*Adapted from Closet Cooking* Makes 12 sushi stacks Ingredients: 2 cups sushi rice (this will make more than you need, but I didn't want to be short) 2 bags (340g x2) pacific white shrimp (I bought the pre-cooked Irresistibles brand from Food Basics) 3 avocados (chopped into cubes) 1/3 cup matchstick carrots (chopped into finer … Continue reading Homemade Sushi Stacks

*Adapted from The Recipe Rebel* Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups coarsely crushed corn flakes 2-3 cups rolled oats (start with 2 cups) 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips 1 1/2 cup butterscotch chips 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter (I used Kraft) 72 mini eggs (3 per nest) Instructions: Place wax paper or parchment paper on a large baking sheet In a large bowl, melt the chocolate chips and … Continue reading Easter No-Bake Mini Egg Birds Nest Cookies

Cheesy Portuguese Egg Casserole Possible Modifications: This dish can be made gluten-free using GF flour in the sauce. Otherwise, it is gluten-free already. You can make it dairy-free by eliminating the cheese sauce and adding some herbs/spices if you want added flavours. The eggs could be swapped out for more vegetables, but I suppose it … Continue reading Cheesy Portuguese Egg Casserole

Slow Cooker Barley Mushroom Risotto Ingredients: 7 cups vegetable broth (you can use 4 cups broth, 3 cups water, or a different type of broth- whatever you like), 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 packages fresh sliced mushrooms (I used cremini, but you can also use shiitake or oyster), 2 shallots (finely … Continue reading Slow Cooker Barley Mushroom Risotto

Often times, I hit the grocery store with some dinner options in mind, but then the roasted chicken stand catches my eye. We all know the one! The greasy, juicy, delicious roasted chicken that you enjoy with potato wedges and macaroni salad- ring any bells? If you didn't get to experience this in your childhood, … Continue reading Oven Roasted Chicken & Root Veggies

I wanted to spread some love and share my top 3 Valentine's treats before Valentine's Day so if you were searching for something to make, you'd have some options to choose from. It depends on how much time you have and if you have dietary restrictions. These three desserts are different in shapes, sizes and … Continue reading Top 3 Valentine’s Day Desserts

It's been a great couple months of exploring all my options for gluten-free goods. The best part of exploring is that you stumble upon healthier versions of your guilty pleasures. I definitely don't have to feel bad about snacking on this healthy find! I love having muffins in my lunch at work in case I'm … Continue reading Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Banana Oat Muffins

I know the title of this post sounds a bit crazy- I'm mixing Indian and Italian dishes! But, trust me on this one, this dinner is amazing. I was craving gnocchi and I always seem to have a can of coconut milk and gnocchi kicking around, therefore I already knew what the main ingredient was going … Continue reading Coconut Curry Gnocchi

It was a lazy Sunday morning and I was craving something sweet and comforting for breakfast. I decided to get up a little ahead of Eric and make a huge mess of the kitchen. The best part is no matter how big the mess, he cleans it up because I cooked! Lucky girl I am. … Continue reading Gluten-Free French Crepes with Nutella & Strawberries

MAKE THIS RECIPE NOW! These copycat Big Macs are SO tasty!! I have made these a couple times and even if the recipe changes just a little bit, they never fail to impress me. They really do taste like burgers, but better. They are vegetarian, easily made vegan, and very healthy. They contain black beans, … Continue reading Big Mac Copycat (Black Bean Burgers)

I'm so excited to share this recipe because it truly is the BEST. These spring rolls make you feel like you're working on a piece of art, but trust me, it's an easy craft. The only part that requires precision is when your'e dipping the rice paper in water. You want to be sure not … Continue reading Shrimp Spring Rolls with Thai Peanut Sauce

This weekend was a cold one! It was -40 degrees and we weren't planning on spending much time outside. Therefore, I had some time to prepare a nice dinner for us that actually took very little effort. The only effort needed was for rolling the roast and placing the netting around it, which was actually … Continue reading Slow Cooker Herbed Pork Roast with Baby Potatoes & Mushrooms

If you are looking for side to your main dish, these potatoes are everything. They are creamy, cheesy and whipped. They taste like a cloud melting in your mouth. If this interests you in any way, do yourself the favour and make these right away! I will often make these when we are having people over … Continue reading Goat Cheese & Chive Smashed Potatoes

It's no surprise to me that this entire holiday season has been jam packed with trying to cook and bake all the delicious Pinterest recipes I have saved over the last year. I always want to cook and bake to impress all my family and friends! This year I decided to dedicate a lot of … Continue reading Christmas Chocolate Bark

Say Merry Christmas with this delicious Moscow Mules recipe! I love any excuse to make cocktails, especially if it's to celebrate the holidays. I realized that I've had these mule mugs for a couple years now and hadn't actually made the classic drink with them. I had also recently gone to the Moscow Tea Room … Continue reading Classic Moscow Mules

I'm starting to add to my repertoire of recipes with a slow cooker section. I always love coming across easy, yet scrumptious slow cooker recipes on other people's blogs. It's honestly the best feeling to come home from work, your dinner is sitting on the counter, ready whenever you want it, and ideally wafting intoxicating … Continue reading Slow Cooker Italian Chicken

My true love gave to meeeee... ALL THE WINE. Well, this isn't exactly true. These bottles are a mish mash of us carefully selecting specific wines and friends and family giving us beautiful gifts! We are very lucky to have so many bottles to choose from for the holidays. I have been wanting to post … Continue reading The 12 Wines of Christmas

This roasted beet and chicken salad with feta, slivered almond carrots and honey salted peanuts is delicious! It's the perfect combination of crunchy, chewy, sweet and salty. It's loaded with protein and packed with veggies, and the dressing is homemade! I made this for dinner, then proceeded to pack the leftovers for lunch the next … Continue reading Roasted Beet & Chicken Salad with Gluten-Free Dressing

I've got to say, I think this breakfast is one of my favourites so far. It's fairly easy, it's filling and it quite healthy. The other great thing about this breakfast is that it can be gluten-free very easily. Swap out the toast for gluten-free bread or spread the avocado over the eggs. You can also … Continue reading Egg & Avocado Toast with Mint, Lemon & Feta

The most simple, yet delightful dessert: a New York style cheesecake! I always look for the complicated and involved dessert recipes (as if I'm some professional baker) and then get frustrated that it doesn't turn out exactly like the Pinterest photo. Then I realized, why not try an easy classic recipe? That's when I landed … Continue reading Classic New York Style Cheesecake

These little balls of energy are a MUST TRY. My first attempt at these was on my birthday weekend last year. I was having some friends up for the entire weekend and knew we'd be in and out of the house doing various things, and mainly drinking lots. So, I decided to make these to … Continue reading Gluten-Free No Bake Energy Bites

The other day, I was trying to decide what to make for my lunches for work. I couldn't find much when going through Pinterest and back through my archives that I hadn't already had a lot before. Yep, it's that time of year where I'm sick of everything and craving a new batch of recipes … Continue reading Quinoa & Greens Power Salad

Happy Fall/Halloween Everyone! If you're like me and don't really bother with the whole Halloween thing, then try putting your energy into an evening of baking (and Netflix)! I have had these scones from Starbucks before and they are of course fantastic. However, I'm so glad someone showed me the copycat recipe, because now I … Continue reading Starbucks Copycat Pumpkin Scones

It was only a few years ago that I really started to enjoy portobello mushrooms, rather mushrooms in general. I owe it all to my cousin Chris who cooked up some tasty portobello burgers on a beautiful night in L.A. Maybe it was the scene, maybe it was the charcoal BBQ, but all that matters … Continue reading Baked Orzo Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps

Every morning when my alarm goes off, my mind instantly turns me into a hangry beast. I. need. food. And not just a little bowl of cereal or a piece of toast… I need it all. I decided to try Oh She Glows vegan & gluten free ‘Breakfast Cookies‘. These are what hangry dreams are made of. … Continue reading Gluten-Free (Vegan) Breakfast Cookies

Tonight, I had a craving for something cheesy and comforting. I remembered that I hadn't made anything along the lines of tacos, fajitas, or burritos in a while, so I opted for the burritos! This burrito is a great weeknight recipe for families, couples, or just for you! It's great because the ingredients keep well once … Continue reading Chicken, Black Bean & Avocado Burritos with Ranch Salsa

The necessary start to my day is caffeine of any kind, which I think most people in this world can agree with. But, this early grey latte is more than just a perk. It's sweet, delicious and calming. To me, each sip feels like I'm wrapped in a warm blanket, sitting on a cloud, while … Continue reading Starbucks Copycat Earl Grey Latte

Having trouble using up your Thanksgiving leftovers? I have a pretty tasty solution for you! When we were eating at a restaurant a while back (on Mother's Day, actually), I had this sandwich that I never expected to be so delicious. I made sure to remember it for when Thanksgiving rolled around because it makes for … Continue reading Thanksgiving Leftovers: Turkey & Brie Sandwiches

  Tonight's dinner was a little something I've wanted to try for a while- zucchini noodles! It seems to be all the rage these days and I'm always down to try new healthy recipes. I'm not going to lie and say it turned out to be perfection and I will make it weekly, etc. I … Continue reading Easy Weeknight Zoodles with Homemade Alfredo Sauce & Sautéed Mushrooms

As per usual, I fall pretty hard for autumn recipes! Dinner tonight really satisfied our hunger and our need for something fall-like that wasn't overly heavy but not light like a summer salad. I used to make acorn squash a long time ago, but for some reason forgot about this timeless fall classic until now. The … Continue reading Autumn Acorn Squash with Maple Brown Butter & Walnuts

We just got back from a trip out west where we completed a small "cross Canada" adventure. Some day, I swear, we will do the full drive, but with only two weeks off from work, we were both on a mission to just drive through Alberta and BC and somewhat take our time. Since becoming … Continue reading Cross Canada Part I- The Okanagan Valley: A Dream Come True

I'm a sucker for lunches that are so delicious, it's all I can think about all morning at work. This is one of those! I love Greek pasta salad, I just didn't want to be so lethargically full and bloated all day, so I figured gluten-free would be the way to go! It did not … Continue reading Gluten-Free Greek Pasta Salad

This smoothie bowl is inspired by our recent trip to Vancouver. We had ventured to a recommended spot for breaky called Glory Juice Co. Here, they obviously have fresh pressed juice, but more importantly, they make the most incredible Acai bowls! Now, if you have ever tried to buy Acai for your breakfast, you know … Continue reading Raspberry Banana Smoothie Bowl with Local Honey & Hemp Granola

This post is lonnnng overdue, but we've been a bit busy traveling Canada and I figured better late than never (as most of my blog posts seem to go). At the end of June, we had my bestie Jamie's bachelorette party in Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake and guess who got asked to take charge of the … Continue reading Sip Sip Hooray! Jamie’s Bachelorette in VQA

  Today, I found the BEST recipe for muffins that is flourless, gluten-free and surprisingly, very tasty! Ingredients: 1/2 cup gluten-free quick oats (loosely packed), 3/4 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 2/8 tsp baking soda, 1 medium (1/2 cup) mashed over-ripe banana, 1 can white beans (rinsed, drained and dried thoroughly) (I used chickpeas), … Continue reading Gluten-Free Flourless Banana Oat Muffins

This one is a little shoutout to the incredible “Oh She Glows” for inspiring me to enjoy some much healthier vegan and gluten free options. It’s also a huge shout out to my best friend and health extraordinaire Nikki Bahan who inspires me every day to try new recipes and cook with passion. I’m not gluten-free or vegan … Continue reading Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola

THIS SALAD THOUGH. I am a very obsessed with the Oh She Glows cookbooks and blog. Angela Liddon is a recipe genius and has inspired me to diversify my cooking. It's so easy to follow her recipes when they are written plain form in front of you and you can just copy and paste them … Continue reading Oh She Glows Vegan Caesar Salad with Nutty Herb Croutons

Mondays are already long enough and to find the energy to cook (and possibly impress) is hard! When I start to get excited for the weekend, I shoot for the more involved recipes, but I needed something simple and delicious to encourage me through the week. I threw a few things together along the theme … Continue reading Monday Mango Curry Chicken with Sautéed Peppers, Basmati Rice & Naan

Today was a really gorgeous day so we decided to hit the beach and a friend's pool to ward off the 32 degree heat. We quickly realized we were in the mood for something fresh and summery to match the beautiful weather. I had this salad last summer on a patio in Montreal and it … Continue reading Lobster & Watermelon Salad with Mint & Feta

Caprese salads are my top choice of salad in the world. Picture this, you're sipping on a refreshing glass of Pinot Grigio on a patio in Italy overlooking a vineyard while snacking on the freshest tomatoes with soft, yummy cheese topped with some candy-like balsamic dressing. Nice picture, right? Well, this isn't exactly the typical … Continue reading Classic Caprese Salad

I LOVE this recipe. It's easy and involves inexpensive  and accessible ingredients. The best part is that you can incorporate this into a dinner, snack, or your lunches for work for the week. We packed hummus with carrots and cucumbers to dip for lunches but mainly enjoyed this delicious recipe with fresh baguette and a … Continue reading Classic Homemade Hummus

**Warning: This post may contain a whole lot of sap and only a little bit about food** Happy Mother's Day to all the incredible mommas out there- especially mine! If you've known me for even just a short period of time, you've probably met my amazing mother, Michele. She supports me with everything, encourages me … Continue reading Appreciating & Honouring My Momma

I also love incorporating vegetables into some form of comfort food to make it seem a little healthier. Guilty as charged. This recipe isn't too bad for you, but there are some cheesy, saucy ingredients that qualify it as a comfort food. I found this recipe on Pinterest when I was looking for what to … Continue reading Zucchini Taco Boats

It seems in the last couple weeks, everyone has caught every type of flu, cold and cough possible. I somehow (knock on wood), haven't gotten any type of sickness and decided to take advantage of my health by cooking healthy, hearty dinners for everyone else. I wanted to share 5 of my top recipes that comfort … Continue reading 5 Healthy & Hearty Dinners

After St. Patrick's Day weekend, we found ourselves in desperate need of a very healthy dinner. This recipe is easy, effortless, and satisfying. Lemon & Garlic Butter Tilapia with Rainbow Veggies: Ingredients: 2 frozen tilapia (3 if you want one for lunch the next day), 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 cup lemon juice,  1/3 stick unsalted … Continue reading White Wine & Lemon Baked Tilapia & Rainbow Vegetables

 As we get older, St. Patrick's Day is all about the green coloured food, and less about the getting blackout drunk- errr at least it is for me!? I decided to make gluten-free avocado fettuccine 'alfredo' with freshly grated parmesan and for dessert, chocolate lava cakes topped with pistachio gelato. Ingredients for dinner (makes 4 … Continue reading St. Patrick’s Food Picks

This is one of favourite soups ever. It fits with all seasons and gives you a necessary boost of energy no matter what time of the day. I love all the flavours in this soup. You have some mild spice with the salsa, some salty with the corn and beans, and some more flavourful elements … Continue reading Gluten-Free Energy Boosting Mexican Soup

This past weekend, we ventured home for a short but sweet visit to celebrate my uncle Bob's 60th birthday. He decided to do it up a bit differently this time. My uncle Rick fixed the slide projector and the video projector and organized all the boxes of slides. They had set up an entire movie … Continue reading A Night In At The Movies

I know, I know it's practically all I cook, but that's because it's so yummy and flavourful. Curry is something I seem to cook weekly. This week, I tried a bit of a different stir fry with cauliflower and chickpeas and will definitely be making it again. Ingredients: 6 florets cauliflower (washed and separated), 2 … Continue reading Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry

Last night, I was craving citrus chicken and syrah (random combination) and decided to head to the store and treat myself to both. I blended lemon, lime and orange juice with herbs and spices and poured it over chicken legs. I then made parmesan rice and a mushroom/red onion sauté and paired it with Porcupine Ridge 2015 … Continue reading Citrus/Syrah Craving

Yep, you heard me. I'm calling this the world's best gnocchi, because it truly was the most delicious thing I have EVER made. I always find gnocchi a tough one to perfect, especially if you're making a creamy sauce for it. Tomato sauce is always the easy choice and it tends to mask the doughy … Continue reading The World’s Best Gnocchi

Sometimes, I run out of ideas for lunches for work or dinners before the gym or soccer that will power me through, but recently I was overcome with ideas from different sources of inspiration! Here are a few ideas for you to keep in the recipe box whenever you need. Power Lunches: -Chickpea Salad: 1 … Continue reading Healthy Lunch & Dinner Ideas

  I'm usually pretty lucky in that my birthday falls close to (or sometimes on) Family Day. This year, my birthday was on a Saturday and Family Day was the Monday, so we decided to have some friends up for the weekend and really enjoy a full weekend! I cooked a couple appetizers for the … Continue reading A Long & Wonderful Birthday Weekend!

  I think the perfect birthday treat is good food, good wine and good company. I am having some friends over tonight for the weekend for my birthday and decided to kick the weekend off with an appetizer evening. I found this recipe on the good old Pinterest and decided to give it a shot. It … Continue reading Healthy Loaded Greek Layer Dip with Pita

This past Valentine's Day was the BEST we've had. We went food crazy, wine and sparkling wine crazy, and dessert crazy. CRAZY, right? I prepped almost everything Monday night so Tuesday would mainly just be drinking wine and throwing things in the oven or on the stove. We took a trip to Farm Boy to … Continue reading A Foodie’s Valentine’s Day

I have been dying to try spaghetti squash for the longest time! I have bought the squash several times before but never ended up having the courage or time to chop them and actually do it right, until tonight. Finally, I decided to incorporate a few different elements to this otherwise plain dish. This casserole … Continue reading Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Last night was a night where we got snowed in and I didn't have a ton of stuff in the fridge or in the cupboard for dinner, but I did have some main stays. I got all the ingredients together for a nice couscous chickpea medley with roasted red and yellow peppers and sweet potatoes … Continue reading Coconut Curry Comfort

Tonight, I had a craving for some type of Asian food. I had chicken, sweet potatoes and broccoli, and I always have a solid stash of rice noodles. Being a salt addict, I knew I wanted to douse the chicken in a salty sauce, hence I came to the decision of teriyaki sauce. I wanted … Continue reading Teriyaki & Sesame Horseradish Asian Chicken with Broccoli & Sweet Potato

Tonight, after a long day at work, I was craving something fresh and something homemade. I didn't have much time, but I decided to make my own pasta sauce to go with my gluten-free linguine. Here's a super easy recipe for a night you're craving healthy and comforting! Ingredients: 1 x 796mL can tomatoes 1x … Continue reading Fresh From Scratch

We are not huge Super Bowl fans, unless we happen to have a get together with a bunch of delicious munchies and good beer. This year, we decided to keep it quiet and just have a nice Sunday dinner and some beer with the game. This chicken dish is simple, super and sort of looks like … Continue reading Super Bowl Sunday

This weekend, I went back home to Kingston to visit my mom. Of course she pulled the whole "you cook all these delicious recipes and never cook for me!!" which is only half true. Either way, my mom deserves to be cooked for all the time and she is after all, one of the main … Continue reading Saturday Special

One of my favourite meals in the entire world is tacos. But.... when you're trying to go as gluten-free as possible, you have to find a solid substitute for the wrap portion. If there is anything the Cheesecake factory taught me, it's that lettuce wraps are actually a beautiful thing. Feeds: 2 souls Ingredients: 1 package of … Continue reading Let’s Taco-bout It

I do cook this type of meal a LOT, but I'm not too worried about it. It's a classic and absolutely delicious recipe. There are many things you can do with the ingredients in this dish- either wraps, a salad, or a chicken and rice dish with a side salad- your choice! Feeds: 2 people … Continue reading Chicken Souvlaki Salad with Homemade Tzatziki

My mom had started a 'salmon Friday' tradition a while back where she would pick up fresh salmon filets from Farm Boy and serve them with mixed veggies, a salad, and potatoes (usually)! Anytime we were home on Friday, we would get to enjoy this beautiful meal. Now that we live in Ottawa, we decided … Continue reading Some Things Never Change- & That’s Okay!

While my mother's chili recipe has always been a secret, I feel that I can technically share my 'spin' on the classic. Some of the ingredients are similar,however I've added a few things to change it up and create Taco Chili. My mother's recipe also always calls for lean ground beef, but I've decided to use … Continue reading Vegetarian Taco Chili

Tonight I continue on my gluten-free and healthy dinner streak! We tried a catch of the day from the Merivale Fish Market, which was catfish. Cajun Lime Catfish Filets with a Chickpea and Avocado Salad: Serves: 2 people Ingredients for the Dish: 2 catfish filets, 2 avocados, 1 can drained and rinsed chickpeas, 1/3 red onion, 1/3 … Continue reading A Cajun Catch

  Pan Lemon and Truffled Chicken with Asparagus, Cherry Tomatoes and Brown Rice: Ingredients: 3-4 chicken breasts (we'll have 1 leftover for lunch), 1 whole lemon (sliced), 1 small carton of cherry tomatoes, 2 tbsp truffle oil, 1/3 cup of bottled lemon juice, 1 bunch of asparagus, 2 cups of brown rice, fresh ground pepper and … Continue reading Chicken Dishes for the Healthy Win!

Preparing yourself for the week ahead can be daunting and stressful, but it doesn't have to be! There are many options available for great lunch ideas that are healthy, filling and nutritional. Obviously, my go-to is Pinterest, but I also use Nikki's Plate. Nikki is a nurse who banks a lot of hours at the … Continue reading How To Meal Prep for the Week

Yesterday evening, we celebrated Eric's uncle Malcolm's 50th birthday at the Nordik Spa in Chelsea with our own personal party cabin! We enjoyed Beef Bourguignon for dinner with lots of beautiful red wine and various cakes and lots of Champagne for dessert. Here's the recipe for Beef Bourguignon from Canadian Living. You can of course double … Continue reading Happy 50th Birthday Malcolm!

Tonight, I made falafel drizzled with a tahini sauce over a bed of kale blend salad with snap peas and a homemade caper and red wine vinaigrette dressing. This was an easy one to make. You could definitely make the falafel mix from scratch (and soon I will, I swear!) but sometimes you have to … Continue reading Falafel & Snap Peas

I found myself craving a MacKinnon Brothers beer and something spicy, so this is what Tuesday night's dinner looked like! Blackened Pineapple Chicken with Guacamole and Cranberry Fig Crackers: Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts, 1/2 can of Dole Pineapple chunks, jerk spice, 4 avocados, 4 cloves of garlic, 1/3 of a red onion, 2 tbsp of lime … Continue reading Spicing Up Our Tuesday

Sunday night, we had our friends over who were visiting from Mexico. After the rush of the weekend, I buckled down Sunday morning to grocery shop and start prepping. Here is a dish that is a crowd pleaser and a mind easer! Coconut Curry Chicken with Sautéed Peppers, Basmati Rice and Naan Bread Paired with Ontario … Continue reading Sunday Dinner Party

It was Thursday and after both of us getting over our colds and coughs, we were ready for flavourful food and a nice bottle of wine! After visiting with our friends from Mexico and being inspired by starting my Spanish course, I decided a Spanish tapas night was a perfect idea. Feeds: 2-4 people Part … Continue reading Tapas Night!

A friend of mine mentioned how she would love the actual recipes for the dishes I've been making. I realized as soon as she said it that I am the absolute worst for posting creations and not really explaining what the ingredients are or the steps to making it. I'm making a promise for 2017 … Continue reading New Promises & Actual Recipes For 2017

2016 was the year I really got into cooking and establishing FVS on Instagram and as a blog. The summer was filled with sipping Chardonnay, BBQing anything and everything (especially corn on the cob and chicken), enjoying fresh, zesty fish from the market, and sitting outside on our patio with beers toasting to our move … Continue reading A Look Back At 2016

Christmas is my second favourite time of the year (obviously I love Thanksgiving the most)! I love getting together with friends and family to toast the holidays and celebrate a little time off. I have a few things to get off my chest: -What are some good gifts for lovers of food and drinks? -What … Continue reading ‘Tis The Season to be Celebrating!

On November 29th, we celebrated our 10 year dating anniversary. We've had so many years to try different foods, wines and champagnes, so I like to say our taste is vintage. We kicked it off with some fondu (swiss cheese fondu, yellow and red pepper mix, portobello mushrooms, baguette, cherry tomatoes, Vienna sausages, green and red … Continue reading A Decade of Love (& Fine Wine)!

Early November, Hayley and I reunited. Even though she only lives in Toronto, being that far away from your best friend feels like she lives in Siberia. This weekend was all about the food and wine. Friday: charcuterie with Concha y Toro Winemaker's Lot 148 Carmenère (cheeses and meats from local Toronto spots and Wilton, ON), … Continue reading Besties Reunite

With the weather becoming a little more brisk, we all know this is the time of year that I head into cozy-mode and start creating some warm-up/comfort recipes and reverting to some old faithfuls. It all starts out with a trip to the [vintage section] at the LCBO of course! I picked up a few gems- … Continue reading Autumn Warm-Ups

Of course, it's pretty obvious from my living stint in Montreal and the amount of photos I posted at games, I'm a Montreal Canadiens fan. Now that we're in Ottawa, we'll take what we can get! For my grandpa's birthday, we got tickets for the group of us to go to Habs vs. Sens at … Continue reading Allez-It’s Hockey Season!!!

Thanksgiving weekend was a huge success- and now I'm feeling huge. So much food, so much wine, and so many good times! The weekend started off with a celebration here in Ottawa for my mom's birthday. I took a sweet trip to Suzy Q doughnuts and was easily persuaded to buy 6 donuts for 4 of us … Continue reading Thankful for a LOT of Things!

Tis the saison! I'm happy to say that October is my favourite month and fall is my favourite season. With Thanksgiving weekend coming up in a few short hours, I took some time at the LCBO to pick out some interesting choices of beer, wine and whiskey. I of course also took some time to hit … Continue reading Tis The Saison!

A few weekends in a row, we've been lucky to have a lot of family time at home in Kingston, which means a lot of food time too! The Friday night, we went downtown K-town to Olivea (a little taste of Italy). The oysters were phenomenal and the pasta was truly delicious Italian. All of this … Continue reading Home is Where The ♥ Is

Lunches are always a tough thing to pack. Being in dental, I never know when my patients are going to run on time, or whether I'll have two seconds to scarf down a spoonful of sustenance. Here are three great options for healthy, filling, tasty mid-day fillers. Kale Power Salad: Kale and spinach blend, salami, Roma … Continue reading Lunch Ideas

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! My top breakys to keep me going during a long day or to wake up to on a sweet and slow Sunday, are chia seed puddings and french toast bakes. The chia seed puddings are made with almond milk, cocoa, honey, and cinnamon topped with bananas … Continue reading Bulk-up for Breaky!

Fall has begun, the air is cooling down, and my heart longs for those hearty meals to comfort me along with my collection of scarves. Mustard and Herbs to Provence chicken breasts with homemade cauliflower and pepper 'tater tots' and brown rice with buttery Chardonnay Rainbow gnocchi with garden-grown pesto and an Italian spinach salad … Continue reading Fall Finds

This past weekend, I visited my best friend in Toronto. We went to TURF music festival, ate all the food, drank all the wine and partied probably too much! Lunch: Completo's Chilean sandwiches. We all had the Churrassco on gluten free buns (chorizo sausage, mashed avocado, lettuce, tomato, house hot sauce and roasted red pepper sauce): https://www.zomato.com/toronto/completo-leslieville/menu Dinner: … Continue reading T.O.

What other way to toast the end of summer and welcome fall than with a beer run? The Canada Beer Run is hosted in many cities around Canada and offers an 8KM or 13.6KM run with several brewery stops. Taylor and I chose the 13.6KM because, let's be honest, the 8KM race sold out by … Continue reading Ottawa Beer Run 2016

It was one rainy Sunday morning when we were hanging with our friends in Ottawa when Kelli decided to bring out the most delicious breakfast. I had wondered when in the world she had time to make something to amazing when we were all hanging around the table with our coffees. Turns out, she found … Continue reading Overnight French Toast Casserole

Taking on a classic line from F.R.I.E.N.D.S... I had to ask Eric, "Is your pesto the besto?" hoping he would respond "I don't know, but I'd say it's pretty good-O!" but- he didn't. Even though he's not one for the friends lines, he can at least make some incredible pesto for us! With our boisterous … Continue reading His Pesto is the Besto!

July & August were full of ALL the adventure! My sister and I jetted off on yet another adventure to South America and immediately dove into the food, wine and beautiful culture. Our adventure started off in Bogotá, Colombia for a quick layover involving some exploring of the city centre and a desperate need to locate fresh, authentico … Continue reading Ecuador- I ecuADOR(E) you!

 Summer was certainly sweet with the edition of Sweet Jesus in the Byward Market in downtown Ottawa. Taylor and I took a little trip to this scoop of heaven and truly indulged. I ordered the 'Cookies, cookies, cookies & cream' (exactly what it sounds like-cookies & cream!) and Taylor ordered the 'Cinnamon Toast Crunch' (vanilla ice cream, … Continue reading So Long, Sweet Summer

Local, organic and farm to table have become some new found words to me- and some beautiful ones for that matter! Our neighbour here in Ottawa is an impressive woman. Her entire backyard is dedicated to her plants, her herb garden, her vegetable garden, her chickens (for fresh eggs), her bee keeping workshop, and her … Continue reading Local, Organic, Farm to Table

It was a good couple weeks of back and fourth from Montreal to Ottawa, but now we're here, settled into our jobs and thankful for the exciting start to the summer already! Savoy Brasserie for Sunday Breaky: to kick off the newly started dental clinic in Westboro, our amazing boss treated us to some delicious breakfast … Continue reading Hello, Ottawa!

Immediately after our incredible trip to Mexico, I started trying to replicate some of the flavours we had and some dishes we tried. This one in particular was based off of Mexican spices/flavours. This chilli crusted salmon filet topped with cilantro ranch alongside the ‘fiesta’ salad will have your tastebuds dancing. Ingredients for the salmon: 2 … Continue reading Chilli Crusted Mexican Salmon Filets

It has truly been an incredible year in this beautiful city and I can't believe it's already over. Thanks to all the foodie's on Insta, Blogs, and cookbooks and some amazing friends for sharing their favourites so I could find mine. I'm going to share a few last gems in the big city before I … Continue reading Au Revoir, Montreal!

Some final gems from our short, but sweet time in Montreal: Trying to replicate our incredible time in Mexico, this is one of my favourites: Mexican spice crusted salmon filet with a 'fiesta' salad (chickpeas, corn, hardboiled eggs, red onions, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes on a bed of romaine lettuce) with homemade lime, ranch and cilantro … Continue reading Final Days of Montreal Mixes

We recently got back from Mayan Riviera, Mexico in May and it was incredible! We stayed at the Valentin Imperial Maya and truly indulged in food, wine, margaritas, the sun, the sand, and the beautiful people. Every morning, we enjoyed breakfast on the beach, mimosas and the best assortment of fresh fruits, crepes, and omelettes. Every lunch, … Continue reading Hola, Mexico!

I'm such a sucker for blue cheese and ranch dressing, so naturally this salad is perfect for me. Way back when, I used to work at the Keg as a salad tender. They used to serve an iceberg wedge salad, which is very similar to the recipe I'm posting here. I have also had many … Continue reading Wedge Cobb Salad

As a celebration for Eric's 25th birthday, we did taco night with Beau's lugtread Belgian style ale (YUM!), an oreo cheesecake from Rockaberry (where else, really?) for dessert and a beautiful bottle of spumante sparkling wine from Italy from Farnito (tasted like a Franciacorta- buttery and full) to toast the milestone. We then travelled back … Continue reading Happy Birthday Eric!

Well, I'm off to Mexico on May 9th and for the last couple of months, I've been a little strict with my diet. Not as many desserts, not as much wine, but all in hopes of that beach bod and getting to drink as many margaritas as I can stomach. Daily Breaky: raspberry yogurt with … Continue reading Healthy Chick For a Month

Well, this was a fun night out: burgers, poutine and beer at Art: Brgr in the Plateau followed by dirty gin martinis at Bily Kun. This city never ceases to amaze me. One moment, you're eating double your weight in meat and gravy, then you're classily sipping on fine drinks with ostriches staring at you … Continue reading Art: Brgr

I was having some company for dinner one night and realized I needed a dessert option- and fast! This recipe is great for making ahead of time and throwing it in the oven when dinner is done. It truly allows you to be a part of the conversations at the dinner table while keeping up … Continue reading Creme Brûlée In A Mug

A nostalgic last week of our Habs and the dinners surrounding watching and attending the games. As an early birthday present, I got Eric 100 level seats to the last game of the season. We'll be moving soon and it was our last game while living the city and a perfect game to see. Although hockey … Continue reading Mack’s Montreal Mixes XI

Netflix and Chill type of week ahead with some relaxed, fairly effortless dinners (that John Stamos would recommend). You know the drill, so I'll skip the details and get straight to it. Buttery Potato Crusted Alaskan Pollock with Mixed Greens & Tomatoes in a Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette with Parmesan Rice paired with "Cannonball" Chardonnay from … Continue reading Mack’s Montreal Mixes IX

Well, if you live in Montreal, or Canada, or just generally watch hockey, you obviously know the Habs have had a horrible season. We supported as long as we could and a couple weeks ago semi-enjoyed our (most likely) last game of the season (Panthers vs. Habs- and no the Habs did not win). Eric's … Continue reading Final Winter Hockey Grub

A very happy Easter weekend indeed! The weather was gorgeous, the food was delicious, and the wine kept flowing. Friday night, we started in Kingston at grandma's for ham, scalloped potatoes, ginger carrots, coleslaw, and C'est La Vie Pinot Noir Syrah from Pays D'Oc, France. Yes, I'm aware Pays D'Oc isn't the most prestigious area for … Continue reading Hoppy Easter!

A few weekends ago, we enjoyed a trip to St. Sauveur for our last bit of skiing (amazing Spring weather), some drinks, and some gourmet grub. With the warm weather, we took advantage of some beautiful patio beers in Adirondack chairs and some red wine and classic ski hill poutine. Once it cooled down for … Continue reading St. Sauveur- St. So Good!

Let me tell you about my beautifully artistic and tasteful smoothie bowl. It took some effort the night before and a fair bit in the morning but here's what it consisted of... Ingredients: 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1/4 cup red beet (cooked prior), 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup blackberries, 1/4 cup strawberries, 1 whole … Continue reading Beat That Beet Smoothie Bowl

Since moving to Montreal, I haven't got to come home too often. Mainly because it's 3 hours each way and without a car, I can't spontaneously decide my trips. As much as I love exploring all of Montreal's incredible restaurants, bars, and attractions, I'm always happy to come home and revisit my favourite spots. Plus- … Continue reading Home Sweet Home

This one is a little shoutout to the incredible "Oh She Glows" for inspiring me to enjoy some much healthier vegan and gluten free options. It's also a huge shout out to my best friend and health extraordinaire Nikki Bahan who inspires me every day to try new recipes and cook with passion. I'm not gluten-free … Continue reading Power Breakfast

This weeks Montreal mixes are one for the books. We went for all yummy- and not the most healthy. But, after a long week at the gym and a couple days without Eric, I was ready to just veg out! 1. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Plain Yogurt and White Vinegar Slaw Paired with Knob … Continue reading Mack’s Montreal Mixes VII

Well, the dreaded 24th birthday rolled around on February 18th, but I truly need to thank my amazing friends and boyfriend for an incredible day and then weekend filled with champagne, wine, cake, foodie food, and even more champagne! 24 will be okay- right? I started the true day off with Toblerone cheesecake from Rockaberry's … Continue reading Mack’s Day

There was lots happening around Valentine's Day-- in the kitchen! The in-laws were visiting and we had a beautiful weekend full of food, wine and sweet treats! I started the weekend off with a mushroom, cherry tomato, and pancetta quiche paired with Blanche de Chambly's. We then hopped over to Modavie (our fave spot) for some dinner and … Continue reading Love Day ♥

I still have so much exploring to do, but these top 5 spots are some of the best I've seen thus far. Check out any of these bars, who all specialize in different wines, beers, cocktails, or spirits! La Champagnerie- Bar à Sabrage (343 Rue Saint Paul Est): this little heaven of mine is located in the vieux port. … Continue reading Top 5 Spots to Grab a Drink in MTL

The 10th edition of Mack's mixes comes inspired from Pinterest classics, family recipes, restaurant copycats and all of my beautiful new cookbooks. I finally invested in the 'Montreal Cooks' Book I'd been longing for. I'm so happy I did it, because not only does it boast incredibly diverse recipes, but it is so visually pleasing and … Continue reading Mack’s Montreal Mixes X

The Mack's Mix Edition #9 is all about spicing up your life! I love spiciness and loads of flavour in a dish. So, for wintertime chills, the common cold, and a serious need for energy, here are some inspired dinners. Thai Peanut Chicken with Basmati Rice and Cucumbers: this was done in the crock-pot and … Continue reading Mack’s Montreal Mixes IX

A quick little post about my two favourite spots in Old MTL. The port boasts mannnnny top restaurants, and I know I haven't even grazed the surface, however, these two really impress me every time I go. Modavie: a wine and jazz bar whose specialty is lamb shank. We first went here in the winter and … Continue reading Old Montreal: Places To Be

This is one of my most favourite breakfast recipes! Why? They are so easy to make, so delicious, and so impressive to those you are serving it to. You will not be disappointed with this savory selection. These mini quiches can be made with whatever ingredients you'd like. If you're vegetarian, throw in some mushrooms, … Continue reading Crustless Mini Quiches

A Big MERRRRRY CHRISTMAS to Everyone! I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday season. I would proudly like to share that my mom won Christmas by buying my boyfriend and I all new Lagostina pots and pans along with several other beautiful kitchen items. I also received two very nice cookbooks, a cocktail book and a … Continue reading Merry Christmas!

My boyfriend and I just celebrated our 9 year anniversary on November 29th, and man... we did good. We went a little gung-ho and treated ourselves to good food and good wine. The 28th (Saturday): we enjoyed roasted rabbit with green beans and baked potatoes paired with yep that's right, Domaine Duclaux Chateauneuf-du-Pape! I can't get … Continue reading Anniversary Celebrations

We're at the crisp of winter and I have some nice dishes to warm your souls. Beef, Broccoli, Carrot and Egg Noodle Sautee with Soy Sauce: as it sounds- filling and soothes my asian fusion need. Dill, Lemon & Garlic Salmon with Garlic Rice and Creamy Cucumber: So warm and flavourful. The dill pairs nicely with … Continue reading Mack’s Montreal Mixes Part VIII

I love one-bite (or two) desserts! I find it so much less stressful thank cutting myself a slice of cake or pie. I always feel terribly bad when my eyes are bigger than my stomach and I waste food. Especially when someone else has gone through all the effort of making and serving it to … Continue reading Apple Pie Bites

Getting colder, food is getting warmer. Green Apple and Carrot Pork Roast with Spatlese: OMG. Favourite meal we've had here yet. This roast was done in the crock-pot and was cooked to perfection. It's so nice to walk in the front door and think "wow... who's cooking that delicious meal and wants to share with … Continue reading Mack’s Montreal Mixes VII

Well, anyone that knows me (even for a brief period) knows I love the SAQ with a passion. Yes, I enjoy wine and scotch, and pretty well everything made the right way... but my love for SAQ involves a fair bit of passion for more than just the product. It depends on which location you go to … Continue reading SAQ, I love you.

I recently completed the WSET II course at the beginning of November with L'Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec in Montreal. After moving here, I decided I would continue with WSET, but with a different company. ITHQ was unbeatable. Our instructor Carmine was an Italian God of wine with all the knowledge and patience possible to … Continue reading WSET II With ITHQ

I love anything local and living in Quebec has been key, because they seem to love their local too! There are many options for cheese, beers, meats, wines, etc. that are readily available in many places. So far my favourites are: Cheeses: Chèbrie Fromage de Chèvre is a goat cheese served as a wheel and has the consistency of … Continue reading Quebec’s Local Goods

Plain and simple: what makes a good antipasto platter? A charcuterie board: a nice selections of meats, cheese and crackers. Normally, I would've included more meat here, but for this selection, I had spicy genovese salami, Oka cheese spread, Danish extra creamy blue cheese and an assortment of Triscuits, crostinis and Bretons. Olives: an easily … Continue reading The Perfect Antipasto Platter

What am I without my wine and food bibles? Max McCalman's Wine+Cheese Pairing Swatchbook My best friend is amazing and found my this wine&cheese pairing swatchbook. The whole wine and cheese pairing thing is actually really hard for me, so this book couldn't be more helpful. Whenever people come over or I'm making a dish that … Continue reading New Bible/Need That Bible

Time to really mix it up. Not just dinners ahead, but breakfast ideas, more dessert, and some little party pleasers! Wakey, Wakey! Eggs and Bakey! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, no? Why not have it all in an easy, delicious, savoury mouthful? I took this recipe from Pinterest (classic) and made … Continue reading Mack’s Montreal Mixes V

Flirting with fall colours and fall flavours in some fantastic recipes about a month ago! Dish One: Chicken Parmesan Casserole. It has been another crazy week of on-the-go activities, so I opted for another casserole to push us through Monday, Tuesday. It was unreal. Its very simple and very tasty. It simply involves chicken, penne pasta, … Continue reading Mack’s Montreal Mixes IV

Always on that cooking grind... I have a lot of recipes I'd like to share with everyone via my Pinterest finds and memory bank. Here are a few more weeknight specials: Dish One: Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole. Okay... it was a busy week this week and I decided to make a casserole we could both … Continue reading Mack’s Montreal Mixes Part III

Look, I'm no connoisseur of poutine, but I know a good one when I have it, and being in the city with more poutine per capita, I have had my fair share to judge. I have so far only highly rated two poutine joints worth mentioning. I know there will be more to come, but … Continue reading Top Poutines in MTL

Obviously, 5 Saisons is decorated beautifully in the fall and it just seems to entice you to go in and buy everything. This grocery store is amazing. Think fresh, gourmet, upscale. I'm very lucky to have this gem a 5-minute walk from work and go there several times per week for lunch. They have fresh sandwiches/panini's … Continue reading Les 5 Saisons Pour Chaque Saison!

Tis the season for cozying up in a blanket with a hot cup of soup and a tall glass of wine- while watching Netflix of course! This autumn warm-up potato soup is perfection. It's a simple recipe that will fill you up and keep you toasty. Ingredients: 4 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 medium yellow onions (chopped), 1 tbsp curry powder (plus … Continue reading Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup

End of fall eats were pure bliss! Check out some new recipes. Cherry Tomato, Cremini Mushroom and Goat Cheese Pesto Bow Ties We had some friends over for dinner and decided to use one of our cherished jars of pesto (made fresh by Eric in the summer). I added a bit of cream to the … Continue reading Mack’s Montreal Mixes Part VI

It was the first cool autumn weekend in Montreal and I decided to make us some delicious Thai soup to warm our souls. I got this recipe from the website All Recipes. I find a lot of great menu options on there, and they are always painless! Soup itself is usually an easy meal to … Continue reading Thai Cauliflower Coconut Curry Soup

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone celebrating this beautiful holiday! I got to enjoy some quality meals and more importantly quality wines this weekend. The true Thanksgiving meal I devoured today was paired with a Pinot Noir from Burgundy-- the perfect turkey pairing! This pinot had all the right flavours- wet leaves, mushrooms and light berries. It … Continue reading Happy Gobble Gobble

I'm continuing to mix it up here in MTL, trying different recipes and wine pairings. I just started my WSET 2 course in Wine and Spirits and am excited to share some fantastic pairings. This will continue until I find a full-time join! Here's last week's creations: Dish One: Caprese stuffed chicken breast with spring … Continue reading Mack’s Montreal Mixes Part II

Another Pinterest favourite...but, in all honesty, takes a lot of effort and time. In the end, this dessert recipe is worth it. It's very rich, so if you're making a batch of these, please have friends over and share them! You will probably make yourself sick by eating a bunch of these, even over a … Continue reading Chocolate Raspberry Cups

Since living in Montreal and having a beautiful kitchen to cook in, I decided to start trying many new recipes (especially courtesy of Pinterest Recipes)! Anything goes and if it doesn't turn out, there's room for improvement or the option to literally never try that recipe again! Having my own kitchen has really allowed me to work … Continue reading Mack’s Montreal Mixes Part I

In August 2015, I took a pretty life changing trip to Peru with my sister. It sparked the travel bug and opened my eyes to how truly beautiful the world is. I couldn't wait to share the culture wave of foods, drinks, and cultural differences! Also keeping in mind, I did try to pair some of … Continue reading Peru… I love you and your food!

A day in the county...what to say? YES. YES. I would do this one hundred times over all year round if I could. Being my friend's birthday, of course we were up for a few more drinks than the typical day in the county- but we did really enjoy the variety of wine tastings and pairings at … Continue reading Tasty Wine Tasting…A Day in the County

  Aren't these just the cutest things? These mini key lime pies are easy eating and crowd pleasing. For some reason, making mini desserts feels like way less of a chore than making a full-size pie. It would honestly be the same, just with increased amounts of the ingredients, but working with individual desserts feels … Continue reading Mini Key Lime Pies