Here is a link to an updated guide to pesticides in produce!

Blueberries are now one of the dirty dozen!

Try and get organic when you can from the dirty dozen list. If you can't get organic, wash well with a vinegar and water solution! You can also add a couple drops of grapefruit seed extract!

http://www.foodnews.org/sneak/EWG-shoppers-guide.pdf

Nourishing Ourselves!!

Check out this recent post on The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen. I love this blog. They have great recipes, especially for those following the hypoallergenic diet.
This particular post is about nourishing ourselves in other ways that have nothing to do with food. It is the little things you do everyday that make the difference.
Lighting candles, curling up to read your favorite book, playing your favorite music while making dinner, having a hot bath some relaxing essential oils.
Remember it doesn’t have to be big, the small things tend to have the greatest impact.
What do you do to nourish yourself?? Please share with me. I would love to hear from you!

http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2010/04/nourishing-ourselves.html

TEFF PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES!

My girlfriend and her three kids came over for a visit today. They are 1 1/2, 4 and 7. The oldest one told her mom that she didn’t want to come over to my place because all we would do is eat vegetables and watch the news....lol.

I thought I would give her a little surprise when she came over. I decided to make these awesome cookies that are made with whole grain teff flour, organic peanut butter and no refined sugar; I used pure maple syrup instead.

You could also use almond butter or seed butter such as pumpkin or sunflower.

They were a true hit! If you are looking for a healthy cookie to serve your kids or for a sweet treat yourself, look no further....these cookies are amazing.

I slightly adapted this recipe from CLEAN FOOD by: Terry Walters

Here goes;

3/4 cup of teff flour (I buy my teff flour from the Bulk Barn, it is much cheaper there)

1/4 tsp sea salt (if needed, I did not add this because there is salt in the peanut butter)

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter (I love the MaraNatha brand, found at the health food store or health food section of your grocery store)


1/2 cup maple syrup


1 tsp of pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup of pure dark chocolate chips (try to get 70% cacao or more)

Directions:

Preheat oven 350F.

Combine all dry ingredients and wet ingredients in another. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix together. Fold in chocolate chips.

Grease cookie sheet with 1 tsp of butter or coconut oil. Drop a heaping tbsp of cookie dough on sheet. Press each one down with a fork.

The key to make these cookies taste amazing with a great texture is to not over cook them. They should take about 13 minutes depending on the temperature of your oven.

Remove from oven and let cool. ENJOY!


Makes 10 cookies.

Here are the girls enjoying the cookies! There was chocolate everywhere! Good thing we were outside...lol. The little guy can't have them yet but he had his own little treats :-)

TIPS TO BOOST A SLUGGISH METABOLISM.....notes from my seminar last night!

Many people, in particular women, believe they have a sluggish metabolism and you know what??? Sometimes they are right. In particular, those with a history of dieting and calorie deprivation tend to have a harder time losing the weight. That is not to say that it cannot be done!! Below you will find some tips and trick that will help to wake up that metabolism of yours!!

Factors that affect metabolism

 History of extreme weight loss diets/plans

 Lack of exercise

 Low muscle mass

 Low thyroid function

 Prolonged extreme stress

 Dehydration

 Eating too little

 Eating to many high glycemic carbohydrates and sugars

Top tricks to speed up a sluggish metabolism

 MOVE YOUR BODY!!! Any physical activity will increase your metabolism for a period of time. High intensity interval training is much more efficient in boosting metabolism.


 PICK UP SOME WEIGHTS – weight training effectively aids in building muscle mass which will increase your metabolism. It is as simple as this: the more muscle you have , the more calories you will burn 24 hours per day. Every pound of muscle burns up to 50 calories per day, while a pound of fat burns only 3 calories.


 Eat small meals, more often! 3 meals + 1-2 snacks throughout the day gets your metabolism revved up.


 Front load your day!!! Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper!! Your metabolism is at its peak in the morning and slows down as the day progresses.


 Sprinkle some healthy fats on every meal. Olive oil, flax, hemp, nuts, seeds, avocado, etc. These are all important fats that help keep your metabolism efficient.


 Get your Zzzzzz's!! Lack of sleep often leads to food cravings and weight gain!


 Balance out your stress; deep breathing, yoga, and meditation. When you take a deep breath you decrease your stress hormones.


 WATER! WATER! WATER! Not drinking enough water can encourage your body to “cling on” to those extra pounds. Also, people often mistake hunger for thirst so they eat more food and calories when they should be drinking water! Frequent bathroom trips??? Not to worry, this too shall pass!


 Add some spice into your life!! Cayenne, chilli peppers and other spicy foods actually boost metabolism by creating heat in the body!! Avoid if you have a history of heartburn/ ulcers.


 Other foods that boost metabolism, also called thermogenic foods, include; protein, green tea, mustard, celery, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, parsley and apple cider vinegar or other citrus foods.


     Ensure adequate vitamin/mineral status. Deficiencies can impair metabolic functioning.


     Talk to your natural health care provider to see if you need supplemental support


     Greens powder such as Greens+ or Schinoussa Sea Vegetables


     Add some green to your life!! Vegetables such as chard, kale, collards, and spinach all     contain a rich source of essential vitamins and minerals (look for recipe below)


     Add sea vegetables to your diet to increase dietary minerals


                         • Add kombu when cooking soups or stews


                         • Sprinkle sea seasonings on your meal as you would salt


                         • Enjoy homemade sushi (made with brown rice)

Cauliflower Whip

Are you trying to lose those extra pounds but really miss your mashed potatoes?? Here is a trick to get the creamy texture of mashed potatoes without all of the calories. This cauliflower whip is rich in B vitamins, vitamin C and fibre, while being low in calories. One cup of mashed potatoes usually contains 200 calories or more while this low calorie alternative has 100 calories per cup! Enjoy!

Ingredients

o 2 cups filtered water

o 1 small head of cauliflower

o ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

o 1 tsp sea salt
o 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Curry option:
o 2 cloves garlic, mincedo ½ tsp cumin

o ½ tsp ground coriander

o ¼ tsp turmeric
o ¼ tsp cumin seeds


Directions
1. Cut the cauliflower into florists. Place them in a large pot with water. Cover and heat on high
2. Steam for 6-8 minutes or until soft when pierced with a knife. Uncover and remove with heat
3. Transfer the cooked cauliflower, spices, garlic, salt, lemon juice and olive oil to a food processor or blender and puree until very smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl using a rubber spatula. Can be served hot or cold.
Makes 2 cups


Note: Feel free to play with the flavours. The curry option is just one option! Season with your favourite seasonings and spices!!


Source: Meals that Heal Inflammation
By: Julie Daniluk
*GREAT COOKBOOK*

Must see video on toxins and children.....

Remember that little changes can make a BIG differance!! Share this with your friends and family!

http://ow.ly/1z6Ct

RECIPE

‘Crustless’ Quiche

This quiche is a quick and easy breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is filled with lots of antioxidant packed veggies and great protein from the eggs.

• 2 tbsp of olive oil


• 1 medium onion, finely chopped


• 2 cups of broccoli


• 1 clove of garlic


• 1 cup of thinly sliced mushrooms


• ¼ cup finely chopped (low sodium) sun dried tomatoes


• 6 large eggs

• 4 ounces of goat cheese (optional)


Preheat oven to 350F. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onoinsfor 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent. Whole the onion is sauteing, steam the brocolli until bright green. Add the steamed brocolli, garlic, mushrooms and tomatoes to the onion and saute for 8-10 more minutes, until the brocolli softens. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cheese, and salt. Stir in the sauteed vegetables, then pour mixture into a oiled pie plate.


Bake for 30 to 35 mintues, until browned around the edges and cooked through. Let the quiche cool for 15 minutes or so and then serve. Enjoy!

FREE SEMINAR!!!

Please join me for a free seminar at NATURAL LIFE HEALTH MARKET next Wednesday April 21st @ 7pm.



TOPIC = Tips to Speed up a Slugglish Metabolism

Learn easy and effective strategies to wake up your sleeping metabolism!


RSVP required - Please call Natural Life Health Market to book your spot


For contact information please go to the website


Hope to see you there!!
http://www.naturallifemarket.com.../retailer/store_templates/shell_id_1.asp?storeID=D2E5C4A0352A4F609EEE0B53C1A8003C

Lemon Kale Chips

The beautiful leaves of the kale plant provide an earthy flavour and more nutritional value for fewer calories than almost any other food around making this leafy green a true super food. Kale belongs to the Brassica family, a group of vegetables including cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts that have gained recent widespread attention due to their health promoting, sulfur-containing phytonutrients!

1 bunch kale (washed and cut into bit size pieces)
2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Chop kale into ½ inch pieces

3. Place kale in a large bowl

4. With hands massage oil, lemon juice and salt into kale

5. Place kale on parchment lined baking sheet

6. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes until kale is dark green and crispy

7. Cool and serve

Thank you to elanaspantry.com for your amazing recipes! Each and every recipe I have tried from this website has been truly amazing!!

www.elanaspantry.com

Book Recommendation!!!

Over the weekend, I read the new book by Geneen Roth called Women Food and God. It is a great book for anyone who struggles with food; whether you eat too much, too little or if you find you obsess about food often. This book is truly a transformational book that is changing people’s lives, including Oprah. See link below for an excerpt from the book on oprah.com.

Be well,

http://www.oprah.com/health/An-Excerpt-from-Geneen-Roths-Women-Food-And-God