I'm afraid this is farewell.

With a heavy heart, I am leaving Canadian Living to join the team as senior editor of our brand new sister publication -- Juice -- launching in print and online in April. This is my last week as web food editor at Canadian Living.

I can barely describe the pleasure it has been to work for such a genuine magazine and a caring group of people. They took me on as a fledgling, ambitious intern 6 years ago and grew me into the editor I am today. This team has celebrated in all my life's joys, and supported me whenever the chips were down. I will always consider Canadian Living as my home base, and the Canadian Living team my family.

(I hope they'll still let me snack from the Test Kitchen..)

And a Valentine's thank-you giveaway to my readers!
I have also thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you, the readers of Canadian Living. It's through interaction with you that I understand how food and recipes online serve you best. As a thank-you, I have 2 wonderful, Valentine's-themed Metro gift baskets to give away!

Included in each basket is one of:

• Irresistibles Swiss Milk Chocolate
• Irresistibles Mocktails
• Irresistibles French Roast Cafe
• Irresistibles Maple Syrup
• Irresistibles Chocolate Pecan Clusters
• Irresistibles Scottish Shortbread
• Irresistibles Cheese Crackers

Start date: January 31, 2012
End date: Feb 3, 2012 at 9:00 am
Winners notified by email: Feb 3, 2012
What to do: Leave a comment in the Comments section below, and I'll pick 2 random winners on Friday morning.

Thank you again, staff and readers of Canadian Living, for sharing in the best 6 years of my life. Come find me on Juice in April.

xoxo,
Colleen

February 3 update: Two randomized winners have been notified via email. Check your inboxes!

Today I present a guest blog post by our fabulous CanadianLiving.com food intern Alexandra Ward. She took one for the team, visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame to sip wine and learn all about an exciting new venture in hockey and wine. Food journalism can be tough, I have to admit. Enjoy her report & exclusive event photos below.

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By Alexandra Ward

If there’s a more natural Canadian pairing than hockey and alcohol, I haven’t found it. Traditionally, the first drink that comes to mind when you think of hockey is -- beer. But as I learned last nigh at the Hockey Hall of Fame, the times are a-changing! Not to mention the palates of former NHL players.

Canadian hockey legend and former Toronto Maple Leaf, Johnny Bower, was on hand last night to help launch the new, exclusive Hockey Hall of Fame wines developed by Diamond Estates.

“At my age wine is terrific, more so than hockey,” he shared.

Wine lover and former Maple Leaf goalie, Johnny Bower

For those of you not raised as Leaf fans, Bower was the goalie in net the last time the Leafs won the Stanley Cup in 1967.

New! Hat Trick wines, made exclusively for the Hockey Hall of Fame

The NHL Alumni Association has paired with Diamond Estates to launch Hat Trick wines (seen in image above). Hat Trick Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Shiraz. Hat Trick White is a blend of Gewurztraminer, Riesling and Chardonnay-Muscat. Proceeds from the sale of each bottle go to the NHL Alumni Association to support various charitable causes and promote the game of hockey in Canada. Both are available now at the LCBO for just $12.95 per bottle, and will roll out across Canada in coming months.

Winemaker Tom Green from Diamond Estates

Winemakers Tom Green and Scott McGregor recommend pairing the white with salads and light chicken meals -- avoiding heavy cream-based sauces. When enjoying the red, they suggest sticking with barbecue and burgers.

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Thanks Alex! Are you more inclined to buy a bottle of wine if proceeds go to charity, or do you buy for value?

Last week, I asked our Canadian Living staffers what they do when they have limited a) time, b) ingredients and 3) motivation to cook.

Well, last night, it was yours truly who was in that very situation! I was starving and knew I only had about T-minus 15 minutes before I started getting, as a friend of mine calls it, hangry.*

Here's what I whipped together in under 15 minutes (and no one got hurt!):

Whole Wheat Pasta Salad With Salmon

1. Cook 1 pkg (375 g) whole wheat penne according to package directions; drain and rinse under cold water until completely cooled.

2. Meanwhile, open and drain 2 cans (170 g each) salmon.

3. Flake salmon and mix with:

• about 1/2 cup of light mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup each finely chopped green onions and celery
• a finely chopped baby dill pickle
• the juice of a small-ish lemon
• a hefty sprinkling each of paprika (sweet, hot or smoked), dried dillweed (fresh dill is even better) and freshly ground pepper
• a pinch of salt

4. Mix the salmon mixture with the pasta and serve with a little something green on top, if you have it. I nearly always have some sort of fresh herb on hand, even if it's just parsley or a little bit of extra green onion.

Easy pasta and salmon salad, straight from the pantry

I've always adored tuna or salmon pasta salads. My Mum and I would go to the local sandwich shop all the time when I was little and they always had one just like this on the menu.

Variations and tips:

• Instead of dill and chopped pickles, you could add a spoonful of pesto and a few sliced olives, capers or chopped roasted red peppers.
• Use whatever short chubby pasta shape you have on hand. Whole wheat, spelt, kamut, or even white pasta are all ideal candidates.
• Don't have salmon? Use tuna or 2/3 cup of shredded cooked chicken. Even little salad shrimp will work.
• Want to add in some leftover vegetables? Try grated carrot, finely chopped cucumber or diced red pepper.
• Taking it for lunch the next day? You may want to make a little extra dressing. The pasta absorbs the dressing and the flavours can become a bit dilute after sitting in the fridge.

Do you get hangry, too, or is it just me?

*Hangry: (adjective) A portmanteau mixing the words "hungry" and "angry".

Example: "I was so hangry by the time Larry got home, I ended up making him eat dinner in the garage."

It's Tuesday at 6:30 pm. You've had a really long day and it started before the sun was up. Your car started making a funny noise on the way home. Traffic was terrible. You were late picking up your kid. And now you're faced with the ultimate challenge – finding the energy and inspiration to make dinner.

Pizza Night!! (Image via Wikipedia)

We've all been there. We've all shuddered at the thought of cooking, or just been too pressed for time to figure it out... and had nothing leftover in the fridge or freezer to rescue us.

So I asked our Canadian Living team what they do on those nights when they just can't face making a proper meal from scratch. Here's what they had to say:

1. Grilled cheese. "My classic standby is a gooey grilled cheese sandwich with whatever bread I have on hand.  If I'm feeling indulgent, I'll make it with rye, old Cheddar and a good slather of raspberry jam.  I will also fry an egg over-easy and eat it on top of leftover steamed rice with a bit of soy sauce. If there is no way I can be nudged into the kitchen, my go-to is either sushi delivery or a family-run Greek restaurant near our house." – Irene Fong, Test Kitchen Food Specialist

AW: I love rice with a fried egg on top! That is one of my stand-by dinners. Sometimes I throw some peas in with the rice.

2. Restaurant rescue. "If I can't stand the thought of cooking, we'll go out for ethnic food in our neighbourhood. Our favourites are Japanese, Thai, and Indian, but Swiss Chalet is a big standby in our house! Sometimes I'll make pasta with a really quick passata based tomato sauce with sautéed onions, garlic, oregano, hot pepper flakes, salami (if we have any on hand). If I don’t have to feed anyone else, it's cereal – hot or cold!" – Adell Shneer, Test Kitchen Manager

AW: I admit it. I love Swiss Chalet. Huge standby at our house, too!

3. A quick curry. "This is my go-to for nights I want (a) flavour, (b) something quasi-exotic that I can also serve up to a buddy who's dropping over and (c) is fairly quick. I quickly stir-fry pre-cut chicken bits, add a few good dollops of (PC or other brand) korma sauce and serve it in a ripped-open pita pocket. I'll look in the crisper for whatever veggies I have (zucchini, alfalfa sprouts, ...) and add that. I can have this put together and on the plate in less than 20 minutes and folks love it. If I decide I want veggies on the side, I buy the tiny bag of per-shredded carrots or coleslaw mix, toss with whatever salad dressing I have – et voilà! I have a salad." – Doug O'Neill, Executive Editor

AW: I do something similar... I'll stir-fry sliced meat and pre-cut veggies in a skillet, then add a spoonful of curry paste, 2 heaped spoonfuls of peanut butter and enough water to make it saucy. I serve on leftover rice. It's so delicious – and tastes like take-out!

4. Eggs. "I'll have an egg, poached soft in a saucepan of quick tomato sauce (crushed tomatoes, olive oil and spices). I eat it with hot, buttered toast. Quick. Easy. Healthy-ish." – Tasia Rivero, Web Editor

AW: Aren't eggs awesome!? Eggs on toast is my instant dinner choice 9 times out of 10. That, or beans on toast.

5. A leftovers casserole. "I usually make "magic casserole". It gets my creative juices going and uses up all the bits in my fridge and cupboard. Maybe it's pasta with some chicken and frozen peas baked in a light sauce. Maybe it's sautéed cabbage, beans, fennel seeds and a can of tomatoes topped with cheese. Maybe it's Tuesday night's Chinese takeout stirred together with some frozen peas and baked all together. If I ever have kids, I expect they'll hate Magic Casserole night. But I personally get a kick out of it." – Colleen Tully, Web Food Editor

AW: I love the idea of "magic casserole". I can just see it now. Leftover pasta sauce poured over chicken breasts and frozen spinach, topped with cheese and baked until bubbly? Yum.

6. Antipasti. "We have a 'Tuscan picnic'. Open a jar of artichoke hearts and marinated mushrooms, grab the olives and whatever cheese or cured meats are in the fridge, and put out some crackers and fresh bread. Oh, and a nice beer or glass of wine! It's our fave go-to, last-minute dinner. Easy to pull together, almost no clean up and it's always delicious. If we don't feel like putting any work into it, we head up to the local Lebanese joint for a falafal. Yum!" – Daniela Payne, Web Editor

AW: I love that this idea requires absolutely no cooking. The only dishes you dirty are your dinner plate and a wine glass! That's my kind of dinner.

7. Sandwiches. "Maybe it's my recent Downton Abbey marathons, but when I can't bear the thought of washing any pots or pans, I've been reaching for – yikes! – cucumber sandwiches. Never boring (I never whip them up quite the same way twice), they're a refreshing reminder of summer on a chilly winter's night... And there's only one plate to clean-up after." – Brett Walther, Home & Garden Director

AW: This idea is adorable. I love being inspired by the stuff I see on TV and in movies. I dare you to watch the Korean movie Tanpopo without craving noodles or Big Night without needing to have Italian food.

8. A rice bowl. "If I'm in a rush or just lazy, I make a rice bowl. I usually steam jasmine rice, throw in some microwaved sweet corned niblets and tofu cubes (already marinated in curry sauce), add soya and then toss in a giant bowl. Instant comfort food." – Julia McEwen, Fashion & Beauty Editor

AW: I love rice bowls. I will heat up some leftover brown or jasmine rice with broccoli florets (fresh or frozen), corn, a scrambled egg or cubed tofu, chopped green onions and then drizzle with soy sauce, hot sauce and sesame oil. Instant healthy "fried" rice.

9. Noodle soup. "I try to keep my fridge stocked with a few things to save me in this situation, because really, I feel like this eight nights a week. My best solution: I bring 1.5 cups chicken stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Dice leftover veggies (carrots, celery, pepper, whatever) and simmer in the broth till tender. Meanwhile, thaw a handful of frozen cooked shrimp in the sink and cook 1/3 of a package of ramen noodles – without the “spice” packet. Pop the shrimp in with the soup to heat up. Drain the noodles. In a soup bowl, layer noodles, veggies, shrimp, then pour the broth over. Season to taste with hot sauce, if you like that sort of thing." – Austen Gilliland, Senior Editor, Crafts & Food

AW: I do this, too! Only, I use soba noodles instead of the ramen. See my instant noodle soup recipe here.

10. Bread and cheese. "Whole wheat bread and cheddar cheese is my go-to dinner when I really don’t feel like cooking. Add a side of green olives and a glass of red wine and your quick dinner fix seems almost special." – Jennifer Melo, Senior Web Editor

AW: This is something I do, often. I also love hummus and crackers or vegetable sticks added into the mix.

11. Cereal. "I have a slight cereal addiction, so I just reach for a box of whatever I have open and pour myself a nice big bowl. I’ll have some yogurt or fruit to top it off." – Wendy Graves, Senior Editor, Life

AW: Pretty sure we've all done this! Cereal rocks!

12.  A big salad. "I make my fabulous Surprise Salad. It’s always a surprise because it consists mainly of what’s in the fridge. I usually start with any greens – arugula, spinach, lettuce. Then add any leftovers ie: a sliced chicken breast, leftover shrimp or cheese or throw in a can of tuna or a hard-boiled egg if I don’t have anything else in the fridge. Then I add yummy extras – veggies (tomatoes, cukes), sliced hot pepper rings, olives, pickles, pickled artichokes or eggplant strips. Then it’s all doused in my favourite dressing: 3 parts olive oil, 1 part balsamic vinegar, a little Dijon mustard, a little maple syrup, oregano, salt and pepper. So yummy, and I never get tired of it, because its different every time! It’s like my dinner yells 'Surprise!' at me from the plate." – Donna Paris, Senior Section Editor, Life

AW: A big salad is a great option and also a great way to use up bits and bobs in your fridge. And so healthy and filling!

13. Pizza! "I’m not proud to admit it, but my favourite local pizza joint is on speed dial for no-cook nights. They know me by name and can usually – unless there’s a new girl on the phone – recite my order." – Tina Anson-Mine, Executive Editor, Food & Books

AW: Honey, show me someone who never turns to pizza and I'll show you a liar! Or someone with gluten and dairy intolerance...

14. Egg drop soup. "I make a quick egg drop soup. I heat up chicken broth, throw in a few peas, green onions and seasonings and then drizzle in a beaten egg right before serving. My kids love it and it takes less than 10 minutes." – Nicole Young, Food Stylist

AW: I love this. If I do this, I'll often add shrimp for extra protein, especially since you can add it straight from frozen. And a handful of fresh coriander at the end. I won't even chop it!

15. You're on your own! "It’s called 'Fend for yourself, mom’s off duty tonight' at my house. Usually, the kids will make themselves a bowl of cereal, oatmeal, perogies (they love these) or mac ‘n cheese." – Teresa Sousa, Editorial Assistant

AW: That's right, Teresa. You show 'em who's boss!

Now it's your turn! What's YOUR instant dinner fix? Tell us in the comments section below!

January weather has a way of making me feel uninspired in the kitchen, and everywhere else in my life. To brighten things up, I'm sharing some great dishes I enjoyed in Puerto Vallarta, a small fishing town and huge Canadian tourist destination on the west coast of Mexico.

Mexico is dear to my heart as I was married near Cancun, and Puerto Vallarta is no exception. It's a magical place filled with friendly people, exceptional food, beautiful art and breathtaking scenery.

If you find yourself in Puerto Vallarta, or just need to dream a little, here are some places I recommend:

The Villa Premiere Hotel & Spa
This lovely spa hotel is on the northern part of town. Nothing says dinner like a fantastic serenade from a local mariachi band:

A serenade at the Villa Premiere Hotel

Enjoy a bowl of tri-colour squash soup. Mexicans know a thing or two about turning the humble squash into a work of art:

Tricolour squash soup at the Villa Premiere

The El Dorado Restaurant & Bar, Los Muertos Beach
Soak in the ocean air as you dine on dishes by acclaimed local food advocate and owner Chef Guillermo Wulff:

Pulled pork meets local shrimp meets fresh avocado on mini baked tostadas. Everything is possible in Puerto Vallarta:

Beachside tastes better: Pulled pork, shrimp, avocado & tomato tostadas

Las Caletas
Take a day trip out to Las Caletas, a small island full of unbelievable creatures:

See the symbiotic wee fish on the left living in the folds of this jellyfish

And lunch on Mexican fare, including traditional Mexican hot chocolate served in a giant warm clay vessel after swimming around the ocean with the fishes.

Sip Mexican hot chocolate done the traditional way in a clay pot after a day of snorkling at Las Caletas

Le Kliff
It's worth the short drive south to Le Kliff, a restaurant built into the side of a cliff that overlooks the rainforest and the ocean. Fun fact: Across the road is where they filmed the movie, Predator. (awesome!)

Peer into the lush rainforest from the edge of a cliff, at Le Kliff

Watch the sunset from your perch at Le Kliff.

Ceviche caught that morning served in a coconut is my kind of appetizer:

Enjoy tropical ceviche from locally-caught seafood at Le Kliff

Tequila Corner
Go for a tequila tasting at Tequila Corner, a small tequila shop in the heart of Puerto Vallarta's Art district. Here you'll find high-end tequilas not available anywhere else in the world, and great staff willing to teach you all you ever wanted to know.

We discovered the difference between silver, gold and "white" tequilas.

El Arrayon
You can't leave Puerto Vallarta without going to El Arrayan, a small restaurant working hard to retain and reintroduce traditional Mexican foods. Check out the menu here. Expand your horizons with a cricket taco, or 'Chapulines'! Crickets are closely related to shrimp. It was crunchy with smokey, almost shrimpy flavour. Tequila helped, I have to admit.

Expand your horizons with a traditional cricket taco at El Arrayan, post-tequila is recommended

And for dessert, baked squash so caramelized and gooey one would swear it was packed with dairy:

Polish it all off with a gooey traditional dessert: baked squash.

My hosts told me you would have to stay in Puerto Vallarta for over a month before you started repeating restaurants. It was a culinary dream and a delight to visit.

What are some of your favourite Mexican foods? Would you eat a cricket taco?

Anyone who knows me knows my love of the belly. This is the ultimate expression of pork, in my opinion.

One part crispy crackling, one part juicy, tender meat? Heck yes.

How to roast a pork belly:

• Take a slab of pork belly with the rind still attached (available in Chinatowns, everywhere). Often, you'll find they're about 1.5 kg, but any size will work.
• Score the skin in a 1-cm-wide cross-hatch pattern with a very sharp knife. A serrated knife works well, as the skin can be a bit tough to get through, especially if you don't have good knives. Don't cut too deeply – you basically want to just score through the rind and not too deeply into the fat.
• Rub all over with a bit of oil, a handful of Chinese five-spice, a couple of cloves of minced garlic, and some coarse sea salt. The five-spice is purely optional and this dish is actually absolutely out of this world, even with no seasonings at all.
• Place on a rack in a large roasting pan. Pour about 1 cup of water in the bottom of the roasting pan — just enough to cover the pan, but not enough to touch the roast. This is to prevent the stuff that drips off from burning to the bottom of the pan and smoking you out.
• Roast in a slow oven (about 275° to 300°F/130 to 150°C) for about 2 to 2-1/2 hours, adding more water to pan if it gets dry.

You know it's ready when the rind is translucent and brittle and the fat is golden, crispy and completely puffed up. If your belly meets this description, then you'll have the most tender, succulent meat, with a nice crisp crackling, topped with a shiny-as-glass, crunchy skin.

**Oven temperatures vary, so if the pork doesn't look like that yet, don't freak out – just turn up the temperature to 400°F (200°C) and flash-roast for an additional 1/2 hour, or until it's done.

Let it stand for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing— if you can keep your hands off it, that is.

If you want a dipping sauce, mix equal parts Chinese red or black rice vinegar and soy sauce and a few slices of green onion.

This dip also works great with pot-stickers or steamed dumplings.

Or, really, you can eat it just on its own, because it's that good. Then call me and thank me. Then go slap your mama. Unless your mama makes stuff like this already. In which case, give her a foot massage.

Have you made pork belly at home?

Every month I send out a food trends press release based on what readers like you are searching for - and not searching for - on CanadianLiving.com. With a sample base of nearly 2 million Canadian visitors to our website every month, these reports are a great reflection of what's being served on Canadian tables!

It's always fun to see the year in review, so I've compiled the Canadian Craving of the Month over the past 11 months, to give you the Top 11 Food Trends of 2011:

January 2011
Canadian Craving of the Month: Soup recipes - 760% increase over 2010
Jan 2011 analysis: "Diet-friendly and budget-friendly soup is the choice du jour for Canadians on this belt-tightening new year"
Image above: Hearty Tomato, Sausage and Bean Soup

February 2011
Canadian Craving of the Month: Quinoa - increased by 153% over 2010
Feb 2011 analysis: "This jump in quinoa requests shows home cooks are comfortable with this good-for-you grain this year and experimenting with new recipes. Quinoa and Chickpea Salad was also Canadian Living's March 2011 cover recipe, which may have fuelled the fire this month."
Image above: Quinoa and Chickpea Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette

March 2011
Canadian Craving of the Month: Quinoa - increased by 311% over 2010
March 2011 analysis: "Another quantum leap for quinoa this month. The only grain that doubles as a complete protein, the quinoa bump might also be related to a sharp rise in veganism in 2011, thanks in part to mega celebrity Oprah Winfrey and her 1-week vegan challenge earlier this year."
Image above: Tricolour Quinoa


April 2011
Canadian Craving of the Month: Cheesecake -increased 123% over 2010
April 2011 analysis: "While cheesecake is a popular year-round dessert, it makes a sunny end to spring dinners and especially Easter-themed feasts."
Image above: Wildflower Honey Cheesecake with Blueberry Compote

May 2011
Canadian Craving of the Month: Hamburger - up 20% over 2010
May 2011 analysis: "Apart from the die-hards who barbecue year-round, the month of May signals it's time to tune up the barbecues for another season. And the most popular thing on the grill? Hamburgers"
Image above: Blue Cheese-Stuffed Bacon Burgers

June 2011
Canadian Craving of the Month: Cheesecake - up 56% over 2010
June 2011 analysis: "Also the Canadian Craving back in April, rich, satisfying cheesecake is enjoying a delicious surge in popularity this year. Can you guess who's eating the most? The highest search volume comes out of Prince Edward Island!"
Image above: Cheesecake Pie with Rhubarb Sauce

July 2011
Canadian Craving of the Month: Chicken breasts - up 135% over 2010
July 2011 anlaysis: "While the top 10 this July remained fairly level with last year - burgers, salmon, salsa, etc. - chicken breasts leaped 135% to the 12th position, illustrating a huge revival in this lean, barbecue-friendly and flavour-neutral cut of meat. This trend suggests we'll see chicken breasts easily reach top 10 in August."
Image above: Italian-Style Chicken Breasts

August 2011
Canadian Craving of the Month: Salsa -  up 76% over 2010
August 2011 analysis: "Aside from all things salsa being local and in-season right now - tomatoes, peppers, onions and herbs - salsa is one of the easiest and most versatile home canning projects to take on. Whether you're a novice cook or professional chef, making salsa appeals to everyone."
Image above: Tomatillo Salsa

September 2011
Canadian Craving of the Month: Chicken breasts - up 336% over 2010
Analysis Sept 2011: "Wow! There’s the power of a sale. Major grocery chains across Canada had deals on boneless chicken breasts in September, translating into thousands of home cooks searching CanadianLiving.com for our Tested-Till-Perfect chicken breast recipes."
Image above: Chicken, Peach and Spinach Salad

October 2011
Canadian Craving of the Month: Slow cooker - up 855% over 2010
October 2011 analysis: "Slow cookers are becoming as essential as toasters in Canadian kitchens, and CanadianLiving.com has hundreds of Tested-Till-Perfect slow cooker recipes to choose from. We’re not surprised to see this as Canada’s craving of the month, and expect to see the numbers grow steadily as snowy weather creeps upon us."
Image above: Slow Cooker Spinach Ravioli Soup

November 2011
Canadian Craving of the Month: Chicken breasts - up 186% over 2010
Nov 2011 analysis: "Further analysis reveals we’re craving stuffed chicken breasts: pounded and baked chicken wrapped around cheeses, veggies and meats like prosciutto and ham. Tasty, elegant, and so easy to do!"
Image above: Leek and Cheese Chicken Breasts

2011 was the year of quinoa, chicken and cheesecake. Sounds like a meal to me. What was your biggest craving of 2011?

Stay tuned for December 2011's Food Trends press release on January 4, 2012!

I can’t tell you how many food- and weight-related resolutions I hear in a day. I mean, I work in a test kitchen ... where we feed people. Needless to say, it's a hot topic.

Many of you are already planning to never eat delicious cookies like this again!

The sad part is that I can’t think of one resolution that isn't a) some kind of "I'm so fat" punishment, b) completely unrealistic or c) all of the above.

Eat less!

No more carbs!

No more alcohol!

Never eat chocolate again!

Lose xx pounds by Valentine's Day!

Fit into that dress I wore in 2002... by March!

Work out every day for 14 zillion hours!

How many times have we all made resolutions just like these? I know I have. And how effective have they been?

Oh yes, that's right — they haven't been effective AT ALL.

Now how refreshing would it be to choose to make resolutions that are a little kinder to YOU? That are achievable? Resolutions that celebrate life, rather than set us up for failure?

Here are my 10 food-friendly resolutions for 2012. And guess what? You won’t find one among them that involves giving up chocolate.

1. Eat extremely deliciously — every day. I hereby vow to only eat food that I find absolutely delicious. If it's not ridiculously tasty, it doesn't make it into my belly. I will also make a special point to eat something that really thrills me every once in a while. I shall eat it mindfully, savouring every bite. Doesn't have to be unhealthy. Just has to be scrumptious.

2. If I want something decadent, I get to have it! Gone are the days of “no more (fill in the blank)." If I want a butter tart, I’m eating the damn thing. Not 10 of them. It's not about that. But I'll eat it and I'll love it. Especially if it’s made using real ingredients... with love.

3. Take time to enjoy food. How many meals have I crammed into my maw without even thinking about it? Savour it!

4. Enjoy ingredients at their peak. Sure, those local, in-season strawberries sometimes cost more than the imported ones. But they are sooooo much better — and not all giant and weird. Plus, in eating locally, you’re supporting your local farmers and food producers, which is extremely valiant, if you ask me. Bring on the Niagara wine!!

5. Let friends help. I promise to invite my friends and family over more often and celebrate delicious food with them. And in the process, I will not get all control freaky. I will actually let them do something to help. I hereby relinquish control!

6. Cook from scratch, just for kicks. I will make something time-consuming every once in a while just for the fun of it! I enjoy making bread more than just about anything in this world. So why not do it?

7. Eat more! And by that, I mean I will not go 7 hours without eating, only to become a ravenous beast who will hoover up anything in her path. I will eat breakfast, lunch, dinner. And snacks in between, if I'm hungry!

8. Throw out the bloody scale. I’ve never understood scales. Seriously? Do we really need to know how much we weigh in order to be healthy? I don’t know about you, but my weight can fluctuate up to 5 lbs from one day to the next, depending on the time of month, how much water I’ve had, etc. And that is perfectly normal. Why be a slave to those fluctuations? A tape measure is much better for your mental health. Torch the scale!

9. Regret nothing. Who wants to waste time feeling bad about food choices? Not this lady. Last time I checked, a shame spiral didn’t fix anything. And frankly, I am exactly who I’m meant to be. Lumps and all.

10. Have fun. I will dance around like a fool, every day. Possibly while making dinner. Possibly without pants on. Unless I'm making something that spatters, in which case, the pants stay on.

Me, really enjoying a deeelicious smoked meat sandwich (from Schwartz's Deli in Montreal) — without regret.

What resolutions do you resolve to give up, this year?

Iron Chef Cat Cora, and me

Back in October, I met the inspiring Cat Cora for her launch of Cat Cora cookware by Starfrit, available exculsively at Walmart stores across Canada. Cora is a stickler for eco-friendliness, and ensures a charitable element is a part of each product. If you need last-minute gifts for the picky foodie on your list, here are two I think are great:

Maple Wood Butcher Block, $69.94
This block is made from 100% Canadian maple recycled flooring pieces, and assembled in a small Quebec factory that employs 200 developmentally delayed adults who wouldn't otherwise have means. This board sits above the counter and can breathe, so it won't get moldy underneath.

Hard Anodized Fry Pan, $25
Her frying pans are hard anodized, meaning they are stick-resistant without the toxic spray coating that eventually wears off into your food. And notice the long handle - it keeps hands away from the heat and also slim enough for people with smaller hands. "I'm smaller, y'know," Cora explains in her Southern accent. "But I can pick this long handle up with two hands. I usually need to do that with a stir-fry."

And, of course I took this opportunity to bend Cat Cora's ear on how the rest of us can develop cooking skills like hers.

Q. How do you develop a palate like a chef?
Cat Cora: Pick one thing you're really good at, and experiment with it. The best thing to use is a roasted chicken - that's what they make young chefs do in culinary school because it's easy and forgiving. Experiment with seasonings like curry, fennel, citrus - mix it up! Then you'll build up your senses, your brain, your nose and your palate. You figure out what you like, what you react to, and what you absolutely love.

And the younger you start developing your palate, the better. Get your kids eating herbs and spices so they'll have great palates when they're adults, but it's never too late to start. Like I said, practice on the chicken.

Q. What are some Iron Chef tips you can give to amateur home cooks hoping to enter a competition?
Cat Cora: Just tune everything else out. If you don't know what to do, put your head down into your food and just start prepping something. And taste as you go along! The bottom line is it doesn't matter how pretty your dish looks if the taste is off. -- young chefs always make that big mistake. Don't worry about making it pretty and then trying to find the taste later, if you do that you'll fail miserably!

Q. What's happening now in your charity, Chefs for Humanity?
Cat Cora: We just donated $150,000 to the United Nations World Food Program for their SAFE stoves initiative that benefits women. Most developing nations have open fires in their places of residence with no ventilation -- a major health hazard for women. Also, women and girls are the foragers of the world. They are the ones to collect firewood, but unfortunately that's when a lot of sexual assault happens. We try to avoid this with SAFE stoves, they work independently of firewood. My charity started SAFE stoves in Haiti and we'll move on to other places.

Q. Our Facebook fans wanted to know -- what's in Cat Cora's turkey stuffing?
Cat Cora: [laughs] We do caramelized mushrooms, lots of fresh rosemary and oregano, garlic, and good bread that we dice up into big bite-sized pieces. I don't like my stuffing mushy, I like pieces I can bite into. I make homemade cranberry sauce that I like putting on top of my turkey stuffing, too.

I also like to take the stuffing out of the turkey and brown it a little so it gets crispy on top. Just a few minutes on 400˚F to 450˚F.

What's in your turkey stuffing? Is it like Cat Cora's, or different?

Image by net_efekt's via Flickr

This January, I'm putting myself on a diet: A food waste diet.

If I stacked up all the convenience and takeaway food packages I used, meal ends that were thrown out, and unused produce that went bad in my fridge over the last year, I would be filled with shame at my thoughtlessness.

Between withrawing from the Kyoto Protocol and international criticism about our oil sands, the world is starting to think Canadians just don't care about the environment any more.

Well I still do, and the best way to make a huge reduction in your carbon footprint is to reduce household waste created by food. According to a 2009 Statistics Canada report:

In 2007, an estimated 38% of solid food available for retail sale was wasted, the equivalent of 183 kilograms per person.

That's 403 pounds of food wasted, per person, per year, in Canada.

Things that weigh 400 pounds: a female grizzly bear; a Welsh pony; an Orca whale. Put 35 million of these animals into a pile, and there's our waste for the year.

My easy food waste diet plan:
1. Bring leftovers for lunch
Not only will I avoid eating a second helping at night and risk throwing the rest of that dinner out, I will also avoid takeaway container waste the next day. Portion control meets food waste conscientiousness. This one is the silver bullet.

2. Turn vegetable bits into stock
Carrot peelings, leek ends, mushroom stems and cabbage cores can all have a second life in my slow cooker, transformed into vegetable stock.  And thanks to fellow blogger and our food director Annabelle Waugh, I know how to freeze stock into ice cube trays for easy use, any time.

3. Grocery shop with a plan
Having a menu plan in mind when hitting the grocery store means buying what you'll actually use, and not buying what you think you'll use. I can' t count how many times I've purchased a knobbly celeriac root with full intention to use it, and never have. I'll use our weekly Dinner Club recipes, which are also available on mobile so I can access them at the store.

Now this is a diet I feel really good about, finally!

Do you transport your lunches in Tupperware, Corningware, glass jars, metal containers or something else? I could use some advice on the best way to bring my dinners.

In researching for this blog post, I came across UK-based Love Food Hate Waste, whose interactive website has tons more tips for keeping food waste to a minimum.