How-to

Are you tired of sugar cookies yet? Does the idea of one more piece of shortbread make your stomach lurch? Do you get a headache at the thought of consuming yet another snickerdoodle? If so, you might just be suffering from Christmas cookie overload.   But don’t worry, help is here – when you’re tired of the same old, same old treats on the table, you need to try something different. And by different I mean from an entirely different country.

Six packs, love handles, and muffin tops are all terms used to refer to the mid-section or “core.” If you’ve had a hard time transforming your “muffin top” and “love handles” to a firm mid-section find your problem in the list below and follow the solution! Through my 10 years of training people to reach their fitness goals, these are tried and tested, be aware for positive results.

Moving is always a drag. Add small kids and/or babies to the mix, and it can be even more challenging. I know, having moved twice in my son’s first 3 years of liife. Here are some tips to help make the move run more smoothly with young kids in tow.

Not satisfied with the default ringtones in iOS 7? Many iPhone owners are happy enough with “Cosmic,” “Stargaze” or classics like “Old Phone.” But if you’re bored with the ringtones you get as part of iOS 7 or you’re tired of reaching for your phone (along with dozens of people around you in the mall) every time you hear that familiar ring, maybe it’s time to change things up. Maybe you’d like a riff from your favourite song instead. While you can buy pre-made music ringtones directly from your iPhone, it’s easy to create your own from your iTunes music library. Here’s how.  

I know I use most of my home appliances on a daily basis, and there’s nothing more frustrating than when one of them is not working. Recently I had to troubleshoot my rocking washing machine. Read on to see how you can troubleshoot yours if it’s banging around like mine was.

Where I grew up, we didn’t have ‘food trends.’ Everything we ate was simple, basic, and comfortable – from roast beef and mashed potatoes to chili and mashed potatoes. If we were going to spice things up, maybe we’d have spaghetti or pizza.   So imagine my surprise when the person who did all of the cooking during my formative years, the woman who actually served me lasagna and mashed potatoes (I’m not joking), called me up and started talking to me about quinoa. And she wasn’t just calling for a definition of what quinoa is either – she was talking about her long list of personal quinoa salad recipes. I almost dropped the phone in shock. After all, quinoa doesn’t include ground beef or mashed potatoes in the ingredient list, so this was quite a detour.

Pasta salad – it’s just one of those things that fits in with everything. Summer BBQ in the backyard? Pasta salad goes great with steak, chicken, or veggie burgers. Having a formal dinner for friends? Pasta salad can fit right in with some of the main courses you toil for hours over.  At my house it’s practically expected that I make a side pasta salad for a roast chicken, and I always whip it out for the official Canadian kick off for summer on July 1st.

What’s the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear the words “humidity drawer”? If you’re like me, the answer might be, “Oh, that’s what those things are called!” Humidity drawers, or crispers (because they keep your produce nice and crisp!) are the the drawers at the bottom of your fridge. They’re a nice place to store miscellaneous produce for most of us, but if used correctly, they can extend the life of your produce and keep everything in tip-top shape for as long as possible.  

Have you ever heard of “brinner?” Until I read up on 2015’s food trends the word brinner had never entered my vocabulary, but now it’s all I can think about. Get your griddle ready and try a few of these great brinner recipes.

Having a fall baby or just had your baby and you're wondering how to prep for the chilly weather? I've been there, and I've got a few cold weather tips to prepare you and your baby for fall.