This month, we talk to Ottawa-based food blogger Rachelle. She originally started her popular blog Rachelle Eats Food as a food diary, to log some of her more memorable food experiences in Ottawa and its surroundings. Today, it’s an excellent resource for Ottawa food lovers. 1. You have one of Ottawa's most popular food blogs. Why did you start it and what do you think is the reason for your success? Wow, I’m blushing at the comment. There are so many fantastic food blogs in Ottawa. My very first blog post was inspired by a woman working at Navarra – an amazing restaurant in the Byward Market. The outstanding service I received in addition to the amazing food had me in such awe that I had to do something about it. And that’s how it started. I’ve had a bit of feedback on my blog and from what I can tell, the reason people enjoy reading it is because I just love food and my honesty and enthusiasm when faced with a great dish is contagious. I also like to focus on the positive. My blog is all about good food, not critiquing. If I have a poor meal, I just don’t talk about it. I like to think this helps in people’s decisions on where to eat. 2. What do you look for in the "perfect" dish or recipe? The perfect dish exudes a “wow” factor. Like, what goes through my mind after the first bite is holy @*#! It’s when a combination of ingredients, when paired together, become outstanding and feed off each other, making flavours and sensations you’ve never had before. 3. Who taught you to cook? *Laugh* It’s Rachelle Eats Food, not Rachelle Cooks Food! I’m lucky to have a husband who loves to cook. That said, I do cook on the rare occasion and I must say that everything I try is taken from something I’ve seen him do. He hasn’t “taught” me to cook, but every single day I sit in the kitchen and watch him prepare our meals, and because of that, I now have a confidence in the kitchen that I never had before. 4. What is the most delicious thing you've ever tasted? I’m sorry but I really can’t answer this one. I could probably write a book on the many delicious things I’ve tasted. Life offers way too much to just focus on one great thing. 5. What recommendations do you have for people who are intimidated by cooking at home? Find a man who loves to cook and marry him! Otherwise, use fresh ingredients and keep it simple. You don’t have to go crazy to make a really nice meal.

We try to keep up with as many Canadian food bloggers as we can, and these are just a few of the mouth-watering posts we came across this month. Enjoy! Wicked Thai Chicken Soup http://www.fortysomething.ca/2010/09/wicked_thai_chicken_soup.php Jen of Food & Whine came up with a chicken soup with a kick, inspired by something she had at her local coffee shop. This soup is perfect for keeping fall’s chill away. Mediterranean Chicken and Artichoke Pot Pie http://mjpuzzlemom.wordpress.com/2010/09/17/mediterranean-chicken-and-artichoke-potpie/ Chicken Pot Pie is the go-to comfort dish this season, but the  chicken stew inside can seem a little boring at times. What A Crock brings it new life in her Mediterranean Chicken and Artichoke Pot Pie. Creamy Mustard Chicken with Mushrooms http://ourchocolateshavings.blogspot.com/2010/09/creamy-mustard-chicken-with-mushrooms.html Chocolate Shavings produced an elegant, fall-inspired dish of slow-roasted chicken in a decadent-looking mushroom pan sauce. We can’t wait to try this one at home! She has several suggestions for side dishes, from healthy wild rice with cranberries to rich potatoes finished with truffle oil. If you have a Canadian food blog, or know of one that we should be reading, let us know about it in the comments!

Our chicks are preparing to rappel down the Delta Hotel in Ottawa next Monday, September 27 to raise money for Easter Seals. The donations all go towards helping kids with disabilities. This event has been held in major cities across the country since 2005 but this is the first time for Ottawa. The countdown is on and we asked our girls if they could pick any superhero, even though their garb is all set, to dress as on Monday, who would it be and why? This is what they answered. “Cat Woman...just to wear the outfit” “I would be Wonder Woman…she is a strong, independent, confident woman!  She wears a cool costume and can still be girly while fighting for what she believes in. To top it all off she has beaten a lot of male superheroes in battle.” “Oh Boy! That's a hard one... This isn't a classic choice but I think I'd go as Raphael from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Because it’s pretty much guaranteed that if you showed up to a costume party, someone else would be wearing a Superman costume and there'd be at least two Wonder Women there... so I'd win the costume contest for sure!” Donating is easy and can be done in just a few seconds by clicking on this link: http://my.e2rm.com/TeamPage.aspx?teamID=185996&langPref=en-CA Please donate and help support kids with disabilities. Thank you so much for your support!

Theresa Albert is a nutritionist, best-selling cookbook author, and Food Network personality, and we're thrilled to have her with us for the next few weeks to provide her unique brand of cooking and nutritional knowledge. Whole grains are the perfect packaging for fibre, nutrients, good fats and carbohydrates. Any grain in its natural state (rice, wheat, barley, millet, etc.) is ready for processing by your body.  The more processing that occurs outside of you, the more risk there is of losing some of those precious nutrients. But that’s only half of the story.  The other half is what is known as the glycemic response, which is a measurement of how quickly a food is turned into fuel by your body.  We want foods that burn slowly so that there is a consistent level of insulin required and energy produced. Think of it this way - your blood sugar is like a thermostat in your house.  If you are constantly turning the heat up and down and turning the air conditioning on and off, no one is going to be very comfortable inside. They are going to be alternately sluggish and shivering to compensate, and the furnace and air conditioner are both going to kick the bucket a lot sooner for all the extra effort. The way to protect this from happening is to keep the jackets on the grains and the temperature consistent. It is mostly fibre that helps regulate the glycemic response, but fibre also regulates the bowel.  There are two kinds of fibre: bulk and gel.  The bulking, insoluble kind helps “sweep out” while the gelling, soluble kind helps capture things like cholesterol and other wastes and move them through.  The bottom line is that you need both, and Canadians on the whole fall sadly short on how much we get. We average between 4 and 11 grams per day while the recommendation is at least 25 and up to 40. Fibre comes from fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains, and boosting both is the best way to get it. There are high-fibre cereals on the market that can help get you part of the way there, but the rest is going to come not only from whole grain breads but also naturally high fibre foods like: apples, figs, berries, plums, celery, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, and beans. A good way to go is to combine lean sources of protein with high fibre foods. A breading for chicken that contains whole wheat flour, oats or flax seeds is a great start. Add a side dish of whole grain rice and a crunchy vegetable and you can’t go wrong. Making sure that each meal has some naturally-occurring fibre and protein will mean that you don’t need to count grams of anything. You will be able to cover off all your nutritional needs, keep an even blood sugar level and simply enjoy luscious food.

Well the countdown is on! CFC’s Flying Chicks will be rappelling off the Delta Hotel to raise money for Easter Seals on September 27^th. We’ve asked the girls a few questions to get a feel for their thoughts just days before they have to lean backwards over the roof of the hotel and make their way down with nerves of steel, strength and courage! This is what they had to say: Why did you decide to participate in this fundraiser? “I actually didn't know it was a fundraiser when I first saw the posters by the elevators to my office. I just read quickly that you can rappel down a building and I thought, "COOL!" I kept forgetting about it until CFC decided they wanted to put in a team. After I added my name to the list, I was hit with a bit of a panic attack... WHAT DID I JUST SIGN UP FOR??? What was I thinking??!! Now that I can breathe again, I think it's a GREAT idea to get sponsors for such a good cause.” I know you all did a training session. Tell us a little bit about it? “Remember that panic attack? Well I wasn't until the training session that I could relax about this whole thing. The trainers were absolutely fantastic and very patient with every single one of us. They explained to us that each superhero will be strapped into a harness that is impossible to slip out of. We're then hooked up to two safety ropes that can hold 5000 lbs each. These ropes are connected to a steel beam attached to the building. We each got to do two drops from about 2-storeys high with an option to do more if we didn't feel comfortable. My husband actually mentioned that there was a big difference between me with no training (holy crap!) to me after training (YEAH! Let's do this!)” Are you excited or nervous? “I am totally pumped for this... but ask me again when I'm standing on the ledge of an 18 storey building... I might have a different answer and might need a new pair of underwear too.” What are you most excited about? “This is on my “bucket” list and at my age it will be a feat to accomplish.  Knowing that the money is going to a great cause is very rewarding.” What are you most nervous about? “Having to go to the bathroom right before I drop... that would suck.” Are you going to do anything specific to prepare yourself? “In order to prepare myself I plan to have a few words with the Big Man upstairs, mainly asking Him to spare my life seeing as how my 25^th birthday falls three days after the rappel…” How do you think you are going to sleep the night before? “Sleep? I’m sure I won’t even know what that means the night before…I’ve been saying that I’ll be fine and I’ll sleep like a baby but in reality I’ll be tossing and turning and tirelessly thinking about it.” What do you think “you will be thinking” when you’re on the roof of the building? “Hope this is over soon!” What are you going to do after? “Probably kiss the ground!” Is there anything you want people to know? “Although the element of “fear” looms, it’s for a great cause.  It’s a wonderful feeling that the chicken industry is behind “CFC’s Flying Chicks”….it just shows what kind of people I work for and with.” If you could pick a song to be playing loudly while you rappel, what would it be? “Peter Schilling's "Major Tom"; Kool & the Gang “Celebration”; and “Help!” by the Beatles.” Don’t forget to donate to Easter Seals on CFC’s team page by clicking on this link: http://my.e2rm.com/TeamPage.aspx?teamID=185996&langPref=en-CA

Theresa Albert is a nutritionist, best-selling cookbook author, and Food Network personality, and we're thrilled to have her with us for the next few weeks to provide her unique brand of cooking and nutritional knowledge. Let’s face it, fast food and drive-thrus are here to stay. They are convenient, relatively inexpensive and, well, fast.  Avoiding them altogether isn’t always possible. It is a worthwhile effort to ask for the nutrition facts or go on to the websites of some of your favourites to assess your choices.  Make your decisions in advance armed with this knowledge. For instance, I found no reasonable meal at any of the common spots that would allow me to control my sodium intake. If I am having one of these meals, I simply know that I must compensate by having very low salt meals the rest of the day. Here is a list of Do’s and Don’ts to guide you:

Do:	Do Not
Choose the salad as often as possible	Use all the dressing in the packet (1 tsp only!)
Choose the grilled chicken for protein	Choose battered or fried chicken
Eat the croutons, corn chips or crispy fried noodles
Find other vegetables or fruits for sides	Count fries as a “vegetable”
Have grilled (not fried) chicken on a bun
Choose whole grain buns if available
Drink water, black tea/coffee or milk	Drink soda or milk shakes
Compensate with more activity/lighter meal	Default to fast food too often

Following this simple process can save hundreds of calories and fat that really do add up over a lifetime.  You don’t always have to have the undressed salad and watch others eat their burgers and fries but the more often that you do, you will be the better for it. When I went through each and every major fast food website to discover the most nutrient dense but low cal options I could, I was pleased at how these outlets are coming along. Most now have salads and, if you use the dressing sparingly you could do quite well.  Salads, though are not great on the go eating (although one could argue, as I often do, that we really ought to make time for a meal and cut out all this on the go-ness anyway) so it is important to make a mindful hand held choice. I could find the odd veggie burger that hit the right spot without landing on my hips (or lap while I am driving) but most of the beef burgers were way over on fat levels. The best choices I could make were most often some kind of wrap (a few even offer whole grain!) with grilled chicken.  If I asked for the wrap loaded up with extra tomatoes and lettuce, this choice felt like the satisfying meal that was looking for but without the guilt. So this is the way I solve my drive through dilemma most often.

Three members of Chicken Farmers of Canada staff will step off the edge of an 18-story building in “The Drop Zone” - a fundraiser for the Easter Seals! The Delta Hotel at 361 Queen Street in Ottawa will be the site of a Superhero adventure on September 27^th , as regular everyday people drop over the edge of this building and rappelling down to safety- all to help support children and youth with physical disabilities. Our team of top chicks, aptly named “CFC’s Flying Chicks”, must raise a minimum of $4500 and will each be strapped into a harness and other safety gear, only to lean back over the roof of the hotel and scale down the wall, step by step. This will take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, depending on their speed. Safety is a paramount concern and all participants took a training course and our top chicks passed! We’ll be posting video interviews with the girls in the coming days so you can watch what they have to say about their upcoming rappells. We will also be taping the girls on the day of the event, so you’ll be able to see how they did. And, of course, to make it even more interesting, the girls are going to be all chicked out in costume, including capes, masks and beaks...yes, beaks! The money raised during the fundraiser, which is taking place in major cities across Canada, will be used to help support kids with disabilities including special programs, camps and equipment. Every dollar counts and will help us reach our target of $6000. So please, donate if you can. The link at the bottom will take you to the team donation page. Again, please donate to this worthy cause and pass the message on to your friends and family! http://my.e2rm.com/TeamPage.aspx?teamID=185996&langPref=en-CA

In my last blog posts, I’ve been talking about how we’ve been feeding our baby foods that we prepare ourselves, so that we can better control what our little guy is consuming and so that we can introduce him to new varieties of food. Being back at work, time is way more compressed, and while we’re still breastfeeding, frankly sometimes things happen when we get home and we run into situations where we may need to take a shortcut to ensure that His Nibs is getting everything he needs.  First-time parents can commiserate, I’m sure. Here are a couple of tips you can try. Frozen fruit can be a lifesaver – if it’s only fruit and nothing else.  Defrost it, grind it or cut it up.  Use it the same way you would fresh fruit and you can introduce your little one to new flavours.  They won’t be as good as fresh fruit in season – but in a pinch... Sometimes you want convenience, especially if you’re on the go.  So, on occasion, you should feel okay with using jarred fruits – make sure you read the ingredients and avoid using fruit ‘desserts’ as they may contain a lot of sugar.  Another option is the unsweetened applesauces and mixed apples and other fruit snack packs.  There’s a lot of choice here – just go for the unsweetened versions (you can choose organic or not).  Our guy loves an unsweetened pomegranate and apple blend.  Remember that the ones labelled ‘baby’ tend to be more expensive than the others, despite the fact that they contain the exact same ingredients, so make your choices accordingly.  If you’re more comfortable with the ‘baby’ label – by all means, fill your boots.  Just make sure it’s unsweetened. Canned foods can contain a lot of salt, sugar and preservatives.  On the other hand, though, there are some brands that are offering new choices.  We were out of greens once and in a pinch, I came across a can of green beans. I read the label and found that the ingredients listed numbered only two: green beans and water.  Since I was adding it to foods I’d already prepared myself, I was more comfortable giving the baby this than something with salt, etc.  I know that some of the nutrients may have been leeched out in their cooking process, but at least I knew the ingredients.  I wouldn’t do that all the time but again, in a pinch... Just read the labels – that’s the best advice I can give – on everything. We still prepare his food and we’ll be breastfeeding until he’s about 12 months, or longer depending on how things are going.  I still spend an hour or two every week or two making his meals– or at least putting together enough ready-made ingredients to make him something delicious and nutritious for breakfast at home with us, for lunch and snacks at his wonderful care provider’s house and for dinner back at the homestead. He’s thriving.  His doctor is thrilled with how lively, alert and happy he is.  I like to think that we have everything to do with that.

Theresa Albert is a nutritionist, best-selling cookbook author, and Food Network personality, and we're thrilled to have her with us for the next few weeks to provide her unique brand of cooking and nutritional knowledge. I shared with some of my colleagues the fact that I am working with the Chicken Farmers of Canada to help Canadians get wholesome, simple meals on their tables.  Luckily, my colleagues are some of the smartest, busiest women and mothers around. Even more luckily, they agreed to let me mine their lives and share their tips for doing just that.  What you will find over the next 6 blogs are those interviews.  The names have not been changed to protect the innocent; in fact, they are proudly displayed so we can all see that every family has its way of doing things and learn from each other! This edition’s interviewee Credit – CL Buchanan Photo For this edition, I sat down with Kathy Buckworth - television personality, public speaker, and an award-winning author of 5 parenting humour books, including her latest, “Shut Up and Eat: Tales of Chicken, Children and Chardonnay”. Theresa: In your book, Shut up and Eat! Tales of Chicken, Children and Chardonnay you choose to prepare chicken often as a key protein, why? Kathy: I joke in the book that there hasn’t been a new chicken recipe invented since 1957, but the fact is, Moms have known for ages that chicken is easy to prepare, and kids love it.  It’s a healthy meal choice that makes it a perfect selection for a busy, active family.  I have four kids, and all of them have their food preferences – chicken is one thing they can all agree on. Theresa: Do you think most people are aware of how much protein they need in a day? Kathy: I believe adults are supposed to have two protein servings a day, but I don’t think most people know how much they need, or what their kids need. I have to admit that on the occasions when I know we’re getting too much or too little, I try to “even it out” over a few days instead of getting worried about what they need in one day.  Re-educating us all on the right amount would be a good thing. Theresa: Do you talk to your kids about protein sources, and how do you make sure they get the right amount? Kathy: Certainly when the kids were learning about the Canada Food Guide at school, we talked about it and they know what a protein is. We’re lucky not to have any food allergies in our house so my kids get protein in eggs, peanut butter, fish, meat and I make a mean Chicken and Bean Casserole.  But even though they know what protein is, the kids like it for other reasons. Theresa’s Wrap Up Kathy is quite right that we need protein every day but stressing over sources and grams is not the way to go. There is a generally accepted formula for how much protein we need and it is .8 grams per kg of body weight. This number changes as your activity level changes so an athlete needs even more, but an average 140 pound woman weighs 63 kg and 80% of that is about 50 grams or approximately the amount in one chicken breast. Protein is important because if factors in to the repair of muscles and tissue. It is a combination of amino acids that form a complete chain.  Vegetarian sources require careful combining because they have more or less of some of the amino acids.  Animal sources have them all in a readily useable package. It’s possible to get enough protein from vegetarian sources but it takes a little more concentration than Kathy is willing to commit. Protein in its complete (meaning containing all amino acids) is a slow burning form of fuel. This means it keeps hunger at bay and blood sugar levels even throughout the day - a healthy step in the right direction!

Yesterday, we talked about building lunch in Theresa Albert’s blog post. Today, we’re delighted to bring you a video that will help you plan your lunches ahead of time. httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJcxgQxinKc This is the first in an ongoing series of cooking videos, so keep an eye out for more helpful hints!

Theresa Albert is a nutritionist, best-selling cookbook author, and Food Network personality, and we're thrilled to have her with us for the next few weeks to provide her unique brand of cooking and nutritional knowledge. I shared with some of my colleagues the fact that I am working with the Chicken Farmers of Canada to help Canadians get wholesome, simple meals on their tables.  Luckily, my colleagues are some of the smartest, busiest women and mothers around. Even more luckily, they agreed to let me mine their lives and share their tips for doing just that.  What you will find over the next 6 blogs are those interviews.  The names have not been changed to protect the innocent; in fact, they are proudly displayed so we can all see that every family has its way of doing things and learn from each other! This edition’s interviewee Lianne Phillipson-Webb is the author of the recently released ‘Sprout Right – Nutrition from Tummy to Toddler’ book, mother of two daughters, registered nutritionist and founder of her company, Sprout Right. Theresa: You are a busy woman who knows how important it is to fuel the body throughout the day. How do you handle lunch? Lianne: Lunch can be as dreaded a meal as dinner if you aren’t prepared.  I’ve started a trend in our house that we have leftovers from dinner for lunch the next day.  Whether it’s a stir-fry with rice and vegetables, shepherd’s pie or chicken and salad, it gets packed off in the lunch bag without a fuss or more work on my part.  My daughters are quite fine with cold food; potatoes, noodles, lasagna, pizza, rice and chicken.  There’s a bit of resistance to cold fish, but I just hide it somewhere else (like in a fish cake) and it’s polished off in no time. If last night’s dinner didn’t go over so well, they let me know that they aren’t keen on the same food for lunch and we talk about another option. Theresa: What are some healthy, great tasting ideas for kids’ lunches? Lianne: I’m not a huge fan of sandwiches – too much bread and not enough filling, typically.  So I usually suggest a wrap or pita packed with nutritious fillings such as:

• Grated carrot with cucumber, sprouts and hummus
• Brie with sprouts and cranberry sauce
• Cheddar with sliced apples and sprouts
• Cooked chicken, avocado and tomato with basil pesto mayo
• Sliced chicken or turkey (leftovers) with chopped up arugula or spinach, apple butter and mustard
• Mashed hard boiled egg and watercress
• Mashed sardines or mackerel in tomato sauce (really some kids like fish!)
• Pressed cottage cheese and sweet corn
• Tuna and sweet corn and a little salad dressing of your choice
• Tuna/salmon mayonnaise and sliced or chopped cucumber
• Mashed banana and tahini or almond butter
• Bean burger or falafel, lettuce, and tomato with yogurt dip

Serve with a large plate of chopped vegetables like carrot sticks, cucumber chunks, cauliflower florets, red pepper sticks and a handful of raisins in the middle. I also like baked potatoes loaded with tuna, chili or organic baked beans.  I have been known to default to a carrot muffin with cheese, cut up peppers and some fresh peas in their shell (which is so much fun for them to eat) when I’m stuck. Theresa: What would you say to other busy women who currently skip lunch? Lianne: I’ve been known to skip lunch here and there—sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in a day!  But I don’t feel great when I do it.  My energy crashes just as it’s time to collect the girls from after school care and make dinner.  I’m crabby and not fun to be around.  I then eat my way thorough the evening, trying to make up those calories as I’m still hungry after dinner, and that’s not good for my waist line. Planning is key here.  Even a healthy muffin (not a cake in disguise) and a couple of slices of cheese is better than nothing.  Throw a couple of carrot sticks into that with some hummus and presto – a fast, nutritious and energy-balancing lunch. Whether you are trying to lose or stabilize your weight, skipping meals is going to backfire on you.  Eating regular meals keeps your metabolism turning over and burning calories all day long. Eating a good lunch is going to help you stay on top of things for the rest of the day without the family running for cover once they see your grumpy self at pickup, or just help you feel good for yourself! Theresa: Do you have any tips on packing lunches so they stay fresh and safe? Lianne: There’s nothing worse than the contents of your lunch ending up smooshed into what else is in your food container.  Find separated compartment trays or containers to store your mid day meal in.  If you are making a salad, put crackers in another compartment or section of your lunch and the dressing in another leak-proof container.  Trying to make up a salad and dress it in the morning makes for a very soggy lunch. I like Greentainers lunch containers.  They are stainless steel, easy to wash and some have layers to them to keep dips from the rest of your lunch contents. If you are adding meat to your lunch, then an ice pack must go along with it in an insulated lunch box so that it stays cool in transit, or if lunch isn’t seeing the inside of a fridge before it’s eaten. Hot lunches can be put in a good thermos, and then also into an insulated lunch bag (but without the ice pack obviously).  Warm up the thermos with boiling water before putting your hot food into it. I don’t recommend sending seafood with lunch unless there’s a fridge to keep it cool in until lunchtime. Theresa’s Wrap Up Wow! Lianne has covered the topic like the food-loving nutritionist that she is.  Thanks, Lianne – these tips are invaluable.

There’s nothing better than peas and asparagus in spring, strawberries in June, and corn and peaches in August. Sure, you can get most of these things at the supermarket year-round, but the flavour of any of these foods in January pales in comparison to what they really taste like in their season.  That’s because in-season ingredients are picked during their natural growing season, at their peak of ripeness and usually much closer to home. Eating seasonally lets you enjoy the highest quality food while encouraging you to you eat locally and eat economically. Shopping at farmers’ markets is a great way to eat both seasonally and locally. It can give you a feel for what is in season and what is no longer at its best, and you can learn more about what you’re eating by asking the grower about things like when the best time to buy is and how long its growing season lasts. As a bonus, most farmers’ markets stalls will let you taste their product before you buy, so that you can be sure you’re getting the level of quality you want from your food. Many farmers are also becoming involved in Community-Supported Agriculture, or CSAs, which is essentially a product subscription service. For a fixed cost, every week or two a box of farm-selected in-season produce will arrive at a participant’s doorstep. This is a fantastic way to eat seasonally and get exposure to new ingredients. Eating seasonally can also reduce your grocery bill. When food is easier for vendors to acquire, it’s cheaper for you to buy, and food is never easier to acquire than when it is at its peak ripeness. While talking to growers is extremely helpful, it’s also a good idea to check your supermarket fliers. Produce that is in season will usually be advertised at a lower price. Eating seasonally through the winter can be tough. In the colder parts of Canada, there are only a few crops that can survive with the frost. Preservation throughout the spring, summer and fall can provide you with quality ingredients that aren’t in season. Freezing and water-bath canning are both great ways to store the bounty of spring, summer and fall. Visit a farmers’ market, stock up, and eat seasonally all year round.

If you have a canine companion at home, you know that a treat will go a long way in getting your dog to listen!  Although there are many great treats available at your local pet store, it’s also easy to make your own at home.  Before you decide to take on this task, there are a few things you should know about what you can and cannot feed your furry friend. First of all, just because certain foods are good for you, doesn’t mean that they are good for your dog.  Here’s a list of foods that are safe for your dog to eat and a list of foods that you should never, EVER feed your dog! Good foods for Fido: Vegetables: carrots, broccoli, squash (or sweet potatoes), green beans, cabbage, beets, zucchini, spinach Fruit: bananas, apples, blueberries, mango to name a few. Protein: chicken, eggs (hard boiled only), beef, lamb, peanut butter, small amounts of liver Grains: barley, oatmeal, brown rice Milk and dairy products in SMALL amounts Foods you should NEVER, EVER feed Fido: Alcohol – can kill your dog Avocado – highly toxic Chocolate –is highly toxic and can cause death Corn on the cob – dogs can actually choke on the cob Grapes – including raisins and currants are highly toxic Citrus fruits – are highly toxic Macadamia nuts – highly toxic Mushrooms – highly toxic and can cause death Raw onions and garlic Salt Yeast breads Now that you’ve got a sense of what is okay to feed Fido, you can start experimenting to see which foods your dog likes the most.  Try a slice of apple, a carrot stick or a piece of unseasoned cooked chicken.  A great way to get Fido to try vegetables, like carrots, is when you’re preparing soup stock!  For example, if you’re preparing chicken stock, reserve some of the cooked carrots that have soaked in the chicken flavour; trust me, Fido will not complain! Once you’ve determined what your dog likes, you can always find great recipes on-line!  Here are some web sites to get you started. http://www.dogsincanada.com/recipes http://www.dogtreatrecipes.org/ Don’t forget to limit the amount of treats you give your dog.  Like humans, the more treats they eat, the more their waistline pays for it!

In my last blog posts, I’ve been talking about how we’ve been feeding our baby foods that we prepare ourselves, so that we can better control what our little guy is consuming and so that we can introduce him to new varieties of food. Now that he’s a little older, we can experiment with even more flavours and textures!  These are exciting times! A little later – 8-10 months Well, now we’re in a great place, where the baby has some teeth, can chew (or mash) food, can use his thumb and forefinger to grasp things, and likes the idea of feeding himself.  We’re still offering him some homemade pureed foods, but more and more, we’re offering him things that he can grip himself.  I chop up the chicken now and put it on his high chair tray.  The broccoli is chopped into mini-trees that he can pick up.  Blueberries are cut into little quarters that he can grab, and little bits of whole grain bread are given to him so that he can keep tuning his fine motor skills.  Be careful to cut up the food into little pieces that he can manage – and always, always be with your baby, supervising him when he eats. We still puree many things, though, to make sure that he gets some sustenance.  While he likes to grab food and feed himself, he also likes to drop it and is now learning to throw. He’s loving his chicken, beef and pork, still, which we’re preparing in new ways, too.  And he’ll also eat some fish.  Who could ask for more? Now we’re introducing new things to add to his food.  He’s a big fan of hummus and tatziki, for example.  We still rely on breastmilk and yogurt, too, but now we’re trying sour cream and things like that. We’re also trying things like whole grain pasta stuffed with cheeses, meatballs, lentils and other legumes, egg yolk omelettes and more.  I’ve even given him some baked goods (without egg whites or nuts, mind you) made with breastmilk!  He loves those! A rule I like to go by is to taste what I prepare myself – if I wouldn’t eat it (I have to get past the mushy texture thing, but if the flavour’s right, I mean), I won’t serve it.

Everyone loves to see kabobs on the grill, and these colourful skewers couldn't be more inviting! Remember when making kabobs you want to cut everything to the same size to ensure even cooking. Also feel free to use two wooden skewers if you're finding it hard to stabilize the ingredients. You also don't want your tomatoes too ripe in this recipe as they might turn into mush and overcook while on the grill. Cherry tomatoes work great on kabobs, so feel free to use those instead. Marinading overnight is always best, as it ensures you maximize your flavours. You can even reserve some of the marinade beforehand and brush it over the kabobs while cooking to infuse even more flavour! While your kebobs are grilling, you've got more than enough time to prepare the fresh mint potato salad, the perfect complement to the flavourful main course. What's your favourite kabob combo? Tell us all about it in the comments section. Egyptian Chicken Kabobs with Mint Potato Salad