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Our tomatoes are lush and gorgeous in my backyard in Manitoba . The plants that I put into the ground have turned into meter high shrubs, heavy and sagging with fruit. They mock me, the tomatoes; they are all green with a small flush of pink. I am afraid I will have a mountain of ripe tomatoes all of a sudden. If that happens, I am in big trouble. I need to prepare. There are oodles of ways to enjoy the fruit (and vegetables) of your labour all year round.

 

One of the easiest ways to preserve is a root cellar. Once a common sight across Canada, they are slowly making a comeback. This is evident in news stories  as well as this great web site called root cellars rock,  that focus on food preservation and historic cellars. Items such as potatoes, apples, onions, squash and carrots can all be stored there. Even without a root cellar in your home you can still create one in your garden by burying a large bucket or steel trash bin in the ground, ensuring that you have good drainage away from the container and a good, tight fitting lid. Once the bin is full, seal and then cover it with a bail of hay to insulate the bin during the Winter. Of course, this project may not always be in the cards so Buy Canadian First member Springwater Woodcraft have a beautiful potato bin  that would grace any kitchen or cold room.

 

The freezer is an awesome and easy way to preserve your harvest. Items such as berries, grapes, tomatoes, peppers, zucchinis and carrots can be taken from fresh to frozen with little preparation. Berries can be washed and frozen on baking sheets to later be used in yogurt, smoothies, pancakes or just as is. I usually cut the top off my tomatoes and freeze them in large freezer bags whole. The best part is that when you are ready to use them, just immerse in hot water and the skins will come right off. Blanching and freezing is also easy. Vegetables like beans, corn, peas, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and even dark, leafy greens such as kale and spinach can all be processed in this way. Each vegetable has it's own processing time and later can be used in any of your recipes. Buy Canadian First member Paderno and their stainless steel cookware  can help with the process for many harvest seasons to come.

 

What I adore about these preserving techniques is that the food remains as close to its natural state as it can. With that said, some days nothing compares to a delicious jam on your peanut butter sandwich or pickles, with my favourite being bread and butter pickles. In jams and other conserves, sugar is used to preserve the fruit. While pickled items such as cucumbers, onions, asparagus, peppers, carrots and radishes use acid and salt with seasoning. This will extend the shelf life of your precious harvest in the tastiest of ways. Of course if that is just too much work, Buy Canadian First member Crofter's Organic  has a scrumptious variety of jams for you.

Wish me luck with my endeavours with my tomato harvest! I will soon be hard at work making salsa and sauce to enjoy the year through!

How do you preserve your harvest?

image credits: Buy Canadian First members;  Springwater Woodcraft, Paderno and Crofter's Organics

Have you seen the cars that are made in Canada?  I am smitten with the Dodge Challenger  from Buy Canadian First member, Dodge Canada, but I covet the Camaro  from Buy Canadian First member, Chevrolet. I would order it in "Inferno Orange".

 

There is just one wee problem with this grand and lovely dream; I do not have a driver's license! This from the girl who learned how to drive a stick shift when she was twelve and who rode a quad in the Interlake region of Manitoba's farmland,  where I also spent some hours in trucks and tractors with my uncle on the fields.  I am now in my thirties and no, my license hasn't been suspended or removed; I just never obtained one.

I now own a 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera (which may been assembled in Quebec); my son's twin as he, too, was born in 1994! A gift from my step-dad, the car was his father's and now my son has "adopted" it as his own (fat chance). As I write this,  he is installing a whole new sound system. I hope it's Canadian made!

 

 

The process of learning to drive has been a labour of love. A dear friend of mine has taken several Saturdays out her life from her family to teach me how to drive. We've had adventures in southern Manitoba, including burger stands in St. Pierre Jolys and farmers markets in St. Malo.  It was a lovely time, and I discovered I do not spend nearly as much time with my friends as I would like to. When I first obtained my learner's permit in 1992, the rules were much different. When you passed your test you were free to drive. These days,  Manitoba public insurance has implemented graduated licensing that includes restrictions such as only one passenger between midnight and five am to not being able to teach a beginner to drive.  This is truly a bummer as my son is an excellent driver; all the rules of the road are fresh in his mind and he is as patient as the day is long, but legally,  he can't take me out on the road. He did teach me to parallel park in 25 minutes. So I shall seek out a few more volunteers and take some professional lessons that should help me acquiring my license.

 

 

I am going to book my road test again. As much as I am disappointed I didn't pass any of the previous tests, I am happy for the lessons I am learning. It will just make my shiny orange inferno 2012 Camaro that much safer when I am licensed to drive ... or maybe I'll stick with my Olds, for now,  with its  'balling' new sound system!

What is your favourite Canadian made car? 

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First Member Chevrolet Canada and Andrea Willowcat.

This past Sunday, we hosted 1 of 3 parties my boys will be having to celebrate their 4th Birthday. I admit this past party was "Cars 2" themed, full of products made from outside Canada. For our next party, with the other side of the family, I am challenging myself to go all made in Canada, though, including the food, the decorations and the games. This is what I have planned so far. 

Invitations: For fun, the boys created their own invitations to invite Gramma, their aunts, uncles and cousins to their party. The boys decorated the invitations with stickers from Canadian company Sandylion Sticker Designs.

Food: The sandwich and wrap platter will be made by a locally owned sub shop that uses local ingredients. Fruit and veggie trays will be made up from products bought from the local farmers' market. The best part, the cake, will be made by a local cake maker.

Decorations: To be made by the kiddos and me at home - tissue paper flowers and party hats.

 

Presents: One of the boys' presents include this Rally Racer Car from Buy Canadian First member, Organically Hatched. It was purchased at a locally owned toy shop.

Games: We're borrowing this Cars - Bean Bag Toss from a neighbour. It's made by Buy Canadian First member, Gladius. Prizes will include cookies and other local treats from the market.

Playtime: Our party is being held at a local, public park so there will be lots of balls tossed, kites flown, running around and relaxing in the sun. After our fantastic lunch and party, we'll be visiting Storybook Gardens - an exciting family place with animals, rides, games, play areas, splash pads, entertainment, and more.

Have you added Canadian made products to a recent party?

 

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members Organically Hatched and Gladius.

If you have a backyard veggie garden like we do, you may be on the verge of a huge harvest ...  made in Canada ! Just for fun, this year we planted about five different types of tomatoes and some yellow zucchini. Any other veggies that we crave we can get from our weekly Farmers Market.  Our backyard has become our other kitchen, and we try to grill our supper on the BBQ every night that we can. I've found two mouthwatering BBQ recipes that use fresh, home grown vegetables that I hope you will try!

 

Home Grown Food

Here's a great one from Buy Canadian First member, Peak of the Market , that combines our two favourites in a delicious, grillable main or side dish: 

You will need:

3 small zucchini

1 tomato, seeded and finely chopped

2 tbsp grated parmesan or asiago cheese 

1 clove of garlic, minced 

How to: 

Half zucchini lengthwise and with a teaspoon, remove the seeded portion in the centre. Spray the green side lightly with olive or canola oil spray.

Mix together other ingredients. Stuff zucchini, mounding on the top. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Grill on BBQ at medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until zucchini is tender crisp and cheese has melted.

Serves 6

This is delicious! It tastes like ratatouille a bit. I add a squirt of lemon and some freshly ground pepper for a little extra zip!

This next recipe is so fast and easy and makes corn on the cob so delicious that you may want to eat it this way every day. (You probably shouldn't though!).

You will need:

Unshucked corn, 1 or 2 per person

How to:

You can pull the silk off of the corn, and remove the floppy leaves, but make sure that the cob is fully covered with husk. 

Place the cob on a piece of paper towel in the microwave.

Cook 2 minutes per cob, depending on your microwave.

When done, remove and place on your BBQ grill. Finish cooking corn by rotating husks so that there are brown grill marks on each side.

When ready, peel the husk off, add butter and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy! (There's some debate over whether husk off is better for grilling than husk on, but this is how we do it and it tastes amazing. Let me know what you think!)

You can find more great recipes at Homegown Food and Peak of the Market! 

Have you ever tried veggies on the BBQ? 

::images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members Home Grown Food and Peak of the Market.

Here in Peterborough, once Spring arrives, we are lucky enough to have a Farmer’s Market twice a week on Saturday and Wednesday mornings. It's a great place to pick-up Canadian products of all kinds. No doubt there are Farmer’s Markets where you live, too. They are a wonderful way to get local fresh produce and to meet some of the people who grow our food!

In Manitoba, Peak of the Market is a grower-owned, “not for profit” vegetable supplier. This Buy Canadian First member has been growing and supplying over 120 different varieties of vegetables for the last 68 years. (Now I want to sit down and see if I can come up with the names of 120 vegetables!). Peak of the Market is so well-known for its quality produce, that even traditional vegetable growing locales such as California, Florida, Texas and Washington buy from Peak of the Market. So do produce buyers from  Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. Apparently, Peak of the Market vegetables taste really, really great!

  

 

Peak of the Market combines technology with Mother Nature to preserve produce in one of the most technologically advanced storage programs anywhere in North America! Because of this, they can actually provide Canadian vegetables year round. Their controlled environment storage facilities make it possible for them to keep vegetables like beets, cabbage, carrots, onions, parsnips, potatoes and shallots in a state of peak deliciousness!

 

 

Forty Manitoba family farms grow for Peak of the Market, and the folks there are proud of the fact that they have earned a reputation for excellent quality and really outstanding customer service. As a matter of fact, their quality standards exceed the national standards and they were one of the first produce suppliers to have a toll-free consumer response line! Over 1,000 people are employed by Peak of the Market and their growers, and over 70 million dollars a year goes into the Canadian economy because of them. You can listen to their weekly radio show every Sunday if you live in Manitoba or you can check out their Recipe of the Day, no matter where you live!

Do you know any of the people who grow your vegetables?

 

:: images courtesy of Buy Canadian First member Peak of the Market

Are you the lucky duck responsible for giving a baby shower in the near future? In light of the fact that Canadian babies are responsible for 4 million disposable diapers in the landfill each day, why not consider throwing a great green Canadian baby shower? Don't forget that a great way to go green is to buy locally! 

We hope that this guide will help you to do just that!

1. Invitations

Start off green with the baby shower invitations! ecojot is an eco-friendly stationery brand based in Scarborough, Ontario and created in 2007 by designer Carolyn Gavin, her brother Mark Gavin and family. The paper content used in all their products, including the great EcoCards shown below, is 100% post-consumer recycled and all products are designed and printed in Canada. Or consider printing these free invitations from Canadian Living onto recycled paper.

 

2. Wrapping

Hey, why not pull out those brown paper lunch bags to wrap baby gifts in! You can stamp on them with a potato and poster paints. What about wrapping a gift in a baby blanket or (clean) cloth diaper?  Also consider putting gifts in a reusable, recycled shopping tote such as these great Gourmet Market Totes from Eco-Handbags.

 

3. Decor

What could be greener than fresh flowers, or better yet, potted plants that can be replanted in the garden or left as is to brighten a mom-to-be's kitchen? Bunting, also called pennants or flag garlands, are the hottest trend right now in party decor. They are easy to make by cutting triangles out of wrapping paper or feltand attaching them to a long string or ribbon. Here's a great & easy tutorial. Save them for other parties!

 

4. Food

Fresh and local food is de rigeur at a green baby shower! Try triangles of Canadian cheddar cheese grilled with thin slices of Red Prince apple on toast together with a crisp spinach salad. Or how do fruit or vegetable kebabs sound, with a variety of yummy dipping sauces on the side?

 

5. Location

If possible, why not try for a party outside? Backyard BBQS are great fun and you can often find BBQs to use in local parks, if you don't have one yourself.

6. Gifts

There are so many great green Canadian baby gifts out there, that we have put them in their own section.

What are your great green baby shower ideas?

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members Ecojot, Eco-Hanbags, and Peak of the Market, as well as Gwenny Penny

There is something about the cooler Fall weather that makes me absoloutely crave apples! I don't know if this is a result of Nature or Nurture. Luckily, it's apple picking time in Canada, and I can satisfy my craving with more kinds of apples than ever! Whether you pick your apples at the supermarket, the farmer's market or right off the tree, why not make a point of trying an apple that you haven't tasted before?

 

Wagner Orchards and Estate Winery, in beautiful Lakeshore, Ontario, has 5 apple varieties growing in their orchards and their picking schedule is as follows:

 

Harold and Janice Wagner, along with their children, Matt, Melissa and Katrina, operate the farm, and they are always happy to discuss any and all farming practices with their city guests! Their motto is "Families that Pick Together, Stick Together!" and they certainly are the proof in that apple pudding!

The Wagners are proud to be able to claim that they raise their own beef, pork and poultry free of hormones, chemicals and antibiotics. Their fruit trees have the minimal amount of chemicals needed to produce high quality fruit and where possible, natural pest control is used rather than insecticide.  At Wagner's, all the food is grown in the healthiest possible way.

What new apple varieties  do you want to try this Fall?

 

 

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.

You are what you eat, does this old idiom have a leg to stand on? In fact it does; the importance of folic acid to a growing fetus, or the devastating effect of plaque build up over time in coronary arteries, are just a couple of examples of the importance of the food we eat. The way we choose and eat our foods today  is a glimpse into the health of our future selves. Here are 8 of some of the best foods to eat and all of them are produced or made right here in Canada!

Yogurt- It is believed that humans have been eating yogurt for nearly 4,000 years! Yogurt is high in calcium and contains live active cultures that allow the calcium to be absorbed easily in to your body. It is high in protein, riboflavin and vitamin B12 and can be enjoyed by people who are lactose intolerant (as it contains lactase, an enzyme that breaks down lactose). Quebec's Liberté has a great yogurt line including plain yogurt . Dress it up with a drizzle of honey and some sunflower seeds or use this recipe to transform it into a creamy cheese that you can substitute for veggie dip or sandwich spread.

Omega 3 - ok, it's not a food and it sounds like a superhero troop and frankly it should. Omega 3 is an essential fatty acid that our body cannot produce on its own. Omega 3 can help reduce inflammation throughout your body, inhibit thickening of the arteries, reduce the risk of becoming obese and help prevent cancer cell growth, just to name a few of its benefits. If you suffer from Depression, Cardiovascular Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, Fatigue, Dry, Itchy Skin, Brittle Hair and Nails, Inability to Concentrate and Joint pain you may want to up your omega 3s. Flaxseed and salmon are the top Omega 3 foods. Buy Canadian First member True North Salmon Co.  offers both fresh , hot and cold smoked Atlantic salmon. 

 

Blueberries -Rich in vitamin C, their dark colour makes these little rounds a treasure trove of antioxidants. Antioxidants are believed to protect us from the damaging effects of free radicals and diseases associated with aging. Research has shown that antioxidants can help prevent heart disease and cancer, reduce high blood pressure, and slow the affects of aging. It even has been associated with enhanced memory, improving vision, clearing arteries and preventing urinary tract infections. The blueberry is also part of a campaign to become our nation's national fruit. Native to all provinces and territories, blueberries have been a staple for all of Canada's peoples for centuries.

 

Tomatoes - Tomatoes contain a powerful cancer-fighting agent known as lycopene. Lycopene is found in several red fruits and vegetables, but in Canada the tomato is the sure winner. This is one food where its processed cousins (tomato paste, sauce and juice) are almost better than the real deal, as cooked tomatoes have more absorbable lycopene than fresh tomatoes.

 

Beets- Red beets are a power house of goodness. The pigment Betacyanin, that gives the beets its colour, is just one of the many reasons that the beet is a disease fighter. High in anti-carcinogens, fiber, folate and beta-carotene the beet plant protects again colon cancer, birth defects and osteoporosis.

 

Dark Leafy Greens A rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins; K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats. The star vitamin in the dark leafy greens is perhaps vitamin K. It is known to regulate blood clotting, protect the bones from osteoporosis, and may even help prevent diabetes. At the farmers market this summer, looks for fresh spinach, swiss chard, beets greens, collard greens, and kale. Some can be eaten raw and all can be cooked.

 

Nuts and Dark Chocolate Nuts are full of omega-3 fatty acids, unsaturated fats and fiber. They also contain L-arginine, a substance that helps improve the health of your arterial walls. It does this by making them more flexible and less prone to blood clots. Nuts also contain plant sterols, a substance that helps lower cholestorol. Try nibbling on the Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds by our member Brookside Foods. This treat is a double whammie as Dark Chocolate is filled with heart-healthy flavanoids which keep cholesterol from gathering in blood vessels, reduce the risk of blood clots, and slow down the immune responses that lead to clogged arteries.

 

Your health is nothing to laugh at and if a life time of care equals a better quality of life in your golden years it is sure with the extra effort. Don't you think?

What do you do to keep you and your future self healthy?

Photo credits: BCF members, blueberries Flickr Jeff Kubina, tomatoes Flickr St0rmz, beets Flickr BD's world, swiss chard flickr woodlywonderfulworks

Mothers, beautiful women who bring us into this world and then tirelessly spend the rest of their lives loving us. They hold many job titles that include; taxi driver, chef, nutritionalist, nurse, activities coordinator, laundry machine tech, psycologist and housekeeper to name but a few. The working mom puts in more than 96 hours a week when you combine her full-time job, mom hours, and mom overtime. Wow! That is something to think about when you are playing your vids or out on the green.

In fact Salary.com says that the average stay at home American mom should be taking home about $117, 000.00 per annum! So while most stay at home and working moms are simply being paid with love, hugs, kisses, a few whines and runny noses let her know that she is priceless with some of these great Canadian-made gift ideas. 

Gift Idea 1: Momma, we got you something monstrous!

Some moms are monster lovers, like me. They adore the quirky, the bizarre and/or the unique. Ontario-based Monster Factory is your monster centre from Andy to Wilma and Chelsea too. Package your monster in a great Monster Factory totebag and add all sorts of Monster goodies like the biggest bouquet of the biggest flowers with a monster sized card the kids made (have them decorate the front with their foot prints and once the paint is dry they can add claws and paw pads). Find a Monster Factory retailer near you.

 

Gift idea 2: Shhh we're hunting flowers...

If mom enjoys being outdoors and is often seen collecting flowers, this gift idea may be up her garden path. Ottawa-based Lee Valley has a ingenious microwave flower press, what would take weeks with a traditional paper and wood press takes only minutes with this product. This gift would go great with home made coupons that entitle mom to walks in meadows, slow drives down dusty gravel roads and meanderings in out of the way farmers markets all for the flower hunt. These coupons should also include some family crafternoons to create beautiful pressed flower crafts. If that isn't enough, consider adding a sun hat, sunscreen and a flower collecting basket to this great gift.  Find a Lee Valley store near you.

 

 

 

Gift idea 3: Just me and Indigo, lounging!

Bookworms are the cutest worms in town. If mom is a book worm consider this mommy and me book duo Alias Grace (for mom) and Bashful Bob and Doleful Dorina (for the kids) both by acclaimed Canadian author Margaret Atwood.  Though if you are uncertain what mom wants to read, both for herself and her moppets, you can give her a gift card for Chapters.Indigo filled to the brim and an afternoon alone at their closest location.  While she is rifling though the stacks and sipping a coffee you can quickly jet over to our member Leather Craft for a stunning lounge chair so she can enjoy her books in comfort and style. There's also enough room to cuddle with her little angels there too.

 

Mother's day is a time to remind ourselves of all the wonders our Moms do, everyday. Your sock drawers are filled, the coffee and breakfast are ready, lunches are waiting and hugs and kisses are always available, 24/7.  Moms deserve our attention every day and we should show her by pitching in and working together to omit those 16 hours of Mom overtime!

What are you putting together for your mom this year?

Image source: Buy Canadian First