We Heart Local 3rd annual awards

  
Happy Thursday great foodie friends,

As you have probably noticed I am very fond of “buy local” “eat local” as well as getting to know your farmer and equally important where your food comes and what the practices of your food artisans are in growing and preparing your food. 

This great annual people’s choice awards is a great opportunity to vote for and share your appreciation for your favorite local advocate, farmer, artisan, restaurant and the list goes on! 

  
We Heart Local award page
Let’s hear it for local: it’s time for the We Heart Local Awards!
Get ready to show your favourite local food producer a little love: it’s time for the third annual We ♥ Local Awards! For the last three years, this people’s choice awards has highlighted the most popular food and agriculture businesses and organizations across the province. Your vote helps support the local economy, spread the word about why local is better…and it also tells your favourites- in a very concrete way- how important they are to your community. If you want to support your local butcher, baker, or ice cream maker, nominate them for a We ♥ Local award!
Anyone living in BC can nominate and vote for their favourites in the following 15 delicious categories (simply head on over to http://www.weheartlocalawards.ca!)
· Favourite Farmers’ Market

· Favourite Store to Buy Local

· Favourite Local Meat or Poultry Supplier

· Favourite Local Seafood Supplier

· Favourite Local Cheese Maker

· Favourite Local Sweet Treat

· Favourite Local Advocate

· Favourite Local Winery

· Favourite Local Brewery

· Favourite Local Food Truck

· Favourite Local U-Pick Farm

· Favourite Local Orchard/Fruit Supplier

· Favourite Local Restaurant or Chef

· Favourite Local Florist or Nursery

· Favourite Local Greenhouse or Veggie Grower
Ready to spread the local love? Here’s how the We ♥ Local Awards work: nominations start August 17th, and voting is open from September 7th to September 14th, 2015. And when you vote, everyone’s a potential winner: nominating and voting for your local BC favourites also enters YOU into weekly draws for a chance to win one of five $100 gift cards to your local BC VQA store. Plus, you’ll be automatically entered in the Grand Prize draw for a luxurious three-night stay at Taku Resort and Marina along with your choice of a cooking course for two, valued at $1,800. This prize includes $300 gift card for BC Ferries to cover the cost of ferry transportation to Quadra Island. It’s an unforgettable way to experience local – especially once you hear Taku’s family story. Grand prize winner will be announced on September 15, 2015.
To cheer on your favourite local loves (and discover new ones), head to weheartlocalbc.ca, or download their mobile app to find what’s in season right from your pocket.

Teach your kids to cook – choices

Happy Monday good foodie friends,

Just a short blog post to start off your week the right way. The title could easily read teach your kids to cook and re-teach yourselves to prepare real food that feeds the body and the mind. 

Processed processed processed hits us everyday for so many reasons. 

We are to busy, we didn’t have time, it’s really good, it was less money

Whatever the reasons are we always have to remember that everyday we have to fuel our bodies and minds why not do it with food that feeds the body rather than damages the body? 

I mean really tell me you don’t sometimes put more energy into whether to use premium gas or synthetic oil for your car so that it runs better! Is as much thought going into what you nourish yourself with? 

I don’t mean to preach but rather want to remind us all that as long as the burgers, fries and shakes are the exception and not the rule all should be good but don’t forget the rule should be to eat real food that feels good health for a long time.

   
 
Simply make it a weekly habit to plan your meals, visit a farmers market or a great corner market where you can buy the rights ingredients. Most cities and Vancouver Metro area is no exception is peppered with great farmers markets all year long as well as some great artisan farmers and producers of great quality choices. 

Get to know where your food comes from and I promise you the flavors will set a new level of expectations for you and your family!

When we cook with our kids it plants the seed of good habits and then we all realize that we have the confidence and ability to cook. Have fun and make things your own… Try different things and new spices or herbs to kick up dishes! 

We also have some great

“Farm to Table” style restaurants that excel in local ingredient offerings prepared in healthy ways. Eating healthy doesn’t mean that your aren’t eating tasty delectable meals. 

   
   
Real flavor comes from fresh ingredients, spices and herbs. 

The dessert above is fresh pears with parmigiana cheese and 25 year balsamic and delectable isn’t a strong enough word for how good it was. 

   
   
Don’t get me wrong and please know that I am totally just reminding you all to try and think more about what you eat and where your food comes from… Balance is the spice of life and fun should be had but treat the body as well as you do your car- “garbage in=garbage out”.

Have a great rest of the week and do get out and enjoy! Just choose what you want after thinking about it! 

Finally a little humor! I don’t want to be a downer just a nudge in the right direction. 

   
 

It’s #PiratePakDay at WhiteSpot Restaurants #CONTEST

A worthy cause! Have you done your part today? Come on who doesn’t like a White spot pirate pack?!

Mary in Vancity

WhiteSpot’s annual fundraiser for Zajac Ranch for Childrenis back on August 12th, 2015. This is the one day a year when anyone can relive their childhood and order a Pirate Pak at any participating WhiteSpot restaurant, and feel good about it -For every Adult and Kids Pirate Pak that is sold on this day, WhiteSpot willmake a $2 donation to the Zajac Ranch for Children – a BC based summer camp that brings joy to children and young adults with serious medical conditions. Over the years The restaurant hasraise $347,172 for this worthy cause.

All Adult Pirate Paks include creamy coleslaw & ‘endless’ fries plus a soft drink, theirfamous chocolate coin and a scoop of premium rich ice cream. Available for dine-in & takeout.

The choice of burgers include:

The Legendary Burger
Thetraditional 1⁄4 lb. beef burger with signature Triple “O” sauce.

Bacon Cheddar Bigger Burger
A6 oz. beef…

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2015 Lay’s Canada Do Us A Flavour Canada Finalists

This gallery contains 4 photos.

What’s your favorite flavor ?! Thanks to Flavor Town Adventures for sharing!