Life Choices

As a Life Choices Ambassador, I had the opportunity to try some of their food with my family. Since I received my coupons, I was able to cook one meal with the Chicken strips. Since then my oven died on me – literally! And yesterday I received a call that it will be replaced after all thanks to the extended warranty we had purchased with the oven. I will receive the new oven in a few days.

But this post is not about my adventure with my oven… So let me present you the Life Choices Chicken Strips!

About the product

Our chicken strips are made with our premium quality chicken; vegetable grain-fed, raised without animal by-products and raised without antibiotics. Our custom-made *Multigrain Coating; with flax, whole grains and oats, provides sources of Omega-3 and fibre.

Ingredients: Chicken, Water, Textured Soya Protein, Soya Protein Isolate, Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Spices. In a Coating of Whole Wheat Flour, Toasted Wheat Crumbs with Multigrain Blend (Wheat, Rye, Triticale, Barley, Yellow Corn, Millet, Soy and Flaxseed), Spices, Flaxmeal, Rolled Oats, High Monounsaturated Sunflower Seed Oil, Water,Canola oil, Yellow Corn Flour, Corn Starch, Wheat Flour, Salt, Guar Gum.

Caution: product may contain wheat, corn, soy, milk and/or egg

Key Concept: Balancing health and great taste, we have created our chicken strips, chicken nuggets and whole breaded fish fillets to give parents the option of buying a kids’ favourite that is tasty, nutritious and convenient. Source of Omega-3 from Flax – No Trans Fats – Prepared without frying – No Additives or Preservatives – Source of Fibre and Iron

Our Thoughts

First and foremost, I must say that I was disappointed with the selection that my grocery store had. I was expecting more of their products offered in the health section but I could only find the chicken products and some pizzas. I was so looking forward to try the multigrain pierogies but had to choose another product for the purpose of this review.

But we love chicken so I opted for the chicken strips. The bag is small for a family of six but surprisingly enough we were able to feed everyone with only one bag!

The taste is wonderful and you can easily savor the difference between these chicken strips and the regular ones that you can buy at any grocery store. I found that there was also more flavors in it. All my kids devoured their plate and asked for more. *grin*

I find the price a bit expensive for the size of the bag. Would I buy this on a regular basis? I don’t think so mainly because of the price. However, if I had someone in my family who would have health issues, I would definitively consider Life Choices as I could taste a major difference while eating the chicken strips. I am impressed with the fact that they are using grain-fed animals and that the chicken strips are made with high quality ingredients.

Life Choices also have a wide variety of food available right now; all beef hot dogs, veggie deluxe mini pizzas, cheese mini pizzas, whole fillet fish sticks, whole fish fillets, chicken strips, chicken nuggets, chicken burgers, organic macaroni & cheese (whole wheat shells with flax and white cheddar, elbows and white cheddar, elbows and orange cheddar) , Italian meatballs, multigrain pierogies ( cheddar cheese with potato and soy bacon, cheddar cheese with potato and broccoli, cheddar cheese and potato), thin crust pizzas (three cheese, chicken and spinach, vegetable no cheese, mushroom and onions).

A 1$ coupon is currently available on their website. Print it here!

They also have some delicious recipes to do for your family!

The Life Choices products are sold at specific places. To find where you can purchase them in your area, go to the store locator page on their website.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Life Choices for sending me coupons so I can get the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Illustrated Cook’s Book of Ingredients

Illustrated Cook’s Book of Ingredients – 2500 of the world’s best with classic recipes
Published at DK Canada

About the book

In today's global market, cooks are constantly coming across unusual or unknown ingredients in recipes; it seems that almost every day new varieties of fruit and vegetables, rare meats, exotic spices, and flavorings are available at supermarkets, butchers', and farmers' markets.

The ultimate comprehensive 'show and tell' reference to ingredients from around the globe, The Illustrated Cook's Book of Ingredients showcases fresh food and explains how to get the best out of it. Packed with annotated images and expert information that tells which varieties are best, and how to buy, store, and eat them, more than 250 "simple classic" recipes, and over 2,500 photographs, The Illustrated Cook's Book of Ingredients is an invaluable reference for food lovers and cooks intent on making the most of all the ingredients available today.

My Thoughts

I will be honest with you. I had no clue whatsoever what to expect from this book. I knew it was a huge book with more than 540 pages of information but I didn’t know what I would find and if it would be useful for us.

And imagine my surprised when I received it and cracked the book open… It is literally packed with information about a multitude of potential ingredients that you can use in your recipes. I was literally pleasantly surprise and delighted by it.

The book is divided in 10 colored sections in which you can easily find depending of what you are looking for.

1. Fish & Seafood which covers saltwater fish, freshwater fish, clams, scallops, mussels, oysters, lobsters, prawns, crabs, smoked fish and salted fish.
2. Meat which includes beef, veal, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, duck, venison, rabbit, goose, liver, kidney, heart, and cured meat.
3. Vegetables which presents cabbages, leafy, greens, roots and potatoes, shoots and stems, bulbs, pods, mushrooms and sea vegetables.
4. Herbs which will inform you on chervil, tarragon, fennel, lavender, bay,basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sorrel, sage and thyme.
5. Nuts & Seeds which will list almonds, macadamias, hazelnuts, pistachios, flaxseed, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds.
6. Spices which covers chilies, citrus, coriander, anise, turmeric, nigella, sumac, cloves, tamarind and ginger.
7. Dairy & Eggs which informs you on eggs, milk, cream, yogurt, butter, fresh cheeses, blue cheeses, soft white cheeses and hard cheeses.
8. Fruits which includes orchard, stone, berries, bush fruits, citrus and tropical.
9. Grains, Rice, Pasta & Noodles which covers barley, rye, quinoa, wheat, wild rice, fresh pasta, dried pasta, couscous, rice noodles and wheat noodles.
10. Oils, Vinegars & Flavorings which will provide information on olive oils, nut oils, wine vinegars, sugar, syrup, honey, soy sauce, miso, pastes and salt.

Not only will you find information on the ingredient but you will also get tips on buying it, storing it, eat it,flavoring it, cook it, and preserve it. Some recipes are included here and there to stretch your tasting comfort zone as well.

As soon as I got this book, I jumped into it to discover the dragon fruit. I’ve seen it. I was curious about it. I wanted to try it. But I never bought one as I didn’t know how to eat it. Now I have all the information I need to discover this interesting fruit along with guava, persimmon, prickly pear, figs and pomelo. I can’t hardly wait to explore these tastes with my family…!

Earlier in the spring, my husband has bought a wonderful deal at a butcher in the downtown area. Last time he went to get some meat, he told me that he would love to try duck. “Duck? How do we cook that?”, I said. Well this beautiful book has information about duck on page 134 with a recipe of Duck in Orange Sauce. Sounds delicious isn’t it?

When my husband grabbed the book for the first time, he immediately went in the fish section. Being a fisherman at heart, he wanted to see the kinds that were presented in the book. This book is fantastic to identify the type of fish that can be cooked on the BBQ as not all kinds will be good for that.

This book is a great tool to have in your kitchen. I almost wish there was a recipe for each ingredient but that would double or triple the size of the book. Two indexes are included at the end of the book – one for the ingredients and one for the recipes. The images in this book are mouthwatering (well most of them anyway…. the meat section has some pictures that doesn’t appeal to me – not even cooking it! *grin*). I know that some individuals in my family will probably explore the cheese pages as I have avid cheese lovers with me. I highly recommend this book for any family. It is a wonderful reference book to have in your home.

The Illustrated Cook’s Book of Ingredients is available at your favourite bookstore.

Disclaimer: Thanks to DK Canada for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Mambo Restaurante Nuevo Latino

Taking inspiration from the fiery and aromatic cuisine of Central and South America, Mambo Nuevo Latino is all about big flavors, samba musci, mojitos and caiprinhas.   

My friend Ariane and I went to Mambo on a Tuesday evening on May 3rd, 2011.   My husband had purchased a groupon a while back and we used it that evening.

The décor was fabulous with brick walls included and interesting booths.   

We decided to share a plate from the Loc Chico’s “tapas” and one from the dinner menu.   While we waited for our food, we enjoyed our non-alcojolic cocteles.    Ariane took a Bossa Nova which is a delicious mix of coconut cream, pineapple, and mango juice.   I opted for the El Tango which is made up of 7-up, passionfruit, orange juice and grenadine. Both were priced at 5.50$ each which I personally find very expensive.

After waiting a little bit, we were served.   We had ordered a Siesta Nachos which was piled with roasted tomatoes, garlic sauce, mozzarella cheese, corn, beans, cilantro, pico de gallo and sour cream.   We also ordered guacamole and beef to make it more delicious.  

The Que’s-o Pollo is a marinated chicken breast with blue cheese cream sauce topped with roasted almonds and garlic butter seasonal vegetables.   Our seasonal vegetables were delicious asparagus.   I wasn’t sure what to expect from the sauce but it was fabulous.   I loved the chicken in the cream sauce and enjoyed the asparagus.  

We had a good time dining together and enjoying each other company.   We talked about her upcoming wedding and the preparations for it and other things.

At one point we were offered to have a manicure and crystal reading which were free of charge apparently (a Tuesday event).   The manicure sounded interesting but to be honest I didn’t have a good feeling about it… It looked as though both were done at the same table and we were definitively not interested in the crystal reading.

Even though the food was melting in our mouths and that we were filled, I found that the prices are exorbitant.    For fun I took the liberty to check the lunch menu and the prices were high for lunch too.   It is definitively not a restaurant were commoners would go often.   However, it is an interesting restaurant if you have the cash to afford it.

But if I would recommend that you avoid going on Tuesdays…

The restauranteurs are also owners of Kinki Asian Fusion Restaurant in Ottawa.

The restaurant can be found at 77 Clarence Street, Ottawa.

The Kitchen Garden Cookbook

the kitchen garden cookbook – more than 200 recipes, picking and cooking tips, preserving ideas
Published at DK Canada

About the book

Featuring delicious seasonal recipes to help make the best use of homegrown produce, The Kitchen Garden Cookbook is packed with imaginative, inspiring ideas to turn your beautiful bounty into delicious dishes. With techniques and expert advice to help you harvest, preserve, and prepare your crops successfully, The Kitchen Garden Cookbook is the fruit-and-vegetable-grower’s perfect kitchen companion.

My Thoughts

This book is simply fabulous! It starts with being divided in season – spring, summer, autumn and winter. For each season, you have a series of vegetables and fruits that are ready during that time of the year and it gives you fabulous recipes to use the vegetables or fruits in. For example, in the Spring section I have learned that spinach is in season. One recipe for the spinach is a spinach and coconut shrimp curry. Yummy! The picture accompanying the recipe is mouthwatering to say the least… It reminds me of a Thai recipe and to be honest and I am sure it will become a favourite in our family!

This book also contains interesting information on the vegetables and fruits presented in it like when to pick, eat and store fresh, how to preserve and freezing options. If you are wondering which vegetables and fruits are included in this book here`s the list:

1. Spring: asparagus, peas, fava beans, Swiss chard, cauliflower, spinach, lettuce, arugula, radishes,and rhubarb. Technique presented is how to preserve vegetables in oil.
2. Summer: green beans, runner beans, artichokes, tomatoes, peppers, Chile peppers, eggplant, okra, cucumbers, zucchini, corn, fennel, potatoes, herbs, gooseberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, black currants, red currants, melons, cherries, peaches, and apricots. Techniques presented are how to freeze vegetables, dry vegetables, make freezer pickles, make cold pickles, make relish, store under soil, freeze herbs, dry herbs, make freezer jam, make fruit jam, freeze fruit, bottle fruit in alcohol, make conserves.
3. Autumn: pumpkins and squash, onions, shallots, garlic, kohlrabi, celery, beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, cranberries, grapes, apples, pears, quinces, plums and figs. Techniques presented are how to store onions, garlic and shallots, store crops naturally, store root crops in boxes, make jelly, oven-dry fruits, make chutney.
4. Winter: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Asian greens, kale, cabbage, leeks, Belgian endive, celery root, Jerusalem artichokes, rutabagas, turnips, and parsnips. The technique presented is how to salt vegetables.

I am a bit disappointed that not all recipes have pictures. I find that I have a tendency of doing the recipes that have pictures. Mind you I am sure that the recipes in this book are delicious. From the recipes included in this book I am most interested in some preserving ones.. We started canning last year and we got hooked on it. *grin* I am open to try new canning ideas this year for sure.

The book also contains ideas on how to store vegetables for the winter seasons. I was very impressed with the ways of storing carrots. Even though I do not have a garden in my backyard yet, nothing can stop me to store come fresh carrots I could buy at the market in the cooler section of the basement next fall season. One of the cakes my husband like to eat is a carrot cake. This recipe book contains a recipe of a carrot cake made from scratch. Since his birthday is in December, having some fresh carrots stored in the basement would be nice to have so I can bake a homemade carrot cake for his 40th birthday this year!

Now if only my oven can get fixed (it stopped two weeks ago and a piece is out of stock at this moment) I could prepare different recipes to my family!

The kitchen garden cookbook is available at your favourite bookstore.

Disclaimer: Thanks to DK Canada for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.