Author Archives: urbansuburbanmommy
I should have bought the bag…
Instead, I was given an amazing baby bag by a very close friend. A Kipling bag, complete with insulated pockets, roll-out change pad and signature toy monkey. It was functional and cute. I think every mama deserves the right bag, it makes life so much easier!
Here are some drool-worthy baby bags, which one do you want?
The Thea Baby Bag Tote is lined, has lots of interior pockets, a removable change pad, stroller straps and loads of style. Available in 2 colours, Bark and Black, the pebbled leather is durable and supple. $550
Don’t you just love Kate Spade’s patterns? Love love love – though this bag comes in black too, for those that just don’t appreciate stripes. The Sasha Baby Bag is lined, has many interior compartments and has a good width and depth for storing everything a stylish mom needs on the go. The durable nylon has leather trim. Oh yah, and 14K gold plated hardware. $398
This one is just too cute! The little cherry pattern on nylon quilting is actually able to be laundered, as is the matching removable change pad. This is a comfy bag, with both over-the-shoulder and cross-body wearing options. Lots of pockets and a big interior give mama lots of storage – and the exterior pockets are perfect for easy access to a wallet and cell phone. $298
This one is pretty sleek and styling. Who needs a purse when you’ve got an MK baby bag? Both the cross-body and over the shoulder, there is a removable change pad and lots of exterior pockets. I love those exterior pockets. It’s just as hot in navy blue. $298
There’s nothing like a little bit of Italian luxury to make a mama go gaga. This nylon body carries it all, in a more compact bag. Available in both navy and black, we love the sheen and leather-reinforced handles. $1,340
Love Coach? They make it easy to keep it classy, even with dipes, wipes, nuks, bottles and burp cloths in tow. (And we hear Coach was Sarah Jessica Parker’s bag of choice). In both black and blue, it’s light and durable. It’s had a lot of thought put into the design and includes lots of zips, a stroller clip, wipeable interior and removable change pad. It’s not the one I almost bought, but it would have suited me just fine. $495
Silver is definitely not for just any mama – can you carry this off? It’s definitely a cool bag – this one’s for birthing baby rock stars! Loving the quilted pockets and exterior zips. Straps for cross-body and shoulder. Matching change pad. $435
The signature check on this chic baby bag makes it a great accessory for a mom on the go. Strappy and stylish, ample storage space – inside and out – gives mama lots of options. There’s a roll-out change pad, but forget about that, the gold hardware and sumptuous leather make it hard to resist. Except maybe that I need to be able to afford the diapers to put in it! $1,495
We’ve saved the best for last. It’s not everyone that can take a $10,000+ bag and stuff it full of butt paste and burp cloths, but there are more than a few A-listers that have counted on the Hermès Birkin Bag to fill the bill. Over the past few years we’ve seen Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Lopez, Kate Moss, Rachel Zoe, Katie Holmes – and of course, Kourtney and Kim Kardashian (whose Birkin is actually worth closer to $40,000) carry the coveted bags as an accessory to motherhood.
You may as well get a baby bag you love. This bag is going to be your constant companion for the next 2 years, and then add 2 years for every subsequent baby. Get the one that will stay on your shoulder, hold all your goodies – and make you look good while you’re at your busiest!
You either like seafood or you don’t. My boys and I love almost anything out of the ocean – but my husband won’t have any of it. (Unless it’s battered, fried and served with chips and vinegar. So, basically, no seafood.)
Since the boys and I love seafood, I make this dish when the hubby is working late and we’re short on time. It’s so easy, fast and flexible on the variation of flavours you can create.
What you need:
– 1 pound of frozen mixed seafood (premixed bags available in the freezer section)
– 3 tablespoons butter
– salt and pepper
– 1 clove of garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
– rice (here’s our fool-proof rice)
What you do:
Prepare rice and set aside. You can use plain rice or take this up a notch by making lemongrass rice, ginger rice or even curry rice. It’s easy to flavour rice, just add a teaspoon or two of your favourite spice to the water when you cook your rice. Or, if you prefer, toss the cooked rice with some soy.
In a frying pan over high heat, melt the butter and add salt, pepper and garlic. When it’s melted, add the mixed seafood. Most grocery stores carry bags of frozen mixed seafood. I always keep a bag in the freezer for this meal. Our mix has shrimp, mussels, calamari and octopus. Yes, my boys love all of these. You can pick your favourite mix.
There will be some water coming off of the frozen seafood. Let the seafood boil in it until the liquid boils off. You may want to turn down the heat when it’s almost boiled off, or watch carefully and keep tossing to ensure it doesn’t burn.
Top off rice with mixed seafood and serve.
This recipe is very basic, garlic goes with most seafood, but try different flavours:
Coconut curry: Substitute butter for coconut oil and add a heaping teaspoon of curry paste or curry powder to the mix.
Jerk seafood: I have a great jerk spice mix and add a heaping tablespoon to the mix. Note that frying cayenne can cause burning eyes and hurts to breath in, so watch carefully and don’t burn the mixture. I add the jerk seasoning when the liquid is almost boiled off and toss for 20 seconds before removing from heat and serving.
Blackbean garlic sauce: If you’re a fan of blackbean garlic sauce, then you know the jar and have one in the fridge for just such an occasion. When the liquid is reducing, turn down the heat to medium and add two heaping tablespoons to the pan and mix well.
I think I’m going to look for a Spanish Paella version next. Give it a try and let us know what your fave is!
Tyson started treatment for torticollis in late 2014. After watching Tyson have a side preference for his head, I thought that it was worth looking further into. And who knew, local treatment centre One Kids Place allowed self referrals!
Within a few weeks side preference decreased (thanks to Lisa for all of the great exercises and tips that Tyson and I had to complete on a daily basis).
At one meeting Lisa mentioned Tyson’s flat spot. She felt Tyson would be a great candidate for a helmet.
Of course, right away I was shocked! I didn’t want to believe that it was that bad. Or that my son would have to wear a helmet (thoughts quickly entered into my head of a child that I witnessed wearing one since he would bang his head into the wall). Lisa let us know a little bit more about the helmet experience, and sent the referral to our family doctor. Tyson was diagnosed with plagiocephaly – which in non medical terms means a flat spot on the head.
The first appointment consisted of a scan of Tyson’s head which would allow us to determine if we wanted to proceed with a corrective helmet for our son. The helmet would cost $2300!
$2300? I made sure that that final zero was suppose to be there. And yes, yes it was.
After a quick discussion, we agreed that $2300 was totally worth it if our son needed the helmet.
Following the scan we were informed that, although Tyson’s plagiocephaly wasn’t extreme, he was a great candidate for helmeting.
Two weeks later, in the middle of January, Ian, Tyson and I returned for the fitting. Being in Sick Kids Hospital is a surreal enough of an experience, but I always told myself, your son is here for a helmet that is simply for cosmetic purposes. There is nothing wrong with his head. Brain. Health. It is simply a helmet to help shape his head.
Here is a picture of Tyson and me at the initial fitting.
Tyson was a great with the initial wearing of the helmet. They told us that we should try to make it to the parking lot before taking the helmet off. We went and visited a friend and her child that were living at Sick Kids, and got to the parking lot about 90 minutes later, and Tyson was still rocking the helmet!
Of course the helmet had its moments. And so did I as a mother….it sure took a toll on all of us. From 3 different infections, to the trips to and from Sick Kids, to just dealing with the daily maintenance and cleaning of the helmet, the helmet experience was a wild few months.
By July, we were almost “done” with Tyson wearing the helmet as it was getting tough – especially with the warmer weather. It was tough to see Tyson dripping sweat down his head within only 15 minutes of putting the helmet on. We almost didn’t go to our July appointment as we skipped our June appointment since Tyson hadn’t been wearing the helmet as much as he should’ve been (They wanted Tyson to wear the helmet as many as 20 hours a day! Yes – sleep with it on!). But, we decided to go.
AND, all of our hard work paid off! Tyson’s head was/is now perfectly shaped!!!!!!
So, to anyone debating over getting a helmet for your child, please know that although the experience is tough on everyone, the results are 100% worth it. Please do not hesitate to ask me anything about the experience as I only wish that I could’ve had someone to ask questions to (not that the staff at Sick Kids weren’t phenomenal, but from one parent to another, it is nice to have someone to ask, especially when you feel like quitting). When we left Sick Kids for the last time, believe me, we were all smiling!
After learning about helmeting from Krista’s experience, Urban Suburban Mommy had a few questions, which Krista was kind enough to answer:
USM: Is the flat spot potentially dangerous medically, or is correcting it more cosmetic?
Krista: The flat spot was totally cosmetic.
USM: Will it correct on its own if left without helmeting?
Krista: It would not correct on its own, so that’s why we knew that we “had to” helmet him. We didn’t want him coming to us when he was 16 and saying that he was getting made fun of when we could’ve done something about it.
USM: Do they like to correct it by a certain age?
Krista: We started the helmeting at the youngest age possible – 6 months. The later it is “found”, the longer they have to wear the helmet. Tyson’s head was obviously still growing (and we got new scans every visit) so it was a great time to shape it.
This article first appeared on MommyLovesMusic.Wordpress.com
Krista Holmes, KH Mgmt, became a mother in the summer of 2014. She works behind-the-scenes in the Canadian music industry, designs several social media campaigns and manages special events. Her love for motherhood & music can be found on her blog, mommylovesmusic.wordpress.com.
2Birds Design: Andi Wheelband and Renée Gammon
2Birds Design was hired to design a “big girl’s bedroom” as part of a birthday surprise for Valerie, who would be turning 3 years old. The task: maximize the limited square footage/space of the room, provide storage and offer a built-in bed solution.
Andi and Renée met the challenge with open arms and, as part of their design, they wanted to create a fun and interactive space so that Valerie was excited about transitioning into her new room. Custom platform bed systems are very expensive, so 2Birds decided on a custom designed storage bed (using IKEA cabinets!). This modular cabinet system provides a ton of storage in a consolidated area to allow for more open space and flexibility with furniture placement as storage and function over time.
The platform is built using basic plywood. It is in IKEA material, and added wood stair treads as well as a removable safety guard. 2Birds also decided to use a custom match, textured floor paint and basic foam floor tiles in pink (which you can purchase from department and hardware stores) for an anti-slip surface up to the bed. Navy, grey and yellow work with varying shades of pink and pattern play to create a fun space that will grow with Valerie.
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- Before
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- Light and bright
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- Lots of storage
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- Maximized the area
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- Room to play
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- Monogram V for Valerie
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- Loft bed
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- Wall to wall storage
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- Color blocking
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- Lots of color
We chose the colour scheme because we wanted something playful but that would grow with Valerie over the years. I instantly fell in love with the grey, pink, navy and yellow ikat fabric used on our large accent pillow and pulled our colour scheme from there.
Instead of overloading the room with extremely feminine tones, warm grey walls and a striking navy wall create an almost neutral backdrop for our layers of pink tones. A subtle light pink on the ceiling adds further interest, with pops of yellow and navy in the accent pillows adds to the fun but ‘not-too-young’ palette.
We kept the main pieces, like the frame of the platform bed and cabinets, area rug and bookcase white, so that the colour palette can be tweaked down the line by switching out the accessories. Even the pink cabinet doors can be switched out for another fun colour that IKEA offers.
We found the perfect drapery hardware, white sheers and deep fuchsia curtains at Walmart for an amazing price. We had them hemmed at a drycleaners for next to nothing ($10 a curtain panel) but these can also be easily hemmed with scissors, a neat fold and an iron on adhesive tape.
The floral tiebacks were a fun DIY and one of my favorite pieces in the room. I loved the idea of pulling in more of the navy and found the perfect navy and white polka dot floral hair clip at the accessory store Ardene. The overall size wasn’t quite large enough though so I used a glue gun to attach the navy flower to a slightly larger white flower. A white button finished off the centre, and I then glued the blossoms to a 2 inch wide piece of white fabric I had already hemmed using the above mentioned iron on adhesive tape. A small piece of velcro tape was all it took to hold the tie back together.
Valerie is quite crafty, so the small table and stool set was a great, inexpensive solution from IKEA. Made in a durable and washable material and in our perfect pinks, this purchase was a no brainer.
The bookshelf, pink and white boxes and pink polka dot bedding were all snagged from Target weeks before they were officially closed.
The pink princess canvas is also from Target, and sits beside the butterfly framed artwork from IKEA, and framed pieces of Valerie’s artwork.
Room to play
The rad cover was custom made by the contractor using pine boards we painted white, and geometric screen panels in the same pattern as our yellow accent pillow fabric.
The chandelier is available at West Elm and is made of capiz shells. I love the lightness of it against the pink ceiling and the pearlescent shells cast a beautiful reflection when lit.
2Birds Design: Andi Wheelband and Renée Gammon
Two Birds Design is comprised of principle designers, Renée Gammon and Andi Wheelband. With over 10 years experience working in award-winning design firms across Ontario, a partnership was formed to create a boutique interior design business. 2Birds specializes in creating unique and livable spaces while providing dedicated and personalized service, unrivaled by larger design firms.
With a focus on exceptional quality, creative thinking and attention to detail, 2Birds ensures each project is handled with integrity and precision, from the initial planning stages through to construction and implementation. Rather than working in a “signature style” they develop each design based on the unique personality and lifestyle of our client. The first step to a well-designed space is carefully considered space planning. Without it even the most beautiful rooms can feel cluttered, cramped and uncomfortable.
My husband and I have this thing for French onion soup, and many date nights have been centred around trying new restaurants for their French onion soup. The best we ever had was on our babymoon in Vegas. Prime Steakhouse at the Bellagio serves the most rich and hearty French onion soup with Gruyere and Emmentaler!
My version is a little homier and definitely a comfort food with a twist. If I stick with the more plain, stretchy cheese, my sons love this one. It’s delish and fun to eat.
What you need:
– 6-7 onions, sliced – Yellow, Spanish or Bermuda will work
– 4 tablespoons of butter
– 2 tablespoons salt
– cracked pepper
– big pinch of thyme (optional)
– 1 ounce of whiskey (cognac, brandy, rye or scotch will work) (or two ounces if you choose to drink one!)
– 1 pound beef, thinly sliced (often packaged as Chinese fondue meat)
– water
– French bread
– 3 cups of shredded Havarti (you can use Gruyere, Mozzarella or Gouda – mix in Jarlsberg or other Swiss cheeses – you can pick your favourite or mix)
What you do:
The soup needs to be made the day before as it needs a good 24 hours of simmering to really bring the flavours out. But it’s not a lot of work, just a lot of simmering.
Soup:
Slice onions into long, strips, not too thin or they’ll disintegrate. In a soup pot, sauté the onions in the butter on medium heat, really caramelizing them. The darker the better – though don’t let them burn. Add the water, filling the soup pot two inches below the top. Add the salt, whiskey, thyme and cracked pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then drop to medium low, allowing a very slow boil or simmer. Add half of the beef and leave it alone.
You’ll need to allow this to simmer for 24 hours, topping up with water as you lose some. Feel free to nibble on the beef – it’s so delicious – most of it will tenderize and break into small pieces. You may need to add salt and/or pepper, to taste.
Get ready to serve:
About an hour before dinner: Add the other half of the beef and continue to simmer.
15 minutes before dinner: Toast one to two slices of French bread for every serving of soup. With the rich, oniony broth ready, ladle into oven-proof bowls. Add toast to each bowl and cover with a very thick, generous serving of cheese. Put in the oven to broil for couple of minutes. Keep a close eye on this, you want the cheese to brown, but not burn.
The pieces of meat inside the soup are a hearty little treat, and my family loves this addition. This soup just keeps getting better, so save the leftovers for the following day.
If you don’t have oven-proof bowls, don’t worry, you can still make this. After toasting the bread, spread toast on a cookie sheet and cover with shredded cheese. Broil until the desired browning and then place them on the bowls of soup. Spoon a bit of soup over the cheese toasts to melt and moisten.
Mmmmmmmmmmm
To be perfectly honest, there are always things you can get for baby. The usual – clothes, toys etc… But, the best gifts for new parents don’t have to be store bought. In fact, labour and love are the best things you can offer.
We compiled some gift essentials below if you want to think outside the box and really provide a meaningful gift beyond the norm.
Urban Suburban Mommy Elisa shares:
We had a huge library of the Little Golden Books series, and then loads of big compilation books as well as some very sweet short stories. Our bedtime ritual always included a story – which was rarely told from a book. My dad had the most amazing imagination and would make up the most magical tales. Though they’re some of my most cherished childhood memories, there were times he read us books, and when he did, he did all of the voices too!
When the Beezles Got the Measles by Arthur Beckerman
Hands down, this is my absolute favourite book from my childhood. Anyone else remember this one? It was Beckerman’s only published work, ever. It’s out of print and worth $250+ in mediocre condition. I found this out while searching it out for my boys – and I was heartbroken. I thought it was gone forever – until last summer when it came up and my sister let me know she’d kept it!
Green Eggs and Ham By Dr. Seuss
I think every kid remembers their feelings about the feel-good funny rhymes and nonsensical sensations of Dr. Seuss. You can pick any one you want, this one’s my most loved. I do great voices, my dad would have been proud.
The Complete Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Anderson
I actually hid this book, and it was years before I’d revisit it after my dad read us The Red Shoes. While some of the stories are lovely – The Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina – The Red Shoes was most definitely not. I may still have nightmares about those dancing feet. Maybe not a favourite, but it had such a huge impression it had to make my list.
Aligator Pie by Dennis Lee
Something about whimsical rhyming has always thrilled me. I love the poems in this book. I loved when they were read to me. I love reading them to my boys.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
This was the book that made me start reading. It didn’t have pictures. It was long and it was such a surreal, wholly enjoyable story that I had to read ahead and forced myself to figure out the words on each page. I can still remember lying on my bed, refusing to go out to play so that I could read just a few more pages about the Oompah Loompahs and Mike TV. I’ve read it to my boys. Twice.
(It’s killing me to limit my list to 5. Only 5? I’d have to mention: Goodnight Moon, Paddington Bear, Little Women, Little Mr. and Miss books, Charlotte’s Web, Peter Rabbit, Where the Wild Things Are or Anne of Green Gables!)
Suburban Mommy Michelle Shares:
I absolutely loved listening to stories as a child. I still love reading as an adult, but definitely don’t have the time right now to do a novel justice. Instead, I revert back to the joy of reading with my 4 year old and relish the look in his eyes – full of wonder and awe.
Like Elisa, I absolutely adored Green Eggs and Ham as a kid, and now it is so much fun to read it with my son. In fact, I definitely recommend investing in a set of Dr. Seuss classics. Oh The Places You’ll Go with your child’s imagination…
Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban
I distinctly remember asking mom to read Bread and Jam for Frances over and over again. I loved this book! I haven’t had a chance to dig it out of one of the boxes in my basement as of yet, but it is a perfect and timely book to read to my picky toddler. Like Frances, my son only wants to one thing – his vice isn’t bread and jam – it’s pasta.
Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
Amelia is such a funny and loveable character. Her comedic domestic adventures definitely teach children to learn the subtle differences between literal and figurative speech. Amelia Bedelia is part of a series of great books, and I definitely recommend them all! I heard rumblings of the books being turned into a movie a few years back but have yet to see anything on the big screen.
Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Snowy day is such a magical and beautiful book. In fact, Keats received the 1963 Caldecott Medal for his illustrations in the book. You actually feel like you are part of a snowy day as you turn the pages. A dear friend bought this gem for my son as a birthday gift. My son loves reading it and so do I!
Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
Who doesn’t love a big red dog. I actually remember reading several of the books from the series in French. Whether in French or English, the Clifford books are great. Clifford has since been transformed into a television series.
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
My mom was the story teller in our family. But I was actually introduced to The Neverending Story by my grade 3 teacher Ms. Bananazak (I think I spelled that right). Every day, Ms. B would bring out a this stunning book and read a chapter to us, as we sat around in a circle. I was completely captivated by this book. I couldn’t wait for story time each day. The Neverending Story was turned into a film which I did watch and enjoyed. I was a bit scared and scarred by the Oracle. Regardless, this book is a must read!
(Like Elisa I could rhyme off a pile of titles because clearly I was a book nerd – loved Judy Blume’s Are you there God It’s Me Margaret, Gordon Korman’s No Coins Please, Shell Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends, Dennis Lee’s Jelly Belly – yes I could keep going!)
What books would you recommend to add to the list?
1. Tell us how pregnancy hair is different from every day hair
Pregnancy hair is different from everyday hair because we produce extra estrogen which prolongs the growth stage resulting in very little shedding where normally we shed up to 100 hairs a day.
2. Is it true that pregnant women shouldn’t dye their hair?
After doing numerous studies on the effects of hair dye and pregnancies the results are inconclusive. I would suggest waiting until the second trimester and go for highlights or ombre. Foils are great because the colour doesn’t have direct contact with your scalp.
3. What happens to hair post pregnancy?
When hormone levels drop back to normal in post pregnancy, the extra hairs drop too. Between 4 to 6 months is usually when moms start shedding hair. This is normal and not true hair loss. What it is, is a condition called excessive hair shedding which is caused by falling estrogen levels. The great news is that this is only temporary.
4. Are there any products you would recommend to strengthen post-baby hair? or help with hair loss?
Some products I would recommend are:
Moroccanoil-root boost – for full body and volume
Moroccanoil Volumizing Mousse – instant volume and lift
Moroccanoil luminous hairspray- a workable hairspray that’s light weight but gives perfect hold and texture For best results on achieving the most volume all of these products work best with heat (blow dryer)
I would also recommend taking a few inches off and adding layers to get thicker more voluminous hair. Try a fringe (bangs). This helps blend breakage in the front where normally hair shedding occurs.
Adding highlights or colour is a great way to get volume and texture in your hair and brighten up your look.
Erica H. Wearing has been a stylist for over 16 years and she absolutely loves what she does . “It’s a great feeling to help people feel and look their best when they leave my chair. I wouldn’t trade this for any other job in the world!”
Check out Erica at Ka!Boom Hair Salon 1129 West Pender Street, Vancouver B.C .
(604)681-6003
hairbyericaw
Momtuition.
The problems that start brewing can be anything from social issues to health matters, but you have that gut instinct to know what to do.
Momtuition.
This is not to be confused with panic, freakout and hypochondria-by-proxy. You’ve got to really dig deep and know the difference between Momtuition and neurotic mommying. When the chips are down, you’ll know. You won’t know how you’ll know, but you’ll know.
When my second son was 15 days old I was a sleep-deprived, zombified mother of 2 under 2. He didn’t wake up for his 2am feeding. I celebrated the milestone with a few extra hours of dreaming. But when he didn’t wake up at his 6am feeding I started to wonder. Sleepy newborn, sleep-deprived mommy, active 22-month-old, why was I concerned that my babe was sleeping? Lots of infants start sleeping through the night.
I latched him on, but he was pretty tired and didn’t feed well. My Momtuition was screaming, but I kept second-guessing myself, feeling stupid for ‘being neurotic.’
Finally, after about half an hour of inner conflict, I decided to embrace my inner neurotic. I called the health nurse and started the conversation with, “I know I’m probably a neurotic new mother, but something doesn’t feel right…”
My baby was deathly ill and the only symptom had been him sleeping through a meal. Within 4 minutes of my phone call we were in an ambulance. Within 10 minutes of that call he was in the emergency room having a lumbar puncture.
We spent 2 weeks at the hospital – Sick Kids Hospital – me willing him to live and the doctors not giving me a huge lot of hope.
Momtuition also convinced me he’d be alright despite the doctors’ great concerns.
He’s now a happy and healthy 5 year old rough and tumble boy, but it was a rocky road. They said if I had waited a few more hours things would likely have gone a lot differently.
One thing saved him.
Listen to the Momtuition.
Fancy-Pants Bangers & Lentils with Red Pepper & Onion Relish
A classic reinvented into something lighter with BIGGER flavour (and shhhhh, healthier), Bangers and Lentils with Red Pepper & Onion Relish is delicious and fast with a good serving of veggies.
What you need:
– 4 sausages (spend $ on goodies), works well with chicken too.
– tin of lentils
– cup of any stock (or water)
– 1/2 a carrot
– 1 onion
– Red pepper
– Bunch of thyme
– Dijon mustard (I love Maille)
– Balsamic vinegar (again, I like Maille)
What you do:
Sausages
Pre-heat oven to 450°. Sear sausages in hot pan with a splash of oil. When you’ve browned both sides, slide them into the oven for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile…
Lentils
In a pot, sweat off 1/2 finely chopped onion and 1/2 finely chopped carrot with a splash of olive oil. Add rinsed lentils, a heaped tablespoon of Dijon, stock, a few sprigs of thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer on medium heat until lentils suck up most of the liquids.
and…
Onion & Red Pepper Relish
In a pan, add thinly sliced 1/2 onion and thinly sliced red pepper with a very generous splash of olive oil. Sauté until brown. Add a tablespoon or more of balsamic. Reduce 30 seconds more.
Plate a generous mound serving of lentils on plate. Place sausages on top, then your lazy onion and red pepper relish. Dat’s comfort food baby.
Chef Mike Ward began his cooking career at the bright-eyed age of 17 in Sydney, Australia. Mike never believed he would one-day prepare meals for such clientele as Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Bruce Willis, and Nicole Kidman. He has cooked in some of Sydney’s and Toronto’s most acclaimed restaurants: Zigolini’s and The Basement in Australia; Prego Della Piazza and Shark City in Toronto, and has owned and operated several catering companies. Throughout his career Mike has also shared his passion and experience through group and private cooking lessons allowing keen home cooks to develop their skills.
In 2000 Mike produced and directed an award-winning cooking/travel/lifestyle television series that have been viewed in over 40 countries. His great love of creating food content has taken him all over the world, writing, photographing and curating recipes and food related stories for highly respected print, online and television outlets. He serves as a consult to Centennial Colleges’ culinary department, and is also involved in many charities including Dancing with Parkinson’s.
