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.