New Spring Menu At Aroma Espresso Bar & Contest Details

You read that word right. Spring. It means that winter is now behind us. The snow has melted. T-shirt weather is on the horizon, and a brand new spring menu is now at Aroma Espresso Bar! Aroma Espresso Bar is spicing things up a little this year with the launch of brand new menu items and making some tweaks on some old favourites. With the launch a few days ago on April 18th, the new spring menu features a Harissa Tuna Sandwich and an option to add Spirulina (a natural algae powder) to a variety of drinks.

Harissa Tuna Sandwich

My personal favourite off of this spring menu is the new Harissa Tuna Sandwich which packs the heat but nothing that is too overbearing on your taste buds. Harissa is a North African hot chili pepper paste and used here as a hearty spread and foundation for this sandwich. It's stuffed with albacore tuna, hard-boiled egg, tomato, red onion and pickle, and served on a hearth-baked soft sesame and semolina bun, with a side of Kalamata olives.

Warm Grilled Chicken Salad

Aroma has always made some very delicious salads and I can definitely thank them for getting me into quinoa these days, because I got obsessed with it only after having their Quinoa Salad here. A popular choice among customers before, their new Warm Grilled Chicken Salad now comes with roasted garlic, eggplant, and roasted red pepper. A fantastic upgrade to an already great salad.

Beverages are of course what many go to Aroma for primarily, so it wouldn't be a new spring menu without some great new and innovative drinks. Spirulina shots are available for a limited time and you can add them to an Ice Lemon Mint or any other fruit smoothies or juices. Spirulina is rich in natural nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, and a great source of iron. Instead of taking an espresso shot, next time change it up at Aroma and take a healthy dose of Spriulina in your drink instead. And yes, it will indeed turn your drink green!

An Aroma signature, the Ice Lemon Mint is also featured on their spring menu and of course you will find all their other beverages and food you have already come to love including those addictive chocolates!

To celebrate the launch of their new spring menu, I want to give you all an opportunity to win a $50 gift card at Aroma! Don't just take my word for it, have a taste yourself. Head on over to my Instagram page HERE and enter! The deadline to enter is this Sunday, April 23rd, 2017 at 11:59PM EST. A winner will be randomly chosen and contacted the day after.

For 5 bonus entries to the contest, leave a comment and your Instagram handle below and let me know what your favourite thing to get at Aroma is! Good luck everyone!

Milk Calendar's 40th Anniversary - Eggs Benedict With A Twist Recipe

Holy cow! I just had to do it.

Dairy Farmers of Canada's Milk Calendar which has been an integral part of many Canadian families from coast to coast is celebrating their 40-year milestone with their 2017 edition. Like many of us, every year we eagerly wait for the new Milk Calendar to hang up on our walls, providing us with easy, innovative, and delicious dairy related recipes for every meal and occasion.

The majority of Canadians do not consume the recommended servings of milk and dairy products, so the Milk Calendar was created 40 years ago to help Canadian families get their recommended daily servings using 100% Canadian milk in its recipes. This year of course is no exception and the 2017 edition reflects the milestone with a "How Far We've Come" theme that is also intended to honour Canada's 150th anniversary in 2017.

As soon as you turn to the first page of the 2017 Milk Calendar, you'll notice they've included some of their favourite recipes from their four decade old collection such as the Piquant Potato Salad from 1974, the Beef Ring with Seasonal Vegetables from 1981, and the Apple Berry Cobbler from 2000. All of these nostalgic recipes have been updated with flavours and ingredients using the current culinary tastes that anyone will come to love and enjoy in today's times.

Breakfast/brunch is absolutely my most favourite meal of the day so it is quite fitting that I will be sharing with you all the December 2017 Milk Calendar recipe, Eggs Benedict With A Twist. Fast forward a year from now, many Canadian families will be serving this up for the whole family to enjoy during the Holiday season. But for now you all get a sneak peak into this take on eggs benedict that includes the fresh and creamy taste of avocado.

Eggs Benedict With A Twist

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook: 3 Minutes
4 Servings

Ingredients

2 tsp (10 mL) butter
4 tsp (20mL) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250mL) milk
1/2 cup (125mL) finely grated Canadian Parmesan
1/2 tsp (2mL) mustard power
1/4 tsp (1mL) each, hot sauce and salt
4 small slices olive, cheese, or crusty Italian bread
4 eggs
4 thin slices Black Forest ham
4 slices tomato
1 avocado, peeled, and thinly sliced
Chives for garnish (optional)

Directions

1) Melt butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in flour. Gradually whisk in milk. Stirring continuously, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently 1 min. Whisk in Parmesan, mustard powder, hot sauce, and salt. Remove from heat; sauce will thicken slightly while preparing remaining ingredients. 2) Toast bread. 3) Poach eggs in simmering water about 3 mins. Fold ham to fit on each slice of bread, followed by a slice of tomato, avocado slices then egg. Drizzle with sauce then sprinkle with chives if using.

Cooking Tip

Add about 1 tbsp (15mL) white vinegar to eggs' poaching water; this helps eggs to hold their shape. Gently pat eggs dry with paper towel after cooking to prevent bread from becoming soggy.

Variation

Try fried eggs instead of poached and prosciutto instead of ham. 

Per Serving

Energy: 344 Calories, Protein: 19 g, Carbohydrate: 21 g, Fat: 21 g, Fibre: 4.6 g, Sodium: 694 mg, Calcium: 267 mg

All Milk Calendar recipes since 1974 are also available online at MilkCalendar.ca. Visit MilkCalendar.ca to see how you can pick up your copy of the 2017 calendar!

OktoberFEAST - Buy Your Tickets Today!

OktoberFEAST is an indulgent evening showcasing the hottest food and drink trends on Saturday, October 22nd, 2016 at the Markham Museum. With entertainment and a vibrant atmosphere, OktoberFEAST is sure to satisfy every craving.

Transforming an ordinary night into something extraordinary, local vendors like craft brewers, wineries, and the hottest restaurants have joined forces to raise funds for the fight against cancer. All proceeds from OktoberFEAST support the Canadian Cancer Society’s ground-breaking research and support services.

Below are just some of the vendors you can expect to find at this year's OktoberFEAST, and more will be announced as it gets closer to the date of the event. 

·         Mill Street
·         Brickworks Cider
·         Steam Whistle
·         Wellington Brewery
·         Beau’s Brewery
·         North Poke
·         Gourmet Gringos

This is one foodie event you do not want to miss. Let's all do our part and help make cancer a thing of the past!

Click HERE to buy your tickets today before they are sold out!

World Hypertension Day

As much as we all love food and trying out all kinds of cuisines and tasty treats, it is very important that we also take care of our bodies and be mindful of what we put in it. With World Hypertension Day coming up on May 17th, we are hoping to share some useful information to help you be the healthiest person you can be.

Although Canadians have a high awareness of many chronic conditions and diseases such as cancer and diabetes, they are less aware of an equally life-threatening condition – hypertension. According to a recent Ipsos survey commissioned by Dairy Farmers of Canada, 59 per cent of Canadians are concerned with developing high blood pressure, even though in reality, 90 per cent will be diagnosed in their lifetime.

Known as the silent killer, an estimated one in six people do not know they have high blood pressure, with over six million Canadian adults affected by the condition. High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for death due to stroke and a major risk factor for heart disease. If left untreated, it can lead to coronary artery disease, dementia, heart and kidney failure, and other chronic diseases. However, the condition can be prevented or managed through lifestyle changes.

“With Canadians facing such a high risk of developing high blood pressure, we all need to make healthy lifestyle choices, like striving towards a more balanced diet,” says Nathalie Savoie, Registered Dietitian and Assistant Director, Nutrition, Dairy Farmers of Canada. “One of the tools to help prevent or manage your blood pressure is to eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as an adequate amount of milk product every day. In fact, milk products contain potassium, magnesium, calcium and protein, all of which have been shown to effectively help maintain a healthy blood pressure.”

Dairy Farmers of Canada have set out to help Canadians reduce the risk of hypertension with three yogurt-based recipes, and in partnership with The Everyday Foodie, we will be publishing three of these recipes (one on each day starting on May 17th), making prevention easy with healthy and delicious meal and snack options.

Here are some ways of incorporating yogurt, fruits and vegetables into your everyday diet:

• Use yogurt and fresh fruit to make overnight oats for a fresh and tangy breakfast.
• Combine plain yogurt with herbs and use it as a healthy dip for your fruits and veggies, or even a pita wrap.
• Prepare frozen smoothies to ‘indulge’ in a healthy treat any time of day.

Check back here next week for some delicious and healthy yogurt-based recipes!

Krispy Kreme’s Day of the Dozens

I remember the good old days where I would drive all the way down to Mississauga and line up for hours just to get my hands on some Krispy Kreme doughnuts when they opened the very first store in Canada in 2001. There really isn’t anything like it when one of those Original Glazed doughnuts come straight out of the oven. It just melts in your mouth, the warm, sugary glazed goodness.

In what now has become an annual tradition for Krispy Kreme Canada since December 12th, 2012 (12/12/12), it’s biggest event in celebration of the holidays is called Days of the Dozens and will be happening again in just two short days again, December 12th, 2015 (12/12/15).

This Saturday, Krispy Kreme Canada will offer customers who go into one of their Doughnut Café’s two dozen Original Glazed Doughnuts for the price of one! With a recipe dating back to the 1930’s, the Original Glazed is Krispy Kreme’s bestselling doughnut and Day of the Dozens is the perfect day in the year to get your hands on them, a whole lot of them.

This event is valid for the entire day. You can participate on social media using the hashtag #DayoftheDozens or simply visit Krispy Kreme Canada’s social media channels to get the coupon and show it in store.

Twitter: KrispyKremeCan

Instagram: KrispyKremeCan

Facebook: Krispy Kreme Canada

All the Krispy Kreme locations across Canada below will be participating.

Ontario

Toronto (Downtown) – 164 McCaul St.

Toronto (Downtown) – 215 Harbord St.

Mississauga – 5920 Mavis Rd.

Quebec

Montreal (Greenfield Park) – 600 Auguste St.

Quebec City – 1560 LeBourgneuf Blvd.

So for all you doughnut lovers, this is one event you do not want to miss out on! Purchase one dozen Original Glazed doughnuts and receive a second dozen absolutely free! #DAYOFTHEDOZENS