NOM NOM: Japanese Village

Keep you eyes peeled on Laurier St. in DT Ottawa, or you'll miss the tiny sign! Tucked away in the basement of an office building close to Elgin, the Japanese Village is a must to check out. Great for families, couples, or friends, JV can accommodate all occasions. I was introduced in college by a girlfriend of mine and was immediately addicted to the infamous sesame sauce that is served with the some of the dishes. Ive been back a few times since with newbies like I once was, due to my ranting and raving about how good the food is. Heck, I'd even bring my grandparents, whose idea of "different" cuisine is a Chinese buffet, here.



There are plenty of things on the menu, like sushi and such, but to get the best experience, order from the first part of the menu. Depending on the meat you choose, these plates range from $18- $26. It can be pricey depending on what you get, but the $ is worth it in my opinion. How many other restaurants in Ottawa do you get dinner and a fire show? Yes, they do the big flame thing, complete with making the shrimp dance. I went with the steak. You have your choice of Squid, Salmon, Steak, Chicken, etc. They all come with miso soup, and a small salad with a delicious sesame vinaigrette. As the chef prepares your meat and vegetables, you also get ginger sauce (I think) and the AMAZING sesame sauce (Both pictured above). Lastly, you get a small bowl of rice and some stir-fried bean sprouts. Enough food to leave you and your taste buds satisfied.




Aside from the great food, the entertaining chefs make it stand out. They are funny, make your food dance, and sometimes flip it onto your plate!

NOMNOM: Jabulani Vineyard and Winery

I was fortunate enough to tag along with my friend Kris (Of Mexican Night fame) and my DB to Jabulani Vineyard and Winery, located in Richmond Ontario, just off of Dwyer Hill Road. Being new to the world of good wine, this was a great learning experience that I would recommend to any foodie, or person who wants to explore what little old Ottawa and area has to offer.

The owners, Tom and Janet Moul introduced me to six different wines ranging from $13-17; 4 white, and 2 reds. I fell for two of the whites immediately. Frontenac Gris and Vidal was dubbed the "Girly Wine". Made with Canada's Ice Wine Vidal grape, it was light and refreshing. Tom said it was a perfect wine for "the girls" to sip on a lazy summer afternoon. He was right, although most of the men loved it as much...so much for girly!

The one I took to a little more was the Frontenac Gris & Un-oaked Chardonnay sur Lie. It went down smooth when perfectly chilled and had a great fruity-pineapple flavor that really stood out to me.

As a white wine lover, I was hesitant to try the reds, but seeing as I was at a Vineyard, it seemed to be the best time to experiment. Marquette, Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc was a red I really enjoyed with my steak dinner. Maybe it was the dark chocolate finish?


While I am certainly not a sommelier, the Jabulani Website has great in depth notes, if you are curious. www.Jabulani.ca

NOMNOM: Organic

Continuing from my last post, here are some thoughts on my newest venture to Market Organics. I originally went to find more natural chocolate since cutting back on refined sugar is somewhat of a resolution Ive been meaning to work on. This is what I ended up with. Go in for one, come out with more...isn't that always the case? Damn you, clever marketing! Feel free to tweet me if you have any recommendations on other products. I'm always eager to try new things :)



Oskri Coconut Bar in Mango
Halal, Kosher, Vegan, Gluten Free, Lactose Free.

Moist Coconut flavor, with a wave of a sharp mango bite..slightly perfume-y almost. Certainly gives a boost of flavor, but I'm not sure it's a flavor I would be able to deal with eating an entire bar in one sitting. The aftertaste, however was a nice subtle coconut flavor. I got this for my boyfriend, but found out after he doesn't like coconut (Go figure! haha). I don't normally like mango, but figured I would give it a try. Good as a snacking bar..like an alternative to a chocolate bar. Although this mango one wasn't my favorite, I will try the other ones to see if that bite is evident in all of them. Only 3 Ingredients: Coconut/Rice Syrup/Mango.


Krisda Natural Soda
Canadian Made.Comes in Blood Orange, Black Cherry, Root Beer and Cola. Gluten/calorie/sugar free.

Sweetened with Stevia and "Erythritol" which doesn't affect blood sugar, cause bloating, or tooth decay like regular soda can. BONUS! has 20% DV of Vitamins A,C, & E. Released to the public in April of this year. I tried Black Cherry, and Blood Orange. This is the stuff that made me come back twice in one day. Just enough flavor and sweetness with a smooth, light fruit flavor. Certainly not as sugary and artificial as mainstream pop. The only downside I noticed was a very slight aspartame-like aftertaste. But, it wasn't strong enough for me to dislike it. I'm not a huge soda fan, but this is a nice change. If you can get your hands on it, TRY IT!


Green and Black's Organic Chocolate
70% Dark Chocolate. Sweetened with Cane Sugar.

The whole reason I went to Market Organics in the first place! No taste difference between this and a regular dark chocolate bar although this has better-for-you cane sugar. Slight bitter taste as anticipated, but the soft liquid mint center balanced it out nicely. Although it has 17g of sugar per 6 piece serving, there is 7% DV of Iron and 3g of Protein. The company makes quite a few other flavors. I have yet to try the milk chocolate with sea salt..Mmm

NOMNOM: Market Organic Review

The past few years in terms of my adventures in food have been a great experience. Growing up in a small town outside of Ottawa in a "meat and potato" kind of family didn't exactly give me access to international tastes or a bounty of healthy alternatives. From this, you can understand that a term like "Organic" was alien. Luckily, during a stint as a gourmet food shop employee, I came across Kiju Organic Lemonade. I was hooked.

A few months ago a few people highly recommended a place called "Market Organics" on York Street. Ive been there a few times now and will certainly go back. Set up like a small grocery store, MO is very clean and organized into semi regular aisles. Plenty of space to browse and explore the "all natural" side of life. Besides fresh vegetables, take home meals, and bulk grains/nuts/mixes, there is an extensive health supply section, freezer aisle, and "junk" food corner. The staff probably thought I was a little crazy showing up twice in one day for an AMAZING soda I am slightly addicted to now. More about that in my next post.

So far, I've tried Puffin Peanut Butter cereal, the infamous Kiju Juices, and some organic vegetables in addition to my next posts' products.

Lastly, if your looking for a change in your bath/beauty products, try Dr. Bronner's fair trade Magic Soaps. The bottles come in three sizes and in an array of blends. Made with organic oils, Ive tried the Tea Tree for my body, and Peppermint for my face as a pick-me-up in the morning.

Ok, Ok, I'm rambling... bottom line: If you like organic, or are curious about it, do yourself a favor and check this place out!

NOM NOM: 4 Ingredient Summer Salad

A friend who was allergic to pretty much everything made this one night a few summers ago. The best part about this salad is that it's a nice change from lettuce and you can customize it however you like. Try different colored peppers, zucchini instead of cucumber, or your favorite kind of tomato. This serves 3-4 as a side.

What You Need:

- 3 Roma Tomatoes
- 1 English Cucumber
- 1 Medium Green Pepper
- Kraft Greek w/Feta and Oregano Salad Dressing

What To Do:

1. Cube the vegetables into bite size pieces.
2. Toss with salad dressing in large bowl

...I don't even think that second step was necessary, haha.

NOM NOM: Jalapeno Poppers

I was given a link to this awesome website called Gina's Skinny Recipes and came across a healthier, cheaper, and in my opinion BETTER version of Jalapeno Poppers. I dare you to eat just one!

**This recipe was adapted from www.skinnyrecipes.com
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/01/skinny-baked-jalapeno-poppers.html

What You Need:
- 9 to 12 Jalapeno Poppers
- Half a 250g container of Light Cream Cheese or if you can find it, Cream Cheese with Chives. I found a good one at Farm Boy
- 1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese or White Cheddar
- 2-3 Beaten Egg Whites
-2 Tbs Minced Green Onion (Skip if you have it already in the cream cheese)
-1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
-Dash Garlic Powder, Chili Pepper, and Black Pepper to taste

What To Do:
1. Preheat oven to 375 and cover a baking sheet with tin foil.

2. In one bowl, combine cheeses, and green onion. In another bowl, mix spices and bread crumbs. Shake up a bit before using as the spices will settle.

3. Wearing gloves if needed, split jalapenos lengthwise, removing stem. Hollow out and remove seeds. If you like it a little hotter, keep some seeds.


4. Fill Jalapenos with cheese mixture, spreading flat.

5. Beat the egg whites in a small shallow bowl..use three if you plan on using all 12 peppers. Place the bread crumb mix bowl beside this one, and the baking sheet beside that. Less mess!


6. Coat the peppers in the egg, then roll in the bread crumbs and place on the baking sheet.

Do this until all are done. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the tops are brown and the cheese is bubbly. Serve hot.

NOM NOM: Mini Photo Montage

A few weeks ago I visited the Lansdowne Farmers Market for the first time. I had been meaning to for a while now, but just never got the chance. I will certainly be going back! Although smaller than I thought, they had great variety in the types of foods. Among the fruit and veggie stands, there were specialty meat vendors, (Think Elk, Bison, etc) flowers, a band, Art-Is-In Bread, and DELISH foods to go. Below are some of the goodies I couldn't pass by. Art-Is-In Olive Bread...if you can get your hands on some of any their bread...you will never go back. I used to work at a catering/food store and we had sandwiches made with their bread..HUGE hit. Incredible fresh Lemonade...watched the girl press it by hand..not too watery, sour, or sweet..just perfect. It seems the people who were at this stand were a family of four. Nice to see the love of food carry on. At the same stand as the lemonade, I picked up grilled sweet potato spears with garlic dipping sauce. If your a sucker for sweet potato spears like I am, try this the next time you fire up your BBQ as a side dish..or main..I won't judge. My DB and his sister also got some authentic Indian food that was in another stand. If your in the Ottawa area this summer, check the farmers market out. While the one in the Byward Market is where most people go, you wont be disappointed by this one.

NOM NOM: Mexican Night!

This past Friday some friends and I got together for dinner. Below are some pictures! Thanks to Kris for the awesome Mango Salsa and Chili Rioni wrapped in Habanero Peppers:) and of course, Franco for all the prep work :D

NOM NOM: Even the Rind Orange Muffins

I spent many summers up at my cottage with my grandparents. My grandma taught me how to bake, and these muffins are one of her specialties. She still has photo albums full of recipe cut outs and originals. It's not so much of a sweet muffin...but instead, packs a great orange taste. She says the secret is the rind..which initially you would think was strange, but really adds something interesting. You kitchen will smell DELISH when these are made. Serve hot with a bit of butter if you can and don't store in the fridge.

What You Need:
-1 cup hot water
-1 cup instant oatmeal
-1/2 cup juice from one orange (Add a little water if you can't quite get a 1/2)
-2 large eggs
-1/2 cup each brown and white sugar
-1/2 cup oil
-2 cups all purpose flour
-1 tsp each baking soda and baking powder
-Dash salt

What To Do:
1. In a small bowl, pour hot water over oatmeal evenly and let stand. Pulse the orange juice in a blender, along with half the rind. Remember to take out seeds if there are any. What you should get it a thicker juice with little bits of rind, but not big enough to chew on....like a pulp.

2. In another bowl, combine the pulp and eggs. Add both sugars and oil and mix well. Add the oatmeal to the wet mix and blend again.

3. Lastly, combine the dry ingredients together and slowly add to the wet mix, little bits at a time until completely mixed. Spoon into lined muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 350 oven.

NOM NOM: Breakfast at the Scone Witch

NOM NOM Food Review: Ben and Florentine's

For my birthday a few weeks ago, I was fortunate to spend the weekend in Montreal. Since the hotel was right downtown, there was quite the pick of places to eat for all three meals. The one that stood out the most was this breakfast/brunch spot called "Ben and Florentine". When it comes to breakfast out, it's sausage-eggs-home fries...no substitutions. This time, predictably, was different.

Known for their eggs Benedict, I decided to get all crazy and try the one with ham, asparagus, and swiss. It came with home fries, and fresh fruit and apple sauce (YUM!). The man ordered the traditional breakfast with some extra meat. Bonus: I got a steak knife to cut through the english muffin instead of hacking away at it with a butter knife like most places set out. Home fries, in my opinion, make or break the breakfast...I am partial to Broadway's..BUT, these were pretty darn good! not too greasy, or salty. The asparagus wasn't stringy, and you could taste the swiss even under the hollandaise sauce. Speaking of, the sauce wasn't too heavy, which can sometimes ruin the dish since it's all you can taste.


The decor is mostly a bright orange, with pictures of mouth watering fruit and other breakfast items on the walls. The one downtown had floor to ceiling windows that let plenty of light in. Much more selection than Cora's, and very affordable depending on what you get. We both left satisfied, but not stuffed to the point of being rolled out. :)



Good news! they plan to open a franchise in Ottawa! If breakfast/brunch is more your thing, don't skip this place!

NOM NOM: Granola Bars

Most mornings I make a good breakfast, but for the times I would rather sleep in (who wouldn't!?), this is my go to recipe. They also come in handy for pre-lunch and dinner snacks too. Listed is my regular mix, but tweak it to what you like, since, well, your the one eating them. Try shredded coconut, flax seeds, peanut butter....chocolate also tastes great, but don't go too crazy, since they are supposed to be a healthy snack! haha.

What You Need:

2 Cups Rolled Oats
2 Cups Rice Crispies (If your out of cereal, replace with two more cups of Oats)
1 Cup Flour
1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla
2/3 Cup Butter or Margarine, Soft
3/4 Cup Honey (Roommate Tip: Try half or all Maple Syrup)
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
A mixture of Almonds, Walnuts, Dried Cranberries, Raisins, and Sunflower Seeds.
1 Tsp each Ginger, and Cinnamon

What To Do:

1. Preheat oven to 325. Grease the bottom of a baking pan, going up the sides.

2. Mix all ingredients except spices and additions. Gently stir in the rest. Transfer to pan and press down with spatula.

3. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until golden brown along the edges. Press down again with the spatula so when you cut it, it doesn't crumble. Let cool and cut into squares.

NOM NOM: Veggie Pizza with...BACON!

 Okay, so I contradicted my veggie pizza with bacon...but, in my defense, it's bacon. Ideally, I would have liked to venture to the butchers for thick cut bacon to cube, but sliced is what I had. This is a remake of the in-cred-ible pizza my roomies made a little while ago. The difference is that there were a few other veggies like portobello mushroom, and a pesto base. Look near the pasta sauces for mix it yourself pizza dough. Or, be ambitious and make your own!

What You Need:

- 1-2 Packages of Pizza Crust Mix, depending on how many your serving. Two for 3 or more people. OR pre-made pizza crust from the grocery store. I used Gattuso Pizza Mix
- Small can of tomato sauce
- Chopped mushroom, green pepper, tomato, zucchini, Etc.
- As much cooked bacon you want!
- 1 1/2 Cups shredded cheese...I used mozzarella

What To Do:

1. Prepare crust mix as directed and preheat oven to 400.

2. If your crust needs to rise, now would be a good time to prep any veggies, or shred cheese. This is assuming you've cooked the bacon. Once the dough has risen, spread with oiled fingers onto baking sheet.

3. Spread tomato sauce evenly over dough and top with cheese. Arrange veggies and bacon. Bake until edges are golden brown.

Faster, Healthier, and TASTIER than take out pizza!

NOM NOM: Scalloped Potatoes

I finally tackled the Pork Roast I got for a great price a little while back. Since eating only that for dinner would probably be frowned upon, I decided potatoes made sense. Get creative with the spices, makes a more interesting side! Below are pics of the roast :D

What You Need:


3-4 Yellow or White Potatoes- washed and thinly sliced
3 Tbs Flour
3 Tbs Butter or Margarine
1 1/2 Cups of Milk
Spices like Paprika, Cayenne, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Etc. 
1 Cup of Shredded Cheese- divided

How To:


1. Preheat oven to 345 degrees. Arrange half of the sliced potatoes in a baking dish and set aside.

2. In a saucepan, whisk the flour and butter together over medium heat. Gradually add in the milk, stirring constantly.

3. Add half the cheese, and stir occasionally. Let thicken slightly.

4. Pour half  the sauce over the first layer of sliced potato. Layer with remaining potatoes and cover with the rest of the sauce.

5. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown.


 Yum!

Latest from the Mixing Bowl..

Winter Warm Up

Avocado Tomato Chicken Salad