Archive | October, 2014

Invitation: Bindis and Bangles – an event for new South Asian moms

23 Oct

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As a new mom and a member of Masalamommas, a community and online magazine for moms in South Asian families, I would like to invite the readers of Milk & Eggs to ‘Bindis and Bangles, A South Asian Baby Shower’ – an event for expecting moms and new moms (those with babies 6 months or younger). This event has been organized by Masalamommas and is being presented by Huggies.

Event info:

Date: Sunday November 16, 2014

Time: 11 am to 2 pm

Location: Swagat Banquet Hall, 6991 Millcreek Drive, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Lineup:

  • National on-air personality and host Karen Johnson
  • Baby & prenatal yoga instructor and actress RIshma Malik
  • Parenting expert Nanny Robina
  • Canadian Doula, Lisa Caron

Hashtag: #TimetoHug

To RSVP, please go to: http://bit.ly/1wuLdxR – This is a free event, however tickets are first come, first served.

The event promises to be a lot of fun, so I hope to see you there! Scroll down below for more information on the host and speakers for Bindis and Bangles.

Karen Johnson: Host for the Bindis and Bangles event

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Karen’s warm personality and introspective nature has helped her navigate a notoriously difficult industry to break into. After graduating from Humber College’s broadcast journalism program, The Shopping Channel gave Karen her first opportunity to showcase and hone her on-air skills. Karen’s enthusiasm and professionalism led to a reporting position for Omni’s news division, from there the station created a new entertainment show “Bollywood Blvd” featuring Karen as the host.

Karen then landed the Station’s premiere cooking show, The Veggie Table. The show gave her an unexpected opportunity to hone her skills in the kitchen, which blossomed into a full-blown love of cooking and into her spinoff cooking show currently in production, The South Asian Tasting Table.

The Veggie Table has aired nationally and internationally for over 13 years and continues to air in around the world in syndication. Karen is a sought after media personality, reporter, producer, news writer, speaker and emcee. A native of Toronto, Ontario, Karen’s notable career in front of and behind the camera began in 1993 and she has been an avid face in the media since. While Karen spent the bulk of her career as the face of Canada’s The Weather Network, Karen recently served as the on-call weather anchor for Canada’s most watched morning news show Canada AM.

Nanny Robina: Parenting expert will give moms sleep tips and more for newborn babies

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Nanny Robina is one of North America’s leading parenting experts. Born in Birmingham England, to a British mother and a Pakistani father, Nanny Robina was the seventh of nine children. She was raised with a solid foundation to respect all faiths and cultures and grew up in a very strict and disciplined family environment.

Her genuine love of children and international travel has shaped her solution-based expertise, helping parents with hot button issues like discipline, manners, playtime, mealtime, and sleep time. In fact, she has a 95% success rate with her strategy for putting babies to sleep–a skill that is in demand everywhere. But it is her mission to raise happy, healthy, and secure children that attracts parents to her parenting workshops, one-on-one consultations, speaking engagements, blogging and writing.

Equipped with several professional certificates: NNEB (National Nursery Examination Board) in 1982 from Garretts Green Technical College; MNT (Maternity and Nanny Training) for infant care in 1985 from South Birmingham College Hall Green; and Business for Women Entrepreneurs in 2003 from the Aurora Women’s Centre, Robina put her childcare passions to work.

A self-proclaimed “open book,” Nanny Robina’s expertise is honest, raw, and guided by her personal philosophy to “enjoy parenting, but stay true to yourself as a parent.” Whether a child is feeling isolated because of a new sibling, or a parent is overwhelmed, Nanny Robina offers advice that is appreciated and recognized by all who enlist her help. Currently Nanny Robina is the resident parenting expert for Canada’s #1 talk show Cityline (CityTV) and several magazines including Parents Canada, Chloe, and Edmonton Parent Child magazine. She is the go-to expert for Entertainment Tonight, NBC, City TV, Breakfast Television, The National Post, CHCH morning live, Save Us From Our House! and Till Debt Do Us Part.

Rishma Malik: Yoga instructor will do a prenatal/baby yoga demo for moms and provide tips on making yoga work for you.

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Inspired by a deep sense of purpose and passion for sharing yoga’s unifying, balancing, and transformational power, Rishma strives to share her firsthand knowledge and experience in the ancient philosophy of yoga together with modern cognitive psychology and Buddhism to provide students and clients with concrete mental, physical and spiritual tools for manifesting healthier lives and living their personal best.  Her classes are uplifting, engaging and energizing yet grounded in the calm soothing power of release and mindfulness.  Rishma Malik is a senior-level yoga instructor registered with the Yoga Alliance.

She is trained in the Himalayan Yoga tradition and received her formal 1000-hour Yoga Master certification at Sananda Devi Yoga in 2004.  She is also a registered kids yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance and holds 200-hour certification in kids yoga (E-RYCT), followed by yoga therapy and pre-natal certifications under the direction of many accomplished yoga teachers.  Rishma is also a professional actor, producer, singer, former Miss India-Canada and on-air journalist. She completed her BA in philosophy and communication studies at York University. Rishma also received extensive training in acting, movement and voice in NYC and Toronto for over 20 years and draws upon her in-depth knowledge of the body and mind in relation to the voice, self-confidence, mindfulness, openness and the 7 energy centers (Chakras). She knows what it’s like to be highly scheduled and understands the demands that come with juggling work, goals, family, aging parents and appointments.

Rishma is known for her specificity and innovation in constructing programs for healing for actors, producers, CEO’s, corporations, film sets, working parents, kids with special needs, kids with confidence issues, ADHD and autism. Rishma teaches Vinyasa Flow, Classical Hatha, Meditation, Kids Yoga, Yoga Therapy for Rehab and Chakra Yoga.

She is a senior level Yoga Alliance teacher (E-RYT & E-RCYT) and Reiki-Master and teaches hundreds of yoga classes a year locally and globally through Skype soul coaching and yoga programs for clients from England, Europe, India, and South America while juggling her professional career in the media arts. Rishma has been the lead yoga instructor for many yoga studios including ‘Soul Spa’ in Thornhill as well as the Sutton Place Hotel in Toronto and has since built a bustling private practice.

Lisa Caron: Postpartum and birth doula and author will talk to moms about the importance of bonding in the first year with baby

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Lisa is the co-author of two books, Bearing Witness (2010) and Joyful Birth (2012). She has volunteered with St. Michael’s Hospital, Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, with pregnant teens living in a maternity home, in Guatemala and Mexico and has worked for INFACTCanada.ca.

To RSVP, please go to: http://bit.ly/1wuLdxR – This is a free event, however tickets are first come, first served.

See you there!

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Fab finds at Grocery Innovations Canada 2014

3 Oct

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A few days ago I had the opportunity to attend Grocery Innovations Canada, an industry conference and trade show hosted by the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers. I love to learn about new products and I’m also obsessed with food packaging, so I look forward to this show every year. I should explain that grocery shopping is a huge passion of mine. One of my favourite post-work activities is wandering the aisles of grocery stores (yes, I’m serious). Even when I’m on vacation, I seek out local and chain grocery stores, just to check out their products. So when I got to the show, it was one of those scenarios where I walked in and I was so excited to be there that I didn’t know where to start : )

Warning – this is going to be a LONG post. Not long in words but long because of the number of products I’ll be talking about. Note: Some of the products pictured below aren’t new but the brands were showing them again as a reminder to retailers and media that they are available. Here we go….

For those who follow a gluten-free diet, there’s a gluten-free version of Cream of Rice in market. I didn’t get to sample it but I thought I would share this info for those who enjoy the product. Learn more here: http://www.creamofwheat.com/products/cream-of-rice/

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I love mushroom risotto and I’ve made it at home several times. It’s an easy dish to make but it’s just very time-consuming so I was happy to find out about In Cuisin’s Mushroom Risotto. I’ve seen it in the freezer section many times (often on sale) but I had never tried it. I had a hot sample of the risotto and it was delicious! There was an assortment of mushrooms in it and the rice was just the right texture. In my opinion, for a frozen dish it was as close to restaurant style as you could get. I’ll definitely be picking this up to keep in the freezer for a last-minute lunch or dinner. Learn more here: http://infoodsinc.com/en/products/in-cuisin-risotto/mushroom-risotto/

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Coffee + coconut water? Yes, it’s true. The fine folks at Vita Coco have combined coconut water with espresso and a splash of milk to create a mighty tasty drink. I was surprised by how good it was (Apologies for the poor photo!). Vita Coco was also showing their flavoured coconut waters – I enjoyed the mango and pineapple flavours the most. Learn more here: http://vitacoco.com/products/vita-coco-cafe/#cococafe
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Robin Hood showed some quick bread mixes with flavours including banana bread and lemon poppy seed bread. This looks like a great idea for those who wish to make quick breads at home without the effort of scratch baking. While they weren’t giving out samples of the baked breads to try, I did receive a coupon to try the product. I’m a huge fan of Robin Hood flour, it’s the only brand I’ll buy, so I’m sure this product meets the same standards. Learn more here: http://www.robinhood.ca/Products/Mixes

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Another packaged baking product I wanted to mention are Duncan Hines Strawberry Flavoured Cupcakes, this product comes with cream cheese icing and a piping bag. I’m very big on baking from scratch but I have to say that the cupcakes I sampled were quite tasty and weren’t too sweet. Definitely a good option for some easy home baking. http://www.duncanhines.ca/products/cupcakes/strawberry-flavoured-cupcakes/

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Rotkappchen De-alcoholized Sparkling Wine….wow, I loved the taste and I thought the packaging looked quite nice as well. It’s a great option for those who wish to have a non-alcoholic beverage but don’t want to feel like they are missing out on anything. Learn more here: http://www.therealbubbly.com/products.html

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I wanted something spicy after having the cupcakes and sparkling wine so I was so happy to spot No. 7 Hot Sauce’s display. They have a range of flavourful sauces with different levels of spice, so there was really something for everyone.  The best part, they are from Toronto! Learn more here: http://no7hotsauce.com

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This was big news for me….I love the Moroccan 9 Vegetable Soup that I can buy hot and ready at Loblaws and Longo’s. I found out that the supplier was Campbell’s and I was thinking of asking them to sell the soup in cans and voila…my wish was granted when I visited their display at the show! I bought a can of the soup after the show and I’m having it right now. While it is close to their Campbell’s FoodService version, it isn’t 100% the same. I’ll still keep a can or two in my cupboard to squash the cravings as needed though. Learn more here: http://www.campbellsoup.ca/en-ca/products/everyday-gourmet/campbells-everyday-gourmet-moroccan-spiced-eight-vegetable-chickpea

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Next up, Supereats Kale + Chia Chips. I enjoyed these, they were tasty, nice and crunchy and left me feeling satisfied. I’m look for these at my local health food store. Learn more here: http://www.supereats.com

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Another tasty chip, Luke’s Organic Protein Chips with blue corn and red lentils. Also really tasty, especially considering the fact that they are “healthy” chips. Another one to look out for in health food stores. Learn more here: http://www.lukesorganic.com

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Mmmm Wonderful Pistachios! These aren’t new but I love their variations on the humble little pistachio. I tried their Sweet Chili pistachios for the first time and I was kicking myself for not trying them earlier, they were so good! I also loved the salt and pepper flavour, it’s simple but oh so tasty. Can we just talk about their cute packaging for a minute? It’s eye-catching and very fresh. Go get some, now. Learn more here: http://getsnackin.ca

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I’m looking forward to trying the Blueapple, a product that was made to help keep fruits and vegetables fresher for longer in the fridge. Learn more here: http://www.thebluapple.com/how-it-works

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These aren’t new but I thought I would share since there is a huge slow cooker movement right now. These liners make cleanup easy, you just line the cooker, make your dish and then just pull the liner out and toss it after. Learn more here: http://www.reynoldskitchens.com/products/slow-cooker-liners/

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KitchenAid was showing their new Produce Preserver, designed to help keep produce fresher for longer. I received a sample of this so I’m really looking forward to testing it out. Stay tuned! Learn more here: http://www.kitchenaid.ca/en_CA/shop/-%5BP1KG6S1B%5D-2104325/P1KG6S1B/

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Maple water. It was the first time I had heard of it and apparently it’s the next big thing. Surprisingly it contains protein, prebiotics and antioxidants and you know what, it tasted pretty good. Not too sweet, just a fresh clean taste. Bonus points, the company is Canadian! Learn more here: http://www.eauderableseva.com/en/

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Huge news…Tassimo and McDonald’s have partnered up to create McCafe t-discs for Tassimo machines. I adore my Tassimo machine and I can’t wait to try the McCafe discs. Learn more here: https://www.tassimo.ca/en/beverages/mccafe/

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Greek yogurt with chia mixed in from Olympic Dairy (they’re Canadian!). A great option for vegetarians who want to add more protein in their diets. Learn more here: http://www.olympicdairy.com/index.php

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Two more great products from Sol Cuisine – the first one is their Tangy Korean BBQ Meatless Chicken. I liked the flavours and the texture of the meatless chicken was great. Their Veggie Breakfast Sausages were great too, they would be perfect in a breakfast sandwich with egg, cheese and tomato. (my favourite sandwich combo). I’ll definitely pick up both of these next time I’m at the grocery store. Learn more here: http://solcuisine.com/canadian-retail

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I loved these Korean filled pancakes (called Hotteok) from Arumi. I tried both the Hotteok Red Bean and Hotteok Brown Sugar, both were really tasty. The rep said these products are available at major Korean grocery stores in the Toronto area. The company doesn’t appear to have a website with these products on it…

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A few side items…Coca-Cola brought their “Share A Coke” machines to the show and I was able to finally get some cans made with my (full) name and my husband’s names on them. So cool! Learn more here: http://www.shareacoke.ca

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Lastly, not a product but a really cute giveaway at the show from McCain Foods. They were focusing on their frozen potato products so they handed out potato shaped stress balls. I just had to share : )

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The show was quite big, big enough that I’m sure that I missed some good finds. Luckily fellow blogger Vicky Weiss  attended as well, so please check out her blog to find out which products she loved at GIC at www.momwhoruns.com

Have you tried any of the above products? Are there any that you’re excited about?