by on June 19, 2019   •   14 Comments Home DIY

The Community Zero Waste Picnic Baskets

If you’re just catching up, I’ve officially declared this the Summer of the Picnic.

Now that we live just a short drive away from the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline beckon to us on sunny days. I’ve always got a basket at the ready and a plan of action for transporting our meal.

I’ve always been a picnic enthusiast, no matter the season. When the kids were little we bundled up for snow picnics, complete with hot cocoa and warm cookies.  My backyard garden inspired many a vegetarian picnic, and I’ve always found a reason to plan a fall picnic. They are good, simple family fun and we make the best memories every time we adventure out of doors with our dinner.

Earlier this spring, I did a massive sorting of all of my picnic gear and found I had plenty to spare. I decided to put together a few baskets for sharing around my community – zero-waste, plastic free picnic baskets with everything required for an outdoor feast.

[Read more…]

by on April 22, 2019   •   15 Comments Home DIY

How to Move Towards a Zero-Waste Kitchen

Simple tips for going zero-waste in the kitchen – with a goal of progress, not perfection.

Happy Earth Day!

Is anyone else watching Our Planet on Netflix? Each episode is equally inspiring and sobering. It is so important to be informed about the impact that our daily habits have on the environment.

As the snow melts in our yards and new life sprouts forth, let’s motivate each other to make more eco-friendly choices in the kitchen. I know you’re already doing a fantastic job, but there’s always room for improvement, right?

From energy-saving ideas to zero waste tips, here’s what I’m specifically doing in the Simple Bites kitchen. There are a hundred other directions we could take this topic, but I’m choosing to only list what I put into practice every single day.

So if you’re wondering how to move towards a zero-waste kitchen, begin with the small steps listed below and work up to the big ones.

[Read more…]

by on June 27, 2017   •   3 Comments Home DIY

Backyard Cookout Tips + Coleman Get Outside Day

Ad. This post is sponsored by Coleman Canada and Canadian Tire.

All across the country, Canadians are counting down to Canada’s 150th Anniversary of Confederation on Saturday. We’ll celebrate our country from East coast to West coast to the Arctic coast, each in our unique ways.

I’m guessing that most of us will be outdoors, because getting out into nature is what Canadians do best. In case you are entertaining friends or family on July 1 (or 4th, for my US readers), I’ve put together some of my best tips for a backyard cookout and I’m sharing them over at GetOutsideCanada.com.

Once again, Coleman Canada, in partnership with Canadian Tire, is championing a national Get Outside Day, encouraging Canadians to step out into the sunshine.

[Read more…]

by on November 14, 2013   •   70 Comments Home DIY

Tour My Kitchen: refrigerator and freezer organization

Things get really interesting behind the doors of a food bloggers’ refrigerator, and so I have left the best part of the kitchen tour for our last day.

Back in my days as a culinary student and then later on when working in restaurants, it was not unusual to have regular inspections of our workspaces, including a detailed check up of our refrigerators. Items had to be clearly labelled, rotated regularly, and, above all, immaculate. It’s safe to say all those years of vigilance left an impression on me and I continue to strive for an orderly fridge and freezer.

It’s also safe to say that this attention to detail does not carry over to other parts of the house, say my coat closet or laundry room. So please don’t compare the contents of your refrigerator to my photos below. I will have to subject you to Instagrams of my craft closet and boy, you don’t want to see it.

I’m fortunate to have a beautiful platform to showcase my condiments and produce, juice jugs and brown eggs. It was well worth moving a cupboard over and reworking the kitchen cabinets somewhat to receive the 36-inch model, up from our old 30-incher.

[Read more…]

by on November 13, 2013   •   31 Comments Home DIY

My Kitchen Tour: the dining room sprawl

My kitchen has inevitably sprawled into the dining room over the years, which is why our main eating area is part of the kitchen tour.

And it only seems natural to walk you through the space where we gather as a family to eat once all that cooking has transpired. I should warn you, though, I don’t pretend in the least bit to have a sense of style when it comes to home decor. It’s a chore for me, the way cooking is to others – I totally get that.

However, I know what makes a space feel distinctly ours: a mix of vintage and modern furniture and accessories, a pop of color, and a touch of nature. Let’s begin around our battered dining room table and mismatched chairs.

[Read more…]