After several child organizational challenges and lego mishaps at home, I headed to Toronto for the first McDonald’s All-Access Moms trip. (We managed to find Luke Skywalker’s body, so I was free to travel without worry.) It’s hard to pinpoint how I feel as I begin on this journey. I’ve been busy with the press, and am so excited to dive into the program. Questions are pouring in, and I’ve been gently schooled in societal issues all the way from farming protocols to the perils of eating too quickly.
I first heard about CityLine’s McDonald’s All-Access Moms program and thought it would be intriguing to see the operations, food preparation and strategy of a huge corporation from behind the scenes. It is a rare opportunity to be granted access to the inner workings of one of the world’s largest restaurants. (And not only any restaurant – but one which arouses passionate opinions by so many people). I applied and was honoured to be chosen. With the decision to participate comes a huge responsibility to ask tough questions, consider philosophical positions and present all I learn in a professional manner.
Stick to your healthy eating resolutions with this main course waldorf bulgur salad recipe that’s full of whole grain goodness. It’s a great use for any leftover roasted turkey you have, and packs easily for work lunches. Makes 6 main course servings.
Your body is amazing. It supported a new life for nine months, and then overcame a physical task unlike any other, to give birth to your beautiful baby. Now, your body is producing milk and adjusting to new hormones, sleep deprivation, and new routines. In many cultures, including in Asia, it is expected that during the postpartum period women rest and bond with the baby while her family takes care of all the other daily responsibilities. We’ve researched nourishing foods to support postpartum recovery. You just have to eat them!
This tourtiere recipe originated in Quebec and is frequently enjoyed in the winter months – especially on ski vacations and during special holidays. After enjoying the expansive terrain and fresh Tremblant air, you’ll need a piping hot, hearty pie to warm your bones. So pop off the skis, make some cocoa for the kids, and wrap yourself in cashmere as your Mont Tremblant Tourtiere warms in the oven.
Your family has escaped the Toronto winter to Blue Mountain and you are getting cozy in a cabin at Ontario’s largest ski and snowboard resort. The fire is blazing, the kids are tired (and happy), and snow falls outside your windows. The Niagara vineyards have kindly provided you with a selection of great wine, and you can now start the quintessential vacation meal: Blue Mountain Cheese Fondue.
You are at a superb ski resort, home for lunch, and really don’t want to stress about dinner. Roast a fab piece of meat and add this incredible Big White Roasted Butternut Squash side dish. You can whip it up between trips to and from the hot tub. Better still? Make double, and turn it into a soup for later in the vacation.
Soup is so full of nutrition and goodness. It’s inexpensive and easy to make, and can be frozen. What more could a Mom want? Here’s a truly Canadian, easy soup recipe.
Aunt Elsie’s “Passatelli” soup
Submitted by Paul Lepri, Quebec
What’s a traditional Canadian Christmas meal? Recipes, like family heirlooms, are often passed down through generations and Ancestry.ca, Canada’s leading family history website, turned to its customers to find out some of Canada’s favourite ancestral concoctions. Here is Mother Dorothy’s Pork Tenderloin.
With hundreds, if not thousands, of customs making up the Canadian cultural identity, what Ancestry.ca discovered was a true mosaic of meals.
This lentil salad can be eaten as is or stuffed into a pita for a sandwich. Super-yummy, and packed with health. Makes 4 servings.