Buy Canadian First - Your destination for good shopping

Many of us here in Ontario have tried and enjoyed venerable  Peller Estates wines in the comfort of our own homes. But what I really think is going to capture your imagination is the wonderful idea that you can actually make a weekend of fine Ontario wine, at the Peller Estates Winery vineyard!

With Summer drawing to a close and beautiful Autumn weekends in our future, Peller Estates seems like an ideal place to visit. It is located in  one of the most beautiful spots in Canada, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, about two hours west of Toronto. Driving there in your own car or with a bus tour,  as the leaves change colour, would be absolutely spectacular!

It seems that Peller Estates has so much to offer visitors! You can spend a day in the vineyards, tasting wine and learning how to perfectly pair wine and food. Eating in  the Peller Estates Winery Restaurant, which has been awarded the highest Zagat rating of  ‘Extraordinary', is something my husband and I would definitely want to try! Delicious combinations are created by Winery Chef and Toronto CityLine TV personality, Jason Parsons, and influenced by what's in season, locally. Yum! You can participate in custom designed group tours or even book your wedding at Peller Estates!

 

But what really intrigues me is Chicks & Chocolate! For $15.00, (or nothing if you are a Wine Club Member ), you will experience how wine and chocolate work together in a marriage of delicious flavours! This opportunity is offered every day of the week, and twice a day on the weekend! Put that on your Bucket List!

 

If a visit to the Peller Estates Winery isn't in your near future, don't worry. If you live in Ontario, you can order the Winery's most popular brands or rare and hard to find vintages, online! Plus, there are over 100 Vineyards Estate Wines retail locations in neighborhoods throughout Ontario, that you can visit personally.

But, if you would like to visit Peller Estates Winery, you can enter to win a $1,100.00 weekend in Niagara Wine Country! The weekend includes overnight accommodation, wine tasting experiences at 3 Niagara wineries, including Peller Estates, 1 lunch, 1 dinner and transportation throughout Niagara! Sounds like fun to me!

Do you have a favourite Peller Estates Wine? Cheers!

 

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First Member Peller Estates.

Lee Valley & Veritas is a family-owned, Canadian business that has been serving users of woodworking and gardening tools since 1978. Their remarkable reputation is built on customer satisfaction, integrity and the fact that they treat customers like friends! Plus, their catalogues are truly inspiring and delightful!

The approach of Autumn is a great time to turn to Lee V alley. My husband and I think of them for the garden, the backyard, the kitchen and for general and specialized tools, books and innovations, especially things we can't locate anywhere else! For birthdays and gift-giving holidays, now is the time to turn to Lee Valley to find the perfect something for either the person who has everything, or for the person who will appreciate something completely out of the ordinary!

 

 

 Although we love receiving their catalogues in the mail, it is incredibly convenient that they now offer online versions of their woodworking, gardening, hardware and gift catalogs! The gifts can be explored by Category, Recipients or Price. I love the list of Recipients: Gardener, Woodworker, Chef, Children, Bookworm, Adventurous and Homeowner. On just the first page of Adventurous, I was tempted by the beautifully designed Plumb Bob with Case, the clever yet aesthetically pleasing Ant Moat and the rather ingenious Pop Bottle Tarp Clip. The Arts and Crafts section had me longing for the Michelangelo Paint Can Holder (seriously) and the Microwaveable Flower Presses!

 

 

Take a moment to browse their fascinating lines. Their Gift Catalogue alone will have you daydreaming of the amazed smiles and tears of joy on the faces of your unsuspecting loved ones.  

Approximately a third of Lee Valley's total sales volume are in products that they themselves have designed. Most of these are Veritas® brand products, made by Veritas Tools Inc., the manufacturing arm of Lee Valley. 

I've discovered that a number of customers are earning royalties on products that they have designed and that Lee Valley now manufactures! Obviously, they are very open to feedback and suggestions from their customers!

What are you most tempted by at Lee Valley? 

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First and Lee Valley.

Good health is very important, but something people often take for granted, until the unspeakable happens. Maintaining  your health is not only a benefit to yourself but also to your family. Simple things like regular check-ups, a balanced diet, excersise and eliminating stress can all help achieve wellness. Here are five fabulous Buy Canadian First members who can help us in our quest for better health.

 

St. Francis Herb Farm Quality - Conscientiously Achieved. It all  began as a cottage industry, founded by Jeremy and Monique Rivett-Carnac over twenty years ago. Jeremy and Monique learned the art of wildcrafting herbs in British Columbia and today they operate a modern state-of-the-art facility in the Upper Ottawa Valley of Eastern Ontario, having built a ground-breaking and thriving herbal business. St. Francis Herb Farm has always set a high premium on the excellence and quality of their products and were the first Canadian herbal company with products that are truly organic. Over the years they have developed over 200 products from tinctures to oils, salves, lotions, and creams. Be sure to check out their Buy Canadian First member page as well as their website, where you'll find more information about the company, health, their products and how to become involved.

 

Natunola Health Inc . Flax is nature's healthy wonder seed, known to help lower bad cholesterol, lower blood pressure, fight diabetes and more. Flax is a little powerhouse of goodness. In its natural state, this little seed is not digestible. When ground, the Omega rich oils are unstable and the ground flax will need to be refrigerated or it becomes rancid quickly. Natunola Health Inc., together with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, has developed a revolutionary, patented technology, to shell flax. It removes the brown flax shell from the inner yellow kernel allowing for maximum nutrition absorption as well as a much longer shelf life. Not only are Natulola's shelled flax products higher in Omega-3, protein, fibre and lignans, they are also completely natural, with no preservatives. These products are Kosher certified and free of gluten, GMO and trans fats. Please view Natunola's Buy Canadian First member page as well as their website where you can read more about the wonderful things they are doing.

 

Herbal One International Inc . - Weight Management Nutrition Centre - A proud Canadian company with your weight management in mind. A fabulous philosophy to get you out of the dreaded yo-yo dieting syndrome and into a sustainable lifestyle aimed at keeping you at your target weight. Herbal One products, in conjunction with healthy food portions as suggested by Canada's Food Guide, are designed to help curb appetite, speed up metabolism, aid digestion, increase energy levels, and alleviate anxiety normally associated with weight loss. Once your target weight is reached, you move to a nine week 'Stabilization Program' to ensure your weight remains the same and then on to the 'Maintenance Program', where you are weaned off the Herbal One products and taught lifestyle changes to ensure lifelong success. Please see their Buy Canadian First member page as well as their website for more information and testimonials.

 

 

Daryl's Hi-N-R-G Bars - It all started when the company founder, Daryl M. Hudec, created his recipe for a low glycemic snack or meal replacement. Low glycemic foods help avoid sugar spikes, which is something that usually occurs with refined  foods and sweeteners. These all-natural bars contain quality ingredients like blackberries, blueberries and granola and are sweetened with molasses or honey. Used as both a snack or a meal replacement, these bars will surely keep you on the go.  Daryl's Hi-N-R-G Bars Buy Canadian First member page has other great products and you can view testimonials from their website . 

 

El Peto Products Ltd - "The Gluten-Free Experts". El Peto has been dedicated to producing and providing gluten free food and baking materials since 1988.  They strive to provide those with Celiac Disease, Candida and various food allergies, not only superior products, but assistance with gluten-free baking and information on the gluten-free diet as a whole. Everything is created in their Canadian facility and they have recently set up a lab to test raw ingredients. To see more products and information, please visit their member page as well as El Peto's website. 

Our health is so precious and is worth caring for. What are your best ways of taking care of your health? Leave us a comment and let us know!

xo

All photos taken from our Buy Canadian First member pages.

Peaches in the summer are a real treat. Dessert straight from a tree. My daughter will happily eat a peach when cut into pieces.  I like mine in a crisp (my recipe is below) and my husband prefers his simply sliced over vanilla ice cream.

 

No matter how you prefer to eat them, they are delicious.  Local, fresh peaches have been at Farmer's Markets and on supermarket shelves for a few weeks now.  But that sweet aroma of peach, or that favourite flavour can be found in other Canadian-made products.

 

 

No matter how sweet the smell of peaches may be in my bubble bath, nothing beats eating them. 

Here is my recipe for Peach Crisp.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

8-10 peaches, peeled, sliced

1 cup instant oatmeal

1 cup dark or demera brown sugar

1/2 frozen butter

Directions:

1-Layer the bottom of an 8 x 8 casserole dish, or large pie plate, with sliced peaches.

2-Grate a thin layer of butter on top.

3-Combine sugar and oatmeal.  Add on top of peaches/butter.

4-Grate remaining butter on top.

5-Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, for until the topping is crispy and browning and peaches are starting to bubble. Serve warm, and if you like, with ice cream.

How do you like to enjoy your fresh peaches?

 

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members.

My fellow Canucks, it's August and summer is still in high gear. Our skin and hair take quite a beating in our varied climates. The sun, swimming in fresh, salt or chlorinated waters, wind, dust, bugs, poison ivy and everything else, all contribute to us ending up burnt, itchy, breaking out and drying up. It's not pretty but we can fix that. Whether you are seeking lotions, oils, clay, tinctures and any other creams and potions, Canadian makers will not let us down. So keeping healthy summer skin and hair in mind, I have chosen a great summer collection of must haves from our fabulous Buy Canadian First members.

Water - It is so very important for the human body. Water regulates your temperature, carries nutrients throughout the body, removes toxins and does wonders for your skin. Your body uses up 250ml of water daily just by breathing, your blood is 83% water and you can only last up to a week without it, so drink water (beer doesn't count)! Hydrate your skin on the outside too with Moisture Hydration Fix Serum from Dermaglow that is for all skin types and will give your skin a more supple, radiant and youthful look when well hydrated. Dermaglow also has a fabulous promo for our readers!

The sun is essential for our existence, providing us with vitamin D, photosynthesis and a fabulous summer day. Too much sun gives us a sun burn, wrinkles and even cancer. It's easy to be sun safe and a good start are hats, like this Roots baseball cap , and some sunglasses that offer 100% UV block.  Your next line of defence is sunscreen: Heiko and Dermaglow offer products for both the face and body starting with spf 15 and up as well as a kids' formula . Wearing a minimum SPF 15 daily year round will not only protect your health but also your good looks. Remember infants under 6 months of age should neither wear sunscreen or be in direct sunlight. For more summer sun safety tips check out this Health Canada link.

Insects. Regardless of the latitudes we live in, we are still covered in mosquitoes, flies, ticks and other troublesome pests. In Canada, we have a vast selection of repellents to choose from including products from Muskol, a proud Canadian company since 1951, which contain Deet to Natural Insect Repellent and Bug Joose! Outdoor spray by Glengarry Farms, boasting catnip as the muscle behind them.  Bug Joose! by All Things Jill , from member Organically Hatched, also uses natural ingredients in their bug repellants.

Once the damage is done, though, it is time to soothe and restore. DermaMed Natural Healing Cream for baby and child will help with diaper rash, eczema, rashes and hives. Restoraction® Cream from member St. Francis Herb Farm is used to  sooth sore muscles and inflammation due to strains, sprains, bruises, contusions and wounds and also aids with the symptomatic relief of inflammatory processes including arthritis, fibromyalgia, polymyalgia, bursitis and tendonitis. Pure Aloe Vera Gel from Jamieson is a little wonder plant for both inside and outside the body. Keep on hand for use as a topical cream for sunburns and scrapes and as an internal remedy for stomach aches. Clay-neem by Earth to Body  is a tantalizing blend of french green clay, oatmeal and Neem powder that is rich is minerals and will soothe and cleanse your skin and hair.

This marvelous list is a fraction of the many wonderful skin care products, made in Canada. There is no agruing that the choices are seemingly endless in our pursuit to keep our selves healthy and beautiful.

What are you favourite summer skin care products? Do you have any homemade tips and tricks? Be sure to share your thoughts and comments. We love hearing from you!

xo

all photos taken from Buy Canadian First member pages.

 

 

 

 

This September, I am taking part, proudly, in Culture Days! Under a tent on one of our main streets, yours truly will be showing anyone and everyone the pleasures of crafting with recyclables! The street will be closed off and there will be a touch of Mardi Gras in the air!

If you haven't heard of Culture Days yet, don't be surprised. It's new! Modeled on Quebec’s 13-year old annual Journées de la culture event, Culture Days have become, in 2010, a "collaborative pan-Canadian volunteer movement to raise the awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement of all Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities".

This Fall, Culture Days will feature thousands of free, hands-on activities  ... across Canada!  Everything from painting, puppet making, trash to treasure crafts and dance performances to museum display set-up and architectural tours of the neighbourhood, will be on hand to try. These activities will encourage the public to participate "behind the scenes" & discover who the artists are in their local communities and what they really do. 

Culture Days is a collaborative movement that relies on you and me. You can take part as a citizen, as a business person, as a cultural professional, on behalf of an organization, or in any other way you can imagine! You don't have to be an artist! Visit the Culture Days website to find out what is happening in your area and how you can be involved. For a start, you can print off posters and pictures for your website. Then invite your friends, family and colleagues to join in the fun! Be sure to subscribe to the newsletter!

This unique celebration takes place September 24 to 26 in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec (under the existing event Journées de la culture), New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador; and September 17 to 19 in Alberta (under the existing event Alberta Arts Days). Dates for Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon will be announced shortly.

Culture Days are coming! Spread the word! What would you like to experience during Culture Days in your neck of the woods?

image courtesy of www.CultureDays.ca

I adore  burgers. In the summer our burgers need not be made indoors; they are slapped on the BBQ in our backyard and on the grill over our campfires. I am very fond of the standard, classic burger but as I was preparing to write this post it occurred to me that perhaps we could take the burger and create burgers to represent the flavours of our fabulous Canadian regions. What would the Manitoba or the Yukon burger taste like? So here it is, a walk throughout Canada, one glorious burger at a time.

The Yukon Caribou Burger - In the Yukon Dall sheep, mountain goat, caribou and even porcupine are often eaten as burgers; have you noshed a porcupine? Use the ground caribou as a beef substitute in your favourite burger recipe but for every 454g (1 lb.) of caribou add 113g (4oz) of pork; caribou meat is very lean. Serve on a sourdough bun. If you are ever cruising the streets of Dawson City and are not faint at heart, you may wish to have a glass of the infamous Sour Toe cocktail ...or perhaps not.

The British Columbia Salmon Burger - The Pacific Ocean yields a vast selection of seafood for west coast fishing industry including salmon  (coho, spring, chum, sockeye and pink). According to wikipedia, the salmon burger was invented by Peter A. Jensen of  Tsawwassen, British Columbia, but this fact is not confirmed. I found for you 2 tasty recipes; one from fresh water fishing Canada and the other from Canadian House and Home magazine from Buy Canadian First member, Magazines Canada.  Serve on a whole grain bun accompanied by a herbed fruit salad. Choose from a vast selection of fruit grown in the province that include apples, peaches, pears, plums, apricots, strawberries, blackberries, bing cherries and loganberries and add some mint, rosemary, chives and /or cilantro. 

 

The Alberta Beef Burger - Ahh, Canada's cowboy country! How can it be anything but a big fat juicy sirloin burger? The Canadian Beef web site has a wide selection of beef recipes including this tasty inside out sirloin bacon cheese burger . The cheese and bacon are hidden inside the patty and on top is a mountain of sauteed mushrooms and onions...yumm!

The Manitoba Bison Burger - The bison is Manitoba's symbol and they roamed the priairies as early as 4000 BC. Sadly, as our prairie landscape was peppered with roads and railway lines, the bison were all but hunted to extinction by the late 1800's. Today we have a herd of wild wood bison that live in our Interlake region but most of our bison are farmed livestock. Bison is a dense meat that is high in iron and protein and low in fat and calories. I dare you to resist this recipe for  Bison Burgers with Gorgonzola Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomatoes  from Best Health . You just put gorgonzola on your shopping list, didn't you?

 The Newfoundland Cod Cake Burger -Usually these little patties are served with a side of coleslaw, fiddleheads, chow chow or with spinach with hollandaise sauce and sliced hard boiled eggs. Any of these tasty sides could accompany your fish cake in the bun; imagine a cod cake burger with a scoop of creamy coleslaw on top or some fried cabbage and chow chow. The possibilities are endlessly delicious!

Cod Fish Cakes (Serves 6) from Northern Aqua Farms.com

Ingredients

1 lb. salt cod freshened, cooked and flaked;
2 tbs. margarine;
1 medium finely chopped onion,
6 raw potatoes
1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. Pepper, 1 tbs. savoury.
Directions

Freshen salt cod by soaking it overnight by covering in cold water. Drain and place in a stew pot and cover with fresh water. Bring to simmer with low heat. Drain. If the fish is still too salty, add fresh cold water, and bring to simmer again, and drain.
Boil potatoes until tender and then mash.
Heat margarine in a frying pan until hot.
Add chopped onions and cook until translucent.
Blend cooked onion into mashed potatoes together with cooked flaked cod, savoury, salt, pepper.
Shape into cakes and dust lightly with flour.
Fry in a small amount of heated margarine 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown.

Serve hot, with freshly baked home made bread or rolls and butter and a garden salad.

Note: I have subsituted crab, salmon, Arctic char, tilapia and other fish in this recipe. If it isn't salted fish skip the freshen part and cook only once.

The great Canadian Veggie Burger - I could not complete this post without addressing the wonderful veggie burger, especially for Buy Canadian First's very own Melissa Thibodeau. My favourite veggie burger of all time is from the Underground Cafe, a restaurant in downtown Winnipeg's exchange district. It is called the Sunburger and, in my opinion, it is the grand pubah of the veggie burger realm. Of course we can't all live in Winnipeg so for you I will share this tasty recipe  from Food Network Canada. 

 

 

Happy Grilling and summer worshipping, Canada, and don't forget to eat your burgers!  Of course you must tell us {me} what your favourite burger is, and what sort of delectables you place upon it? Give up your treasured family burger secrets, everyone {ME} wants to know!

xo

I know we are still in the summer, but the stores are now full of clothes for the Fall.

Lou Lou Magazine published an article featuring their 2010 Fall Fashion trends, including neutrals and simply styles, sporty looks and boudoir inspired beauty.  For the full article and all of the trends, visit the magazine's site. 

                       

Below are some Canadian inspired threads that I think fit these trends but also that any woman can wear, not just the ones on the runways. 

Neutral beauty:

                        

                                                            Dress by dace

                        

                                                           Skirt by Tristan

Sporty Fun:

                        

                                                             Tank by BLANK

                        

                                                     Vest by Respecterre

Beautiful, sexy and elegant:

                           

                                                    Dress by Jayn Simpson

                            

                                                      Dress by Jayn Simpson

Do any of the outfits above suit your style?  What's your favourite? Do you have a favourite Canadian designer?

                  "August is laughing across the sky
                  Laughing while paddle, canoe and I,
                                Drift, drift,
                           Where the hills uplift
                    On either side of the current swift."

          ~ Songs My Paddle Sings, E. Pauline Johnson