Announcing: a fresh new blog launch

I’ve been on a high since attending the Food Bloggers of Canada’s conference over the weekend. I met some wonderful people and got my fill of awesome foodie ideas. I’m putting my new-found energy to good use by launching a new blog food 4 happiness

Carol and I had a huge chat on our drive back from the conference. One of the big a-ha moments at the conference was when Dianne Jacob (food writer extraordinaire) said to showcase your voice through your blog. Carol and I had been co-blogging for a couple of years and we took Dianne’s advice to heart by deciding to launch separate blogs.

So get ready to eat delicious food. My recipes and food ideas will also be good for your health, which is a key ingredient for happiness.

Happiness quote of the day (which also applies to food):

Happiness is not ready made. It comes from your own actions. – Dalai Lama

So join me on my journey of good food, health and happiness http://www.food4happiness.ca

– Zannat

Fond Food Memories

 

Boiling cabbage would stink and steam up our 70’s galley kitchen. It was complete with a golden- toned fridge, matching range without an exhaust, pine picnic table and bench style seating, and one rather small window overlooking the yard where believe it or not, our small little rescued dog Sheba would jump up and perch, just like a cat.

5 fab ways to love mangoes

The foodie highlight of my weekend revolved around a box of 18 Ataulfo mangoes that were a steal for $9. The mangoes were at various stages of ripeness, perfect for enjoying over a  long period of time. (Btw, to speed up the ripening process, place mangoes in a paper bag.) A ripe mango will impart a sweet aroma from the tip where the stem used to be.

Featured breakfast cereal: Weetabix

As a registered dietitian, I’m often asked what products and brands I like best or how I choose the best brands. For my next few posts, I’ll be featuring breakfast cereals I choose and why. You can also read my article featured in Savvy Mom: How to Choose a Healthy Breakfast Cereal.

5 reasons why I buy Weetabix  

5 fab ways to love Cookin’ Greens

With the run up to St. Patrick’s Day and all things green, try Cookin’ Greens line of frozen green vegetables. (Note to fashionistas: green is THE trend colour for spring.)

Frozen vegetables are just as healthy as fresh vegetables. They are also super convenient when you’re too tired to chop fresh vegetables. Now there’s no excuse to skip out on your greens.

Take advantage of the body cleansing antioxidant benefits found in leafy green vegetables. From chopped kale,  spinach, and rapini to a couple of green mixed vegetables, Cookin’ Greens is a Canadian success story that will be featured on CBC’s Dragon Den on Sunday, March 24th.

Healthy and convenient! Fresh, uncooked sweet potato fries at the grocery store

When food manufacturers marry up vegetables and convenience that’s what I call a winning combination.

Mann’s Sweet Potatoes does just that. What do I love most about these crinkle cut, fresh, uncooked fries? It’s the single ingredient: fresh sweet potatoes.

Broccoli soup with a twist

Warming up to a nice bowl of soup gives me superpowers to deal with the cold weather. Recently, I whipped up a pot of broccoli soup, one with a hint of curry. Here’s the super easy recipe:

5 Fab ways for your kids to love chocolate

With Valentine’s Day falling on a weekday, as much as I like to drool over fancy chocolate recipes, I’m looking forward to keeping things fun yet simple for the kids.

Kids in the kitchen

Cooking with kids can be a lot of fun. Two weekends ago, I spent an afternoon with my nine-year old making a ground beef recipe with lentils, mushrooms and spinach. This was going to be the filling for a stuffed pasta shells recipe. We also slow simmered a simple tomato sauce for the topping.

5 fab ways to love beets

You’d think with that burst of crimson colour and the sweet taste,  beets would be the queen of winter vegetables.  How many other vegetable can you think of where you can eat the tops and the bottoms?  Beet greens can be added to  soups or  salads or made into a side dish when sautéed with oil and garlic and the beets can be enjoyed in so many ways.  It’s like getting two vegetables for the price of one.  And apart from the red and golden varieties, you can also get a striped candy cane variety adding more interest and colour to your plate.

Why then, do potatoes get so much real estate on the grocery floor compared to those gorgeous beets? I think it all comes down to not knowing what the heck to do with beets! Learn to love the taste and appreciate the goodness of beets.