Category: EAT & DRINK
Cupcakes: You Know You Want One!
I arrived at kindergarten a few minutes earlier than usual so I sat in my car leafing through the newest Avon book dropped off the day before. I’ve found the odd nifty gift through Avon though not to mention their catalog fits in my bag. Perfect for when I get that sacred minute for myself. Avon’s [...]
Family Recipes to LOVE – Cheddar Zucchini Bread
We keep meaning to post this delicious recipe for pretty much the best zucchini bread EVER. But, about the time one of us has made a batch, it has disappeared before being properly photographed. This weekend, a tiny slab made it to the 24-hour mark. So, we are able to share how pretty it looks [...]
Earth Day – Top 10 Reasons to Eat Local
Editor’s Note: As we celebrate the Earth today, I have to admit that I am ALWAYS thinking about food. With 7 billion people on the planet, keeping everyone fed and healthy is a big issue that I often find myself trying to wrap my head around. That’s a lot to take in. But, what goes [...]
Family Breakfasts – Cranberry & Coconut Scones
Breakfast is one of those meals that, during the week, pretty much gets forgotten about. In between lunches and getting dressed, last-minute homework and the inevitable butt-dragging that constitutes the life of any school-aged kid, the prospect of spending the time to whip up a hot breakfast comes in dead last. But, the morning meal [...]
Think Spring, Think Veg Delivery, Think Faires Farms
With all of this gorgeous Spring-like sunshine here on Vancouver Island it’s no wonder that many of us have gotten our kitchen mojo back after a long Winter’s nap. The urge to whip up some new and wonderful culinary delights makes Spring so much fun. It also makes us long for a regular fresh veg [...]
Healthy Bites – Caprese Salad Sandwiches
If there’s one food that most families can agree on, it’s sandwiches. There’s nothing like those two slabs of fresh bread, bagels or even a tortilla filled with deliciousness to win the heart of even the pickiest of eaters. Now salad, that’s a different story. Kids are legendarily tough sells in the veggie department. But, [...]
CV Literacy Week – Literacy In The Kitchen
When it comes to spending time with your family in the kitchen, reading and writing isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But, making bread and even whipping up some mac n’ cheese isn’t always as easy as it may seem. Getting kids into the kitchen with you at any age is a great [...]
Cozy Family Recipes – Honey Buns
Lots of moms go through phases with cooking for their family. Sometimes you are wowed by the wonder and can’t stop yourself from spending every extra second in the kitchen. Others, well, it’s a good thing there’s takeout sushi. But, there’s something about getting the basics down and delivering them fairly regularly that is pretty [...]
Join The Wealthy School Revolution
As every parent with school-aged kids knows, we are called upon regularly to contribute and lend a hand with paying for extras as a part of our kid’s education for everything from gym equipment to sports programs. Candy bars, cookies and hot dogs are great. But, what if you could give back to your local [...]
Last-Minute, Easy Cookie Recipes
It’s the day before Christmas. Friends who you see once a year are on the island and in the mood for some social time. They phone. They text. They Facebook saying they’ve got a few hours headed your way. You’re looking around the house wondering why you didn’t start cooking holiday dinner a little early…and [...]
20-minute Soup for the Sick Family
Our family has been battling this evil, satanic virus that is ripping through the Valley right now for almost two weeks. We’ve been in and out of school, lost voices, watched our noses run away, coughed up a lung, you get it. Being sick is one of the worst things I could ever come up [...]
Homemade Staples – Granola Bars
When it comes to the basics that go in lunch kits, are tasty, healthy snacks and keep everyone happy in the house one of the things that always seems to go with us anywhere is granola bars. Throw them in a purse, a backpack, even a diaper bag and you’ve always got something ready when [...]
Healthy, Fun Kids Snacks – Homemade Fruit Roll-ups
While our house isn’t swimming in berries right now, we are all really craving some of that late summer goodness that is ripe blackberry or blueberry around here. I have piles and piles of berries frozen from this year’s picking and really wanted to make something for the kids that could go easily into lunch [...]
Healthy Comfort Foods – Spinach Burgers
At first blush, spinach burgers may not be something that you’d consider a dinner staple for your whole family. The mere thought of a mouthful of greens may be repellent for the fussy food crowd. But, this recipe recently whipped up in the OBE test kitchen proved greens could get the green light for dinner. [...]
Fall Family Recipes – Chicken Sweet Potato Pot Pie
As we move into the chilliest time of year I begin to hunker down in the kitchen to create some cozy, satisfying comfort foods that are also healthy. That seems to be the trick, really, as comfort food always seems to be code for heavy and full of calories. Homemade pot pie is a tasty [...]
Easy Kids Lunchbox Eats – Mini Calzones
Getting our oldest daughter to eat all of her lunch these days is a serious challenge. I swear they give those kids about 2 minutes to eat their lunch and she is about the slowest eater on the planet. So, that combination means that most of the time almost the entire lunch comes home with [...]
Warm Cumin Lentil Chickpea Salad with Turmeric-Scented Shrimp
Editor’s Note: Good Morning. Today we are joined by the lovely food blogger and chef France Morisette from Beyond The Peel. France has just released a new digital cookbook. Do you ever wonder if there’s such a thing as delicious health food? Would you like meals to be stress free, nourishing, fast and amazing? Would [...]
Easy Kids Lunchbox Eats – Cheese, Apple & Ham Quesidilla
It’s the day after Thanksgiving in Canada and all of us are in turkey overload. My husband made a bet that at least one-third of the kids in our daughter’s class would have some sort of turkey dish in their lunchbox today. While it’s an excellent use of leftovers, moms are still on the hunt [...]
Modern Thanksgiving – Quinoa & Winter Veggies
With that traditional Thanksgiving dinner less than a week away now, making plans for what goes on the dinner table and the inevitably long, familiar shopping list that goes with it are just about underway. For us, the holiday will be a quiet, cozy time this year filled with giving thanks for our happy, healthy [...]
Easy Family Dinners – Meatloaf Muffins
Let’s face it. Time is a commodity when the kids are starving after a day of school, you are exhausted from the general chaos of raising a family, working, being human, and there is still so much to do at the end of every day. Cooking big dinners is rarely on the to-do list. Dinner [...]
Fall Food – Refrigerator Beets & Beet Salad
Fall food is all about rich, comfortable noshing. I find myself baking more and moving toward thicker, more hardy dishes as the temperatures cool. But, my extra large baby weight size has really made me determined to keep working off the pounds while still making yummy, cozy dishes that are super satisfying. Adios potatoes. One [...]
Fall Family Food – Drying Apples
Whenever I hear the words “food preservation” they always seem like code for “lots of work.” While I love the warmth and back-to-basics feeling I get when considering taking on a project, it always seems like when I get right down to it I lose the will to preserve. This year, though, I’ve been really [...]
Fall In Love with Baking at Baker's Bling
I am not what you would call the Queen of the Kitchen. Cooking is something I do sporadically. My family relishes the one week every six months that I actually make something other than the five things we eat all of the time. It’s sad, really. But last year at the end of my pregnancy [...]
Fall Food – Zucchini Times Two
Editor’s Note: Every year during the summer I head back into the Our Big Earth archives and check out some of the oldies but goodies that get filed away and dust them off because it doesn’t matter if it’s 1967 or 2011, they are truly timeless. Every September my counter is packed full of one [...]
Summer Soups That Make You Sing
Summer eating rarely involves the stove or oven in my universe. The thought of heating up the house even more than it already is sends me in the direction of salads, Ploughmans platters and barbecue. But, with this year’s relatively cool temperatures and my parents in town for the season I have rediscovered a love [...]
Mayo vs. Miracle Whip
It’s a long-standing feud in our family – mayonnaise versus Miracle Whip salad dressing. It’s pretty much a fight to the death that no one will win. Mayo is beloved by some. Miracle Whip, beloved by others. There will be no changing of the minds, ever. The debate flares up fairly regularly – actually just [...]
North Vancouver Island's Hottest Spots for an Excellent Cocktail
It’s time for drinks! Summer is all about evenings on the deck with tall glass of deliciousness in hand. We’ve been doing some serious cocktail destination surfing this year and have discovered some gems. Here are a few of our favorites (in no particular order): 1. One of our newest fave spots for drinks is [...]
Campout Food – Owl Smores
If you couldn’t tell, I have camping on the brain. We may never get to the actual act of setting up a tent and sleeping in it overnight this year. But, wiener roasts, ghost stories and some night star gazing are going to happen – even if it’s just in the backyard or at the [...]
Top 10 Reasons to Meet A Local Farmer
It’s that time of year when all of the delicious edibles in the Comox Valley start coming in to season. One of the best parts of it all is getting out right into the fields and meeting the farmers, ranchers and food producers in their own territory. We love the Farmer’s Market. But, there are [...]
A Weekend Worth of Date Nights
There is nothing that I like better than to spend an evening with Ken. It’s such a rarity these days that we have set out to start planning regular date nights – especially ones that involve some excellent eating, music and beverages. If you are craving that chance to cash in the grandma babysitting card [...]
Summer Eating Means The Chance to Go Local
Now that the sun has finally burst through the clouds and summer is in full swing it also means that Comox Valley produce is in full swing as well. I totally love this time of year as berries, tomatoes, salad mix and so much more comes into season. The other great discovery is that there [...]
Learning How To Can
When I was a kid, summers were filled with fresh food. My mother would drive out to the same roadside stands every year to buy a bushel of peaches and tomatoes, two bushels of pickling cucumbers, sometimes even plums. Then, in the heat of the season, we’d spend days and days blanching, washing, skinning, stuffing [...]
Crush of the Month – Earth's Best Baby Food
I am a huge fan of homemade baby food. It’s fair to see that our wee one eats – for the most part – hand prepared meals. It’s a peace of mind thing for me – I went to the market and bought everything she’s eating, know where it comes from, how it’s grown. Plus, [...]
Retro Recipe – Coconut Cocoa Date Balls
Editor’s Note: Lately, I’ve been going back through the OBE archives in an attempt to remember some of my favorite recipes of years gone by to remake them as I’m perpetually in a food rut. That’s when I came across this delicious treat for Coconut Cocoa Date Balls – originally published on June 11, 2008. [...]
What Kinds of Foods Do Your Babies Like to Eat?
I can’t believe we are already there at the point where the wee one is busily chowing down on her first foods. Our oldest daughter has always been a championship eater, even from the early days, snacking on everything from fresh fish and avocado to broccoli and oatmeal. I wondered if the wee one would [...]
Kitchen Product Review – The Magic Bullet Blender
It was Christmas Eve and Ken’s mom had two big boxes – one for us and one for his sister’s family. Knowing how she rolls, we all figured we were getting the same thing and sure enough we smiled and nodded at the sight of matching hand blenders. I wasn’t sure what the heck I [...]
Local Food is Sexy…Seriously
Are you inspired or tired of all of this talk about local food? The 100-mile diet may have come and gone, but eating local remains one of the most buzzed about food conversations throughout North America. You don’t have to spend your weekends at the Farmer’s Market (although I highly recommend heading out there), love [...]
The Incredible, Edible Egg
When our daughter was born nearly six years ago we lived just outside San Francisco and were fortunate to have a holistic pediatrician whose philosophy on health care for kids was treating the whole person – diet, medicines, exercise all working together to help kids be there best. Some of our friends questioned our rather [...]
Great Lunch Bargains for Kids in the Comox Valley
When it comes to favorite past times, going out to lunch rates pretty high on things I love to do with my kids. Stopping during the middle of the day for a bite to eat is a ritual that my oldest daughter and I have done for ages. But, sitting down for a restaurant meal [...]
Crush of the Month – Vegan Baking
You could call me mildly freaky about cleanliness in the kitchen. I’ve always had this thing about not licking the bowl (I’m so boring, I know) after making cookies and never ever touching anything twice after handling eggs. My fussiness about it all got even more intense after having kids. Salmonella is no one’s friend. [...]
Zen Zero and A Kids Menu to Love
I apologize to the vegan crowd. But, I like meat. There’s something warm and cozy about a Sunday pork roast. But, when we are out running around town and are in need of something to rev up our engines without a giant sugar buzz, we often end up over at vegan restaurant Zen Zero in [...]
Restaurant Review – Purple Onion Deli
One of the things that is tough to come by in Comox is a lunch place. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few yummy spots like Sushi Kobo and Rocky Mountain Cafe. But, I love a great deli with the feel of a local haunt where you can chat with the owners, drink a [...]
Top Ten Things We Know Better Than To Feed Our Kids (and still do)
I pay for my parenting guilt with food. Yes, I know all of the rules against it, how it makes kids into food-obsessed adults, how placating your children with treats and goodies is, well, not so good in the parenting universe according to the royal “They” who tell us the rules. When I was a [...]
Wayback Kid-Friendly Eats – Salad People
Editor’s Note: Is Spring Break getting you down? Are you in serious need of some food fun around your house? We’ve jumped on the OBE wayback machine all the way back to March 2008 when Christa Herrling shared her fun version of salad people with us, making everyone smile and giving us a fun project [...]
Island Chefs Share Their Recipes In New Cookbooks
Hey mamas. I have scored big in the introduce-new-and-amazing-foods-to-your-family-without-slaving-over-a-hot-stove-for-days-department. Whitecap Books has recently released new cookbooks from two fantastic Vancouver Island chefs and they are all about easy, delicious and inspiration in the kitchen (just what my current food boredom needs to kick it in the rear good). The first, from Victoria Times Colonist food [...]
Nutritious Solutions for Young Kids
Well, we’re not quite to the solid food stage with our newest little one. But, in getting ready for it I’ve been doing a fair bit of reading and in the process found myself reminded of all of things that I should (and more than I like to admit don’t) be doing to make sure [...]
Get Out for an Evening of Eats at Dine Around Comox Valley
Ah, dinner out, just the two of you. Can you even imagine? Ken and I haven’t had a dinner that didn’t involve food all over the table, eating as fast as humanly possible to get the kids to bed before they wig out or the perpetual “How many more bites do I have to eat?” [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – Pork Medallions
This one is for the Flatlanders. I’m writing this post as I bask in the sun of my vacation destination. Most people would think I’ve taken a cruise or headed down to Mexico for some fun in the hot sun. Think again. My vacation time is spent in the sunny and spectacular flat land of [...]
Family Treats – Yogurt Poppy Seed Cake
Editor’s Note: Comox Valley mom and entrepreneur Ewa Nowicka is here this morning to share one of her favorite family recipes that makes these last few days of Winter a bit more bearable. It looks so delicious, I may just have to go make it this afternoon. Cake is heaven. This thin, moist cake is [...]
Crush of the Month – My Crock Pot
I‘m pretty sure that if you asked anyone in my family lately what they are grateful for around here, it would be the crock pot. The busier we get, the less interested in making dinner I get. I’ve said it before that the likelihood of us eating a decent meal is completely dependent upon when [...]
Top Comox Valley Spots for A Romantic Valentines Dinner
Lately we seem to be a bit swept up by romance around here. Why stop now? Dinner and drinks are a Valentines fave and there are some amazing eateries around the Comox Valley to treat your sweetheart with. Here are some of our recommendations for the romantic meal that will knock your socks off. Don’t [...]
Old Skool Holidays – Valentines Sugar Cookies
Editor’s Note: This fantastic recipe was first posted on Ourbigearth.com in February, 2008 by local mom and baker Christa Herrling. As Valentines Day 2011 catches up with us, I thought it was time to revisit it and get our baking groove on with delicious, sweet and gorgeous sugar cookies. Enjoy. For this Valentines edition of [...]
Lunchbox Ideas – Go For The Thermos
Editor’s note: Good Morning, I’m always looking for lunch ideas to keep us interested instead of eating the same thing day after day. Thank goodness Christy Aune from Kids Konserve is here today with some great ideas on how to trade the lunch box for the thermos during the winter to jazz up those noon-time [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – Oyster Bacon Burgers & Kale Chips
The holidays have come and gone and the resolutions have been made. I’ve resolved in the past not to make resolutions. I find that it’s too much pressure and since most of my resolutions have to do with exercise and a restrictive diet, I couldn’t do it anyways. You see I’m a food lover. I [...]
Dairy-Free Betty – Salmon Chowder
The holidays have come and gone and everyone has already been back to school and work for a week. It’s also this time of year that people are in the final stages of the “turkey hangover,” also know as; hot turkey sandwich, turkey soup and stew and any other turkey flavoured meal overload, and they [...]
Restaurant Review – Applebees in Courtenay, B.C.
We tend to stick to small, local haunts when it comes to eating out. But, when the whole family – with a whole variety of tastes in terms of food – gets together for a meal the aunts, uncles, cousins and grandma head in the general direction of the large menus and big booths of [...]
New Years Resolution – Hit the Kitchen with Your Kids
It has become remarkably apparent to me over the last couple of months that some of the best loved times spent in our family are those spent baking, making dinner, sharing a homemade snack or learning through spending time in the kitchen. I think I suspected learning how to create different combinations of food would [...]
Holidays 2010 – Last-Minute Holiday Meals
Editor’s Note: Good Morning, OBE Mom Posse mamas Leah Douglas and Robin Blackburn have joined forces today to help us all get through those last-minute holiday meal emergencies with style and some yummy eats. Don’t spend too much time in the kitchen (unless there is wine involved). Enjoy! Okay, it is nearly Christmas. You have [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – Baked Candied Apples
Have you ever been completely caught off guard by your own plans? The plans that you, and only you have made? That was my dilemma this past week. I was so excited when, a few months ago, I learned that a couple of close friends would be staying with my family and I for a [...]
Dairy-Free Betty – Allergy-friendly Holiday Treats
Happy Holidays to all the Our Big Earth readers, it’s amazing that the store shelves have been stocked with Christmas decorations for a month now, and that Christmas is just around the bend, which means it’s a perfect time to start Christmas baking! I have a confession; last Christmas was my very first Christmas ever [...]
Family Recipes – The OBE Holiday Cookie & Candy Exchange
Well, I figure since I am not going to be magically discovering the space in real life to bake this year, I ought to do the annual cookie exchange electronically. Over the years, we have amassed some seriously tasty recipes for sweets of all kinds that go perfectly in the cookie exchange pile. So, here [...]
Spice Up Your Holiday Cooking with Chatelaine
When I got an e-mail from a publicist friend of mine about Chatelaine’s new cookbook, I knew it would be lovely – as Chatelaine has been one of my go-to Canadian women’s magazines for years and I’ve tried many of the monthly recipes with amazing success (that is saying a lot for me and my [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – Wild Game Stew
I’m starting to get ready. It’s the time of year when it gets a bit dull, a bit rainy, and a bit gloomy. For me it’s the perfect time to start stocking up on some yummy stick-it-to-your-tummy winter foods like chili and stew. For my husband the rain marks the start of his favorite holiday [...]
Crush of the Month – Annie's Rice Pasta Mac N Cheese
Can you L-O-V-E macaroni and cheese? I dare to say that I have singlehandedly proven that it is possible, even probable, that mac and cheese can serve as a most beloved friend when in need. Even when your kiddo is desperately allergic to wheat. That’s all because of Annie’s Homegrown Rice Pasta Macaroni and Cheese [...]
Dairy-Free Betty – Pulled Pork with Tangy Crisp Coleslaw
Today I am bringing a little down South cooking your way, of course with a few delicious twists! This is the perfect meal to throw into your crock pot when you know you are going to have hungry people taking over your home, a delicious change from all the turkey meals we are about to [...]
Creative Kids – Learning Through Baking Bread
When I was a kid, spending the day in the kitchen with my mom or grandmother was always a treat. It meant a chance to eat leftover cookie dough, make some of our favorite pastries or just spend some time together without worrying about what the world outside that kitchen was doing. My brother and [...]
Parenting Food Tricks – Bribe Your Kids Out of Their Candy
A while back, I discovered The Tale of the Great Pumpkin. I heard it in conversation. I read it on website after website, this spookytacular tale of bribing the kiddos out of their candy. I am convinced that one brilliant parent out there came up with this remarkably savvy tool for reducing the sugar buzz [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – Pumpkin Sour Cream Loaf
Thanksgiving has come and gone. I think I’m still recovering from the feast. My husband and I were grateful this year to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with relatives from a few provinces away. Our son enjoyed getting to know family and his dinner of turkey and cabbage rolls and potatoes and brussell sprouts (yes, [...]
Local Food Program Honored Nationally with Hellmann's Real Food Grant
Hellmann’s Canada recently announced that Our Big Earth Media Co. and the Comox Valley 30-Day Local Food Challenge is being celebrated as one of 23 local food programs across Canada to receive a 2010 Real Food Grant for OBE’s work supporting Canadian small farms and local agriculture. This honor was granted to only two other [...]
Dairy-Free Betty – Comfort Food Pumpkin Soup
It is officially fall, there is no denying it now! The air is crisp, the leaves are turning colors, Christmas commercials are beginning to flooding the airwaves and Starbucks has re-launched their infamous Pumpkin Spice Latte. You can’t get much more fall than that! Fall for me is time for the summer clothes to be [...]
Restaurant Review – Delicados in Courtenay
Mmmmm, Mexican food. If there is one thing I truly miss about our years in San Francisco, it’s the absolutely fantastic, fresh and flavorful Mexican and Latin American food that lived on nearly every corner. It was heaven. Since our return to Canada, finding those really great flavors again has been rather – well – [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – 5 Ways to Use Thanksgiving Leftovers
Editor’s Note: You may be thinking “What are they talking about, Thanksgiving?” But, believe it or not, the big day for Canadians is less than two weeks away and if there is one thing we all suffer from as parents, it’s whattodowithleftovers-itis. So, The Kid-Friendly Gourmet’s Christine Buchholz is here today to share some great [...]
What's For Dinner…Mom's Not Cooking – 10 Un-Dinners
Admit it, by the time 5 p.m. rolls around every day the last thing on most of our minds is “Oh it’s a lovely day and I’ve been dreaming of this moment during which I can wrangle the kids, remember that I didn’t get half of the groceries I needed and still make the most [...]
Dairy-Free Betty – Warming Moroccan Stew
Editor’s Note: Fall may be another week away, but this cooler weather is sure calling for some warm, wonderful eating for the whole family. Dairy-Free Betty’s Jessica McRoberts is here this morning with a twist on stew that is sure to make you cozy. Enjoy. Can you believe it’s already halfway through September? This was [...]
Back-to-School 2010 – Breakfast, The Most Important Meal
Editor’s Note: As your groggy crew rolls out of bed this morning and gets ready for another day of school, it’s time to consider what we are putting into our systems to fuel up for the busy school year ahead. Dr. Heather Manley – a Canadian naturopath now living in Hawaii – is here this [...]
Back-to-School 2010 – This Year's Hottest Lunch Gear
After sharing a whack of fun, easy lunchbox recipes yesterday (you can find them HERE), it’s time to take a look at all of the new ways you can pack them up and send them off this school year. Lunch kits are all the rage this season and finding the perfect one for your kids, [...]
Back-to-School 2010 – More Easy Lunchbox Eats
Getting back into the habit of packing a house full of lunches every day is, well, possibly the least fun part of the whole back to school gig. It’s a routine which can make your kids groan at the thought of “What could possibly be in there today?” Or, it can be an exercise in [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – Salmon Pasta Salad
Editor’s Note: The weather may be a bit cooler. But, that means the backyard will be the perfect temperature for that family BBQ you’ve been putting off all summer. It also means that refreshing, hearty, yummy fare like a gourmet take on pasta salad are in order. Kid-Friendly Gourmet Christine Buchholz is here this morning [...]
Banana Soft Serve with Dairy-Free Chocolate & Caramel Sauce
Editor’s Note: It may be finally starting to cool down. But, there is nothing like the frozen goodness of homemade ice cream to take the edge off of summertime heat. Today, Jessica McRoberts of Dairy-Free Betty gives even those of us who have to say no to dairy the delicious coolness of a sweet treat [...]
Summer Treats – Get Fruitastic with Two Jelly & Fruit Gems
I am all over the easy summer treats that will wow the kid crew around here these days. Gelatin goodness packed with fruit are always the hit of the season. We’ve had some of my most loved (and most returned to) recipes here on OBE. Check out Rosina Huber’s Veggie Jelly Melons (with half the [...]
Summer Foodie Redeux – Homemade Frozen Treats
If there is one thing that makes summertime sweet, it’s popsicle in hand, bathing suit on, kiddie pool in play. As a kid, I would have skipped all things sweet and sugary for a fudgesicle or a freezie pop. Since then, though, I’ve had a few years to feel badly for my parents who got [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – Beef Lettuce Wraps
Editor’s Note: Happy Wednesday! Christine Buchholz is here with another delicious kid-friendly recipe that was inspired by local farms and is sure to please. Enjoy. Here she is: So often I think about my son and how he will learn about food. I wonder if he’ll know that vegetables come from a planted seed and [...]
Product Review – SodaStream Soda Maker
Happy Monday. When Brian Gorman over at Organic Family Natural Home introduced us to the SodaStream soda maker a while back, I thought it was a really cool idea and we kept talking about replacing some of our family members diet soda, single-serving bottle addictions with this cool, new set up that takes tap water [...]
Out and About – Picking Blueberries under Blue Skies
It’s the season I wait for all year. Not summer. No, it’s blueberry season. And there is one lovely U-Pick blueberry farm in Comox that you can hit for the next six weeks or so and snack down on those tasty blue morsels – Blue Haven Farm on Anderton Road and Idiens Way. If you [...]
Dairy Free Betty – Green Smoothie And Raw Garden Soup
Editor’s Note: Good morning. Jessica McRoberts is back this morning with some wonderful, fresh recipes that highlight the amazing foods of summer, keeping things light and flavorful. Enjoy. In June, I was lucky enough to do a 10 day Raw Foods course with the famous “Raw Rose.” It was the perfect opportunity to inspire me [...]
Kids In The Kitchen = Healthy Eating
Editor’s Note: Good morning! Karen Pantuso-Swanson is here with a look at the importance of getting kids involved in food preparation. Enjoy. Here she is: “Did you ever stop to taste a carrot? Not just eat it, but taste it? You can’t taste the beauty and energy of the earth in a Twinkie.” – Astrid Alauda [...]
Ten Farms & Food Producers Local Families Shouldn't Miss
There are definitely more than ten fantastic farms and food producers to visit here in the Comox Valley. But, we thought we’d chime in with a few gems this morning and throughout the month to plug you in to great local food. If you haven’t gotten your Comox Valley 30-Day Local Food Challenge passport yet, [...]
The Benefits of Eating Locally Sourced Food
Editor’s Note: Happy Saturday! This morning Gayle Bates is on site with a look at the importance of sourcing out local food. Here she is: The 2010 Comox Valley 30-Day Local Food Challenge is on! We have before us a July filled with opportunities to celebrate our local food producers and vendors. It is fantastic for [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – Blueberry Lemon Stacks
Editor’s Note: Good morning. Christine Buchholz is on site with a tasty kid-friendly dessert recipe that is sure to have you running for the kitchen to whip it up. Enjoy. What comes to mind when you think of the word fresh? I think of clean, pure and, well, delicious. When I think of the word [...]
Dairy Free Betty – Sweet & Spicy Lamb Burgers with Tabbouleh
Editor’s Note: Good morning. Jessica McRoberts is back today with two tasty, exotic recipes for summer that will have your mouth watering. Enjoy. Do you have days when you want to spice up your life a little? I have these moments all the time, especially when it comes to food. I like food experiences that [...]
Restaurant Review – Comox Valley Bakehouse
Editor’s Note: If you missed out on the fun educational learning in Campbell River on Saturday June 5, you can get the scoop on the Ocean’s Day celebration HERE. Now, there’s a new bakehouse in town and we’ve got the goods on it. Here’s a review of Comox Valley Bakehouse: I love bread. It’s a mild [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – BBQ Skewers And Pasta Salad
Editor’s Note: Good morning. Christine Buchholz is here with two tasty kid-friendly recipes that will have you firing up the BBQ. Enjoy. Here she is: I can hardly believe it. Spring is almost over and it feels like it has only just begun. I know what you’re thinking. This happens every year without fail – [...]
Dairy Free Betty – Stuffed French Toast
Editor’s Note: Jessica McRoberts is back on site with a tasty and creative recipe for French toast that includes wheat-free and egg-free suggestions. Simply delicious. Here she is: You know those mornings when you wake up and it’s the perfect morning? You wake up from a restful sleep to the sun peeking through the blinds, [...]
The OBE Best Birthday Cake List
While I totally get that there is a birthday every day of the year, it seems like there are “seasons” amongst friends or certain ages of kids that mark the onset of birthday party madness. For us, it’s right about now. From around June 1 through the end of October it is, literally, birthday after [...]
Cookbooks – Time for The Gourmet Pregnancy
If there is one thing I am lately, it’s fussy about food. This is rather unusual for me as I’m generally what I consider a very open-minded foodie. We don’t really do drive-thru and have this general rule that cows are our friends, not our food. But, all in all, I’m willing to at least [...]
The Kid-Friendly Gourmet – Easy Root Vegetable Gratin
Editor’s Note: Good morning readers! Today we are lucky to introduce you to another new OBE foodie addition. Food photographer and at-home gourmet Christine Buchholz’s column focused on savory – dare we even say gourmet – kid-friendly recipes launches today. Her first recipe is sure to please those tiny people in your life and give [...]
Dairy Free Betty – Turkey Veggie Chili & Cornbread
Editor’s Note: Good morning. It is our pleasure to introduce one of two new foodie columnists here at OBE. Today we have Jessica McRoberts, from Dairy Free Betty, on site dishing out a tasty, versatile and simple recipe for turkey veggie chili and cornbread. All of Jessica’s dishes focus on allergy-friendly alternatives. My mouth is already watering! Enjoy. [...]
Product Review – Eco-Friendly Popsicle Molds
We totally dig popsicles around our house. Even in the dead of winter, you’ll find us out in search of frozen juice. They’ve become a favorite go-to treat in our family because – with M’s dairy allergy – ice cream is pretty well off the list. But, the other thing that I really try to [...]
Restaurant Review – The Zocalo Cafe & Gallery
Good Morning. For the longest time, I have loved going out for breakfast. It’s totally a throw back to my childhood when – every Sunday after church – we would pile into the car and hit the local omelette joint as a part of our weekly family ritual. I loved ordering my own food and [...]
Spring Time is All About Shoulder Season Eating
It’s that time of year when gardens are being dug up, seeds are being sown and day dreams of fresh vegetables seem so close, yet so far from reality. For me, it’s all about tomatoes. I know that bright red goodness from the garden is months away. But, a girl can dream. I keep thinking [...]
