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Bacon Tips

Follow these 5 tips for that perfect crunchy-yet-tender bacon!

 

Don’t Overcrowd

The bacon needs room to breathe. When you crowd the bacon, it will leave you with a mess of tangled strips of floppy bacon instead of the perfectly crisp strips you know and deserve. So spread that bacon out!

 

Low & Slow

Don’t start off your bacon in a hot pan, this causes the fat to not be adequately rendered, leaving you with a slightly under-cooked and slightly burnt strip. Nobody wants that, so start it low and slow, and bring up the heat as needed.

 

The Water Trick

Try adding some water in the pan and let it simmer, this will help render the fat so there is a lot less splattering. More importantly, this technique produces the perfect crispy-yet-tender texture.

 

Roast It

Need to cook a lot of bacon at once? Use your oven! Make sure to line your baking sheet with foil or parchment paper to make clean-up easier. Bake at 400F for about 15 minutes.

 

Keep the Fat

Before you clean up, don’t even think about throwing out that bacon fat! That sizzly combination of oil and rendered fat in your pan is perfect for frying potatoes or even adding to soups for a boost of richness

 

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Camping Tips

Going camping? Here's a list of some of our favourite food essentials! 

EGGS

Eggs are extremely versatile - enjoy them at breakfast, fried, scrambled or even boiled. You can also try cracking an egg into your bowl of instant noodles! They're a great way to obtain more protein. 

 

CHEESE

One block of cheese will last you many meals! Grate some cheese to make an omelette, slice some cheese to make a sandwich, the options are endless! Feeling extra fancy? Melt cheese for an awesome camp fondue! 

 

TORTILLA

Tortilla are great because they won't take up much space as they're flat and they also double as a utensil! You can use tortillas to directly scoop up your fillings. 

 

FRUIT

Fruit make an effortless snack. Whether bananas, apples, berries or oranges - there'll be a fruit for anyone!

 

NOODLES

Noodles are great to help fill you up! You can make all kinds of spaghetti, noodle salads and more.  Don't overlook instant macaroni & cheese or instant noodles - both are great in a pinch and are so easy to prepare when camping! 

 

BREAD

Like noodles, bread will help to fill you up. Plus it takes minimum effort to enjoy. Think toast, sandwiches or just plain on its own. 

 

COFFEE/TEA

There's nothing quite like enjoying a fresh made cup of coffee (or tea) while camping outdoors to get the day started!

 

S'MORES

Is it really camping if you don't make s'mores?! 

 

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Delicious Grilled Burgers

3 Rules for Delicious Grilled Burgers

 

The Best Beef
Ground beef that has at least 20% fat content yields a nice juicy burger. Use fresh ground beef for best results. Our ground beef is always ground fresh daily! 

Season Liberally 
The trick is to use salt after your patties are formed and just a few minutes before they hit the grill. Fresh cracked black pepper is also a must. 

Shape & Size Matters 
Keep your patties all uniform in size so that they cook evenly. Add a slight dimple in the centre of the patty to keep the perfect disc shape.

 

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Love the Whole Vegetable

Food waste is a growing problem, it's estimated that 58% of the food produced in Canada just goes to waste.

There are many ways to combat food waste, such as:

  • Planning - Start with deciding on what meals you'll be having, then come up with a grocery list. This will allow you to think about what exact ingredients you'll need to buy so that you won't end up with too much extra food that may end up going to waste 
  • Freezing - An easy way to make your foods last longer, freeze what you won't be using that week! 
  • Storing - Properly storing food will help it last longer. For example, tomatoes don't like to be cold so don't put them in your fridge 

You can also learn to use, cook, and love the whole vegetable! Gone are the days where you only ate broccoli florets, carrot roots and radish bulbs. Hang on to the peels, stalks, stems, and leaves - you can always use it to make stock, of course, but you can do so much more. Here are some things to try!

Broccoli Stalk

While most dishes call for using the florets, you can actually eat the stalk and leaves too. 
Here are some different ways you can use and cook broccoli stalks: 

  • use a spiralizer and turn into broccoli noodles 
  • slice thinly and make coleslaw 
  • use broccoli stalks in a stir fry 
     

Carrot Peels & Tops

Most people discard the tops of carrots but did you know that it's loaded with nutrients?
Here are some different ways you can use and cook the commonly discarded parts of carrots:

  • use carrot peels to add flavour and nutrients to broths 
  • bake carrot peels and enjoy as healthy chips!
  • use carrot tops to make pesto or chimichurri 
     

Apple Peels

Not a fan of apple peels? Maybe you will be after trying these uses!
Here are some different ways you can use apple peels:

  • make tea! Steep in boiling water along with a cinnamon stick and honey
  • make your own apple cider vinegar!
  • julienne apple peels then use as garnish for fresh salads
     

Radish Greens

You can use radish greens in place of other leafy greens. 
Here are some different ways to use radish greens:

  • make sauteed radish greens! It's delicious and so easy!
  • make pesto or other kinds of sauces
  • cook it down and blend into a nutritious soup
     

Beet Greens

Did you know that beet greens actually contains 8x more nutritional content than the root? 
Here are some different ways to use beet greens: 

  • beet green chips - just as healthy as kale chips!
  • use beet greens like you would any leafy vegetable, try it as your next salad base! 
  • saute it with some butter and garlic, for a simple and delicious dish!

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Pie Tips

Now that the weather is getting more chilly, it's time to turn on your oven and bake some treats! 

Here are 5 tips to make the best pies ever! 

Keep it Cool!

  • For the best flaky crust, cold butter is the key! 
  • Chill the dough after mixing to ensure the flour absorbs the liquids 
  • After rolling out the doll in the pan, chill before placing in the oven, this will prevent the dough from shrinking in the oven
     

Hands Off

  • Try to handle the dough with your hands as little as possible!
  • The warmth from your hands and fingers will melt 
     

Flour Lightly

  • When rolling out, use as little flour as possible
  • The dough will absorb excess flour making it tougher
  • Use a pastry brush to lightly dust off excess flour 
     

Perfect Crust

  • To get the perfect crust, start it with initial high temperature then a reduced temperature for remainder of baking
  • Many recipes such as custard or cream filled pies also require the crust to be pre-baked
  • For double-crust pies, cut slits in the top crust or get creative with fun designs to release steam from the filling 
     

Let it Set

  • The filling will need time to set or else the pie will be running when you cut into it
  • Bake the pie well in advance of when you plan to serve it 
  • If you want to serve the pie warmed up, loosely tent it with foil and heat in a preheated oven at 300F for about 15 minutes 

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Smart Snacking

Go for Grains
Whole-grain snacks can give you some energy with staying power. Try some whole-grain low-salt pretzels or tortilla chips, or a serving of high-fiber cereals.

 

Bring Back Breakfast
Many breakfast foods can be repurposed as a nutritious snack later in the day. How about a slice of whole-grain toast topped with low-sugar jam?

 

Go Nuts!
Almonds, walnuts, peanuts, roasted pumpkin seeds, cashews, hazelnuts, and other nuts and seeds contain many beneficial nutrients and are more likely to leave you feeling full. 

 

Plan Ahead
Have healthy snacks on hand and easily accessible. Think cut up fruit or yogurt and granola. This will prevent you from grabbing something unhealthy like chips or cookies. 

 

Keep Hydrated
Avoid sugary drinks and make sure you drink enough water a day. It’s easy to mistake thirst for hunger.

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