Loulou's views

We all lead busy lives, and sometimes, meal planning can be a bothersome chore, especially if you're someone like me—a person who doesn't love spending countless hours in the kitchen preparing dinner. Yet, we all need to eat, so what's the perfect solution? Thankfully I have Greek parents and in-laws who cook and drop off dinner for my family. (This is one reason I don't cook enough—or at least that's my excuse). However, this is not every day, so what's the other solution? SupperWorks . My friends have been raving about SupperWorks for a long time, and I was finally given the opportunity to attend an Ottawa bloggers night to put SupperWorks to the test. It was a fun night with a great group of bloggers, as we all put together yummy meals to take home to our families, wine and appetizers in hand. I left with six servings of Beautiful Baja Fish Wraps, six servings of Glowing Goddess Quinoa Veggie Wraps, and a 4-Cheese and Garlic Crusted Chicken Breast for ...

As summer comes to an end, (how did that happen?) I'm doing everything I can to enjoy the last moments before we get back into the fall routine. There is so much left to enjoy, especially spending time outside, with family and friends—swimming, BBQ-ing, and just soaking up the sun as much as we can. An important part of my day-to-day life is gathering my family together for meal times, and in the summer, we kick back, relax, and enjoy eating fresh foods with each meal, outside. (It's just so simple to eat health during the summer months, isn't it?) I love that Loblaws provides a great variety of fresh, local ingredients, especially during summertime. In fact, 40% of produce sold in Loblaws stores is sourced by Canadian growers during this peak season, and Loblaws is also the largest purchaser of locally grown food in the country. Loblaws recently teamed up the vegan YamChops butcher to create unique and tasty, seasonally inspired recipes perfect for summer dining and...

Is is summer yet? I need to get back to Greece. A vacation in Greece cannot be beat—the sea, the mountains, the islands... and of course, the lifestyle, the culture, the music, the hot sun, and the food... oh, the food!   When I'm in Ottawa, I always crave Greek food, and I'm lucky to have a wonderful Greek family that always cook Greek meals. Even so, going out for Greek food is always a fun thing to do—as long as the food is as good as a home-cooked Greek meal straight from grandmother's kitchen.  We have an amazing authentic Greek restaurant here in Ottawa—and it's my favourite place to go for Greek food.  EVOO , on Preston Street, serves food that'll make you feel like you're in Greece.  It's a perfect hangout any night of the week, and the service is great. And the food? So, so   good. Take my word for it—the tzatziki and pita bread, the lamb, the meatballs, the Greek salad, the french fries... oh, my taste buds!  If you love ...

In case you didn't know, Lansdowne Park (in the Glebe) is the place to be in Ottawa. Lansdowne's got it all: TD Place, where you can catch a Redblacks or Fury game, an awesome park for children, heritage buildings, shopping, and many fine restaurants and bars. Hanging out at Lansdowne Park is especially fun in the summertime, with all the busy patios, but it's great year-round, too, whether you're enjoying breakfast with the family or a girls night out after a football game. When I received an invitation from Jack Astor's Lansdowne to come in with my husband and a group of friends so they could treat us to their delicious new menu, I said yes right away. Obviously! I love the service at Jack Astor's, (shout out to our awesome server, Courtney!) and the fun atmosphere. Jack Astor's in the Glebe has the traditional "Elvis booth" they have in each of their locations, and they have some great display cases featuring very cool antique artifacts ...

The shift from summer to fall happened quickly, and now it's already October. (What?) Summer was, of course, beautiful. Many new memories were made for our family, from tennis camp to a month-long vacation to Greece. I almost didn't want summer to end, but, of course, all good things must come to an end—and all endings lead to new beginnings. My children started school—grade five and grade two—(what!) last month, and we have quickly settling into new routines, after-school activities like swimming and tennis, and weekend getaways, for fun. It's scary how quickly time goes by—and how quickly kids grow up. I've got to say, time has been moving way faster than I ever thought possible. That's why I think it's important to really, really cherish every moment. Quality time with the family is the most important thing in the world to me, and I love celebrating the little things. Fall is a great time take in the beauty that surrounds us, and to celebrate those litt...

I love grocery shopping—truly, I do—but sometimes it can be a hassle to get out of the car and into the store to stock up on all the items I need to feed my family, like during a torrential downpour after a fresh blow-dry, or when it's snowing and -35C outside, or when I am with my tired, grumpy children. When my children were much younger, grocery shopping was timed around naps, and even when my children were awake, sometimes trips to the grocery store were headache inducing. (Only sometimes; most of the time my boys were perfectly well-behaved!) I love online shopping and anything that save me time. When Loblaws asked me if I wanted to try out the new Click and Collect grocery service, I quickly said yes and started writing out my grocery list. List in hand, I went online to shop.loblaws.ca and selected the location I would be picking up my groceries from, and then I proceeded to select all the items I need. Milk, check. Eggs, check. Cheese, check. Bagels, check. St...

I have many amazing memories of spending summers in Greece when I was a child. Of course, one of the best things about vacationing in Greece—besides spending time with family and friends, swimming in the sea, and just having the best time ever—was the food! Greek food is my favourite, but to experience it in Greece is even better. Every breakfast was nothing more than fresh Greek yogurt with a touch of honey, which I enjoyed on my grandparent's balcony. It was perfection. I'm so glad to see that the Greek yogurt craze has hit close to home, because I love that everyone can get a taste of how good Greek yogurt is without having to fly eight hours to try it! The newest Greek yogurt I love is YOPA because it tastes as good as the yogurt I used to enjoy on my summer vacations in Greece, and there are a variety of delicious flavours One of the best things about being Greek is how we include food in all of festivities. We have tons of OPA! moments to celebrate, from birthday...