btvancouver

Wanted to pass on the information about an event I am participating in next week – I will have the pleasure of introducing Dr. Suzuki!

Here’s the official press release :

SUZUKI DINNER FOCUSSES ON WATER, CELEBRATES RESTORATION OF FIRST NATIONS FISHERY

On Thursday, November 10th, C Restaurant is throwing a dinner hosted by sustainability titan David Suzuki. The evening is a fundraiser for the DSF and C’s burgeoning not-for-profit, the C Blue Foundation, a grassroots initiative by Harry Kambolis and Chef Robert Clark to raise essential funds to protect lakes, rivers, streams, beaches and oceans.

The DSF and C Restaurant collaboration has netted an exceptional partner, the Lake Babine First Nation reserve fishery. Back when Rome was a mere village, the Lake Babine people operated traditional salmon weirs on their lake and river, harvesting hundreds of thousands of sockeye a year. Tragically, their traditional fishery was extinguished in 1906 by the Canadian government, to make room for an industrial coastal fishery. It devastated an entire way of life. This past summer, the Nation recreated their fishery, in partnership with Skeena Wild Conservation Trust, Raincoast Trading of Vancouver, and RiverWild Seafoods of Terrace. It has become the second largest sustainable sockeye fishery in British Columbia. Chef Lee’s menu will feature the Nation’s sockeye prominently.
“We are honoured to serve the salmon caught with great care and pride by the Lake Babine Nation,” says Kambolis. “The rebirth of their fishery is monumental and their story and achievements are synergistic with the mandate and dreams of our new foundation.”
Also a featured player at the dinner: Summerhill Pyramid Winery,  Ezra Cipes of the Kelowna winery and C sommelier Kim Cyr will compose the wine pairings to complement Chef Lee’s menu. About 80% of the total grapes used in Summerhill’s production are certified organic, and the rest are in a transitional organic status on their way to being certified.
To reserve your seat at this multi-course dinner with wine pairings, please telephone the restaurant at 604-681-1164 or email info1@crestaurant.com with “Suzuki” in the subject line.

Dawn

Now that the weather is cooling down, time to add a scarf to your daily wardrobe! Holt Renfrew now has some gorgeous Michael Kors scarves (in a trendy animal print) for sale (only $50!!), with proceeds benefiting the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation

I love mine – be sure to get yours. All there details are here.

Have a great day everyone!

Dawn

I can hardly believe I am in the home stretch of the Transformation Project!   My body composition results/ weight loss will be revealed on July 11 when Dr. Michael Lyon comes on the show. As I needed to get rid of fat and increase my lean muscle mass, I also needed to improve my fitness. For the last 2 months, I had a weekly workout with Tommy Europe, but most of my exercise happened at home with a DVD and at the gym solo…just like many of you in the midst of your own transformation.

5 months ago, I was put through the following set of exercises…Things he focused on where form and time.  This is something you can do anytime to track improvement in your own fitness: 7 exercises, 30 Reps each!

1. Skipping
2. Prisoner Squats
3. Crunches
4. Lunges
5. Lat Pull Down (using resistance Band, on a door works!)
6. Plie Squats
7. Push-Ups

6 months ago, my time was  6 min 58 sec…a decent time, but we always have room for improvement right?

With less weight, more muscle and more energy because I am eating properly by regulating my Blood Sugars, at week 25, my new time was 4 minutes – 54 secs!

Tune into CityLine for another Transformation Project Update on Wednesday and Breakfast Television on July 11 for the FINAL RESULTS!!!

Thanks everyone for joining me on this journey!

Dawn

Hard to believe we are 23 weeks into the Transformation Project. Funny thing is, in 3 weeks and a day, I will still be doing everything I have been for the last 5 months – this REALLY has become a lifestyle…so let’s talk about the fitness side of things because although much of my change has been because of nutrition and regulating those blood sugar levels – for me, fitness is a necessary component. So, how to stay motivated?

I have had the good fortune of working with Tommy Europe once a week for the last few months – you can work with him for even cheaper through his newest book – and I am telling you, this is EXACTLY like working with him, it’s how he talks and it’s how he motivates.

Just like working out with him!

I also like to mix it up and so once in a while I “Shake” and “Tuck” with The Bar Method in Yaletown – way harder than you could imagine and NO you do not have to be a dancer or flexible.  A neat way to mix it up. Former Bachelorette and Interior Designer Jillian Harris is also a proclaimed fan according to her Tweets!

Be prepared to SHAKE!

But the one workout that I have been really impressed with is the locally created Ugi Workout. You get a ball that resembles a squishy medicine ball that is weighted at 6, 8 or 12 lbs as well as a DVD, an exercise book with too many versions to mention and a meal plan for under $200. You only need a space as big as a yoga mat and you only need 3o minutes. It’s crazy, but I have been doing the DVD at home and not only have a sweat as much as a Tommy Europe Workout, but my waist is becoming whittled!  Singer Chantal Kreviazuk sung it’s praises during an interview on BT last year.

Good Bang for your Buck (and butt!)

So there you have it…options. No excuses…it’s working for me and I look forward to hearing what works for you. It’s a battle for all of us to fit it in, I know, but I am learning more and more it’s about changing attitudes- more  time is not necessarily better…being consistent is key as is working smarter.

Thanks for your support and know that I am rooting for you as well!

Tune into CityLine Wednesday for the next update!

Dawn

With my early starts on BT, I am definitely concerned about the amount of sleep (or lack of) that I get each night.  Well, the amount of sleep you should get should also be of concern to you if you are trying to shed the pounds!

Click HERE for a great article on how everything from the hours you get to how bright the lights are in your room could affect your ability to lose weight.

Be sure to tune in to Cityline Wednesday for my next Transformation Project Update.

Thanks for your support, we’re in the home stretch!

Dawn

This week’s  Transformation Project Update  is all about the importance of vegetables, and ways to can get more into your everyday eating!

Here are some simple ways:

1. Serve raw vegetables at every meal. Nearly everyone likes carrot sticks, celery sticks, cucumber slices, string beans, cherry tomatoes, and/or green pepper strips. They’re healthy, they have virtually no calories, they have a satisfying crunch, and they can substantially cut your consumption of the more calorie-dense main course. So make it a practice: A plate of raw vegetables in the center of the table, no matter what the meal is.

2. Take advantage of prepared veggies. We usually don’t espouse prepared foods. They’re usually more expensive and high in artificial flavorings, sugars, and sodium. But when it comes to prepared veggies — bagged salads, prewashed spinach, peeled and diced butternut squash, washed and chopped kale — we’re all for it. Numerous consumer studies find that we’re more likely to use bagged salads and other produce. In fact, the introduction of bagged, prewashed spinach in the late 1990s is touted as the main reason spinach consumption increased 16.3 percent in the United States between 1999 and 2001.

3. Sneak vegetables into breakfast and lunch. One reason we don’t get enough vegetables is that many of us consider them merely a side dish to dinner. If you really want to increase your vegetable consumption, you have no choice but to eat them at other meals. How?

Make salad a part of your everyday lunch.
Make egg scrambles a regular breakfast, using a scrambled egg to hold together sautéed vegetables such as peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, or onions.
Eat leftover veggies from last night’s dinner with breakfast or lunch.
Cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and celery, all the time.
Make vegetable sandwiches, using almost any vegetable that won’t roll out of the bread.

4. Start each dinner with a mixed green salad before you serve the main course. Not only will it help you eat more veggies, but by filling your stomach first with a nutrient-rich, low-calorie salad, there’ll be just a bit less room for the higher-calorie items that follow.

5. Once a week, have an entrée salad. A salade niçoise is a good example: mixed greens, steamed green beans, boiled potatoes, sliced hard-boiled egg, and tuna drizzled with vinaigrette. Serve with crusty whole grain bread. Bon appétit!

6. Fill your spaghetti sauce with vegetables. We typically take a jar of low-sodium prepared sauce and add in string beans, peas, corn, bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and more. Like it chunky? Cut them in big pieces. Don’t want to know they’re there? Shred or puree them with a bit of sauce in the blender, then add.

7. Order your weekly pizza with extra veggies. Instead of the same old pepperoni and onions, do your health and digestion a favor and ask for artichoke hearts, broccoli, hot peppers, and other exotic vegetables many pizza joints stock these days for their gourmet pies.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THEM…
-They act to detox your body:
Apples: Pectin is a fiber that binds to toxic metals and helps us to cleanse our bodies of them. Green apples have the sour flavour especially stimulating to the liver and gallbladder.

Beets: A blood-tonifier; beets strengthen the liver and are especially important for iron.

Radish: This spring food stimulates the gallbladder. The darker the colour the radish, the more potent its cleansing properties. (See if you can find the fire black radish!)

Lemon: There’s that sour flavour again. Oh- and it has pectin like apples! Fresh lemon juice helps us to emulsion fats lightening the load on our gall bladders to produce bile. Fresh lemon juice also cleanses the blood and promotes regular elimination.

Flaxseed and Flaxseed Oil: Loaded with essential fatty acids, particularly the omega-3, flax seeds and flaxseed oil are essential for many cleansing functions throughout the body.

Sprouts: Tend to have the health benefits of the plant that they are to grow into. The sprouting process releases an abundance of enzymes to aid digestion. They are very powerful cleansing food!

Lots of health benefits, and the fill you up too!

Dawn

Had the honour of competing against Miss 604, (popular Tweeter and Blogger/ Columnist  Rebecca Bollwit) and Peak Morning Host Chris Coburn in the Celebrity Sandwich Competition at the newly re-branded BG Urban Cafe.

all were yummy!

The winner would, for a limited time – have their sandwich available on the menu at ALL LOCATIONS of the BG Urban Cafe. Happy to report, mine will be on the menu! (although I have to admit, the competition was fierce and all were delicious! I’ll let you know when it will all be on the menu, but in the meantime – my recipe is below!

The Dawn Chubai “BT”

you can grill it, or not

Bread (I used potato and rosemary, but pick your fave)

Roast Beef and Turkey (the B and the T)

Mayo with horseradish (my secret ingredient) to taste

Carmelized Onions

Tomato

Cheddar Cheese

Enjoy my creation!

Dawn

Fabulous time this morning on BT on location at Pink Elephant Thai !

Learning to dance with the Thai Cultural Association

I you missed the segments watch them HERE.  As promised – the recipes for what we made…both dishes were good…and good for you!!! Enjoy!

Dawn

Salmon with Apple-Sauce

2 TBSP EACH of Fish Sauce, Lime Juice and Sugar

1 TBSP chopped fresh chili

2 TBSP chopped fresh apple

1 TBSP sliced shallots

1 TBSP Chopped green onion

Mix together the sauce….place on top of seared salmon!

Tom Kah Goong (Thai Hot and Sour Soup with Coconut Milk and Tiger Prawn

1/2 Cup Coconut Milk

1/4 cup chicken stock

2 TBSP EACH Lime Juice and Fish Sauce

1 TBSP sugar

2 TBSP cut lime leaves, galangar and lemongrass

1 TBSP chopped cilantro

5 Tiger Prawns and 2 TBSP mushrooms

Boil liquids, add prawns and then everything else!

So Good!

Dawn

The Greater Vancouver Foodbank kicked off their Spring Food Drive by inviting Chef Ned Bell , Chef Quang Dang and Chef Gennaro Iorio to compete a cooking competition at the Dirty Apron Cooking School.

The Challenge….to use the most needed food bank items in a tasty and nutritious dish, showing that you can make gourmet meals with only 30 minutes and with basic items… I had the pleasure of judging along side Global TV’s Sphie Lui and Claudia Kwan. It was a tough decision!

Here’s the video -please help the Greater Vancouver Foodbank meet the goal of 1.2 Million lbs of food and $1.2 Million!

Stay Nourished!

Dawn

Today on BT, in honour of  Oscar Mayer’s birthday…the Hosts all prepared a special hot dog of their own to be judged by Dougie Luv of Dougie Dog .

If you missed the segment this morning, check it out here AND you can also check out the special behind the scenes of this production! We had a blast!

Since many of you have asked…here’s my recipe (everything is to taste)

Dawn’s Ukrainian Hot Dog (not diet friendly at all!)

place 2 cooked perogies (I like cheddar and potato) onto one side of the hot dog bun and spread braised red cabbage (from a jar) onto the other side. Put the cooked hot dog into the middle of it all. Top the whole thing with caramelized onions and diced Ukrainian sausage (fried in pan with onions) and finish with a dollop of non-fat sour cream (ha! kidding – you’ve fallen this far off the wagon, may as well go down in flames!)

you know you wanna...have a little bite!

Enjoy…and then go for a run!

Dawn