The Brighter Side YYC: November 2017

13.11.17

April Lee Baker Masterchef Canada Caters in Support of HomeFront Calgary

April Lee Baker

I had the opportunity to bid on a silent auction item at Fashion Forward YYC this past spring. The money all went to HomeFront Calgary.

HomeFront Calgary is a wonderful organization in Calgary that works alongside the justice system, police and community partners to help free families from domestic violence.

The silent auction item was a private, in-home meal prepared by Masterchef Canada season 3 finalist, who place in the top 5, April Lee Baker. April Lee is also a private chef and can build your own menu for custom catering. The food for the evening was supplied by Spud Calgary.

Bacon

April Lee had her work cut out for her though as we asked her to work around our current diet, The Leaky Gut Diet. My husband is in remission from Lyme Disease and this diet helps him with his Lyme Arthritis to cut down on any foods that cause inflammation. Note: We did say it was okay to add bacon... that was my idea.

April Lee started our first course offering sweet potato with roasted leek, organic chicken bone broth, seasoned with rosemary, parsley and salt.

Boiled Corn, Beef Brisket, Green Bean

The second course was boiled corn with vegan pesto. The pesto base is avocado with pine nuts, fresh basil, a little bit of salt and fresh lemon juice. Included in the second course is a grass fed, local, beef brisket. The beef was braised in a bone broth strained through carrots, celery and onions. The beef and corn is served with green been bundles wrapped in carrot shreds and bacon.

Baby Kale Salad

Third course baby kale salad with walnuts, pomegranate, goat feta and wild rice. The salad is dressed with an avocado dressing with shallots, orange juice and salt.

Chai Latte Chia Pudding

The dessert is a chai latte chia pudding with honey, black tea, garam masala, cinnamon and nutmeg. The pudding is dressed with Almond Silk Hazelnut cream topped with pomegranates.

Watch the preparation with April Lee HERE on YouTube.
And watch Christina Rowsell in conversation with April HERE.

Thank you April Lee for the wonderful meal and sharing your talent in our home.

Click To Tweet

Tweet: @AprilLeeBaker private #Chef prepares #LeakyGutDiet in support of @HomeFrontYYC with food supplied by @SpudCalgary. Silent Auction item via @FashionForwardY. It was AMAZING via @radiochristina #VideoBlog here https://ctt.ec/sf3do+

@AprilLeeBaker private #Chef prepares #LeakyGutDiet in support of @HomeFrontYYC with food supplied by @SpudCalgary. Silent Auction item via @FashionForwardY. It was AMAZING via @radiochristina #VideoBlog here http://ow.ly/mJn830gyDsL.

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Christina Rowsell - Radio Announcer, Blogger, Photographer, Mother, Wife, Sister, Daughter and... part time cook (only when she has time - in between driving to the hockey rink, lacrosse and volunteering...)

The Brighter Side Blog is a blog that shares Good News, Great Ideas & Amazing People. If you have a story to share, feel free to contact Christina. Subscribe YouTube Here, Follow on Twitter @RadioChristina, @BrighterSideyyc and LIKE on Facebook ChristinaRowsellMedia and TheBrighterSideyyc. www.christinarowsell.com

Additionally, Christina and her husband Chad are working on a documentary about Lyme Disease in Alberta called The Tiny Tick.

3.11.17

Fashion Calgary Portrait Campaign Shaping The Cultural Scene in Calgary

by Christina Rowsell
@RadioChristina

In 2012 Calgary was named as the Cultural Capital of Canada. Wanting to continue the voice of Calgary, Ania Basak and Rafal Wegiel, founders of Fashion Calgary, designed the Fashion Calgary Portrait Campaign featuring Calgary's top 25 ambassadors who are shaping the cultural scene in Calgary.

This year Fashion Calgary Portrait Campaign is celebrating Canada 150 by featuring 150 ambassadors for the last six years. The celebration will be through a gala event on Thursday, November 9, 2017 at Courtyard by Marriott Calgary South. Better yet, funds raised at the gala will support Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta and their brain research division in memory of Basak's brother who passed away at the age of 15 because of a brain tumour.

The campaign takes about eight months every year to organize. Each ambassador is chosen for their efforts in celebrating the importance of culture in our lives. Each nominated ambassador is recognized for their cultural leadership in our community.

Some of the ambassadors recognized this year include, but not limited to;

Bret The Hitmen Hart - "I recognize that the one man I still long to be is the one I first thought my father was."