February Fox Fair

After attending the last craft fair in December, enjoying Christmas and welcoming a new year, one finds February rolls in.  I like February in Victoria, it may be chilly and raining, yet there is the promise of Spring when I see all the snowdrops preparing to bloom.  Plus February is the month that my parents celebrated their birthdays, one at the beginning of the month and one at the end of the month. 

February also heralds the first craft sale of  the year.  One that comes after Christmas with enough time to save a bit of money to attend.  On February 13th I was joined by a friend to introduce her to this wonderful fair in the Fernwood Community Centre. 

The first booth we went to was for SaltSpring Kitchen Co. Melanie makes artisan jams and preserves in both sweet and savory offerings. As the name implies, this company is located on beautiful Salt Spring Island, one of the gulf islands of British Columbia.  Like many Salt Spring Island companies, Melanie started selling her products in the Salt Spring Island Market, a wonderful Saturday market well worth the ferry ride from Victoria to attend.  The jams are available in retail outlets around the island, including the Root Cellar and Salt Spring Island Cheese in the Victoria Public Market. 

Melanie was more than happy to allow us to test each flavour.  It was very hard to make a selection.  The Raspberry Habanero Jam had a kick to it at the end, and started to warm my tongue.  This jam is well paired with cream cheeses and is a great replacement to the spicy red pepper jelly I normally pair with cream cheese.  I was leaning towards the sweet jams, trying the Pink Grapefruit & Rhubarb Jam-a-lade, Sour Cherry, Rhubarb & Rosemary Jam and the Blueberry & Basil Jam.  All three jams were delicious, making a choice extremely difficult.  Luckily, Melanie had small jars in groupings of three, one savory grouping and one sweet grouping.  I bought the sweet grouping, which had the

Sour Cherry, Rhubarb & Rosemary Jam, the Blueberry & Basil Jam and the limited edition Winter Wonderjam (it is wonderjam!!!) consisting of strawberries, cranberries, oranges, bourbon and spices.  This jam made the most amazing homemade cashew butter and jam sandwich I've ever had.  Regret that I didn't buy a bigger jar.  I've eaten the other two jams with pancakes, the blueberry basil on a chicken sandwich with baby greens and sprouts and both on crackers with cream cheese.  The jams are not overly sweet and I found I could taste the fruit used rather than the sugar. 

SaltSpring Kitchen Co. has a website for online ordering, what products are available, a list of retailers and a helpful pairings suggestion tab.  Saltspring Kitchen Co.

Moving from the small gathering of vendors upstairs, we went into the main fair area downstairs in the community centre. I met several craft fair goers I've met at other fairs, and it was nice to see familiar faces and people who like me have a passion for supporting artists and buying local. 

I purchased a box of toasted coconut marshmallows from tout de sweet  and a bag of the caramel candy popcorn as a Valentine's Day treat for my man.  I met Jeanette Miller at the Craft Cartel when I purchased marshmallows and popcorn for Christmas stockings.  These sweet treats are gluten free, corn syrup free, nut free and made in a natural old-fashioned way.  The marshmallows are dairy free and I used them to make s'mores with gluten free graham crackers and vegan dark chocolate. These marshmallows make a delicious s'more and a decadent hot chocolate.

I had visits with the talented ladies who design and sew the latest additions to my closet.  Trapper Jane, Toy and Ming, Floating Gold Iceberg.  Angelica had new cowls at Floating Gold Iceberg and I couldn't resist purchasing this gorgeous deep blue cowl.  It looks stunning with the deep royal blue dress I purchased from Trapper Jane.  Floating Gold Iceberg carries comfortable creative clothing, tea towels, wrist warmers, cards and whatever Angelica happens to be creating, in addition to the cowls.   I like the cowls based on the different ways to wear it, from a scarf to a shawl.  I've been wearing this cowl, and the other one I purchased previously, as scarves.  Looking forward to summer and wearing them as shawls over t-shirts and summer dresses.  To shop for the beautiful cowls, and the rest of Angelica's creations, visit her website at Floating Gold Iceberg

I visited Joanne Thompson of Toy and Ming to see what clothing items she has been working on since seeing her at the Craft Cartel.  I have two of Toy and Ming's infinity scarves, a blue plaid and a Japanese fabric two-sided one.  This gives me three infinity scarves to wear with outfits in my closet.  Scarves are an addition to one's closet that complete an outfit, worn with or without a necklace. I didn't find anything to purchase unfortunately.  I did leave with a bouquet of feathered sticks instead, which now sit in a vase on my mantel adding to the outdoor items I continuously bring into our home.  To view Joanne's creative creations visit Ming and Toy

We are very fortunate to have such talented people sharing their creativity.  If you've never been to the February Fox Fair, I recommend marking your calendar for next year.  Usually around the middle of February, Valentine's Day. The event is found on Facebook, like their page for an update on 2017's fair.

Krazy for Kombucha

According to Wikipedia, Kombucha refers to "any of a variety of fermented, lightly effervescent sweetened black or green tea drinks that are commonly used as functional beverages for their unsubstantiated health benefits. Kombucha is produced by fermenting tea using a "symbiotic 'colony' of bacteria and yeast" (SCOBY). Actual contributing microbial populations in SCOBY cultures vary, but the yeast component generally includes Saccharomyces  (a probiotic fungus) and other species, and the bacterial component almost always includes Gluconacetobacter xylinus  to oxidize yeast-produced alcohols to acetic and other acids."

I've been drinking kombucha for a little over two years.  Starting with GT's Kombucha 
and working my way through their flavourings, from Gingerade to Third Eye Chai.  Commercial blends tend to be a bit more fizzy than the local brewed offerings or home brewed kombucha.  I drink GT's Gingerade kombucha when I've got an upset stomach much as one drinks gingerale for the same reason until I discovered local kombucha and the people who passionately brew "booch."

photo courtesy of Salt Spring Island Kombucha's Facebook page

The first local kombucha I tried was Salt Spring Island Kombucha Co. brewed on Salt Spring Island by Lea Weir and her husband.  SSI Kombucha Co. started three years ago selling at the local farmers' market on SS Island on a part-time basis until local stores and cafes became interested in selling their kombucha by the bottle.  Salt Spring Island Kombucha Co. then moved onto the Moss Street farmers' market.  Available in bottles in Victoria at Ingredients, Lifestyles Market, Mother Nature's, Niagara Grocery, Fairfield Market, Peppers, Ageless Living Market, on tap at Ingredients, One Yoga, Fairfield Market, Imagine Cafe, and by the glass at the Drake Eatery.  It's also available in Duncan at Duncan Garage and the Community Farm Store, and in Vancouver at East End Co-op, Dollar Grocer and Lana Lou's.

Lea brews and bottles Salt Spring Island Kombucha in a commercial facility located beside a lovely organic communal farm. Most of the herbs used in flavouring the kombucha come from the farm and the water used is Mount Maxwell mineral spring water. This creates a delicious authentic kombucha with herbal undertones that play on the tongue. Salt Spring Island Kombucaha, unlike other kombucha, uses yerba mate tea.  Yerba mate comes from the naturally caffeinated and nourishing South American rainforest holly tree. Yerba mate contains almost all of the vitamins necessary to sustain life.  This makes Salt Spring Island Kombucha, along with the organic herbs and the incredible mineral spring water from Mount Maxwell, one of the most healthful local kombucha products available. 

Like many people who start drinking kombucha, Lea started drinking kombucha when she was having digestive problems.  Her story is similar to my own reasons for having a kombucha habit; often those of us with gluten, dairy or both allergies find relief drinking booch. It truly is a miraculous drink, for those of us who get hooked, helping with maintaining health gut, healing from allergies that have played havoc with one's gut and for balancing gut health after taking antibiotics. 

My favourite flavours are the Lavender Mint, a light refreshing combination of herbs that play well with the tartness of the kombucha; and the Hibiscus Lemonbalm which contains two of my favourite herbs -- making this flavour my all time favourite. Recommend buying a growler and going to fill up at one of the on tap locations.  Follow Salt Spring Kombucha Co. on Facebook.

Peach Kombucha - photo courtesy of John Herbert

 Recently I bought my first meowler from Cultured Kombucha through 2% Jazz, filling it with Roll in the Grass.  I find Cultured Kombucha to be one of the best local kombucha offerings.  The idea behind Cultured Kombucha is to keep recycling the meowler or growler.  My meowler cost me $16.00 to purchase and fill, refilling will cost me $11.20.  Refill stations are located currently at 2% Jazz in the Hudson at Victoria Public Market, Mother Nature's Market, and Picnic Too.  It's also available on tap at Shine Cafe, and Hawk and Hen. Find information on their website Cultured Kombucha  or on Facebook. I follow them on Facebook for giveaways, which resulted in winning two meowlers of the Cranberry Lime limited edition flavour brewed for the Christmas/Soltice season.  I picked up the contest prize at Cultured Kombucha's brewing location on Rock Bay and met with Christine, the brewer behind this emerging favourite local kombucha.  We got to chatting about brewing and drinking kombucha.  I shared a pulled pork recipe using kombucha in place of gingerale or beer, and Christine shared her experience of second fermentation flavourings.

Christine was raised with a strong focus, sometimes extreme, on whole foods.  She has devoted much of her life to experimenting with healthy food.  Having spent many years working in restaurants such as Zambri's  and the Superior Café, Christine was exposed to a refined method of cooking. With this knowledge and experimentation with healthy foods, it was a natural progression for her to discover the delicious possibilities of kombucha.  Christine's driving force behind starting Cultured Kombucha is gut health, and sharing her passion for fermentation, resulting in an infinite and fantastic variety of flavours.  From Roll in the Grass, to Fall Into Spice, to the Cranberry Lime and the recent Peach, I can attest all four have been delicious. Peach tastes like summer in a bottle.

If you're serious about drinking kombucha, the investment in a Cultured Kombucha meowler or growler is worth the price.  A meowler lasts me about a week. I often check the Facebook page to see what Christine has brewed up. 

The lastest local passionate kombucha brewer I met is Jocelyne Van Horn-Voy, a herbalist who graduated from Pacific Rim College.  Jocelyne met me at The Apple Box on Cook Street, where her Enerchi Kombucha is sold, to be interviewed for this article.  Enerchi Kombucha is a family business consisting of Jocelyne and her sister, with support from Mom and Dad. Jocelyne starting make kombucha as part of her passion for fermenting.  Using a blend of oolong and sencha teas from TeaFarm in the Cowichan Valley (Teafarm) Enerchi Kombucha makes five offerings:  Plain, Black Current, Lemon Ginger, Turmeric Black Pepper, and Holy Basil-Rose.  For this article Jocelyne offered me four of the flavours: the Blackcurrant; the Lemon Ginger (because lemon with ginger is delicious); Turmeric Black Pepper (since I've been drinking turmeric milk and know the health properties of turmeric); and Holy Basil (since basil tea is a favourite of mine).  Enerchi Kombucha is less fizzy than other brands, delicate in flavor, and, when chilled, is the most refreshing kombucha I've tried.  The Black Current, Jocelyne's favourite, was a delicious, beautiful deep red, and not overly sweet.  I shared the Lemon Ginger with a friend as a morning after breakfast digestive. I'd say this was my personal favourite.  The Turmeric Black Pepper with Indian food would be a perfect pairing or with a picnic of egg salad sandwiches after cycling along the Galloping Goose.  The Holy Basil-Rose is such a beautiful blush colour.  I drank this kombucha as a digestive tonic after a breakfast of spicy poached eggs with Mexican hash.  All four flavours showcase Jocelyne's expert herbal blends and the knowledge she has learnt from her herbalist training.  Enerchi Kombucha is available at the Apple Box on Cook Street, the Farmer's City Market in Fan Tan Alley and Solstice Cafe.

Enerchi Kombucha -- beautiful bottled jewel coloured kombucha. Photo courtesy of John Herbert

Thank you to Lea, Christine and Jocelyne for their time and information on brewing kombucha.  We are grateful for the wonderful people who share their passion for food and Westcoast living. 

Craft Fair Season

It is November, actually almost the end of November this being the 28th. November means colder weather and with a month before Christmas it is time to go to craft fairs.  I'm rather selective with my choice of fairs.  I've always saved my money to attend the University of Victoria one and have made that one the only one I've attended. Last year I ventured out to two other ones and did so again this year.  Last weekend I went to the first craft fair of the season at North Douglas Church.  Craft fairs are a wonderful venue to meet local artists and shop local.  At this craft fair I picked up some lemongrass soap from Carriage 44, a gift for my partner from Jody's Naturals and a wooden carved birthday card for a friend.

Today, November 28th, I went to the Craft Cartel which is the craft fair I've been waiting for.
I stood in line from 9:30 until opening at 10:00 to obtain a swag bag.  Thinking I was going early to be at least close to the front of the line, I was lucky I choose to be there when I did as the line up had already formed and I was about the 26th person.  I had two 50% off tickets and I gave one to a lady in line.  She was very happy to pay only $2.00 instead of $4.00, and I was happy to share one of the 4 tickets I received.  The other two went to co-workers. 

I bought another beautiful infinity scarf from ToyandMing made by the lovely Joanne.  Joanne chooses cotton plaids or beautiful Japanese fabrics.  I have been wearing the blue plaid infinity scarf  I purchased so much that I choose a navy flowered/brown diamond double sided Japanese fabric infinity scarf  for today's purchase.  Joanne also makes clothes that are functional with comfort in mind.

Decor by Nature was where I made my first purchase.  I saw this vintage map which is perfect for our home. 

This will be hung in our hallway complimenting John's framed photographs of Fort Rodd lighthouse, a sailboat in Cadboro Bay and our kayaking group off Willows Beach.

My final purchase was two teas from Infuse Herbals . Infuse Herbals are handcrafted local teas made with non-GMO organic, locally farmed and wild foraged flowers and herbs.  All tea blends have been created by a master herbalist, tested and screened for any impurities to provide the highest quality cup of tea possible. I had a wonderful chat with Sarah about her teas, smelling each one on display.  It was hard to choose between the rooibos chai, the gingerbread and the candy cane.  All of them smelt so good!  I bought the rooibos chai tea which is my favourite tea for the winter months and Fire Cracker a black tea with ginger, pink peppercorns, chicory and cayenne to make my next batch of kombucha.  Each bag will make 20 cups.


 

I made another purchase but I can't mention it here due to it being a Christmas gift.

Some of the items in the swag bag will be shared with friends, a ring, some earrings, a birthday card for John's sister Brenda and a card for Valentine's Day.

There were 50 vendors and some of them were:

In the swag bag there was some delicious Beckett's House of Fudge (they are on Facebook)  which John enjoyed since it wasn't dairy free. The two flavours in the swag bag were Brown Sugar and Mint.  I purchased a Memories of Mexico vegan fudge that I am savoring in little bits. This is hard not to eat all in one sitting!!!  It stores well in the fridge or it can be frozen.

I gave John the caramel sponge toffee popcorn from the swag bag made locally by tout de Sweet. All the sweets are gluten-free, nut-free, corn-syrup-free and organic.  The caramels and popcorn are not dairy free.  The lollipops and marshmallows are dairy free.   I tried some of the marshmallows at the craft fair.  Hard to choose a favourite flavour, the chai tea had me wanting to try this in a chai tea latte, I love toasted coconut so I'd probably choose that as a favourite, the vanilla for roasting and making s'mores and the chocolate or chocolate mint for hot chocolate or also making s'mores.  Taking the marshmallows with me next time I am going to be around a camp fire. 

A few of the items from the swag bag shown here:  vanilla & almond lip balm from Wild Hill, two magnets from Floating Gold Iceberg and the owl magnet which is an acrylic or oil painting from Janet McDonald.  Other items, not shown, were 2 pairs of the same earrings from Wind Coast Artisan Jewlery, a ring from Wise Lion, a pottery fortune cookie on a string from Blackbird Studio, a card from Miekelily, a hairclip in the shape of a leaf from Rock and Roots Apparel and a card made by Gwen Spinks. The bag of sponge toffee caramel popcorn from tout de Sweet and the two pieces of fudge from Beckett's House of Fudge rounded out the swag bag. 

I think next year I have to plan to save up my money.  I wanted a pair of leg warmers and  I saw an adorable mug with partners in crime on it.  I missed finding the sand blasted mason jars.  Possibly that was a good thing as I could have spent far more than I did. 

Next craft fair is the University of Victoria's UVIC Holiday Artisans Market on December 1st.

Remember, going to craft fairs are a wonderful way to shop local and support local artisans.  It is good for our local economy and a great place to meet new people who are passionate about what  they are doing. 

A weekend on Quadra Island

Taking Monday as a vacation day for me and an earned day off for John, we planned a trip back to Quadra Island and the Tsa-Kwa-Luten Lodge for a long weekend on the second to last September weekend. Our first trip can be found at our kayaking blog Kayak Yak: Quadra Island and our adventures kayaking on the island.

We spent Saturday driving the 3.5 hours from Victoria to Campbell River, stopping for gas and a stretch of the legs in Parksville.  One day we will take the time to explore Parksville with a longer stay than just a pit stop.  

This trip we arrived in time for a quick lunch at the White Spot before heading to the ferry.  Yes, sometimes I do eat at a local fast food place and White Spot is a British Columbia legend.  Back to  the ferry to Quadra Island which takes a mere 7 to 8 minutes to ride. Loading the ferry takes longer than travelling to the island.  

We arrived, unpacked and went down to the beach.  After scrabbling around on the rocks and taking some photographs, we headed back inside for dinner. 

 Tsa-Kwa-Luten Lodge does have gluten free offerings but is sparse on the dairy free.  Most of the meals are in cream sauces or butter.  I had the soup and salad, a nice green salad with lots of vegetables and a vegetable minestrone while John had a chicken Caesar salad.  Then we headed back to our room to read.  There are no TVs in the rooms. WiFi is available for a fee.  In the grand lobby there are tables for playing the available board games and using the free WiFi.  Other activities include archery, horseshoes and bocce.  

We woke to the morning rain. Had breakfast in our room as we'd packed the Nutribullet, some fruit and protein powder.  Then we decided that we'd drive to Kamelon to see if it would be open for lunch.  Once that was established as our lunch spot, we stopped at Aroma Coffee for a tea and snack. I had a licorice spice tea from Stonehouse Teas  a tea house and supplier located in Campbell River. As we sat in the coffee shop the sky opened up and sheet rain came pouring down.  When it finally stopped we dashed to the car and took a drive around the island.  We ended up on a logging road to Granite Cove where we saw a cascading waterfall on both sides of the road and a few houses, one with a private lake.  We arrived at Granite Cove in a space between rain showers and did a quick leg stretch before the next downpour.  We also drove around Rebecca Spit and would have gone for a walk except it was pouring again.  We did take a few photographs at Rebecca Spit before the rain started.  

Heading back to Quathiaski Cove we had lunch at Kameleon Restaurant

John had the Thai chicken wrap with the Kameleon salad.  The wrap was panini grilled to make it crunchy which he said was a nice touch.  I had the Budda Burger served with the Kameleon salad.  The mango chutney with the curried chickpea patty was a delicious combination. I forgot to ask if the bun was dairy free but ate it anyway and drank lots of water.  I didn't feel any ill effects.  After lunch, with not much open, we drove to the end of Cape Mudge Road.  After passing the winery twice, we decided it actually was open and turned around to investigate.  

SouthEnd Farm & Vineyards is located at 319 Sutil Road with varying hours all year round for wine tasting.  The farm is a small pastured meat chicken farm selling directly from the farm or at the Quadra Island Farmer's Market (10:00 am to 2:00 pm Saturdays). 

 As we were there in September the winery was open Thur/Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. We parked at the main entrance, and were met by a sweet black and white dog who shook her paw with me, but would only sniff John.  Inside the winery we met Jennifer, the main tasting hostess, who would introduced us to three of the wines, the Ortega, the Bara and the Virga. 

 My preference is for white or a rose. Luckily there were two whites and one rose on offer. I did like the Bara which was a lovely rose with a beautiful pink blush, except I really wanted a wine that was completely local.  I choose the Virga, a lovely petit milo with lemon-lime and pepper tastes on the tongue and using 100% Quadra Island grown grapes. 

 Virga is a streak or shaft of precipitation that falls from a cloud but evaporates before reaching the ground and is common in temperate climates like Vancouver Island. It was appropriate to buy a wine named after rain since our time on the island was full of drizzle to sheet rain.  By the time we finished tasting the wine, and chatting with Jennifer, it had cleared up and the promised sunshine had finally arrived.   

We also met Griswald, tasting room watch dog.  He loved having John take his photograph.

After another dinner of the exact same meal we'd had the night before we returned to our room to pack up and sit in front of the gas fireplace reading our books.  

Up early, breakfast in the lodge, packing up the car and heading to the ferry.  We got on the 9:00 ferry as one of the last cars.  It being Monday there is a guarantee loading for vehicles coming from Cortes Island which meant we had to wait for all of them to be loaded. Back on the mainland we drove around Campbell River for a bit.  We were planning on going to see the suspension bridge until we decided we could make it home earlier than we planned.  Back to Parksville for gas and leg stretching then onward home with a plan to stop for lunch in Nanaimo, Chemainus or Duncan depending on when we arrived and if we were hungry.  Lunch was in Chemainus at Odika Cafe, our favourite Chemainus restaurant, where the food and service is always excellent.  We arrived home at around 2:00 pm, unpacked and got ready for another work week.  

Looking forward to sipping the Virga on our deck in the Fall sunshine.  Thank you to all the people on Quadra Island who help make the west coast such an amazing place to live and travel.  

Tofino - September Vacation

Going on vacation in September, especially the first week of school starting, is perfect.  Hotels and resorts are lacking school age children and off-season is just beginning.  Not that I don't like children, I do like off-season though.  Six of us headed to Tofino this year to celebrate Karl and Stephanie Johanson's 30 years of happily wedded bliss at the Pacific Sands Beach Resort on Cox Bay. While Stephanie, Karl, Stephanie's sister Wendy and niece Emily, along with Isaac the dog, stayed in a beach house, John and I stayed in one of the Lighthouse suites.  All of the suites and houses have full kitchenettes, with varying other amenities.  Having a kitchenette meant we ate out less at the amazing dining options available in Tofino and spent more time on the beach.  As a foodie this was at first a bit disappointing.  My disappointmdnt soon changed to delight at spending hours on the beach boogie boarding in the surf.  Being able to run back to the room and grab a bite was perfect. 

On the drive up to Tofino and on the way back to Victoria we stopped at Trees Diner in Parksville for lunch on a recommendation from two people we know.   The drive up we had burgers as we weren't sure what time we'd be eating dinner and boogie boarding was on the schedule when we arrived in Tofino. On the way back, John had a burger and I had the BLT.  The dairy and gluten free bun wasn't dry as some are, it was soft inside with a nice crust.  Our burgers were delicious.  There is a bakery attached to the diner and if we weren't full we would have purchased some of the homemade baked goods.

John and I arrived on the Tuesday after the Labour Day Monday, finding everyone else in the surf boogie boarding.  Dinner that night was individual pizzas made with Stephanie's homemade pizza crusts.  John and I had brought up local meat and vegetables from The Root Cellar creating the best homemade pizza I've had.  Wednesday we headed into Tofino for lunch at the Schooner Restaurant which has been around since 1949.  I had the Tom Yum soup with chicken which was warming and filling.  Being famous for seafood others ordered fish and chips or fish dishes, while others had a simple salad.  We then roamed around Tofino.  John and I purchased a loaf of dill sourdough from the Common Loaf for Wednesday night's dinner of Wendy's delicious spaghetti.  We also went to Rhino Coffee House to get doughnuts, there is only one Vegan variety - jelly - which has never been my favourite, I was fine with passing on a treat.  Wendy and Emily went for the Boston Cream and Coconut Cream which they enjoyed.  Thursday we went to Long Beach for a long walk along the beach.  The plan was to go to the bog trail and have lunch after the hike, except with six of us some of us ate early and some of us ate late.  John and I were feeling rather hungry and decided to head back to our suite to have lunch catching up with the others later for the Thursday night BBQ.  By 7:00 pm at night we went to find the others, still boogie boarding in the surf, and decided we needed to eat.  We had a lovely BBQ of chicken with vegetables I'd packed in tin foil with some Earth Balance non-soy spread.  We used the community BBQ area at the Pacific Sands Beach Resort, sharing our BBQ with a family from Britain.  Another group had built up the fire pit making for a lovely warm area to sit and enjoy the evening.  Sitting in the dark eating by fire pit was rather romantic. 

Friday was our last full day for all of us except Wendy and Emily who were heading back to Victoria.  We decided to go to Ucluelet to hike the Wild Pacific Trail a beautiful scenic trail along the coastline from the lighthouse to parking lot or vis versa.  After the hike we went into Ucluelet for lunch at Ukee Dogs Cafe & Eatery. Ukee Dogs Cafe & Eatery serves ethical beef hot dogs and is run by a lovely couple. John and I have eaten here before when we stayed at the Black Rock Resort.  John had the Mac&Cheese dog, Wendy, Emily and I had hotdogs. Stephanie and Karl had the beef tacos. I had the Imperial hotdog with teriyaki carmelized onions, wasbi mayo and nori on top which I find a taste experience worth every bite!!!

We also stopped into a bakery across the street from Ukee Dogs with yummy goodies that tempted us.  Zoe's Bakery and Cafe. You can find both Ukee Dogs and Zoe's Bakery on Facebook.  

While the rest of the women in our group went shopping at the gift shop, and the men along with Isaac found shade, I went into the tea shop.  Thay Tea is at 250 Main Street in Ucluelet and offers tea for purchasing as well as making hot or cold cups of tea.  I had a tiger tea made with black licorice tea, vanilla syrup and a bit of sweetner over ice.  It was so good that I went back to purchase the tea.  I haven't had black tea for a year since eating clean and cutting out all but herbal tea from my diet. I found this tea really nice, not too strong and didn't cause me any horrible symptoms from caffeine or taste.  

John and I headed back into Tofino since I really wanted to go to the natural food store and he wanted to try a doughnut from Rhino Coffee House.  Of course John had the bacon maple doughnut, one happy man pictured here. 

I tried the tumeric mylk from the health food store. The mylk is homemade nut milk with tumeric, ginger and cinnamon. I've been wanting to try tumeric milk for sometime and have several recipes pinned.  Definately something I'm going to learn to make.  This was so comforting and was perfect after boogie boarding and hiking the last three days.  I was a bit sore and bruised, along with muscles protesting that haven't been used in some time.  This was so good that on Saturday morning before we left I bought myself another one in a larger size.  Recommend this store for health food items as well as smoothies and hot drinks.  

Of course we stopped at Chocolate Tofino where we purchased Hot Chocolate Elixir Orbs for family who watched over our house, plus two chocolates for my friend/co-worker, one wild blackberry cream with blackberries picked in Ucluelet and basil ganache with the basil from a local garden.  Founded in 2003 Chocolate Tofino makes hand-crafted chocolates with the highest quality ingredients.  Some of the local specialties are the Organic Lavender Truffle, the Wild Honey Ganache and the Wild Blackberry Cream.  If you can't make it to Tofino, ordering online is available.  

I wasn't able to partake of Wendy's amazing baking as she didn't make it dairy free. We did have the chocolate wacky cake I made iced with paleo icing with her spaghetti dinner.  I stopped at Swell Juice Bar where I found dairy free cookies loaded with seeds and oats and a hemp seed ball with dark chocolate on top. The hemp seed ball with the dark chocolate made it back to Victoria where I had it with a large cup of herbal tea. Treat quota filled 100% with yummy healthy food.  

We are so fortunate to live on the west coast and I am grateful to those people who participate in making local food amazing.  Thank you to my loving partner for introducing me to Cox Bay and the Pacific Sands Beach Resort.  I want to go back and make more memories with you.  There are still places I want to eat at in Tofino that we missed this trip and I want to boogie board again.  

City of Victoria Food Growing Survey

There's an online survey happening now at the City of Victoria for their "Growing in the City" program. Are you interested in gardening options, boulevard gardening, fruit and nut trees, and more? Check it out at this link!

Healing with Food

Since learning I was allergic to dairy 5 years ago, and probably had been allergic all my life which explains a lot of symptoms, I finally decided in the Fall of 2014 that I was no longer going to "cheat".  By cheating I mean eating baked goods with dairy in them due to having an easier time digesting the dairy, or so I thought.  I've put on weight and haven't been able to take if off no matter what I do.  Heading into menopause I thought it was hormonal weight gain and eventually hopefully I would lose it.  Another reason for wanting to try something completely different.  I started looking into a different workout regime and signed up for a Body Transformation class starting in September.  Yet I knew I needed something more, and I had noticed a co-worker has lost a lot of weight over the summer.  I asked what she'd done, and discovered The Fast Metabolism Diet by Haylie Pomroy.  Since I was going on vacation at the beginning of September I thought I'd start the diet when I returned.  Although during my vacation I did start drinking 1/2 my body weight in water to prepare for a lifestyle change. 

This isn't a diet, it really is Did I Eat Today with lots of clean foods, no dairy, no wheat, no corn, no soy, no alcohol and no sugar.  The no sugar doesn't mean using artificial sweeteners like Splenda or Sugar Twin, it means using stevia or xylitol instead.  The diet is 28 days, the length of time it takes to create new habits.  I did the plan three times to completely heal my gut, and I lost weight.  Mostly I wanted to heal my gut, I didn't want to be bloated or feel uncomfortable in my skin anymore.  I felt swollen or like there was a heavy blanket wrapped around my real shape. 

I borrowed the main book and purchased the cookbook.  I thought having the cookbook would help with meal planning.  This plan is about learning to cook at home again, it is about planning your meals and there is a lot of chopping.  Since we grocery shop on Sunday my Sunday nights were spent chopping vegetables and using our crockpot to make some meals.  Delicious meals!  I even experimented having brown rice or quinoa for breakfast.  There are three (3) phases to the eating plan, Phase 1 is grains, protein and fruits for two (2) days, Phase 2 is meat and vegetables for two (2) days and Phase 3 is protein, vegetables, fruit, grains and healthy fats for three (3) days.  I discovered I lost the most weight on Phase 1 and Phase 2, the first 28 days and gained a pound back on Phase 3.  The next 28 days I didn't lose as much as the first round, discouraging at first until I read that plateaus happen when your body is healing.  After a week I started to drop a pound or two again.  In the third round I really started to lose weight and in all three Phases.  My body was healing and I felt fantastic. 

On December 12 I finished round three and was two pounds below my goal weight.  With the holidays coming up I was worried about the temptation of chocolates and cookies.  One day to treat myself I had a peppermint tea latte with sugar free vanilla syrup and it tasted horrible!!!  I noticed fruit tasted sweeter, actually everything tasted different, better, with more flavour.  I was still eating clean and wasn't tempted at all. 

On the final day of the Body Transformation class on December 5th my final measurements showed an overall loss of 16 inches.  My thighs had more muscle definition and I looked like myself again.  I was heading towards having the body I'd had when I'd started working in the office 15 years ago.  This was proof that dairy caused inflammation in my body and inflammation made losing weight harder.  Something I had problems with regardless of exercising or cutting out snacks and having only three meals a day.  The biggest insight was the sugar I ate in muffins from the coffee shop, the treats at work and my favourite Westcoast bar was the main culprit.  Cutting out the refined sugar in the first week had me losing the most weight in the first round.

I didn't gain any weight with Christmas dinner, or the week afterward and I ate Phase 4 (all three Phases combined) switching it up by having grains with breakfast and lunch but not with dinner, or having lots of vegetables one day for every meal and only fruit at breakfast and lunch.  The only time I gained weight over the holidays, two pounds, was after New Year's Eve when I drank wine and weighed myself the next morning.  Those pounds came off a few days later. 

Almost three months later, I'm still between 2-3 pounds below my goal weight.  I've even gotten within 1 pound of my dream weight three times.  It really depends on what I've eaten.  I find eating two pieces of fruit a day is the best for me and a lot of vegetables, along with protein for my main meals.  I still drink 1/2 my weight in water every day.  If I eat a treat, I use it for my snack, bake it myself or buy it at a raw food café.  I drink lemon water in the morning.  I use spices for not only flavour but for their healing properties.  I rotate my food choices every week and don't get into the habit of having the same meals. 

I've had friends tell me I glow, and not just my skin.  My nails and hair are much healthier.  I don't get bloated anymore.  I have digestive problems rarely, except with the usual things like beans, a problem I'm learning to solve.  I've discovered a few things about my body, for example I can eat a banana occasionally, trying to eat two in a week caused me to bloat and having one the following week caused me digestive distress minutes after eating it. Grapefruits help me to drop a few pounds, along with cucumbers and daikon radish. 

I've also discovered wonderful recipes and new favourites, along with new cooking methods.  I love oranges with cinnamon sprinkled on them.  Berries are my low GI go to fruit and are what I use the most, especially blueberries.  I've discovered tamari. I've sautéed using water and continue to use this method.  I like a lime squeezed into sparkling water.  I like the bitterness of cacao nibs. Chili pepper on mangoes or pineapple is an amazing taste experience.  I've discovered new vegetables such as daikon radish, jicama, cabbage tops and arugula.  I like kombucha and recently found a local brand, Saltspring Kombucha Co. available at Ingredients Health Food or on tap at Freshcoast Health Foodbar

Now on maintenance I use raw local honey, coconut sugar and xylitol depending on what I'm making or baking.  Stevia leaves a back taste in my mouth and the only brand I've found I can handle is New Roots, so I haven't added it to my pantry yet.  I enjoy chopping vegetables and loading up the fridge for the week.  I make my lunch the night before now.  I am maintaining my weight loss. I don't want to eat crap anymore. 

All I can say is Haylie Pomroy has touched the lives of many people who are asking themselves "Did I Eat Today" and answering YES!!  I'm just one more success story.....