Kim’s 1st Consultation with Marni

Our Face of FNL, Kim Thompson, shares how the first month of her fully nourished lifestyle transformation is going. She also reveals a few very helpful tips that Marni shared with her, such as taking baby steps and not focusing too much on what the scale says, just how she feels and mentioned her few goals. Her mindset is a great one and we’re looking forward to seeing her reach her goals. Kim is off to a great start!

Meeting with Marni and Muffins (Oh My!)

Is anyone else breathing a sigh of relief at the end of the holiday season?  Don’t get me wrong.  I love the magic of the season…the way people seem to behave with a little more kindness…the celebrations with family and close friends.  But oh, the food.  Does the term “food hangover” resonate with anyone out there?  I’m so excited for this clean slate that is January, and the opportunity to begin working with Marni and her team in earnest.

I had my first consultation with Marni the second week of December.  We had a great chat about “baby steps”.  I love that her approach was not to have me jump on a scale right away.  In fact her advice was to stay away from the scale and trust that the changes we’ll be making this year will naturally result in the loss of weight and inches I’m looking for.  After a lifetime of yo-yo dieting and obsessing over the scale, this approach is radical, and somewhat scary.  But I’m game to try.

So, what steps have I taken so far?  Well, the first month was about getting through the holiday season unscathed.  I liked Marni’s post about not trying to lose weight over the holidays, but rather focusing on maintaining.  So, instead of trying to take a lot out of my diet at the busiest time of year, I concentrated on adding more of the good stuff in.  Adding chia seeds to my morning smoothie and beans to soups to make them more filling and higher in protein.  Adding goji berries and walnuts to my oats for their superfood qualities.  Adding an afternoon snack with some nut butter or hummus to keep my hunger in check.  And adding water throughout the day.

Oh, and on behalf of my husband and two children (one of whom is the world’s fussiest eater…) thank-you for the Banana Spelt muffin recipe.   I chose the chocolate chip version for my first attempt, and as you can see from the photo, they came out beautifully!  They were a huge hit in the lunch bags yesterday, and replaced the usual processed and packaged granola bars I typically pack for the kids’ afternoon snack.

Now that I’ve gotten more of the good foods in, I’m ready to start getting more of the nasty ones out.  For the next couple of weeks I’m going to start working on reducing my caffeine and sugar, and doing more cooking.  I’m determined to try at least one new whole foods recipe each week to start making this journey as delicious as possible.  I’ll keep you posted!

Take care, and Happy New Year!

Week 3 of My Veggie Challenge

I’m almost completing week 3 of my veggie challenge. It’s going really well – I’ve only been tempted to have chocolate a few times but know that there are other delicious alternatives like the cocoa powerballs that my friend made! I’m really trying to be conscious of not just practicing a vegetarian diet but ensuring that I follow a nutritious diet consuming only whole and natural foods.  It is going well so far (minus my cheat night on Saturday night – my friend brought me Ferrero Rochers – my favourite chocolates – for a house warming gift… how could I have resisted!).

I went to my first cooking class taught by Marni the other week. It was a great class and I learned about all of the plant-based foods that contain high sources of calcium. I don’t drink cow’s milk anymore (although occasionally I have Greek yogurt, goat’s cheese and ice cream) mostly because I don’t really like the taste or idea of cow’s milk. But after attending class with Marni, I am now aware that veggies certainly provide more than enough calcium for a balanced diet.

The leafy greens that everyone says are so good for you actually are, so listen to your Mom and Doctor when they tell you to eat them! They contain good amounts of antioxidants, vitamins such as Beta-carotene, Vitamin C, or folic acid, as well as abundant amounts of minerals such as magnesium and calcium, both essential for bones, muscles, and heart health. They are also rich in cholorophyll (indicated by their dark green colour), an important phytochemical (plant chemical) that aids in detoxification.

If you’re looking to add plant-based calcium to your diet you can eat lots of greens including spinach, collards, kale, beet root tops, arame (a sea veggie) and bok choy. Other great sources of calcium can come from carob, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, almonds, figs, oranges, and sunflower seeds.

Marni’s calciYUM class incorporated foods rich in calcium and we had a great group. Everyone partook in making delicious dishes including miso sesame crusted tempeh, broccoli quinoa pilaf, citrus salad, almond spinach patties, and roasted root veggies. My favourite dish was the carob-fig bars (thanks to my sweet tooth). Cutting out sweets is definitely the most challenging part of eating nutritiously but luckily we had a delicious and nutritious alternative  for dessert which were just as satisfying as Ferrero Rochers!

I am looking forward to my next cooking class with Marni this week! I’ll be attending Gourmet and Gluten Free and will be sure to share more tips and takeaways that I learn!

xoxo,
Joelle

Nature’s Sports Drink & Hangover Remedy

Can we say enough good things about coconut water? If you’re a follower of this blog, then you’ve read our internet version of ‘singing praises’ to the stuff. As you saw in the title, this drink has multiple uses. Sometimes we can get a little carried away on these warm summer nights, back yard parties, and veggie-q’s (yes, that’s how we refer to barbeque parties here in the office!) and we end up feeling like coconuts are knocking us on the head. You may have guessed that I’m talking about hangovers – the lovely dehydrated state of regret that we sometimes find ourselves in. Instead of reaching for the ibuprofen, why not grab a glass of nourishing, electrolyte rich coconut water that hydrates your body? Coconut water is fat free, naturally sweet, and loaded with essential minerals (or electrolytes) such as potassium and sodium that help re-balance our electrolyte levels and make for a fully charged you! Coconut water is especially good for dehydration. Since alcohol robs our body of water, replenishing with coconut water is the perfect solution.

As mentioned before, coconut water also makes an excellent sports drink for the same reasons listed above. When we exercise we end up using our electrolytes and water, and drinking coconut water is a perfect way to replenish yourself to optimal functioning.

Coconut water has many other beneficial properties outside of being a hangover remedy. In fact, drinking coconut water regularly encourages bowel movements, boosts immune function, helps to prevent bacterial and viral infections, and helps our thermoregulation during the warmer months as it keeps the body cool.

Living in Canada, which is clearly not tropical, it can be hard to access fresh coconuts year round, so we recommend trying Coco water, which can be purchased at Shopper’s Drug Mart starting on July 26th. Coco the natural drink has no additives and is the closest thing you can get to drinking straight from a coconut. Also, try drinking through a glass straw if you’re going to sip from a coconut directly to avoid any toxins that come from cheap plastic.

So go ahead, indulge in some coconut water – it’s ever so good for you!

Coconut Refresher

• 2 cups coconut water (Coco the drink)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp ginger juice (from freshly grated ginger)
• 1 tsp coconut nectar

Stir together in a tall glass and sip with a glass straw!

 

Refreshing, Summer Drinks!

Hot summer days beg for cool and refreshing drinks. They just go hand in hand. And when the sun is beaming, it’s vital that you’re properly hydrated. Sometimes you actually don’t even realize you’re thirsty until a big glass pitcher filled with water and lemon is put in front of you.

But this is not always the choice people make to quench their thirst. Unfortunately, juices, sodas, lattes and other
high sugared, empty calorie drinks filled with artificial flavors, and even aspartame, are just too readily available.

If you want to curb this completely, get a hold of a just a few simple ingredients to make your own homemade summer refreshments.

Here are a few reasons why:

• They are refreshing, easy and can be kept in your fridge
• They will be full of natural ingredients and flavors (choose from either steeping some herbal tea and chilling it, adding mint, lemon, honey, or ginger)
• Fruits such as oranges, lemons and limes slices added to water make an amazingly simple drink. You can even put this into your water bottle for when you are on the go.

Here is what to avoid and how to change things up!

• Colors from sports drinks or juices. They are full of artificial dyes and other preservatives. Instead choose drinks that are 100% natural from fruit or use your own fruit juices or purees!
• Fizzy beverages such as sodas. Not only are they filled with calories and syrups, but they can actually dehydrate you. Choose filtered, flat or spring water instead and add in mint or ginger for something refreshing and different.
• Added sugars (such as glucose, fructose, corn syrup) which just means added empty calories! Use natural sweeteners if necessary such as honey, maple syrup or from fruit.
• Cream or milk based beverages are loaded with fat and often sugar. If you are feeling like something thick and creamy, make a smoothie or have one made with pure ingredients.

It’s easy to avoid unnecessary sugars, fats, and chemicals – it just takes a little planning.  Check out this refreshing recipe for Pink Ginger Lemonade to keep you feeling fresh and cool!

Pink Ginger Lemonade

What You Need:

• 2 tbsp fresh raspberries or strawberries
• 2 cups water
• ½ tsp ginger, minced
• 1 lemon freshly squeezed
• Pinch sea salt
• 1 tbsp raw honey

How It’s Made:

1. Soak berries for 4-8 hours in 2 cups of pure or filtered water (with ginger)
2. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth.
3. Enjoy!

Need a little help in creating fresh summer drinks, or just want to learn the benefits of new delicious recipes? Then, quench your thirst with me this July!

 

 

The Backyard Party Essentials

Procedure:

1. Bring 3 cups water to boil. Add rinsed quinoa and cook on medium for 15 min.

2. Drain, rinse with cold water. Spread out on a plate to dry the grains. Then place into a bowl and combine with chickpeas, onions, tomatoes, cucumber, spinach, parsley and mint.

3. Mix dressing and toss into the quinoa mixture, and gently stir from the bottom up.

Who Doesn’t Love Frozen Desserts?

It’s the time of year again where I’m noticing shorts, sunglasses, and the smell of sunscreen in the air- it must be summer!

It’s probably safe to say that summer is the favorite time of year for most of us. It means swimming, sun tanning, not having to bundle up in layers of clothing to go outside, and most importantly – cold treats! This week on the blog we’re going to look at summer treat options: vegan style!

The sound of your neighborhood’s ice cream truck likely floods you with childhood memories of sticky, sweet, cold goodies. Most of those treats however, are loaded with highly processed sugars, syrups, dairy products, and even fillers containing gluten which aren’t really that great for you. The good news is that there are plenty of alternatives that actually provide your body with some nutrients.

To start with, let’s look at some dairy alternatives so that you can still enjoy cold creamy treats without the nasty side effects of consuming cow’s milk*.

Ice cream can be made with any milk alternative, but we highly recommend coconut or other nut milks given their creamy consistency. Using a dairy alternative as a base, you can add any flavor you like and completely customize your ice cream. Try chocolate chips, nut butters, fruits, cocoa powder, or even just honey. Check out the bottom of the page for a delicious ice cream recipe!

It’s a common misconception that you need an ice cream maker to make your own ice cream. Whereas having an ice cream maker might make the process a little easier, it’s not too difficult to do without one – it just takes a bit more dedication! Once you have mixed your ingredients together, put them in a freezer safe bowl and place your mixture in the freezer. Every hour the mixture needs to be stirred so that it freezes into a fluffier, more ice cream like consistency. An ice cream maker simply does the mixing for you. You can also pour your ice cream mixture into popsicle molds for delicious healthy popsicles!

You can also try making a sorbet, which is super simple and tasty, consisting of only three ingredients: fruit, sweetener (honey, agave, rice syrup), and lime juice. This can also be frozen into popsicle form. Again, compile your ingredients, blend, and freeze! It’s that easy.

I fully sympathize with not having the time to make frozen goodies yourself, so if you’re at the store and looking for something cold and nutritious, what should you choose?

We highly recommend Luna and Larry’s Coconut Bliss coconut ice cream. It’s free of major food allergens (although this varies slightly with different flavors) including dairy, soy, and sugar, yet it’s creamy and tastes amazing. Coconut Bliss can be purchased at most health food grocery stores. Luna and Larry’s also makes ice cream bars if you’re looking for something to enjoy on the run.

So there you have it- 3 alternatives to unhealthy summer treats that do not involve processed sugar or dairy ingredients!

As promised above, check out this delicious recipe below for coconut mango ice cream!

*What’s wrong with consuming cow’s milk? A few things come to mind: it has high artificial hormone and antibiotic levels, it can suppress your immune system, and it makes the body acidic. This is a big topic and will be explored in detail in another blog post soon, we promise!

Tell us your favorite summer treat and you’ll be entered to will a coupon for a free tub of Luna and Larry’s Coconut Bliss ice cream!

Coconut Mango “Ice Cream”

What’s In It?

• 3 cans of organic coconut milk
• 3⁄4 cup maple syrup
• 1⁄4 cup rice syrup
• 2 tablespoons grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 4 cups of chopped mango

How It’s Made

1. Combine coconut milk, maple syrup, rice syrup, ginger, mangoes, vanilla extract and salt in blender. Process mixture until well blended. Pour into large mixing bowl.

2. Pour mixture into ice cream machine or food processor and turn on, occasionally scraping sides of bowl, until creamy and somewhat firm.

This non-dairy ice cream is a treat suitable for any and all types. With no sugar, preservatives, or colours, it allows the natural exotic flavours of mango and coconut milk to come out.

Bursting for Blueberries

Nearly at their seasonal prime, blueberries will be bursting their blue richness on Canadian soil over the coming weeks. If there were one berry to be consuming on a regular basis, it would be the blueberry. Blueberries are ranked among the top superfood fruits and vegetables for their antioxidant activity. Not only that but they are loaded with vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients that make them even more delightful to consume.

If you don’t already have enough reasons why you should be consuming these blue gems…here’s a few more.

5 Benefits of eating blueberries

1. Blueberries are a source of the antioxidant ellagic acid which blocks metabolic pathways that can lead to cancer
2. Blueberry skins contain resveratrol – which has proven to have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and blood sugar lowering properties
3.  Blueberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, E and fiber.
4. They are only 81 calories per cup!
5. They’re a cool and refreshing fruit perfect for hot summer days!

5 Uses for Blueberries

1. Combine them in a fruit salad with other berries
2. Blend them into a smoothie for liquid nutrition
3. Bake them into muffins or pancakes
4. Eat them fresh right out of the container
5. Make a blueberry pie!

Wild Blueberry Tart

Pie crust:

• 1 cup almonds, roasted and cooled
• 3/4-1 cup oat flour
• 2 tbsp maple crystals or organic sugar
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of sea salt
• 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Filling:

• 2 tbsp agar flakes (natural form of gelatin)
• 1 3/4 cup apple juice
• 2 tbsp tapioca (or cornstarch) dissolved in 1/4 cup apple juice
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• Sea salt
• 2 cups fresh wild blueberries, washed and drained

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Oil a 9” tart pan.

For the Crust:

1. In food processor, grind nuts to a meal. In mixing bowl, combine nuts, flour, maple crystals, baking powder and salt.
2. In separate small bowl, whisk together oil and maple syrup.
3. Mix wet ingredients (oil and syrup) into dry ingredients (nut meal and flours).
4. Press crust mixture into tart pan. Refrigerate 15-20 minutes, then bake 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely.

For the filling

1. In a small pot, simmer agar flakes in apple juice until agar completely dissolves. When agar dissolves, add tapioca/juice mixture. Whisk until mixture thickens. Add maple syrup.
2. Add pinch of salt and berries. Cook 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and let mixture cool partially. Pour into cooled crust pan.
3. Let set completely. Garnish with mint before serving. There may be a small amount of filling left, you can enjoy as a pudding by blending in food processor.

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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Spring Cleaning Isn’t Just for Your Home

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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/

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