Beet Brioche Couronne

Back in the UK I watched Paul Hollywoods series on bread making on the BBC and knew I had to buy his book. He was kinda shmoozy in an 'old guy fancies himself' type of way and I wasn't sure whether I found him attractive or not, so I continued watching and came to the conclusion that he was no Sean Connery, but this guy made bread making look pretty easy. I was all over it!
My friend Tracy and I used to have a 'Loaf off'. Sending each other photos of our latest creations, and it was fun and so much nicer than the store bought loaves
I was on a bread kick and it was great while it lasted, but it does command dedication. 
Once every 2-3 weeks now I make a few loaves of bread and my family love it. (Well, I think they do, but do I recall my brother and I being around 8 or 9 and pretending to like my mums brown bread, but proceeding to go and play outside and feed it to Deva (our German Shepherd). Sorry mum! I should check the chicken coop since they don't have a dog disposal at their service.)........

I digress...................//

This bread here was inspired by Paul Hollywoods Savoury Brioche . This bread is a showstopper! It looks impressive and tastes divine.

 

I had an abundance of beets one day and had roasted them all up, because I hate throwing anything out. Then I had an idea of a beautiful purple bread with a green filling oozing out. Ta-da.......in walks the Beet Brioche Couronne.

Sometimes when you bake with beets the colour seems to fade out during the cooking process, and we all hate it when that happens, don't we?  So here I blended the beets with the butter beforehand and it seemed to stain the butter a vibrant pinky purple colour which remained throughout the baking process. Result!

Beet Brioche Couronne

This is my white flour of choice

Serves 4-6

• 500g Organic white bread flour
• 10g Salt
• 10g Fast action dried yeast
• 150ml Tepid milk
• 4 Medium free range eggs (+ 1 egg for brushing before the oven)
• 200g Butter cut into small pieces.(at room temp)
• 70g Cooked organic beetroots
• 1 Block of cream cheese
• 2Tbs Pesto
• 1 Cup spinach
• Grated parmesan (optional)

Butter and Beet paste

Blend the butter and beets in a food processor until thoroughly combined.  Set aside
In a separate bowl combine the cream cheese with the pesto and spinach and set aside.
Place the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the salt to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other.
Mix the eggs into the tepid milk and add it all into the flour mixture.
Run the mixer at speed 1 until all ingredients are incorporated. Then let it run for another 5-7 minutes to activate the yeast.
Next, drop the butter/beet paste into the dough a tablespoon at a time. Wait until every spoonful is blended in and then repeat until all the purple paste  used up.
Run the mixer at speed 2 for another 5 minutes.
Now this dough is going to be very sticky, but should still clump together in your mixer.
We then need to decant the gorgeous purple dough into a large well oiled container. This mixture is going to increase x 3, so make sure it has plenty of room. Cover will a lid or a piece of lightly oiled cling film, and place in a warm (18-22deg) room until it has tripled in size (about 2hrs).

After this time, flour a work surface and dump the dough out. It should be full of air and still a wonderful purple/pink colour.

We want to roll the dough out into a rectangle about 21" x 14". (Lets not be perfect here, look at my 'rectangle' below???) What we are aiming for here is to not knock the air out of the dough. So be as light as you can when you are rolling and if you end up with a hexagon then so be it!

Grab your cream cheese and pesto mixture and slather it on top of the dough with the lightest of touches. 

Now start to roll the dough into a sausage shape as neatly as you can.

 

 This is what it should look like once rolled up and it will seal itself with the cream cheese.

Take a knife and cut the soon to be bread into 2, lengthways, right down the middle and part them.

Join the two ends together at each end and start to twist in opposite directions until you have one long twisted looking rope bread. The filling is meant to ooze out, it adds to the gorgeousness later on.

Carefully move the dough to a big baking sheet and construct into a Couronne (French for crown)Now we need to let the bread rise once more.

Cover with oiled cling film and leave in a warm spot for 1-2hrs, until it looks fluffy and podgy like the one below.

 

Set the oven to 200deg C (392deg F) and give your bread an egg wash. At this stage you can sprinkle it with grated parmesan, but this will taint the pink colour, so I like to leave it off.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until the top is shiny and starting to turn a slightly darker colour.

Let cool slightly (or the cheese will leave your mouth with 3rd deg burns. I speak from experience!) and serve warm.

 

NB - The type of beets used will effect the colour, so go for organically grown and the deepest purple you can find.

One Pot Lasagne

This is a wonderfully easy meal to make that will satisfy soup lovers, stew lovers and our Italian friends!
You can make this lasagne into a soup by adding more water to it, or keep it thick and cheesy like you've just stirred up a big dish of baked lasagne.  Either way it is a sure fire winner. I make this at our daycare and there are always clean plates with bellies full of helpings one, two and three!

Lasagne soup version dished up....

One Pot Lasagne :-
Feeds 6-8 adults / 24 pre-schoolers

• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 2tbs olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 3tsps of Italian seasoning (a mixture of oregano, basil, rosemary and thyme.)
• 1 pack of ground turkey (400g)
• 2 tins of chopped tomatoes (2 x 754g)
• 1 tin tomato paste (2 heaped tbs)
• 5 cups of broth (veg, chicken, beef)
• 12 wholewheat/grain lasagne sheets
• 1 cup of mixed cheese, grated (mozzarella and cheddar)
• 1/2 cup cream
• pinch of chilli flakes
• salt and pepper

Fry the onion and garlic in the oil for 4 minutes then add in the seasoning and turkey. Fry till the turkey is coloured and starting to brown.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and broth. Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.

Pot lasagne version.....
 

Take the pasta sheets and break them up into 1-2 inch pieces. (I find smaller children prefer the pieces around an inch long) Drop them into the sauce mixture along with the chilli (if using) and season to taste.
Stir to combine and keep at a simmer for 12-15 minutes.
Check the pasta is done by stabbing a piece with a fork. It should be al dente rather than soggy.
At this point you could add more broth and take it to the next level with lasagne soup, or just keep it as is.
To finish, take the cream and 1/2 the cheese and stir it thought the lasagne.

For the daycare, I decant the lasagne into dishes and sprinkle again with cheese on top before serving. But at home, save on the washing guys, and just ladle straight from the pot and top with extra cheese.

Variations

Replace the turkey with beef , pork or chickpeas.

Make it vegan with chickpeas, vegan cheese and some coconut cream.

Cut out the cream and opt for a low fat cheese for a calorie conscious serving.

Add in grated carrot, kale, spinach or any other vegetable you have on hand at the tomato stage to increase the veg ratio.

 

 

This is a pretty easy, cost effective meal to serve at schools and daycares. Only one pot is involved and it is a one of those scoop and serve items. (always a winner!)

Many vegetables can be hidden or used up in this soup too, making it a great menu item to use up surplus veg from school gardens.

Average cost per adult serving $2/per pre-schooler 70c (based on turkey mince and ww past sheets)



Winter Healers

I thought I'd title this post 'Winter Healers', but the remedies I use to heal myself and my family can be used all year round. I just really notice over the winter when we are getting into hibernation mode that our bodies are craving vitamin D and greens, but the sun has no heat and the greens are now in stews.
Kids are fantastic at sharing when they want to be and if you have kids in school or daycares, they love passing their bugs and snot around, so you're going to end up with something or other whether you like it or not.  Its how you deal with those symptoms, that's where you have choice.
I used both these remedies before a cough gets to the chest or a runny nose becomes a full out cold.

Use your head and your heart when your kids are sick though. You know in your heart when they just aren't quite right and then your head will tell you that perhaps this time anti-biotics are the medicine of choice. 

Information is knowledge and maybe one of these remedies will work as well for you as they do for me.

Colloidal Silver -

This is a new one to me this winter. My lovely Teresa at our local health food store Mere Enough Health Foods recommended this one to me.
We have lived in Nova Scotia for 3 winters now and the first two were pretty brutal, weather wise and sickness wise.  My 2 young boys both had serious chest infections which lead on to pneumonia.  I don't know if it was the severe cold and their body's were saying wtf,  -25 wind chill, can we board that plane back to balmy Scotland?  Or if it was just an unlucky winter.  Regardless, both of them ended up on antibiotics to combat the infection, despite my various attempts at home remedies. Ces't la vie.
Welcome winter 2015/16 and I'm back with a cough heading into the chest of my 4 year old.  I head on out to stock up on Manuka Honey (which I'm a HUGE advocate for) and Teresa suggests Colloidal Silver. I'm baffled as to why you would ingest silver particles, but I was intrigued.  That's the thing with have a trustworthy, knowledgeable, friendly person working in your health food store.

Colloidal silver has been known as a remarkably effective natural antibiotic for centuries. And in past several decades, research has shown colloidal silver can eradicate antibiotic-resistant microbes like MRSA, the Avian Influenza (bird flu), and Human Corona virus (SARS). 
As usual there are lots of major Health Bullies out there discrediting Colloidal Silver even with its ancient history. But we know these guys aren't truly interested in your health they are just after your illness and your wallet! (Don't get me started on that or you will be reading for days!)

We give the kids a teaspoon of silver when they are at the beginning stages of a cold, chest infection or sick and we follow it up with a probiotic, like kombucha, within a few hours.
The reason to give the probiotic a while after is because Colloidal Silver does indeed act as a broad spectrum natural antibiotic. As such, if enough mineral silver reaches the intestinal tract it most certainly can kill off the friendly (i.e., beneficial) bacteria that live there.  
Stay calm in the knowledge that the gut has between 3 and 7 pounds of beneficial microorganisms living in the entirety of the intestinal tract at any one time and you would have to glug down soup ladle after soup ladle to kill all these guys.  But when kids are involved, you just want to be on the safe side. And if they're sick, probiotics are always a good idea.
Since there are health risks involved if you select the wrong formula, (as there are various types of Colloidal silver out there) it is recommended you use colloidal silver only under the guidance and supervision of a qualified alternative health practitioner, who can help you select a high-quality product.

Oil of Oregano -

This amazing essential oil was also new to me over here in Nova Scotia. ( It is available all over, as we have Grandad Robertson in Scotland on it now. And who says your too old to learn new tricks??)

As the name suggests, it is the oil extracted from the oregano plant, like the greens you use in pasta sauce or over pizza, only this baby is way more potent. 
This oil is loaded with free radical fighting anti-oxidants, vitamin E and C, magnesium and zinc, to name a few, which is why I use it when I feel a little run down or when my kids are starting to cough and sniff at night.

One study straight from the United States Department of Agriculture reported that oregano oil has such a strong action against germs that it could easily fight Salmonella and E. coli. (now that's a statement and a half!)

I'm not going to lie, this stuff is pretty hard to get used to ingesting. It has a burning, menthol type taste to it (sorry there is no essence of pizza going on there AT ALL!).  The theory is, if you take it under your tongue, it is carried rapidly in your blood stream and dispersed to where it is needed. But if you have a sore throat, cough or chest infection, take it right on your tongue and swallow it down.  My kids have 3 drops on a small teaspoon of sugar. (They actually ask for it these days when they feel a little rough, but I'm not sure they'd participate if the sugar wasn't involved.) Adults can have it in a glass of water, but there really is no getting away from the taste, even with dilution, so pull up your big boy panties and get it down you!
I also make a chest balm with Oil of Oregano as one of the main ingredients, as it can be used topically to treat internal ailments too.

When searching for an oregano oil product, make sure to look for one that is organic, in liquid form, has an organic extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil base and has at least 80% carvacrol content. Carvacrol is the main ingredient in this Superhealing Oil.

My love affair with Turmeric

Originating from southwest India, turmeric is part of the ginger family (all those bobbly bits, yup, I can tell they're brothers!) It has a wonderful earthy, sweet, bitter taste, which can be used in sweet and savoury dishes and drinks.  Turmeric is used fresh or ground in cooking, teas, beauty products, but most interestingly used in medicines in Ayurvedic and Unani systems, dating back to 250BC!!  (I have no idea how my sources know that, but that's a loooooooong time ago!)  So its isn't one of these new 'SUPERFOODS' that we have swarming the supermarket shelves today. Turmeric is up there in the ranks of the SUPERFOODs of the old world.



Organic Ground and Fresh Turmeric

Back in the day, my husband and I used to make, or buy take away currys and foods that had turmeric in them and would have the conversation, 'geez if it can stain your hands and counter like that, what's it doing to your insides?"  Little did I know exactly what it was doing to our insides.

Turmeric has an active ingredient in it called Curcumin. Curcumin is a compound with powerful anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties.  But curcumin isn't easily absorbed into the bloodstream, so to help it jump onto the red roller coaster, we have to give it something to ride on. That something is can be ginger, pepper and some say coconut oil too.  Adding either of these amazing spices or oils to turmeric helps bind the curcumin into the bloodstream and that badboy gets distributed throughout the body, throwing out anti oxidants and anti inflammatory goodness everywhere.
Some studies have shown that curcumin can:-

• Reduce the growth of cancerous cells by making changes on the molecular level, which could lead to prevention or perhaps treatment.
• Boosts brain health by increasing the growth of new neurons and fights degenerative processes in the brain.
• Helps arthritis and joint pain, so much so that in some cases it is more effective than an anti inflammatory prescribed drug. (check with your doc before making any rash changes to your meds)
• Helps battle depression by boosting brain neurotransmitters, serotonin and dopamine.
• Can normalizes insulin and triglyceride levels while boosting antioxidant defenses. By keeping triglyceride and insulin levels low effectively reduces your risk for numerous health conditions like metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and – you guessed it – diabetes.

I do truly love the taste of turmeric and have become slightly obsessed with it lately. So much so that one day I may resemble Marg Simpson, minus the fantastic hair.
Seriously though, you can pop this baby into smoothies, porridge, stews and even bedtime milk, no one will be any the wiser, but their insides will thank you for it.

Turmeric porridge

Turmeric and Cinnamon Nut Butter

Turmeric Tea with Ginger, Lemon and Tulsi Basil






My favourite drink Turmeric Tisane.
(Available to purchase locally)

Raw Nutella

This is a recipe I adapted from lots of different post around the www.com.  Many of them had a pretty huge qty of sugar added. Natural sugar in the form of Maple Syrup or Coconut Syrup, but still high in sugar regardless.
So here I cut the amount of maple syrup and added in coconut oil (has a little sweetness going on there and is really good for your to boot) and swapped water for milk. The water milk swap occurred when my 4 year old screwed up his face at the taste of this little jar of goodness. I loved it, but then I'm on that wagon, where I realise that mums Nutella doesn't have to taste 'exactly' like the actual Nutella. Try telling that to him!! So I had a little play around with adding in almond milk and hey presto.....................................shop bought Nutella taste approved by Fearghas! Whoop!

So here it is and please alter it to suit you or your kids needs. Add a little more sweetener, reduce the cocoa or keep the water instead of the milk.

2 cups of Hazelnuts
1/4 cup of Maple Syrup
3tbs of Cacao powder
1-2tbs of Milk (cows, almond, oat etc)
1tbs Organic Coconut Oil


Toast the hazelnuts in the oven for 10mins @350def F.
Pop them in a food processor for 5-10mins, scraping down the sides as the nuts break up.
Once you have a nut paste, add in the maple syrup, cocoa and coconut oil. Blend to incorporate and then gradually add the milk till you have your desired consistency. I like it not too thick, but thick enough to melt on hot buttered toast.

Spread on toast, mix into hot chocolate, add in more milk to make a nutty sauce for pancakes.................or just spoon it right out the jar!

This keeps for around 2 weeks in the fridge. It does spoil as it doesn't have a high sugar content. It wont last that long though, especially if your kids get their hands on it.

Enjoy.....

Alphagetti Soup

This soup was our overall winner at the school Taste Testing Day. And deservedly so.

 

It such an easy soup to make and the taste is not so much a standard can of Heinz tomato soup, but a bowl of tomato soup fragrant with rosemary and parsley, with deep pockets of garlic and little morsels of letters bursting on your tongue........can i add a 'woosh of hollihocks' in there too, as it did feel like opening up a good bottle of Cabernet, with the whaft i got from the soup pot.

 

This recipe was brought to our taste testing day by my lovely friend Selene at Little Foot Yurts

The only addition here was the cup of Kombucha. I added this because my OH groans that tomato soup gives him heartburn. And i couldn't have him missing out. So in my totally bizarre thinking, i thought ......hmm Kombucha is good for the stomach so it might counteract the acidic tomatoes. Did it work? Yuppity yup! Now I'm not saying it will work for everyone, but it done the trick with my husband and adding Kombucha to anything is going to improve the probiotics nature of it, so its a win win. 

 

 

(a post will follow shortly about the benefits of Kombucha and how easy it is to add into your daily routine. Its awesome!)

 

Ingredients:-

Serves 6-8

• 3tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Large onion, peeled and chopped
• 6-8 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tin of crushed tomatoes (796ml)
• 1 Tin of white kidney beans
• 5 Cups vegetable broth
• 1/2tsp Dried rosemary
• 1/2tsp Dried parsley
• 1tbsp brown sugar
• 3 Cups of cooked alphagetti (cooked until still firm)

Heat oil in a large soup pot over a medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring all the while.
Pour in the canned tomatoes, beans, broth, rosemary, parsley and sugar. Stir to combine.
Bring to the boil and reduce heat to a simmer for around 20 minutes.
Cool slightly and process with a stick blender or food processor until thick like pasta sauce.
To serve, ladle up into bowls and top with the cooked Alphagetti.

Notes/Alternatives - You can replace the beans with chickpeas, lentils or another legume of your choice.

Keep the soup thick and use it as a pasta sauce.

You can also add all the above ingredients (except the pasta) to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6hrs, then blend and add the cooked pasta.

Basic soup topped with Fenugreek sprouts . GF version.

•  

 

Peppermint Chocolate Chunks

These little morsels of heaven are great for a little pick me up snack with your brew of choice, or great for a nibble at your fancy dinner party.

Peppermint infused into coconut oil with lashings of raw cacao powder. Whats not to like???

• 6 Tbsp Coconut Oil
• 4 Tbsp Organic Raw Cacao Powder
• 4 Tbsp of Nut butter. (Almond, Peanut whatever you have on hand)
• 2 Tbsp Local Honey
• 1 Vanilla Pod, or 1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
• 1 Tsp Peppermint Extract
• 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
• 1/2 Cup Pecans (or nuts you have on hand)
• Pinch of salt

Add all ingredients, except the nuts and shredded coconut, into a glass bowl. Mix to combine. Set this bowl over a pot of hot water to melt it all oozingly together. This will only take a couple of minutes. (Alternatively, microwave in 20 second zaps until everything is melted.)
Chop the pecans.
Add pecans and coconut to the melted mixture and stir.
Pour into a tin or glass container lined with parchment paper. The depth of the bites should be around 1" thick.
Freeze your slab of goodness until the chocolate is set. Remove from freezer and score the chocolate with a sharp knife into sizeable pieces to pop into your mouth, and slowly and carefully cut right through.

NB - The coconut oil in these will make them melt at room temperature, but in all fairness, these wont last long in any room of any temperature!
Also, coconut oil taken in large quantities may have you making one too many bathroom pit stops.
Eat in moderation..............................................yeah right!

Easy Peasy Guacamole

One of my boys likes avocados, the other detests them. It just goes to show, you can feed kids the same foods growing up but with our gazillion tastebuds in our mouths, we're all going to have different sensations going on.
For some of us, sour buds explode when tasting grapefruit, others think it tastes like a slightly bitter/sweet orange. Some need salted chips (fries) while others rarely use any seasoning.
We are all different outside and in. Try and keep that in mind when your kids try new things.

They do say though, eat/drink something 20 times and your going to acquire a taste for it. I think i was like that with Guinness, red wine and whiskey! It does go to show perseverance is key. :o)

 

I do love avocados and they were one of THE most popular foods of 2015! They are used in everything from smoothies to pasta sauce, to the most amazing toast toppers. ( not forgetting face masks too) They are an extremely versatile fruit and definitely warrant their popularity.

 

Why are they so fantastic? Well they are packed full of vitamins and fibre and contain more potassium than a banana. They are high in fat, but the majority of this fat is from oleic acid.
Oleic acid has been linked to reduced inflammation and been shown to have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer fat.
This fat is also used to extract optimum antioxidants from fruit and vegetables in our guts. Pretty cool eh?

Lots more fascinating Avo facts here.

 

This dish takes all of 5 minutes to prepare and you can totally play around with seasoning and flavours to suit your audiences tastes.

 

Easy Peasy Guacamole

 

• 2 Large Avocados
• 2 tbsp plain yoghurt or sour cream
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional
  Sprinkling of chilli flakes or
  1/4 tsp cumin powder

Mash avocados and add in yoghurt and seasoning. Serve immediately.

Avocados turn brown once opened, but the lemon juice should help it remain green for some time after its mashed.

Use this as a dip for nachos or put it on your scrambled eggs or plain buttered toast. You could also put it on your face, minus the salt and lemon, and use organic yoghurt, if you could resist not licking it off!  There are many ways to use avocados and I'm sure in 2016 they are gonna be just as popular as last year.

 

Hit me back with your favourite ways to use this green goddess......................

Children DO want to eat better....FACT!

I'm very proud to be a part of the Food and Nutrition Committee at my sons school. I love the direction our compass is pointing towards and the journey we are on trying to get to our destination........ 'The land of fun & nutritious foods at school'.

We are a long way off with changing people attitudes to food, as change is scary for some people. Old habits die hard and all that. And people certainly don't like being told what or how to feed their children. 
Which is why we are trying to let the children make the changes with their parents.  If students are exposed to new foods at school and they like them and know they are good for them, they can let their parents know on that next supermarket trip. Believe me,  I don't know anyone that's refused to buy a bunch of kale because their child has asked them to!  Its how we help families use that chosen item at home is where we're at.

So to help us get the children and parents on board this healthy eating journey, we held our second Taste Testing Day at the school, which was a resounding success.

All students have the chance to taste test 6 different foods, and they can then vote to say whether they would be happy to see them on the menu, or not.  The kids love this, perhaps because the get 30 minutes out of class, but also because they do truly love food and especially food in a fun environment.  After the tasting the kids participated in a food stamp decorating activity.  Much fun was had by all.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching the kids trying new foods and asking me, 'can I have this today?' And the kids love the idea that they are part of the decision making process for what goes on their new menu in the new year.
Parents also get sent home a little sample and all the recipes tasted to use at home.
All round happy campers!

So here were our contenders. (recipes will be posted shortly, so you can all try them at home or in your school kitchen)

Quinoa Pizza Bite
Mac & Squeeze
Kale Chips
Guacamole
Tomato Alphagetti Soup
Rice Noodle Salad

The winner was the 'Alphagetti Soup'! Which was so tasty and filling with loads of flavours going on in each mouthful. 
I say 'winner' as it was the one with the most smiley faced votes, but they were all winners really. We have a school of around 130 students and every dish had 88 smiley votes or more! Isn't that amazing?? Which, to me, showed that our children DO want to eat better food and more importantly, they ENJOY IT!

A week or so later I asked if I could donate a 'FREE SOUP DAY' to the school using the new Alphagetti recipe.  Of course the answer was yes! We all like something for free don't we?

We had around 45 students order the free soup, which was good. (But I'm sure if we market it better next time, we should get more takers.  Its all about making the parents aware that something is truly 'Free'. )

I worked out the costs to make the soup, with my time being free obviously,( it only really took me just over an hour) and I spend roughly $15 on making soup for 45 students (and a few teachers). That's not too shabby. And this would be a rather expensive soup to make, as it uses pasta and canned beans and tomatoes. In season you should be able to make soup for 50 for less than $10!!

So now can you tell me why schools aren't making the most of local produce by having soup on their menus at least once a week?!
And don't be thinking 'you profit driven school dudes' that this is a way to make money out of healthy food! That is not my point. My point is that nutritional soup should be offered at a decent price. If it works out 20c per bowl, add on your other costs and round it up to $1 rather than being greedy and putting it up to $2, just because you can. Nutritional food needn't be expensive.

This year I am hoping to trial more 'Soup Days' with perhaps a 'Pay it Forward Scheme' being introduced. We give a suggested price of say 75c for a bowl of soup and those who can afford pay that and maybe 25c more and those who cannot pay still receive a warming bowl of homemade soup. No child should be going hungry at school!

This is my goal and I sure as hell think its achievable!

Hooked on Sugar

                                  
I'm going to try and keep this short and sweet (get it?....chortle)
For over 6 months now I have been reducing the amount of refined sugar in my diet and in all my baking.  All I kinda knew what that it was soooooooo far removed from its origins that it couldn't be good for us right? RIGHT!



In a nut shell...................Refined Sugar could be classed as a poison. The reason being that it has been stripped of its vitamins and minerals and what remains is pure, refined carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are not like the carbs we get from rice and vegetables. These evil carbs cannot be used by the body, unless they have their vitamins and minerals attached to them. Mother nature gave us sugar cane as a whole and eating it whole makes our body happy.

In an ideal world, we would digest the unrefined sugar from the sugar cane with its vitamins and minerals attached, our body likes this and metabolizes the carbohydrate, producing energy and all is well.
BUT................we rarely get offered unrefined sugar cane, do we? So what happens when the bad sugar hits our stomach?
The stripped sugar creates abnormal sugars that the body has no idea what to do with. These 'toxic metabolites' (you're best googling that one guys) interfere with cell respiration. Meaning they cannot get enough oxygen to survive and function normally. Over time, these cells die, whether it be in the brain, liver or else where in the body, and a degenerative disease is born.
But (another but!), before the degenerative disease is apparent, the body tries to protect itself. So it calls in the calcium from your teeth and bones to help it out. And you know what that means? Teeth like a row of condemned houses and bones so brittle you cant even click your fingers.


Now onto the FAT.
Excess sugar in the blood is stored in the liver until it is fit to burst and then it heads out, as glycogen, and is stored in the lazy parts of the body: the belly, bum, boobs and thighs.  Then when these areas get too big for their boots, fatty acids are released to active organs like the heart and kidneys and this fatty substance begins to get them on a slowmo. White blood cells occur and attack the red cells, our body's response to bugs gets slower. Immunizing super power is at an all time low. If your neighbour 3 doors down has the flu, chances are you'll catch it too .(ok, ok, maybe not quite like that but you get the picture)


Geez I thought I was meant to keep that brief. In all fairness that is pretty brief and not too specific. But I like reading blogs on the hoof and if it were 10 pages long, I'd probably give it a big side swerve.




I watched a film recently, that has inspired me highlight the world of hidden sugars and their dangers. Check out That Sugar Film.

This is one movie where I sat on the couch, jaw open, with the kids, shocked! Completely Shocked! So were the boys.  Kids being given Mountain Dew in a bottle??? Racking up 3 bottles a day of this stuff.  Mountain Dew has 40% more caffeine that coke and 15% more sugar. That yellow drink was my 'fizzy juice' of choice over here (you know those summer days when all you crave is a beer or pop. Admittedly I usually go for the Beer, its more natural , right?) and I even gave it to the boys once as I thought it was 'better' than coke! Doh!  This is all about education, so as long as there is lessons learnt, then we're cool.
Talking about education, I popped this dvd into Hamishs school bag (he's in grade 1), and asked his teacher to take it home and watch it. (we're friends, I wasn't just being weird.) But instead she text me to say, the screening is at 10.45am today!  I had to add that there was some scientific data the kids would go a little glossy over, but other than that, perfect for school. If you go online you can actually buy School Packs !
Over the course of the next few days at school, I was told the kids were analyzing the sugar in their lunchboxes. Asking the teacher how many teaspoons are in my granola bar, chocolate bar, yoghurt etc. And the discussion starts...........................Amazing!!!!
Very Proud of my school, so I am!


Just a little FYI............


Did you know that yoghurt is the demon for hiding sugars! Some have a whopping 24grams of sugar per carton!!! That's 6tsps of sugar in one serving! I'd rather have a snickers.....hey at least the nuts are good for you.  But don't panic too much, as some sugars are from the lactose in the milk, but only a small percentage.
And you think you're doing good by choosing the 'fat free' varieties? NOPE. You bump up your sugar intake by over 50% compared to the full fat Greek yoghurts.  Sneaky eh? Damn, why isn't every just honest!??
At the moment Jamie Oliver is striving for correct labelling on products in the UK. (Go Jamie, Go Jamie!) Because, really, would you purchase a yoghurt with 4tsps of sugar in it for your toddler? Hmmm I don't think so.


Now you know some of the details, I'm assuming you're all like, 'Eh I am so not giving up my snickers or Cadburys Twirl dipped in a cup of tea (my all time favourite). '
Well you don't have to.  I didn't, not right away anyway. But I did start using less refined sugar in things. Substituting it for Honey, Maple syrup or Agave. Which I'm sure the fructose in those also aren't so good for you, but they haven't been stripped of anything, so they are still in true form. I also use coconut sugar which is full of vitamins and minerals and is low glycemic. Ultimate winner!




6 months on and I can honestly tell you that the taste of a sugar laden donut from Tim Hortons gives me the heave. I can taste every spoonful of the sugar and have a seriously sugar low after my rocketing high.  Artificial sweetners jump out at me in pies, biscuits and drinks.  It really is phenomenal the change that my body has gone under. Now I haven't cut refined sugars out completely. I'm sure that is going to be a life long challenge, AS THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!!! And I still enjoy anything wrapped in dark chocolate and a piece of Honeymoon slice occasionally. (remember that St Madoes Ladies??)




My ultimate goal is to now change my boys palates. I have a 6 and a 4 year old, and my 4 year old is a sugar monster. I blame that on myself (obviously I buy my kids the food) and a close second, on moving to Canada where sugar is loaded into everything.  Ice Tea is prominent in the 'healthy ish section' (packing in 7tsps of sugar in a 345ml bottle) and packets of Skittles( 1 pack has 10tsps of sugar!!) with more E numbers than I can shake a stick at, at every checkout! Smores are the dessert of choice in the summer and rice krispie squares are a given in lunch boxes. 


So if I could just get them to realise the 'taste' of crappy sugar (that's what I'm calling it now. Not to my kids obviously) that would be a start.  Rather than it just all being classed as 'Sugar', as that's not fair.  All sugars are NOT equal!

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Curry

Its that time of year again when our slow cooker is on overdrive. I never really fancy using it much in the summer , but as soon as the thermometer hits zero degrees, the trusty crockpot is dusted off and filled a good few times a week.

This recipe i originally found on Deliciously Ellas website. She's a wonderful foodie/blogger in London, who's made an empire of getting good food vibes spread across the globe.. Check out her website Deliciously Ella and her latest business venture here The Mae Deli (I wish I lived in London to sample some of the goodies they create there)

This is my slightly adapted version which goes into the slow cooker in the morning and is ready when you come home from work. Ta Da!
There is nothing like opening the front door after a long day and the smell of curry hits you on the nose, making you feel like Jamie Oliver is in your kitchen ready to pour you a glass of Shiraz while he serves up a steaming plate of yummy goodness. ......And back in the room Rachael! Ahem. Regardless, its so effortless and makes the winter nights a little more bearable.

Ingredients:-

• 1 can of chopped tomatoes (796ml or 2no 400ml cans)
• 1 can of chick peas (400g) drained
• 2 medium sweet potatoes chopped into inch pieces
• 1 Aubergine (aka Eggplant)
• 1 small can of tomato puree
• 1/4 cup Kombucha Vinegar / apple cider vinegar
• 2 level Tbs ground turmeric
• 1 1/2 tbs ground cumin
• 4 cloves of garlic chopped finely
• 2 cups of chopped kale or spinach
• 1 cup of green olives (de stoned)
• chilli flakes
• salt and pepper
• 1 can coconut milk

Alternatives - Leave out the aubergine. Add in frozen peas or parsnips (bumping up the sweetness). Olives aren't everyones cup of tea (my kids love them). Just leave them out, no biggie. You could also add in 2 breasts of chicken and leave out the chick peas. Swapping protein for protein.  Lots of variations on this one. Do what suits your family. I personally don't think you can go wrong with swapping veggies and proteins.

Put all of the above ingredients, except the coconut milk, in the slow cooker. (add the chilli flakes to your personal preference. A pinch is enough to give it a little heat) Give it a good stir around to incorporate all the flavours. Set the slow cooker to low for 6-8 hrs. Before serving, add the coconut milk and heat through.(around 5mins)
Garnish with a dollop of coconut yoghurt (or normal if your not dairy free), or just add a sprinkling of chilli flakes.
Serve up with brown rice, quinoa or get in and scoop it up with a whole wheat naan bread. 


This is perfect on its own, but for kiddos they need a little added grain in there, the naan bread being the easiest, quickest option.


If you choose to add organic into your meal, please choose the sweet potatoes. Potatoes are always on the 'Dirty Dozen list', partly due to the way they are harvested with chemicals.  Try and keep it clean!


(side note.............Walmart Canada has 2lb bags of Organic Sweet Potatoes on for 97c! Now I'm not the biggest Walmart fan, but if it means I can feed my family 'cleaner food' and it doesn't cost me the earth, then I'll be shopping there. Out of season of course)

The baguette bake

I give you the famous Baguette, aka a French stick.

I am one that thought the best use of this said stick was to slice it, cover it in salted butter and dunk it in soup. YUM! Although this must be done on the day of purchase, otherwise it becomes a deadly weapon in our household!

Nevertheless, bread going hard is a great sign of little or no preservatives in it. Bread getting softer and softer before it becomes a fantastic source of penicillin will more than likely have an extensive list of unidentifiable ingredients!
I'm not judging, I have a freezer full of bread from the 2nds bread shop ( bread that is nearing its use by date) with a fair bit more than 4 ingredients. I have a carb monster husband and I will not trade him in for a fresh sourdough round that costs me $5 a time. ( well not yet anyway). I will become that wife who bakes her family bread everyday of the week. .........I am working on this, but it is a very ...........................very gradual process. Easy bread recipes coming soon.

But back to my trusty stick.

I turned a large baguette into a lunch item for my daycare the other day and all it took was 20 minutes prep and 25 minutes in the oven! The kids loved it and I think you and your families will too.

The ingredients list consisted of :-
-Tinned Tuna (protein)
-Cheese ( dairy)
-Peppers and green onion (fruit or veg)
-Wholegrain baguette ( Grain)

Safe to say i think these ingredients are pretty cost effective and you could whip this up for a family dinner too, knowing that you hit all the food groups and it didn't cost the earth. Swap out the peppers for your kids fav veg. Sweetcorn, spinach, peas etc.

In a school environment, this would be cool cut up into serving sized pieces and wrapped in tin foil like a cracker to serve (and keep warm). Kids would dig it.

Tuna Baguette Bake

3 Cans of Tuna ( in water)
5 Spring onions, chopped
1/2 Pepper, chopped finely

3/4 cup Grated Cheese (the stronger the better. and add more cheese if you like it very cheesy!)

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

1tbs Apple Cider Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Drain the tuna and add in all the other ingredients., saving a little cheese for the top. Mix thoroughly.

Cut a rectangle the whole length of the bread around 1" deep. Pull the cut bread back and dig a little in with your fingers to scoop some bread out and make a hollow in the loaf.

Set the scooped out bread to the side.

Fill the baguette with your filling and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

I don't like waste, so I replace the top part of the bread back on again and squish it down. But this makes for a slightly messy cut when your ready to serve as the top gets quite hard. But it taste amazing regardless. Otherwise, bake the top part separately and grind the toasted bread up in a food processor and you've got ready made breadcrumbs!

Heat in a 350deg oven for around 20 minutes, or until the cheese is all nice and bubbly.

Leave to cool for a few minutes and then slice to your desired thickness, or if you've made one for your very own, just wrap your chops around it and thank me later!

I'm sure there any many variations on this , let me know you're stuffing your bread with.  My next one to try is eggs and bacon!  Breakfast baguette for a lazy Sunday morning.....................

OMG what are GMOs

GMOs. What are they and why do they even exist?


GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism who's DNA has been altered to exhibit a desired trait, to become more profitable and prolific. Supposedly this is how we are going to ' Feed the World'. By planting GM seeds which are resistant to certain pesticides, so the weeds are killed and the yields are higher. Ta -da!  Oh wait a minute.................there's something I missed. You cant actually save seeds from these crops. Because they have been modified to within an inch of their life, the seeds produced are rendered redundant.  Well there's that lifecycle broken. So back to the big guys (Monsanto...more of them later) to buy more seeds.  Seem like a bit of a money maker to me.


But there seems to be another side to these organisms that people still know very little about. And what I didn't realise was that these GMOs could potentially be killing us, albeit very slowly...

Sorry I'm perhaps scaring and confusing you already, lets back up a bit......

Having hailed from Europe, the metropolis they call Scotland, we rarely thought about GM crops, as there weren't many, that we knew of. But coming over to North America approximately 85% of processed foods contain GMOs. Its everywhere!! And these GM guys are bullies to boot(imo). They refuse to label items in the food chain that are genetically modified and leave it to organic farmers to use the label Non GMO instead. But does that really give us the right information, if they just 'don't say'?  Sneaky I think.

GM crops are not limited to North America thought, they truly are everywhere. 

Check this wonderful article from the Guardian newspaper in Scotland about the fight back against GM crops.

As usual the stress is on feeding our nation and loosing out financially because farmers won't be competitive with their prices. Why is Scotland puffing its chest up and refusing GM seeds? Because Scotland gives a sh*t about how their whiskey is produced and how their Aberdeen Angus cattle are fed. Because they won't be bullied into this dark side that they, nor anyone else ( willing to share) knows enough about.
GOOD ON YOU SCOTLAND! Cue Braveheart soundtrack......

So this big bully that I'm talking about is Monsanto. And the worst of it all is the CEO is Scottish. Imagine that. There's got to be some rats in the pack I suppose guys.
Monsanto owns loads of companies and also people in high up places. So generally if they say these seeds are to be grown, the government politely says ok? No further questions asked.

I like to see the good in people though, so I have an issue with believing that they would deliberately poison our families without testing, testing and testing again.

Which brings me to a documentary my husband and i sat down to watch the other evening. 

GMO OMG by Jeremy Seifert.

The title gives it away, but it is a dads journey to find out if all the research is in place to ensure GM crops are safe for our children to eat. Did he find out? I'll let you watch it to see for yourself. But Monsanto did avoided him at all costs, which is gotta make you suspicious. Why did they do that when i was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt? Geez I hate that! Ok, they are well and truly off my Christmas list now.

Learning is all about timing isn't it? If your not in the right head space then its hard to focus on something new. (hmmmm reminds me of my high school years.)  Then all of a sudden it clicks and you're hooked. I hate to say it, but its age I think. Maturity comes to the best of us.

If someone had recommended this movie to me a few years ago, I'd have probably nodded with no intention of ever finding it on Netflix. I wouldn't have wanted to know what a GMO was, unless it was a text abbreviation for 'Great Monday's Over'! 

Like now, when my friend Teresa shares a link about how bad microwaves are for you, I don't even open it. I'm not ready to give up my reheated coffee just yet (made with organic coffee beans and GM milk ! One out of two can't be bad right?)
Now I am ready to face GMOs head on. I want to know more. I'm at that time in my life where it matters. I have 2 small boys and I don't want them developing tumours in their 30's because of my choices to save some extra pennies here and there. ( ok a bit dramatic, but really do they allow us to think anything else?).

So if there is one thing you watch on Netflix in the next month, please make it GMO OMG. It is a true eye opener, especially for people like me who know a little about something but not quite enough to make different choices.

Now i must sign off to go and stare at my pantry in disbelief at all the toxic business i have in there. Yes i should get rid and start a fresh, but I'm a frugal Scot, so that's not going to happen.
Therefore we will eat our way through it and on my next supermarket run i will make alternative choices that i can happily bring to the dinner table to feed my family and friends. I'm not talking about my whole shopping basket, (I mentioned about being frugal right?) but maybe I'll start by changing my milk to organic. Next week I might add in organic rice, because as much as we don't want it to be, its all about cost. The more people making these little changes though, the more chance there is to drive the production in organic farming up and the costs to the consumer down. Think with your heart and then hopefully your pocket will be rewarded later.


Happy Shopping....

Fishermans Rainbow Pie

I had a fun day at the daycare today using lots of produce to create colourful rainbows for the kids to eat.  We had bags of beets, sweet potatoes, peas, sweetcorn, apples, pears, bananas and the list goes on.  I'm very lucky to have so much fresh produce at my finger tips in the kitchen.

On our lunch menu today was fish.
We have to serve fish once a week at the daycare under the government guidelines.  The only exceptions being if the children are vegan or vegetarian. Some kids don't care for fish, and would rather be a veggy on these days, but we have to offer it anyway.  So my job is to make it taste as wonderful as possible, and I think I nailed it today.

I used haddock for the fish part and steamed it in the oven first. The I lightly fried it in oil for a couple of minutes with sweetcorn to get the juices going. I then added Almond milk (we have a gluten and dairy free guy we are catering for today) and corn flour,sprinkled with turmeric, to make a lovely creamy yellow sauce.  The next layer was mushy peas! I know, I know , the things nightmares are made off .( or is that just me?)  But these peas tasted soooooooooooooooo sweet blended up with non dairy margarine, almond milk and a sprinkling of salt.  Now if I can eat these and think YUM, anyone can!  This incredible hulk layer goes on top of the yellow layer. I then added mozzarella cheese (dairy free cheese to our little dairy free guys portion). The top layer is made by the one and only 'Sweet potato' or 'Kumara' as they call it in Australia and NZ.  All we did here was boil to tender and blend with non dairy margarine and almond milk with a touch of salt and pepper. Spread on top to complete your rainbow. Voila!  I then baked it in the oven to bring it all together.

The Verdict :- The pre-schoolers weren't too impressed with the 'Hulk' layer, but those that did try it, asked for seconds, but there were a few that just picked and prodded. But that's not unusual for them. All it takes is one kid to say 'Ewwwwwww' and then its a domino effect.  Everyone is Ewwww'ing and nothing gets eaten. But I've learnt to have pretty thick skin and still come back day after day with new creations and ideas with just as much enthusiasm. I love food and I love kids eating good food, I WILL NEVER GIVE UP!  BUT......................and that's a huge BUT, my toddlers (18months to 3yrs) LOVED it! I mean they scooped this up, plate after plate, so much so that I had to go and steal more from the pre-schoolers that were Ewww'ing. Now that is what I call satisfaction. It made my heart warm. And even the teacher (she whispers....who doesn't like fish) had a big plateful. 

So go for it and try it, you WILL be pleasantly surprised.


Here is my recipe for a family of 4. If you work in a daycare or school environment, just scale it up.

• 2 Pieces of white fish. (Sustainable fish local to where you are from is even better)
• 2 Sweet Potatoes (Roughly the size of your hand)
• 1 Cup of frozen sweetcorn
• 2 Cups of frozen Peas
• 1tsp Turmeric (organic if possible)
• 3 Cups Almond Milk (or full fat whole milk)
• 1 Cup margarine (or butter)
• 1tbsp Corn Flour
• 1 Cup of mozzarella/non dairy cheese

1. Cook frozen fish according to the instructions. Or bake for 20minutes at 350def F until flakey if using fresh.
2. Peel and chop sweet potatoes and pop in a pot filled with water and bring to the boil. Then turn down to a simmer and check potatoes after 15mins. What your feeling for is tender, but not too soft. Drain and puree with a stick blender with 1-2 tablespoons of margarine/butter (I like mine buttery so I tend to add more) and 1 cup of almond milk/whole milk. Set aside.
3. Flake the fish and fry it up with a little oil of your choice in a frying pan with the frozen sweetcorn.  After 4-5 minutes add 1 cup of almond milk/whole milk, a tablespoon of corn flour and the turmeric. Cook on simmer for 3-4 minutes to thicken up.  Add more milk if required to make it a thick sauce. Pour this layer into an oven proof dish.
4. Cover the peas with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and blend with a stick blender with 1 tablespoon of margarine and most of a cup of almond milk/whole milk. You want it wet enough that it is easily pureed with the blender. Season with salt and pepper if required.
5. Now layer the 'Hulk filling' on top of the fish. Just dollop it on and spread it over with a fork. Then add mozzarella and dump the sweet potato on top to finish. Spread over with a fork, or if its nice and smooth, pour it on.
6. Pop in the oven for 30-35 minutes @ 350deg. Let cool slightly before serving little mouths.

The hard part of following government guidelines for educational facilities is that, when you make a meal like the one above, they encourage you to add a bread roll to tick the 'Grain' box.  We have asked the question, "Can sweetcorn be classed as a grain". Currently we are waiting on comment back. I'll keep you all posted. But this would be fantastic if it were classed as a grain. Schools , in my opinion, put costs before nutrition. I understand that, I truly do. There isn't a whole lot of budget in the school system for food at all. So when they look at the meal above, $$ signs are rolling in there eyes and then I ask them to put a bread roll on the side!?  They would rather just give a bread roll with a fish finger (aka fish stick) on it, with a side of veg.  And I understand that too. But that doesn't mean I have to like it.
The purpose of this blog is to give information to educational facilities and families to try and make it easier to provide 'Good Food' that fits into the 'current' government guidelines.  It should be exciting for our chefs at work and our cooks at home, not daunting!


(ps...........please excuse my photos on this one. It was a quick snap before I ran lunch out. But any comments on how to take great blog photos would be fantastic. Thanks)

Jamie Oliver and Farm to School

Jamie Oliver has been in Canada this past week promoting his new book 'Everyday Super Food' and a new TV show 'Jamie's Super Food'.  Apart from posting wonderful photos on his Instagram account of Nova Scotia, he had a few words to say about the current state of our food education. Check out what he said here .

Justin Trudeau has a lot on his plate when it comes to food education. Many have no idea where certain foods come from, some don't care as long as it tastes good and is at the right price. I foresee a long road ahead for the new Prime Minister.
But changes are afoot and a little silver lining in Trudeaus pocket is the 'Farm to School' concept rolling out across North America. This food fundraiser recently piloted in a select few schools in Nova Scotia and was a great success, to the schools and farmers. The idea is local farms sign up with the Farm to School network and offer CSA type boxes to schools, with a percentage of the sale going directly back to the school. Win Win!

Many other provinces across Canada and most states in the US have similar farm to school initiatives.
Check your province/state out here and get your box of goodies purchased and help your local farms and schools in the process.

Nova Scotia
Manitoba
Ontario
British Columbia
US

If your province does a great job Farm to Schooling and isn't listed here, send me a comment and I'll load it up.

Welcome to Happy Food Happy Soul

Hey there, thanks for stopping by.
Over here at Happy Food Happy Soul we are on a mission for everyone to experience good food that makes them happy to the soles of their feet! Especially the generation of teeny tiny feet. Nurture them with good food when they are small and when they grow up, they will create a market that demands good food. And by 'good food' I mean the likes of Non GMO, heritage grains, no additives or fluorescent colours, natural sweeteners, absolutely nothing that resembles a POGO or a smart price chicken nugget! 

My name is Rachael and I am a wife to an extraordinarily hard working house builder husband, and a mother to two little boys 3 + 6.
My passion for food has arrived as a result of having children, which I'm sure happens to many. I have always loved food, and mostly cooked my breakfast lunch and dinners from scratch in adulthood, (with the occasional fast food hangover cure in there) but I feel my desire to make meals even better, since my eldest started school and I was presented with the awful school lunch menu. Chicken burgers, garden salad, grilled cheese. Really? A kid is going to order a garden salad??? I think that was just put on there to say 'see we are serving healthy food'. A group of wonderful ladies all had the same thoughts as me.....'it'll be packed lunches then!" But one lady stood up and said lets form a Nutrition Committee and start a change. Since then, we have removed all package items from our breakfast programme. No yoghurt tubes, granola bars and juice cups. Now we have healthy muffins and pancakes, boiled eggs, cheese and crackers and copious amounts of fruit. And the bizarre thing is, the children love it! Who'd have thought.!? They don't even notice that the packaged rubbish is no longer available as an early morning 'treat'.  And I'm sure the teachers are thankful for the minimal amounts of  sugar gracing their classrooms at 8 o'clock in the morning.

I also work at the most wonderful daycare serving up the kids snacks and lunch. I would never have thought I'd end up cooking for kids, but I actually do enjoy it. The most rewarding part of it is, apart from seeing kids accustomed to fruit loops and burgers, eat buckwheat fish bites, is the fact that we adhere to the Canadian Nutritional Government Guidelines. I tell you, its hard fitting everything in in a day, but we do it and it doesn't cost us the earth and it also doesn't take any longer than shoving a chicken burger in the oven and buttering some buns! Unfortunately the guidelines are there as that, just a guide, so rarely anyone sticks to them.  But here on this blog I want to try and make that change. Or at least make people aware of how simple it will be to make changes, no matter how small.
So keep your eyes peeled for kiddy friendly recipes and exciting new things happening in the Canadian education system. Its an exciting time to be jumping on this band wagon.
Jamie Oliver WE NEED YOU!!!