Canadian Cuisine

Check out my first post for You Gotta Eat This!

http://www.yougottaeatthis.com/international/fabulous-faith-introduces-canadian-cuisine/#.U9pTFmPCeR4

The Hangover - Caribana Pop-up Brunch

Healthy Steak Marinade - Healthy Seasoning

Seasoned Steaks

I like my steak well seasoned with lots of aromatic, savory flavor.  Allowing your meat to sit and marinade for a few hours before cooking will afford you a far superior product.

When creating a marinade look for flavors that will compliment the meats you are marinating, for example hearty herbs like rosemary and thyme go great with beef.

A good marinade contains herbs, spices, oil and an acidic flavoring (like vinegar) which breakdown protein chains in meats, making the meat more tender.

Here is the recipe for the marinade/seasoning blend pictures above:

Ingredients:

1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp crushed chilis
2 cloves of garlic, grated
2 tsp (10 ml) soy sauce
2 tsp (10 ml) worcestershire sauce

Instructions:

Rub the marinade into the steaks, covered and refridgerate up to 24 hours (minimum of 4 hours.)

Cook to your liking.

Grilled Rib-Eye Steaks, peppers and zucchini

Healthy Seasoning your meat - Healthy fish seasoning

Store bought pre-mixed spice blends are convenient but often loaded with chemicals.  Often overlooked, these additives, like MSG are very bad for your health and by reading the ingredients you will see that there is probably too much salt and empty calories.

Preparing your own blend of spice will not only help you save money but allow you to control what you are putting into your body.  Preparing spice blends is really easy and takes only a moment, you can even get your kids to do it.  Leftover spice mix can be stored in spice jars for easy access or frozen for long term storage.  The seasoning recipe below can be frozen for up to 3 months, simply multiply the quantities to suit your needs.

Here is an example of how I seasoned some frozen butterfish fillets:

Ingredients:

2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 scotch bonnet pepper, diced
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
2 teaspoons (10 ml) curry powder
2 teaspoons (10 ml) freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons (10 ml) sweet paprika
1 teaspoon (5 ml) sea salt

Directions:

Toss the fish to coat in the seasonings and allow to marinate at least an hour.

Bake at 400 degrees once seasoned and thawed for twenty minutes.

Pictured below with fresh lime

Faith's Why & How - Relationship Advice

There are many types of relationships from a cordial informal hello to long lasting affair of the heart, all of which are significant in your path to finding your purpose.  You may be driving alone and see a stranger in need of assistance and stop in your path to help, the memory of this short lived relationship could, for both of you, be life altering. The act of compassion and caring for a person who is doubting humanity and lost in self pity may reignite the flame of life in just seconds of your time.  While the memory of helping and setting the precedent that kindness still exists for others to witness and continue with as their own methodology towards life, will this more than strengthen your love for yourself. 

If you build relationships treating others the way you would like to be treated, you fill find the greatest companions and friends.  People are not perfect by any means, you will meet people who's negativity is so prominent that your good intentions will not be able to penetrate deep enough to be recognized.  These people are not ready to be in a relationship with you, don't feel bad, you cannot allow that negativity to impede your progress.  Wish them well and keep your distance until they are ready to share the light of the positivity that you walk in.  No matter the bond; whether, time or blood you cannot allow yourself to experience for more than a moment the sorrow that they dwell in.  You are on a path to greatness and greatness takes along no prisoners.  

Along your journey relationships will cause you pain. If you are empathetic, lower your expectations of others to minimize disappointment. If you are lonely take priority on your relationship with yourself before involving yourself with others. We are all guilty of setting expectations of others and in turn settings ourselves up for disappointment. Until you understand that it is you allowing yourself to be upset and hurt by expecting others to act as you wish, you won't find peace. You will be tormented with the why, don't expect why to comfort you. Why is irrelevant. What's important is how! How is very important, how did you come to feel this way, how did you get in this position, and how will you learn from it. How is important because it's how this won't happen again. Its how you will see people for what they are before you let them get close. How blocks the bigger losers who are yet to come. Why is pain and how is your power to change. 

There may be people in your life right now who are hurting you. You may call them friends, family or coworkers. You may have convinced yourself you need them, they love you and they are there to support you. But are they? Too often we share our weaknesses with our fr-enemies blinded by emotion. A relationship evaluation is something I do often and its something like this: 

How is this relationship beneficial?

How is this relationship toxic?

How do I feel about this person? 

How does this person feel about me?

What is the future of this relationship?

Should I continue this relationship?

If you answer these questions you should have a clear understanding of if you should continue or end this relationship. Unfortunately there will be a hard choice in some cases and your life may change, luckily it's for the better. As its said there are three types of relationships, people who come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime and its up to you to choose the right crew. It's a relation-ship and you should always expect rough waters.

How to Eat Healthy; How to have a natural healthy diet

Clients, friends and family are constantly asking how to establish and maintain a healthy all-natural diet.  Luckily, the availability of natural, organic and locally sourced food is constantly increasing.  I guess we can start with what not to eat, well basically anything with ingredients you can’t easily pronounce.  Check the ingredients on everything you consume, the more ingredients, the less natural.   Don’t consume sugar-free or calorie-reduced foods and beverages, the reduction of sugar and/or calories equals, the addition of chemicals.  

Organic food is not sprayed with chemicals to extend shelf life it is also not grown with genetically modified seeds and is therefore, the most natural.  The pricing is definitely more expensive as a result; however, there is a clear taste difference and obvious health benefit.  If it is not within your budget to purchase organic produce, locally grown produce is an excellent alternative as it does not need to be sprayed heavily with preservative chemicals for transport  and there is less risk of contamination. 

In my experience, the main problem with the North American diet is the over consumption of processed white flour and sugar.  Candy, pastries, white breads etc. are too often considered to be “healthy choices.”  Our breakfast choices are mainly white flour and sugar: waffles, pancakes, strudels, cereals which are often again coated with white sugar icing or sugar-syrup.  Sure the jolt of sugar wakes you up but the sugar rushes wear off and is followed with a crash, and when you crash you lose focus and can no longer operate at a high level. 

In order to maintain consistent focus and clarity, you need to maintain a healthy blood sugar level.  To do this you have to eat foods that release sugar into your blood stream slowly, like whole grain cereal (oatmeal, bran, whole wheat etc.)  Eating healthy means eating to live not living to eat, so all the foods you have been eating since childhood (coke, chips, candy, fries) are not your friends anymore. 

 If you want to be healthy you have to think of food as fuel for your body and portion size as the amount of fuel required to run your body effectively.  Look at what your about to consume, is it a healthy salad or is it vegetables covered in a processed creamy sauce, with chunks of white bread and fattening cheese?  Is the fried chicken going to nourish your body? How will you feel after eating that giant carb filled lunch?  Can you afford to be lethargic moping around all afternoon?  Asking these questions will open your eyes as to how to identify what to eat and what to avoid and will help you to begin to have a healthy, natural diet.

Fabulous Faith - Promo Shoot

Here is a sneak peak of Fabulous Faith's Promo Photo Shoot

Fabulous Faith

Fabulous Faith

Fabulous Faith

Local Chef Fabulous Faith serves hundreds of hors d’oeuvres to the homeless

 

Toronto, ON – March 4, 2014 

Yesterday, as the result of the cancellation of a post-Oscars event local chef Fabulous Faith was to cater a special treat was served to the homeless visitors of Good Shepard Ministries in Toronto.  Upon arrival at her client’s house, Fabulous Faith was advised that her client had been injured on the red carpet over the weekend.  Left with hundreds of delicious hors d’oeuvres prepared she quickly decided to call up a  local charity, Good Shepherd Ministries, that serves over a thousand of Toronto’s homeless meals every day.  

“You have to find the positive in every negative situation,” Fabulous Faith said. “This gave me the chance to give back to my community and I could not have asked for my food to be used for a better cause.” 

Five star hors d`oeuvres are not typically on the menu at Good Shepherd Ministries, or "The Good Shepherd", as it is affectionately called.  It is a place for the less fortunate to get a hot meal, clean clothes or a safe clean bed for the night.  For some, Good Shepherd Ministries means the Good Shepherd Centre, a place where can you go when there's no money left for food.   Having grown up in poverty herself, Fabulous Faith knows how much a good meal can make a difference.

Luckily on this occasion, Fabulous Faith, a Toronto based celebrity private chef, was able to provide the homeless with royal treatment she had originally prepared for an exclusive private Oscars after party.  In her party dress and heels she personally served the homeless with a big smile and over-the-top personality.  Soon to release her first cooking show, Fabulous Faith is a star on the rise.

Check out the video on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/M4CUM-8x5aU

Cauliflower the superfood - Health benefits of Cauliflower

Chia Seeds and Chia Gel - Health benefits and uses for Baking and Cooking

Chia seeds, yes the same ones that you may remember growing in Chia Pets with the popular Ch-ch-ch-chia slogan.  Aww, how I am reminded of my frizzy haired childhood, the days before flat irons, and the sound of classmates signing Ch-ch-ch-chia as I passed by. These tiny seeds are also superfoods and are the reason Chia Pets grew their trademark manes.  

In 2014, chia has become known as a great source of fibre and omega-3 fatty acid (that healthy stuff in fish.)  More than any time before; we have become focused on living a healthy lifestyle and creating /maintaining a beautiful exterior. 

As a chef, I am constantly surrounded by delicious and not so nutritious food, and therefore; constantly dieting.  The addition of chia seeds to my diet and recipes assists me in weight loss and maintenance.  You see chia seeds, when consumed, keep you feeling full for longer as a result of their unique gelling action.  When exposed to liquid, a gel like coating forms which increases the size and weight, this helps your body feel full.  

Chia Gel, the liquid form of chia seeds, may be taken by itself or added to creamy and liquid foods, significantly boosting nutrition and acting both as a food extender and a calorie displacer. I have a hyper thyroid and stable blood sugar levels help me to avoid cravings for foods, like carbs which I crave all the time.  Chia helps me to avoid the “highs” and “lows” and sustains my blood sugar level. 

Some cooking and baking uses for chia seeds are:

• Mix chia seeds with bread crumbs or flour when dredging fried foods
• Use as a replacement for poppy seeds in any recipe
• Add to oatmeal or porridge
• Add to smoothies and work-out drinks
• Add to jams /jellies /pudding
• Add chia seeds to salads or sprinkle over pasta

Some cooking and baking uses for chia gel are:

• A natural thickener for soups and sauces
• A great addition to protein shakes
• A binder in stuffing/meatloaf/meatballs instead of eggs or breadcrumbs.
• Use chia gel instead of oil in salad dressings
• Add to batter in replacement of oil
• Combat heartburn/acid reflux by drinking a few spoonful’s daily
• Add a few tablespoons to scrambled eggs instead of water or milk
• Mix with almond / nut butter for additional nutrition 

 

Chia Seeds and Gel - Try some today!