Just peachy

(Peach, Ontario Tender Fruit) 

We’re about four to six weeks away before peaches (and other stone fruit such as  plums and nectarines) are in season here, but when they are, if you need another reason to gobble ‘em up, check this out:

Stone fruit have bioactive compounds that potentially help battle off metabolic syndrome, says new research from Texas Agrilife Research. Metabolic syndrome is a collection of conditions that include high blood presssure, high blood sugar levels, excess belly fat and high cholesterol (which in combination can raise your risk of diabetes, stroke or heart attack).

One of my all-time favourite summer salads is Jamie Oliver’s roast peach and Parma ham salad (except I’m usually lazy and skip roasting the peaches). And now having been to Parma, Italy, it will hold an even more special place in my heart (and belly! Yummers!).

(Jamie Oliver Roast Peach and parma ham salad)

Leave a Comment June 19, 2012

Eating healthy isn’t more expensive

With $1 items on fast-food menus, it might seem that eating junk food high in sugar and fat is cheaper than eating healthy foods.

But a new study conducted by the Agriculture Department in the U.S. has found that when you look at it from a portion or weight (food weight, that is) perspective, eating veggies, fruit, grains and dairy products is less costly than eating foods high in sugar, saturated fats and salt.

So you can save your health and some money by eating well.

Which’ll give you more money to spend on sweet buys, such as this Banjo and Matilda cashmere heart sweater. It’s incentive enough (other than, of course, the incentive of good health and all!), dontcha think?

Leave a Comment May 17, 2012

Cupcake truths

(I would love a dedicated shoe or handbag closet, but sometimes I dream of having a cupcake closet just like at Prairie Girl Bakery)

I share this information since I can never enjoy a Prairie Girl Bakery cupcake in the same way ever again — and misery loves company and all:

In an article in the Toronto Star yesterday, they revealed that a chocolate cupcake from this bakery (it’s one of of my favourite cupcake shops) contains nearly 700 CALORIES and 30 GRAMS OF FAT.

YIKES.

I obviously didn’t think they were nutritious or low-cal, but those ginormous numbers were astounding to me.

If you haven’t been scared off by this info, and want to try them (they are indeed delicious), here’s what I think this shop does right (I’m very picky when it comes to cupcakes):

1. They offer tons of different frosting and cake combinations and the options are clearly marked on the wall making it easy to decide and order. (I’m partial to the chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting.)
2. Their cupcakes are  large (although I guess this adds to the calorie and fat numbers…but hey, go big or go home).
3. Their sliding shelves of cupcakes are mesmerizing. The very first time I walked into check out the bakery for sweetspot.ca (sigh, a site that is no longer, but if I talk about that I’ll need 10 cupcakes to drown my sorrows) the vision of rows upon rows of cupcakes stopped me in my tracks.
4. They have proper cupcake boxes (with a base that holds each cupcake place so they don’t get all tossed around in the box) for however many cupcakes you buy.

Will I stop eating them? Hellz no. I only have one every three months at most. And I’ll just make sure I run an extra hour or two the week that I do

Prairie Girl Bakery; two locations, 18 King St. East and First Canadian Place.

3 Comments May 11, 2012