Lately I've been craving dishes with cranberry accents to them. I think it all started back in October when I visited a restaurant in Guelph called Atmosphere. I had their spinach and goat cheese pizza (on a gluten-free crust) which actually featured cranberries as one of the toppings. It was so good that as soon as I have a chance to visit Guelph again, that's my first stop.
Cranberries are a staple fruit for the winter months because somehow it makes its way into any dish and still tastes amazing; in salads, main courses, and deserts, cranberries are everywhere!
Today I made my own twist to the melted brie and honey dish, just to satisfy my cranberry and Canadian cravings.
What you'll need are:
-slivered almonds (used for texture)
-dried cranberries (to taste)
-brie cheese (for this recipe I used PC mini brie rolls)
-1 teaspoon of maple syrup (for the portion of my mini brie roll)
To prepare this snack, you need to place the brie in a microwave safe bowl. Then drizzle the maple syrup on top of it and add the dried cranberries. Depending on how powerful your microwave is, you may need to add some more time to the process but I kept it in the microwave for 15 seconds. The cheese should be at the stage where it is about to start melting. Once you remove the bowl from the microwave, top the melted brie off with a few pinches of slivered almonds. Now you can eat this as a dip for crackers or bread. Instead of using mini brie rolls, use a regular sized brie roll as an appetizer for parties. Adjust the maple syrup portion to about 3 tablespoons. Enjoy!
It's finally here! My favourite food truck, Gourmet Gringos, has opened their restaurant and it's relatively in my hood! I've got love for food trucks but the one down side to them is that they're always in different places. These guys just opened their location yesterday at 1384 Bathurst Street, just south of St.Clair West.
Apart from serving up my favourite veggie burrito, they sell quesadillas, tacos, empanadas, and many other delicious latin foods.
On Monday October 28th, rapper Childish Gambino surprised Toronto fans with a pop-up album listening session. Although it may have meant ditching class for us, we couldn't miss this opportunity to listen to his new work and see him in person.
Yet another reason to love living in Toronto. Here is a quick video to share the raw experience we had with the hundreds of others who gathered at Trinity Bellwoods.
Since the city is under a severe thunderstorm warning, my sister and I decided to FAFL out and 'bake'. Just one thing though, you don't actually have to bake what we're making! May I present to you the smart and efficient No Bake Energy Bites.
This recipe was perfect for the stormy weather that the GTA faced today. Record downpour created flash floods that stalled the city with blackouts. Although my area was unaffected by the power outages, I'm keeping this in my back pocket for future reference. These balls are easy to make by only mixing all the ingredients into a bowl, chilling for 30 minutes in the fridge then rolling them into small ball shapes. Apart from being a quick and easy blackout day snack, they're packed with ingredients that boost your energy. So I'm set for my work weeks snack. What you'll need: -1 cup of oatmeal -2/3 cup of coconut flakes -1/2 cup of peanut -1/2 cup of wheat germ -1/2 cup of chocolate chips (optional or can be subbed for raisins) -1/3 cup of honey or agave syrup -1 tbsp of chia or sesame seeds -1 tbsp of vanilla extract Makes about 20-25 bites.
The most intense
workout songs are ones with high beats per minute.
A good workout playlist keeps your cardio on track.
It is springtime, well, at least the calendar says it is.
Even though the weather in Southern Ontario is temporarily flip-flopping from
day to day, that does not mean outdoor workouts should be affected.
The popular New Years resolution to stay fit may have failed
but with the new season sprouts a new opportunity.
Jessica Martinez, a Goodlife
Fitness trainer, says apart from January, spring brings in the second wave
of new gym memberships.
“People are inspired by the beautiful weather after being
kept inside all winter,” says Martinez. “It’s also a wake-up call that reminds
people summer and bathing suit weather is near. They want to look good so they
exercise to get a body they’re happy with at the beach.”
One of the most successful ways to burn fat and to maintain
good health is to conduct regular cardiovascular (cardio) exercises. But just
like with homework, cleaning, and all things good for you, exercising may need
an extra boost of motivation in the form of music.
Cardio workouts exercise the heart and other muscles of the
body. At the beginning of a run or any cardio routine, the body is filled with
energy to burn, but near the end it is common to feel tired.
The solution to pushing through until the end of the workout
is a great music playlist.
A great cardio workout requires fast paced songs because the
body will move according to the beats of the music.
That is where the magic of beats per minute helps. BPM is
used by DJs to find out how many beats there are in a minute of a song. This helps
them with mixing songs without clashing.
In exercising, songs with high BPM will help maintain fast paced
routines, which lead to a good heart workout.
For the average 20-year-old the targeted heart rate zone is
100-170 BPM. Targeted heart rate depends on the health of the individual so
this average is just a guideline and may not be suitable for everyone in his or
her early 20s.
To calculate BPM, count the number of beats within 15
seconds of a song then multiply by four to get the count for 60 seconds.
Here are a variety of mathematically perfect cardio songs:
·Hey Ya – Outkast (132 BPM)
·Panama – Van Halen (152 BPM)
·Nice Guys Finish Last – Green Day (187 BPM)
·C’mon (Catch ‘Em By Surprise) – Tiëst vs. Diplo
(136 BPM)
·The New Workout Plan – Kanye West (118 BPM)
·Getting’ Over You – David Guetta, Chris Willis,
and Fergie (136 BPM)
·Levels – Avicii (128 BPM)
·A City in Florida – Deadmau5 (128 BPM)
·212 – Azealia Banks (126 BPM)
·Express Yourself – Diplo ft. Nicky Da B (108
BPM)
For faster remixes of multiple songs try any of DJ Bl3nd’s
mixes. The young Los Angeles DJ makes music that guarantees sweat to drip off
your body, along with any extra clothing.
Finally, for that extra push to finish the last three and a
half minutes of a cardio workout, the best-paced song is Sandstorm by Darude
(136 BPM). At around 1:26 minutes into the intense beats, the song has an
appropriate one minute break down which can be used to catch your breath and
prepare yourself for the next minute of intense physical cardio. Good luck my urbs! -Ashley
