/4 cup fresh parsley 1/4 cup fresh cilantro 1/4 cup olive oil sea salt pepper 3 tsp honey 1 bunch asparagus 1 jar of artichokes   Directions: 1. Combine the garlic, ginger root, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, parsley, cilantro, sea salt, pepper and olive oil in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Jicama is one of those odd vegetables that doesn't get used very widely in North American cuisine.  Jicama is a root vegetable from South America that can be used as a great low-carb alternative to starchy grains and vegetables like potatoes, especially if you are on a paleo diet, gluten free diet, or low glycemic diet.  Most of the carbohydrates found in jicama are fiber, which is great for digestion.  While jicama does not offer a huge array of vitamins and minerals, it doe

World Cancer Day is February 4th. Continuing with the Union for International Cancer Control’s three-year campaign slogan “We Can, I Can”, this day highlights how we, both as a society and as individuals, can reduce the burden of cancer. Cancer affects everyone, but we all have the ability to lessen the impact this disease has on individuals, families, and communities. There are a number of Key Messages that the UICC suggests we, both independently and together, should be foc

We thought it’d be fun to give you a peek into how we plan menus as private chefs.  Whether you are curious about what our recipes look like or are a current client and want to know what other clients are eating, we’ve got some tasty ideas for you here. Whenever we start working with a new private chef client, we always find out as much about their dietary likes, dislikes and preferences as we can.  The most common things we see are gluten free, dairy free, grain free, night