Tim Hortons Canadian Bacon Breakfast Sandwiches now available!

Happy New Year! Tim Hortons features the Canadian Bacon Breakfast Sandwich with naturally-smoked Canadian bacon. The menu and the app offer two main sandwich options: the Canadian Bacon & Egg Breakfast Sandwich and the Canadian Bacon BELT.

Tim Hortons Canadian Bacon and Egg Breakfast Sandwich from Tim Hortons

This is separate from the Maple Bacon Sandwiches which they announced last year. The Canadian Bacon sandwiches were first introduced in 2019 (source: Chewboom.com).

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Happy Saturday morning! My husband has errands in Downtown Vancouver, so we visited a Tims location nearby to try the new Canadian Bacon breakfast sandwiches.

Tim Hortons Canadian Bacon and Egg Breakfast Sandwich from Tim Hortons

I ordered the Canadian Bacon and Egg Breakfast Sandwich with the recommended English muffin. On my first bite, it was saltier and more flavourful than their usual bacon. The egg was creamy and muffin soft.

Canadian Bacon BELT from Tim Hortons

Meanwhile, the Canadian Bacon BELT (bagel, egg, lettuce, and tomatoes) didn't work as well. It's hard to taste Canadian Bacon because other things are going on.

Canadian Bacon BELT from Tim Hortons

The Everything Bagel was toasted, and the edges were slightly bitter burnt. Meanwhile, the lettuce was crunchy, the tomatoes were juicy, and the egg yolk was creamy. It was a good sandwich, but the Canadian Bacon wasn't the star.

Old Fashioned Sugar Donut from Tim Hortons

This Tim's location offers donut variants not available in other branches. I ordered the Old Fashioned Sugar Donut. It's dry. Reminding me that Tims still has sucky Classic donuts.

La Win Supermarket with Bakery is now open!

La Win Supermarket is a newly opened Asian grocery located at West Broadway corner Pine Street. It's a cause of celebration that we now have an Asian market within walking distance of our place! Imagine all the frozen dumplings, instant noodles, fresh produce, and meat.

We visited this evening on our way to Shoppers for our weekly grocery run. They're still at the soft opening stages since some aisle is still empty, and we can still see boxes that need to be unpacked.

With that said, we checked out their Bakery section for bread. Unfortunately, it's after work, so only a handful is left, and we got three salt bread.

Salt Bread from La Win Supermarket

We enjoyed Plain Salt Bread, Garlic Salt Bread, and Black Truffle Salt Bread with hot chocolate for dinner this evening. It started raining on our walk home, so a mug of warm cocoa was what we needed.

Plain Salt Bread

The plain one reminds me of pandesal but with a more buttery exterior.

My favourite would be garlic. It has a strong garlic flavour and is so buttery that you can feel your fingers feel slippery.

Garlic Salt Bread

My least favourite is the black truffle because I'm unsure what to expect. It smells like truffle, but I can't justify that it costs more than the other two.

Black Truffle Salt Bread

On our walk home, we discussed trying the different loaves of bread they have. There are matcha, chocolate, raisins, and other variants, and they're only half a loaf. The one thing stopping me from hoarding bread is calories. There needs to be nutritional information on the bread, which is not ideal for a dieting foodie like me.

Middle Eastern-Inspired Beef Bowls from HelloFresh Canada

Happy Thursday! We cooked the Middle Eastern-Inspired Beef Bowls with Hummus and Spiced Rice from our HelloFresh box for dinner.

Middle Eastern-Inspired Beef Bowls from HelloFresh Canada

The rice smells so lovely and has a beautiful colour because of the onion and shawarma spice blend. But, unfortunately, it is bland. The same goes for the beef.

The hummus is the best thing in this dish. The marinated tomatoes with fresh parsley provided tartness and freshness to the beef bowl. Mix everything together in the bowl so that the hummus and marinated tomatoes can cover everything.

Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.

Middle Eastern-Inspired Beef Bowls with Hummus and Spiced Rice

HelloFresh Description:

Creamy, spicy, tart, savoury – this delicious Middle Eastern-inspired dish has it all! Speedy shawarma-spiced rice is jewelled with roasted peppers and onions, then topped with fragrant beef, hummus and marinated tomatoes.

Middle Eastern-Inspired Beef Bowls from HelloFresh Canada

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Calories: 1080 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

Carb Smart Cheeseburger Soup from HelloFresh Canada

Happy Wednesday! For dinner tonight, hubby and I cooked the Carb Smart Cheeseburger Soup with Cheddar and Veggies from our HelloFresh box.

Carb Smart Cheeseburger Soup with Cheddar and Veggies from HelloFresh

Earlier today, we had healthy oatmeal for breakfast and the delicious Spanish Chorizo and Chickpea Stew for lunch.

HelloFresh meals with "Carb Smart" means fewer carbs based on a per-serving calculation of the recipe's carbohydrate amount. Suitable for New Year's resolution diet.

Carb Smart Cheeseburger Soup with Cheddar and Veggies from HelloFresh

The Carb Smart Cheeseburger soup does not have "buns" or even croutons to provide crunch. However, the peppers have a different texture than soft carrots and zucchini. My favourite part of the meal is the sweet onions. Its flavours stand out compared to the creamy tomato base. Lastly, the green onion topping provides a hint of freshness to the dish.

Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.

Carb Smart Cheeseburger Soup with Cheddar and Veggies

HelloFresh Description:

Packed with ground beef, creamy cheese and veggies, this dish transforms drive-through deliciousness into a cozy bowl of soup! This one-pot wonder is sure to hit the spot! Carb Smart is based on a per serving calculation of the recipe's carbohydrate amount.

Carb Smart Cheeseburger Soup with Cheddar and Veggies from HelloFresh

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Calories: 590 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

Chicken Tikka Masala from HelloFresh Canada

Happy Tuesday! Hubby and I cooked the Chicken Tikka Masala with Peppers and Garlic Rice from our HelloFresh box for dinner.

Chicken Tikka Masala with Peppers and Garlic Rice from HelloFresh Canada

It's the first workday of 2023, and I had oatmeal for breakfast between customer calls. I finally had a breather at around 1:00 PM when I had time to reheat the Kofta-Inspired Beef Bowls with Chopped Salad and Lemony Yogurt for lunch.

The Chicken Tikka Masala was easy to prepare and did not have a lot of ingredients which I appreciate. The chicken was tender and moist, while the peppers provided crunch. The sauce is savoury and creamy, perfect over garlicky rice.

Chicken Tikka Masala with Peppers and Garlic Rice from HelloFresh Canada

There's a subtle heat, but overall a satisfying dinner, especially if you crave South Asian flavours.

Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.

Chicken Tikka Masala with Peppers and Garlic Rice

HelloFresh Description:

Bold tikka masala and cream coat tender chicken and sweet peppers in this quick and easy curry! The aromas will make you want to dig in before this hits the table.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Calories: 740 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

Spanish Chorizo and Chickpea Stew from HelloFresh Canada

It's the second day of the new year and we slept in. We woke up at 11:00 AM and went straight to cooking the Spanish Chorizo and Chickpea Stew with Peppers and Spiced Croutons from our HelloFresh Canada.

Spanish Chorizo and Chickpea Stew with Peppers and Spiced Croutons from HelloFresh Canada

The stew has heat without hurting you. It was a satisfying meal filled with chickpeas, spinach, carrots, and peppers.

Spanish Chorizo and Chickpea Stew with Peppers and Spiced Croutons

HelloFresh Description:

This satisfying stew packs lots of protein with smoky chorizo sausage and filling chickpeas. It's a fiesta of flavour!

Spanish Chorizo and Chickpea Stew with Peppers and Spiced Croutons from HelloFresh Canada

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Calories: 790 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? Yes for the ciabbata bread.

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

Maple Walnut Cheesecake from Trees Cheesecake & Organic Coffee

After our New Year's day lunch at Earls, we crossed the street to Trees. I ordered the seasonal Ferrero Rocher cheesecake while hubby had the Maple Walnut Cheesecake.

Maple Walnut Cheesecake from Trees

If you want sweet, instead of tarty cheesecake, go for the maple walnut cheesecake. It has a prominent maple flavour, and the walnuts on top add crunchiness to the creamy, delicate cheesecake.

List of Seasonal Cheesecake from Trees Cheesecake + Organic Coffee

Below is a list of the seasonal cheesecakes we have tried from Trees arranged alphabetically.

Almond Marzipan Cheesecake Apple Crisp Cheesecake Banana Cream Cheesecake Banoffee Cheesecake Coconut Cream Cheesecake

Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake Irish Cream Cheesecake Mango Cheesecake Matcha Cheesecake

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pumpkin Cheesecake Strawberry Cheesecake Taro Cheesecake

List of Cheesecake from Trees Cheesecake + Organic Coffee

Below is a list of cheesecakes from Trees that are always available.

Blueberry Cheesecake Chocoholic Cheesecake Key Lime Cheesecake Maple Walnut Cheesecake

New York Cheesecake Oreo Cheesecake Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Tiramisu Cheesecake

NEW Truffle Tortellini at Earls

Happy Sunday! It's the first day of 2023, and we had breakfast at Tim Hortons. After Mass, we had lunch at Earls.

Earls is a go-to destination for those looking for delicious, upscale dining options. With a menu that caters to a wide range of palates, Earls is known for its exceptional food and inviting atmosphere.

One of the new dishes on the menu is the Truffle Tortellini, a mouth-watering looking dish. In this post, we'll explore everything you need to know about this decadent dish and what I thought.

First lunch date of 2023 at Earls

What is Truffle Tortellini?

Earls' Truffle Tortellini is a dish that features tender, cheese-filled tortellini, smothered in a creamy truffle sauce. The dish is topped with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley, and it's served hot and steaming.

The tortellini are perfectly cooked, with tender, melt-in-your mouth texture. Unfortunately, the rich and creamy sauce was too salty for my liking.

Truffle Tortellini
Truffle cream, ricotta, spinach, seasonal vegetables, and Grana Padano.
+ Sauteed prawns and artisan garlic bread

Hubby ordered a medium rare Filet Mignon. It was cooked unevenly. One side is medium rare tender, while the other side is medium and tougher. I like the bitter char on the grilled vegetable, and the mashed potatoes were creamy.

Filet Mignon from Earls
6 oz Filet Mignon, garlic mashed potatoes, and seasonal vegetables.

This side of the filet mignon is medium, and the other half is medium rare.

The food could have been better, but the ambiance and service were impeccable. Thank God for a new year!

New Year's Eve dinner at St. Augustine's Church

Finding a community in Canada is a challenge for any immigrant or foreign worker. You left your family and friends back in your home country and wonder if you'll ever find friends or a community in your new home.

I found friends at my first work, and I call that full-time job and my colleagues turned friends a miracle because I am so grateful to God for them.

When hubby and I moved to Vancouver from Richmond in 2017, we decided to attend Mass at St. Augustine's Church. Father Andrew, the volunteers, staff, and parishioners were all so welcoming. In addition, Ms. Jane and Father Andrew helped us with our Catholic wedding in the Philippines.

Happy New Year!

For the past years, hubby and I have celebrated New Year's just the two of us. To welcome 2023, we joined the New Year's Eve dinner organized by the Knights of Columbus and The Catholic Women's League in the parish.

A glass of red wine.

We picked an empty table and were joined by a Filipino Artist, a Filipino-Chinese couple, a Polish woman, and a Filipino couple. There were a lot of stories about faith, life, family, and travel over wine, fried chicken, roast beef, potato wedges, salad, roasted vegetables, and desserts.

Fried chicken, potato wedges, salad, roasted vegetables, and roast beef for a food coma dinner tonight.

Everything was delicious. The fried chicken was so juicy inside, and it reminded me of Max's chicken - I was so tempted to take it home to eat with rice and Mang Tomas. Meanwhile, the potato wedges were lightly seasoned with salt. The outside was crispy, while the inside was still soft. The roasted mixed vegetables were still snappy and not overcooked. I received a thick slab of roast beef and its cooked medium.

The Fil-Chi couple said that dinner was prepared by a professional chef member of the Knights of Columbus, which is why everything is restaurant-quality.

A slice of tiramisu cake.

Thank God for the blessed 2022 and for allowing us to welcome 2023 with Mass and be surrounded by our parish community.

Nanaimo Bar and Sticky Toffee Pudding at Waves Coffee House

After a food coma buffet lunch at New India Buffet Bar & Restaurant, we walked to our favourite coffee shop to hang out: Waves Coffee House. We had tea, a Nanaimo Bar, and Sticky Toffee Pudding. 

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Nanaimo Bar

I love both desserts and of course just sitting here with my husband.

Lunch at New India Buffet Bar & Restaurant

Happy last day of 2022. I made a deal with my husband that if I reached 170 lbs, my reward would be a buffet. 🤣 I achieved it last November, but I gained 3 lbs back in December. It might not be much for some, but I was more than 200 lbs at my heaviest weight!

For lunch today, we went to New India Buffet Bar and Restaurant.

The beautiful interior of New India Buffet Bar & Restaurant in Vancouver, BC.

Anyway, I tried a small amount of everything in the buffet except for the salad bar and appetizers section.

Below are my thoughts on each savoury dish.

Plate number 1

My first plate of food includes basmati rice, naan bread, chicken curry, tandoori chicken, lamb curry, and butter chicken. The first section of the buffet offers more popular dishes in North America.

The butter chicken is sweet (too sweet?) compared to the delicious and hotter chicken curry. The lamb curry pieces are fatty, while the tandoori chicken is surprisingly tender and juicy. A tremendous first plate. If you're here, I recommend the tandoori chicken and chicken curry. If you can't handle any amount of spiciness, go for the butter chicken.

Plate number 2

My second plate of food came from this section. I forgot to take a photo of my actual plate. #facepalm

Anyway, the Beef Keema was too salty. Skip it. The Fish Curry was creamy and so soft, and tender. Meanwhile, Veg Pilau is essentially fried rice. It's alright, but I recommend sticking to the basmati rice. The last thing on this plate is the Oven Baked Veg; it's not spicy and very creamy - delicious!

Plate number 3

My third plate of food includes rice and naan again. This time I tried Egg Curry, Chicken Manchurian (Indo-Chinese style), Corn Mushroom, and Aloo Gobhi (cauliflower & potato). The egg curry has a similar flavour profile as butter chicken but with a hardboiled egg. Meanwhile, the aloo gobhi is tarty, and the chicken Manchurian is unfamiliar. I'm still determining what to compare it to and if I like it. Finally, the corn mushroom is a good palate cleanser with no heat.

Plate number 4

The last two plates are all vegetarian dishes. Plate four includes Mix Daal Lentils, Veg Curry, Chana Masala, and Veg Makhani. I'm not a fan of the makhani; it's too sour for my liking. The veg curry is alright, but the better of the vegetarian dishes is the mix daal lentils and chana masala.

Plate number 5

On the last plate, we have the mutter paneer (cheese & peas), saag spinach paneer, Indian yogurt curry, and baby eggplant masala. I love the saag spinach paneer, everything else you can skip. The yogurt curry is sour, the baby eggplant has a mushy texture, and I am not a fan of green peas on curry - if you want a peas-like texture, go for the chana masala.

Losing weight has shrunk my stomach and appetite. My past self would be disappointed that I didn't go for two additional plates of things I liked - tandoori chicken, chicken curry, saag spinach paneer, rice, and naan. However, my past self would be shocked that I lost as much weight as I did and have been keeping it off. Slow and steady seems to have worked for me.

Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken from HelloFresh Canada

Happy Friday evening! We cooked the Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Rice from our HelloFresh Box for dinner tonight.

Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Rice from HelloFresh Canada

It's tangy and a bit spicy. A good dish but nothing to be raving about. The new bowl and placemat are Christmas gifts from my mom. Thanks, Ma!

Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.

Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Rice

HelloFresh Description:

Dinner tonight features chicken coated in a tangy sweet chili sauce coupled with zucchini and carrots. Don't forget our cilantro-lime rice, which infuses every bite with brightness!

Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Rice from HelloFresh Canada

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Calories: 650 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

Kofta-Inspired Beef Bowls from HelloFresh Canada

Happy Thursday! Hubby and I prepared and cooked the Kofta-Inspired Beef Bowls with Chopped Salad and Lemony Yogurt from our HelloFresh box this evening.

Kofta-Inspired Beef Bowls from HelloFresh Canada

For breakfast, I cooked garlic fried rice and air-fried chicken sausage and made a ham & cheese omelette. I rarely spend more than 10 minutes for breakfast, but it's fun to cook in the morning. Afterwards, I reheated the Tuscan Sausage Linguine for our lunch. For the afternoon snack, I made flour tortilla chips using the air fryer from the last couple of tortillas that were about to expire.

Kofta-Inspired Beef Bowls from HelloFresh Canada

To end the food day, we enjoyed the Kofta-Inspired Beef Bowls. It was so delicious. It's the best HelloFresh meal this week! The fresh salad worked so well with the lemony yogurt on top of savoury beef.

Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.

Kofta-Inspired Beef Bowls with Chopped Salad and Lemony Yogurt

HelloFresh Description:

Everyone can add what they love to their bowl in this instant family favourite. Stir it all together with our delicious lemony yogurt sauce!

Kofta-Inspired Beef Bowls from HelloFresh Canada

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Calories: 810 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

Smart Shrimp Curry from HelloFresh Canada

Happy Wednesday! For dinner today, hubby and I prepared and enjoyed the Smart Shrimp Curry from our HelloFresh box.

Smart Shrimp Curry from HelloFresh Canada

I'm back at work today. For breakfast, I enjoyed a quesadilla and hot chocolate. Then, we reheated half of the Fiery Hunanese-Style Pork with Green Onion-Ginger Rice for lunch.

Going back to the Smart Shrimp Curry. It lacks salt, which is my fault. Whenever I see Garlic Salt in the ingredients list, I always get scared that it'll be too salty, so I didn't add enough salt to the dish. Otherwise, it has a good curry flavour. I wish it was spicier; fresh ginger would elevate the dish.

Smart Shrimp Curry from HelloFresh Canada

Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.

Smart Shrimp Curry with Buttered Couscous

HelloFresh Description:

This silky, fragrant curry sauce built on warm spices, tomatoes and cream cheese is sure to delight your palate! A healthy serving of shrimp and a side of light couscous make this meal a wholesome wonder. Smart is based on a per serving calculation of the recipe's kilocalorie and carbohydrate amount.

Smart Shrimp Curry from HelloFresh Canada

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Calories: 520 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

Tuscan Sausage Linguine from HelloFresh Canada

Happy Tuesday! I took today off from work just to get an extra do nothing day. My hubby and I prepared the Tuscan Sausage Linguine with Sweet Bell Pepper, Chili and Parmesan for lunch from our HelloFresh box.

Tuscan Sausage Linguine from HelloFresh Canada

I think we chopped the peppers too big. I also made some modifications to the recipe. I added a quarter cup of the salted water from the salted boiling water to the sauce in step 5. During the 5-6 minute "sauce thickens slightly" step. It added much-needed salt to the sauce. I remember having this recipe in the past, thinking it was bland except for the mild Italian ground beef.

Tuscan Sausage Linguine from HelloFresh Canada

I enjoyed the heat from the chilli flakes, the crunch from the bell pepper, and the creaminess from the parmesan cheese.

Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.

Tuscan Sausage Linguine with Sweet Bell Pepper, Chili and Parmesan

HelloFresh Description:

Juicy pork sausage and garlic create a savoury flavour base for this classic pasta sauce. Enhanced with sweet peppers, chili and Parmesan cheese, this recipe is so simple and delicious, you'll want it to become a part of your weekly repertoire.

Tuscan Sausage Linguine from HelloFresh Canada

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Calories: 800 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

McDonald's Canada Spicy McCrispy Bacon Deluxe

Happy Boxing Day! Before heading to Millenium Karaoke for a family singing night, we grabbed dinner from McDonald's Canada and specifically ordered the Spicy McCrispy Bacon Deluxe.

The McDonald's website described the sandwich as follows:

The Spicy Bacon Deluxe McCrispy is big on everything, including heat. With our southern-style fried chicken patty on a soft potato bun, topped with shredded lettuce, hickory-smoked bacon, tomato and our spicy Habanero sauce, this sandwich kicks crispy, juicy and tender up to the next level.

Spicy McCrispy Bacon Deluxe from McDonald's Canada

The good news is the chicken was genuinely crispy and freshly made. It was hot when it arrived. Unfortunately, it was not spicy and did not have enough sauce.

Spicy McCrispy Bacon Deluxe Sandwich from McDonald's Canada

The tomato provided some juiciness, while the lettuce provided a different crunch. Lastly, the bacon is just there, but the taste could have been more pronounced. The flavourful crispy chicken was the dominant component both in size and flavour. I just wished there was more sauce!

Fiery Hunanese-Style Pork from HelloFresh Canada

Our HelloFresh box arrived Saturday morning on the day of Christmas Eve. We cooked our first meal from this box for dinner on Christmas Day. We prepared the Fiery Hunanese-Style Pork with Green Onion-Ginger Rice.

Fiery Hunanese-Style Pork with Green Onion-Ginger Rice from HelloFresh Canada

SALTY! I didn't add any salt, and it was salty. The ginger has a nice flavour, and there's still a hint of the white cooking wine, but overall it was a salty dish.

Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.

Fiery Hunanese-Style Pork with Green Onion-Ginger Rice

HelloFresh Description:

Hunanese cuisine is known for its spice and lots of it! We've toned things down a little in our take on a classic Hunanese dish, but packed in plenty of flavour with chili garlic sauce, ginger, soy and oyster sauce.

Fiery Hunanese-Style Pork with Green Onion-Ginger Rice from HelloFresh Canada

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Calories: 840 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.