Chefs often say the truest test of culinary talent can be revealed by how someone cooks an egg. It might seem an overly simple test, but try it on your own sometime. Eggs are remarkably delicate and so easy to get wrong. You can over- or undercook them in what seems like a fraction of a second. Culinary perfection notwithstanding, eggs are an important part of many peoples’ diets and for good reason. Their remarkable health benefits stack up quickly: 1. Delivers several nutrients Nearly all of the essential nutrients your body needs … [Read more...]

Sometimes we’re most productive when we’re out of the office. The mere change of scenery invigorates both our energy levels and our thought processes. A break from routine is always a refreshing change, and this is no more so than first thing in the morning when, by all accounts, you should really be at your desk already. That’s where the beauty of the breakfast meeting comes in. Meeting a colleague or friend to discuss business over breakfast offers several advantages over a traditional boardroom meeting. Firstly, it’s much less … [Read more...]

Health Canada last updated Canada’s Food Guide in 2007, dubbing it the Rainbow Guide. Why this particular moniker? The guide was an invitation to “eat the rainbow”, encouraging Canadians to include as many colourful fruits and vegetables in their diet as they can. Eating at home is the easiest and most affordable way to do this. Make sure every meal you prepare includes fresh fruits and vegetables. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. They can be cooked right into each dish or sit as an accompaniment on the side, cooked or raw. In … [Read more...]

A fruit-laden breakfast is a great way to start the day. You can rev your body awake with an explosion of flavour and enjoy a long, impressive list of health benefits to boot. Really, no matter what the time of day fruit is an excellent, healthy choice. But there’s something about breakfast and fruit that seems to go hand in hand. Fruit benefits the body in many ways. One of the most impressive is that it can actually help protect you from illness. Many fruits are rich in vitamins C, A and E; these important anti-oxidants protect your … [Read more...]

By now we all know that skipping breakfast is a cardinal sin. But are all breakfasts created equal? For those who are trying to lose weight, nutritionists have long touted the importance of including protein at breakfast. Why? Protein helps you feel fuller longer, so you won’t be tempted to nibble before lunch. Cutting back on the amount of carbs you eat and increasing your protein at breakfast means you will feel less hungry and be able to regulate your appetite throughout the day. And you’ll have more energy. If a protein-rich … [Read more...]

It’s no fun doing math at the breakfast table, but sometimes we get a little curious about what exactly is on our plates. Crepes are the thin, elegant vessels we owe unending thanks to the French for. They’re often served with ingredients ranging from sweet to savoury. But what kind of a nutritional punch do they pack? A single, plain crepe will run you about 110 calories, 3 grams of fat and 4 grams of protein, on average. These numbers are on par with a typical slice of bread. And like a slice of bread, so much depends on what comes … [Read more...]

The crepe is a food that begs for customization. It’s like bread; tasty, yes, but it’s the lettuce, cheese and sliced meat that introduces flavour and different textures that make it more than a grain product. Strawberry and chocolate crepes are some of the most popular, but there’s a whole other world of crepes just waiting for you. Here are some other crepe dishes. Shrimp Salad on Buckwheat Crepe – This dish features sautéed shrimp mixed with bell peppers, mild chillies, lemongrass cilantro and garlic. Buckwheat is a type of flour … [Read more...]

While the crepe we’re accustomed to is definitely the version created in France centuries ago, the crepe has many versions. The tortilla is one example. A staple in Latin American cuisine, the tortilla is basically a harder crepe made from corn flour. Here are some other crepe variations from around the world. In Italy, the crepe is known as a crespelle. A popular way of serving it is with tomato sauce, spinach and lots of cheese. Central and some Eastern Europe countries are home to palatschinkes, which are slightly thicker than a … [Read more...]