Let's Taco 'Bout It: The Grand Cantina

After a very busy day, I had the sudden craving for tacos...We all know that when a craving hits, it must be satisfied! 

Passing by many times, but never stopping in, it was finally the night we would go to The Grand Cantina;  a wonderful Mexican-inspired restaurant in the heart of Walkerville, here in Windsor, Ontario Canada. 

Opening the door, you are hit with vibrant colours from all angles and there is a real warmth to the space.  There is a lot of beautiful Mexican folk art decor too.

Although we didn't make a reservation, we lucked out as they always save a few tables for walk-ins. Our server was very friendly and the menu had a lot of variety, along with the drink selection, if you partake in boozy beverages.

There were so many taco options to choose from. I had a little anxiety about ordering anything that might be too spicy as that is always an issue with certain cuisine and I wouldn't be able to enjoy. 

We decided to go for the Taco Tuesday - Mix and Match your pack, which was the following:

Carnitas - shredded smoked pork, pico de gallo, lettuce and salsa verde.

Los Pollos Hermanos - citrus brined grilled chicken, pico de gallo and avocado.

Veganville - tempura fried smoked tofu, pico de gallo, pickled red onion, vegan aioli and corn chip dust. 

Bill had never had a churro before, that was our chosen dessert.

The tacos were so delicious and flavourful. The tortillas were filled generously. Everything tasted so fresh and our bellies were happy. Churros were soft and tender on the inside with a nice crispy crunch on the outside, dipped generously in the house sweet salted caramel sauce. 

I think we've found our new favourite spot for tacos! Oh and if they are full and you didn't make a reservation, no worries, they also got you covered with pick-up or delivery options. 

💜 Website: The Grand Cantina

Choose Wisely: Erie St. Gastro Pub Food Review

One thing to love about Windsor is the food. We have so many places that have been in business for ages, and for good reason. As life changes, as it always does, it's exciting to see plenty of new local spots with creative and passionate chefs that are popping up that really seem to have the bones for lasting a long time - well, as long as they are supported. 

Erie St. Gastro Pub has a great minimalistic look but is still bright and welcoming with elegant touches of decor. If you're in the mood for a hearty burger, a little asian fusion or even something off the vegetarian/vegan menu, this might be the place for you.  

Dinner & Thoughts:

Steamed Dumplings (Appetizer)- A great start to the meal. We had veggie dumplings which were tasty with a sweet chili sauce. The freshly chopped green onions were a nice addition.

Pho -  I haven't had Pho (pronounced "fuh") in a while, so I was excited to try it out here. It had a heaping amount of chicken, noodles, and a very flavourful broth - I could taste the coriander with every slurp. The bowl was large enough that I have a bit of leftovers for lunch.

Double Pork  -  If you know Bill, he loves a good pulled pork sandwich. He really enjoyed his meal - the pork was soft enough but still with a little bit of chewiness. He also really loved the blend of mustard, chipotle mayo and honey ginger bbq sauce and the Vietnamese slaw. It was incredibly filling.

Usually a side salad is nothing special, but this one was elevated with the right amount of lettuce, shredded carrots, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, a little slice of avocado (he didn't eat that but a nice touch regardless). It was complemented by a delicious carrot/ginger dressing.

Warm hospitality - Maggie was top notch as our server, with a bubbly personality and just so accommodating to whatever we needed from the moment we sat down to the time we left.  We don't drink alcohol (if you do, they have a huge menu to choose from) but that was not an issue at all, as our glasses never remained empty for long, whenever passing by to check on us.  

Overall, I am confident to say that this time, we have chosen wisely. :) 

💜Website: Erie St Gastro Pub

💜Facebook

DARE to be different: Plant-based Gummies!

We've entered into a world where animals are no longer considered the only source of consumption. Plant-based eating is gaining a lot of momentum from people who once said "i'll never give up meat!" or scoffed at the idea that you can eat a well-balanced diet without animal products. 

Whether you're trying out a veggie "burger" for health reasons or you want to spread more compassion to the animal world, it's an interesting adventure. For some, it's worth diving into head first, and for others, they just want to dip their toes in.

I have been finding some awesome brands that meet my nutritional needs, not to mention taste great, and others...well...they won't be in my basket again. I'll share more in future blogs!

I don't always have the energy to cook-from-scratch, as I do have diagnosed health conditions, which are complicated, I'm now in my 40's, so EVERYTHING is changing, relatable, right? So I'm trying to figure out what works for me. If that is a luxury you have, more power to you. Please bake me a gluten-free bread! ;) 

So let's get to SNACKS!

Snack-wise, it's been fun and a little frustrating, so when I saw Dare Real Fruit was launching plant-based gummies, I had to get my hands on them. They come in a variety of flavours, like strawberry-kiwi, cherry, pineapple and more! 🍍🍒🥝🍓  

A sample of some of the flavours
 - including the "sour" ones are on the far right!

Now do these taste the same as the regular ones? No. There is a distinct difference. As many have commented, they have a more "wine gum" texture than a gummy.  This seemed to cause a huge uproar, but everyone's tastes are different. Personally, I love the taste and the texture!

I will warn you that they are addictive, so portion them out so you don't eat the entire bag in one-sitting. 

Of course you can still purchase Dare's Real Fruit NON plant-based gummies, but I'm sold on these. :)

I think these will be a real hit for friends and family to try at our movie nights and hopefully we can get out "Clue" for a fun board-game evening soon. I have wanted to play this since our 80's wedding!

Things to note that may/may not be important to you:

👉Gluten-free

👉No Animal Gelatin

👉Plant-based

👉Vegan

👉Peanut-free

Have you tried these? Let me know what you think! Leave a comment below or use the contact form to reach out to me!

💜To learn more, visit the Dare Real Fruit site: https://darerealfruit.com/medley/

💜Keep up with the latest on FB and IG

Say Cheese: Violife Vegan Cheese

I was really excited when I received my package from Sampler in the mail, which had Geovita rice and lentil blend (I haven't tried it yet!) and included a coupon for a new vegan cheese brand called Violife.

I'll admit, I'm not a huge "cheese" person anymore but sometimes when grocery shopping, I will pick up a small brick or two to satisfy the craving. Before the pandemic, if we ate out at a restaurant, I would order something with cheese, as it was more of a treat than a staple in the home. Let's also be frank, the bloated feeling after eating cheese at times is painful and uncomfortable, so I was hoping this wouldn't leave my stomach in knots.

The choices at the grocery store when I went to purchase Violife were pretty limited to either: cheddar shreds or cheddar slices, so I got:

Violife Vegan Cheddar Shreds

We had some hamburger buns left in the freezer, so I popped one into the oven and just did a wee sprinkling of the Vegan Cheddar Shreds on each bun. I also added some chives, as I just seem to love chives on everything!  Now I realize that there isn't a lot of cheese on here, but honestly, I wasn't sure how much I was going to like this and I hate wasting food.  I am really used to dairy cheese, so I didn't want to smother it with this type and have to toss it entirely out if I couldn't eat the rest.  

Lunch time #samplerlove

Homemade broccoli soup! The cheese made such a nice addition, along with chives.

#samplerlove

Thankfully, it was delicious! I don't think you can really compare to regular cheese though as this is made with coconut oil, potato starch and corn starch. It also didn't melt as much as I had expected either but maybe I needed to leave it in the oven longer and use more cheese.

On the side, I wanted to get my greens in, so a simple salad of arugula with diced cucumbers, carrots and a honey mustard dressing. 

After looking at the website, I am curious to know what other styles taste like, especially the vegan cream cheese! Mmmm...  Am I going to replace cheese with these alternatives? Honestly, I don't really know. I just like having choices and I'm happy that I found a good brand like Violife to add to my shopping list. 

Pros:

✔Tastes great (no weird aftertaste like I have heard from other vegan cheese alternatives)

✔Excellent for people with multiple allergies/sensitivities

✔Good for the environment

✔Resealable bag

✔Easier on digestion (at least for me so far)

Cons: 

❌A bit expensive at almost $6 a bag for 227g. Have to keep my eyes open for sales!

Have you tried this vegan cheese? Let me know your thoughts by commenting below or send me an email!

💜 Visit Violife's website: https://violifefoods.com/

💜 Join up with Sampler: https://sampler.io/

Iron Vegan Product Review: Sweet & Salty Caramel Protein Bar

This protein bar will definitely keep you full for many hours, however the amount of fibre is a little overwhelming for the digestive system at 17 g!  The caramel flavour tasted ok and having 3 g of sugar is always a benefit.

Surprisingly, there was no "salty" component to it.  It only tasted sweet. The texture was very sticky, and overly chewy, basically feeling like eating a very dense overstretched piece of caramel. 

I cannot see purchasing this particular flavour of protein bar for myself or family. Perhaps there are other flavours from Iron Vegan that may be a better fit. 

SocialNature  

#trynatural #gotitfree

If you are interested in purchasing anything from Iron Vegan, visit their website at www.ironvegan.ca

Please use the discount code for 35% off: Social35

Happy snacking!

A Whole Lotta Love For Our Little Planet: Love Beauty & Planet Haircare Review

 Love Beauty and Planet is certainly taking the natural beauty care industry by storm!

As a ChickAdvisor, I received this amazing complimentary package of body wash, shampoo and conditioner that I wanted to share my honest thoughts on.

Body Wash (473 ml)

• Heavenly scent with the combination of shea butter and sandalwood. 
• Love the pump format. 
• silky texture when applying 
• no residue left on the skin after rinsing off
• clean and nourishing
• no irritation (so far!)

Shampoo/Conditioner (400 ml) 

• Again, the scent is wonderful. I never really used anything with sandalwood but you literally feel like you have stepped into a spa when you open up the bottle from this particular line.
• Wish it came in a pump format
• Both products have a nice light texture
• Easy to rinse off
• See ya dry hair - this conditioner leaves your hair touchably soft

For the packaging overall, I like that the bottle is 100% recycled plastic, even though the cap nor the pump are. With the on-going environmental issues with plastic, it would have been better to have it in a glass bottle that could be reusable. Maybe something to think about in the near future.

The sizes of the bottles are great! A lot of other brands have dinky sizes that may be awesome and effective, but only last a very short period of time. They stand by their cruelty-free and plant-based mantra, yet charge way more! Sorry, i'm still a bit of a budget shopper, so if I am going to pay more than usual for a product, I want it to last! These will be used quite a while in my home and so although it runs a bit higher in price, you do get a lot of product and value!

Other great things about the brand that you may resonate with:

Vegan, cruelty-free, ethically-sourced and plant-based ingredients.

Check out their other product lines: https://www.lovebeautyandplanet.com/ca/en/collections.html

#tryLoveBeautyPlanet #gotitfree

Snack Review: Living Snactive with Mediterranean Snacks

I hate the word “diet” when it is referred to people's weight loss regimes because as everyone knows, it's short-lived and usually meant for short-term success. It's the same routine, you go on a health kick and feel great, like you can conquer the world, but then it goes downhill because the motivation weens and you're back to the very start. The miserable beginning where it all feels hopeless.  So what do you do?

Well for starters, you can ditch the sugar-laden sweets, salty chips that make your hands glisten from all the grease, but don't be duped, even the “health” snacks can be loaded with sugar and tons of sodium, plus other ingredients that may be problematic, based on your individual circumstances.

We need to Live Snactive! Nope that's not a spelling mistake. Going on the philosophy of Mediterranean Snacks, having a Healthy Attitude + Nutritious Snacks + Active Lifestyle = Living Snactive! Everyone has their marketing buzz word, but I can say this really meshes well with me, and I think many others can relate.

 Now there is a full line of products by a great company called Mediterranean Snacks that offers a glorious amount of options for people who have specific dietary needs or just choose a different way to eat.

Here is the assortment that I received in the mail. I was blown away at this big haul. I will go into more detail on what we liked and ones we probably wouldn't buy again.  I ended up sharing these with my boyfriend and the rest of my family.

Before that, I need to talk about how much I love the bold packaging. It's full of vibrant colours, plus the fonts are easy to read, so you don't have to sit and squint wondering what flavour you're getting or what the main features are of the product. All the ingredients are also listed on the back, which is great because I'm a label reader.

So here we go.  I have also taken a bunch of photos, so you can get an idea of what some of the products look like.

Vegetable Medley – An absolute favourite and as you can see, you get a lot of them per bag. I love how they are slightly rounded, so ideal for dipping, or still worth munching on without any extras. Oddly enough, they are seasoned with sea salt, which I usually don't like, but these are a winner.

Baked Lentil Chips (Rosemary) – Baked not fried which is a huge plus. They were also very savoury and crunchy. My parents raved over these, especially my Dad. Due to his condition, his sense of smell has been impaired, so I was pleasantly surprised that he could taste the Rosemary.

Baked Lentil Chips (Roasted Pepper) - A personal favourite and a great chip to dip into some homemade guacamole.

Bean Stalks (Sea Salt, Cheddar and BBQ) – A whole lotta crunch to these babies! Since the number one ingredient is actual beans, they are packed with fibre and protein. Unfortunately, i'm not a fan of sea salt to begin with, so that bag was the least favourite of the bunch.

Cheddar ones were great on their own (think of a healthy version of a cheesie!) and my boyfriend liked the tangy BBQ ones.

Tapaz 2 Go – Mixed feelings here. Although these are meant to be eaten without refrigeration required, I would personally recommend refrigerating them, before taking on-the-go.  For me, it was just awful at room temperature. It had a strange off-putting taste. On my second attempt, I decided to stick it in the fridge for a while and that really made a big difference. It had a nice cooling taste. A good serving size too.

The classic hummus is very mild, the garlic hummus tastes pretty much the same, but I couldn't really taste a very strong aroma of garlic at all. The red pepper hummus has a real kick, my mouth was kind of on fire, but if you like spice, this one is for you. Keep in mind, you'll need to swirl around the mixture a bit. The pretzels were ok, but if you're watching your sodium, probably best to pack a little container and toss in some of their lentil or veggie chips.

I am truly blessed to have my Dad still with us today.  He has made huge strides in improving his health, both physically and mentally.  We all struggle in different ways and it's good to know there is a company looking out for us and providing healthier options.

I am grateful for companies like Mediterranean Snacks that exist and will probably be leading the pack for naturally-based nutritional health snacks for many years to come.

If you would be so kind to excuse me now, I have the munchies and eyeing a bag of Vegetable Medley Straws that are calling my name!

UPDATE 2018: I am not sure what has happened to this company or their website!
You can still purchase from here though: 

Windsor Restaurant Review - Blooming inside and out: A look into the Sunflower Organic Cafe

Remember the days when you couldn't even order anything “on the side” because it just came prepared however the restaurant made it. Substituting was met with a sigh or “I'll have to ask if we can do that” reply. Choices were really limited and if you had any sort of allergy or special request, you'd have to phone up days in advance to figure out if they could arrange an alternative. I actually went through a time period when I just stopped eating out at restaurants because it was always a frustrating experience and slightly awkward, especially if I was the only one in the group with restrictions.

Now, a new way of thinking has sprouted for certain businesses, especially one that I recently had lunch at last week called Sunflower Organic Cafe, here in Windsor, Ontario.

I loved the vibrancy of the space with all the knick-knacks, neatly organized above the green trim. It kind of reminded me of entering into grandma's house, with a eco-hipster twist.

I was very impressed with how much this cafe caters to each individual and whatever circumstance you're dealing with. Celiac? No problem. Lactose intolerant? Many alternatives available.  Have another kind of auto-immune issue or follow a certain lifestyle, like vegetarian or vegan? Just let the waitress know and she'll figure out a way to make your meal completely customized to your liking. Oh and if you're into the whole organic movement, then you'll feel right at home.  Personally, I don't subscribe to one philosophy when it comes to food, I hold many beliefs that may align with yours, or perhaps be totally contradictory, so take my review with a grain of salt, if you wish and try it out for yourself.

Customer service was top notch. There's no two ways around that.  Our waitress was really friendly and offered to answer any questions that we had about the menu. Speaking of... the menu is large, so there is a lot of variety to choose from.  Start the day with an energizing breakfast, grab a salad, or just power up with one of their smoothies.

Another plus is how reasonably-priced everything is. Many items are under $10, like the Black Bean Wrap, Grilled Cheese, Baby Bella Mushroom and Cheese Omelette, and more.  Check out the menu here: http://www.sunflowerwindsor.com/cafe-menu/

I have to say that my Vegan Apple Cinnamon Buckwheat Pancakes rocked for only $8.95! I couldn't taste the cinnamon all that much, but the mixed berry compote, side of pure maple syrup, plus some refreshing apple splices hit the spot. 3 pancakes might seem stingy since we live in a society where quantity is valued far more than quality, but it was the right amount. I will say though that if you are not familiar with buckwheat, it is rather dense and a little bit on the heavy side, so it won't taste like your traditional pancake.

Vegan Apple Cinnamon Buckwheat Pancakes

On a personal note, I am also happy that there is a new place that I can take my parents. With all the major changes going on for my dad, eating healthy is a top priority. Having a nice customized meal that will give him lots of energy is important because he is so active. Oh and of course, this gives my mom a much-needed break, so she doesn't have to cook.

Thanks to my friend Gail for suggesting this spot for our lunch date! :)

Make sure to check out Sunflower Organic Cafe on Facebook!

Update as of Jan 2016: Sadly, it looks like they have closed their doors for good!!