Hey there Reader,
As summer winds down (eeek!) and routines start creeping back in, so do the packed lunches, busier schedules and the daily question of “what's for dinner?”
Many of us are trying to find our rhythm again — and figure out how to make healthy eating fit into days that suddenly feel a whole lot fuller.
I wanted to share a few things that may make that transition a little easier.
First up, I’m partnering with the Ottawa Public Library for a FREE cooking demonstration (in French) all about making the most of seasonal fruits and veggies.
🍎 Les expériences culinaires : Apprivoiser les fruits et légumes d’automne
We’ll explore simple, practical ways to make seasonal produce more convenient, more exciting and easier to actually use before it gets forgotten at the back of the fridge.
When: Thursday October 8th at 7pm
Where: Parkdale Food Centre (30 Rosemount Avenue, Unit 2)
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And that's just the beginning.
Cooking with Cat in-person workshops are making a come back this fall! 🎉
I’ve been working behind the scenes on the new lineup, including more hands-on cooking, meal prep and plenty of food to bring home.
More details will be released very soon. Newsletter subscribers will be among the first to know, so keep an eye on your inbox.
Okay, now let's jump in to this week's Sizzle, Crunch, Scoop!
- SIZZLE: Cooking hacks, shortcuts, and tools/products I love.
- CRUNCH: Easy meal & snack ideas + practical tips to keep you inspired.
- SCOOP: Real talk on nutrition trends, mindset shifts, and building a healthier relationship with food.
SIZZLE 🍳
Salads Don’t Have to Be So Much Work
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I’ve had several clients tell me lately that they want to eat more salads, but making one somehow feels like… a lot of work.
Wash the lettuce. Dry it. Chop five different vegetables. Make a dressing. Find a protein. Clean the cutting board, knife, salad spinner…
Suddenly your “quick salad” has become a whole production.
Here are a few things that can help:
🥬 Wash and prep your greens. When you get home from groceries, wash and dry your lettuce so it’s ready to grab throughout the week. One slightly annoying job now = much easier meals later on.
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🔪 Use tools that actually work. A sharp knife, good vegetable peeler and a large enough cutting board make chopping vegetables so much faster. You don’t need fancy kitchen gadgets — but struggling with a dull knife certainly isn't helping.
🥗 Buy the salad kit. Yes, really. Bagged salads and pre-washed greens cost a little more, but if the alternative is buying a head of lettuce that slowly wilts in your fridge… convenience can be worth paying for.
🥒 Stop putting 47 ingredients in your salad. Lettuce + cucumber + tomato + dressing = salad. Three vegetables you enjoy is plenty (and my personal go-to). Add lemon juice, olive oil and you’ve got yourself a simple yet delicious salad.
Salads don't need to be impressive. They need to be doable so you can actually eat them.
CRUNCH 🍿
Make Weekend Breakfast Do Double Duty
Here’s a form of meal prep that barely feels like meal prep:
Make a bigger breakfast on the weekend.
If you’re already making pancakes on Sunday morning, why make enough for just Sunday morning?
Double the batch and suddenly Monday and Tuesday breakfast are done too.
Some of my favourites for this:
🥞 Protein pancakes — make a big batch and refrigerate or freeze the extras.
🍓 Sheet-pan French toast — we made this recently during M&MP and it’s such an easy way to make multiple servings at once without standing over a frying pan.
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🍳 Breakfast casserole — eggs + veggies + cheese + potatoes or bread + whatever else needs using up in the fridge.
This is one of my favourite approaches to meal prep because you’re not carving out another two hours of your Sunday to “meal prep.”
You were already planning to make breakfast. You’re just making more of it.
Future-you gets an easier weekday morning, and current-you barely had to do anything extra work. That’s the kind of meal prep I can get behind.
SCOOP 🍦
Things More Damaging Than Eating Carbs
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Carbs have had a pretty impressive PR problem over the years.
Meanwhile, there are plenty of things we do in the name of “health” that deserve a little more attention than the piece of bread sitting innocently on your plate. 😅
Like...
Cutting carbs and spending your entire evening thinking about sweets because — surprise! — your body needs energy.
I shared a whole list over on Instagram last week.
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Consider this your reminder that nutrition is about the big picture. You don't need to fear bread, pasta, potatoes or rice to eat well.
And frankly, life is a lot more fun when you don't. 😉
As always, if you have any questions or need any additional support, feel free to hit reply.
Until next time,
