PEI is in for a doozy of a snowstorm today. As I type this, I’m gazing out the window watching the winds gusting and snow falling. There's really nothing to do but get cozy inside and hope the power stays on! As an entrepreneur there is really no such thing as a snow day (boo!), but I do still love the excitement of a good old-fashioned island storm. With a fire roaring and hot coffee poured, I’m all set for a cozy workday at home. It's the perfect opportunity to put my sl

In my mind, macaroni & cheese is synonymous with comfort. When I think of mac & cheese, my mind drifts to visions of my mom’s homemade dish, oozing with a creamy cheese sauce and topped with crunchy breadcrumbs. There is no surprise that this was the very first thing I cooked when I moved out of my family home, searching for that connection to comfort and familiarity. I set out to make a healthier version of this family favourite without sacrificing the smooth creamy texture

Hummus was one of my first foods, given to me by my loving grandmother (or “Sittie” as my sister and I called her). My great-grandparents came to Canada from a small village in Lebanon in the early 1900’s bringing their cultural traditions with them. When my family arrived from “the old country”, they wanted to assimilate as much as possible (hence my very English last name, Michael). They were one of the first families from Lebanon to settle in Prince Edward Island and th

This recipe doesn’t need much introduction (or direction). It has been my go-to smoothie recipe for the past year or so now, I simply can’t get enough! How can you possibly go wrong with chocolate, peanut butter and bananas? Of course if you (or someone in your household) has a peanut allergy you can simply leave the peanut butter out or you can replace it with a splash of vanilla extract for a flavour boost. I buy bananas in bulk knowing we can’t possibly eat them all befo

Is there anything better than a picnic with someone you love? Whether you’re on a beach, in a park, on your deck or on your living room floor – picnics make mealtimes sweeter. I’ve never had a picnic basket of my own, so over the years I would make do with a canvas bag and plastic plates, cups and utensils. Of course, there is nothing wrong with this – especially if you can reuse your dishes for environmental (and economical) purposes. I have had many memorable picnics thi

I have to give my sister props for this recipe. She introduced me to homemade iced tea long before it was trendy. In her earlier days, she would water down the powdered sweet tea mix to dilute the sugar (which also dilutes the flavour, ick!). Making your own iced tea is both refreshing and rewarding. It’s a very simple process and saves you from buying iced tea by the cup (which can seriously put a dent in the ol’ bank account, am I right?). The beauty of making your own,

I have to admit that when it comes to muffins, I have never strayed too far from my Mom’s banana chocolate chip recipe. It’s sweet but not too sweet and combines two of my favourite things: bananas and chocolate. With berry season upon us on Prince Edward Island, I thought it was time to start testing new recipes featuring blueberries! I knew I wanted to use all whole wheat flour to boost the amount of fibre and do some experimenting (reducing sugar and oil amounts). I hav

On a recent trip with friends, I was introduced to the adult version of ramen at an amazing restaurant in the city. When we landed home, I immediately went online to find a recipe that could help guide my very own ramen bowls. I was hit with post after post of ramen recipes; I guess I’m quite late to the game! I think the last time I had a bowl of ramen was the infamous packaged variety when I was in university - such a stereotypical story, isn’t it? I looked at a couple o

Stir-fries of all kinds have a place in my home, I don’t discriminate. They’re quick, easy, inexpensive, balanced and so flavourful. Admittedly, I’m usually not a recipe follower and most of my stir-fries are created by first taking a look in the fridge, freezer and pantry for my 4 stir-fry components (meat/meat alternatives, vegetables, grains and flavour). A typical weeknight stir-fry might have frozen shelled edamame, frozen veggie mix, leftover frozen rice (oh yes, you

I’m going to go ahead and say it…sometimes I secretly think salsa should have its very own food group - I love the stuff that much! Using salsa in recipes is a wonderful (and easy) way to bring life to an otherwise ordinary dish. I’ll admit, this recipe was one of those ‘fire it together and see what happens’ kitchen moments. With one too many jars of opened salsa in my fridge (like I said before; I may have a slight salsa problem), I was looking to prepare something quick,