Saturday Night BBQ ft. Licks Nature Burgers - July 27th, 2013

Tonight, we headed over my uncle's place for a late night BBQ. As I've mentioned in a previous food blog, my family adores their meat however, the Lick's Nature Burger is the one veggie burger that they all seem to LOVE - as much as their actual meat burgers! The Lick's Nature Burgers come in the following packaging:

Click here to see if your local retailer sells these amazing burgers (can also be purchased at Licks stores)!

Here is a photo of our food on the BBQ. Here we have 2 Nature Burgers and some golden delicious apples which we'll be eating for dessert! Throwing the apples on the BBQ really brings out the sweetness. This is a healthy yet delicious dessert that's bound to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Finally, here are some photos of the final product:

This my burger and I decided to top it with everything: ketchup, mustard, relish, pickles, tomatoes and onions! I figure if I'm going to treat myself to a burger, I want it to be a darn good burger! 

Here is the finished BBQ apple. Typically, my uncle would throw a dollop of ice-cream in the middle and then finish off with some whip cream however since I'm on this health kick, I opted for the plain ol' apple. Still super sweet and super delicious! 

Have you tried the Licks burgers before? Which one is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below!

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Lemon Butter Bread (ONLY 5 Ingredients?!?)

I was initially going to post a recipe for my homemade garlic butter bread however, after experimenting with several different butters, I realized that I enjoyed my lemon butter bread the most. I wasn't going to dedicate a whole blog post to this because it is SO simple to make however, this deliciousness just had to be shared. Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients:
1) 1 Lemon
2) 1 tbsp. Butter
3) Salt
4) Pepper
5) French Crusty Bread

Preparation:
1) Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into a bowl
2) Add 1 tbsp. butter, salt & pepper to bowl
3) Heat mixture in microwave for 40 seconds or until melted
4) Cut French crusty bread into slices 
and using pastry brush, apply butter glaze onto bread
5) Place glazed bread into oven at 350 degrees until golden brown (2-5 min)

Voila, you are all done! You should now have some delicious lemon butter bread; ready to devour. The bread literally acts like a sponge; soaking in all of that lemony goodness! Here's a quick tip: when I'm pressed for time, I skip the whole oven business and pop the glazed bread into a toaster!

Try out this super quick and easy lemon butter bread and let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments below!

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Marilyn Monroe Cafe - July 18th, 2013

Today one of my good friends and I decided to head over to the Marilyn Monroe Cafe. To be honest, I was planning on meeting up at the typical coffee spot (i.e. Williams or Starbucks) however, she suggested we check it out and I thought why not. Let me just say that I am so glad that we decided to go because this place is absolutely adorable! Don't believe me? Well, I took some pictures to prove just how exquisite this cafe really is (because I knew that words simply would not do it any justice):

Outside Marilyn Monroe Cafe - there is a cute wrap around patio!

The front counter and display at Marilyn Monroe Cafe - so many cute desserts!

The seating situation on the main level of Marilyn Monroe Cafe. The have some really comfortable booths with cushions and pillows as well as some stand-alone tables. I appreciated the fact that they had electrical outlets so you could bring your laptop to the cafe and get some work done! 

Stairs leading to the upper level of the cafe (pictures below).

Upper level of Marilyn Monroe Cafe - nice, large sofa, individual tables and a great view of the counter from above.

I ordered a double chocolate cupcake and an iced white tea sweet pomegranate (they freshly brew your tea as soon as you order!)

Since this cafe seemed so posh, I was under the impression that prices were going to be ridiculously high however they were very reasonable and a whole lot cheaper than the cult-favourite Starbucks. Marilyn Monroe Cafe also seemed to provide a LOT more variety in both beverages and food! Below are some images from their menu:

Overall, I am extremely impressed by this little establishment. Not only were the drinks and food great, but the staff was so kind and friendly. If it were closer to where I lived, it would definitely become my new go-to coffee spot!

Location:

350 Lakeshore Road East

Oakville, Ontario, Canada

L6J 1J6

Phone Number:

(905) 844-5800

Hours of Operation:

Sunday 7 am-10 pm

Monday 6 am-10 pm

Tuesday 6 am-10 pm

Wednesday 6 am-10 pm

Thursday 6 am-10 pm

Friday 6 am-11 pm

Saturday 7 am-11 pm

What do you think of Marilyn Monroe Cafe? Let me know in the comments below!

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World's Best Guacamole (trust me!)

I've never been a fan of avocados. For some reason, I always thought they tasted quite eggy. It wasn't until I perfected my guacamole recipe that I started to eat avocados religiously. Granted this isn't the fanciest guacamole out there but it's super simple, easy to make and absolutely delicious. Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients:
- 1 Medium Avocado (soft)
- 1/2 Small White Onion (optional - you can always substitute with a different type of onion [ex. shallots, green, red])
- 1/2 Lime
- 2 tbsp. Heinz Ketchup
- 1 tsp. Crushed Cumin
- Salt
- Black Pepper


Preparation:
1) Create the sauce by combining 1/2 lime juice, 2 tablespoons Heinz Ketchup, 1 teaspoon crushed cumin with salt and pepper to taste in a bowl
3) Finely chop 1/2 small white onion
2) Add the chopped onion and 1 medium-sized soft avocado to the bowl and crush with fork whilst mixing in the sauce (if you enjoy a more smooth guac, then throw all of these ingredients into a blender).

Voilà, you are done! One World's Best Guacamole ready for you to devour. When I'm trying to be extra healthy, I take a couple tortilla chips and crush them into my guac (as opposed to eating a whole bag of chips). You still get that amazing crunch from the chips without eating a bunch! 

TRY OUT THIS RECIPE AND LET ME KNOW IF IT REALLY IS THE WORLD'S BEST GUACAMOLE!

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Richtree Natural Markets Restaurant - July 13th, 2013

I always pass by Richtree Natural Markets Restaurants (click on the hyperlink to visit their webpage) and I never bother to order anything spectacular. I usually get the regular penne pasta with marinara sauce (something I could easily make at home). This time, my friends and I decided to hit up the crêpe/waffle bar. I never thought of Richtree as much of a dessert place but I can safely say that their desserts are INFINITELY better than their real food (in fact, I could probably make the food better at home so it's always somewhat of a disappointment eating there). Here are some images of the masterpieces:

Mixed berries waffles with French vanilla icecream, whipping cream and chocolate sauce with a side of berry lemonade (add $2.49).

Mixed berries crêpes with  plain vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. 

There is actual a crêpe/waffle artisan that makes the scrumptiousness right on the spot. If you've never seen anyone make a crêpe before (not so much the waffle because that goes straight into a waffle maker so it isn't as fun to watch), I think it's worth stopping by and taking in the experience.

The only downside to this whole situation was the ridiculous price! Granted you get a HUGE portion but the total came to around $15 with taxes. I think that's a little pricey for a bistro type restaurant. Here's the total breakdown: about $9 for crêpes or waffles with mixed berries (I think if you get a singular fruit like banana or mango, it's a $1 cheaper), about $3 for 1 scoop ice-cream and an additional $1 for whipping cream (chocolate sauce is free of charge). 

To be perfectly honest, we were going to hit up a stand alone crêpe place which would have been 1/2 the price and just as delicious however, it was no where to be found (guess it went out of business - sigh). However, we decided Richtree was worth the splurge as you don't eat these things every day and what's better than to enjoy some high-fat, high calorie and high in deliciousness crêpes/waffles with some of your dearest friends! 

PS - Here's a little secret (that I feel most people already may know). If you hit up Richtree a half-hour before closing time, all of their packaged food goes on sale for 50% off. This excludes the crepes and drinks (as these are not packaged goods) however, most of their baked items like muffins, quiches, cookies and cakes are all 50% off including their pastas and sandwiches.

Let me know, what is your perfect crêpe or waffle combination? 

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Peppers and Paneer

Peppers & Paneer is one of my go-to recipes that everyone absolutely adores. I could literally eat this every single day and GUESS WHAT; it's actually quite healthy for you!

• Sweet peppers (red, yellow, orange)
• Brar Paneer (1/2 pack)
• Yogurt (1 cup) [thicker the consistency, the better the marinade will adhere]
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2 tbsp)
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Turmeric
• Paprika

Preparation:

1) De-core and slice your peppers (and other vegetables)
2) Cut your paneer into even cubes

3) Prepare your marinade by mixing 1 cup yogurt with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch each of the following: salt, black pepper, tumeric and paprika (if you can't tell by now, i'm not a big fan of precise measurements)
4) Add the peppers and paneer to the marinade and evenly distribute 

5) Apply plastic wrap over mixing bowl and place in fridge over-night (this is an optional step; when I'm pressed for time, I start cooking right away)

Cooking:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 

2) Place peppers and paneer into a large baking dish and place in oven on bake for 20 minutes

3) After 20 minutes, broil for additional 10 minutes

Voilà, you are done! Finish it off with a squirt of lemon or lime juice if you want a nice tang. Your peppers and paneer should be crisp on top with some nice charring due to the 10 minute broil. The beauty of this dish is that you can throw in other vegetables to make it uber healthy (I opted to add some mushrooms, zucchini and eggplant this time around). 

TRY OUT THIS RECIPE AND LET ME KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVED IT IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

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