Easy breezy.

You couldn’t ask for better weather.

Hanging out in Trinity Bellwoods Park…

Drinking Green Juice…

Joy of Joyous Health

In good company.

I love summer:)

Even at a ripe young age I was always able to fully appreciate a little sweet indulgence.  

Check out the pic of me circa the early eighties blissed-out on chocolate pudding! 

No comment on the wallpaper!

Mini Me

A few years down the road I decided to kick it up a notch, and take matters into my own hands by donning the apron myself!  

Here’s me (slightly maturer) presenting my fresh from the oven, easy-bake cake. I remember the caption on the original photo saying “Elaine baked her first cake”. Judging by the expression on my face, I no doubt took the challenge seriously. My supportive brother also appeared very proud of my accomplishment:)

Bake off!

Nowadays when my sweet tooth begs attention, I’ll occasionally stop into places like this. More often than not though, I’ll create a little something in my own kitchen, such as this personal fave below.  

The best thing about it (besides the taste of course!) is that it’s simple to make and doesn’t require any baking. Actually, to be precise; it takes about 5 minutes to whip up. After that it’s a bit of a waiting game – depending on how long you can hold out!  

Recipe – No Bake Almond & Hazelnut Healthy Fudge   

Ingredients    

2 cups of almond hazelnut butter (or natural nut butter of your choice)   

½ cup raw honey   

2 heaping Tbsp of raw cocoa powder   

1 Tbsp of coconut oil   

1 tsp of pure vanilla extract   

Pinch of sea salt   

Instructions  

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth  

Spread into a square pan   

Pop in the freezer for about 20 -30 minutes then remove. Once frozen, the fudge is difficult to cut into pieces so it’s best to do this while it’s still somewhat soft, yet firm.  

Put back in the freezer for 2 more hours (or longer).  

Remove from freezer, take a piece or two, then put back! When left out on the counter it will start to melt, so it’s best to just take out what you plan on eating immediately. 

Hope you enjoy:)   

Elaine

Reason being, I just got home from attending the Eat Well, Feel Well program run by Registered Nutritionist, Joy McCarthy of Joyous Health and Certified Yoga Instructor, Michelle Uy of LoveActionYoga. And let me tell you, these two lovely ladies know where it’s at when it comes to Eating Well and Feeling Well!

The class started off with a nutrition session led by Joy. Today the focus was on foods for heart, brain and skin health. As we know, true beauty comes from the inside out. It’s not what we slather on our bodies but what we put in our bodies (or rather don’t put in them!) that is key to anti-aging. Joy has a truly joyous nature about her and will inspire you to want to eat well!

Next we moved on to the yoga session led by Michelle. Today was all about heart openers and back bends. Did you know you could open your upper back? We practiced this today, and let me tell you it feels amazing. If you are one of those people who holds tension in your upper back (think sitting in front of a computer for long hours) then you will truly benefit from this. This class is intended for all levels, so if you are a beginner don’t be intimidated. Michelle provides gentle guidance throughout the whole class to ensure you are getting the most out of each exercise.

The program runs the course of 6 weeks and every class is different in terms of nutrition topics and yoga exercises. Check out full class details here on Joy’s site. Next class starts in July and space is limited, so make sure you sign-up soon if you’re interested.

I must say this was the perfect way to start off my Sunday, and a great way to wind down after a busy weekend.

It also gave me that added push to get out of bed a little earlier than I probably would have on a Sunday morning to ensure I made it down to the class on time.

Now that I’ve got it under my belt, I can continue on enjoying the rest of my day basking in my rejuvenated body!

Source: janezlifeandtimes.wordpress.com

And on a final note…

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mama’s out there:)

I can envision all the eyes rolling.

But before you think I’m getting all “Nutritionist” on you and up in your face with my veggie loving ways, I just have to say that this love stems way back to my roots, long before I consciously went down this path.   

When I was younger, I was never one of those picky eaters who wouldn’t eat her vegetables. That was my brother. I was the one with the “healthy appetite”, as my parents liked to tell people. I think I inherited my love for vegetables from my dad, who was known for making hearty salads and robust vegetable soups. In fact, I have many fond memories of patiently waiting at the kitchen table in anticipation while my dad whipped up a big salad for us to share. My mom and brother on the other hand never really shared the same appreciation for this type of meal. 

Flashback to today, my love for salad has only grown bigger. In fact I love huge salads that eat like meals, especially now that the weather is getting warmer and the spring bounty is cropping up into grocery stores and farmer’s markets. 

Just like the seasons, our desires for food are also cyclical in nature. I know in the winter I crave more cooked and warming foods which tend to be a little more dense, while come spring and summer I tend to gravitate towards cleansing foods like raw fruits and veggies which are naturally lighter. We need to trust our intuition in knowing that the foods that serve us in the cooler months, might not lend the same effect come spring and summertime. Sometimes we just have to trust that our bodies will tell us what it truly needs. Unfortunately, if we are numbed by the effects of the Standard American Diet, otherwise known as the SAD diet (which it truly is), you may not be getting the message!

Here’s a look at one of my favourite salads that is super satisfying and very simple to prepare. I have to say I’ve been eating this a lot lately because I truly enjoy it that much!

My Favourite salad!

I start with a big bowl of green leafy lettuce – lately I’ve been using red leaf lettuce.

Next I cut up whatever vegetables I have on-hand. Sometimes it will be as simple as crispy cucumbers and juicy tomatoes, while other times I’ll include spring onion, mushrooms and colourful bell pepper. I also like to throw in sprouts – alfalfa works nice here. Or pea shoots, pictured in my salad above. Furthermore, I’ll throw in some fresh chopped herbs, such as parsley or cilantro.

Next comes the best part. I top it with one whole chopped avocado. This is what makes this salad a truly satisfying meal, and one that can easily satiate my appetite come mealtime. Because I spend most of the day in an office environment behind a desk, I really don’t like to eat heavily for my mid-day meal. I find a lighter meal leaves me feeling much more energized and allows for a more productive work-day. By the same token, I also often enjoy this meal for dinner, but depending on my appetite I might throw something else into the mix such as a baked sweet potato if I feel like a bit more. 

For this simple salad, I like to top it with a simple dressing. Homemade of course and never bottled! 

In fact, bottled salad dressings are one of those things that I suggest people boycott completely. Why take a perfectly healthy salad and drench it with chemical preservatives, artificial flavours and processed fats? Avoid them even if they are low-fat or fat-free! In fact, these types of dressings are oftentimes more offensive to the body than their full-fat counterparts. Besides, making your own dressing is super simple. 

In order to make a good salad dressing at home, all you need to include is 3 things – an acid, a sweet and a fat. Three ingredients – that’s it! Further flavourings can be added by using chopped garlic, dried or fresh herbs, and a little sea salt. But these additions are all based on preference. 

For example, when eating the above salad, I like to make the following dressing. For the acid component I use the juice of one whole lemon, although you may prefer to use your favourite vinegar. For the sweet I opt for a packet of Stevia, which is a natural sweetener with almost zero calories and won’t affect blood sugar. You can find it in your local health food store in either liquid or packets. And for the fat, well in this case since I’ve topped my salad with avocado it’s not really necessary to add any oil. If I were to eat this salad sans the avocado, however, then I would include a little extra-virgin olive oil. The same goes for cheese and nuts. If I include a little goat cheese or a handful of slivered almonds on my salad, I find I can skip the oil and instead just do an acid/sweet based dressing with lots of fresh chopped herbs and a little sea salt. 

Here’s to keeping it simple! 

Elaine

Ever wonder what a nutritionist buys for groceries? Here’s your chance to peek into my grocery basket!

I thought this would be a fun post since this seems to be one of the questions I get asked quite frequently.

I admittedly do a lot of grocery shopping. I actually love food shopping! Sometimes I laugh to myself when I think about what the people at my local grocery store must think about me. I’m that girl who’s always lurking in the produce section, examining the avocados trying to find the ones that have the perfect firmness and aren’t overly ripe. It’s not uncommon for me to hit up the grocery store 3 times per week, and this is sometimes on top of my health food store and farmer’s market visits! It’s not that I buy loads of stuff each time I go (notice I said grocery basket and not cart?), it’s just that I always like to eat fresh. I also go through a lot of produce in a week, making it necessary to make frequent trips, even if it’s just to pick up a couple heads of lettuce and a few avocados (there I go again!). Furthermore, you can only stock up on so much fresh produce at once before things start to go bad. Wilted greens anyone? Also, if I’m going to buy fresh fish or meat, I prefer to cook it that way (from fresh!), rather than tossing it in the freezer to cook later.

Sooo…

Here’s what’s in my grocery basket! (Note: I don’t buy ALL of these things every single trip).

Greens for juices, smoothies and salads – (usually 2-3 of the following) – kale, dandelion greens, swiss chard, collard greens, spinach, romaine, red leaf lettuce, parsley, cilantro, etc.

Veggies for salads, soups, sautéing, baking and snacking! - tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, celery, sprouts, green/red onion, mushrooms, beets, broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, sweet potatoes and whatever else is in season.

Fruit – apples, lemons/limes (for juices and salad dressing) and whatever else is in season (i.e. berries, etc).

Avocados – I buy a lot of these!

Grains and legumes - quinoa, millet, sprouted grain bread, chickpeas (for making hummus), etc.

Organic/free-range eggs, fresh wild fish (often salmon), goat cheese (occasionally), almonds (for homemade almond milk), etc. 

Note: Although I’m not a vegetarian or vegan, I don’t eat a lot of meat or dairy. Whenever I buy either though, I try to get the highest quality I can get my hands on!

Organic unsalted butter, olives, dark chocolate (70%), tea (loose leaf herbal, green and rooibos – I love David’s Tea!)

Other staples that I replenish as needed (sea salt, stevia, tamari, cold pressed coconut oil, EVO, raw honey).

Of course there are other items I buy infrequently, but for the most part these are my staples.

There you have it!

What’s in your grocery basket??

Easier said than done though, right?

Seems we are all a bunch of busybodies these days with our hectic schedules, countless commitments and endless to-do lists.

Speaking for myself though, it seems to come and go in waves. And I know a lot of the time it’s the product of my own creation and often due in part to procrastination.

If you’re like me at all on this Sunday night, wondering what happened to the weekend (is it really over?), then the below read is for you.

After reading it myself, I admittedly feel more inspired to do some reprioritizing in certain areas of my own life. Sometimes it just takes a bit of a reminder. In this case, the common expression “It’s the journey, not the destination” warrants repeating.

Hope you enjoy!

Inspiration for busybodies - By the way, this blog is a great resource for information if you’d like to become more of a minimalist and declutter your life. I highly recommend it:)

Give it to me right. Or don’t give it to me at all! 

That means I want it made fresh to order, or homemade from scratch in my own kitchen. 

I don’t want any of the grocery store imitators with their hydrogenated oils, artificial colours and preservatives. Did you know that a lot of the brands you find in grocery stores don’t even use avocados as the main ingredient?! In fact, some brands have almost NO avocado in them at all. Gross? Yes!! This is just another example of how some food manufacturers are out to make an easy buck by cheaping out on quality ingredients. I’m almost positive that the people making this crap wouldn’t even touch it themselves! Now with that said, there are some brands out there that are a lot better AND actually have avocado listed as the first ingredient (very important). Just make sure you read that ingredient list before you make any impulse purchases to ensure you are getting a quality product. 

Even so though, guacamole is very easy to make and almost always tastes better when you make it yourself. And for almost the same price you would pay on a small container in the grocery store, you can make more than triple the amount when you make it from scratch. 

Believe me, once you try the real thing you’ll never touch another container of store-bought guacamole again. Call me a food snob if you will, but I feel my body only deserves the best and you guys should too! Why settle for less? 

Below is a fresh and easy recipe to get you started. I made this one last weekend for my Book Club ladies. And let me tell you – it was a hit! 

As a side note, if you ever need an excuse to get together with friends for some good food and conversation – start a book club! Not that we should need an excuse to kick-back with the girls or guys, it’s just that sometimes busy and hectic schedules prevent us from finding the time. Plus commiting to read a little more doesn’t hurt either! 

Anyhoo… 

Here’s my recipe.  

Easy Guacamole 

Ingredients 

2-3 Avocados (They should be ripe but still kind of firm. Don’t use overly ripe avocados that are really mushy because these are most often rancid) 

1 vine ripened tomato – chopped 

1 small bunch of cilantro – finely chopped 

1-2 cloves of garlic – minced 

Juice of one lime 

Pinch of sea salt (or to taste) 

Instructions 

Slice avocados in half, remove pit and scoop the insides into a large bowl. 

Add chopped tomato, cilantro, garlic and squeeze lime juice over top. 

Sprinkle with sea salt. 

With a potato masher or fork, mash the mixture until all ingredients are combined. 

Don’t over mash it. You should be left with a chunky dip/spread. 

Serve it with cut up veggies, flatbread crackers, spread it on your sandwich or add it to your salads!! 

Guacamole - one of my faves!

Here’s to the real thing baby! 

Elaine

So without further ado, I’ll jump right into my first tip!

Set yourself up for Success

By implementing the following…

1) Don’t “go on a diet”!  In fact don’t EVER “go on a diet” again.  A healthy eating plan is something that should be incorporated into your life permanently. It shouldn’t be something you do for a couple of weeks just to lose a few pounds before returning to your regular bad eating habits.  Part of the reason why diets often don’t work is because they leave people feeling deprived. And as many of us know, as soon as we aren’t “allowed” to have something we are usually left wanting it more! This can lead to unhealthy obsessions, not to mention feelings of stress, oftentimes resulting in a binge. Furthermore, food must be enjoyable! If you don’t honestly enjoy what you are eating you’ll never be satisfied and you’ll likely end up overeating the wrong foods. Remember, a healthy diet has to be sustainable over the long-run and shouldn’t be overly restrictive. Otherwise you run the risk of giving up and returning to your old ways.

2) Shift your perspective away from weight-loss and change your focus to getting healthy. Even if your end-goal is to lose weight, you’ll notice that when you shift your focus to becoming healthier you’ll take some of the pressure off yourself. In fact, you’ll actually find that weight-loss is a side-effect of a healthy diet – if done properly of course! When I use the word “diet” by the way, I’m speaking in terms of  your daily eating regiment – not in the sense of “you’re on a diet”.  Also keep in mind that anyone can go on a crash diet and lose some weight quickly (often water weight) but usually at the expense of something else. Lowered energy and mental fogginess? Dehydration resulting in premature aging? When you change your focus to eating healthy you’ll often notice other beneficial side effects besides weight loss, such as glowing skin, increased energy and mental clarity! Please also note that what I refer to as eating healthy might be a lot different from what you’ve been told by the “mainstream” diet directorates. More to come on this though in another post!

3) Don’t try to be something you’re not. What I mean by this is recognize where you are coming from. What’s your starting point? We are all unique individuals so we can’t think in terms of cookie-cutter nutrition. We all have different eating habits and we all grew up on different diets. It’s important that we honour where we are now at this point in time and transition accordingly. This means that if you’re currently eating meat twice a day everyday don’t try to become a vegetarian overnight! There are still things you can do to transition towards a healthier way of eating without being so extreme. Perhaps you limit your flesh consumption to 3 times a week and/or substitute some of the red meat for high quality fish. Similarly, if you are currently eating white-flour bread you should transition to whole grain bread, or better yet, sprouted whole-grain bread! There’s a hierarchy of foods that always allows us to make healthier choices.

Keep in mind that before you embark on any new healthy eating plan it’s very important that you set the stage for success. If you are one of those people who is constantly dieting and never seeing lasting results it might require that you completely change your perspective on how you think about food and weight-loss. That’s the funny thing about effecting change though. It actually requires you to change the way you do things to see results!

Here’s to the journey!

Elaine

Welcome to the first edition of Sunny Sundays. As I mentioned a few days ago, the sun can’t shine every Sunday (not unlike today), so I’d like to bring you a little sunshine in the form of something inspirational. It could be in the form of pictures, an excerpt from a song or book, or it might be about somebody doing something I find inspiring.  Perhaps something that will get you thinking differently than usual. The post will oftentimes be unrelated to food, but you can think of it as food for your soul!  As I said before, being healthy is about much more than just what we put in our bodies. Oftentimes our thoughts are major determinants of our overall health as well. 

To start things off, today I’d like to share something with you that came to me about 3 years ago when I was undergoing my studies at the Institute of Holistic Nutrition. As part of the core curriculum we had to complete a course on professional presentation.  One of the projects in the course was to get up in front of the class and read an excerpt or poem that touched or inspired us in some way. One of my classmates read the following poem that I’m going to share with you now. For some reason this piece just moved me so profoundly that it’s stuck with me ever since. I think it serves as a reminder of how little we really connect with people underneath surface pleasantries. 

Here you go… 

The Invitation

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing. 

It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive. 

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain. I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it, or fix it. 

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human. 

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul; if you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy. 

I want to know if you can see beauty even when it’s not pretty, every day,and if you can source your own life from its presence. 

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “Yes!” 

It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up, after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done to feed the children. 

It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back. 

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you, from the inside, when all else falls away. 

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments. 

by
Oriah Mountain Dreamer 

Hope this gets you thinking a little.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

And on a final note, here’s a pretty pic to leave you with.  I took this in 2005 during a backpacking trip. 

Luang Prabang, Laos

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Topped with organic, unsalted butter and sprinkled with sea salt.

This is comfort food at its best. I often enjoy them with my evening meal, when I’m craving a little comfort after a long and busy day.

These actually top my “favourites” list for both taste and simplicity.

As a bonus, they are chock-full of nutritional benefit.  An amazing source of Vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) and a good source of Vitamin B6, C, manganese, potassium, iron, copper and dietary fibre (mainly in the skin).  

And they are super simple to prepare…

Just give them a good scrub and pierce with a fork (so the steam can escape) and put them in the oven (whole) at 400 F for 30-45 minutes and bake until soft. You can test to see if they are done by pushing down on the potato with a fork. It should feel squishy.

Remove from the oven, slice down the middle, top with a small pat of organic unsalted butter and sprinkle with sea salt. I sometimes even sprinkle with chopped raw garlic if the mood strikes.

I like to start by eating the insides first and saving the skin for last. Yes, that’s right! Make sure you eat the skin. This is where much of the nutrients and dietary fibre are at!

There you have it.

Go have yourself some comfort food. But make it in the form of a baked sweet potato – not a big bowl of ice cream!

Yours truly,

Elaine