Healthy Yet Fiery Start To Autumn

I made this delicious vegetable dish today that I wanted to share with my readers.

It has chopped kale, broccoli, zucchini, roasted sweet potatoes, onions and peppers. I sauteed everything in a pan with a few squeezes of fresh lemon (i'm kind of on a lemon kick right now), and then topped with some sunflower seeds. I also added a bit of balsamic dressing afterwards and it was really tasty!

I was ready to snap a photo when I started to hear loud bangs, followed by people screaming outside. THIS was actually what was going on about a block away. A shed caught on fire somehow and it just escalated from there. Thankfully it seems like the fire department has things under control, so i'm back in the house, safe and sound. *breathe*

Saturday fire on Balfour St.

Back to my veggie bowl...

What are your favourite veggies for this season? :)

Snack Review: Valuing The Good Taste Of Nature

I think we are truly blessed as a society to be able to have the luxury of choice. It can be a double-edge sword, however, because of the overwhelming amount of choice that we are faced with every single day, especially when it comes to snack foods.

You can find just about any flavour out there, but sometimes you are sacrificing taste for something healthy. Or you’re just delving into a sea of sugar that will satisfy your immediate craving, but leave your waistline unhappy and your energy levels depleted.

I recently came across a snack bar by a Canadian company called Taste of Nature, whose facility is in Markham. Going to their website, I noticed the usual participation in the Non-GMO Project, gluten-free (this lifestyle choice can come with its own risks for those who are not celiac, as many gluten-free products contain loads of sugar in comparison to gluten ones; watch those labels), being vegan and kosher, as most organic companies are nowadays.

However, what really made me stop was the variety of choices that fit with the Glycemic Index. This is a number associated with a particular type of food that indicates the food’s effect on a person’s blood glucose.

Informing consumers about what number each product is on the GI scale was the most impressive. So kudos to Taste of Nature for creating a snack that is low in sodium, sugar, and high in the areas that we should be consuming more of like fibre, protein, omega 3’s, and other important vitamins and minerals.

The one problem I have, though, with a lot of so-called healthy foods is that they taste awful. They may be packed with a great deal of health benefits, but there has to be a balance for me. I think I found it with Taste of Nature.

As you can see, they have so many flavours. It’s hard to actually say which one is my favourite because they all have very distinct tastes, but I have quite a liking for the California Almond Valley. It has a nice blend of raisins, pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds, agave syrup, and a hint of rosemary extract.

Photo by: Melissa Arditti

I don’t get a weird aftertaste which I have experienced with other bars. The texture is perfectly chewy so it’s not a struggle to bite into. And it’s portioned well so you’re not overindulging, but reaping the nutritional benefits, too.

Some bars are a little sweeter than others, like the Louisiana Pecan Parade, but I can honestly say that any of the bars are a great post-workout snack, super for kids’ lunches, or a good alternative from hitting the fast food joint or coffee shop for a donut.

Another plus is many of their green business practices which include recycling food waste to farms for use as animal feed and priding themselves on reducing their carbon footprint as much as possible.

I will also applaud them for excellent customer service since I initially contacted them regarding their Taste of Nature Snacks that Care promotion, which wasn't working online. For my inconvenience, they sent me out a care package as a “token of our thanks for being so patient with us as we worked to get the contest fixed.”

Photo by: Melissa Arditti

Founded on the basic principle to, “work together as a family to create a food company that makes a simple, great tasting product that would give back to the world more than it took,” Taste of Nature has surely succeeded.

For more information, you can visit their website: Taste of Nature

A Quiet Cabin In The Woods: White Sulphur Springs

It’s always an adventure when you travel. Hotel-living gets tiring after a while, especially when you have to pack and unpack, and wonder if the person in the next room or even above/below you is going to keep you up all night long. Some places don’t even have a fridge, so you have to always eat out. After a few days on the road, I was craving a home-cooked meal.

I know many people like to go camping, but honestly, that is not my cup of tea. I have no enjoyment ‘roughing’ it, eating canned food and warming up by a fire. I don’t like to get eaten alive by mosquitoes and hear weird animal sounds throughout the night. I like nature, but on my own terms. I guess you could call me high-maintenance in this realm because I like a comfy bed, running water and four walls. When my dad told me that we were spending a night in a log cabin, I kind of thought he was having a life crisis or was pulling my leg. He wasn’t, this was for real!

I had my reservations about coming here but was slowly warming up as we drove up to the cabin and a sense of calmness came over me, as the one-lane bridge, designed to slow  down your  pace, has a welcoming essence to it and if you step out of the car, you could hear the gentle sounds of the water. Within moments, you truly feel like you’re “home.”

 The beautiful path to our cabin at White Sulphur Springs.
All photos by: Melissa Arditti

Here was our cabin, the Dogwood.

As you can see inside, we are truly “roughing” it, with a full kitchenette (all energy efficient) complete with an ice making machine and Keurig coffee maker.  Of course, a dishwasher for the dirty dishes and a bbq on the outdoor patio.

As you walk in, there’s a cozy living room with a pull out bed (which I slept on), full cable tv, wifi access, and of course, what’s a cabin without a modern fireplace?

The bedroom area has a more outdoorsy-inspired theme with decorative bedding, matching lamp shades and a completely light wooden-panel bed frame to contrast with the darker floor.

There is also a large bathroom with a separate shower/bath and vanity area.

While you’re visiting, you also get full access to the river if you’re inclined to fish, canoe or just watch the river gently flow amongst the rocks. You can even meditate in the park or enjoy a good book swaying in a hammock.

The Spring is also well-known for its mineral-rich water, which is refreshing and choked full of health benefits, with added calcium and magnesium. Caution though if you have an allergy to sulphur, you can admire the tranquil channels of water, but it is advised not to drink it.

If you’re looking to just get away from it all, White Sulphur Springs is perfect, since it is in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains where nature and beauty intertwine. It provides a relaxing, secluded experience in a luxurious cabin that is only minutes away from the historic Mount Airy downtown district, in which we stopped in “Mayberry” town to enjoy lunch at Barney’s.

If this is what the simple life is, sign me up.

To learn more, visit their website.