New Posts are at www.vivianlaw.ca

Hello, I must admit I am not the most computer proficient individual. I have been continuing my blog and  posting on my website, www.vivianlaw.ca
Please check it out. Best wishes, Vivian

New Toronto Restaurant: The Saint

Chef Melissa Saunders and I came across the Saint on Saturday night by accident. We had trouble deciding where to go with no reservation. I had almost convinced her and Prince Charming to go to Foxley for dinner, but we passed by and checked out the Saint instead. We were sold by the greeting of a familiar face we had met many times at Buca, a restaurant Melissa and I adore.

We enjoyed a cocktail at the bar while we waited for a table. The atmosphere is a sleek and lively tavern. The Saint delivers on the trend of well made cocktails. I decided on first glance of the menu that I had to have the fried chicken, a food I love and enjoy a few times a year.

Our dinner was pleasant. I enjoyed the perogies the most in our group. The menu was not descriptive, but we were told when we came in that everything was made in house. I felt the description of ‘perogies’ was a detriment to the dish, because the perogies had a delicious, tender filling of slow cooked pork. The cod fritters were well done, but perhaps a touch pricey at $18 for 2 large pieces. The fried chicken was half a chicken that was crisp, tender, juicy and well seasoned throughout. The lemon flavoured gravy was not worth the caloric intake in my opinion. My dinner mates quite liked the fries. I didn’t love them. My favourite fries are still Jamie Kennedy’s.

Well done veggies was a nice surprise from the Saint kitchen . The cauliflower with bacon was roasted well. The honey roasted fennel with cherry tomato was excellent. Best of all was the coleslaw that came with the fried chicken. Service fell short a bit when we needed to find our server to order a slice of pecan pie and get our bill. The pecan pie was good, but not anything too special.

We are not rushing back to the Saint for the food just yet, but it is a welcome addition to Ossington. Another fun spot for a cocktail and snack. The whole strip is great food and drink destination that keeps getting better.

 

Beverage Inspiration: Lemon Water with Coconut Oil

Hot water and lemon is a beverage that many natural health practitioners advise people to drink first thing in the morning. Some of the benefits are bringing the body to better balance through improved digestion and liver function. From a practical standpoint, I find hot water and lemon a pleasant way to hydrate after waking up.
Adding a spoonful of coconut oil to hot water and lemon is a beverage concoction that I devised recently for the purpose of bringing a client back to better health. We were amazed by the results of having this drink within one week. Her psoriasis improved dramatically and the appearance of her skin in general was much improved as well. The medium chain fatty acids in the coconut is quickly taken up by the cells of the body and helps the cells absorb nutrients. It is great to see this improved nutrition physically in skin, as the skin is the largest organ of the body. I tried the beverage myself and found an improvement in my skin and hair in addition to some fat loss. The flaky skin that I ordinarily experienced from sun exposure was markedly improved after a few days of drinking this beverage.

Here is the recipe:

-Squeeze the juice of 1/2 an organic lemon into a mug.
-Fill mug half way with boiling water
-Add a spoonful of organic virgin coconut oil
-Stir and fill the mug with room temperature water.
-Stir and drink

Please share with us what you notice in yourself after taking this beverage.

Top 5 Antioxidant Everyday Foods

Eating foods rich in antioxidants can help prevent illness and slow the aging process. The question what is oxidation, is one I am asked frequently. An easy visual example is imagine cutting an apple in half. What happens in half an hour? The apple starts to turn brown and maybe dry up a bit. This is due to exposure to oxygen and the chemical reaction that occurs in the presence of oxygen (the chemical reaction is oxidation).
We need to eat foods with antioxidants to counteract the environmental stressors our bodies are exposed to such as, alcohol, sun, smoke, pollution, and various other forms stress we experience.
There are various ways to measure antioxidant content in foods, but vitamin C, vitamin E, betacarotene, and selenium are the main nutrients to look for.

Here are 5 everyday foods that are high in antioxidants:

1. Oats-are a source of selenium, vitamin E and soluble fibre, which also helps lower blood cholesterol.

2. Berries-blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries are rich sources of vitamin C and many other  beneficial phytochemicals. They are a fruit that is lower in sugar and easy to eat.

3. Broccoli-is rich in vitamin C and indole-3-carbinol, a cancer fighting phytochemical. Try pre-cut broccoli slaw mixed in with your regular salad. If you will not eat broccoli, try other dark leafy greens such as kale, collard greens, watercress, bok choy.

4. Carrots-are a food that most people like to eat raw, so enjoy regularly for its betacarotene, precursor to vitamin A content. If you do not like carrots, try fresh carrot apple juice.

5. Dark chocolate-(try one with a lower sugar content, less than 5 grams of sugar per serving) is fun to eat and contains vitamin C and is a great source of flavinoids, another type antioxidant compound.

Treat Inspiration: Yogorino's

I walked by Yogorino's during my last trip to San Francisco. I had eaten plenty already, but their tagline was 'the best tasting yogurt in the world' caught my attention. And there was something about the shop that seemed a little different than the choose your own topping frozen yogurt places that are proliferating everywhere.

I went in and inquired about the claim and the helpful young lady there, Aljarice was happy to give me a sample. The frozen yogurt, which I tasted with no toppings was delicious, with a creamy texture like soft serve icecream. This frozen yogurt was the best I have tasted from a frozen yogurt shop. She told me the difference was 2% organic yogurt and natural sweeteners.

I had a mini sample with a little bit of topping for fun, very tasty and satisfying because of the creaminess of the yogurt.

I was told that the small portion of the frozen yogurt before toppings is 80 calories and a similar amount of sugar to regular sweetened yogurt, but so much more fun to eat! This was such a tasty treat, that I almost forgot that it qualifies as a healthier type of treat. It was like having an icecream with probiotics, lower fat and real fruit toppings. 

Yogorino's is in San Fran and Philadelphia so far in North America, but is fast growing in Italy where it originates and is branching out through Europe, Asia and other parts of the world. 

Green and Zen

I believe taking some time out whenever possible to enjoy green space is a great source of enjoyment and calm. Enjoying an outdoor space is a great natural way to relieve stress. Here are some green moments of zen I have had recently:

This was the Allweather Landscape garden at Canada Blooms. I loved the way the trees were proportioned to the flower beds.

Here is Dr Landscape himself Tony Lombardi in his award winning garden Ethnography at Canada Blooms . Tony is a real talent in creating urban green space. Enjoy his work outside of the Summerhill liquor store. I have enjoyed a danish or macaron from Petite Thuet on many sunny days there.

Golden Gate Park is at least a full day of zen green moments, including the Japanese tea garden.

And Stowe Lake.

Enjoyed these plants on my way out of Golden Gate Park.

A great green spot for a zen moment can be found almost anywhere. It's a matter of taking a moment to take it all in and appreciate being there. Try taking in the beauty of a green setting by stopping and taking ten deep breaths the next time you pass by a spot that you like, you will feel good!

Acai Bowl Recipe

So it was not too difficult at all to create an acai bowl at home. I went to a health food store, Evergreen Natural Foods and purchased some Sambazon frozen organic acai berry puree (smoothie packs). Printed on the package was directions on how to make an acai bowl! Here is my version:

One package of Sambazon frozen acai puree
1/4 cup coconut dream or other non dairy milk
1/2 banana, sliced
1/4 cup granola
1/2 cup mixed berries of your choice
1 tsp honey or more to your taste

Blend acai puree and milk in blender until thick and pour or scoop into a bowl. Drizzle with honey. Top with granola, sliced banana and berries-enjoy!
Enjoy as a light breakfast, healthy snack or dessert.

Salad Inspiration: Mijita jicama salad

The jicama salad at Mijita in the Ferry Building of San Francisco is an all time favourite salad of mine. Mijita is a casual taqueria opened by chef Tracy Des Jardins. This salad has the perfect blend of flavour, texture and nutrition. There is vitamin C and other phytochemicals in both the jicama and grapefruit. Healthy fats are found in the avocado and toasted pumpkin seeds. The taste and texture of it all is outstanding! I have written in to Bon Appetit RSVP to try and get the recipe. 

Blue Hawaii Acai Cafe

I saw a few spots on Oahu, Hawaii last year that served 'bowls' of fruit, non dairy milk and granola that looked interesting, but I did not get around to trying out. I finally tried an acai bowl yesterday at Blue Hawaii in San Francisco. What I ordered was called the Blue Hawaii and it consists of frozen acai pulp blended with organic soy milk, topped with organic granola, sliced banana, strawberries, blueberries and honey. It was a delicious refreshing treat that was satisfying and great to have for some energy just before a run. I imagine it would be good to have after a workout as well. My Blue Hawaii bowl was so delicious that it qualifies as a healthy dessert, breakfast or snack in general. The antioxidant boost that the acai and berries provide is a great bonus!

Blue Hawaii Acai Cafe is in Honolulu, San Francisco and Shanghai so far. Look for an acai bowl at a juice bar near you. Otherwise, I will have to try and replicate the recipe myself and post it here.

60 Minutes: Is Sugar Toxic?

I do not watch much television. This piece on 60 minutes was mentioned to me by many people in the past few days, because it scared them, so I made an effort to watch it. Here are my thoughts.
I found it interesting and provided some good information to the public. Essentially, eating a diet that is high in sugar or refined carbohydrates contributes to chronic disease such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease.
I disagree that sugar and high fructose corn syrup are equally bad. Sugar consumption has gone down by 40% and has been replaced with an equal or greater volume of high fructose corn syrup. However, Americans are heavier than ever before. High fructose corn syrup is a highly processed food product, much more so than organic sugar, which is from crystallized cane syrup.
Dr Stanhope's study where people were given 25% of their caloric intake from a high fructose corn syrup sweetened beverages just proves the point that it is not a good idea to drink those beverages. 25% of a 2000 calorie diet would be 500 calories and that is the rough equivalent of 3.5 cans of pop.
When Dr Gupta goes in for his MRI with a sip of soda and has his brain reward centres light up, that is understandable since the start of the piece lets you know that we are wired to like sweet tastes. It is linked to survival. Eating calories, keeps you alive and well.
Jim Simon from the sugar industry didn't have a chance against the doctors (he was set up), because he had no 'science' to back him up. He did have a good point that we should try to have a balanced diet and exercise. He is the only person in the piece that mentions exercise! Exercise is a part that is missing in many dietary debates and we know that is something that is missing in the North American lifestyle in general.
The recommendation in the end is to limit your added sugar intake to 150 calories for men and 100 calories per day for women. That is the equivalent of 37.5 grams and 25 grams of sugar per day for men and women respectively. This a reasonable limit to aim for. It is actually the equivalent of the majority of a 100g dark chocolate bar.

My advice: Be active, exercise regularly, eat lots of veggies/fruit, eat real food and truly enjoy the moderate amounts of sugar you consume. No pop-regular or diet!

Quinoa Tabbouli Salad Recipe

Tabbouli is a salad that I have always loved and purchased frequently from falafel shops. I tried a version with quinoa and have made it a constant in my quick lunch ideas. The combination of flavour from lemon juice, parsley, tomato, shallot, onion and cucumber makes it one of my favourite ways to eat quinoa. If you have it on hand, try one tablespoon of chili macadamia oil (found in Hawaii) and one tablespoon olive oil for extra special flavour. Serve it on a bed of baby spinach for some extra veggie intake.

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups veggie stock or chicken broth
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Juice of one lemon

1 shallot, finely chopped
2 green onions finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped cucumber
1-2 plum tomatoes seeded and finely chopped
1 cup parsley (at least half a bunch) finely chopped

Cook quinoa in stock/broth and salt. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer for about 15 minutes or desired tenderness. Let the quinoa cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, toss quinoa with olive oil and lemon juice. Add chopped shallot and green onion. Mix well. Add cucumber and tomatoes, toss together. Add chopped parsley and mix well.

Serve at room temperature.

The Jamaican Workout

On a recent trip to the south coast of Jamaica for a yoga retreat, a friend and I went for the most enjoyable 30 minute brisk walk/run. It was early, before our 8:15am yoga class and the scenery was just too wonderful to miss, so we brought a camera!

This was the general beautiful landscape just outside of the Jakes property.

Just down the road was the beach with the fishing boats.

And just a little further down the beach was the most incredible unspoiled feeling that was still part of a regular community where people live.
This was one of the most enjoyable 7am 'workouts' I have experienced and I am not an early morning exerciser at all!

Laurent Perrier Champagne

I purchased a two bottle package of Laurent Perrier last year at the London airport duty free shop. Buying and collecting duty free champagne is a ritual I have had for many years. There can be great prices, brands that are not ordinarily available in Toronto and the champagne becomes a travel memory to be enjoyed at a later date. I've been 'aging' the bottles of Laurent Perrier for about a year. My dear friend and pilates instructor Lisa Kojola and I shared a bottle last night. We loved it! It was exceptionally smooth and delicious with delicate bubbles for a non vintage bottle of champagne. Laurent Perrier is on par with my perennial favourites Pommery and Moet. Sharing and enjoying a bottle of champagne with strawberries definitely makes life good!

a2Zane

I finally went to check out a2Zane (753 Queen Street West www.a2Zane.com) two weekends ago. I was impressed with the well curated assortment of accessories and handbags. Zane's selection of Cambridge satchel company bags and Vlieger and Vandam was what I liked most of the handbags. I liked the tight collection of accessories even more.  I fell in love with this Sook Ihn Kim bracelet in particular and pondered it for a week.  

I went to buy it on Sunday. It is a definitely a statement piece that channels my rockstar style proclivity-I love it!! Everyone who saw it loved it too.  

Goodbye Four Seasons Avenue

I said goodbye to the Four Seasons Avenue lounge more than once this month. It was always a great place to meet friends for a quick drink or bite. A lively environment where it was possible to have a conversation. Their burger is one of my all time favourites in addition to the fries. Even the pickiest burger taster I know, chef Melissa Saunders thought the burger was great. It had the perfect proportion of bun, juicy burger and a hint of cheese. The fries were super crisp. Enjoying a drink, great burger and fries is a healthy indulgence. So many fond memories of enjoying life at the Four Seasons while watching people go by on Avenue Road and Yorkville.

Mushroom Soup Recipe (vegan)

This is a simple, absolutely delicious and rich tasting vegan mushroom soup. The secret is the homemade veggie stock and dried shiitake mushrooms, which add depth of flavour.

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 pound organic cremini mushrooms finely chopped

3 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water overnight

4-5 cups homemade veggie stock

1/4 tsp thyme

1 tsp celtic sea salt

fresh ground pepper to taste

In a large pot, saute the garlic and shallot in olive oil. Add chopped mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms start to brown. Add veggie stock, bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Add thyme and let simmer for 20-25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let soup cool slightly and puree with hand immersion blender until relatively smooth. Makes 4-5 servings. Enjoy!

Buca Restaurant, Toronto

Perhaps the magic was in the company I had. In addition, the people at Buca create a wonderful dining experience through warm, attentive service, amazing creative food, great wine pairings in a relaxed, vibrant and sociable setting. Earlier this month, I brought three friends for a post ballet bite and drink. We ordered 4 pizzas and each of them was outstanding. I ordered the octopus and clam pizza.

What a clean and interesting combination of flavour with the bold tomato sauce, a touch of roasted garlic, octopus and clam offset with a bit of parsley. Of course, the super thin, crisp crust is just the best. The favourite of the table was the funghi, which we all agreed was 'to die for' with the buttery, sweet combination of mushrooms paired with the perfect cheese. I just love this restaurant!

Sleeker Food Courts

I have recently noticed that food courts in office buildings and malls are starting to become nicer environments. I saw this in malls in the US and here in downtown Toronto. They look sleeker all around, the lighting is bright to offset the underground location, and there is more variety of food on offer. My curiosity and a bit of lunchtime hunger finally got me to try Amaya Express for lunch yesterday. Amaya is a restaurant that I have really enjoyed, so I have been intrigued by the concept of their Express locations, which seem to be popping up everywhere. I had a samosa and some saag paneer. The samosa was warm, reasonably tender and slightly flaky, but was lacklustre in its seasoning in its filling of mainly potato. The accompanying sauce was too cold in temperature and too sweet in taste. The saag paneer was decent, but again lacking complexity in its spicing. I would try the 'healthy' combos of rice, veg and curry the next time, but I think I can only expect so much from a fast food setting.

For a great healthy food court lunch spot in downtown Toronto, check out:
http://trainerspicks.blogspot.ca/2012/04/iq-food.html

Multigrain Carrot Muffin Recipe

This is a healthy muffin recipe that is adapted from bestselling cookbook Spilling the Beans. Pureed white beans add extra fibre and nutrition to the muffins, as does the different flours and ground flaxseed. The ingredients sound a little strange, but the muffins are tasty with a moist texture. Organic ingredients are preferable if possible.

Multigrain Carrot Muffins

1 cup organic whole wheat flour

1/3 cup oat flour

1/3 cup millet flour

1/3 cup buckwheat flour

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

3/4 brown sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups grated carrots

1 apple, unpeeled coarsely grated

1/2 cup currants

1 cup white beans

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup sunflower or safflower oil

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl. mix together the flours, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Add the carrots, apple and carrot and combine.

In a food processor, puree the white beans. Add buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla and process until smooth.

Add buttermilk mixture to flour and carrot mixture. Stir until just combined.

Fill muffin cups until almost full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are springy to the touch. Makes up to 18 muffins.

Enjoy the same day, refrigerate for 2-3 days or freeze. The muffins have a short shelf life due to the organic ingredients.

Carrot Apple Juice

Let me preface this by saying that I really dislike eating raw carrots. I make an effort, but have never enjoyed the taste of a raw or cooked carrot much. I do understand that carrots are a healthy food to include in your diet. I was doing some research on juicing and came across the idea of fresh carrot apple juice. I made some and it was delicious, even someone who dislikes carrots enjoyed drinking it!

Carrot Apple Juice

Makes 1 glass

(just double, triple or quadruple the amount of carrots and apples to make your desired quantity)

2 peeled organic carrots

1 organic royal gala apple, cut into quarters

small sliver of fresh ginger if desired for flavour

Place carrots and apple into the juicer and enjoy the juice immediately.

Coconut Dream

I have been trying to use a non-dairy milk for a couple years now. I started with soy milk, which I did not love the taste of and later found it did not agree with me. I used almond milk for a period of time, but developed an intolerance for almonds. Rice milk tastes like liquid cardboard to me. Hemp milk has a strange taste. Finally, I found So Delicious coconut milk beverage to be a great milk alternative, because of the taste. I suggested it to a client who is a real foodie and although he liked it he pointed out that it was a little too thick or viscous. That was a good point that he made. The product gets even thicker if you don't finish the box either in the large carton or the 946ml tetrapak very quickly.

While on Oahu, I looked for So Delicious and found Coconut Dream instead. I used it on my granola while I was there and really enjoyed the taste and texture of Coconut Dream. I looked for it when I came back to Toronto and found it at Sobeys. I have yet to find the unsweetened version yet to give it a fair comparison, but so far, the Coconut Dream original is ahead of the So Delicious original in terms of taste and texture. Coconut Dream also comes in a chocolate flavour, which is nice to have after a tough workout. Another difference to note is So Delicious is an organic product, while Coconut Dream is not. Both contain medium chain fatty acids, the special type of saturated fat that is found in coconut, which is easy to digest and utilized quickly in the body. The saturated fat found in coconut is different, because it is from a plant source and its chemical structure of a medium chain fatty acid is different than the long chain fatty acid that comprises saturated fat from animal sources.

The concept of having a coconut milk beverage and working out is pictured in an ad for So Delicious featuring America's toughest trainer Jillian Michaels. I saw the ad in Bon Appetit magazine this fall, long after I started using the product. I had no idea who Jillian Michaels was, because I do not watch much television. The ad was a good one, because it stuck out in my mind. America's toughest trainer seems a real claim to fame. A few weeks later, I recognized Jillian Michaels on the cover of her book, Unlimited (which was on sale), so I purchased and read the book. I will happy to review the book at another time.

Why try a non dairy milk? From observation, it seems that many people become less able to digest milk and dairy products as time goes by and/or exposure increases. The symptoms of being intolerant to milk and dairy products include gas, bloating, cramps and even diarrhea. To prevent such symptoms, having an alternative to milk can lower your intake of dairy products and minimize the possibility of developing intolerance. Another reason to try is the health benefits of a vegan diet, which includes lower risk of heart disease and cancer. Having a non dairy milk with your morning cereal and fruit makes your breakfast a vegan one, which is a great healthy meal idea to try.

Hummus (recipe)

Hummus is a delicious and healthy snack that is good to have anytime. Great choices for dippers include, endive, baby carrots, celery sticks, cucumber, grape tomatoes, baked chips, and high fibre crackers such as Finn Crisp. Pita wedges is a tasty classic pairing, but try to have just half a pita each serving.

Here is a recipe that was inspired by Keith Froggett's recipe that was printed in the Globe and Mail last year. I cannot find my copy that I clipped from the paper or on the Scaramouche website. I do recall that he had said it was one of his most requested recipes. I can understand why, this hummus is delicious because of its purity of flavour. Note that this recipe does not contain tahini. Using the highest quality olive oil delivers the best flavour. I cook the chickpeas from dry myself, because I find this form of preparation eliminates the issue of gas.

Hummus

1 cup dry chickpeas or one can

1 clove garlic, slivered

Juice of one lemon

1-2 tablespoons high quality extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Soak chickpeas in a bowl full of water overnight. Cook on stovetop or in slow cooker until tender.

Place chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil into the bowl of the food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Store in a airtight container if there is any left, it will keep for up to a week.

(vegan)Red Velvet Cupcakes

Here is a recipe that I whipped up one afternoon last April when I was inspired by a book I had read, The Thrive Diet and by a young lady who was told me she was consuming too many delicious cupcakes from D'Lish. She wondered if they would make a vegan version, as her roommate was vegan and she also figured it might be healthier. I suppose a vegan version would eliminate butter/eggs in the cake and the dairy in the cream cheese frosting. However, a cupcake will most likely contain sugar, which is something we should consume in moderation.

D'Lish does make the best cupcakes I have had in Toronto. With the red velvet flavour being their most popular. D'Lish does a fantastic job of rotating the flavours each day of the week much like they do at Magnolia in New York. I would even dare say that I prefer the D'Lish red velvet cupcake to the one I had at Magnolia...

I discussed the health consciousness issue with the owner of D'Lish last year. The purity of the ingredients he uses and the final delicious product is of utmost importance. Of course, I agree that a small cupcake that is made with natural ingredients is simply a delightful treat.

If you are vegan or want to create a moist, tasty vegan cupcake (hard to tell when you eat it) as an alternative treat, give this recipe a try. I will admit was not as successful with a vegan cream cheese like frosting, so best wishes for that endeavour.

Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup flour with added bran

1/4 millet flour

1/2tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup coconut oil

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp cocoa

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp vanilla extract

1tsp beet extract for colour (use food colouring if you would like)

1/2 cup coconut milk

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Mix together dry ingredients in a small bowl, set aside.

In another small bowl, mix together coconut milk and lemon juice.

In a large bowl, cream coconut oil and sugar together until well combined and somewhat fluffy with an electric mixer. Add cocoa, mix well. Add applesauce, vanilla and beet extract or food colouring, mix well.

Alternately add flour mixture and coconut milk mixture in 3 additions, mix well each time. Add baking soda and lemon juice together, mix well.

Spoon into paper lined tin. Bake for about 25 minutes or until toothpick is clean. Makes about 9 cupcakes.

Miette Cookbook

I had the pleasure of going to both locations of Miette in San Francisco last November. The Ferry Building location is more of a counter and display table of goodies while the store in Hayes Valley is a special experience in charm. Hence, the subtitle of their cookbook is recipes from San Francisco's most charming pastry shop, how true.

I had read about the gingerbread cupcake in Fodor's, so I had it pretty much for breakfast at the Ferry Building and ordered a macaron and salted caramels for later consumption. The cupcake was visually charming and tasted even better. The macaron was good, but not my favourite, as the best ones that I have had so far are from Petite Thuet in Toronto. The salted caramel was a wonderful treat that came home with me.

I enjoyed the gingerbread cupcake so much that I had to visit their store in Hayes Valley for a second tasting. The store was beautiful with much attention to every detail. I got gingersnaps to take home, they were the best ever. Crisp, spicy and rich tasting.

Imagine my delight in discovering that there was a Miette cookbook. I read through it the past few days and what a great story from Meg Ray. The amazing treats I tasted were amazing because a lot of passion and care went into the selection of the finest ingredients and the execution of detail. Their standard of finest ingredients are organic and locally sourced as much as possible. That will be more of a challenge here in Toronto, but I am ready to try.

The book was a great inspiration, so I tried the buttermilk panna cotta recipe with some mini mousse glasses that I got last week. Yummy!!

I am all for desserts as a healthy part of enjoyment of life and food. I love them and eat them regularly. Nutritionally, they are not the best, but fun and enjoyment is a really important component to eating well and life in general. 

The Miette philosophy is to make things small for presentation, balance and economics. Portion control is a great effect of this concept as well. The panna cotta recipe was so delicious and rich tasting that the mini mousse glass, which was around 5 tablespoons was very satisfying. Eating small portions of foods you love that are made with care sure is a great way to enjoy life all the time!

Veggie Inspiration: Sea Asparagus and Endive, approved by Dr. Oz

Sea asparagus and endive are two veggies that I consumed this week, and coincidentally, both have a Dr. Oz connection. I first tasted sea asparagus at the Tate Modern restaurant last May in a light curry sauce that accompanied cod. The crunchy texture and salty taste was delicious and intriguing, definitely a taste highlight of 2011. I started buying it for $14.99 a pound from Fiesta Farm last summer and steamed it lightly to accompany various barbecue dishes as a veggie (it is technically a succulent herb). After a few months of no sea asparagus, I found little jars of pesto and salsa verde made from sea asparagus at a farmer's market on Oahu. I bought the little jars and brought them all the way home! The sea asparagus is grown close to the North Shore of Oahu in salty water. I was told by the farmer that Dr Oz had declared it to be an anti-aging food, how interesting, I just fell for the taste and texture! Sea asparagus is grown in Canada as well, in British Columbia. Try it next summer, it is tasty!

On another veggie note, I came across some organic endive at the local Loblaws and figured it would be a good veggie for the avocado, white bean and cilantro spread chef Melissa Saunders made this week. It sure was a great combination. Then, I was told by a client that endive had been featured on Dr. Oz as a food that helps to fight ovarian cancer. Eating 7-9 servings of veggies and fruit a day is helpful in cancer prevention. Having a variety of veggies and fruit is key as they all have different nutritional properties. Endive contains kaempferol, a powerful antioxidant which has been found to slow growth of cancer. Endive is also very low calorie. Try having it with dip or in salads.

Red Lentil Soup (recipe)

Here is an easy soup to make that is tasty, simple and nutritious. Lentil soup is a great way to start adding more legumes to your diet. They are a little easier to digest than beans, so it is a good way to get your body used to having more legumes with a minimal risk of gas. It is seasoned with tumeric (also gives the soup the yellow colour) and cumin, both of which have numerous health benefits, so use liberally to your taste. The soup is perfect with half a sandwich or a substantial salad as lunch or as a starter for dinner. Studies have shown that having soup aids in weight loss, because soup is satisfying to eat, but can be low in calories. Try this soup!

Red Lentil Soup

1 cup red lentils, rinsed

I tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 stalk of celery finely chopped

1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 plum tomato, finely chopped

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 bay leaf

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp tumeric

salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste

In a strainer, rinse lentils until water runs clear or foaming stops.

In a large pot, heat olive oil on medium high and saute onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and tomato until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add lentils, then broth, water, spices and bay leaf.

Bring to a boil, and simmer until lentils are soft about 25 minutes.

Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.

Blend with an immersion blender if desired. 

Hot Yoga

I attended a hot yoga class for the first time in over 5 years and was pleasantly surprised with the experience. The substitute instructor was excellent in his ability to teach the movements and educate the class on the sanskrit terms and mind body background of the yoga he was having us practice.

I have avoided hot yoga and stuck with other forms for the past few years, because I felt almost faint from exertion and most likely dehydration the last time I did hot yoga. I was more diligent about water intake today, but I still feel a bit dehydrated after the class. However, I really enjoyed the class and learned some interesting new body movements.

It really is best to drink at least 2-3 cups of water before and directly after a hot yoga class. If you are not well hydrated, it is quite possible that you will feel unwell after the class. I find that keeping hydrated is a challenging aspect of participating in hot yoga for many people, including me!

Scaramouche Lobsterlicious

I had the privilege of being taken to Scaramouche last night for Lobsterlicious. It was a fabulous dinner. Started with the seared scallops with blood orange and avocado. Proceeded to grilled lobster with hurricane coconut broth and finished with rum panna cotta with mango sorbet.

Scaramouche had been a topic of discussion with a friend who went to chef school over the weekend. He does not like the restaurant although he does go for business dinners. I gathered that he feels the restaurant is dated.

I must say that I disagree with that opinion. I feel that Keith Froggett is exceptionally talented in the way he brings out the best of flavour and texture in the simplicity of his dishes. Even at a quick chef's station at What's on the Table, a fundraiser for the Stop, community food centre, he delivered a delicious, perfectly dressed raw tuna taster. I have used and recommended his most requested hummus recipe many times and am always amazed at how simple and exceptional it tastes each time. And of course, I have an exceptional meal and service experience each time I to go to the restaurant.

Perhaps the dining room has a bit more of an old school feel to it, but that is a good thing, because you can actually hear your dinner companion!

Taro's Fish, Toronto

I enjoyed a wonderful sushi lunch with a friend today at Taro's Fish (800 Sheppard Avenue East 416 730-8555) on Craig Harding's recommendation from his Chef's Picks in the Globe and Mail. It really is the perfect spot to go when making a trip to Ikea.

Taro's Fish is more of a fish and sushi retail and wholesale store, but you can perch on their lunch bar for a quick bite. We ordered the spicy tuna roll and spider roll. Both were absolutely delicious. The tuna was very fresh and tender with just the right spicing. The spider roll was crisp and tender all at once. The selection of Japanese and other asian beverages was very interesting. They stock the Japanese version of Gatorade, called Pocari Sweat. We had an Urban Zen green tea, mango and aloe vera drink that was so tasty! I usually skip beverages with sugar, but this one was worthwhile and very enticing with it's flavour and unique texture.

The store looks to be an outstanding place to purchase fresh fish to cook at home, to order a sushi platter for a party or just take out some sushi for lunch or dinner. I would highly recommend it and would love to go back! I agree wholeheartedly with Craig Harding that it is one of the best sushi lunches in town.