Food Revolution 2016 - Chef's Plate Contest

WIN 1 of 2 $25 Gift Certificates for Chef's Plate

I have been a Food Revolution Ambassador for  over 5 years now.  When I started there were just a handful of Ambassadors and now there are thousands all over the world and about a dozen in Toronto.
We all do different things but it all falls under the umbrella of FOOD REVOLUTION.
This year they have changed the website to JamiesFoodRevolution
Jamie Oliver created the Food Revolution movement over 5 years ago to get people all around the world involved in taking control of their food, whether it's learning how to cook or growing your own food or getting involved in the food system in whatever way you can.  In the past it was focused on ONE DAY.  Usually the 3rd Friday in May or if you are in Canada the day leading up to the May 24 long weekend.

This year the Jamie Oliver Foundation want to change the focus from one day to YEAR ROUND.

I joined because I was inspired by Jamie's Food Revolution series and when they sent out a call for Ambassadors I applied to see what I could do.  Over the past 5 years I have had a dinner party at home, a Mexican Fiesta at Aphrodite Cooks,  Cooking Italian food from Scratch at the Depanneur and last year a Middle Eastern food demo at Hendrix Restaurant Supplies

This year due to time I wasn't able to do a public event, so I am going to do something completely different this time.   I want to get you into the kitchen but I am not going to do a demo, YOU are going to try and teach yourself how to cook.

Jamie Oliver has provided 10 RECIPES to get you started in the kitchen if you want to DIY it.  Download them and try them and then make them your own and don't forget to tag them with #FoodRevolution so that we can all see how you did.

If you think that might be a bit of a challenge if you really are a beginner or you can't even "boil water" as they say then I have a GIVEAWAY for you to get you started in the kitchen.

You can WIN (1) of 2-  $25 gift certificate towards the purchase of your first Chef's Plate order.  
Their mission is to put real food back into people's diets.
They are a meal-kit delivery services based in Toronto that delivers pre prepped portioned ingredients and recipe cards for meals that you put together fresh yourself.  It saves you time gathering the ingredients and measuring the quantities.  Real, whole meals don't have to be boring, difficult or expensive and we want people to fall in love with cooking again.

To WIN (1) of (2) gift certificates you need to:

1.  Follow Chef's Plate on Social Media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chefsplateca
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefsplate/
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/chefsplatecanada

2.  Follow me on my social media:
  Twitter  & Instagram @lindamatarasso
  Join my facebook page www.facebook.com/starvingfoodie

3.  Tweet the following message:
"@lindamatarasso I want to be a #FRD16Chef & Join the #foodrevolution & start with +Chef's Plate"

Eligibility and contest rules:

– Contest begins on Monday May 16th 2016 at 9.00am EST on and closes on Food Revolution Day on Friday May 20th 2016 at 12pm EST.
– Prize consists of one (1) gift certificate towards a Chef's Plate meal (Value $25CAD each)
– Open to readers or the age of majority with a Toronto mailing address.
– Winners will be chosen randomly from all qualified entries and notified on Friday May 20th 2016 after 1pm EST.

*Only 1 entry per person is eligible to win.
You will receive the prize by email after being notified and an email address provided by you.

Good luck

You can also JOIN the REVOLUTION at www.jamiesfoodrevolution.org

You can also see what other Toronto Ambassadors have planned by joining the Facebook Group:
Food Revolution Day Toronto

Bastille Day Moules et Frites & Cookbook Contest

BASTILLE DAY 

Moules et Frites & Cookbook CONTEST

Today is Bastille Day - July 14, 2015

It's the day when the French celebrate their own Independence day with anniversary of the liberation of France by the storming of Bastille on July 14, 1789.

“Bastille Day” comes from the name of a medieval prison called Bastille, where political prisoners were held for arbitrary reasons and had no chance of appeal at the hands of Louis XVI’s royal government, according to France’s government website.   

In honour of Bastille Day and the fact that my mother is French and lived in Paris I decided to make one of her favourite dishes and something you can find in Rachel Khoo's cookbook  My Little French Kitchen.   
Yes I made Moules et Frites well I kind of cheated and picked up the frites because it wasn't worth making just for me but I did the mussels my way with a little influence from how my mom made them.

Here is my recipe for the Moules and you can get another recipe for the cooked Mussels in Rachel Khoo's cookbook along with her frites recipe.

Moules with Pernod

2 pounds of fresh uncooked mussels

1 lemon
1/2 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsps Pernod liqueur
1 tbsp olive oil
6 cherry tomatoes
1 stalk of celery
Parsley fresh or dried or Basil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large Dutch Oven (Le Creuset)  heat on high and add the olive oil and then half of an onion roughly or finely chopped depending on whether you like to eat the vegetables.  Add the celery roughly chopped and the chili peppers salt and pepper and dried parsley.  Stir and sweat the onion a bit and then add the cloves of garlic finely chopped.  Add the tomatoes and squeeze half a lemon and toss in the other half.  Pour in the Pernod and then add the uncooked and cleaned mussels and cover the pot and let steam for 4 to 5 minutes.  
Serve immediately add some crusty white baguette or serve with the frites.  Set a bowl beside for the discarded shells.

*If you are using fresh herbs put them in last.

This really is fast food.  I walked over to Whole Foods and picked up the mussels and I was eating them about 20 minutes later and that included walking home and chopping up vegetables and cooking time.

GIVEAWAY!

To get you inspired to cook a French Dish I am giving away a copy of Rachel Khoo's Cookbook - My Little Paris Kitchen to get you started.

To WIN all you need to do is TWEET or INSTAGRAM  me at @LindaMatarasso with the Alternate French name for Bastille Day using the Hasthtag #starvingfoodie 

A Random Winner will be chosen based on correct answers on
FRIDAY JULY 17, 2015 at NOON.

* Cookbook sponsored by Raincoast Books

WIN a Grill Pro BBQ Smoker from Ontario Gas BBQ!

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED

BBQ SMOKER GIVEAWAY!

Are you a Grill Master?  

 Here's your chance to WIN this Amazing BBQ Smoker!

Ontario Gas BBQ (OGB) is giving away 5 Grill Pro Traditional Horizontal Offset Smokers! 

On Friday, October 10^th, 2014 to Saturday October 25^th, 2014

Join Duff & Ted's Up In Smoke Extravaganza 

Print out a ballot found on Ontario Gas Barbeque’s website Click here.

Fill it out and bring it to the store between 12:00PM and 12:30PM on Saturday, October 25^th, 2014.

Prize Details 

There are 5 Grill Pro Traditional Horizontal Offset Smokers (MSRP $199.99) up for grabs.

Draw Details

Date:  Saturday, October 25th, 2014

Time:  10:00AM-3:00PM

Location: Ontario Gas BBQ, 3310 Langstaff Road, Vaughan, ON L4K 4Z8

The 5 lucky winners will be drawn at the Ontario Gas BBQ Store. Ted Reader will draw names five times. The first draw will be at 12:30PM and the last at 2:30PM.

The draw will happen in the parking lot of Ontario Gas BBQ. 

Ted Reader’s Hoptimus Prime Fire truck will be there giving away FREE pulled pork sandwiches to the first 200 people who attend the event and donate a minimum of $5 to Camp Bucko – a camp for children who are burn survivors.

**Winners do not need to be present at the time of draw**

Ontario Gas Barbeque is a privately owned Canadian company and is currently the World’s Largest Barbecue Store. 2012 marked the 30th year Ontario Gas Barbeque has been serving the Canadian barbecue enthusiast. A large portion of the business is the distribution of original equipment parts for many major manufacturers across Canada, so they like to say "We know barbecues from the inside out."

They are not just "Gas". Ontario Gas BBQ displays and stocks well over 150 different barbecues... propane, natural gas, charcoal, electric, smokers, pits etc, etc.

 Ontario Gas BBQ is also the home of the great Charcoal Room, which is now larger than most of their competitors’ stores! This room features Charcoals of the World. They now stock over 10 brands of premium hardwood charcoal. No additives, no chemicals, no softwoods. On any given day they have charcoal from, Canada, United States, Mexico, South America, Africa and Indonesia.

Website: Ontario Gas BBQ

Twitter: @OntarioGasBBQ

Facebook: Ontario Gas BBQ