YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!

What happens when all the Italian Nonna's are gone?

Who is going to make all the delicious homemade Artisan goodness.  I'm at the tail end of the baby boomer kids and I am in my early 50s and I love to cook and that's no secret. I was born in Canada, raised by Italian immigrants, and food was the most important part of every day, and still is. Whenever you were out and came home the first thing our Nonna's or Moms would ask is   "did you eat?"    and it didn't matter if you said yes they would answer their own question with    "let me make you some food".

I was so lucky to have all the goodness of the Italian food culture as well as the diversity of trying foods from the many other cultures that make up Canada. Year after yearly rituals, we made home made wine, cheese, salami, roasted red peppers, prosciutto, sausages and the whole family went to the farm to pick 15-20 bushels of tomatoes to make sauce for the entire year. Everything we made had a science to it. The moon and the stars also played a big part.

I loved going to my Nonna's with all of my cousins and we would eat the most delicious foods like polenta on the big wooden board smothered in sauce, ravioli that were the size of the plate, huge meatballs, simple pizza, rapini sauteed with olive oil and garlic just to name a few..... Ahhh those were the days.

Well I still make some home made sauce and sopressatti but that's about it. My kids are grown and with families and like most young families today husband and wife both work, kids go to sports and lives in general are so busy and hectic no one has the time any more.

Life and food has gotten out of control, life is going by fast and everyone is in a hurry and stressed out. Having said that we have a lot of knowledge and awareness now more than ever before and what we eat is our choice so why not make better healthier choices. When something is good and I mean REALLY GOOD the right thing to do is spread the word and that is what I am going to do today.

I met Adriano Marinelli owner of  marinellisauce.com marinellitrue.com  about a year ago while tweeting and it was then that he asked me to try his sauce, he said "give it a try" he sounded so passionate about his sauce. I have to admit I was reluctant because I am Italian and I make my own sauce. I wouldn't dare buy a jar or can of ready made sauce r u kidding! us old school folk wouldn't be caught dead with something like that in our house LOL. However I looked at the site and it said all natural and that appealed to me so I put on my dark sunglasses got in my car and went to buy it I wanted to give it a try. My taste buds were dancing, it was so good I blogged about it, that was back in February 2011.  By the way its not sold just anywhere so you'll have to research their site on who 's got it in your area. Well I have to say-amazing and shhhhh... better than any home made I ever tried and it's ready to serve.

They have a new line now that is called True Italian Pasta Sauce. Each jar comes in its own box with a Seal, Batch number and Bottle number.  The packaging was so beautiful I felt bad cutting through the seal to open it, and, at the same time I couldn't wait to taste it, you know that feeling? My husband and I just celebrated our 32nd Anniversary on the 11 of April and I made rice fettuccine pasta (because I'm GF sensitive) using the sauce from the True Line "Vine Tomato & Fresh Basil" and we licked our plates (that's sexy by the way)

What I will say Adriano Marinelli makes a exceptional product when it comes to sauce, he is a Visionary, a True Artisan and has Great Passion. If you love to cook for your family and good healthy, natural food is something that you want to eat, then you've got to try it. Marinellis sauces will inspire you to cook meals that are simple and easy and full of natural delicious flavor. There are many to choose from so you cant get board and their web site has a lot of information and videos to help you make ordinary dishes Extraordinary.

Hand made in small batches from the very best natural ingredients with no added flavors, colors, preservatives or sugar. All of their sauces are gluten free, vegan friendly, GMO free and Kosher certified and they use only 100%Cold Pressed EVOO and they have the worlds first Pasta Sauce to bear the Prestigious COOC seal.

When Nonna is not there any more don't dis-pair........ Marinelli's Sauces is there.  Go ahead "Give it a try" Best thing since sliced bread! and tell them I sent you, and tell your friends that's how the word gets around wouldn't you want to know? Marinelli's Sauce is Simply Delicious!

Awesome Gluten Free Pizza

 Gluten Free Pizza

I’ve tried to make several pizza dough’s and I have been disappointed with them most recipes I’ve come across because they come out to hard and dry and did not please my family. So through trial and error I believe I have come up with great dough finally and my family gave it 2 thumbs up.

1 C tapioca flour (also known as starch)
1 C  brown rice flour (the fine blend)
1 C  potato starch
½ C  coconut flour
2 tsp xanthan gum
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
3 tsp organic coconut sugar

1 cup warm lukewarm water
1 packet of traditional active dry yeast
1 tsp organic coconut sugar (or honey for the yeast mixture)

¼ cup warm water
¼ C olive oil
2 eggs (beaten)
½ tsp ACV
1 tsp Extra Virgin Coconut Oil or so for greasing pans

Grease 2-12” pizza pans with a very thin coating of coconut oil and dust lightly with GF flour. Set aside.
Proof the yeast in 1 cup of warm water and 1 tsp coconut sugar.

In a large mixing bowl add all flours, xantham gum, baking powder and the 3 tsp coconut sugar.

Add the proofed yeast mixture to the dry ingredients.  Add oil, eggs, ¼ cup of water and vinegar.  Mix with a wooden spoon until smooth and sticky.  This will not be like traditional bread dough; it is a thick batter like dough. 

Divide dough in half and scoop onto the pizza pans. Lightly wet your hands and lightly flatten and mold dough to the edges of the pan. Use a silicone spatula and your damp fingers to smooth the edges.

Set the pans in a warm place to proof for about 15-20 minutes. I usually turn the oven to 175 degrees then shut it off and put them in there to proof. 

While the pizza crusts are proofing you can get your toppings ready. Unlike traditional pizza these will be cooked naked  then topped and put under a broiler so if you’re using meat or things like mushrooms, green pepper, onions lightly saute them first. Things like Cheese, pineapple, sliced tomato and olives are okay.

I used cherry tomatoes, red peppers and onions sauteed in olive oil which I used as my sauce seasoned with salt and pepper, thinly sliced sauteed mushrooms, cooked chopped bacon and goat cheese.

Preheat oven to 400 F put your naked pizzas in a oven for about 10 min or until lightly golden. If you can’t fit both on same rack rotate half way through to get an even cooking.

Remove from oven and brush crusts with your favorite olive and add toppings and any spices you like. Place under a preheated broiler until warm and bubbly (only a few minutes, don’t leave unattended or they may burn) 

The AH HA moment you get when your house has had a major weight loss

I cant stress enough how important it is to live in a clean d-cluttered space. Time and time again I make over peoples homes for re sale and as we all know by now, a home will appeal to a larger number of potential buyers when it has been edited, cleaned and brought up to date. The feeling that overcomes you when your home has had a major weight loss is unbelievable!



What is staging for Sale?

Staging is simply the art of improving the chances of selling a property by making the most of the spaces and showing off its best features so it appeals to the majority of potential buyers. Most home buyers begin their search on the internet as an information source. The pictures they see there are the first and sometimes the only chance to make a good impression. Unappealing photos put homes at a serious competitive advantage and lead to the elimination of these properties from the buyers viewing lists. Visionary Spaces stage’s properties to potentially sell faster and maximize selling price in any market. I do my best to showcase your home so it stands out from the rest.

What is Staging to stay?

Staging to stay is pretty much the same except you add your personality and personal items to the mix. Basically it is a space that is always neat, clean and ready to welcome you home everyday and offers you a stress free place in which you can relax and enjoy with your family and friends.

How can an organized space help you?

Well for one thing it looks neat and clean. Organizing your space gives the opportunity to get rid of things you no longer need and find things you thought you lost. If you plan to move why not start d-cluttering depersonalizing and packing now. Not only will this make your house look more spacious and tidy you will have a greater advantage when showing your home. Potential buyers are buying the space, not your belongings. It is so important not to create any distractions or emotions from viewers. Besides once you sell, you’re mostly packed.

I just finished my latest staging job and like every other time I have before and after photos and when I show my clients those pictures I love the reaction they have. Almost everyone that goes through this process has a life changing moment. Its hard to explain until you go through it yourself but I want to tell you what my last client said.

As you will see from the photos this family lived in a pretty cluttered home and I was working together with the homeowner which I'll call T in this case and we talked quite a bit. My client "T" and family have moved here 12 years ago from Europe and shipped all their furniture and belongs with them. In Europe they lived in a 1500 sq ft flat living minimalistic and here they purchased a 2800 sq ft house with a basement and garage living cluttered. Every room, the entire basement and garage was full of stuff and it wasn't organized in any way. T told me that when she lived in Europe she dressed well every day, went to work feeling great and had much more energy. Here she had a closet full of nice clothes she wears jeans and t-shirt every day.

Letting go of stuff is hard for most people but once you get started and realize how good you begin to feel as you are letting go of all that extra weight in the house that's the part I love to witness. Its the AH HA moment. The moment of new beginnings and life style. T had a hard time at first but her AH HA moment was when I organized her walk in closet and by the end of the project she was so excited full of energy and ready to move and pledged an oath to herself that she will never let clutter and mess weigh her down any more.

Keep in mind no painting was done and no additional items were purchased for this project. These are a few of the rooms that were completed.

B4

After

B4

After

B4

After

B4

After

B4

After

B4

After

B4

After

Kale & Pinapple Salad

Kale has been in the food spot light for a while now and we have learned that it is good for us. High in iron, calcium and vitamins A,C and K,filled with powerful antioxidants, its a great anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular support. A great food for detoxifying your body and keeping your liver healthy.

The best part of kale is that its versatile when it comes to preparing it. it can be eaten raw, baked, fried, sauteed, steamed, and who know what else. I just made some for my lunch, I had some left over turkey breast and pineapple so I made this salad and threw it in a wrap with some of the turkey. it was so good.

4-5 leaves of Kale washed chopped and with ribs removed
1/4 of a pineapple, cubed
2 celery stalks, cubed
1/2 red pepper, cubed
1 tbsp of chopped red onion
3 tbsp EV olive oil
1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
sea salt and pepper to taste

Give a taste and adjust with more vinegar, oil and salt an pepper. AND please experiment with other fruits and vegetables. I usually use whats on hand and whats in season but I would also try mango's, apples, dried cranberries, raisins, figs, grapes, watermelon, pear, cucumber just for some ideas....

If you have any questions or comments please write back and let me know.

Painting Pumpkins

Painting pumpkins is the new rage this year, I've seen many great ideas and this is just my version.

Definitely a conversation piece. I just used left over wall paint and craft paint. Its just for fun and its temporary since the pumpkins are real and dont last forever so go crazy and have fun! paint, decoupage, gold leaf them, what ever makes your day :)

Fresh and Easy Green Apple Salad

2 green apple-cut into thick julienne sticks
3 stalks celery-sliced on angle
1/4 of large red onion-sliced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Dressing:
juice of 1/2 lemon or 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp honey-optional
salt and pepper to taste
(I have to admit I dont measure I just drizzle ingredients over the salad and adjust to my taste)


Great additions:

mix and match any or use your imagination

pumpkin seeds,
sunflower seeds,
sliced almonds,
left over cooked and cubed chicken,

This is a "jarring" story that will Capture, Inspire, Stimulate and Tempt you!!!

This is a jarring story that will capture your mind and you will read it to the end. The contents alone will inspire you to start organizing your spaces. The photos will stimulate your brain into thinking of other things you can put into jars. Finally every time you see another glass jar you will thoughts will be tempted to think only of what other things you can put into them.

All kidding aside I used to make a lot of home made preserves, mostly tomato sauce, but as the years went by I cut down making so many things so I was left with about 15 cases of various sizes of glass preserving jars that I had to store. Being a Home Stager, organization is key so rather than find a neat way to store the jars I felt it was more useful to use the jars in smarter ways. I put my skills and thinking cap on and spread the jars throughout the house in brilliant ways. I used Mason and Bernardin brand. Jars are a very inexpensive way to contain and organize things. cases of 12 depending on size vary from $4-$10 so its a very cheap fix.

10 great ideas to get you started. Everything in its place, and a place for everything!

1. Basement
left over paint! Empty out all those paint cans with small amounts of paint into mason jar. Use masking tape to write the info like colour, sheen, and what you used it for, now at a glance you can see the colour. Great for touch ups or small projects!

2. Garage:
Nuts & bolts! When I cleaned out the garage my husband had millions of little boxes, old coffee cans, baby jars and bags with all kinds of nuts, bolts, screws and other things. It was very messy, inconsistent and unorganized. I used 4 cases of jars and with help of kids spent a couple of hours separating all different items into the jars. No labels needed here because at a glance you can see whats inside. I used 48 jars in total and on the shelf its neat, clean and now easy to find what you need. I used 1 quart size jars for this job.

3. Pantry:
Grains & Pastas! I hate seeing bags of foods with elastic bands so here is another great way to use my jars. Labels can be used but not needed because you can see whats inside. Not only does it keep things tidy and organized but easy to quick scan you cupboards for what you need. I used 1 quart jars and pint size jars.

4. Spice Cupboard:
Sugar and spice and all looks nice now! Here I used labels because its hard to now some spices from others, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tarter all look the same. I found some adhesive vinyl chalkboard paper that I cut into a shape I liked and now I can write what I want and change it when needed. Keeps me on track with what is needed to be filled at a glance. I love the look and I also love opening my cupboards even when I have guests. Here I used 1 quart and pint size jars.

5. Refrigerator:
Left overs! I was always looking for the right size plastic container to store my leftovers and then I thought about using my jars here too and vuola! it not only was brilliant it looked really cool in my fridge. bean salad, pasta salad, tuna salad,
soups, coleslaw, feta cheese- really the list is endless here. Use your imagination and go nuts (yup its great for nuts too)

6. Counter top:
I have the same thing for breakfast every day so for me this is great! I leave it on a tray on the counter. Rice krispies, Bran buds and chopped roasted almonds. Simple, neat and classic.

7. Beverage Container:
Bloody Mary's, Caesars, Ice tea, Iced coffee, Beer you name it. Great for party's or just for every day. Jars make great beverage holders and you can add nice ribbons with name tags, stickers or fobs to personalize them.

8. Office:
Staples, tacks, elastics and paperclips OH MY! Here again, a great way to keep things organized and at a glance in or on your desk it will look nice in glass jars and things will be at your fingertips so there is no frustration when your looking for that something you need.

9. Bathroom:
Here's where the small jars come in handy for Hair ties, bobby pins, q-tips, and other little knik knaks. you can ever leave the tops off and just place them in the drawer, it keeps things separated and easy to grab and put back in its rightful space. 8 oz and 4 oz sizes.

10: Tea Station:
I love to have an assortment of teas but I dont like all the different boxes so I used glass jars and if the bags are individually wrapped they will have the tea name on it.

Origionally jars were invented for preserving foods but as time went by they became much more, something very useful and helpful. Re useable, paint-able, washable, durable Use your imagination and go get your jars and fill them with something.


Well there you have 10 great ideas but there are really countless more. Like I say- If it fits, you must put it in a Jar!


Share this if you like it !!!!!!