Congrats to Our Fab FNL Winners!

Thanks to all of our fabulous FNL applicants!

We were absolutely blown away by the number of fabulous entries that we received for the Face of FNL contest. Originally we had intended to find one winner.  We were so overwhelmed with the inspiring submissions that we couldn’t narrow down our choice to a single face of FNL. Which means that we have decided to have not one, but two faces of FNL!!

We are so happy to welcome Kristy and Kim to be our two faces of FNL! We are looking forward to helping you both achieve your health and nutrition goals over this next year!

Meet Kim & Kristy – our two inspiring faces of FNL.

Kim is a stay at home mother of two. She started following a plant based diet about 3 years ago.  Kim’s plant based diet has been leaving her unsatisfied, and without energy. Kim is hoping that upon participating in the FNL program, she will learn how to eat a more balanced plant-based diet. She hopes to finally reach a healthy and maintainable weight, achieve her fitness goals, and be a great role model to her children and family. Check out Kim’s inspiring story!

Kristy is an actress, and writer. In the past 3 years she has started following a plant-based diet, given up her microwave (too many toxins!) and started practicing yoga. Kristy has been battling with her sweet tooth, and has been struggling to eat healthy on a budget.  Kristy’s goals for FNL is to help her conquer these battles, along with incorporating more exercise in her daily routine, and being more aware of nutritious, whole foods. Check out Kristy’s motivating story!

We are so looking forward to helping Kim and Kristy reach their goals! We will be documenting their transformation throughout this exciting journey including their challenges, improvements, and progress.  Stay tuned for some motivation and inspiration from these two fabulous women!

Yours in good health,

-Marni Wasserman & Team

Keep Your Stems!

When your mum used to say to you “Eat all your veggies!” it was for a good reason. Vegetables are a must that should be included your diet to keep you feeling healthy and fabulous. Not only are vegetables rich in fiber, minerals and vitamins, but for those wanting to look as good as they feel, vegetables are low in calories, excellent energy sources, and help maintain a healthy weight.

That’s why it pains me when I often hear that people throw out the stems, tops and skins of their fruits and veggies. You may not realize it, but they usually carry more nutrients than the fruit or vegetable themselves. If you’re going out of your way already to buy beautiful, fresh, or even local and organic produce, then why waste the most nutritious parts? Unless you are composting – you’re getting rid of essential nutrients that could be benefiting you.

The Stems
Most stems, skins, and even leafy tops to fruits and veggies are loaded with fiber and nutrients. Since the stem is the component that’s rooted in the soil, it contains more substantial vitamins and nutrients. For vegetables such as kale, collards, parsley and swiss chard – don’t get rid of those precious stems!

The Tops
Then there’s the tops. This is for vegetables like beets, carrots, or any other vegetable that sprouts a leaf or anything green. This is indicating that the vegetable is full of vibrancy and nutrients, so don’t just cut them off and toss them into the garbage. They’re very useful and can be a great contribution to your diet.

The Skin
The skin of most fruits and vegetables such as apples, oranges, potatoes, squashes and even kiwi, contain antioxidants, fiber and other health promoting properties.

What can you do with your leftover stems, tops, and skins?
Depending on the type of fruit or vegetable – whether it’s a leafy green or root veggie – there are different uses for them.

Uses and benefits for your stems, tops, and skins

1. Stems make a great the base to a stir-fry.  Add in broccoli and swiss chard stems at the beginning along with your onions and celery. That way they can soften and absorb lots of flavour.
2. Stems make are great for the base for a soup stock (collard stems, kale stems, parsley stems). Let them infuse in your water for an hour or so and then remove. They will leach all of their nutrients into your soup stock.
3. The skins from citrus fruits contain bioflavonoids, which are amazing antioxidants. Use the zest of an orange into a cookie, muffin or yogurt.
4. Put the stems and skins of any fruit and vegetable through your juicer. From collards, kale, broccoli and chard to carrots, beets and apples.
5. Bake your potatoes and squash with the skins on. Potatoes skins have potassium, iron, and vitamin C.
6. Use the tops of beets and stems of swiss chard to make a wonderful and colourful side dish. Beetroot tops are loaded with calcium, magnesium and iron.

Garlicky Green Stem Sautee

3 cloves of garlic
2 large bunches of whole beet root tops and swiss chard
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

How you make it!

1. Fold green leaves in half lengthwise and cut away the leaf from the inner ribs or stem.
2. Chop up the stems into small pieces and set aside.
3. Pile about 5-6 leaves on top of one another, and roll into a tight roll
4. Starting at the top and cutting across the leaves, slice the leaves into needle thin strips.
5. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
6. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds.
7. Add the stems, season with salt and pepper and sauté for 5 minutes or until soft.
8. Add in the green leaves and cook until they are bright green, and are just short of their wilting point.

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The healthier choice this holiday

Originally featured on Chatelaine

Don’t get overwhelmed with too many recipes when it comes to your holiday cooking this year. You may be deciding whether to stick with tradition, or just go with what is easiest and quickest to prepare. Why not go with some simple, healthy options, even if it means breaking a tradition or two? It will not only save you calories and excess fat, but you will have a colourful and balanced dinner on your plate and actually feel great afterward. Here are some ideas on how to sort through each component of your meal and how to choose wisely:

 

Appetizers

Instead of a cheesy dip, devilled eggs, or cheese puffs, serve a warming bowl of split pea soup. Soup makes a great holiday appetizer since it fills you up without giving you too many calories. It is also served warm, which means it will give you time to sip it before you eat too many bacon wrapped bread sticks!

Starch

White mashed potatoes with butter, cream, or milk are a holiday staple, but try making some squash instead this year. There are many varieties available, such as acorn, butternut, buttercup, or even spaghetti squash. All you have to do is cut the squash in half, drizzle it with olive or coconut oil, add a pinch of cinnamon, and bake it for an hour. Squash is delicious alongside any dish, and is naturally sweet with fewer calories and fat than traditional mashed potatoes.

Veggies

Standard dishes like creamed spinach and overcooked veggies coated with cheese sauce have more calories than necessary for one meal. Instead, choose to lightly steam some green beans, Swiss chard, or broccoli. Be sure not to over-steam though, since you want your veggies to be crisp and green! Drizzle them with olive oil and lemon juice and top it all off with chopped almonds or cranberries for a unique flavour.

Main Course

Instead of ham or roast beef, consider leaner and cleaner options like organic free-range turkey breast baked with rosemary and fresh lemon juice. Or go vegetarian and venture into making a lentil loaf or quinoa pilaf.

Dessert

A good alternative to fruitcake, rich puddings, and parfaits is to opt for a homemade gingerbread loaf or cookies made with spelt flour, maple syrup, and applesauce. You will not only save calories but also actually add fibre and nutrients to your dessert tray!

Stuffing

It doesn’t matter whether you have something to stuff or not, because this veggie stuffing recipe tastes great all on its own or on your plate beside some quinoa, squash, or steamed greens.

This delicious recipe will be featured in my Holiday Harvest Class on Thursday! (3 Spots Left – come and join the fun)

Apple Walnut Stuffing

Ingredients:

6 cups firmly-packed diced whole kamut bread

1/2 tablespoons light olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped red onion

1 1/2 cups peeled, diced tart apple (granny smith)

3 bunches scallions, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon each: dried thyme, savory

3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt, more or less to taste

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups apple juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1. Place the diced bread on a baking sheet.
2. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until dry and lightly browned.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the red onion and sauté over medium heat until golden. Add the apple and sauté for another 5 minutes.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the bread cubes with the onion and apple mixture. Add all the remaining ingredients except the apple juice and toss together. Sprinkle in the apple juice slowly while stirring to moisten the ingredients evenly.
5. Transfer the mixture to an oiled shallow 1 1/2-quart baking pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until browned and still slightly moist. Stir once during the baking time. Transfer to a covered serving container.

Marni’s Delicious Knowledge

Who doesn’t love stuffing? Serve this recipe at your holiday meal this year and your guests
will savour every delicious bite. Not sure what to do with leftovers? Toss them in a wrap with fresh
vegetables the next day for a filling, festive lunch or snack.

Treat yourself to some Goop Pops!

Okay I know, I know, it’s just one day and it is a holiday that kids look forward to all year long. I don’t mean to be the gringe of Halloween but there is definitely a way around this holiday and there are things that you can do to “manipulate” and even avoid the sugar surge that will overwhelm your kids tonight.

You may have all your plans in place this year, but maybe I can convince you otherwise. At the very least take some notes and put one of these in place next October!

1. Host your own Halloween party – invite all your kids friends over in costume, make some treats of your own cakes, cookies and put out bowls of “healthy” candy. This way, at least your kids will be sucking on fruit juice as oppose to high fructose corn syrup. Try these natural options for candy: Pure Fun, Yummy Earth, or Surf Sweets. These are all divine and decadent choices and no one will even notice the difference!

2. Have a Halloween cooking class - invite both your kids friends and parents over and make and create some delectable and delicious treats together. Your kids won’t even notice what’s going on outside. Make these gooey chocolate pudding pops! (see below) or make some pea-licious muffins with green pea flour for a green goblin look to your muffins without food colouring! Or let me host a class for you!

3. Reverse trick or treat! Find out what this brilliant concept is all about created by my friend and  eco + business strategist Lisa Borden. Your kids will get the best of both worlds!

4. Take your kids to a youth shelter or rehab center where kids who don’t get the chance to experience Halloween reside. Bring them some homemade muffins or cookies.  This may show your kids that not everyone celebrates Halloween – and maybe they will learn a valuable lesson.

5. If you truly don’t think any of these points are valid and you are still going to trick or treat tonight. Go for it, but what I suggest is that when you return home with your “reusable” bag full of candy pick 5 things that your child absolutely wants to have and give away or dump the rest.

But the absolute best thing you can do for yourself and you family tonight is make these!

 

Cacao Coconut Goop Pops

2 cups *coconut custard (recipe below)
1/4 cup Navitas Naturals cacao powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla bean powder

1. Blend coconut custard, cacao, maple syrup and vanilla in high speed blender for 2 minutes. Then pour evenly into ONYX stainless steel Popsicle tray (an incredible kitchen gadget, no plastic, no mess)

2. Place into freezer for 2-4 hours.

3. Place under running water for 30 seconds, twist and pull your goop pop out!

4. Lick and enjoy!

Sprinkle with cacao nibs, coconut, goji berries

Coconut Custard

3 ½ cups coconut milk
2 tablespoons agar flakes
½ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon kuzu
½ cup water
2 tablespoons maple crystals/sugar

1. Bring coconut milk and agar to a boil in heavy saucepan. Simmer, covered for about 5 minutes
or until the agar is completely dissolved.
2. Add maple syrup and stir until well mixed
3. Dissolve kuzu in water until there are no lumps. Add coconut milk mixture and simmer until
thickened.
4. Oil a large glass dish and sprinkle with maple crystals if desired.
5. Pour coconut milk mixture into dish and refrigerate for 30+ min and serve.

Best Halloween Ever!

What do you think…are you going to try one of these options this year or next?

Or make these divine cacao pops?

What’s your favourite thing to make on halloween?

What can you do to make your Halloween fun and healthy this year?

Tweet : I am going to make @marniwasserman cacao goop pops – they look delicious! #cacao #treat #halloween

Crazy for Coco… nut Oil!

As one of my 11 Kitchen Cupboard Staples, coconut oil has so many different uses around my house.  Here are 10 reasons why you should keep it in your kitchen… and your bathroom!

1. It can be put into smoothies for awesome energy both pre and post workout.  For example, I use it in my delicious chocolate super smoothie
2. It can be spread on sprouted toast or used anywhere butter would be used in baking.  Put it in a muffin recipe, like this one (perfect timing for these ones!)
3. It can be heated at a high temperature for stir frying, baking, broiling.. and it won’t destroy its nutrients.  It’s great for making pad thai, or baking yam fries (see recipe below)
4. It’s very shelf stable.  As long as it’s sealed tight, it will stay in the cupboard or fridge for over a year.  Keep in mind if it’s in the fridge, it will be solid and will need about 30 minutes to soften.  Don’t worry about this though, it can go from liquid to solid continuously and still won’t go rancid
5. It’s great in raw recipes, pies, cakes, and triple-coconut chocolate chip cookie sandwiches
6. It can be used as a moisturizer on chapped skin and lips, cracks in feet and hands, elbows, or use post-shaving for some seriously smooth legs!
7. Use in your hair and scalp treatments.  It’s super nourishing and fantastic for split ends.  For more green beauty advice, check out this post
8. Great face moisturizer, it prevents wrinkles, and it’s great for acne and eczema
9. Use it as an after-sun soother, on burns, dry and dehydrated skin.  It has a mild natural SPF, great for day to day use! (It is not a sunscreen, but it does help)
10. My new favourite: it’s the best makeup remover ever.  It takes everything off in one or two wipes, and nourishes your delicate eye area

These are just the external benefits…to find out more on how coconut oil helps your internally read this!

If you’re new to using coconut oil, try this easy yam fry recipe and let me know what you think! (I promise your fries won’t taste like coconut )

Garlic Oregano Yam Fries

2-4 medium yams or sweet potatoes

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2-4 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 1/2 tablespoon dried basil

1 tsp dried rosemary

Sea salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Cut yams into wedges or chunks.  In a bowl, combine the garlic, pumpkin seeds, oregano, coconut oil, basil and sea salt
2. Add the yams, stirring with your hands to make sure all of the pieces are covered with the mixture
3. Spread the yams on a baking tray lightly oiled with coconut oil.  Bake for about 35 minutes, or if you prefer them crispier, leave in oven for an extra 10 minutes

Yams are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates – providing your body with long lasting energy.  These delicious “fries” taste amazing on their own or in combination with a salad, veggie burger or quinoa.  Remember, don’t peel away the skin if they are organic; the skin is loaded with fiber and other nutrients!

You can get more delicious knowledge by checking out Marni’s Cleansing with Superfoods e-book, available here: http://www.marniwasserman.com/ebooks/

What do you want to read?

It’s your turn to have a say! I am giving you, my “Fully Nourished” reader the opportunity to give me some ideas for my article content. There are a plethora of things to write about, I have ideas all the time, things I want to say, discuss, share. But it is also good for me to know what you want to read about, learn or discover. Maybe you have a burning question or an in nutrition, health or food that you want explained. Maybe it’s a recipe to test – really whatever you want!

Right now there are quite a few different avenues that I am writing for: My Blog, Chatelaine Magazine, on Bamboo Magazine and Tonic Toronto Magazine. As you can see there are a few different places for me to feature some of your ideas for content. So speak up and share!

I would love to hear what you want to read about!

Please take some time and give me your ideas:

 

What kinds of recipes would you like me to test out, demo, show you?

What kind of content for articles would you like to read about?

Is it a nutrition related, food related, a specific question or trend?

You can get more delicious knowledge by checking out Marni’s e-books, available here: http://www.marniwasserman.com/ebooks/

 

Share your thoughts right here and I will do my best to get through as many of your ideas as possible!

My Delicious Nutritionists

Photography by Tara Noelle

I have had the honour and pleasure of teaching a group of fine, fabulous, healthy, energetic ladies a series of cooking classes. Most of them are former nutrition students, who never had the benefit of taking any practical cooking courses as part of their holistic nutrition program. So they  requested an private 8-week private cooking series, custom make just for them. The classes started in the fall and the last one is schedule for the end of march- I am sad to say good-bye.

It was last year in Februray when I was fortunate enough to meet a few of them at a priave class that I held on behalf of the Holistic Cooking Academy, then I was lucky again to have them + more their friends join my Spring Detox Retreat in Collingwood. This incredible weekend together set the foundation for some amazing bonds and a platform to express our common interests.

There are still spots left in my Raw Detox Retreat this spring!

Then come fall we started their very own private cooking series. They were keen, interested and intrigued to learn more about healtha nd nutrition. Most of them, being nutritionist are already well immersed in the world of holistic health and cooking, but just wanted to take their knowledge a little bit further…and that is where I came in!

We set out with several classes at one of the ladies, Susan Schroeter’s Lean on Me nutrition studio in Oakville. She has an incredible private kitchen cooking space that was very accommodating to our classes. Not to mention it is steps away from Organic Garage – so if I was ever in need of an extra lemon, or more quinoa, there it was! Then the last few classes have been held in my home, as we started to cover more complex and involved winter warming recipes that required more than one oven and a few gas burners.

I has been so amazing to work with a great group of ladies that live and breath health just as much as me,  they have all taught me so much. They are all experts in the field of nutrition with their own focus and are extremely passionate and dedicated to a holistic, natural and a healthy way of life. It is so much fun to be able to teach and connect with others that are like-minded and have a similar path in life!

 

Here’s a glance of what our 8 – week itinerary looked like:

Week 1: Raw Foods and Sprouting – nori rolls, sweet heart cookies etc…

Week 2: Sea Veggies and Asian Flavours – baked “tuna” casserole, tempeh stir fry etc…

Week 3: Healthy Sweets and Gluten Free Desserts – pea licious muffins, carrot ginger muffins etc…

Week 4: Exploring Whole Grains – warm farro salad, wild rice salad etc…

Week 5: Heart Health Recipes and Balanced Blood Sugar – baked cinnamon apples etc…

Week 6: Indian Flavours and Healing Spices – Cozy Chai Latte etc…

Week 7: Winter Warming Comfort Foods – Mac n Cheeze etc…

Week 8: Breakfasts and brunch foods: Granola etc…

 

Here are some pictures of the ladies in action, unfortunately not all of them were at this particular class Warming Comforting Veggie Meals – but we have 5 of 7!

 

Lovable Laurie chopping squash.

Thorough Susan..pulsing those beans!

Careful Anne, making those onions perfect!

Beautiful Sam, delicately adding water.

Joyous Jessica, peeling yams.

Thank you ladies, you have made my life and my knowledge that much richer – and I will miss our fun cooking sessions together!

Muskoka Cooking Fun – Get on the right path at Wellpath!

I am honoured to be part of the Wellpath Team.  They are a thriving and successful wellness clinic that is based here in Toronto. Their philosophy is rooted in holistic health with naturopathic medicine being at the very core. With prevention as the key and driving force, they are also all about lifestyle. Which of course includes, exercise, nutrition and everyday activity! I met with Richard porter back in February, and there was a plan to open up a location in Northern Ontario in Port Carling. He was immediately keen to ask me to re create my delicious classes in this new facility. I was more than excited to take this on. Who wouldn’t want the opportunity to go up north (especially when you don’t have a cottage!) and teach about eating local, fresh and organic foods? So if I love teaching these classes, then people must love attending them! Which they do. So far we have had two successful classes. The first one was our launch – where we focused on summer fresh recipes. Things that local cottagers and dwellers of Port Carling could easily make throughout the summer. We had a combination of delicious and fresh dishes like collards wraps, wild rice, white bean dip, sauteed garden greens and of course my yummy chocolate avocado pudding recipe for dessert!

Rolling up Zesty Mango Collard Wraps!

Prepping the Citrus Wild Rice

Then in last week’s class our theme was garden fresh Italian. which is always a favourite. Lots of yummy garden greens – from my garden, fresh herbs and other local produce. It was a hit! We made a yummy spelt goat cheese pizza, pesto pasta with white beans, a vegetable tomato sauce and raspberry sorbet for dessert.

Spelt Pizza Crust in the Making!

Raw Raspberry Sorbet with Cacao and Mint

Both classes were a success and I am looking forward to the other ones that are planned for the rest of the summer. New dates for the fall and winter will be posted shortly. We will be taking the fun back here in Toronto as well. Hope you can make it out! If you are interested in participating – please contact the Wellpath Clinic Directly!

Me, Richard and Chelsey!

Cooking With Stella!

I am having another CONTEST! For those of you that live in Toronto – there is a screening of a film called Cooking With Stella coming up in March and I need to get rid of these tickets fast!

Click on Image to view the trailer.

“A warmhearted social satire about a Canadian diplomat (Lisa Ray) and her chef husband Michael (Don McKellar) who are posted to New Delhi. Upon arrival they inherit a household of Indian servants headed by the charming, totally inspiring — and wily — cook Stella (Seema Biswas). When Stella agrees to become Michael`s cooking guru, to teach him traditional Indian dishes, little does he know that she`s cooking up a scheme of her own.”

The screening is on Thursday March 11th at 7 pm.

I have 7 tickets for two to go and see the film. If you are available and interested please let me know!

The first 7 to respond will be the lucky winners!

Please leave a fun comment of why you want to go and your email address so that I can contact you easily!

Also if you are not currently following me on Twitter – start now!

And become a Fan of Delicious Knowledge while you are at it!

And if you have a blog – mention this blog and this contest and film!

Have fun – and good luck!

Thank You Mongrel Media for bringing this film to theaters!

The Full Package

We all go out to eat and are often coming home with leftovers in a take-out package. Or we devote our daily lunch to a pick up spot on the go – which again creates another package. Then we pack our kids and spouses with a meal for school or work, again more packaging. What do these all have in common other than crinkly paper, cardboard boxes, and plastic? Garbage! Lots and lots of garbage – which doesn’t just magically disappear when it goes into a trash can or when it is picked up weekly. It goes to landfills emitting toxic gases and then seep into our lakes, sewers and rivers and most likely will end right back up into your food. (I will save that for another time) in the meantime check out Garbage Revolution.

Why not get the full package? Become conscious about the environment and your health all in one? You have a choice to make everyday when it comes to food. Where you want to get it from, how you take it home, pack it and store it.  You can buy re-usable bags like RuMe, use Pyrex glass dishes and Greentainers for storage, or pack lunch up in a Laptop Lunchbox (these aren’t just for kids!). This also goes for beverages too – get yourself equipped with a Kleen Kanteen (for hot or cold) and you will be set. It is important for everyone to learn how to “Eat Outside of the Box” (please read this resource for more information, tips and a great ECO product guide).

The other part of the plan is to take the initiative and avoid eating out all together.  This is where preparing meals at home becomes the most important thing that you can do for your health and the environment. If you want to broaden your cooking skills, get new ideas, recipes or tips…then come to one of my  Fully Nourished Cooking Class or take a workshop with me and learn how to pack a litter-less lunch or plan for weekday meals and how to store them properly. There are many solutions to these common problems and it is much simpler than you think.

I also want to add that Michael Pollan has just introduced a new book called Food Rules which will also give you some vital tips on how to get reconnected with your food choices. These tips will not only benefit your health, but also your wallet, the environment and the planet – some of my favourites are:

#16 Buy your snacks at the farmer’s market. (you are less likely to get packaging there or you can bring your own to put them in!)

# 39 Eat all the junk food you want as long as your cook it yourself. (You will save yourself calories, money and packaging!)

# 20 It’s not food if it arrived through the window of your car (no comment required)

Once you put all of these ideas together you will get the full package for health and wellness – while keeping the packaging off of your food!

Be proactive become part of the Campaign to Take OUT With OUT and make a difference!

What’s In the Box (above): Lunch can be as simple as this!

Kamut bread with almond butter, organic (no sugar added) raspberry jam

Goji, raisin, almond, cacao, pumpkin seed trail mix

Oranges, carrots and cucumbers.

Wholesome, Simple & Delicious

Now you tell me… what is your favourite litter-less lunch to pack? Or give my readers some tips on how YOU can reduce  excess take-out packaging.

Thanks for your support!

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