With summer just around the corner, barbeque invitations are already trickling into our inboxes. As the rain subsides and the evenings become brighter and warmer, it won’t be long until the potluck season ignites, and the search for delicious recipes begins. When cooking for a crowd, keep in mind any food restrictions your audience may have. If your friends are lactose intolerant, have nut allergies, follow a vegetarian or paleo lifestyle, or simply avoid refined sugars and processed food, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. This summer, we’ve got you covered – with these tasty and healthy recipes in your back pocket, you’re guaranteed to please everyone

A Hearty Vegan Salad

While some guests may bleat at bringing salad to a potluck, let’s face it – salads are a tasty and fresh way to brighten up any party. For those who don’t eat meat and/or are unable to consume dairy products, salads are often their only option. And while a strictly plant-based dish is a simple concept, it makes a rare appearance on the average picnic table. To avoid any infighting between the vegans at your next shindig, check out this Minty Black Bean Salad recipe. A refreshing mix of black beans, quinoa, veggies, mint, and maple syrup, this salad will definitely feed a crowd and please the palate.

A Vegetarian Main Course

Embracing a meatless lifestyle doesn’t mean giving up the good ol’ barbeque. While the old school meat lovers sizzle up their sirloin and smokies, vegetarians shouldn’t feel threatened when approaching the grill. In fact, nothing quite beats a hamburger than does a crispy kebab. Don’t be surprised when after sharing your Grilled Veggie and Tofu Kebabs with Mango Sorrel Salad, you see Grandpa sneaking off with a second helping. If you prefer to avoid soy products, keep it simple and stick with veggies. Whatever you do – don’t skimp on the delicious tahini dipping sauce.

A Paleo Side Dish

For all you meat eaters out there who want to reduce your intake of carbohydrates and refined sugars – not to worry! The paleo or “cave man” diet incorporates the vegan standard of using dairy-free products, along with eliminating wheat and processed ingredients. So, although those guilty pleasure foods like bread and cream are no longer a staple in a paleo kitchen, bacon is a welcome sight. A bowl of Bacon ‘N Dill Sweet Potato Salad is a contemporary spin on a potato potluck classic. Your guests will go ape for this sweet mix of fresh dill, tangy balsamic dressing, and crunchy pumpkin seeds.

A Tasty, Nut-Free Dessert

It can be difficult to navigate the dessert table when a nutty dish is off the table for folks with nut allergies. While chewy homemade peanut butter cookies and almond bars are enticing, anyone with a serious food allergy knows to steer clear. Not all desserts include chocolate or ingredients produced in nut-free facilities. Further, if they also happen to follow a vegan or gluten-free diet, options are slim for nut-free party goers. Thankfully, these 3-Layer Nut-Free Dream Cups with cocoa, sunflower seed butter, and coconut oil satisfy not only your sweet tooth, but make a convincing nut-free substitute for a certain popular peanut butter cup treat.

A Guilt-Free Dessert

Finally, a moist and decadent dessert that can be enjoyed by everyone at the party! Bite into a gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free Avocado Chipotle Brownie, and while you’ll feel no guilt, you may struggle with sharing these with the rest of your friends and family. Using ripe avocados and almond milk for creaminess, flax for added nutrients, and a touch of cayenne pepper for a finishing smokiness, these chocolatey delights will linger on the tongue long after everyone has gone home for the night.

A Versatile Party Punch

If we can all agree on one thing, it’s that no potluck party is complete without some punch. Take a look at this Easy Sparkling Sangria for a fool-proof thirst quencher. The upside of this recipe is that it can be tweaked for any discerning taste buds or food restrictions. In lieu of granulated sugar, coconut sugar or organic sugar is easily substituted. You can even go sugar-free and omit it completely – guests can always add honey or a sweetener of their choice. For a non-alcoholic drink, use sparkling juice. After all, nothing beats a hot summer day like sipping on a fresh and fruity cocktail customized to your needs.

When it comes to storing food, air is the enemy. FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealing Systems remove air and lock in freshness, keeping your foods fresh up to 5x longer*. Whether a week, a month or a year later, your food will taste as fresh as the day you sealed it.

FoodSaver® V4420 Vacuum Sealer features exclusive technology that automatically senses the bag and food type to create a perfect air-tight seal, whether you are sealing meats, cheeses or delicate baked goods. Additional features include 2 vacuum speeds, 2 seal levels, convenient roll storage with built-in cutter and patented removable drip tray for easy clean-up.

Made from BPA free plastic and featuring the FoodSaver® brand’s universal valve system, these airtight and long lasting containers can be used with all FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealers. Available in 3, 5, and 8 cup capacity, these stackable storage containers are made of Tritan™ which is stain and odour-resistant, microwave, refrigerator, dishwasher & freezer safe.

Save Time Using FoodSaver:
Fewer trips to the store. When your food stays fresh longer, you make fewer trips to the store. That means more time to do things that you really enjoy!

Cook ahead. Prepare meals for the week or month in advance, seal portions in FoodSaver® bags and freeze. When needed, drop the sealed bag into simmering water to reheat or open, microwave and enjoy!

Make entertaining a breeze. Prepare your signature dish or holiday treats in advance, and simply reheat while you spend quality time with your guests.

Save Money with FoodSaver:
Throwing away food is like throwing away money.

Using the FoodSaver® system to store and protect your food prevents waste caused by spoilage and freezer burn. Plus, you can save even more when buying in bulk and still maintain freshness during long-term storage.

Don’t Discard Leftovers Home-cooked leftovers or that doggie bag from a restaurant splurge can be saved up to 5X longer and enjoyed again, even weeks after it’s sealed.

Buy In Peak Season Make your purchases of foods when they are in season and cost less so you don’t have to pay a premium when they are in demand. You can enjoy fresh berries and veggies in the winter without any budget worries.

FoodSaver Keeps Foods Fresh Longer than Ordinary Storage Solutions

Increasing Cost of Foods – Resources
CBC article – http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/food-prices-inflation-1.3382872

It’s wedding season! This means priceless memories, tear-jerking moments, epic toasts, and—let’s face it—awkward dance moves. It’s an exciting time of year, but wedding season also comes with a lot of questions about what’s expected of guests. To help you navigate the world of modern matrimony, here’s our tips on how to be the perfect wedding guest.

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Wobbly incisors? Bloody gums? Some dental issues are emergencies, but others require little more than common sense and elbow grease. Either way, when your teeth start talking, listen up.

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Looking for an excuse to get outdoors, go green and celebrate the weekend? Round up some friends and get your hands dirty with a planting party!

Photo via LongitudeLatitude

Gardening is all about growing locally and building a better community – it gets even better when you throw in some sparkly summer beverages and good company. Whether you’re working with a balcony, backyard, or community plot – planting parties cultivate great conversation, eco-friendly edibles, and lush gardens through the summer and beyond. Here’s how to get the party started:

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Great events to attend until June 11.

Photography Month 2016 may soon be coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop celebrating photography. London Drugs is going to keep the celebration going until June 11 with #LDFotocon events happening at select stores in Alberta and BC.

In case you’ve missed it so far, #LDFotocon is a series of in-store photography shows featuring representatives from top camera brands as well as London Drugs Photography Experts. In addition to showcasing the newest products and technology, they also offer tips and techniques to benefit photographers of all skill levels. Presentation topics include everything from an introduction to Parrot Drones to getting the most out of baby photography, while the seminars on travel and documentary photography are a perfect way to get your skills primed for a summer of adventure.

Still plenty of great presenters left

It may be down to the final few weekends, but the event schedule still has plenty of interesting topics lined up—not to mention presenters who are all kinds of awesome. I took a look at a number of presenters’ background info on the LDFotocon site and was thoroughly impressed. Here are a couple that stood out for me in particular:

Elizabeth Gadd

“Elizabeth Gadd is a 23 year old photographer based just outside of Vancouver, Canada. Having grown up in this beautiful area, she fell easily in love with exploring the surrounding forests, hills, mountains and ocean—all of which are heavily incorporated in her photography.  First picking up a camera 10 years ago, she immediately was drawn into the world of creating magical photographs involving nature and landscapes, eventually leading to the whimsical combination of landscapes with human portraiture (usually self-portraits) that she’s known for today. This special niche of Elizabeth’s photography has been described by others as fairytale-esque, dreamy, peaceful and full of wanderlust.”

At #LDFotocon, Elizabeth will be speaking about how to combine human portraiture with landscapes, seamlessly and beautifully. One visit to her amazing portfolio site and you won’t want to miss it.

Kate Siobhan Mulligan

“If you love travel and photography then join Kate Siobhan Mulligan as she shares her photography tips and skills as one of Canada’s top Travel and Portrait photographers. Just back from a workshop in Havana, Kate keeps no secrets as she teaches how to make great travel pictures, how to approach strangers on the street, and how she gives back to photography as Operations Manager of the group “The Giving Lens”. Published around the world and working for tourism groups around the world, join Kate and take your own travel photography to a higher level.”

It’s fair to say that travel photography is one of those things everyone would like to be good at. Even if you have no other interest in photography, at the very minimum you’d like to make your travel memories look memorable. Kate is just one of the pros presenting at #LDFotocon who can show you how.

While these two sort of jumped out at me, every presenter on the LDFotocon roster is an expert in their field with plenty of knowledge they’re happy to share. It’s a rare thing to have access to this kind of expertise—for free, nonetheless. Visit the #LDFotocon website to check out the remaining event schedule and read more about some of the outstanding presenters. These in-store shows are always free, but registration is recommended to ensure yourself a spot. You can view or download a complete list of subjects here. Even if you’re unable to make any of the remaining events, remember there are also plenty more in-store photography workshops available at every location as part of the London Drugs workshop series.

Kate Siobhan Mulligan is a freelance travel photographer from East Van and just one of the fascinating presenters featured at #LDFotocon. (Photo: katesiobhanphotography.com)

For your consideration: the metal print (sometimes known as the aluminum print). A coated aluminum sheet infused with dyes that can make virtually any image come alive with vibrant colour. As durable as, well, metal, with little or no fading, these prints look great on any wall, under any kind of lighting. Also, as I’ve pointed in a previous blog or two, these prints have a glass-like luminous quality to them that is unlike any other type of print. It’s almost like if you were to somehow combine a stained glass window with the crisp detail of a full-resolution photo print. Its unique look pretty much guarantees that it will absolutely own any wall it’s hung on—especially at larger sizes.

Despite the fact that many people still aren’t aware of it, metal printing technology has been around for a few years now. It’s been available at the Photolab since around 2014, but only one location had the special type of press necessary to create the prints on-site. However, each of the gifting production labs now has one on-site—meaning that seven Photolab locations in total now have these presses available to serve you!

If your photos have immense, intricate detail, or have colours that pop like these, a metal print will bring them to life on your wall like nothing else.

As you can imagine, six new presses will greatly reduce turnaround time, as six more locations are now producing them on-site as opposed to having to special order them from another location.

Even better news: along with new presses, larger sizes will soon be available as well. Metal prints are currently available from 6×6” – 16×20”; however, the Photolab will be adding sizes all the way up to 30×40”. I’ve seen how brilliant, how crisp and detailed, how ultimately real these prints look at smaller sizes, and I can only imagine what they’d look like so much larger with no loss in colour or clarity. This technology has the potential do for photo prints what LED has done for televisions.

If you’re reading this and still have no idea what I’m talking about—for goodness sake, drop by your local Photolab and ask to see a sample. If you’re looking for a premium way to showcase your finest photography, you’ll want to see for yourself what this technology has to offer.