When Mad Morten cooks (i.e. when I let him), you can be sure every pot and pan within reach will be “essential” in his “culinary masterpiece.” Were I in charge of dinner, the kitchen would be spotless and the cleanup a breeze. Granted, I use the take-out menus more than the spatulas but when free time is a luxury, I just don’t want to waste it on complicated and time-consuming food preparations. That’s why I’m drawn to cookbooks with titles like “One Pot Italian Cooking.” In it, Massimo Capra (of Restaurant Makeover fame) showcases authentic Italian cooking that makes the best use of a single saucepan, skillet, soup kettle or bowl. Recipes range from the very simple Risi e Bisi (Rice & Pea Soup) to the sublime Beef Braised in Barolo, and every one of them will draw cooks to the stove, eager to stir, serve and savour the tasty results. Colourful and flavourful, One Pot Italian Cooking features more than 100 recipes developed by a master chef for everyday home cooking. For sample recipes, read on! Read the rest of this entry »

What appears on the wine label counts. You can learn a lot about a wine before you buy. The trick is to know what’s worth reading. Wine label literacy can go a long way to increasing wine enjoyment and decreasing buyer remorse.

James Nevison & Kenji Hodgson
Co-authors, “Had a Glass” Annual Series

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Although DHA is not a household name, it is something families should become familiar with. A key building block in children’s development from conception to adolescence, DHA should be included in their diets, particularly during their formative years as it has been proven to have invaluable health benefits in boosting brain function and in ensuring healthy development of eye and nerve tissues.

A long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid in the Omega-3 family of fatty acids, DHA plays several important roles in children’s development, especially in the last trimester of pregnancy and in the early years of childhood. Infants are usually able to get their daily requirement of DHA through breast milk if they are being breastfed by mothers who have an adequate supply of DHA from their diet, or through infant formula supplemented with DHA. However, once the intake of these foods stops, so does the intake of DHA. It should come as no surprise then, that children across Canada are not consuming enough of this Omega-3 in their diets, which means they are missing out on their chance to have higher IQ scores and better vision. (1)

DHA is most commonly found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and herring, not exactly at the top of kid’s lists of favourite foods (Omega-3 enhanced eggs are now an option though) so for more information on how you can incorporate more DHA in your children’s diets, read on…

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Women today are living longer, but are they living better quality lives?

It is a fact of life today that many women are juggling career, family, household responsibilities, and often sacrificing their own needs to take care of those around them. Some of the main health concerns that women face today are a result of these stressful and hectic lifestyles.

Stress is linked to heart disease, cancer, depression, anxiety, diabetes, and insomnia. When we are super busy, we don’t take time to eat properly, exercise and get adequate sleep, all factors that take their toll on our health – physically and emotionally.

Health expert Sherry Torkos explains how women need to make their health and well-being a priority and how this will also benefit those around them.

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If running down to the corner store to pick up a Durex 12-pack is your idea of prepping for a date that you hope will turn into a sleepover, then you are in dire need of Jill Hannan and Jacquie Brownridge’s expert advice. Click on the video above for a crash course on how to impress your dream date the first time you bring her home.

And just in time for Valentine’s Day, My Girlfriend and It’s Just Lunch have partnered to present The Bachelor Makeover Contest. One deserving bachelor will be getting the full treatment from My Girlfriend à la Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, PLUS a one year membership to It’s Just Lunch, complete with dating tips to help him find the woman of his dreams.

So here’s the official callout for all busy professional men who haven’t been actively dating in a long time but want to. Do you know a great guy who keeps getting overlooked by the women he wants to date because of his appearance and outdated style; plus he lives in a typical bachelor pad with a bathroom that screams ‘enter at your own risk’? Then nominate him (or yourself) today! (Deadline: January 18, 2008).

For some bonus dating tips, read on!

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Starting to feel like you need professional help when you visit an electronics store these days? You’re not the only one. But fret not! Frank Lee from LG and the techies at Dabbler are here to help.

We sat down with Frank right before Christmas to take a look at the latest and greatest LG devices and are using them as a reference to explain the ins and outs of modern tech. So take a walk with us as we draw a map through the electronics jungle.

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After posting the blurb on About-Face yesterday, we got to thinking…how has media changed (or not changed) the way we perceive beauty. Have you noticed that plastic surgery has gone from taboo to status symbol? Only a few years ago, people (both famous and not-so-famous) would deny any allegation that they had something nipped or tucked. But today, it seems almost normal. Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed have face lifts on national television, Keira Knightley goes the Botox route, and Ashlee Simpson steals her big sister’s nose.

So is it true? Is plastic surgery the new black? And why are we suddenly so accepting of something that only a few years ago was considered extreme? We took to the streets of Vancouver to ask some regular folk what they thought.

Got a question for the masses? Post your suggestion!

Hosting a holiday party doesn’t mean you have to slave away in the kitchen preparing a full turkey feast with all the fixins’. A well thought-out tapas spread can be just as delicious but without all the hassle and time. Just go get a generous assortment of mouth-watering, ready-to-eat appetizers and bump it up a notch by preparing these home-made sauces that will take you minutes to whip up. You can even put your guests to work by having them circulate the trays. It doesn’t get easier than this!

If you are still keen on a proper dinner and would like a lighter alternative to the conventional bird, Solène Thouin, who develops recipes for M&M Meat Shops introduces a Salmon & Saffron Pasta in the video as well.

For the full recipe, read on. Read the rest of this entry »

Inspired? Well, there’s more!

For additional holiday cocktail and cuisine recipes, as well as entertaining tips, check out www.bombaysapphire.com/InspiredEntertaining