Jamie's Nourishing Bite's

Boost Your Health with a Daily Dose of Green Juice!

2011-11-21T07:54:00.000-08:00

If you follow my blog you know that I am a new mom to the cutest baby girl that ever was....lol!!! Doesn't ever mother feel that way about their baby??

This has meant that sleep and I haven't been great friends lately. I am up with my baby at least 2 times per night and up to 5 times. On top of no sleep I am breastfeeding which takes up a whole lotta energy. I have to say all of that can take alot out of you. To ensure that I keep my body in tip top shape I have been giving myself a daily boost with green juice. And guess what?? I am feeling pretty great considering that I haven't had a good night sleep in months and I know that it is because I am making great food choices on a daily basis and powering up with a green juice.

I have a juicer but not a very good one. I feel like I am wasting money every time I use it. The pulp is still so wet and i have to use a ton of produce to get 1 small glass of juice. So I have been using my blender and my nut milk bag (you can get a nut sack at one of my favourite fellow nutritionista’s website http://www.meghantelpner.com/product/nutsack/) . You can also use a fine strainer or cheese cloth. I find the nut milk bag works best...and then you can start making your own homemade nut milks...SO YUMMY!!!

See below for directions on how to make juice using this method.

Simple Green Juice

1/2 pear or granny smith apple

1/2 juice of 1 lemon

4-6 leaves of chard, kale, collards, dandelion greens

1/2 of a large english cucumber or 2-3 celery stalks

Optional - 1 small beet - makes this no longer a green juice as the intense red color takes over but adds a touch of sweetness.

Chop up the pear and blend with 1/4 cup of water and juice of 1/2 lemon.

Slowly add in greens and cucumber until well blended

Have large bowl or measuring cup ready. Pour liquid into nut milk bag over the bowl. Squeeze until you have removed all of the liquid.

Enjoy in a large glass with ice - green juice always tastes better cold!

Serves 1-2

Here are my top 5 reasons why you should consider juicing;

You get the maximum absorption of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants - when you take out the fiber your body can easily absorb and assimilate the nutrients in the juice very quickly. It gives you a quick nutrition boost. Please note - as the juice sits the nutrients get oxidized so drink up quickly. If you are storing juice please store in a glass jar with a good seal on it.
Green juices are alkaline. To learn more about the acid/alkaline balance, check out my post here - http://jamiesnourishingbites.blogspot.com/2010/09/finding-balance-ph-balance-that-is.html
Green juices are a great way to add variety to your veggie consumption. For example, if you are not a big fan of kale (which is delicious and so versitile...but i guess not for everyone) you can always add it to your juice to get the amazing benefits.
Helps your body gently detoxify keeping your cells healthy and working efficiently
Amazingly abundant energy. Who doesnt want more energy?? Try green juicing for 1 week and experience the energy boost for yourself :O)

Please share with me and my blog followers! Do you juice? What is your favorite combo?

Pumpkin Bread

2011-10-26T14:44:00.000-07:00

I love pumpkin...it is not a surprise to you if you have followed my blog for a while.

Check out these past pumpkin lovin' posts.

Pumpkin Lovin' Smoothie

Pumpkin Pie Muffins

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin is very low in starch and calories, is rich in fibre and has a whack of powerful antioxidants. This means that pumpkin is not only great for your waist line, it is also a health boosting superfood!

Most often we see pumpkin in sugar laden rich desserts....making it not a health food anymore. Here and in my past pumpkin posts, I like to reduce the sugar and switch to wholesome sweeteners along with adding other super foods.

I got inspiration for this recipe from a fellow blogger. Find the link below. I just decreased the honey a bit and added stevia to lower the sugar in this recipe. I also used coconut oil instead of olive oil because i thought it would taste better. And switched up the spice mix by making cinnamon the star here. This loaf is one of my new favourite pumpkin recipes!

This recipe uses almond flour instead of a grain based flour. It is made by removing the skins of the almonds and grinding into a fine powder. Almond flour is low on the glycemic index, rich in vitamin e, maganese, magnesium, healthy fats and protein.

Note: My favourite almond flour is by JK Gourmet. It is much better than any other brand I have tried. Contact your local health food store to see if they carry or purchase online HERE! You can also find almond flour at your local BULK BARN

Ingredients

1 heaping cup of pumpkin puree*
3/4 cup of honey
10 drops of liquid stevia
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
2 omega 3 free range eggs
3/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 heaping tbsp cinnamon
2 cups of almond flour

Method

Preheat your oven to 325F
Combine all the ingredients in your high powered blender or food processor (in the order listed)
Bake in a bread pan for 60 minutes or until the outside is very brown. Do the toothpick test to see if it is done! It should come out dry. The timing really depends on how moist your pumpkin puree is.

*Try roasting your own pumpkin. It is so easy. Cut the top of the pumpkin like you would to carve. Scoop out seeds. Place the top back on pumpkin. Roast at 350 for about an hour, depending on size of pumpkin. I then remove peal, puree and store in the fridge for my favorite pumpkin recipes. Here are a few more of my fave’s.

*RECIPE NOTE - If using canned pumpkin, make sure it is just pure pumpkin

Find some more pumpkin loving goodness from some of my favourite blogs;

Pumpkin Pie Muffins from Elana's Pantry

Another one from Elana's Pantry Pumpkin Ice cream

Pumpkin Soup by Meghan Telpner

Grain Free Pumpkin Muffins from Nourishing Meals

And this is where this recipe inspiration was from; Pumpkin Loaf from Comfy Belly

Creamy Fall Harvest Soup

2011-10-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

This soup has it all, not only is it super healthy it also is a crowd pleaser. It is so creamy and delicious. It is a great soup to enjoy this time of year when you can get all of the local goods!

Here are some of the soup’s highlights;

Turmeric - powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant

Butternut squash - high in vitamins A and C, high fiber and a whack of antioxidants. Great source of slow digesting carbs for optimal fuel!

Pumpkin - low in calories and high in fiber. Great source of vitamins A and C. Fresh pumpkin is also notably high in carotenoids which are powerful antioxidants

Red Lentils - Lentils are a great source of folate; important for cell division - especially critical for pregnant ladies or those trying to conceive. They are also a great source of vegetarian protein and have a whole lotta dietary fiber to keep your bowels happy

Ingredients

2 tbsp of olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 small garlic cloves
2 cups of roasted butternut squash (or 1/2 of a large squash)
1 cup pumpkin (i used fresh roasted but canned will work well)
10 cups of water
1 tsp of turmeric
1/2 cup red lentils
Sea salt to taste

Optional - top with a few lightly toasted pumpkin seeds

To Roasted Butternut Squash

1. Cut squash in half.

2. Remove seeds (as seen in picture below)

3. Place face down on a cookie sheet

4. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for about an hour or until cooked.

Soup Preparation
1. Over medium heat, add onions and olive oil to your pot and cook for about 5 minutes until onions are softened.
2. Add garlic (I love to use the fine grater in the picture below to make garlic into a paste which helps to evenly disperse garlic flavour! It is one of my favourite kitchen tools...also great for making lemon zest) and cook for 1 more minute
3. Add red lentils, turmeric, water (or broth), sea salt, pumpkin and squash.
4. Bring to a soft boil and then simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils are cooked.
5. Ladle soup into your high powered blender or food processor and process until smooth!
6. Enjoy with lightly toasted pumpkin seeds on top!

Please share: What are your favourite fall harvest veggies?? And how do you like to enjoy?

I'M BAAAAACK!

2011-10-15T06:47:00.000-07:00

It has been quite awhile since I have posted on this blog. I have been busy with my new bundle of joy. Sophia (we call her Sophie) Anne was born July 14 at 12:49am. Her father and I have been enjoying every moment with her. Here are some of my favourite pictures!!

This picture was taken seconds after she was born. The best moment of my life!

This is Sophie and her daddy! I love this picture! It shows just how much they both love each other!

This is her favorite spot. She likes to hang out up on your shoulder (in particular her daddy's) and she always has the arm over just like that! :O)

I just love this picture of her!!

Sophie and her mommy! This was a self taken shot with my iPhone.

This was taken this past thanksgiving weekend. It is amazing how much she has changed already. At only 13 weeks old, I already feel like my little girl is growing so quickly, lol ;o)

Come back on Monday for a brand spanking new fall harvest soup recipe...long overdue!

Banana Cherry Bomb Smoothie

2011-06-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

I love starting my day with a refreshing smoothie when the weather is warmer. I use frozen fruit and enjoy a cooling drink that contains a ton of nutrition. For those of you who follow my blog and my fan page on FACEBOOK you know that I am a big fan of green smoothies. I add veggies such as kale, chard, spinach and zucchini to name a few to my smoothies often. I know it may sound crazy but as long as you have some fruit in there you don’t taste the veggies and it is a great way to boost health

There are sometimes that I just want a simple smooothie (still super nourishing though) and today was one of those mornings. That and I didn’t have any fresh greens on hand. Last summer I posted a recipe for cherry bomb ice cream (take frozen bananas and cherries and puree in a food processor until smooth..yes it is that simple) that is amazing so I decided to make a smoothie with similar flavour. Let me tell you this smoothie won’t disappoint.

Don’t you just love cherries?? They are one of my favourite fruits not only because they taste great, they also pack a whack of nutrition. Here are some of the nutritional benefits of cherries

• Low glycemic fruit – great fruit choice for diabetics, wont spike blood sugar
• Great source of vitamin C
• Anthocyanins – just a big fancy nutrition word for a powerful antioxidant that supports heart health

• Helps reduce pain and inflammation – studies show that the anthocyanins can help reduce inflammation in the body. Anthocyanins also promote muscle recovery post exercise by reducing inflammation and promoting healing of the muscle tissue. Therefore this smoothie would be a great post workout treat that will provide your body with optimal nourishment for muscle recovery.

• Very effective treatment for gout. If you are a gout sufferer talk to your health care practitioner about taking cherry extract in supplement form for optimal results to prevent attacks
• Contain 19 times more beta carotene than blueberries or strawberries
• Potassium, magnesium, folate, and iron are also found in cherries
• Ellagic Acid has antiproliferative and antioxidant properties. The antiproliferative properties of ellagic acid are due to its ability to directly inhibit the DNA binding of certain carcinogens = in simple words – it helps prevent many types of cancers.

Now don’t you just want to go and eat some cherries??? I bought some local Canadian frozen strawberries from my local market. Please note that cherries are on the dirty dozen list according to the Environmental Working Group, due to its pesticide residue; please purchase organic when possible.

Here is the simple, nourishing and delicious recipe!

½ banana, frozen

½ cup cherries, pitted and frozen

1 heaping tsp chia seeds

1 optional tsp of acai powder (Navitas Naturals)

1 cup unsweetened almond milk (homemade or store bought)

1 serving of high quality protein powder

Herbed Avocado, Asparagus and Tomato Salad

2011-05-31T07:28:00.000-07:00

This salad was inspired from a recipe i stumbled on from elanaspantry.com (http://www.elanaspantry.com/asparagus-basil-salad/). I was looking for new ways to use the beautiful local asparagus that I got from the local market by my house. Check out my blog post on asparagus to find out some interesting health facts on this amazing veggie - http://jamiesnourishingbites.blogspot.com/2010/06/asparagus.html.

I also have a huge supply of lemon balm (picture above) in my garden that I am always looking to use in creative ways. Lemon balm not only tastes great but is also known for its calming qualities. Traditionally, lemon balm has been used for indigestion, to help promote sleep and to reduce stress. Who doesn’t need help with those things? If you have some space in your garden, I highly recommend you plant some lemon balm. It is super easy to grow (if I can grow it anyone can :), tastes amazing and is great for you! I also like making tea with lemon balm, hot or cold.

Ingredients
½ juice of 1 fresh lemon
¼ cup olive oil
1 heaping tsp of Dijon mustard
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 avocado, cut into chunks
1 bunch of locally grown asparagus, cut into 1 bite size pieces

1 package of grape tomatoes, sliced in half

1 big handful of fresh basil and lemon balm (or whatever fresh herbs you have on hand or in your garden)

1. Steam asparagus for about 5 minutes, until tender with a fork.

2. Mix dressing ingredients together in the bottom of a large bowl.

3. Place all salad ingredients in bowl with the dressing and mix gently. You don’t want to avocado to get too mushy.

4. Enjoy!!

Deliciously Fudgy (and of course healthed up) Brownies

2011-04-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

These brownies are amazing....if I do say so myself. Not only are they made with the best quality ingredients making them a much healthier choice when it comes to brownies but they also taste amazing. Your family/friends wont be able to tell that these brownies are made with whole grain flour and are free of refined sugar.
The original recipe (I adapted it quite a bit) came from Gweneth Paltrows new cookbook "My Father's Daughter". I am surprised but so far I am really liking this cookbook. It is packed with great recipes made with fresh ingredients.

1 cup spelt flour
1 cup of high quality (preferably organic) cocoa powder
11/2 tbsp baking powder
Pinch of fine sea salt
1/2 cup of melted coconut oil (you could also use grapeseed oil)
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup agave syrup or liquid honey or brown rice syrup
1 cup of unsweetened almond milk (homemade is always best but you can also use store bought)
1 tbsp vanilla powder or vanilla extract
1 cup of 70% dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a brownie pan with some coconut oil.
Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together into a large mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix all of the wet ingredients together.
Combine the wet ingredients with the dry and mix just until combined. Do not over mix of you will get a tougher brownie.
Mix in 1/2 the chocolate chips.
Add batter to the brownie pan. Sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips.
Bake for about 30 minutes depending of your oven and the thickness of the pan.
ENJOY!

PREGNANCY CRAVINGS AND ANCHOVIES :o)

2011-04-12T07:39:00.000-07:00

A common question that I have been getting, especially from my clients, is if I am having any pregnancy cravings. And the answer is, not often. There has only been a few times where I really feel like eating a particular food. The great thing is that the cravings that I have been having are healthy and nourishing my growing baby.
One food that has had me wanting more during my pregnancy is anchovies. Not by themselves......I would really have a hard time eating them whole. They look kinda disgusting if you ask me. But I am loving salad dressings with the amazing taste and nutritional power of anchovies. Not only do they add an amazing flavour, they also pack a whack of amazing health benefits for me and my little one....who is kicking up a storm by the way :O)

Here are some of the nutritional highlights of my friend the anchovy;

Omega 3's - many of us have heard about the importance of omega 3's but did you know that it is essential for brain development. When women are not getting enough omega 3's during pregnancy the baby will rob you of your stores and can set up the stage for postpartum. Taking omega 3's and eating omega 3 rich foods during pregnancy is one of the most powerful things that a mom can do during pregnancy for her health and the health of baby!Click here for some more info on omega 3's and pregancy
Low mercury and PCB's - another thing that we pregnant women have to worry about is environmental toxins in the fish that we consume. With fish being the best source of omega 3's that can make it difficult to get adequate amounts of this critical fat. Anchovies are very low in these environmental contaminants making them a great choice for pregnant women. I also recommend that all pregnant women talk to their health care providers about taking a high quality fish oil during pregnancy.
Selenium - this critical trace mineral is a bit hard to find in our diets. Selenium is a critical mineral for cancer prevention.
Calcium - I think we all know and understand the importance of calcium for bone health. Calcium, along with magnesium, is also essential for our muscles to contract and is key nutrient for our nervous systems.
Protein - anchovies are an excellent source of high quality protein. Five anchovies have nine grams of protein and only fifty-five calories

Now that we all understand the health benefits of anchovies, let getting eating them.
My favorite way to enjoy these nutritional powerhouses is in a salad dressing. Here is a simple salad dressing that I adapted from Gweneth Paltrow's new cookbook My Father's Daughter. This cookbook has some great recipes that are healthful and delicious. Who new that Gweneth Paltrow could cook???

Two Minute Anchovy Vinaigrette

Ingredients

6 anchovies packed in olive oil
2 teaspoons of Dijon Mustard (I use Dijon from the health food store without sulfates)
2 tbsp champagne vinegar (could also use lemon juice or another vinegar)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place the anchovies, mustard and vinegar in a small food processor. Make sure the anchovies are completely pureed. Add the olive oil and pulse a few more times until well combined.
Serve over seasonal mixed greens! Enjoy!

Creamy Broccoli Soup

2011-03-04T10:29:00.001-08:00

This soup not only tastes amazing, it is also a nutritional powerhouse. Broccoli is an amazing food for our health and should be a staple in our kitchens. It sure is in my house. This creamy soup is my new favourite way to enjoy broccoli.

The following are some interesting facts on my favourite super powered vegetable Broccoli;
• Broccoli is extremely low in calories (1 cup of chopped broccoli contains about 35 calories) yet one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. Therefore you get the most bang for your nutritional buck without impacting your waist line.
• Sulforaphane and Indole-3-Carbinols are two very important phyto-nutrients in broccoli that are known for their ability to prevent many types of cancers including breast and prostate cancer.
• Great source of dietary fibre.
• High in vitamin C, K and A as well as folic acid (critical for pregnant ladies like myself)
• Broccoli is also a great source of lutein which is an important phytonutrient that is helpful in preventing age-related macular degeneration

1 large head of broccoli, cut into small pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 tsp tamari
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp nutmeg
Enough water to cover veggies
2 tbsp of almond butter
1-2 tbsp of miso paste (to taste)
1/2 lemon, juiced

Sauté onions in olive oil until softened. Add broccoli, thyme, nutmeg. Sauté for another 2 minutes. Add enough water to cover the veggies. Bring to a boil and then simmer until broccoli is softened.

Transfer into a blender. Add almond butter, miso paste and lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Enjoy!

Mango and Goji Berry Smoothie

2011-02-15T07:54:00.000-08:00

I first would like to thank you all for your kind words through email, facebook and my blog. I have the best clients and blog followers ever. I look forward to keeping you updated through one of the most important times of my life. As I said in my previous post, I am truly thrilled (and truthfully a bit nervous....but more excited) about being a Mom.

My partner Todd and I felt the baby kicking for the 1st time on Friday night. What an amazing experience!

Now back to food;

This smoothie has it all; it is a great source of antioxidants, protein and tastes good too. Mangos, goji berries and acai berries are full of antioxidants that keep our bodies healthy.

Goji berries in particular are nutritional powerhouses; containing 21 or more trace minerals (including zinc, iron, copper, calcium, geranium and selenium to name a few) as well as vitamins B1, B2, B6, and vitamin E. Many of us know blueberries are a great source of antioxidants and they are, however goji berries contain 2-4 times the antioxidants as blueberries. Enjoy this amazingly tasty smoothie and your cells will thank you!

Ingredients

• 1 cup mango (I used frozen)
• 2 tbsp dried goji berries
• 1 tsp acai berry powder (totally optional)
• 1 tsp of chia seeds
• 1 cup almond milk (homemade or Blue Diamond Vanilla Unsweetened)
• 1 serving of high quality vanilla protein powder

Place mango, goji berries, acai powder, chia seeds and almond milk in a blender and blend until smooth. Stop blender and add protein powder and pulse to combine! Enjoy!

SHARE WITH ME!

What are your favorite smoothie ingredients that are not that common??

EXCITING NEWS!

2011-02-10T07:54:00.000-08:00

Good morning to all of my amazing blog followers. I am writing this post to share some exciting news with all of you! I AM PREGNANT!! I will be 19 weeks tomorrow. My partner Todd and I are super excited!

This is from my 1st ultrasound at about 11 weeks. I will be going for my 2nd one this Friday. Am very excited to see my growing baby again :O)

Seeing the heartbeat was probably the most exciting moment so far!

Has anyone had any experience with Hypnobirthing?? I am thinking about signing up for the course and would love feedback from anyone who has experience with it.

Raw sushi

2011-02-08T09:49:00.000-08:00

I love sushi. However, not just any sushi. I love my homemade sushi. I often boil up some short grain rice (that becomes sticky when cooked; like sushi rice) and season it with some rice vinegar, a touch of honey or agave syrup and some tamari, then roll it up with some of my favorite veggies and a slice of avocado of course. I love the fact that I can be so creative with it and add whatever I have on hand. I also like that I can adjust the seasoning to how I like it.
This sushi recipe is a much different take on traditional sushi but still a personal favorite. It has such great flavour and interesting textures. Enjoy!

All ingredients are optional, use what you have on hand;
Carrots, julienne sliced
Red peppers, julienne sliced
Cucumber, julienne sliced
Green onions, julienne sliced
2 nori wraps
½ cup or so of the veggie pate or hummus or any other bean (although it would not longer be raw) or nut dip
Other ideas include; grated beets, avocados, asparagus, etc.

1. Spread a couple spoonfuls of the pate on the nori sheet, leaving about ¾ inch at the edges closest and furthest from you.

2. Place a small amount of the veggies in a line close to the bottom of the sheet.
3. Using a sushi mat, or by hand, roll the sushi from the bottom edge. Try to keep it as tight as even as possible. Moisten the edge of the nori to seal, if needed
4. Cut each roll about 2cm think with a serrated knife (or a sushi knife if you have one....what a great tool).
5. Enjoy! Serve with all the fixens you normally like with sushi such as soy sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger, etc.

Veggie Pate

Slightly adapted from Caroline Duponts, Enlightened Eating

1 cup of sunflower seeds, soaked overnight and then rinsed

1 medium carrot
1 medium celery stalk
½ lemon, juiced + zest
1 tbsp mellow miso
1 garlic clove
Handful of fresh basil

Place ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. You will need to stop a few times and scrape down sides with a spatula.
This pate is great for raw sushi, served with whole grain crackers or raw veggies.

Share with me!

What are your favorite sushi ingredients or toppings???

Winging it Soup Style

2011-02-03T11:17:00.000-08:00

Well, it is Thursday afternoon and let me tell ya, I have been cooking up a storm today. I have many recipes to come, so stay tuned :O) Since the weather is pretty chilly out there I will share my warming soup today.

First I have to fill you in on what inspired this lovely soup. Last week I headed off to St Lucia on a yoga/wellness retreat hosted by the lovely Meghan Telpner. It was a trip I will never forget. I went by myself knowing that there would be 10 other like minded people there to meet. It was wonderful. The host Meghan, is a delightful and passionate colleague of mine, the guests were a bunch of strong dynamic women, the place was beautiful, the weather was hot and the food was amazing......and healthy too. Having food allergies it can make eating a bit of a challenge on vacation. This was the first vacation that I have been on where food was a non-issue and I enjoyed every bite of everything that past my lips. For more information on the retreat go to www.meghantelpner.com. If you are looking to nourish yourself in every way, you might was to consider this for next year.

Beautful picture of one of the many beaches we went to.
Now back to the soup.....

Here is what I started out with. I didn't end up putting the shittake mushrooms in the soup.

There are really only 2 vegetables that I can say I don’t enjoy that much. I will still eat them but they are just not my favourite. They are mustard greens and okra. While enjoying a beautiful dinner with the amazing ladies in St Lucia, we were served a soup with the main star being okra and guess what....It was delicious. I loved it. And I was not the only lady around the table who was not in love with this nourishing vegetable to begin with but loved the soup.

So now I have been back in town for a few days now and I decided I had to take a stab at making a soup with okra. Not having a recipe, I was winging it soup style this morning. So here is what I came up with;

1 onion
2 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots
3 celery stalks
1 cup of chopped okra
½ large or 1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped
6 garlic cloves
1-2 tbsp of tamari
1 tsp sage
1 cup of green lentils
8 cups of H2O
3-4 handfuls of spinach
½ cup coconut milk (optional)
1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
1-2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice (optional)

Sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes until softened. Add in carrots, celery, okra, sweet potato, garlic, tamari green lentils and sage. Sauté for another 5 minutes. Then add H2O.
Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 40 minutes or so. Until lentils and vegetables are softened.
Before serving add spinach, coconut milk, fish sauce and lemon juice. Turn heat off and cover for about 5 minutes. Enjoy!

NOTE: the coconut milk, fish sauce and lemon juice are 100% optional. The soup tasted great before the additions. These ingredients just add a bit more depth to the broth.

Here are a few of the amazing health benefits of okra:

• Great source of vitamin C, a well known antioxidant. Critical for a healthy immune system.

• The fiber in okra aids in blood sugar regulation by slowing down sugar absorption. Keeping your energy levels high and consistent.

• If you have ever cooked with okra you see how slimy it is. Well guess what?? That slimy part is great for the digestive system. It promotes healthy bowel movements.

• Okra is a superstar vegetable for those who need to reduce cholesterol levels. The fiber in okra binds to cholesterol and pulls it out your body via your stools.

• The unique fiber in okra promotes healthy bacteria in your gut. The healthy bacteria in your gut is important for a healthy immune system, is responsible for the production of important vitamins and keeps our digestive system happy.

P.S. Still working on the mustard greens. Any ideas??

Share with me....

What are your least favourite veggies?? And have you found ways to prepare them that makes you like them??

The coconut milk gives the broth a slightly odd color but it sure does make it taste great.

Super Easy Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-01-20T07:49:00.000-08:00

So, last post I promised to share my delicious cookie recipe that I made with my nephew on the weekend. Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter (organic of course) Cookies. Let me be the first to tell ya, they were delish and super easy to make. My nephew was a huge fan.
I don't often have my nephew over for sleepovers, so when I do I like to get cooking with him. It is so much fun to get his little hands involved. And the best part is that he really enjoys it.
These cookies are the easiest cookies I have ever made. Here is the super easy recipe;

1 cup of Maranatha Organic Peanut Butter
1 cup of organic coconut sugar (can now be found at the Bulk Barn, I purchased mine from the health food store)
1 organic or free range omega 3 egg
1 tsp of pure vanilla extract
1 dark chocolate bar with 80% cacao

Preheat oven to 350F.
Place first four ingredients into a bowl. Mix well......or get your 5 year old nephew to mix well :O)
Then mix in the chopped up chocolate
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a tbsp measurement, place the cookie dough on the cookie sheet. I used a fork to press down...totally optional, just makes them look the way I always remember peanut butter cookies.
Bake in the oven for about 12-15 minutes until done.
Let cool and enjoy with a nice cup of tea, almond milk or any other milk you like to enjoy!

Sneaky tomato sauce with organic chicken meatballs

2011-01-18T17:11:00.000-08:00

This weekend I had my five year old nephew over. It was supposed to be only Friday night but we were having so much fun that it ended up being 2 nights.

My first nights dinner was not much of a hit for the little guy. I made shish kebabs with a homemade teriyaki sauce served with roasted sweet potato. He was not a big fan but still eat it....it just took a really long time.

Before I knew it we were getting close to dinner #2 and I wanted it to be something that he enjoyed but was also packed full of good nutrition. So I made homemade organic meatballs in a veggie rich tomato sauce with kamut pasta. As we were eating he let me know that he like this meal better than the night before :O)

When we were finished dinner we decided to bake some cookies (something we do together almost every time he stays over). Our baking that we do is always made with the healthiest ingredients of course. One of his favourites is my Flourless Brownies but I decided to try something a bit different this time so we made super easy chocolate chunk peanut butter cookies made with 80% chocolate.

Sneaky tomato sauce

2 grated broccoli stalks (remove the fibrous outer part before grating)
1 large grated carrot
1 zucchini, chopped finely
½ red onion, finely diced
1 tbsp of olive oil
2 garlic cloves, mashed
1 bottle of high quality organic tomato sauce (or homemade is always great….just had some time restraints as we were really busy playing :)

Saute all the vegetables in olive oil over medium-low heat, except garlic (I always add in the last minute to avoid burning it) for 5 minutes or until softened.
Add garlic for another minute.
Place vegetables in a blender and add tomato sauce. Blend until you cannot tell that the sauce is so veggielicious!
Pour back into the pot and simmer for about 20-30 minutes on low heat!

Organic Chicken Meatballs

2 tsp olive oil
½ red onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 carrot grated
2-3 garlic cloves
½ cup of crushed brown rice crackers (or any other whole grain cracker)
1 package of organic ground chicken

Saute onions, celery and carrots in olive oil on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and sauté for another minute or two
Let this mixture cool.
Place ground crackers and chicken in a large bowl. Add vegetable mixture and mix together with your hands.
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Roll meat mixture into balls.

Bake in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes or until done. It will depend on the size of your meatballs.

Kamut (or other whole grain) Pasta
Cook according to package directions.

Place the cooked kamut pasta in a bowl, top with tomato sauce and add a few meatballs.
Enjoy!!
I served this with some cut up red peppers on the side!

Please stay tuned for the Chunky Chocolate Peanut butter Cookies!

SHARE WITH ME!! Do you have any tips or tricks to get more veggies into your kids or grandchildren or nieces and nephews?? Or just any ol’ kid in your life.

Would love to hear from you!

Cleansing Greens...

2011-01-05T04:55:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all of my lovely blog readers! Hope you all enjoyed a lovely holiday season with your friends and family!! I know I did. I am looking forward to getting back on track with my blog and bringing you a wealth of healthy information!!

I don’t know about you...but I might have had a few indulgences over the holidays. Yes, nutritionists indulge sometimes. I think the difference between my indulgences now and before I became a nutritionist is that now my treats tend to be on the healthy side. For example, my holiday treat is 80% dark chocolate which is jam packed full of antioxidants and a great source of magnesium. I love it. It is a staple in my diet but I have to say that this holiday season I might have had a few extra pieces and maybe an extra helping of sweet potatoes ;O)

So now that the holidays are past I am looking for lighter food that are cleansing. Greens are a great way to go. I made this recipe for my family over the holidays and I made them lovers of dark leafy greens when they thought they didn’t like greens. I can’t get enough of this recipe I have been making it at least a couple times per week.

Dark leafy greens are nutritional powerhouses. These low calorie vegetables are jam packed with an assortment of nutrients including vitamin A, C, E, K, folate (really important for women of child bearing years), calcium, magnesium and antioxidants, to name a few. Add them to your diet and you will reap the health benefits. Trust me! Types of leafy green vegetables include watercress, arugula, dandelion greens, kale, spinach, collard greens, beet greens, mustard greens, broccoli raab, bok choy, and swiss chard. My favorites are dinosaur kale, beet greens and swiss chard.

Here is the simple and tasty way to get those dark green veggies into your diet

2 shallots, diced
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 bunch of kale or collards or beet greens or chard
1 garlic clove, diced finely as possible
½ juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt to taste

Sauté shallots in olive oil for about 5 minutes on medium/low heat until slightly caramelized.
Add garlic and greens to the pan. Cover and let cook for about 2-3 minutes until greens are softened.
Finish with ½ juice of 1 lemon, freshly squeezed and sea salt to taste.
Enjoy!!

These greens are so yummy; I am known to eat the whole batch. I dare you to try!

Share with me....What did you indulge in this holiday season??

Lemony Lemon Soup

2010-12-07T16:31:00.000-08:00

Hi there,
Sorry it has been so long since I have posted. I have been busy cooking up a storm, holiday parties and I still have to work with all of that going on :). Life gets busy as we get closer and closer to the holidays. I am sure many of you are in the same boat right about now!
Anyhoo, today I came home and felt like some warming lentil soup. It is chilly outside here in the GTA and I thought what better time to whip up a fresh batch of wholesome lentil soup. I love cooking without a recipe. It is so much fun and you never know what you are going to come up with!
I felt like having something with a lemon zing to it, so here is what I came up with.

LEMONY LENTIL SOUP
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp butter
Saute onions over medium low in butter until translucent. For about 5 minutes.
2 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks
3 cloves of garlic
Add the carrots, celery and garlic. Saute for another 3 minutes.
Then add;
1/2 cup red lentils
1 container of low sodium organic vegetable broth
Season with sea salt and pepper
Bring to a simmer and cover for 15 minutes.
2 cups of chopped swiss chard
1/2 juice of 1 lemon
The zest of 1 lemon
Add chard, lemon juice and zest. Stir until chard is slightly wilted.
ENJOY~
This soup is absolutely delish....if i do say so myself :)

Creamy Miso Dressing

2010-11-15T10:21:00.000-08:00

Here is another way to get the nourishing benefits of miso into your diet. See my previous post to learn some of the health benefits of miso and get my miso soup recipe.

This recipe is slightly adapted from Get It Ripe, By Jae Steele. Jae Steele is a local nutritionist who is also a vegan. Her two cookbooks are great learning tools on how to do vegan RIGHT! There is a big difference between being vegan and being a healthy vegan.

Even if you are not vegan (which i am not) it is important for the health of our bodies and the health of the environment to enjoy vegan or vegetarian meals on a regular basis. Jae Steele's recipes show us that we can eat vegan foods that are healthy and taste great....with a focus on eating locally and sustainably!

Check out her blog here; http://domesticaffair.blogspot.com/

I am sure once you try this amazing dressing you will no longer want to buy the stuff off the shelf. It is creamy, tangy, and delicious! ENJOY!

1 tbsp traditionally fermented miso (find at your local health food store)
1 tbsp cashew or almond butter
1 tbsp agave syrup or honey (honey would not be vegan)
1 tbsp tamari soy sauce
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup flax or hemp oil
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until well combined. Store the extras in a glass jar!

Veggielicious Miso Soup

2010-11-03T08:24:00.000-07:00

Miso is a true superfood in my eyes. What the heck is it, you might ask? Miso is a fermented soy bean paste that is delightfully delicious and super healthy for you. Move over chicken soup when you are feeling under the weather..... and say hello to miso soup. I still am a huge fan of good 'ol chicken soup anytime especially when you are feeling under the weather but miso soup is also a great alternative for vegetarians or those who want to shake things up and add some variety. The best part = it is much easier to make!

Here are some of miso's nutritional highlights;

Antiviral -- miso is very alkalizing and strengthening to the immune system helping to combat a viral infection.
Natural source of healthy bacteria which is essential for a healthy digestive and immune system
Great source of Zinc; important for immune health, prostate health, etc.
High in many health supporting nutrients; protein, vitamin B12, vitamin B2, vitamin E, vitamin K, tryptophan, choline, dietary fiber, linoleic acid and lecithin.
Can help ease menopausal symptoms due to the natural phytoestrogens

The important thing when purchasing miso is to look for a organic and naturally fermented variety. I recommend going to your local health food store to buy miso. Also, the darker the miso paste the more intense the flavour. I have a very dark miso paste at home but if you are just trying it for the 1st time you might want to get a lighter variety.

Veggielicious Miso Soup
1 1/2 cups of veggie broth (use homemade or low sodium Imagine Soup Vegetable Broth)

1/2 cup of veggies of choice ( I use carrots and cabbage, julienne sliced)
2 shiitake mushrooms, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1 tsp of coconut oil or sesame oil
1 tbsp of high quality organic miso

Bring broth to a soft boil. Turn down to a simmer. Place your veggies in the broth. Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes or so until veggies are soft. Take off heat. Add 1 tsp of oil and miso. Stir well until miso is dissolved. Enjoy!

SHARE WITH ME ~ What is your favorite warming soup during these cooler months of the year???

Last of the pumpkin craze....

2010-10-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

First of all I would like to clear something up. Remember in my previous post, I had said that pumpkins do not taste good on their own?? I went on to say that they need some sweetness to be palatable. Well, I am here to tell you that I take it back!! I roasted my own pumpkin (yes, and it is really not that hard), pureed it, tried it on its own and it was delicious!! I enjoyed a big 'ol bowl of it this week and am going to get some more pumpkin to enjoy it again! The only pumpkin I had tried on its own in the past was canned pumpkin and while canned pumpkin is okay to use in recipes...it is not the same as freshly roasted pumpkins. Learn how easy it is to roast your own pumpkin here!!! I highly recommend trying it! And with Halloween being this weekend, what better time to try roasting your own pumpkin with the family?? And don't forget about the nourishing and tasty pumpkin seeds.

Okay, for all of you crazy pumpkin 'like minded' people like me out there.......I have my final pumpkin recipe coming but first I want to share with you a few of my fellow Blogger's amazing pumpkin ideas;

1.Pumpkin Porrage from the creative Meghan Telpner

2. Roasted Pumpkin Medley...another one from Meghan Telpner
3.Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream from the gluten free goddess @ Elana's Pantry
4.Chocolate Pumpkin Pots (yes chocolate and pumpkin..Mmmm) by the lovely Ricki Heller

Okay now for my recipe. I was looking for a pumpkin pie type dessert without all of the added sugar and calories and here is what I came up with.

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

1/2 cup of pumpkin puree (you can make you own or purchase)
1 heaping tsp of pumpkin pie spice (check out Meghan Telpners Pumpkin porrage recipe to get the recipe for pumpkin pie spice...see above)
1 egg
1 tbsp of pure maple syrup or 10 drops of stevia (or 2 tbsp of maple syrup)
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup of light or full fat coconut milk ( I used light this time because I wanted something light....but go ahead and use the full fat)

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Set a pot of water on the stove to bring to a boil.

Combine pumpkin and spices in one bowl. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and add the rest of the ingredients and mix.
Whisk the egg mixture with the pumpkin mixture.
Pour custard into 3 ramekins (1/2 cup). Place ramekins in a deep baking pan. Add water to cover ½ of the ramekins. Carefully place in the oven and bake for 1 hour + 10 minutes or until firm.
Serve warm or chilled.

Share with me!!! What are you doing to make this Halloween weekend just a touch healthier for you and your family???

Pumpkin Loving Smoothie

2010-10-26T07:43:00.000-07:00

I promised another amazing pumpkin recipe and here it is.....
If you are a fan of pumpkin pie, this smoothie is sure to please. It is sweet, fragrant, creamy and delicious all in one cup! Pumpkins are low in calories, high in fiber and beta carotene. This is a great way to enjoy pumpkin without all of the added sugar and calories that is in pumpkin pie, custards and cheesecakes. With this smoothie you are getting all of that pumpkin goodness without affecting your waist line!

½ banana
1 tsp pumpkin spice (or mixture of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg)
¼ cup pumpkin puree
1 cup almond milk
1 serving of vanilla protein powder

Blend all ingredients; expect protein powder until well blended. Add the protein powder, pulse until mixed in. Enjoy!

One more amazing pumpkin recipe to come! Stay tuned!!!!

Share with me in the comments section below! What is your favorite thing to do at this time of year??? It could be about food (like enjoying amazing pumpkin recipes), something you like to do outdoors, halloween related, etc.

Always enjoy hearing your comments and feedback!

Pumpkin Pie Muffins

2010-10-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

It is pumpkin season and I have been hard at work to find some great things to do with pumpkins that doesn't have a ton of added sugar and calories. Have you ever tasted cooked pumpkin without added sugar?? Well, it is not very tasty (in my opinion anyway). It needs some spices and sweetness to make it palatable. But when you find the right mix of pizazz it can be magical. Can you tell I like pumpkins. Well, I do ;O)
I have been on a mission to create pumpkin recipes that have minimal sugar (and using natural sugars) and calories but still taste amazing! And I believe I have been successful.
These pumpkin pie muffins are gluten free, high in fiber, low calories, and taste amazing! Try them for yourself.
The almighty pumpkins nutritional highlights are that it is very low in calories, fiber packed and a great source of beta carotene.
I actually took a trip to my local farmers market, bought a fresh pumpkin, seeded it, roasted it and then made my own puree. You can also purchase canned pumpkin.

I have another pumpkin recipe coming next week. Stay tuned!

Ingredients~
3 eggs
2 tbsp coconut oil or butter
¼ cup coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk
¼ cup pumpkin puree
10 drops of stevia + 1 tbsp agave or maple syrup OR 2 tbsp of agave syrup or maple syrup
¼ cup +2 tbsp coconut flour
¼ tsp baking powder

Pinch of sea salt + 1 tbsp of pumpkin spice

Directions~

Preheat oven to 350F.

Process eggs, coconut oil, milk, pumpkin puree, stevia and agave syrup in a food processor. Pulse until combined. Add in coconut flour, baking powder, sea salt and pumpkin spice. Pulse until well combined.

The batter is thick! Fill 6 muffin tins (grease the pan with some coconut oil or butter) just over half way. Bake for about 15-20 minutes. Until muffins are set and the edges become golden brown.

Please note: You can purchase Organic Coconut Flour from the Bulk Barn. If you are celiac, you should purchase pre-packed gluten free flours do to risk of cross contamination. But for the rest of us, this is a much more cost effective way to purchase coconut flour.

These muffins contain 108 calories each + 4 grams of fibre + 4 grams of protein.

PLEASE SHARE!!!

What is your favorite fall vegetable and how do you like to enjoy it????

Roasted Cauliflower with a “Cheesy Sauce”!

2010-10-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

I made this for dinner last night and let me tell you it sure was a treat. This vegan “cheesy sauce” even past the test of my dairy loving family. It was creamy, cheesy and delicious!

The yellowish colour of nutritional yeast comes from the concentration of the B vitamin riboflavin. Riboflavin helps protect your cells from oxygen damage, supports energy production and helps with absorption of other B vitamins. Also a great source of vitamins niacin, thiamine, biotin, and folic acid and minerals selenium, chromium, zinc, phosphorus, and magnesium.

Roasted Cauliflower

• ½ head of cauliflower, broken up into bite size pieces
• 2 tsp olive oil
Preheat oven to 350F. Place in an oven safe dish. Drizzle with 2 tsp olive oil. Cover with foil wrap and bake for 30-35 minutes or until tender.

“Cheesy Sauce”
• 3-4 tbsp of nutritional yeast

• 3 tbsp of tahini, cashew butter or combination of the two. I used Cashini Butter By: Artisana

• ½ juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup water
• 1 small clove of garlic
• 2 tbsp of diced onion
• Pinch of sea salt, to taste
Place in a food processor or high powered blender and blend until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Combining the two

When cauliflower is fully cooked, take out of oven and top with the cheesy sauce. Enjoy!

Exciting Week

2010-10-15T08:33:00.000-07:00

Hi all,
Well it has been an exciting week. I was on Wylde on Health last Friday with two of my favorite people in the world of natural health, Dr Joey Shulman & host Dr. Bryce Wylde. It was so much fun! If you missed click on the link at the bottom of this post to watch online.
I also hosted a fun seminar on one of my favorite topics, Digestion! For those of you who don't know....the reason why I am doing the amazing job of teaching people how to eat well and live their best lives is because I was having severe digestive problems and had to search for answers to heal myself. I was chronically constipated, had extreme low energy, was breaking out in rashes all over my body....let me tell ya, it wasn't pretty.
Anyways, I played with my diet to find the best diet for me to improve my digestive health and since then haven't turned back. Digestion is something we all take for granted until it is not working for us.
Digestive health is critical for all aspects of health. I am a huge believer in the concept that we are only as healthy as your pipes. We are designed to ingest foods, break it down into its smallest parts, absorb the nutrients, proteins, fats and sugars from the food to be used by the body and then excrete the waste. It seems so simple but many things can go wrong along the way. Constipation, gas, diarrhoea, bloating, indigestion, acid reflux, thin or hard stools and smelly stools are all common symptoms that tell us that we might need work on our digestion.

Here are some of top tips to enhance digestion!!

• Drink lemon and warm water in the morning on an empty stomach to aid in a mild digestive and liver cleanse.

• Bulk up with Fibre! 1 tbsp of ground flaxseeds per day and/or try using a cereal that contains psyllium fibre – I like Natures Path Smart Bran (1/4 – ½ cup per day)

• Water! Water! Water! – A dehydrated colon is a constipated colon! Aim to get at least 8 cups of water per day or 2 litres! Insufficient water intake is the most common cause of constipation.

• Chew your food – Digestion of carbohydrates starts in your mouth with enzymes in your saliva. Most people do not chew thoroughly, which makes digestion of food much harder when it reaches your stomach. Chewing is the #1 tip for proper digestion.

• Magnesium – is the 2nd most abundant mineral in the body, next to calcium. It is needed for over 300 enzymatic functions in the body. One of those functions include keeping the bowels hydrated to allow for easy passing of stools. In the simplest terms; it makes your poop come out easier. Foods that are high in magnesium include; dark green vegetables and whole grains. If you are suffering from constipation, ask your health care provider if magnesium supplementation is right for you!

• Lubricate with healthy fats! Fish oil, nuts, seeds, cold water fish, avocado are all great sources of healthy fats. These fats help lubricate your stools to allow for easier passing!!

• Add some bacteria to your life – Probiotics are essential for good digestion and to relieve bloating. The following are great sources of probiotics;

o Plain yogurt

o Traditionally fermented sauerkraut – I like Eden Organic

o Fermented soy – Miso, tamari and tempeh

o Talk to your health care provider about supplementing with probiotics, especially if you have been on antibioitcs.

• Move your body!! Exercise stimulates peristalsis which is the rhythmic contraction of your digestive system which stimulates bowel movements. Cardio, rebounding and yoga in particular are great to stimulate the digestive system.

• RELAX! Avoid eating on-the-go. Slow down for two minutes before and after you eat to allow your blood to “relocate” to your digestive system. If feeling anxious, write down all of your thoughts before you begin eating. (Digestive problems are associated with anxiety.) Try taking a few deep breaths before you eat.

• De-stress!! There is probably no system in the body that’s more responsive to mind-body influences than the digestive tract. Deep breathing, yoga, taking a hot bath, massage, etc. These are all effective ways to de-stress yourself. Aim to get at least 20-30 minutes of relaxation per day!

SHARE WITH ME!!! What have you done today to improve the health of your digestive system????

MISS ME ON TV LAST FRIDAY?? NO NEED TO WORRY, YOU CAN CLICK HERE TO WATCH ME ON WYLDE ON HEALTH!!

Packing Healthy School Lunches!

2010-10-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

School lunches can be a tough; the kiddies need to like what they are having on top of being super healthy to provide them with the energy they need to get through the afternoon at school. I don’t know about you but when I was a child there was often a lot of lunch swapping going on. When you spend the time making your kids a healthy lunch and the money YOU WANT YOUR KIDS TO EAT IT! We also have the challenge of food allergies in schools. Schools are peanut and often nut free along with other restrictions depending on the school your kids go to. All of these factors can make it challenging to make a healthy and allergen free lunch that your kids will actually like. So my intention here is to inspire you to get creative and make lunches the kids will actually like and not want to trade.
When I decided that I was going to write this post, I thought who better to ask what would make a good lunch than kids themselves (I also posted a Facebook question where I got some great answers. If you are not part of the Facebook fun on my fan page, I highly recommend you pop by and click the like button to take part in the healthy conversations Click here to become a fan!). So I asked my nieces and nephews what they would like in their lunches. The first answer I got was from my 5 year old nephew Michael and he said all he wants in his lunch is chocolate. Then he moved on to say a nutella sandwich would hit the spot. My older nieces and nephews liked the idea of pizza, sandwiches and leftover stews/soups. My partner Todd said that his favourite lunch was the pre-packaged Lunchables(please do not buy these). I always liked a good peanut butter sandwich.

So with that information I have put together some ideas that I think would not only be super healthy and help your kids get through the afternoons with their energy levels consistent but also that they will enjoy and actually eat!

So here is some of my top picks;

Lunch Ideas!
• Hummus Wrap – Whole grain wrap (I love the Food For Life Ezekiel Wraps) + hummus* (amazing chickpea dip) + veggies (cucumber, tomato, romaine lettuce and/or spinach)
• Leftover Chilli, soups or stews (store in a thermos. Heat before adding to the thermos and it should stay warm until lunch)
• This one is for my 5 year old nephew!! 2 slices of sprouted grain bread + homemade ( and much better) nutella (Get a great recipe here!!)
• Pizza Sandwich – 2 sprouted grain wraps, pizza sauce mozzarella cheese + steamed and diced veggies. Top one wrap with all of your child’s favourite pizza toppings, be sure to add a few more veggies and make sure cheese is on the bottom and top so the wraps stick together. Place 2nd wrap over the 1st one. Heat a pan with a touch of olive oil over medium heat. Heat wrap on both sides until cheese has melted. Cut into triangle shapes and let cool before packing.
• Nitrate free turkey or chicken sandwich served on sprouted grain toast with some veggies and hummus on the side
• Whole grain bagel topped with organic cream cheese + cucumber slices, served with some trail mix on the side
• Tuna salad boats! Served on top of romaine lettuce + cherry tomatoes. Serve along with some yogurt and fruit.
• Homemade Lunchables – Nitrate free turkey slices (Organic if you can afford) or organic pepperoni cut into squares, cheese slices, whole grain crackers (try Kashi TLC crackers) + avocado (sprinkle with some lemon juice to prevent browning) + veggies such as cucumber, tomatoes, carrot sticks, etc.
• Whole grain bread topped with Sunflower seed butter and banana slices. Send with some hummus and vegetables
• Tofu fingers (recipe below), sweet potato fries and steamed broccoli served with some organic ketchup

Snacks, desserts and sides!
• Nut Free trail mixes (make your own with seeds and organic dried fruits or try Enjoy Life Trail Mix found at the health food store)
• Apple slices + pumpkin seed butter
• Organic Yogurt (buy plain yogurt and add unsweetened jam or pure maple syrup so you can control the sugar content or look for yogurt with the least amount of sugar)
• Enjoy Life (company that makes products free of all common allergens including nuts and peanuts) Granola Bars
• Whole grain muffins (homemade made with natural sugars)
• Healthier baked goods such as black bean brownies or teff peanut butter cookies (made with Sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter; try the product Sunbutter http://www.sunbutter.com/)
• Guacamole or salsa with zucchini slices or organic baked corn chips
• Homemade fruit smoothies* (add some Greens+ Kids for an added nutrition boost and flavour)

Tips
• Always send your kids with a bag filled with a mixture of vegetables
• Get your kids involved in making their lunches and make it fun
• Get your kids involved in the produce section. Let then choose the fruits and veggies they would like to have in their lunch. Make a game of it, try something new every week.
• Always make sure you add some healthy fats (seeds, avocado, olive oil) and protein (eggs, legumes, meats, yogurt, etc) to your child’s lunches to support blood sugar balance and concentration
• Keep your kids hydrated with good old H2O. Send 1-2 bottles (re-usable) in their bags.
• Try packing lunches in stainless steel containers or BPA free plastic bento box kits http://www.laptoplunches.com/ (check at your local health food store such as Natural Life Health Market)

Product Suggestions
• Beretta Farms (http://www.berettaorganics.com/) – Lunch Meats OR Presidents Choice Blue Menu Chicken slices
• Sunbutter (http://www.sunbutter.com/) – Alternative to peanut butter, made with sunflower seeds
• Food For Life (http://www.foodforlife.com/) Ezekiel wraps and bread
• Stonemill Breads (http://www.stonemillbakehouse.com/English/010~home/)
• Enjoy Life (http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/) – Granola bars and trail mix
• Greens+ Kids http://www.genuinehealth.com/by-name/greens-kids.html

Get some more amazing lunch ideas at these websites;
• http://www.laptoplunches.com/list-all-recipes.php
• This is great for kids on special diets including wheat and gluten free.
http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2010/09/recipe-round-up-ideas-for-packing.html

Baked Tofu Fingers
Source - Enlightened Eating By: Caroline Dupont
• 1lb firm or extra firm tofu
• 2 tbs tamari
• 1 tbs of cold pressed olive oil or sesame oil

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Slice tofu in half lengthwise and then cut these two these two halves into ¼ inch thick slices
3. Mix oil and tamari in an 8 inch pan and dip each piece of tofu into sauce, coating it well
4. Arrange tofu in the same pan in a single layer. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes depending on how crispy you like it, turning slices once halfway through cooking time

Brain Healthy Tuna Salad
• 1 can of water packed light flaked (less mercury than white) tuna (170g)
• ½ a fresh avocado (instead of mayo), mashee
• ½ juice of 1 lemon
• A big handful of fresh herbs (I used cilantro because I love it)
• Other options include; chopped onions, celery, bell pepper, add a dash of hot sauce, etc.
Mix this together in a medium size dish and serve on whole grain bread, wraps, or romaine lettuce leaves

Homemade Classic Hummus
• 1 can of chickpeas (I use Eden Organic)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 small clove of garlic
• 1/2 the zest from 1 lemon
• 1/2 the juice of 1 lemon
• 2 heaping tbsp of tahini
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
Blend all of the ingredients in a food processor, except tahini. When well blended, add the tahini and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Pulse a few times to mix and viola!!
Easy peasy (as my mother would say) and your done!!

Fruit Smoothie
• ½ banana
• ½ cup berries
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 1 scoop of Greens+ Kids
Blend and add to a re-useable container. Great to add to breakfast, enjoy as a snack or packed in a lunch box.

Here is a nice reminder why we need to take the time to make nourishing meals for our children. Even if your child is at a healthy weight their bodies still need good nutrition. We all need vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates to live a full and healthy life. As a society we need to teach our children how to live a healthy life and it starts as soon as they start eating.
Gotta love Jamie Oliver!! See this link; http://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_oliver.html

Mindful Eating ~ The Hidden Weight Loss Secret

2010-10-06T10:28:00.000-07:00

This post is for anyone who struggles with eating/weight, who has a long history of dieting, or just wants to become more present and aware of their food choices and how it impacts their health! The following tips are designed to help you take the power back when it comes to your food choices!

What is mindful eating??

Mindful eating is based on the Zen principle of mindfulness and requires your being acutely aware and conscious of the act of eating. This means engaging all of your scenes while eating; smell, touch, taste, texture. Do you actually like the food you are consuming? Are you truly hungry? Taping in to our inner guidance system; what foods make you feel great and what foods make you feel lousy?

As a nutritionist, I am extremely passionate about this topic. You see, anyone can go on a diet and lose weight, but the goal is to keep it off for life. My personal goal as a nutritionist is to help people change their lifestyle to keep the weight off for good this time.

Without the incorporating the concepts of “mindful eating” into your life, making it so ingrained that it is second nature to you, you will likely gain the weight back! I know that seems like a harsh statement, but it is true.

When we tune into our bodies and honour what our bodies want and need then it doesn’t seem like a diet anymore. It is eating for wellness, to live your best life. “Eating to Live, instead of living to Eat!!”

ESSENTIAL “MINDFUL EATING” TIPS!!

Eat with full awareness
o Before you begin eating, tune into your body. How are you feeling right now? Rate your hunger level?

o Eat without distractions!! Do you really feel satisfied after eating your snack or meal in your car, in front of the TV or even worse at the fridge door? Why not take a seat at your kitchen table, light a candle and/or make a nice cup of tea to enjoy with your snack/meal?? Use your nice dishware. Create a space that makes you feel good. Notice if you feel more satisfied when you take a few extra moments to make a nice space for yourself

o Eat until you are 70% full. Author Michael Pollen puts it simply, “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants”. It really is a simple as that. You have to tune into your body to do this. You also have to eat slowly. It takes 20 minutes for your body to tell your brain that it is full. Notice what your body needs to feel nourished and not too full!

If you pay attention to when you are hungry, what you are eating, when you have had enough, you end the obsession because obsession and awareness cannot coexist” ~GENEEN ROTH~

Engage all of your senses
o When was the last time you gave yourself the space and time to really pay attention to your food? Start by smelling you food. Take a few moments to notice what happens in your body when you smell your food. Is your mouth filling with saliva? Is your stomach grumbling? Do you like the smell of your food? Do you like the way it looks?

o Then feel the texture of your food. The popular chef, Jamie Oliver, continues to discuss on his show the importance of getting your hand involved in cooking. For example, the next time you are tossing a salad try use your hands. Notice how all of the textures feel on your palms and finger tips.

o When chewing, begin to notice the flavours and textures of the food. Name then to yourself.

o When you take the time to engage all of your senses you will gain more enjoyment from eating. This is something that I know for sure. Try it yourself! Notice if you get more satisfaction from less?

Chew slowly
o As I said above, it takes 20 minutes to tell your brain that you are full. So what do you think is going to happen when you stuff your dinner down in less than 5 minutes?? You will likely eat too much and are not going to feel very satisfied. You will miss out on the pleasure of the food because you don’t really taste and enjoy the textures of the food you are eating.

o Homework – next time you eat something with sugars in it, for example an apple or other piece of fruit, notice the change in the flavours as you chew it. As you chew your saliva start the breakdown of the carbohydrates in the food making it sweeter with each bite.

Change your focus
o Why are you trying to lose weight or improve your health? What is your main objective? Have you even thought passed getting into those jean’s that you haven’t fit into since you were 19?? If you are losing weight for physical reasons, like fitting into those pair of jeans, you will most likely eventually fall off the wagon. I have found that for most of us, it has to be about more than that. Life gets too busy and hectic. On a stressful day, getting into those jeans or whatever else it is will be the last thing on your mind.

o Make a list of 100 reasons why health and feeling your best is important to you. The more clear you are on why you want to eat healthy, the more likely you are to stay on track!

o What do you want to achieve in this beautiful life of yours? What is most important to you? How will choosing the best foods and eating what makes you feel your best help you achieve those goals.

o On a personal note; I know for myself, that I would not be able to do this job that I LOVE if I did not make healthy choices at each meal and exercise on a regular basis. I need to be present with each client to help them achieve their health goals and if I don’t take care of my physical body, I would not have the energy and focus to do it. That is one of the things that drives me to eat well and take care of my physical body on a daily basis. What drives you??

o It is estimated that 90% of women are dissatisfied with their bodies! Even after weight loss is achieved most women are dissatisfied with some aspect of their bodies. If your goal is to lose weight to like the way you look then you are missing part of the puzzle. The goal is to love yourself right now, the way you are! Love yourself enough that you want to take amazing care of this human body that you are now residing in. Then you will be making choices from a different place, making healthy eating plan a lifestyle that is built on the desire to feel your best, not to be a certain size. It is then, that you will have a lasting change!

Nourish yourself in other ways
o Brainstorm on other things that would nourish you after a stressful day besides food.

o Examples; herbal teas, hot bath, yoga, meditation, relaxing essential oils, music (listening to music while I making dinner, while having a relaxing bath, cleaning my house, etc. Also love live music), reading a great book, sunshine. These are examples of what I find nourish me in my life. Make your own list and add these things into your daily life. When you incorporate these things into your daily life you will nourish your spirit and not feel like you need food to support you after a hard day,

o ACTION STEP ~ Create a list of 50 things other than food that soothes your soul. If you need some help check out the book “50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food” By Susan Albers PhD.

o Start incorporating these into your daily and weekly life and watch how your world changes.

Focus on connecting with people
o When you are on a “diet” if you even want to call it that (I like to think of it as a lifestyle revamp), it can be easy to be obsessed with food. When you go to parties, weddings or even worse going up to someone’s cottage for a whole weekend, food is commonly the main focus when people get together and that can be difficult when you are trying to stay on track with your healthy eating plan. What has helped me is to create an intention to focus more on the people at the gathering than that big bowl of nachos and cheese that can sometimes seem to be calling your name. When you change your focus, the food doesn’t seem to call your name anymore. Where attention goes, energy flows!!! When you change your focus and attention the food sits in the background and doesn’t have the same power over you!

Eat foods that make you feel good! Listen to what your body wants!
o I can assure you that the chocolate cake that has been calling your name might make you feel good for a moment, but after that you will feel crappy. That is not what your body truly wants.

o One of the first questions I ask all of my clients is about their energy levels. The fact is that most people are walking around with low energy levels most of the time. When healthy dietary changes are made, energy levels improve quite quickly. Our bodies respond when we make the best food choices. We all know what foods make us feel our best. Focus on choosing foods that make you feel good and achieving your ideal weight will be an awesome side effect of those choices.

It’s never been true, not anywhere at any time, that the value of a soul, of a human spirit, is dependent on a number on a scale! We are unrepeatable beings of light and space and water who need these physical beings to get around. When we start defining ourselves by that which can be measured or weighed something in us rebels. ~Geneen Roth~

Helpful Resources
Women Food & God By: Geneen Roth
When Food is Love By: Geneen Roth
Excuses Begone By: Wayne Dyer
The Power of Intention By: Dr Wayne Dyer
A New Earth By: Eckhart Tolle
50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food” By Susan Albers PhD.
The Quest for Peace, Love and a 24” Waist By: Deborah Low

Look for me on CP24 (Toronto station) this Friday @ 7pm. I will be on Wylde on Health with 2 of my favorite people in the world of natural health; Dr Joey Shulman and Dr Bryce Wylde!!

SHARE WITH ME!! DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS THAT HELP KEEP YOU ON TRACK WITH YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO FOOD AND MAINTAINING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE? WHAT WORKS FOR YOU AND WHAT DOESN'T WORK FOR YOU????

WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!!

Creamy Lentil Soup

2010-09-28T08:25:00.000-07:00

I love this soup. Not only because of its creamy deliciousness, but also because it gives me something to do with broccoli stalks. I hate wasting things, especially something that is so nourishing to our bodies. So here is a great soup that uses those stalks that most of us throw out. Make sure you cut off the outer part of the broccoli stalks because it is very fibrous and would impact the creaminess of this soup.

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tbsp of olive or coconut oil
• 1 med sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 2 cups of combo of cauliflower + broccoli stalks (cut off outer part of the broccoli stalk)
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed
• broth or stock to cover an inch over the veggies
• sea salt or 1 tbsp of tamari (soy sauce) and pepper to taste

1. Sauté onion is olive oil or coconut oil for about 10 minutes on medium heat. Keep an eye on it and make sure you do not burn the onions. If you do, start over. You will not like the taste of the soup if the onions are burnt. The key is to caramelize the onions which will contribute a ton of flavour to this soup.
2. Add other veggies, garlic and red lentils. Sauté for 2-3 more minutes. Season with sea salt and pepper.
3. Cover with broth or water, bring to a boil.
4. Simmer for 30 minutes until lentils are cooked and sweet potato is soft.
5. Blend and Enjoy!

Option = add 1 tbsp of your favourite curry powder and/or ginger!

Kale Avocado Salad

2010-09-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

Recipe slightly adapted from the lovely kitchen of Ms Caroline Dupont. Caroline was one of my teachers from nutrition school and has continued to be one of my mentors in the field of health and wellness! One of the most beautiful people I have ever met, inside and out! Thank you Caroline for all of your inspiration!

www.carolinedupont.com

Kale is a super powered leafy green vegetable that is located in the lonely part of the grocery store along with all of the other leafy greens. Kale contains the most bang for your buck when it comes to nutrition. What I am saying is that.....YOU SHOULD EAT YOUR KALE!

Here is kale growing! I think many of us are disconnected from where food actually comes from. Here is it, in the ground..... Remember....real food is not made at the grocery store, it comes from the earth :o)

One cup of kale supplies us with 70% of the RDA of vitamin C. It is also a rich source of B6, manganese, fibre, as well as many minerals including copper, iron and calcium! Kale has 3 times more calcium than phosphorus, which is a highly beneficial ratio since high phosphorus consumption is linked to osteoporosis. So many of us think of dairy for calcium....kale is a much better source of "easy to absorb" calcium. A must for anyone concerned about bone health.

Kale also contains plant nutrients that help balance hormones for men and women. Indole 3 carbinols and sulforaphane are 2 big fancy words that can help reduce PMS and menopausal symptoms and help prevent prostate problems in men.

So now the question is......how the heck do I eat that weird leafy green stuff??? I knew that's what you were thinking, I get it all of the time. Well, first of all you could try my simple Yummy Greens recipe, my favorite kale chips (from Elanas Pantry) or start your day off with a green smoothie. Or you can try this amazingly healthy, enzyme rich raw kale salad. The problem with eating raw kale is that it can be hard to digest because of the cellulose. In this salad you marinate the kale in sea salt and lemon juice, both help to break down that fibrous cellulose making it much easier to digest.

This salad has been enjoyed by many in my household. And by many who really thought they didn't like kale. It is such a great way to ease people into greens, because it tastes great and is easy to make!

I dare you to try it??

• 1 head kale, thick centre stem removed, sliced fine
• 1 avocado, halved, flesh scooped out of peel
• 1/4 vidalia onion, chopped
• 2 ½ tbsp. olive oil
• 1 ½ tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. Celtic sea salt
• 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, sliced in 1/2

In a large salad bowl, toss together all ingredients (except tomatoes and onions), using your hands to squeeze as you mix to wilt the kale and cream the avocado together. Add the tomatoes after mixing. Serve!

This is my favorite variety of kale. You cannot get it everywhere, but I find that I can get it pretty consistent at Longos and most health food stores!

SHARE WITH ME! What is your favorite way to enjoy kale?? Or, if you have never had it before; What is holding you back from trying it??

I love to hear your comments and feedback in the comments section below!

Finding the Balance – Ph Balance that is....

2010-09-22T08:19:00.000-07:00

Acid and alkaline are two terms that are becoming more common as people are becoming more conscious of their health and well being. But what exactly does it mean and how will it impact your health? Well, that is what this post is all about today.

Every solution is either acidic or alkaline including the fluids of your body (stomach acid, blood, urine), beverages such as coffee and sea water. Acidity and alkalinity are measured in pH which stands for potential of hydrogen. In the body, when we ingest acid forming foods we contribute to hydrogen ions making our bodily fluids more acidic. The opposite of that are alkaline foods, which contribute to hydrogen ions being removed from the body, making us more alkaline.

An important point to understand is that, the effect of the pH of foods that we ingest is after digestion; the ash that a particular food leaves behind. Therefore, acidic tasting foods like lemons, when digested are actually alkaline to the body due to the alkalizing minerals left behind.

Most North American diets are way to acid, setting the stage for an acidic society. Foods such as fast food, processed foods, meats and grains leave behind an acidic ash. Now another important point to understand is that, it doesn’t mean that all acidic foods are bad and alkaline foods are good. It is all about a balance. Your body always wants to maintain homeostasis (just another word for balance) therefore a balance of both acid and alkaline forming foods should be consumed. Now does that mean that you can get your acidic foods from fast foods and other processed foods? The answer is NO. You would be missing out on the important health benefits of “healthy” acidic foods such as legumes, whole grains and some nuts as well as eating foods with too much salt, bad fat and devoid of vital nutrients.

Here’s are some common problems associated with being too acidic;
o Poor bone health – the pH of the blood has a very narrow range and is vital for you stay alive. If you blood goes even slightly too acidic or alkaline you die! Therefore it is put into priority to keep you alive (isn’t the human body amazing??). So when you are eating too many acidic foods, your body will put out alkaline minerals such as calcium from the bones to balance out the pH of the blood. If this happens occasionally, all is okay.....but over a lifetime, it leads to osteoporosis.
o Fatigue – Your cell function gets disrupted leading to fatigue.
o Heartburn
o Free radical damage occurs with greater ease, while antioxidant activity is impaired
o Vitamins and minerals are poorly absorbed
o Decreased immune system (due to increased free radical damage, decreased cell function, etc) – more likely to get sick. Actually, if you get sick often you might want to take a look at your pH
o Connective tissue becomes weakened causing skin and hair to lose their tone and texture
o Headaches and migraines are more common
o Water retention – likely due to mineral imbalances
o Many health care professionals believe that a highly acidic body can lead to cancer
o Burning sensations on tongue or the mouth
o Bad breath
o .....to name a few

How to measure PH - A few points to consider;
o You can purchase pH paper at the health food store.
o Urine and saliva pH are equally effective to measure your pH. Actually, it is highly beneficial to test both many times throughout the day to get an accurate idea of where you are at.
o Tear a piece of pH paper. Spit into a spoon or cup or alternatively urinate into a plastic cup. Do not put the pH paper into your mouth. Dip the paper into the fluid. Read the pH level using the chart that comes with your paper.
o Ideal ranges
               6.2 - 7.0 @ 7am
               6.6 - 7.2 @ 3pm
               7.0 - 7.4 @ 9pm

pH Food chart - if you are having trouble reading this.....please click here and print your own copy of this great resource from Genuine Health, makers of Greens+.

To restore healthy pH levels (as most North Americans are acidic) aim to get 75% of your food intake from alkaline sources and 25% from acidic foods.

Here are some practical tips to Alkalize your diet (even if you do not test your pH, most people need to work on becoming more alkaline)
o Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Most are alkalizing
o Add fresh lemon or lime juice to your water
o Eat at least 1 cup of dark leafy green vegetables per day. Click here for my simple yummy greens recipe
o Eat millet and quinoa as an option for the acid forming grains (wheat, brown rice)
o Enjoy miso soup (1 tsp of miso into 1 cup of hot water. Drink on its own or add some fresh veggies or sea vegetables)
o Enjoy a green smoothie for breakfast, lunch or dinner
o Enjoy homemade strawberry sorbet instead of ice cream
o Choose fish and lamb over beef and chicken for less acid forming protein
o Use olive oil instead of other vegetable oils, also more alkaline.
o Talk to your health care practitioner about supplementing with a greens powder or buffered vitamin C to alkalize to system

And lastly, it is important to note that it is not solely food that influences the state of your pH. You mental state, your thoughts and feelings can impact your pH. Thinking happy, peaceful thoughts can help make you more alkaline which negative and stressful thoughts can push you to be more acidic.
So choose your thoughts wisely!!

"Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food"
~Hippocrates, Father of Medicine, 400 B.C.~

Share with me - What foods do you eat to improve your health and what is your favorite way to prepare them??

Getting back on the “Health Wagon”!

2010-09-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

If you are like many of my clients, (who are fantastic, by the way ;O) you may have fell off your healthy lifestyle plan over the summer months. Cottages, BBQ’s with friends and family and other parties or “get together’s” can sometimes wreck havoc on your best intentions to eat healthy and exercise. When we are celebrating with friends and family our portion sizes tend to increase, many of us drink more alcohol and desserts can be calling our name!

The past few weeks for me has come along with a general theme.......I have seen client after client who have come into my office and said to me “Jamie, I need you to help me get back on track!! I got carried away this summer”. So if you have fallen off, despite your best intentions, your healthy lifestyle plan; YOU ARE NOT ALONE!! And you can back on track right now! Not tomorrow, or after the weekend, RIGHT NOW!!

Here are my TOP 5 tips to get you back on track;

Get on those running shoes and get moving!! Get outside, go to the gym, get a new exercise DVD (I highly recommend P90X), get a rebounder (you can find them for $40 or so), go to an exercise class……the point is GET MOVING! Any type of movement counts. Aim to move your body 4-5 days per week.....at least!
Take a trip to the grocery store and stock up on healthy goods! When you have healthy food in your fridge and cupboard you will eat it!
Take 30! That is 30 minutes when you get home from the grocery store to cut and chop, boil some eggs (i always like to have boiled eggs on hand for a 1 ingredient healthy snack), make some hummus, etc. When our veggies are cut up and ready to go and we have healthy snacks on hand; we are more likely to eat them.
Dump the Junk! Get the unhealthy stuff out of your kitchen. If it is there you or someone you love WILL EAT IT! Spend 10 minutes doing a cupboard cleanse to help get you on your path to wellness.
Oil yourself! Healthy fats including olive oil, avocados, fish oil, nuts, seeds, coconut oil and flax/hemp oil are all examples of amazing oils that help your body burn baby burn. Healthy fats improve insulin sensitivity which will decrease cravings for those unwanted foods. Some other benefits of healthy fats include; improved memory and focus, decreased inflammation, sustained energy and amazing hair and skin!

Do you have any tips or tricks that help you get back on the health wagon if you have been off your regular routine? If so, PLEASE SHARE your tips! Spread the healthy tips!!

Mexican Style Chicken & “Rice”

2010-09-15T06:03:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on www.elanaspantry.com a while ago and it was on my list of things to try for quite some time now. Ever have those recipes in the back of your head that you know you want to make one day and you never seem to get around to it? Then when you finally get to make it you think; why didn’t I try this before? Well, this was one of those recipes for me. It was simple to make, light, packed full of nutrient rich veggies and the best part….it tasted great! The best part is that it is a great way to slip in some veggies to your kids, partners or other family memebers that give you a hard time with vegetables, without them knowing. If you have one of those recipes on your “want to make list” let this be a reminder to make it!! Just try it! You may find a new family favourite! I did!!
Cauliflower is the main attraction of this dish. Cauliflower has many health benefits including;
• Indole-3-carbinols and sulforaphane– both big nutrition words that mean cancer prevention, detoxification and hormone balance
• Vitamin C – Is abundant in cauliflower. Vitamin C is needed for collagen production, gum health, keeps your immune system strong.....to name a few of the benefits of this important vitamin
• Folate – supports red blood cell production, important for cell production and helps your nerves function properly.
• Fibre – Great source of colon cleansing fibre; 12 grams per 100 calories of cauliflower! Wow!
• Vitamin K – helps your blood clot normally and important for bone health

Here is my take on the amazing original by Elana at www.elanaspantry.com (if you haven't been to www.elanaspantry.com, then I highly suggest you check it out. It is filled with amazing, low glycemic recipes from breakfast to desserts! I have yet to make something from this amazing website that wasn't amazing! (......and I have tried some of the baked good out on my nephew and they were a true hit)

2 tbsp of olive oil
½ medium onion, chopped finely
3 celery stalks, chopped finely
½ head of cauliflower, roughly chopped
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (Diced into cubes and pan fried on medium heat until cooked. Can also use leftover roasted chicken)
½ head of kale ( I like dinosaur kale)
1 tsp of tamari
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Season with chili powder, oregano and cumin ( I used a heaping tsp of each)

Topping options
• Avocados
• Salsa
• Sauerkraut (find traditionally fermented at your local health food store, I like Eden Organics)
• Grated cheese
• Black beans
• For some extra heat, Tabasco sauce

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat
2. Sauté onion over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until soft
3. Add celery for another 5 minutes
4. Meanwhile place cauliflower in a food processor with the “S” blade and pulse until it becomes the texture of rice (can also be grated, if you do not have a food processor)
5. Add the cauliflower rice to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes or so.
6. Add in a bunch of chopped kale, seasonings, tamari and cooked chicken and cover until kale is lightly cooked. 1-2 minutes.
7. Scoop some into a bowl and top with your favourite fixin’s.

Baked Hummus Delight

2010-09-04T06:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I am still up here at my parents cottage in Haliburton. There was quite a shift in weather from nice and warm, to waking up today and it only being 14C outside. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...... I am keeping warm this morning with 3 cups of green tea!
Late afternoon yesterday, the family all went golfing (I am not into golfing, but the rest of the family is so I stayed back). I knew they would be hungry when they got back to the cottage around 8pm so I decided to try this recipe that I saw in a yoga magazine (Yoga at Home, from the editors of Yoga Journal).
I never thought to bake hummus! But let me tell ya, it was good!!!

Here is my spin on the recipe:

1 batch of hummus (see recipe below) - you could also use store bought
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped in small pieces
1/2 cup katamata olives, chopped in small pieces
1/2 cup of crumbled feta
1 tbsp of olive oil

Spread hummus evenly in an oven safe dish. Sprinkle with olives, tomatoes and feta, being sure that you cover the surface evenly.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Bake @ 350F for 15-20 minutes.
Serve with whole grain crackers (I used Mary's Organic Crackers)

Here is the platter that I had ready for the golfers! Sheep's milk cheese, organic brie, grape tomatoes and Mary's Organic Crackers

Homemade Classic Hummus

1 can of chickpeas (I use Eden Organic)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 small clove of garlic

1/2 the zest from 1 lemon

1/2 the juice of 1 lemon

2 heaping tbsp of tahini

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Blend all of the ingredients in a food processor, except tahini. When well blended, add the tahini and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Pulse a few times to mix and viola!!

Easy peasy (as my mother would say) and your done!!

Camping and Healthy Eat's

2010-09-03T08:41:00.000-07:00

Happy last weekend of the summer everyone!!
For those of you who know me, you know that this is my week off. It is Thursday now, and so far (except for today) I have had great weather. I started my week off at a wedding last weekend. Here I am with my date!

My significant other (Todd) was a part of the wedding party so I got the pleasure of sitting with our nephew. Let me tell ya, we had a blast! :O)
Then I went on to my cottage for two nights. My cottage is on a beautiful lake in Haliburton. Here is the lovely sunset I watched with Todd the first night here.
Some might think I would just stay up here, right?? Well, we decided to shake things up during the middle of this fine week and go camping for a couple of nights.

I had mentioned to many of my lovely clients and some friends that I would be going camping for a few nights during my holidays. And well, if I had a nickle for everyone who ask me what the heck I would be eating while camping....... Well, I would have a few dollars anyways, lol. So, I thought I would write a post on it.

I know it is the end of the summer and this might not help you this year, unless you are brave (unlike me) and go fall or even scarier winter camping. I am just a summer camping person and I only like it for a day or two.
This camping trip took us to the beautiful Silent Lake about an hour and a bit away from my cottage. Here is the link; http://www.ontarioparks.com/english/sile.html
My two requirements for the camping trip were that it had to be secluded (no camp sight in the middle of a field) and no motor boats on the lake. We brought our kayaks and I really like the peacefulness of kayaking on a lake when there are no boats around.
So here it is, our home for two nights!

Here is the reason I am writing this post. To prove that camping doesn't mean you have to give up on your healthy eating plan. Here are a few things we dined on!

We grilled up some amazing veggies right over the camp fire. Todd had a steak and I brought an amazing bean salad that I had made back at the cottage.

The morning came and we sipped on some green tea. I made Todd some freshly squeezed OJ (Yes, I spoil him - he said it was the best OJ he ever had).

We also had some fresh fruit that I had cut up before hand and some eggs. (sorry, forgot to take a picture of the eggs)

We went for an amazing hike through the forest up to a lookout point that was overlooking the water.

Then back for lunch. Made a quick and easy chicken stirfry with olive oil and tamari (that's it because that was all I brought) and a arugula and leaf lettuce salad.

For snacking, I had pre-made some hummus and brought some carrots. Todd is not a big fan of hummus so I also made Power Bars from Elana'a Pantry! So yummy!! I highly recommend them!

In the afternoon, we went for a nice kayak ride across the lake! So peaceful!!

Then for dinner #2 we had found a cedar plank salmon at the local store in Haliburton. It had sea salt and pepper and that's it! We also grilled up some great veggies with it.

Here is my plate of food that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Here we are enjoying the great outdoors.

And here are some of the great sights we saw at Silent Lake!

Share with me!! I love to hear your comments and feedback!

What are your favorite camping eats???

Overnight "Oatmeal" Parfait with Banana Cherry Bomb Soft Serve!

2010-08-26T11:44:00.000-07:00

So I teased you all with a picture of my amazing breakfast yesterday and I didn't post my take on the recipe.
Well, here it is! So simple, yet so tasty. Hope you all enjoy!

Overnight Gluten Free Oats
1/4 cup brown rice flakes (I used Eden Organics, you can use any other type of oats)
1 tbsp of chia seeds
1 tbsp of protein powder (totally optional) - I used Vega Shake n' Go Instant Smoothie Choc-a-Lot (so tasty) -PLEASE NOTE - if you are not using powder, you will need a bit of sweetener such as stevia, pure maple syrup, honey, etc.
Blue Diamond Unsweetened Almond Milk, cover about 1 inch over the mixture

The night before.....
Place all of the ingredients into a bowl, cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. Only takes a few minutes!
For the Banana Cherry Bomb Soft Serve...
Place 1/2 banana + 10 pitted cherries in a sealed glass container overnight. (or you could place in a Ziploc bag)

The next morning...
Take the oats out of the fridge and the fruit out of the freezer

Then make the Banana Cherry Bomb Soft Serve...
In a food processor (or VITAMIX...if you have one. That is what I used) blend the frozen cherries and bananas together for 5-7 minutes until it reaches the consistency of a soft serve iced cream. You will need to stop it a few times and scrap down the sides.
This is amazing on its own! I have made it for dessert many times. The fruit options are endless. The bananas do provide the creamy texture, then add whatever fruit you have on hand!

Then in a bowl layer the "Oatmeal" mixture, then frozen fruit mixture, then another layer of both.
Option; Top with cacao nibs for an awesome crunchy texture.

ENJOY!!!

QUESTION OF THE DAY!!!

I love to hear your comments and feedback!

Tell me....

What is your favorite healthy breakfast?

My breakfast this morning!

2010-08-25T05:53:00.000-07:00

Isn't it pretty?

It is meals like this that prove the point I am always trying to make; eating health doesn't mean compromising on taste! I enjoyed every last bite this morning.

It was inspired by this you tube video I found yesterday!

Of course I had to switch it up a bit and create my own. My take on this recipe to come!

Thank you Angela from http://ohsheglows.com/

GRILLED VEGGIE LOVE!

2010-08-23T05:06:00.000-07:00

Last night I arrived home around 7pm from my cottage and I was hungry. I had a bunch of colorful veggies in the fridge so I decided to slice them up and grill up some veggie love.

I just used what ever I had in the fridge.

Here is what you see in the picture

- Yellow zucchini

- broccoli

- Candied beets (they are the yellow veg on the top right corner)

- Asparagus

- Vadillia onions

- Cherry tomatoes
- Red Bell Peppers

- Sweet potato

Drizzle with olive oil and grill on medium heat until cooked.

I topped with an amazing caper dressing. The dressing totally made the dish. It was power packed with amazing flavour. I highly recommend it!

Curried Caper Cashini Dressing

(Inspired by: Aletheia Zoe Chiang @ http://lafillenaturelle.wordpress.com/)

1/3 cup Cashini (I only had a cashew and tahini blend in my fridge, plain ol’ tahini will do the trick)

1/2 tbsp raw honey

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp curry powder

2 tbsp organic pickled capers (small variety), crushed or whole to your preference (don’t worry if you get a

bit of caper juice in there, I did)

Might need a touch of water

Blend together ingredients or whisk by hand. Pour over the grilled veggies and enjoy the blast of flava!

We enjoyed this amazing veggie mix with a tasty chicken breast! Notice how the veggies were the superstar of our dinner last night? Enjoy your veggies!

QUESTION OF THE DAY!
What is your favorite sauce or dip you use to add a blast of flavour to your meals?
Please feel free to post a link to a recipe on your blog or the recipe in the comment section below! I would love to see them ;O)

HAVE A GREAT MONDAY!

Sardine Loving Savory Pancakes

2010-08-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

Well, for those who know me well, you might be surprised to see the words sardine and love in the title of this post. I am actually surprised to see those two words so chummy up there too.
I have never been a sardine lover, heck I have never liked sardines at all. I find them smelly and fishy tasting.....and not in a good way.
About a month ago I came across a post on the lovely Meghan Telpner's blog about sardines. She described her sardine fritters as "perfecto mondo". And the picture she had of them on the post made them look so amazing.
Understanding the amazing health benefits of these little fish (as I am a nutritionist, who can sometimes be a bit obsessed with understanding how foods impact our health), I have always wanted to find a way to eat these nutrient and protein packed fish but the few times I have opened a can and tried to eat them on there own, I ended up throwing them out.
So since I saw Meghan's post I have had it in the back of my head that I should at least try it. Everything else that I have made from her blog has been amazing, so maybe she has found the perfect way to get them down.
Well, today was the day my friends! I drove up to my cottage this morning for the night and decided to make them for lunch today. And they were amazing! I enjoyed them with a large mixed greens salad and a dollop of hummus. Mmmmmm mmmmm good! I added my own herbs and spices to it so it had my own flare to it but the basic recipe came from Meghans blog.
Before I share my take on her recipe, here are a few of the nutritional highlights of these superstar mini fish;

One of the richest source of heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3's are the essential kind of fat that we need to get through diet. Needed for the health of the brain, heart, skin and hair, to name a few.
B12! Important for the health of our nervous system and is also a critical nutrient for red blood cell production.
The media superstar Vitamin D. Who doesn't know about the health benefits of this vitamin now a days?? Even people who pay no interest in natural health or supplements are taking Vitamin D. Health Canada suggests that we all take at least 1000iu's per day. Why you ask? Well here are a few of the highlights of this sunshine vitamin; Vitamin D is critical for bone health (needed to absorb calcium), cancer prevention, helps support optimal blood sugar metabolism, and can help support mood. Well sardines are one of the few food sources of Vitamin D.
Lean protein - 21grams, per 100 gram serving. Protein is the building blocks of your cells and helps support blood sugar levels. Keeping our energy levels consistent and waist lines down!

Selenium is another nutrient in sardines that is critical for a healthy immune system and aids in cancer prevention

Here is the recipe!

Savory Sardine Pancakes

1 can of sardines packed in water

1/2 juice of 1 lemon

1 sweet potato, steamed and mashed with 1/2 cup water

1 egg
1/4 cup of finely chopped onions
2 cloves of garlic, chopped as finely as possible into a paste
2 tbsp of olive oil
1/2 cup of chickpea flour
1 tsp baking powder
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 large handful of cilantro, chopped
Peel and steam sweet potato until soft. Place in food processor and pulse with water until smooth.
Crack out the can of sardines and drain. Place in a bowl and mash with lemon juice.
Then add egg, onions, garlic, olive oil and sweet potato mixture and mix together.
In a separate bowl, mix chickpea flour and baking powder.
Combine wet and dry ingredients together. Add cilantro or any other herb.
Heat a fry pan to medium heat. Add some olive oil and fry these babies up like a pancake for a few minutes on each side.
Enjoy with a fresh salad or steamed veggies and some hummus on the side.

Cutting Cancer Risk with Cruciferous Veggies

2010-08-13T06:59:00.000-07:00

LEARN HOW THESE VEGGIES PREVENT CANCER....AND GET A FEW MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES HERE

HERE IS MY FAVORITE WAY TO PREVENT CANCER! THIS SALAD HAS IT ALL; IT'S SWEET, A BIT SALTY, TANGY, CRUNCHY and LOOKS PRETTY TOO! ENJOY!

Slightly adapted from Enlightened Eating By the lovely Caroline Dupont

2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 ½ tbsp olive oil

1 ½ tbsp flax oil

1 tsp Honey or agave syrup

1-2 tsp. sea salt

½ tsp. ground fennel

1/2 cups broccoli, finely chopped

1/2 cup cauliflower, chopped

1/2 cup fennel bulb, chopped

¾ cup red cabbage, chopped

¼ cup red onion, finely chopped (or use a sweet Vidalia onion)

1 rib celery, finely sliced

1 carrot, finely chopped

½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 FUJI apple, cored and finely chopped

½ cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

Combine salad dressing ingredients (vinegar, oils, honey, salt, and fennel) in the bottom of a large salad bowl. Add vegetables, parsley, apple, nuts, and toss to combine.

OPTION - Add in some feta cheese before serving!

PLEASE SHARE! I LOVE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK!

WHAT IS YOU FAVORITE WAY TO ADD PIZAZZ TO YOUR SALADS?

MY KINDA PIZZA.....

2010-08-09T06:51:00.000-07:00

My Boyfriend Todd and I love to have pizza parties. Once a month or so we get all the goods, put on some great music and make our own individual pizzas. It is so much fun. Since I have become aware of my food allergies, my pizzas have changed quite a bit. Wheat and cows milk products are the common ingredients on pizzas and I cannot have either of them. I often use spelt crust that I make myself or purchase at the health food store. This weekend I made pizza with a brown rice wrap in my cast iron pan. The cast iron pan really helped to keep the "crust" (wrap) crunchy.

This pizza was amazing. I enjoyed ever single bit of this veggies lovers pizza. I am not sure of the exact measurements but here is what I put on my pizza. Make it your own!!

Sauteed shallots in olive oil
Then added chopped kale and sauteed until softened
Pizza sauce (I used Longo's pizza sauce, clean ingredients - also like Eden Organic)
Fresh basil
Crimini mushrooms
Broccoli, chopped in small pieces
tomatoes, sliced
Goats milk Feta cheese
Food for Life Brown Rice Wrap

Top the brown rice wrap with pizza sauce, then add all of the veggies. Top with cheese.

Bake at 400F for 20 minutes or so.

Again, I used a cast iron pan and it seemed to come out crispier than it has been in the past.

NOTE - if you are vegan or trying to avoid goats milk products, you can grind up some pine nuts and some nutritional yeast for a cheesy topping. I have done that many times too!

SHARE WITH ME!! WHAT ARE YOU FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPINGS???

Walnut Spread/Dip

2010-08-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

Hummus is one of my favorite foods on the planet. I love it! I add it to salads, top it on my homemade burgers, add a dollop to soups, enjoy it veggies, etc! Most days you will find me enjoying this healthy and extremely tasty dip. This particular dip is a nice change to the traditional hummus. Adding the walnuts adds a good source of heart and brain healthy fats. The basil is loaded with nutrition and flavour! Enjoy!!

• 1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans (Eden Organic beans are best, no added sodium)

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

• 1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Drain beans, reserving liquid. In food processor, combine ¼ cup reserved liquid with remaining ingredients. Cover and process, scraping down sides and adding liquid as needed to make a smooth mixture. Store in refrigerator for 4-5 days. Serve with raw baby carrots, cucumber sticks, broccoli and fresh string beans (or any raw veggie you like).

PLEASE SHARE! I LOVE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HEALTHY DIP???

BLOGGING ELSEWHERE???

2010-08-03T09:06:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

The clinic that I am at 4 days per week, in Vaughan, has just started blogging. I will be contributing to it on a regular basis. No, I am not going to stop blogging here. It is just too much fun. I love communicating with all of you in this way.
I will however always post a link when I blog with my colleagues at Vaughan Medical Center so you can check that out too!! I don't want you miss out on the healthy information!!

CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT THE POWER OF BLUEBERRIES

While your over there, feel free to check out what this amazing clinic has to offer and the wealth of information the site provides!!

I LOVE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO ENJOY THIS SUMMERTIME FRUIT???

Cooling Down with Banana Ice Cream

2010-07-29T07:38:00.000-07:00

This is a simple, tasty and cooling recipe that is great for kids and adults alike. Looking to cool down with a healthy treat this holiday weekend?? Try this healthy homemade banana ice cream instead of the regular stuff that is full of sugar, void of fiber, has a ton of saturated fat and a bunch of other unknown ingredients! Trust me, your taste buds and your body with thank you.

Bananas are great for digestion helping to promote healthy bowel movements. Bananas can ease both constipation and diarrhea. It is also a great source of potassium and is helpful after a bout of diarrhea to re-hydrate.

I made this for my 'better half's' parents a few weeks ago when we had them over for dinner. My boyfriends father is a total ice cream addict, so I decided that he would be my best critics when it comes to my all natural, 1 ingredient, ice cream. The result = he loved it!! It was a true success. The next time you are having company over try it.

Especially great for kids and ice cream addicts!!

Ingredients

Frozen bananas (1/2-1 per person)
Pure vanilla bean (optional)

Process frozen bananas in a food processor for 5-10 minutes until they reach a smooth and creamy texture similar to soft serve ice cream. You will have to scrap down the sides a few times. Also note; hold machine when you first start to break down the bananas as it can be a little jumpy to start.

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:

dark chocolate chips
raw cacao nibs (my new favorite food)
gogi berries
Any fresh local berry
coconut
chia seeds

Tips for freezing bananas:
Peel bananas and cut into small chunks. Freeze in a ziploc for at least 24 hours before making this creamy and delicious delight of a recipe.

ENJOY!!!

Please share!! What is your favorite healthy treat to cool down in the summer!

GREENING IT UP WITH A NUTRITION PACKED GREEN SMOOTHIE!!!

2010-07-22T06:59:00.000-07:00

Last night I got home from work around 7:30pm. I really didn't feel like a big meal so I decided to blend up a nourishing Green Smoothie. What...Smoothie for dinner, you ask?? I say....why not?? Smoothies are a great way to pack in a ton of nutrition all in one tasty drink. My smoothie last night packed in more nutrition than most people get in a day or for some a week.
And yes...I did say tasty. You can make them delicious. All you have to do is add some great fruit and if your taste buds are anything like mine....some raw cacao powder!!!
Last nights smoothie was creamy, tasty, health supportive and easy!!! Quick clean up too; one knife, one blender and one glass!!

Here is the recipe:

1/4 avocado
1/2 zucchini, chopped
1 tbsp of raw cacao powder (I love Navitas Naturals, if you are looking for it you can purchase it at my clinic in Vaughan...for more info go to www.vaughanmedicalcentre.com )
4 strawberries, I used frozen (local strawberries that I froze)
1/2 frozen banana
10 drops of vanilla stevia drops (you could also use agave, raw honey or pure maple syrup to taste)
4 fresh swiss chard leaves (picked fresh from my garden)
1 tsp Schinoussa Sea Vegetables (can also be purchased at my clinic in Vaughan or the health food store)
2 tbsp of brown rice protein powder
water to cover

Blend, pour into a glass and ENJOY!!! Add a straw if you like!! (for some reason a straw seems to make it more special)
NOTE - If you don't have frozen fruit on hand, add some ice to the mix. Green smoothies seem to taste better when they are cold.

If you are looking for more Green Smoothie recipes or wanting to do a green smoothie cleanse, check out the online tutorial by fellow nutritionist Meghan Telpner. It is jam packed with information!!!
http://www.meghantelpner.com/shop/new-green-smoothie-cleanse-2nd-edition-cleanse-and-weight-loss-guide
PLEASE NOTE - Consult your health care practitioner before beginning any cleansing routine!!

PLEASE SHARE!!! I LOVE READING YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS!!!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SMOOTHIE RECIPE???

PICKING SWISS CHARD IN MY BACKYARD!

2010-07-21T11:37:00.000-07:00

It is becoming more and more understood that it is highly important to eat local foods as much as possible, for the health of our bodies and the health of our planet. I live in Stouffville and am blessed with a bunch of local farmers markets to choose from in the spring to the fall and I take advantage of it as much as possible. Not only is it better for my body, the fresh stuff tastes better too!

Could there be anything better than shopping at your local farmers market?? The answer is YES! Growing veggies in your own backyard and harvesting right before eating! It is not only great for your health but is also the most economical way of eating veggies!! And trust me, I am not one of those people born with a green thumb. I just pick the veggies that are fairly easy to grow. This year I have a variety of herbs (mint, cilantro, parsley, basil, sage and oregano), tomatoes and swiss chard!

If you have never done it before, I highly recommend you try it sometime. It really is fun to watch the veggies grow!

Swiss chard is growing nicely in my backyard as I write this blog post! The other night was the first time I harvested some to enjoy! It is such a pleasure to go into your own backyard and harvest your dinner right before you are ready to eat. It is amazing the difference in the taste and texture of the food.

Swiss chard is a powerhouse food when it comes to nutrition. Here are some of the highlights of this leafy green

Fiber – one cup of chard provides about 14% of your daily dose of fiber, helping to keep those bowels moving!!

Vitamin K – most people are unaware of the importance of vitamin K for bone health. Chard is an excellent source of vitamin k. Green up with Swiss chard and your bones will thank you!

Magnesium – another key nutrient for the health of your bones. Magnesium is also essential for over 300 enzymatic functions in the body. It is the 2nd most abundant mineral, next to calcium. It is need for absorption of calcium into the bones.

Vitamin C, beta carotene, vitamin E, B vitamins, iron and potassium are also found in chard making it a true hero when it comes to food!!

Here are some serving ideas

• Chop finely and add to your favourite salad mix!

• Add a handful to your morning smoothie (it will change the color but not the taste)

• Sauté with some olive oil + garlic + onions and tamari

• Chop and add to your omelette's or favourite stir-fry recipe
• Use instead of lettuce on your sandwich or favourite homemade burger

Here is a link to my favourite farmers market located by my home in Stouffville, Ontario!

ttp://www.organicsfarm.ca/www.organicsfarm.ca/Welcome.html

Lentil Salad

2010-07-19T09:12:00.000-07:00

The recipe comes from the amazing cookbook by one of my teacher and mentors Caroline Dupont, called Enlightened Eating! I have made most of the recipes from this cookbook and let me tell you, they are all amazing and nutritious!!!

To learn more go to here website http://carolinedupont.com/content/

This salad is great for those hot summer days when you don't feel like eating something hot!

Lentils

1 cup of brown lentils
4 cups of water
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 garlic cloves, peeled

Dressing

3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp of red wine vinegar or lemon juice or combo
1/2 tsp ground fennel
3/4 tsp Dijon mustard
sea salt and pepper to taste

Vegetables

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup diced red and yellow peppers
1/4 cup minced onions
handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in 1/2
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup feta (I like Goats Milk Feta), optional
Other options; add dried cranberries, chopped apple, diced fennel, nut or seeds etc. The options are endless!!

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse the lentils. In a medium sauce pan, bring the lentils, water, bay leaves, thyme, and garlic to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 mins, until tender.

2. Combine the dressing ingredients in a large salad bowl. Add the veggies!

3. Drain the lentils and discard the bay leaves. Mash the garlic and add to the dressing. When lentils are cool, toss them with the veggies and dressing. Add some Feta and taste. Adjust seasoning by adding sea salt and pepper if needed.

SERVE OF A BED OF FRESH SPINACH!

ENJOY!!

Cooling Down with Good Ol’ Watermelon!

2010-07-19T07:56:00.000-07:00

Who doesn’t like watermelon in the summertime? Well, I don’t know anyone! Watermelon is sweet, cool, refreshing and best of all super tasty. Great for hot summer days! On top of being tasty and sweet, watermelon is actually very good for you!

Watermelon is a great source of potent antioxidants including, vitamin C, beta carotene and lycopene.

Lycopene is found in cooked tomatoes, papaya, gogi berries, pink grapefruit and watermelon. It is has been well studied and proven to reduce the potential for developing many types of cancers, in particular prostate cancer.

Vitamin C is another gem when it comes to our health and it is abundant in “our friend” the Watermelon. This essential vitamin is important for a healthy immune system, collagen production and is a potent antioxidant.

Want beautiful healthy skin??? Eat Beta-Carotene rich watermelon!! Beta-carotene is not only just an amazing nutrient for your skin; it is also important for a healthy immune system, cancer prevention, heart health, to name a few!

So on top of being super delicious and refreshing, especially on a hot summers day, you can be assured that you are doing something great for your health when you are chomping on that watermelon.

Here are my favourite ways to enjoy watermelon;

• Blend fresh watermelon and then add to frozen Popsicle holders and freeze for a homemade Popsicle. Who needs those “high sugar”, artificial dye infested ones that you get at the local convenience store when you can enjoy your own homemade ones that are truly delish!! These are great for kids and adults alike!

• Watermelon Lemonade – blend 1 cup of fresh or frozen watermelon + ½ the juice of 1 lemon (or more to taste) + stevia, raw honey or agave syrup + water. NOTE – add ice if you are using fresh watermelon for a cool drink on hot summer days!!

• Add watermelon to your arugula salad with a vinaigrette, mint and some feta!!! Sweet watermelon with the salty feta, cooling mint and peppery arugula is such a great combo!! My mom makes this salad sometimes in the summer at our family cottage. Who would have thought to put watermelon in a salad? I wouldn’t, but let me tell ya, it sure is yummy!! Thanks to my mamma for the amazing fresh new idea for the classic watermelon ;O)

• Just slice and serve cooled!! Sometimes simple is best. Watermelon is so great on its own as well.

• Freeze pureed watermelon in ice cube trays and add to your water to add some flavour and fun!

PLEASE SHARE IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW – What is your favourite way to enjoy this classic summer fruit??

Thursday afternoon raspberry picking....

2010-07-16T06:32:00.000-07:00

Hi all! On my way home from work yesterday, I swung by the local organic farm by my house in Stouffville. It is raspberry season!! You gotta love this time of year when you can get such great local produce! It is so great to have amazingly fresh berries that were grown so close to home! Yesterday was the first time this year that I picked my own and let me tell you, I really enjoyed myself. I was having sort of a hectic week, busy all around and was starting to feel the effects of the stress. I could have just gone home and started on my list of things to do, but I decided to go to the farm instead.

Let me tell ya, it was a great idea....

The birds were a chirping, wind was blowing softly (it was super hot, but there was a nice breeze) and the raspberries were very tasty. I might have sampled 1 or 2 during my picking. Don’t tell anyone. Anyways, what I learned (this lesson continues to be re-enforced for me) is when you are having a busy and hectic week sometimes all you need is to slow down a bit and connect with nature, maybe pick a few berries. I felt so much better after this experience. I totally calmed down and went home a more peaceful person! I continue to keep learning the lesson that sometimes when life gets busy and you have a ton of things you need to get done...sometimes all you need is to take a break do something to calm and ground you and then you can go back to your hectic life more calm and centred. What I now know for sure, is that you come back to your hectic life feeling calmer, things in your life start to get less crazy and you become more productive. It happens every time and every time I am so amazed by it! Try it when your life gets crazy which if you are like most of us crazy North Americans, it is right now. See what happens.

Now back to food and nutrition. Here are some raspberry tips;

Raspberries are true super foods. Here is a list of some of the amazing benefits

• Raspberries contain almost 50% higher antioxidant activity than strawberries, three times that of kiwis, and ten times the antioxidant activity of tomatoes

• Ellagic acid in raspberries is known for its antioxidant potential and has been shown in many studies to aid in the prevention of all types of cancer.

• Raspberries are an excellent source of fiber, manganese and vitamin C. They are also a good source of vitamin B2, folate, niacin, magnesium, potassium and copper.

Serving Ideas

• Make a yogurt parfait – mix plain yogurt + raspberries + handful of walnuts, drizzle with raw honey, agave syrup or sprinkle with stevia if needed

• Make homemade raspberry sorbet. Freeze raspberries! Place in your food processor; add honey, agave or stevia + vanilla (optional). Blend until creamy. Enjoy!!

• Add to your next smoothie for an antioxidant boost

• Enjoy them on their own with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar

• Sprinkle a few on top of your oatmeal

Thank you to those who took the time to give me some ideas for recipes that you are looking for. If you haven’t contributed yet and want to go here and leave a comment....

http://jamiesnourishingbites.blogspot.com/2010/07/calling-all-of-my-blog-followers.html

PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES HERE!! WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN LIFE GETS HECTIC? DO YOU HAVE ANY WAYS THAT YOU DE-STRESS WHEN LIFE GETS STRESSFUL? WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR TIPS THAT WORK FOR YOU!!

Herb Roasted Salmon

2010-07-14T07:17:00.000-07:00

Source: All of the Best Recipes By: Jane Rodmell

This recipe is full of vibrant flavours. Feel free to use whatever herbs you have on hand! Herbs are “jam packed” full of nutrition. They help cleanse the body, aid in digestion and have many potent antioxidants, vitamins and minerals!! Enjoy!

1/3 cup cilantro or flat leaf parsley
1/3 cup chopped dill
1/3 cup finely chopped green onions
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard (I like Eden Organics Mustard Products)
Salt and pepper
6 salmon fillets (approx 4-6 ounces) -NOTE = WILD CAUGHT ALASKIN SALMON IS BEST

1. In a food processor, blend cilantro, dill, green onions, oil, vinegar, mustard and a pinch of pepper
2. Sprinkle fillets with a little salt and coat each one evenly with the herb mixture. Arrange herb-topped fillets on a baking sheet
3. Roast in a pre-heated oven until fish flakes easily when tested with the tip of a sharp knife, 10-15 minutes, depending on thickness of the fillets.

Grilling Variation
Grill salmon, flat side down, on a lightly oils BBQ over medium heat. Cook with lid down for 8-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets.

Cooking Tip
Allow approximately 10 minutes of cooking per inch (2.5cm) thickness of the fish, as measured at the thickest part.

CALLING ALL OF MY BLOG FOLLOWER'S

2010-07-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

I need your help!!

I love providing you with healthy recipes that taste great! It is one of my favorite parts of my job. It is my mission in life to teach people to eat for wellness but not to forget about the enjoyment of food. Food can be healthy and taste good at the same time! What a concept....

Here's what I need from you;
I would love you to post in the comments below types of recipes that you are interested in me posting. Do you have a fave food that you would like help revamping into a healthy delight?? Or is there a health food that you always wanted to try, you are just not quite sure how to prepare it? Leave a comment below and I will do my best to work on recipes for you! Let me help you add some health and good taste to your next meal. Because healthy eating can taste great too!!!

Sleeping Better...The Natural Way

2010-07-07T13:09:00.000-07:00

Having trouble sleeping??? If so, you are definitely not alone. An estimated 3.3 million Canadians aged 15 or older (about 1 in 7 people) suffer from some form of insomnia. Insomnia can refer to difficulty falling asleep or waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep. Whether you suffer from insomnia or you are not feeling like you are getting sufficient quality sleep, the following suggestions can help you achieve more restful and restorative zzzzzzz’s!

In general, the following lifestyle factors have been found to either promote sleep or inhibit sleep…

SLEEP PROMOTERS

o Lots of brightly colored raw or lightly steamed vegetables
o Enjoy quality lean protein and healthy fats at every meal to support blood sugar balance
o Switch to B vitamin and magnesium rich whole grains.
o If an evening snack is needed enjoy bananas, milk, figs and or whole grain crackers which are high in tryptophan and promote restful sleep.
o Maintain a sleep schedule. Go to sleep at the same time everyday and wake up at the same time in the
morning.
o Sleep in a dark room
o Manage your stress
o Exercise…..preferably earlier in the day.
o Meditate, take a hot bath and/or put a drop of essential oils on your pillow such as chamomile or lavender
before bed.
o Herbal teas that contain herbs such as Valerian, passionflower, hops, lemon balm, and chamomile.
o Sleep in a dark room.
o Make your bedroom a peaceful place. Remove anything that can promote stressful thoughts.

SLEEP INHIBITORS

o Reduce or eliminate sugar, caffeine and alcohol from your diet
o Refined grains. Ex. White bread, white rice, etc. Like sugar to the body.
o MSG….a food additive found in some Chinese food and chips has been shown to disrupt sleep in many people
o Eating too much
o Avoid nighttime eating….eat your dinner at least three hours before bed.
o Avoid food sensitivities, allergies
o Poor digestion
o Excess weight
o Nutritional deficiency in any of the essential vitamins and minerals, especially calcium and magnesium.
o Change your thoughts, Change your sleep!!! Negative thoughts about sleeping can keep you up at night. Recognize when you are thinking negative thoughts about sleeping and make a conscious choice to replace them to a positive ones.
o Television, work related items, food, etc. Everything that is not related to sleep should be removed from the bedroom.

Trouble sleeping???

2010-07-05T09:25:00.000-07:00

Well, you are not alone. It is actually much more common that most people think. Check out this post on a fellow nutritionist’s blog; understand why sleep is important and gain some great tips to improve sleep.
Meghan Telpner is a local nutritionist in Toronto. Her website is an amazing wealth of information and tasty recipes. I have been getting a lot of inspiration from her website in the past few months since I found it! # 1 recipe in my opinion is her Super Hero Balls. LOVE THEM!

ALSO, ENTER CONTEST TO WIN A SUPER CUTE EYE MASK. SEE LINK BELOW FOR DETAILS!

http://meghantelpnerblog.com/2010/07/05/5-reasons-sleep-is-important-healthy-sleep-patterns/comment-page-1/#comment-9666

QUESTION: WHAT IS YOUR SLEEPING RITUAL?? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU DO TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR SLEEP??

SUPER POWER CHOCOLATE HEAVEN BREAKFAST!

2010-07-02T03:53:00.000-07:00

Chocolate at breakfast?? Is that healthy?? The answer is yes! The right kinda chocolate. The pure cacao bean is one of natures richest source of antioxidants and magnesium. It also contains tryptophan, which helps us produce our feel good hormone serotonin. That is why we feel so good when we eat chocolate. The important thing to consider is the quality of chocolate. This super breakfast has Vega Instant chocolate smoothie which contains pure cocoa powder and raw cacao nibs. The cacao nibs are the true super food. You see, as you process and heat chocolate you damage the healthy properties. When purchasing a chocolate bar to enjoy look for at least 70% or higher % of cacao to get the most bang for your buck. I always look for the lowest sugar option. Organic and free trade are always the best way to go!

This heavenly breakfast also contains other super foods like; gogi berries (beta carotene, antioxidants), chia seeds (fiber, calcium and omega 3) and sheep milk yogurt (healthy gut bacteria).

The Vega Smoothie mix contains 12 grams of quality veggie protein, fiber, green super foods and healthy gut bacteria!

So even though this breakfast feels so indulgent, it is a true super powered breakfast that you can enjoy knowing that your body is thanking you ;o)

Enjoy!

1/2 cup or so of sheep's milk yogurt (or cows/goats)
2 tbsp Shake and Go Vega Instant Smoothie

Mix these ingredients together to make a pudding like texture. This part is even good just on its own! Then sprinkle on the following.

1-2 tbsp gogi berries
1 tbsp cocao nibs
1 tbsp chia seeds

Other options include; fresh sliced berries, 1/2 banana, or other seasonal fruit! Other nuts and seeds would also be great. You could use flax instead of chia seeds.

2010-06-28T04:24:00.000-07:00

Excited to announce that I am now on Twitter. Thank you to Angie Sist for the recommendation and continued support

Find me here http://twitter.com/JamieLRHN

Gluten Free Falafel

2010-06-28T03:33:00.000-07:00

I love falafel. When I go to Middle Eastern restaurants, I usually cannot enjoy them as they add wheat flour (I am allergic to wheat) and I don’t like the fact that it is deep fried. So here is my version of a classic food with my healthy twist! The seasoning used, make them not only taste great, but also makes this recipe come with amazing promoting properties. Cumin is great for digestion. And as I always say “you are only as healthy as your pipe’s”. Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory power and anti cancer potential Parsley and cilantro are both great sources of chlorophyll, which is very cleansing to our bodies. Parsley is also a well known diuretic.

This recipe combines legumes (chickpeas), seeds (tahini/sesame seed paste) and whole grains (quinoa flour) making this a complete vegetarian protein meal with all of the essential amino acids. Contains 9 grams of protein per serving and 8 grams of fiber!

Nourishing, tasty and satisfying! What more could you ask for? Enjoy!! Serves 4

• 1 can of chickpeas (I use Eden Organic)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 shallot or ½ onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp tahini
• Handful of both cilantro and parsley, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup quinoa flour
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp coriander
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp of olive oil for cooking

Directions
1. Place all ingredients, except olive oil, in a food processer. Process until smooth.
2. Using hands take golf ball sized peices and roll with hands
3. Heat fry pan to medium heat.
4. Add olive oil and pan fry falafels until lightly browned

Serve with your favourite mixed greens salad and a dollop of hummus or tahini sauce (tahini + lemon juice + garlic + water)

2010-06-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

Click here to find out what is really happening when you decide to drink that coke...
http://blisstree.com/feel/what-happens-to-your-body-if-you-drink-a-coke-right-now/

Here is a refreshing drink without all that sugar and health problems associated with it like that glass of coke provides! It is actually good for you! Rich source of vitamin C and other potent antioxidants.

Berry Lemonade

1 cup of your favorite berries (I like it with strawberries, but any berry will do...i also use frozen)

1 cup or so of water

1/2 the juice of 1 fresh lemon
1 packet/10 drops of stevia or 1 tbsp of raw honey or agave syrup, to taste!
ENJOY!!

CITY TV!

2010-06-21T09:08:00.000-07:00

Check me out on City TV talking about children's nutrition and a school age program called At My Best. This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. If we can get our young kids to start making healthy choices now we will change the future of our country. As it is now, this generation of children is the first to have a life expectancy that is less than their parents. This is a wake up call for all of us that NOW is the time to make a change. And the first place to start is with ourselves. The more parents and other role models in children's lives make healthy choices the more kids will too. Kids learn from our actions, not what we tell them to do. Get the whole family involved in a healthy eating mission, make it a game! Have fun eating healthy!

I am on the 2nd and 5th installment. Here is the link!

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid89818319001?bclid=89783581001&bctid=94507625001

For more information on the program At My Best go to the website
http://www.cahperd.ca/AtMyBest/

Here is the recipe for the Black Bean Brownies that were taste tested on the 2nd installment. Thank goodness the children liked them ;o)......i was worried about that!

Flourless Brownies

No one will ever guess the secret ingredient in this recipe: black beans!
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed
3 large eggs
1/3 cup “better butter”, more for the baking dish
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
1/2 cup cane sugar or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (best option = 70% cacao content)
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter an 8-inch baking pan. Place the black beans, eggs, better butter, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Remove the blade and carefully stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan. Bake the brownies for 30 to 35 minutes, or until just set in the center. Cool before cutting into squares.

Better Butter
Makes About 2 Cups

1 lb or 4 sticks of butter (go organic when possible)
1 c olive oil
Cut butter into pieces and put into food processor. Blend slowly streaming in the oil, until smooth. Move to air tight container and store in refrigerator. Now you'll have spreadable butter whenever you need it!

You know its the Beginning of Summer Fresh Salad......

2010-06-16T05:30:00.000-07:00

This was my dinner last night. On my way home I stopped by the local farmers marker and got some fresh asparagus and since I had some fresh salad greens, organic strawberries and some leftover wild caught salmon at home, I thought I would make a summer fresh salad.

I love this time of year! It is so exciting to go to the farmers market and pick up some fruit and veg that you know is fresh, often picked that day! I just feel so good after eating such fresh foods that contain their full nutritional potential....right after produce is picked it begins to lose its nutrients! Please take full advantage of all the local options at this time of year and into the summer. It is probably one of the most powerful things you can do for your health and the environment.

I have to be totally honest.....
I loved this salad, thought it was one of my best ever. My better half on the other hand, also known as Todd, hated it! He was not a fan of the dressing. So it is not for everyone. But if you are a fan of tahini like I am, go for it! I am sure you will love it just as I did!

4 cups of mixed greens (or peppery arugula would be great too)
1/2 bunch of asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces
5-10 strawberries, sliced
6-8 oz protein (wild caught salmon, chicken, etc)
½ cup of legumes (lentils, chickpeas, etc)

+ a sprinkling of walnuts if desired

Dressing (makes extra dressing, use for tomorrows lunch ;o)

2 tablespoons sesame tahini

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoons maple syrup

2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1-2 tbsp of water

Prepare the asparagus by snapping the bottom of the stems off and chopping the asparagus into 1 inch pieces. Steam the asparagus for 2-3 minutes. Let cool. You can run them under cold water to stop the cooking process. You want the asparagus crisp, but cooked. Toss the asparagus with the mixed greens, strawberries, legumes, and salmon (or other protein option). Whisk or blend the dressing ingredients together and drizzle over each plate.

Store the extra dressing in a glass jar for the next delicious salad adventure ;o)

Organic Farm

2010-06-15T14:05:00.000-07:00

I have had a bunch of emails asking me for more information on the organic farm I go to.

Here is the link;

http://www.organicsfarm.ca/www.organicsfarm.ca/Welcome.html

Strawberry Sorbet

2010-06-15T06:34:00.000-07:00

Strawberries are in season ;o)!! This is one of my favourite times of year! The weather is great and one of my favourite fruits is available from the local farmers market! In Stouffville, where I live, there is this great organic strawberry farm that I look forward to going to every year and stocking up. I hull the strawberries and freeze many of them for smoothies and sorbet. Organic is always best when it comes to strawberries. Strawberries are on the dirty dozen list, meaning it contains high levels of pesticides. For more information on the dirty dozen, please go to www.ewg.org. Strawberries are superstars when it comes to nutrition and taste. Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese. They are also a very good source of dietary fiber and iodine. Strawberries are also a great source of the phytonutrient ellagic acid that is known for its anti-cancer potential!! With only 43 calories (without the additional toppings) for this whole recipe, this is a great dessert idea when you are trying to lose or maintain your weight!

o 1 cup frozen organic strawberries
o 1 packet of Stevia (natural no-calorie sweetener, optional)
o ¼ tsp pure vanilla bean (optional)

Place ingredients in your food processor and blend for 2 minutes or until smooth.

Optional toppings
o 70-80% dark chocolate shavings or choc
o Cocoa nibs
o Chopped nuts
o Coconut flakes

These are my organic strawberries that i picked up yesterday! Don't they look amazing?? They taste amazing too!!

2010-06-11T05:38:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to let you know about an exciting event this weekend. My good friends at Natural Life Health Market in Thornhill (by the Prominade Mall) are celebrating 10 years in business.
This Saturday and Sunday they are celebrating!! Everything in the store is 10-50% off and there will be a ton of product samples.
For more information please go to www.naturallifehealthmarket.com

Have a great weekend ;o)

2010-06-10T05:38:00.000-07:00

Took a trip to tea heaven yesterday! For all of you tea lovers out there you have to visit David's Tea. The closet one to me is in the Prominade mall but there are many in the Toronto area and I am told more to come. Check out the website below for all of the details.

I tried the
Coco Chai Rooibos (very sweet and rich tasting)
Spring Break (green tea with coconut, amazing!)
And if you like almonds I have found the tea for you...Forever nuts combines almond, apple, cinnamon and beetroot. The tea turns a beautiful color from the beetroot and is very rich almond flavor!

Very exciting for my tea loving self!!

http://www.davidstea.com/

Have a great Thursday everyone ;o)