Exploring Cultures

I believe in the strength of Canada’s wide open spaces and welcoming hearts.

This country, that is our new home, offers all enough room to explore its culture, and allows global citizens the time to put down roots and tend to them. I love exploring various cultures that come together here along with local Canadian-produced food, nostalgic Indian food, and everything else in between.

Good Food Healthy Planet Book

From Food Writer and Climate Advocate comes this Simple-to-follow Cookbook.

Introducing

Good Food, Healthy Planet

Your Kitchen Companion to Simple, Practical, Sustainable Cooking  

Go Small – Low-Waste Ideas to Celebrate the Festival of Diwali

Watch: CHCH Morning Live - Low-Waste Inspo to Celebrate the Festival of Diwali There is a notion about Diwali that’s big lights, new clothes, big gatherings, delicious food and fireworks in the sky, and all of that is true. But this year, in this time, may I suggest we prioritize the planet and go small, and green, and choose low-waste. Reuse, recycle, re-purpose, upcycle all of these words that have the same meaning – use what we have and make it shine to truly represent the spirit of this festival of lights. There is a profound reason why Diwali falls on the...
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A Season of Seva – In the Spirit of Service

Every year at this time I get ready for the festive season. Between Thanksgiving, Diwali, birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas, the last quarter of the year just races by. There are many occasions to celebrate and so many opportunities to be grateful. Grateful for this abundance of family and friends, grateful for the opportunities and second chances. This year things feel different though. Let’s be honest, 2020 has been a nightmare of a year. As if the pandemic were not bad enough, we are bombarded with images of devastating forest fires, terrible hurricanes, melting ice in the Arctic, hottest temperature recorded...
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Contemporary Canadian Food {with an Indian Flair}

I go through a lot of cookbooks. It comes with the job, right? And it's not just recipes that draw me in but stories about the land and people. This is a peek into my story, along with three of my family's favourite Canadian dishes...made with an Indian flair. My husband and I moved to Canada more than 17 years ago. In that time we have explored the country from Toronto to Tofino, moved multiple jobs, cities and provinces and had a couple of kids on the way. One of the most enjoyable parts of our travel? It's the stops...
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Reconnect with Food: Meet your Farmer Series

How was our food grown? What resources went into raising it? And why are summer strawberries available all-year round?  There is so much we don’t know about what we eat. Food nourishes the body and the soul but somewhere, on the way to the drive-through, we lost our connection with what we eat. There is much to discover, and so many questions that need answers. The first step though in this long journey of discovery? To get more familiar with our food, and those who grow it. Let’s meet our farmers. SAY HELLO TO... Pat and Paul Orsak and the...
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Festival of Holi – A Celebration of Colour and Life

Holi is the Indian festival of colours, known and celebrated all over the world. Celebrated over a two-day period, this festival officially marks the end of winter. Or it used to. Depending on where you are in the world, you could still be facing the next snowstorm or no winter at all. But while Holi is the festival of colour, it is also the festival that celebrates community. Holi is about the special pleasure of splashing color on someone’s pristine shirt. It’s about loud music and bold dance moves. Holi means setting aside old grudges and new beginnings. It’s about...
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Dairy Diaries — My Journey with Milk

Locally-grown produce is one of the biggest trends of this past decade. People are slowly moving towards supporting local farmers and recognizing the work that goes into growing our food. But what about milk? I grew up in India where milk and yoghurt were an essential part of our daily diet. Today with family food sensitivities, my relationship with dairy is more complicated. Despite this change though, after years of researching and writing about food, it is clear to me that we should support local dairy farmers. Canadian dairy, in particular. Milk is a big part of my early memories....
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Memories of Diwali & Inviting the Light

Hello! I am excited to introduce you to Radhika. She's an aspiring writer and digital marketing consultant. She's often behind-the-scenes on Maple and Marigold and Nourish by Numbers. After much pleading, Radhika has finally agreed to share with all of us, a peek into her life growing up in India. I'm particularly grateful because it is her memories and experiences around Diwali. Enjoy! xoxo Puneeta Diwali as a festival is many things to many people. In a country of a billion individuals, multiple languages and numerous customs, there are myriad versions of Diwali. Some people celebrate Diwali to mark the...
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The Big Social — Fundraise for a Good Cause

Do you feel like the last three months of the year are a blur? The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas and the dropping of the ball at New Year's Eve goes by very fast. It's often party central with friends and family, right? What if one of these parties was to fundraise for a good cause? It would make your gathering extra special AND do some good for the community. The Big Social is that cause to raise money AND awareness to resolve the problem of food insecurity - one dinner party at a time. What is The Big Social?...
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Weekend Getaway from Toronto: Explore Ontario

Living in Toronto is constant fun and excitement but taking a regular break helps us enjoy this city we love even more! With Peterborough and the Kawarthas only a short car ride away, I am amazed how a quick weekend getaway from Toronto can be filled with family-friendly adventures, eco-friendly resorts, beautiful scenery and yummy local food. Note: I was recently hosted by Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism to explore and review the area along with my family. Spoiler Alert: we loved it! Read on for getaway highlights, tips and resort details.   Fall Colours on Rice Lake - view...
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Meet Lis: Sharing Stories & Bringing People Together

Our food tells our story. What we eat, how we cook, the ingredients we use are all influenced by our heritage and experiences. Meet Lis, developer of delicious food and blogger behind The Subversive Table. Through her food, Lis is sharing stories and bringing people together around the dinner table. I met Lis at the Food Bloggers of Canada Conference last year and was immediately struck by her sense of family and her passion for creating bold flavours. A quick glance through her Instagram feed and I knew I had met a fellow spice fiend. Lis' bold use of flavour,...
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Use what you have, reuse what you can, reduce what you throw away, and repurpose the rest.

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