​It appears farmers’ markets are popping up everywhere these days. I’m also sure you know someone, whether a neighbour, cousin or friend who takes a trip to the market once a week to buy their kale or cheese. Are you ready to visit your local farmers’ market? Here are tips you need to know!

​Farmers’ markets are a part of the “Community Shopping Experience” that more people are interested in. They allow you to speak directly with your farmer so you can ask questions about how the food was produced and hear their stories. Many also want to support their local farmers these days, in addition to going for fresh, local and healthy food choices.

Unlike grocery store shopping, where you bring a list of what you need, farmers market shopping is more like an ADVENTURE, so you want to bring the right things:  
 

• A grocery cart, reusable grocery bags or backpack – Farmers may not have plastic bags for you and it’s more environmentally friendly! If you don’t plan on going home straight after, an insulated grocery bag is great! Or, you can always go old school and bring a basket like these ones: 

How was the food grown?
 
How should I store this item in my kitchen?
 
What are your cooking tips for this?
 
This is the exciting difference between grocery store shopping and farmers’ market shopping: The grocery store worker won’t always know where the beef is from, but the vendor/farmer will know everything about the product they sell. They know their craft and their food, because they have grown or prepared the food themselves. You are also supporting your local farmer by buying from them!

The least busy times are in the early morning and late afternoon. It also depends on what you want:

• For freshest produce and the first pick: Go first thing in the morning when it opens!

 

• To get a deal: Go in the late afternoon, when farmers are about to pack up. At some farmers’ markets (but not all), vendors may not want to take home all that leftover produce, so they might give you a deal on what they are selling. 

Try Something New:
Part of the appeal of visiting a farmers market is you get to sample lots of new products that you would otherwise skip over at the grocery store. Things you try on a whim at the market can quickly become a staple in your kitchen; such as a new type of cheese or a fruit you would otherwise would have never have the opportunity to try.
 
Make it a Tradition:
Regular farmers’ market goers often make the experience into a family tradition. For example, after we do our Saturday morning shopping, my husband and I will go and get gelato from the local ice cream shop in the market!

Buy what’s in season:
It’s often the cheapest, freshest and most nutritious. You will know what’s in season, because they are displayed front and centre. 

Some current in-season July items are:
 

• Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) – full of antioxidants and fibre!
• Cherries
• Green beans, Peas
• Corn
• Zucchini 

Because these items are in season, they are cheaper in larger quantities meaning you may end up buying more than you can finish at one time. To avoid spoilage, I end up freezing my extra produce in freezer bags. Because you are freezing at peak ripeness, the produce remains highly nutritious.
​
For example, frozen strawberries can be used year-round in different dishes such as:

• Your morning smoothie. Check out this recipe here
  
• On top of oatmeal, with hemp seeds, nuts and flax seeds. This is especially delicious in the dead of winter!
• In pies and cakes. ​ They make great fillings and toppings! 

​My favourite farmers’ market is the Hamilton Farmers’ Market (Hamilton proud!), but other ones I like in Toronto are:

St. Lawrence Market – A classic. It’s been there since 1803!

Artscape Wychwood Barns – A mix of food and art, Artscape Wychwood Barns has great finds in a stunning space.
​
The Leslieville Farmers' Market – I love Leslieville , and find this market to be very community-minded. 

For a full list of farmers markets in Toronto, check out Breakfast Television’s website for seasonal and year-round markets

​Farmers’ markets are all apart of a growing movement of being more connected to your food! Are you going to check out your local market in your community? Leave me a comment below and let me know!

​In Canada, we have a food waste problem. A recent report suggested Canadians throw away $31 billion worth of food annually. Moreover, each Canadian household on average throws away about $1500 worth of food per year! That's a lot of money to be dumping into the trash.

As a 1st generation Canadian with immigrant parents, I also know a thing or two about saving money on food. Recently on Global TV on The Morning Show, I discussed ways you can reuse food, use food scraps for other things, and shop smart to help preserve the planet. These simple shopping and food tips can help you keep more money in your wallet. 

Tip #1: Best Before Dates are NOT Expiry Dates 

​People often misuse/misunderstand the tiny dates printed on packaged foods to mean if the date has passed on the package, it is no longer food safe. But what those dates really mean is the food may not be at its best quality, but it is still safe to eat. This causes much food waste at household level. For example, a family is going away on vacation and throws away a bag of sealed shredded cheese 5 days before the best before date. Chances are, that package of shredded cheese would have been fine for consumption when they returned home – especially because it was still sealed. It just wouldn’t taste as fresh as if eaten ahead of the best before date.

Egg cartons, milk bags/cartons, crackers and bread commonly have best before dates printed on them. 

​As a registered dietitian, I am often asked the question: Is it more important to buy local or organic produce? While organic vs conventional produce is whole other debate all together, I always encourage people to buy local. Vegetables and fruits get tossed the most because of their short shelf life of about 2-3 days, time they take to wash and prepare (which most people are too tired to do after a long day of work) and I hate to say this but, “unsexy” quality - they’re not as coveted as steak or tempeh or cheese!
 
Local produce uses less resources than produce that comes from elsewhere in the world. If my organic strawberries come from California, and I live in Toronto – is that an efficient use of resources to get the fruit to me? Greenhouse grown technology has also been able to give us higher quality produce that lasts longer and also reduces the carbon footprint. 

Tip #3: Store Your Produce Appropriately

Most produce should be stored unwashed, because the moisture from washing it can make it spoil faster.

For Apples: Store them in perforated bags (snip little holes in the bag) and place the bag in your crisper drawer. Apples release ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening process. Any bruised apples should be removed, as it will spoil the whole bunch.
​
Lettuce: Lettuce should be stored unwashed. However, many people tell me if they don’t wash it right away – it will never get eaten and will end up in the bin. I say if you do rinse your greens, pat or spin dry to remove the excess moisture. Store in a container with paper towel to absorb any excess water. 

Most less-than-fresh produce can be cooked and made into something else. For example, tomatoes can be made into a beautiful savoury tomato sauce. Slightly bruised strawberries can be made into a sweet sauce, just like I demo-ed on TV. You can use the strawberry sauce on waffles, pancakes, yogurt or oatmeal!

Tip #5: Save the Vegetable Scraps
Carrot peels, celery and kale stalks and onion skins can be frozen and made into a beautiful vegetable broth! Instead of tossing them into the green bin, toss them into a bag you can freeze. To make vegetable broth: Simmer the contents in water for about 45 minutes. Remove vegetable scraps with a sieve when finished.

Tip #6: Use Food Waste for Gardening
Egg shells have calcium and minerals that are healthy for the garden. Put them into the soil as they will help your garden thrive! Used coffee grounds are also great for soil health, as they will attract Earth worms, which help the soil quality. Save your egg shells and coffee grounds for spring and summer gardening, instead of tossing them into the green bin!

​What are some of your tips for minimizing food waste? Comment and let me know below! 

Serve Brunch at Home
 
Serving brunch at home on Easter Sunday is great because:

1. It saves you money – instead of dining out for brunch
2. It’s easy to do – I will teach you how!
3. And people LOVE breakfast food

 
Make Your Own __________ Stations
 
These stations are great for for families and kids, because kids LOVE assembling their own meals. It’s also great for you as a Host because it is less work on your part, if everyone is making their own meals!
 
Juice Bar
 
Choose your favourite juices - fill up the glass halfway. Fill up the rest with club soda.
 
Nutrition Tip: If you’re worried about sugar, you are cutting the amount in half because of the club soda.
 
Finish with a lemon or lime garnish.
 
 
Oatmeal Bar
 
Cook a large batch of slow cooking or steel cut oats.
 
Nutrition Tip:

• Buy slow cooking oats or steel cut oats.
• The instant stuff is good for a busy weekday morning, but during brunch you take your time to eat your meal.
• Slow cooking/steel cut oats have a lower glycemic index – which is better for our blood sugar levels.

 
Once you have your bowl of oats add whatever you like to it. Here are some ideas:

• Greek Yogurt – protein
• Nuts – heart healthy fats
• Chia Seeds – fibre and protein
• Hemp Seeds – omega 3s
• Dried fruit – mangos and raisins
• Chocolate shavings – just because!

Fruit
 
I always have fresh fruit on the table. It can also go in the oatmeal as well, especially the berries.
 
Protein
 
To balance out brunch, I like to have eggs for protein, but here are other fun things:
 
Smoked salmon and cucumbers. Often they go with cream cheese and bagels, but I wanted to make this brunch healthy-ish so I put out the oatmeal.
 
If you wish to have bread/bagels, makes sure they are whole grain!
 
Entertaining Tip: When it comes to keeping meals fun and family friendly, as the Host, you provide the food.
 
Because it is a self-serving brunch, guests decide how much they want to eat and they might try new foods they’ve never had before.
 
And someone who is a picky eater will find it easier to try a new food when they can choose how much they want to eat.
 
Chocolate
 
Of course, what is Easter without chocolate?
 
Have some fun Easter chocolates on hand. Make sure they are small treats. The idea is to choose quality over quantity – not that giant Easter bunny!

• Bunnies
• Eggs
• Rabbits
• And these beautiful and delicious chocolate truffles.

 
When we choose the good, high quality stuff, we feel more satisfied.
 
Health Benefits of Chocolate
 
Cocoa pods, this is where the cocoa beans are found, inside used to make chocolate. The health benefits of chocolate come from these cocoa beans – they are high in minerals magnesium, copper and phosphorus and they’re also high in flavonoids, the antioxidants that can help fight cancer and heart disease.
 
This is why they say dark chocolate is healthier, because it has more cocoa in it - where the health benefits are. If you’re not a dark chocolate fan, choose a high quality milk chocolate instead. It will have less health benefits, but remember, we are eating smaller amounts of high quality chocolate. 

This is very popular right now in the meal prep and fitness community. Usually I will search key words, "chocolate + oatmeal + protein" in my search engine and find some good recipes!

So YES - you CAN have chocolate for breakfast - as long as you balance it out with other good things, such as oatmeal, Greek yogurt, fruit, nuts and/or chia or hemp seeds!

I hope you enjoyed my tips and watch my segment for the TV version!

​If you feel like you failed at your New Year Resolutions, now is a great time to start again. Whether it’s:
 

• Eating healthier
• Exercising more
• Managing your finances
• Managing stress

 
… whatever else your heart desires!
 
You have the power to start over, because the Year of the Dog is here to support you!
 
2018 is the Year of the Brown Mountain Dog. We’re going to have a roller coaster year, similar to a mountain.
 
But for each person, based on your Chinese zodiac animal, this year will bring different things.
 
The Chinese animal zodiac is a repeating cycle of 12 years, each year represented by an animal.
 
Traditionally these zodiac animals were used to date the years.

​This blog post would not be complete without a discussion of some of the food and symbols of Lunar New Year. So here we go: 

​RED POCKETS
 
Chinese people love the colour red: symbol of energy, happiness and good luck.
 
The money inside is meant to bring happiness and blessings to the receiver. Also brings happiness to those giving.
 
They are usually given to children and adults who are unmarried.
 
 
MONEY TREE
 
The money tree is almost like a symbol of growing prosperity. You take care of it so it grows. 

​During this time of year they often decorated with red envelopes, or charms for luck and to ward away bad spirits.
 
Now let’s talk about food, because it has a HUGE significance in Chinese culture.

​Long noodles signify a long life. Longer than normal noodles and uncut, either fried and served on a plate, or boiled and served in a bowl with their broth.

Dumplings

Dumplings are a symbol of wealth. They look like gold pieces. Often they are made with rice flour, minced meat and vegetables.

“Nián gāo” – signifies moving up – so either better prosperity or better wealth in a business. There are many different kinds. I made a very easy version above.
 
Click for Chinese New Year Cake Recipe

Tang Yuan
 
The literal translation of these is “soup balls” and these are one of the most delicious things ever. They are in rice flour paper with a sweet sesame filling inside. Also sometimes known as “glutinous” rice balls, they actually do not contain any gluten at all.
 
Walnuts and Sesame Cookies
 
Walnuts, sesame seed cookies are often enjoyed at this time of year. Often placed together in a tray that holds 6 or 8 different kinds, or are given away as gifts. They symbolize family togetherness.​

If you're in the mood for deep frying (lol) or want some tasty and delicious walnuts, click the photo for this recipe - these are SO YUMMY! 

Tangerines, kumquats and oranges are lucky Chinese New Year symbols. ... The citrus fruit has a deep symbolic meaning in Chinese context and tradition as it sounds similar to the word “luck” (tangerine) and “wealth” (orange). They also are a gold/orange colour, similar colour to gold, which represents prosperity.