Jess Bennett
Effusive & exuberant social experience curator building the future at SapientNitro in Toronto. Lover of food, technology, culture & fashion. Sometimes blogs about food, sometimes gets a bit deeper. Views = my own.
Updates on Twitter- Inspiration on Tumblr
- Photos on Instagram
- Projects and Ideas on Pinterest
- Professional experience on LinkedIn
- Food & wellness blog: Sift, Dust & Toss
- Checkins on Foursquare
- Music on Hype Machine
Loading,
0
% complete-
Tweets
- "The greatest of empires, is the empire over one’s self." - Publius Syrus
- Ha ha ha. RT @stevetilley: NEXT-GEN ARM HAIR. THE FUTURE IS HERE. #XboxReveal
- RT @ivortossell: With council support ebbed away, Godfrey gone, Wynne against, Ford imploding, the casino is dead. We're debating the merit…
- RT @EvilPRGuy: Even better, #PR firm already dropped Amy's Baking Co. as a client. http://t.co/d9qT8SlC3Q
- "I lived in San Francisco in the dot com era, I lived in London when dub step was happening...I've never seen anything like Nashville."
- "Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world." - Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1844
- Happy sunshine long weekend, Toronto! I hope you were able to let some vitamin D in.
- RT @brainpicker: How you fall in love http://t.co/rgFpfaBAFd
- RT @LiveOrganicRaw: Come over to our new location Live Market for delicious gf breakfast items & freshly ground FT coffee by @ezraspound ht…
- I keep doing this. (@ BarChef) http://t.co/xGbZRatGVI (Checking in with girls named Natalie and Simone.)
- @GaryInToronto Oh dear. Need to go to bed I guess :(
- @ThatEricAlper That's my favourite Beatles song.
- RT @ThatEricAlper: Fun fact: George Harrison wrote 'Here Comes The Sun' in Eric Clapton's garden while playing hooky from a business meetin…
- Major eye twitch. What does it mean?
- @JaBistro222 Whoot whoot! Just heard great things from a friend. Cannot wait to try!
- RT @LiisaLadouceur: Tonight: Peter Murphy plays Bauhaus at Lee's Palace. Goth girl and boy dreams are made of this.
- It's been like 4 hours. Still here. (@ The @CountyGeneral) http://t.co/SHTeMfjy0W
- I'm at The @CountyGeneral (Toronto, ON) http://t.co/T7U7Hi713i
- Even Super-Wealthy Greenwich Is Fascinated by Prince Harry http://t.co/x3pDHP9V2N
-
Posts
Massive post-run meal: Scrambled eggs, refried beans + sprouted legumes, avocado, cucumber, asparagus + broccoli an kale microgreens
Wall Street, NYC. So narrow it casts shadows over the entire financial industry like a pathetic fallacy.
- ‘Super mega-pod’ of dolphins spotted off San Diego coast
(Photo Courtesy of Antonio Ramire)
Thousands of dolphins spanning across seven miles of ocean were sighted off the coast of San Diego on Thursday, a boat captain told NBC 7 San Diego.
Joy.
Why not eliminate schooling between age 12-16? It’s biologically + psychologically too turbulent a time to be cooped up inside, made to sit all the time. During these years, kids would live communally — doing some work, anyway being physically active, in the countryside; learning about sex — free of their parents. Those four ‘missing’ years of school could be added on, at a much later age. At, say, age 50-54 everyone would have to go back to school. (One could get a deferment for a few years, in special cases, if one was in a special work or creative project that couldn’t be broken off.) In this 50-54 schooling, have strong pressure to learn a new job or profession — plus liberal arts stuff, general science (ecology, biology), and language skills.
This simple change in the age specificity of schooling would a) reduce adolescent discontent, anomie, boredom, neurosis; b) radically modify the almost inevitable process by which people at 50 are psychologically and intellectually ossified — have become increasingly conservative, politically — and retrograde in their tastes (Neil Simon plays, etc.)
There would no longer be one huge generation gap (war), between the young and the not young — but 5 or 6 generation gaps, each much less severe.
After all, since most people from now on are going to live to be 70, 75, 80, why should all their schooling be bunched together in the first 1/3 or 1/4 of their lives — so that it’s downhill all the way
Early schooling — age 6-12 — would be intensive language skills, basic science, civics, the arts.
Back to school at 16: liberal arts for two years
Age 18-21: job training through apprenticeship, not schoolingWhere joyous full of faith, spreading white sails,
She cleaves the ether mid the sparkle and the foam of day, or under many a star at night,
By sailors young and old haply will I, a reminiscence of the land, be read, In full rapport at last.
Here are our thoughts, voyagers’ thoughts,
Here not the land, firm land, alone appears, may then by them be said,
The sky o’erarches here, we feel the undulating deck beneath our feet,
We feel the long pulsation, ebb and flow of endless motion,
The tones of unseen mystery, the vague and vast suggestions of the briny world, the liquid-flowing syllables,
The perfume, the faint creaking of the cordage, the melancholy rhythm,
The boundless vista and the horizon far and dim are all here,
And this is ocean’s poem.Walt Whitman, Leaves of GrassI wanted to convey an emotion I have about the beauty of the world…this feeling about the glories of the universe.
Richard Feynman- Ownership & Responsibility for Online Voices
As many of you know, I work in social media. Day to day, I am subject to the sometimes remarkable, but often heartbreaking phenomenon that is ‘empowerment of the masses.’ Each of us has a greater visibility worldwide than ever before because of our profiles online. Because of this, the words we choose to use mean more. They are anchored by our identities and the credibility we have within our trusted personal networks.
It’s interesting to watch ‘protest’ in the context of social media. It’s clear that people want to feel like they are part of movements and helping to enact change. But people can also be lazy, fickle and reckless with the information they share. Take Kony 2012 for instance. It was the most-watched video ever posted…then it turned out facts had been manipulated and a lot of people felt differently. But they had still shared it. And let’s not undermine the intense ownership and responsibility that should be inherent in sharing something you don’t believe in or didn’t feel right about after the fact.
One problem is slacktivism, but for me, the more disturbing trend is ‘trigger finger.’ People consult one media artifact then decide to have an opinion about something, maybe even a very strong opinion like a boycott. People read stories and assume them to be true. When we skim a story then immediately share it to our social networks with a strong opinion, we do a disservice to everyone in our communities. Empowered online voices + lazy slacktivists with trigger fingers = a terrifying direction for mankind. I hope we can all be active agents who take a critical eye to the information we consume and, more importantly, the information we share. Our personal trust and credibility relies on it, and, never forget, our sharing and endorsement of an idea or belief can have real consequences on other people’s lives and businesses. Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward. Maybe they have to be crazy. How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art? Or sit in silence and hear a song that’s never been written? Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels? While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.
AppleCommemorating the craziness of #yyg - #yul-#ord - #yyz - #yyg in less than 24 hours. (Taken with Instagram)
- Bring back more Jojo.
(No streaming audio available)3889 plays - Frank Ocean - Thinking About You (Cover)
(No streaming audio available)376793 plays - Hot Chip - Motion Sickness (Cannot stop listening)
(No streaming audio available)66630 plays - I think this Coldplay tribute to MCA (Adam Yauch) of the Beastie Boys is quite pretty.
(No streaming audio available)8660 plays
-
Photos
-
Projects and Ideas on Pinterest
-
Info
- MA Comms, Senior Associate, Social Experience + Marketing Strategy at SapientNitroMarketing and Advertising | Toronto, Canada Area, CASummary
Jess Bennett is a passionate and holistic strategist who works on the Social Experience team at SapientNitro, one of the largest independent digital agencies in the world. Drawing on 7+ years of communication and marketing experience, she is the winner of several industry awards for best practices in communications and adeptness with social media. In her current strategy role, Jess draws upon her experiences with corporate and consumer clients in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, to help them tell stories using social channels, gain valuable feedback from the public, and build strong reputations. Jess is also an award-winning blogger whose writing has been featured in The Grid and The Toronto Standard.
Client Experience
The Belinda Stronach Foundation; The Canadian Bankers Association; Carlie Wong; CBC News, Current Affairs and Documentaries; CBC Radio One; CBC Radio 2, 3 and Music Branding; Church and Dwight; The Giller Awards; Harley-Davidson; Host Kilmer; Humber School for Writers; KPMG; Kraft Canada; Loblaw Companies Limited; Mercedes-Benz Canada; MuchMusic; Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care; Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure; Procter & Gamble; Special Olympics Canada; Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan Am Games; Vincor; Wine Country OntarioSpecialties: Social Media, Digital Marketing, Cool Hunting, Strategic Planning, Strategic Communications, Integrated Marketing, Social Media Monitoring, Strategic Consulting, Qualitative Research, Crisis Communications, Quantitative Analytics, Editing, New Business Development, Public Relations, Publicity, Blogging, Workshop Facilitation, Content Strategy, Content Writing, Speech Writing
Experience- Mar 2012 - PresentSenior Associate, Social Experience + Marketing Strategy / SapientNitro
My current role is focused on strategic marketing counsel, often performing social media audits and analysis to identify insights and opportunities for my clients. My day-to-day role varies, from providing research-based strategic recommendations and marketing plans, to using social listening software to develop analytics reports, to planning and drafting copy for social content calendars. I also consult on issues management and corporate social branding.
- Jan 2009 - PresentBlogger / Sift, Dust & Toss
An intersection of food, nutrition & love.
- Content featured in the 'Off the Grid' blog series on TheGridTO.com
- Guacamole recipe champion 2011, Mexican Avocados
- Best new blog 2009, Canadian Blog Awards - Apr 2010 - Mar 2012Senior Consultant, Corporate and Public Affairs / Veritas Communications
Managed social media for CBC publicity team and oversaw publicity for several multi-platform initiatives, such as, Canada Reads, CBC Books, Metro Morning, and Day 6. Increased media impressions for Canada Reads by 200% from the previous year. Grew online communities for Wine Country Ontario by 300%. Lead internal workshops to educate colleagues on social media methodology, tools, and best practices to save company time and expand staff knowledge pool. 100% success rate on new business pitches.
Promoted from Consultant in July 2011.
- Jan 2009 - Apr 2010Account Coordinator / Palette PR
Focused on mastering technical writing skills and being a sponge at conferences, lectures, and networking events about social media. Began development of social media audit methodologies and account practice.
Promoted from Intern in May 2009.
- Jul 2008 - Jul 2008Communications Coordinator (CONTRACT) / MuchMusic
Coordinated media accreditation for the 2008 MunchMusic Video Awards (MMVAs.)
Relationship continued for the two following years (2009, 2010) as a red carpet talent wrangler for the MMVAs.
- May 2006 - Sept 2007Fitness Floor Supervisor / Women's Fitness Clubs of Canada
Monitored clients on cardio and weights to answer questions, perform demonstrations and encourage safe and effective use of equipment.
Acquired Personal Training Specialist (PTS) certification.
Education-
2008 - 2009University of Western SydneyMA in Master of Professional Communication
-
2007 - 2008Seneca College of Applied Arts and TechnologyGraduate Certificate in Corporate Communication
Activities: CPRS Class Representative - McGill UniversityBA in Philosophy (Minor: Art History, Sociology)
Activities: Assistant Director of Molson Hall Residence (2 years) Resident Advisor of Molson Hall (1 year) - Rolph Road
- University of Toronto Schools
Additional Information-
Websites:
-
Interests:Tech, social media, blogging, yoga, biking
-
Posts
- Feb 08, 13
- Jan 23, 13If you're familiar with this blog, you know that I love witchy things. Not actual witchcraft per say, but the idea of synergy and 'magic' that can occur when 'potions' of whole, natural ingredients are consumed. I've always been drawn to mythical ideas like the 'elixir of life' or the potions that heal characters in video games. I also love the idea that there are secret things that come from the sea have 'magic' beyond our current understandings of nutritional science. However, my most favourite way to think about the 'magic' of food is how it can serve as medicine and heal our bodies when we select ingredients that nourish us.
In my dealings of food-magic and witchery, one of the most profound (and most obscure) discoveries I've ever made has been an herb that grows on the sides of Greek mountains called, sideritis. I've written previously about the great benefits of drinking this herb as a tea.
Upon discovering that DAVIDsTEA no longer carries the herb as a tea option, I was, quite frankly, heartbroken. But the Universe has a strange and magical way of righting these scenarios and I was contacted by the kind people at a new Boston-based tea company called, Flowering Rock.
Flowering Rock's new collection of herbal teas are inspired by the landscape and history of Greece, featuring sideritis leaves, blossoms and stems from the finest organic grower on Mt.Othrys, Greece that are blended with other aromatic botanicals.
This word, sideritis, is translated to "he who is or has the iron," and, fittingly for Sift, Dust & Toss, its origins are very ancient. I do favour food items that have a long history as the healthiest things are, no doubt, the things that nourished our ancient ancestors.
Tests on sideritis have demonstrated that brewing the herb as a tea helps in the prevention of osteoporosis while its anti-oxidant properties aid in the prevention of cancer. Overall, the herb has been demonstrated to have a positive effect on almost anything that ails the human body, with its anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant properties. The folks at Flowering Rock have created three different blends that each strengthen bones, memory and heart.TITAN (To strengthen bones)Giant of Strength and StaminaOrganic Sideritis and Sage.MELETE (To strengthen memory)Muse of Thought and MeditationOrganic Sideritis with Spearmint,Rose Hips and Hibiscus.ANTHEIA (To strengthen heart.)Goddess of FlowersOrganic Sideritis with Chamomile,Lemon Verbena and Spearmint.
Flowering Rock also carries additional sideritis blends that target sleeplessness and other ailments. Stay tuned for new varieties in the works.
Purchases can be made at the company's online store:
http://floweringrock-com.myshopify.com/http://floweringrock-com.myshopify.com/
Most teas priced at $18 U.S.
For further reading about sideritis, please see:
Sideritis, Sift, Dust & Toss - Jan 19, 13For how many times I've thought about Bobotie, I certainly can't spell it. (For the record, it can also be spelt Bobotjie.)
When I write a blog post about a historical or culturally-significant meal, I try to research a variety of sources. In the very best circumstances, I find a source who has grown up with the dish and made it many times. In the case of Bobotie, I was lucky enough to be staying with my friend Nell's family in Johannesburg, South Africa, and I had the pleasure of acquiring a 30-year old Cape Malay recipe from her aunt, Yvonne Crichton.
There is no greater joy in this world than a treasured and historic family recipe.
As the post gets constructed, there are pieces of information floating around: scraps of paper with notes scribbled on them, hyperlinks to news articles, poetic emails with verbiage I appreciate sent to myself. I need to vett through all these fragments when I pull it all together. In the most recent instance, I found a variety of Bobotie misspellings in my inbox, and eventually uncovered a deja-vu in all the variable syntax.
There was an email chain featuring my aunt Pam from last Christmas where she said she would be making a South African dish. My brother responds to the chain with a newspaper article about Bobotie,
I've eaten this dish before. Enjoyed it (very much.) Forgotten about it. Planned a trip to South Africa. Enjoyed the dish in its natural environment (very much.) Decided to write about it.
It's funny because my primary descriptor for Bobotie is that it's a wonderful comfort food, that tastes like something you've had before. Now I question whether I can fairly use that descriptor if the curry and apricot flavours were, in fact, lingering in my subconscious this whole time.
No, I'll still defend my gut feelings. Bobotie is reminiscent of the warming and compassion that one enjoys in meat loaf, Moussaka, or Sheppard's pie. You've never had it before, but it's familiar.
I'm told that Bobotok was originally an Indonesian dish containing meat with a custard topping cooked in a water bath. Colonists from Dutch East India colonies in Batavia likely introduced this dish to South Africa, with first recipe appearing in a Dutch cookbook in 1609.
Whatever the variation on the recipe, it consists of gently seasoned and spiced ground beef mixed with jams or chutneys and dried fruit. The top layer consists of an egg custard, and the dish is baked as a casserole in the oven. The final result transcends the sum of its parts and takes on a wonderful and warming flavour of its own.
As a final contingency based on my own personal experience, it would also seem that Bobotie is best enjoyed when made by someone's wonderful aunt.
Bobotie "A true Cape Malay recipe"
Les Palmer (Kindly courtesy of Yvonne Crichton, Johannesburg, SA)
2 large onions
2 lbs mince (meat)
1 level tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons chutney
2 tablespoons apricot jam
2 tablespoons dried apricots
Bay leaves
Add mixture of vinegar, curry powder + sugar + stir, frying it with onions. Add meat and salt. Stir till meat is cooked. Add dried apricots (cut up) then add apricot jam and chutney. Remove from heat.
In the meantime, soak 2 slices of whole wheat bread in milk. Squeeze out the milk and add to bread one egg then put into meat mixture. Add another egg to milk mixture and beat. Set aside.
Put meat into Pyrex dish. Pour milk + egg mixture over to form a custard. Place Bay leaves into the meat with points sticking out.
Bake in a moderate oven at 350F until nicely browned (about 1 hour.) The meat ought to rise and be firm.
Serve with creamed spinach, mashed butternut squash and basmati rice. - Dec 18, 12
A long time ago, I published a 'template' for any pureed vegetable soup. Given my recent acquisition of a Vitamix blender (thanks Jack!!), I'd like to do the same thing for green smoothies.
Breakfast is always a challenging meal for me and I've found green smoothies to be the most nutritious way to make that meal happen. I'll take a couple of mason jars to work and sip away throughout the morning. If I wind up eating a hamburger for dinner, at least I know that I've gotten all my veggies for the day!
1 whole lemon, peeled+1 thumbnail piece of ginger (don't bother peeling it)+1/2 cucumber/ stalk of celery+Flesh of one avocado+1 tbsp of chia seeds/ hemp seeds/ flax seeds/ raw cashews (soak nuts and seeds in water overnight to soften)+1 tbsp of goji berries/ dried coconut/ 1 dried date/ any other dried fruit (soak overnight to rehydrate)+1 banana+handful of kale/ spinach/ sprouts/ microgreens+1 tsp matcha+1 tsp cayenne+1 tsp cinnamon (sometimes two!)+Water/ almond milk/ kombucha/ Ceres fruit juiceNo two green smoothies are ever the same. Sometimes there is more fruit, sometimes all veggie. Generally, I don't like them too thick so I add enough water that it's easy to drink down.What do you add to your green smoothies? I'm always interested in new ways to jazz them up! - Oct 25, 12A big, HUGE congratulations to, "Edulis" (Toronto) for being named the best new restaurant in Canada according to enRoute's 2012 list! Every year, I look forward to seeing which restaurant will be featured by food journalist, Sarah Musgrave. See her thoughts on each restaurant below and let me know if you've tried any of these wonderful spots!
- Edulis (Toronto). “…the make-it-look-easy restaurant of the year. Refreshingly more show than tell, it does barn to table without the fuss. …it’s above all not self-conscious…Nor should you be when you come back for more.”
- Model Milk (Calgary). “Justin Leboe is taking his cooking down home without dumbing it down… perfectly tender southern-fried rabbit, the golden crust stung by hot pepper vinegar, sits on ethereally creamy grits.”
- Ursa (Toronto). “…rootsy and possibly radical, but with more than a touch of glam… A cuisine that is health-oriented and highly original, but not preachy. We’ll drink to that.”
- Acadia (Toronto). “Encompassing Lowcountry and Acadian cuisines... the menu reinterprets with technical aplomb the messy jumble of rustic French and southern coastal influences.”
- Pastaga (Montreal). “Pastaga shows off chef Martin Juneau’s kooky but tightly controlled creativity… bison smoked meat sandwich with homemade rye, chopped liver ‘à la juive,’ marinated salmon and salmon jerky shavings...”
- Hopgood’s Foodliner (Toronto). “…Geoff Hopgood presents East Coast comfort food with intimacy and intelligence. His nouveau Scotian cuisine is equal parts nostalgia and now.”
- Grand Electric (Toronto). “…doing for Mexican what the isakaya scene did for Japanese. It’s exciting, fun, affordable, quality late-night food to get drunk by.”
- Keriwa Cafe (Toronto). “Keriwa’s seasonal-minded menu draws First Nations techniques and unspoiled tastes of the Canadian landscape into an urban context…Canadian head-to-tail cooking with a history: a real dream catcher.”
- Borgo (Calgary). “…a workhorse of a restaurant. It hustles from day to dark with the clatter of espresso cups and shared plates of the cuisine’s greatest hits – golden arancini, imported salumi, crudi and cicchetti....”
- Nora Gray (Montreal). “Emma Cardarelli honed her command of red sauce at Liverpool House... the parade of direct, unfussy, seasonally motivated plates comes at you nonna style.”
- Jul 06, 12It is my very humble opinion that nothing says summer like a Caprese Salad with fresh seasonal tomatoes. For a basic treat such as this, I can only include one of my infamous non-recipes, found below. A traditional Caprese consists of sliced tomatoes, sliced bocconcini, olive oil, balsamic, basil, salt and pepper. Like pesto, you can change up the herbs to create different simple salads with different flavours.
I was pleased to have the opportunity to sample a couple of Tre Stelle bocconcini products, as displayed in the salad images below. For the sliced vine tomato Caprese, I used Tre Stelle's brand-new Bocconcini Medallions. Having the cheese ready to go eliminated one more step to make Caprese actually the simplest and most elegant salad of all time. Instead of basil, I swapped in peppery kale micro greens for a refreshing change.
For the grape tomato Caprese, I selected Tre Stelle's Mini Mini Bocconcini and paired them with a diced herb blend of watercress and parsley. Both salads were topped with a drizzle of really good olive oil and some balsamic reduction. It is my belief that your tomatoes will benefit from a lot of salt and pepper so be liberal.
Since this salad consists of so few ingredients, make sure to use high quality items, from your olive oil to the salt you choose.
Non-Recipe for Caprese Salad:- Handful of tomatoes, sliced - Consider colourful heirlooms, sweet grape tomatoes or wonderful, red vine tomatoes
- Bocconcini - Look at Tre Stelle's family of products for Medallions, Balls or Pearls of Bocconcini to match the size of your tomatoes
- Herbs – Basil is traditional, but consider any soft herbs or greens, such as, cilantro, dill, mint, parsley, cilantro or wasabi arugula
- Drizzle of high-quality, cold-pressed, extra-version olive oil
- Drizzle of high-quality balsamic vinegar – I used a balsamic reduction for even more intense flavour
- Freshly-ground black pepper
- Salt – consider Fleur de Sel or Himilayan pink salt
- Jun 11, 12Duff Dixon of Ontario Gas BBQ forecasts ten barbeque trends for 2012. They are as follows:
The use of fruit woods and planks to smoke food
Wood smoke gives barbequed or grilled meats their unique flavor. Indoor chefs are now taking their talents outdoors and want more flavor variety
Continued growth in pellet smokers
Pellet technology creates even convection heating for great flavor to deliver outstanding results. The “Set & forget” automatic temperature control makes long cooking times for smoking a snap.
Outdoor heating solutions
Control the weather by using outdoor heating solutions to spot heat the outdoor spaces you BBQ and entertain in. Extend your season!
Sauces, seasonings and rubs
New lines of BBQ products offering incomparable taste and convenience. The food channels have elevated interest in all kinds of new products.
Charcoal BBQ’s
Old school BBQ enthusiasts have brought back charcoal in a big way. Many choices to suit all budgets.
Thermapen technology
Displays actual internal food or liquid temperatures in only three or four seconds. Another indispensible gadget for the outdoor chef. (and indoor chef!)
Outdoor Wood Ovens
Not just for Pizza in 4 minutes... these ovens can cook just about anything! They also roast, grill, and bake.
Kamado Style Cookers (Like the famous Big Green Egg)
With these slow cookers, you can crank up the heat to over 800 degrees for high heat grilling or throttle them back to 225 degrees for hours of low and slow smoking... and everything in between.
Outdoor Kitchens
From small islands to full blown outdoor kitchens these set ups can be as elaborate as you want –only limited by your imagination.
Back to Basics
The love and interest in good old fashion charcoal barbecuing is still alive as many folks are interested in a charcoal add-on to their gas grill. With over 50 tons of charcoal going out the door, we are seeing huge interest in quality hardwood charcoal. - May 29, 12Huge congrats to Joanne Kates who is taking the helm as the new food critic for Post City Magazines. After 38 years as the food critic for the Globe and Mail, we're so happy to see her familiar writing again.
Read more about the announcement from Post City here. - May 16, 12Now that I'm (somewhat of) an adult, I've come to appreciate the value of a good breakfast. While working a busy job at a public relations agency, I got into the habit of catching up with other busy friends over breakfast. Without the prodding of Parker Mason, it might not have been my inclination, but it's grown to become one of my favourite ways to connect with people. At the beginning of the day, you are fresh and focused, without being distracted or weighed down by the events of the day. It's also a real treat to feel like you have carved out some time for yourself – good quality soul time (…or mischievous friends blowing off steam with jokes and shenanigans.)
All this morning socializing has resulted in a generous and decadent expectation around the first meal of the day. After enjoying weekday omelettes and fancy granola, my standard for breakfast has been elevated and I've actually found myself in a bit of a conundrum. Most breakfast options are either greasy, or, if they masquerading as a 'healthier option,' they are loaded with sugars and empty calories. If it wasn't already abundantly clear to you, I'm not shy about breakfast. I don't really care about consuming an abundance of calories first thing in the morning as I figure I have an entire day to burn them off and, frankly, I think most people could do with a good few more calories for their morning meal. I want to eat something wholesome, healthy and hearty!
This is why I was so pleased to receive some generous samples of Dorset Cereals, one of those companies that puts a lot of time and care into creating the best products possible. Founded in Poundbury, England amidst winding country lanes and beautiful coastlines, the company is all about the simple pleasures in life. Dorset cereals boast terrific natural wholegrain ingredients that are blended together without additional sugars, weird chemical fillers or extra preservatives.
The flavour options in Canada include:- Simply Delicious Muesli – Raisins, sultanas, sunflowers seeds, dates, Brazil nuts, roasted hazelnuts and multi-grain flakes
- Fruit, Nuts & Seeds Muesli – raisins, flame raisins, dates, sunflower seeds toasted coconut and chopped, roasted hazelnuts
- Really Nutty Muesli – Cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, sultanas, dates, flame raisins and multi-grain flakes
- Super High Fibre Muesli – A blend of toasted cereals with flame raisins, dates, sunflower seeds, toasted coconut and chopped, roasted hazelnuts
- Super Cranberry, Cherry & Almond Muesli – Cranberries, cherries, almonds, raisins, sultanas, sunflower seeds, flame raisins and toasted cereals
And the following cereal blends were just recently introduced in Canada:- Simply Nutty Muesli - Multi–grain flakes with whole almonds, oat flakes, dates, Brazil nuts and sunflower seeds
- Honey Granola – Crunchy oats, sunflower seeds, flaked almonds, pecans and pumpkin seeds
Healthy scorecard:- High in fibre
- Contains whole grains
- No added preservatives
- No added sugar
- Suitable for vegans
- Kosher options
I've been enjoying Dorset Cereals with Greek yogurt for a high fibre, high protein, high energy breakfast option. Dorset Cereals have more fruits, nuts and taste than traditional muesli, which means that, when I ride my bike to work, I'm not famished by 10 am.
Delicious Dorset Cereals can be found at the following groceries:
Loblaw, Fortinos, Sobey’s, Sobey’s West, Sobey’s Atlantic, Price Chopper, Metro, Metro Quebec, Longo’s & London Drugs.
Or you can consult the company's website for other retail options. - May 10, 12Many Sift, Dust & Toss readers will recall that this blog was featured heavily in The Grid, following the urban magazine’s successful launch in Toronto. The folks at The Grid have continued to impress me with various endeavors, from the beautifully visual piece they just posted, A Chef’s Guide to Toronto, to their most recent project: Pop-Up Lunches!
In celebration of The Grid’s one-year anniversary, they want to showcase some of the most delicious things their team tasted over the course of the year.
It’s all happening at Toronto’s 416 Snack Bar ((181 Bathurst, at Queen.) Each day at Noon, a different esteemed Toronto chef will put together crazy cheap $5 plates of delicious gourmet food until they’re all gone. The price also includes a bottle of SmartWater or Vitamin Water.
$1 from every sale will go towards a community-improvement project that will be defined and carried out by the Grade 2 class of The Grove Community School.
Below is the itinerary. Try and stop by if you work nearby!- Thursday, May 10: The Harbord Room‘s chef Cory Vitiello will be making a lunchtime version of his soft shell-crab tacos.
- Friday, May 11: The residents at 416 Snack Bar will be making their Taiwanese steamed pork, fish, and veggie buns that made the bar so popular in the first place.
- Saturday, May 12: The Stockyards on St. Clair West will serve three different kinds of house-made hot dogs.
- Sunday, May 13: Hangover day – come back Monday.
- Monday, May 14: Barque Smokehouse on Roncesvalles, will be serving slow-smoked beef short ribs with a sweet barbecue glaze.
- Tuesday, May 15: Black Camel will be making their famous pulled-pork sandwiches with barbecue sauce, chipotle mayo, and caramelized onions.
- Wednesday, May 16: The Black Hoof’s chef, Brandon Olsen, will be making a lunch version of his fried pork belly with pickled shimeji mushrooms, nori paste, and puffed rice.
- May 07, 12
There are more than 10,000 restaurants in the city of Toronto. That is a veritable sea of dining establishments, and there is one person who has been following their ups and downs for more than 30 years: Canada's top food critic Joanne Kates, who returns to the pages of Post City Magazines this month for its annual Kates Top 100 Restaurants edition.
"Joanne Kates is the best in the business bar none," said Ron Johnson, editor of Post City Magazines. "We knew in the beginning that if we were going to pull this off, we needed Kates. Without her, there is no list."
The top 10 restaurants are featured in Post City Magazines print editions while reviews of the entire 100 are available online in a searchable database. Restaurant listings include every detail from signature dishes and vegetarian options to nearby parking, making it the city's most popular, one-stop dining resource. And for the first time, a free iPhone app will launch in conjunction with Top 100's release.
"This way, you can take our guide with you to dinner," said Johnson. "Trying a new restaurant is always a bit risky. Our app solves that problem so you can find the best restaurants in your area, on the fly, in your price range, at the push of a button."
Topping this year's list once again is venerable Toronto restaurant Scaramouche, helmed by chef and co-owner Keith Froggett. Kates notes that if any Toronto restaurant is deserving of a Michelin Star (denoting the finest restaurants in the world), it is Scaramouche.
New restaurants in the top 10 include Acadia (ranked #2), Hopgood's Foodliner (#3),Yours Truly (#7) and Grand Electric (#8). Rounding out the top 10 are Zucca Trattoria(#4), Cava (#5), 2010's top restaurant Pastis (#6), Campagnolo (#9) and Centro (#10).
"It’s a new game. We’ve got four red-hot new places in our top 10, and 24 new listings in the top 100,” said Kates. “A generation of young chefs opened restaurants that straddle the line between bar and bistro, making every night party time. They’re opening restos on a shoestring because they want 100 per cent artistic control. The payoff is a fiesta on the taste buds, with incredibly exciting flavours and textures."
To celebrate the third annual “Kates 100”, Post City Magazines is launching a contest to find the city’s greatest foodie. Imagine being able to say that you’ve dined at all 100 of Toronto’s best restaurants; no small feat! With this in mind, we’re extending a challenge to Toronto foodies: Whoever eats at the most “Kates 100” restaurants (yeah, we know you can’t eat at all 100) by Labour Day (September 3, 2012) will win a $3,000-cash prize. Visit postcity.com for contest details. - May 03, 12In this riveting sequel to 'Skin Brushing', blogger Jess Bennett revitalizes her obsession with ancient and biblical practices to explore a detox method traditionally performed by monks.
Since we recently covered skin brushing as a detoxing remedy, I thought we could continue along the same theme with an ancient custom that’s been on my radar recently: oil pulling.
Oil pulling or oil swishing is an ayurvedic alternative medicine remedy that is traditional in India and has been popularized by monks. It is said to pull toxins out of the body through the saliva in ones mouth. Like many alternative therapies, there is a good chunk of anecdotal evidence to support its benefits, but it has not been subject to clinical studies.
People claim that the benefits range from whiter teeth, to more radiant skin as well as a reduction in colds and allergies, headaches and other daily ailments we all experience, probably shouldn't, and regularly ignore. The idea is that, as you swish oil in your mouth, it draws nasty toxins from your body and then you spit out the toxins that have been accumulated when you spit out the oil. Some have compared its effects to chlorhexidrine in reducing dental plaque and gingival risks.
As someone whose life was drastically improved by consistent use of a neti pot, I’m open to other ayurvedic remedies that are purported to elevate ones quality of life. And for those of you who have been following this blog for a long time, you will likely note my deep affection for ancient and biblical things.
How it works
Oil pulling involves taking a tablespoon of oil into ones mouth and swirling it about for approximately 15-20 minutes. It is recommended to do this in the morning. Typical oil selections include sesame or sunflower, but I’ve also heard of people gently heating coconut oil until it’s no longer solid and using it instead. As the oil mixes with your saliva, it will become frothy and white. After swishing is complete, the oil is spit out and the teeth are rinsed and brushed.
Some people have experienced a gag reflex in the early days of pulling, but this typically passes as they grow more accustomed to the practice. Since I’ve just started experiementing with oil pulling, I’ll keep you posted on whether I notice any differences!
Have you tried oil pulling before and had any success? Are you skeptical about these kinds of remedies? - Apr 30, 12There has been so much debate about ‘detoxing’, and whether or not there are merits to this process. Some people have argued that our bodies naturally detox without the need for ingested herbs or special remedies. My belief is that, while our bodies do naturally release toxins, modern diets and lifestyles have added a lot more junk than our forefathers wrestled with, resulting in toxins that stay inside our bodies for longer than they should (or ever have historically.)
Simply put, our ancestors didn’t eat McDonald’s so please don’t appeal to me with an ancestral argument about what our bodies ‘naturally do.’
Like most people, I thought the best way to detox would be to drink lots of water and lemon juice to flush impurities out of my body, combined with a diet of fruits and vegetables. Maybe certain teas would aid the process, but, ultimately, my assumption was that detoxing required my ingestion of various healthy items. While a good diet is certainly beneficial, I was shocked to discover that skin brushing was one of the most effective ways to release toxins.
Think of it this way: your skin is your largest elimination organ. It releases a pound of waste each day and will be the first organ to show symptoms of imbalance or toxicity. Some people call the skin the third kidney because it releases a quarter of the toxins from the body (the lungs being the second.)
If skin is unable to release toxins, a person may experience rashes, acne, hives, itchiness, body odor, eczema, and psoriasis (and sometimes unpleasant body odour.) Dead skin, makeup, and pollution may clog pores, further inhibiting your skin from effectively letting the bad stuff out. When toxins are unable to escape through the skin they are stored in fat cells, contributing to cellulite and other fatty deposits, or they will be re-circulated back into the blood stream, overworking the poor kidneys, liver and other detox organs.
Thus, it would seem that something simple (and maybe a bit strange initially) can have a hugely positive impact on the health of your overall body.- tighter, more radiant skin
- increased overall blood circulation and lymph flow
- strengthened immune system
- stimulation of nervous system
- toning of muscles
- improved digestion
- eliminated dead skin cells
- stimulated hormone and oil glands
- reduced cellulite
How the process works
Brush your dry body before you shower or bathe, preferably in the morning. Be careful about brushing anywhere that you have a rash or cut. If you have sensitive skin, you can start with a dry towel instead of the brush. Use the dry towel to remove dead cells, then use the hot wet towel to stimulate and rejuvenate your skin and organs.- Start at your feet and always brush toward your heart. Use brisk circular motions or long, even strokes.
- Brush all the way up your legs, then over your abdomen, buttocks, and back. If you have cellulite on your hips and thighs, you can concentrate on that area a little longer. Brush lightly on sensitive areas like breasts and more firmly on areas like soles of the feet.
- When you reach your arms, begin at your fingers and brush up your arms, toward your heart. Brush your shoulders and chest down, always toward your heart.
- Finish by taking a shower and if you choose, use cold/hot therapy to further stimulate the lymphatic system and improve circulation.
- Dry off and massage natural plant moisturizers into your skin such as almond, sesame, avocado, coconut, olive or cacoa butter.
Skin brushes are available at most natural food stores. Give it whirl today and let me know if it makes a difference in your life! - Apr 26, 12GE Monogram recently announced the first recipients for the inaugural GE Monogram Terroir Awards for Excellence in Hospitality.
The awards ceremony was held Monday, April 23rd, 2012, in the Oliver & Bonacini
Arcadian Court during the 6th annual Terroir Symposium entitled, The New Radicals.
Terroir, in partnership with GE Monogram, envisioned this program to foster merit and
creativity in Canada’s hospitality industry by allowing voters across the country to
nominate their peers in three categories – chef, beverage professional and front-of-house.
(Drumroll please...)
The winners for the first annual GE Monogram Terroir Awards for Excellence in
Hospitality are:- Chef: Ryan Crawford, chef, Stone Road Grille, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
- Beverage Professional: Will Predhomme, senior sommelier/senior manager, Canoe, Toronto, Ontario
- Front-of-house: Virgilio Vea, food & beverage director, Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa, Cambridge, Ontario
industry experience, having contributed to the hospitality industry through education and
mentorship, and having supported sustainable initiatives by working with local producers
and businesses.
Congrats to the winners! - Apr 16, 12(From the press release)
TORONTO, Thursday, April 12, 2012 – Consumers on the hunt for a fresh approach to eating and living well with ease need look no further. FRESH JUICE – healthy made delicious, the new multi-platform brand by TC Media, has hit the market with a “fresh” approach to connecting food with good health through its various brand channels. FRESH JUICE will be served up as a print publication including a digital edition (six issues per year), an online destination (www.freshjuice.ca) with exclusive content, a weekly e-newsletter, a comprehensive social media platform including Facebook/FreshJuiceCA, Twitter (@FreshJuiceCA) and Pinterest.
Built on three content pillars, Eat Well, Be Well, Live Well and a tag line “Healthy Made Delicious”, FRESH JUICE offers fun, healthy and easy-to-prepare recipes; expert health, fitness and nutrition tips as well as time-savvy ways to help balance fun, family, finance and more.
“We are very excited to share FRESH JUICE with consumers and our advertising partners,” said Lynn Chambers, group publisher at TC Media. “We certainly appreciate how busy Canadian families are and FRESH JUICE is about helping people make the right decisions quickly and easily. FRESH JUICE is the only brand to showcase the link between food and good health, and bring that food straight from the grocery aisle to your kitchen table. Whether you’re looking for low-sodium or gluten free, we can help you navigate the grocery aisles and create a convenient meal option that is healthy and delicious.”
While TC Media owns the brand and is the publisher and content creator for FRESH JUICE, a distribution relationship with Loblaw Companies Limited guarantees that 325,000 of the 425,000 copies per issue will be mailed to Loblaw’s most loyal customers.
“FRESH JUICE allows us to connect with our loyal customers on a new educational and inspirational level,” added Uwe Stueckmann, senior vice president, Marketing, Loblaw Companies Limited. “We are providing unique health and recipe content, and clever ideas to further improve consumer’s health and wellness and their overall shopping experience.”
“Our affiliation with Loblaw makes sense on so many levels”, explained Chambers. “Loblaw has an opportunity to reward its customers and we have the invaluable opportunity to get this fabulous new brand into the hands of a highly targeted and engaged audience.”
FRESH JUICE- healthy made delicious hits the market at a special introductory price of $2.99 and will be available on most major newsstands across Canada. A full-year subscription to FRESH JUICE will cost $19.95 while the regular cover price will be $3.99. - Apr 09, 12Check out this awesome infographic about beef. It features tips and tricks about nutritional value, cuts of beef, selecting meat and why your butcher is your best friend.
My favourite part about being a meat reductionist is that I still get to relish in the umami, buttery texture of a good filet from time to time.
(Source: FrugalDad) - Apr 02, 12Sometimes if I haven't been blogging too actively, I find it fascinating to look at which posts continually see repeated visits.One particularly snarky post I wrote about other people's blogs is always at the top of the list. I challenged the urge to capture every single food experience by blogging and deemed it unhealthy. Another post that always sees repeat visitors is a little love note to rapini.One of the posts I wrote (three years ago!) about 'meat reduction' still generates a comment every once in a while. The idea of meat reductionism pleases people. As a practicing meat reductionist, I can attest that people in general social settings respond more positively to someone that eats 99% vegan than a 100% vegan. This topic came up recently with one of my commenters, Anne.I liken veganism to feminism. In theory and practice they are both terrific ideas that benefit people, however, the label of calling yourself a vegan or a feminist can sometimes have a stigma associated with it. No, it shouldn't, but it does.
What do you think? Have you ever been harassed for self-identifying as a vegetarian? Do people roll their eyes at you? - Feb 29, 12There's been a lot of chatter about Pinterest lately, as the latest 'It' social media platform. I've had several discussions about it, from a client strategy perspective, as well as a curious user who is testing the space. This post strays somewhat from my typical-lightly-food-related-banter, be forewarned. I'll call out the food angles, wherever applicable.
The world doesn't need another Facebook. Online communities always crave a new way of communicating with one another. Below are what I consider to be some of the most major recent social platforms and why they were exciting when users discovered them.
Twitter
When Twitter emerged, it was exciting because it was like being on Instant Messenger with everyone. The moment I fell in love with Twitter was when I realized it could make my whole world open up. Suddenly people I wouldn't normally be able to access were available to me, but, more importantly, I started to connect with new people through Twitter and build out a broader pool of contacts, for work, play and staying informed. Often, I would meet them in person later, but in some cases, people have remained online friends. But still friends.
Twitter is like karma: you get out of it what you put in. What's your perfect job? Answer that and then find a bunch of people on Twitter that do that job or matter to that job and interact with them. Build relationships with them. Watch what they do. Get that job. In case it isn't evident, I love Twitter the most of all social platforms. Food angle: people who don't have the patience for Twitter say it's only people discussing their lunches. Not true, but there is a thriving community of food conoisseurs.
Foursquare
Foursquare was exciting because it was based on location. It seemed to pose so much promise, but the service now lacks thrills for most users and location-based developing doesn't need to rely on Foursquare. Food angle: restaurants locations are available on Foursquare if you want to find addresses or connect with other food-lovers.
Instagram
Instagram quickly became a new favourite of mine, and still is. It's so stimulating to be able to capture little slices of life and add filters for effects. Most of all, I appreciate seeing what other users share. I like going through people's pictures and imagining how they must see the world- what they pull out, what they focus on, the filter effects that that they choose. I like reviewing my own pictures too, and seeing how even I see things. Obviously Flickr came long before Instagram, however, it has taken on more prestige as a 'serious photographer's domain' and might not be as widely accessible as the ever-democratizing Instagram. Food angle: food is great content for Intagram pictures snapped on your smartphone.
Pinterest
Pinterest is also a visual feast that allows the user to curate collections of images and articles or videos, much as one might in a scrap book or on a bulletin board. The interface is very simple and the layout is clean and stunning, making for an pleasant visual experience. Let your experience on Pinterest flow organically and it will take you in surprising directions. I've learned things about myself from using Pinterest, such as that I really, clearly only want to live in open-style spaces. All the home images had different kinds of decor, but lofty ceilings in common. Furthermore, I've created an album dedicated only to spiral staircases, and another to organization. I would never have made a scrapbook of either of those two things. Food angle: the aesthetically-lovely interface design makes for a great place to post recipes and create sub-categories. There are also lots of food lovers using the service.
What do you think? Do you enjoy using Pinterest? - Feb 10, 12What's the deal with mangoes?
I was eating some green mangoes today and I thought to myself that it's very rare to enjoy a fruit in many forms. With mangoes, one can enjoy them unripe (green), ripe, dried, juiced (nectar), sorbet-ed, lassi-ed, or even ice cream-ed.
Curve ball: the mango comes from the Anacardiaceae family of flowering trees and counts among her cousins, the delicious cashew, sumac (used as a spice in Middle Eastern cuisine), marula (an African fruit), and none other than the ever-evil, ever vicious poison ivy.
My witchy side likely sensed a poisonous cousin. Perhaps that's why I find mangoes so irresistible.
Adding to the mango's overall sex appeal are her Indian origins, from which she became one of the most popular and widely-cultivated tropical fruits. She remains the national fruit of, both, India and Pakistan to this day.
It turns out that a mango peel contains urushiol, which is the same compound that's found in poison ivy and poison sumac. When I discovered this, I had a flashback to the many times I had scraped every last shed of mango flesh from the peel...with my teeth. No doubt, I would always got a fuzzy feeling on my tongue.
As with bananas, under-ripe mangoes can be ripened by placing them in brown paper bags. To cut a mango, I prefer the 'hedgehog' format used in the image above and described in the infographic at the right.
Mango's yellow flesh comes from her abundance of beta-carotene. She is overflowing with phytochemicals, prebiotic fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, polyphenols, provitamin A carotenoids (up to 25!), Vitamin B6, folate, other B vitamins and essential nutrients like potassium, copper and amino acids.
That witchy peel contains other crazy stuff like omega-3 and -6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Other chemicals in mangoes have been shown to be an effective inhibitor of prostate and skin cancers. Even mango branch bark, Vimang, has implications for blood transfusions in elderly people.
Phew!
The moral is that, if you find yourself at the grocery store, wondering whether or not to purchase a good-looking mango, the answer is, "Yes, yes you should." It's the latest thing since rapini.
Oh, and you should try my favourite and most elegant mango berry salad recipe here. - Feb 09, 12I came across some stats recently that, frankly, don't surprise me. Nine out of 10 dietitians* believe that Canadians are confused about carbohydrates, and need to understand the role they play in a healthy diet. First it was Atkins, then The Zone, then the Dukan. I honestly can't tell you how many people in my life actually do not consume bread, let alone any grain products whatsoever. Do you?
Here are a few compelling reasons you should consider eating some good old-fashioned grains like oatmeal or toast:- Energy – For energy and optimal brain and organ function. And according to a clinical study by the Archives of Internal Medicine**, carb eaters feel happier, calmer and more focused.
- Nutrients – Vitamins and minerals such as B-vitamins, iron magnesium, zinc, selenium and protein. Protein is essential for repairing and maintaining tissue and muscle. (Two slices of Dempster’s®WholeGrains™ 12 Grain contain 10 grams of protein. Bet you didn't know that!)
- Disease Prevention – An important source of fibre, which may help maintain blood sugar and reduce cholesterol levels. People who eat more whole grains also tend to have a lower risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and digestive issues.
“Recognized North American health authorities suggest that 45 to 65 per cent of daily calories should come from carbohydrates,” says RD Cara Rosenbloom, who has teamed up with Dempster's Canada to help Canadians incorporate the right carbs into their diets. “One of the most versatile, quick and tasty options is whole grain bread.”
Rosenbloom offers the following quick options for busy families:- Health Conscious: Whole grain toast topped with pressed cottage cheese, strawberries and a sprinkle of cinnamon
- For the Kids: Vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower and sweet peppers with hummus dip
- Before the Gym: Half of a nut butter and banana sandwich on whole grain bread
** Archives of Internal Medicine, Volume 169 (no. 20), November 9, 2009 - Jan 07, 12One nutrient that has been receiving more attention in medical journals lately is magnesium, which is a vital nutrient that is sorrily missing from our diets. Health Canada reports that 42% of Canadians are deficient in magnesium, with Newfoundlanders at 65%. Chances are that you have a deficiency.Magnesium gets no love!
Historically, people got their daily dose from organ meats, seafood, mineral water, or swimming in the ocean - which are all activities performed less frequently by modern populations. In addition, modern soils have mineral depletions and magnesium sometimes gets removed from our water supply. The RDA in the US for adults is between 320 and 420 mg daily, and the average US intake is around 250mg daily.
So, now that we've established you probably have a magnesium deficiency, what does that mean?
We see commercials from dairy lobbyists on television - milk farmers, yogurt companies - demonstrating that calcium builds bones or that calcium has been demonstrated to help people lose weight. What these commercials do not indicate is that supposed super-star minerals like calcium and vitamin D rely on magnesium to be activated into the 75 trillion cells in our bodies.
If we are consuming calcium and not enough magnesium, that calcium will build up in our heart, organs and tissues. Although its widely practiced, calcium supplementation can cause a wide range of health issues due to an imbalance when there is a magnesium deficiency. Calcium and potassium work in tandem to with magnesium in the body to perform a number of functions.
Magnesium is also very important on a cellular level for cellular energy and biochemical reactions. If your magnesium is too low, you can experience muscle cramps, arrythmias, and even sudden death.
What will more magnesium mean?The most noticeable place you will experience the effects of increased magnesium in your daily diet will probably be in:- Your ability to sleep through the night without waking up, and
- Your body's overall management of stress
Where can I get more magnesium?
The following foods provide more than 100 mg per one cup serving. Look at the list and be honest with yourself. How many of these foods are you eating on a regular basis?- Almonds
- Artichokes
- Barley
- Buckwheat
- Cashews
- Halibut
- Navy Beans
- Oats
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Seaweed
- Spinach
Consult your doctor before beginning any health program or taking any new supplements, but I've had great success in consuming Natural Calm, a Canadian magnesium supplement product, before bedtime. I'm a fussy sleeper and I've noticed that I fall asleep more quickly and sleep more soundly through the night. They make some great cases for magnesium as an aid to insomnia on the Natural Calm website. - Feb 09, 12Those of you who follow this blog will likely notice that it’s been some time since I posted new content. In the past, I’ve referenced the phenomenon of blogger’s guilt that I experience when my contributions lapse. I’ll always wrestle with this, but I had somewhat of a revelation I wanted to share with you.
Towards the end of 2011, I noticed that one of my contacts on Twitter, Andy Donovan, had posted a link to my last blog post, entitled Liquid Gold. I replied to Andy and expressed my gratitude for his kindness, and mentioned, somewhat apologetically, that it had been some time since I posted fresh content.
His response was salient and concise. He wrote that blogs are a creative medium, like any other, and creativity will always ebb and flow. I started this blog for many reasons – to explore a blogging platform to educate myself for my career in digital strategy, to share my passion for food and health, and to meet others with similar interests and passions.
What I never expected was that anyone (beyond my friends and family) would necessarily read my writing, let alone derive any value from my musings. Ultimately, I discovered how wonderful it is to put thoughts and ideas into the universe that resonate with other people. The best part of having a blog is hearing back from YOU, the readers so I want to express my sincere gratitude to you for following Sift, Dust & Toss over the past three years and look forward to many more of those lovely interactions in the months and years to come.
Happy 2012, everyone! It's going to be a great one. - Feb 09, 12After posting about Olivado the other day, I clearly had olive oil on the brain. Touring around Charlottetown, PEI, I came across the rather distinctive, Liquid Gold Tasting Bar & All Things Olive.
The store is filled with metal barrels containing a variety of olive oils and balsamic vinegars from all across the world and you can taste them all with tiny spoons.
They are arranged from lightest to boldest and then there are flavoured varieties of olive oil, balsamic, and white balsamic. The girls who work in the shop told me they bring dry salads each day and then experiment with the different selections. One of the more compelling suggestions was to pair the coconut olive oil with the lime-infused white balsamic to make Pina Colada-style vinaigrette.
I had the hardest time choosing! I spent what felt like hours in the balsamic section: chocolate, no, blueberry, no, blackberry, no, white balsamic pear...
Eventually, I tried the classic, traditional, 18 years aged balsamic and it had me. Smooth as silk! To accompany it, I wanted a traditional olive oil with a distinctive flavour so I went for the Portugese Picual, which has a very grassy taste. I also picked up a small container of black truffle sea salt.
If it hadn't been for the, ahem, convictions of my companion, I would have stayed there all afternoon. Well, lucky for me, Liquid Gold has an online store so you I can spend a fortune there anyway- and you can too. (They also sell soaps and creams that are infused with olive oil!)
The Halifax-based company's prices range from $15-20 for 375mL, with most being $18. - Sep 03, 11I've been hearing a lot about Olivado recently, a New Zealand-founded company that makes premium oils like extra virgin olive oil, extra virgin avocado oil and the more rare, but nutritionally superior macadamia nut oil.
The Canadian website is a wealth of information, containing everything from nutritional information about different oils to how they should be stored and what to look for when sourcing a quality oil. They also have a lot of recipes and meal ideas.
In the spirit of wellness and nourishment, Olivado has a contest running to win a trip for two to Banff Springs. Visit the website to enter.
Olivado products are available at stores like Pusateri's and Whole Foods in the GTA, but you can get them all across Canada so check the website for a store near you.
-
Checkins
- Indie Alehouse2876 Dundas St. W
- Heintzman Place (Tower A)60 Heintzman Street
- Wide Open139A Spadina St
- SapientNitro129 Spadina Ave.
- RaviSoups322 Adelaide St. W
- SapientNitro129 Spadina Ave.
- Kilgour Estates Pool and Hot Tub21 Burkebrook Place
- SapientNitro129 Spadina Ave.
- Khao San Road326 Adelaide St. W
- SapientNitro129 Spadina Ave.
- Bar Hop391 King Street West
- SapientNitro129 Spadina Ave.
- Avenue Road Car Wash1537 Avenue Road
- Seneca@York Student Services70 The Pond Road - Room 1161
- Bennett Centre For Student ServicesFine Arts Rd
- Chorley Park250 Douglas Dr.
- Momofuku Noodle Bar190 University Ave.
- SapientNitro129 Spadina Ave.
-
Loved Songs
