Accommodating One Family’s Many Diets

Kim, our Face of FNLer, is now able to accommodate her family’s different tastes and diets down to a “T”. Kim eats a plant-based diet while her children and husband do not. Kim shares some tips on how she balances making predominantly plant-based meals with the inclusion of a few “meat nights” that everyone enjoys.

At this stage in my life, I consider myself vegan.  Do I quiz the waitress about whether or not my salad dressing has honey in it, or if there is egg in that veggie burger?  No.  So I know I’m not perfect.  But for the most part, I avoid animal products in all areas of my life.  I was not always this way.  For the first 39 years of my life I ate the “standard” diet.  But a particularly bad stretch of poor health sent me searching for a change.  That is when I decided to give plant based eating a try; a particularly tricky feat considering that my husband, children, family and friends do not share my way of eating.  So, what does this mean for making healthy meals for my family?

This is a tricky topic for me.  I tend to go back and forth on it.  Some days I want to cut all the animal products and processed foods out of our lives completely.  And as the Mom, I know that my kids’ nutrition is primarily my responsibility.  However, my husband is their parent too, and while supportive of my choices, he has not chosen to take this journey with me. My solution so far is to strive for balance and moderation.  So what does that translate to at meal times?  Well, I would say about 3 nights a week, we all eat a vegan supper.  Veggies stir fried over brown rice, whole grain or rice pastas with Italian or Thai inspired sauces, soups, chili, stews and salads are the most common.  And I can honestly say that my husband and daughter really enjoy these meals.  My 6-year old fussy son is another story.  Other nights, I still make a vegan side (which I eat as my main), and I prepare an animal protein to go with it for the other members of the family.  Any baking I do now is vegan, and I have replaced dairy milk with almond in cooking and smoothies for everyone.  So, I have not converted them to my way of eating, but I have greatly reduced the animal products they consume.

April being Earth month also has me thinking about the ways in which our eating habits effect the environment.  Again, there is room for improvement.  But some of the things that we do to reduce our footprint include:

• Eating fewer animal products (veg proteins take far less water to produce and create far less pollution than their animal counterparts)
• Shopping for produce at the local farmer’s market from May to October.
• Baking lunch box snacks (like Marni’s Blueberry Banana Spelt muffins!), thereby purchasing less packaged goods.
• Packing drinks in reusable metal water bottles.
• Using more Tupperware and less plastic wrap.
• Walking to school instead of driving when the weather is nice.
• And most obviously, recycling.

How do you strive to keep yourselves, your family and your planet healthy? We would love to hear your tips and tricks.

5 Ways to Lighten Up!

My favourite way to welcome spring is to lighten up my eating habits. As the weather gets warmer, as more local vegetables become available and as I spend more time outside, I crave lighter, colder, more refreshing meals. Instead of the soups, stews and grains that warmed me in the winter, opt for more green leafy vegetables, salads, smoothies, raw soups and juices. This not only results in simpler meals to prepare but I also feel lighter, more rejuvenated and more energized!

Here are 5 key ways to lighten up your meals this spring:

1. Start adding more salads to your diet. Whether for lunch or dinner, grab a big bowl and fill it up with fresh local greens. Salads help eliminate toxins, increase energy and provide a balance to your body. Learn how to naturally balance your body at Acid/Alkaline Balance on June 20th.
2. Drink your dinner. This isn’t ideal all the time. But some nights when I get home and don’t feel like making a meal or eating a heavy dinner, I just pull out my blender and make a yummy blended cold soup (see the deliciously refreshing recipe below).
3. Change the ratios on your plate. This is the easiest way to lighten up while sparing your body extra calories. For example, instead of taking an extra serving of grain, add more veggies, either steamed or fresh. Learn how to give your body a spring cleanse with Marni’s best-selling eBook Cleansing with Superfoods.
4. Use vegetables in place of grains. In the spring, it’s fun finding veggie alternatives to whole grains. For example, grind up cauliflower instead of rice or use kelp and Zucchini noodles for basic dishes or pasta recipes. Top this up with our fave Green Goddess Salad Dressing – we will be making this recipe and more Green recipes at Green Goddess on June 10th!
5. Make juice. This is the easiest way to start lightening up  in the spring. Making a tall glass of vegetable juice is an easy way to load up on nutrients instead of calories. You can learn how to make Super Alkaline Juices at Raw Essentials on June 3rd.

With the days lengthening, reach for foods like green vegetables that will hydrate and refresh you. To start, try this refreshing

Green Avocado Cucumber Soup.

What’s in it:

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped

2 large ripe avocados

½ cup spinach or kale

2 green onions, roughly chopped

2 apples (crisp and tart apples like granny smith)

2-1/2 cups coconut milk or coconut water

2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Parsley for garnish

Optional additions: garlic, ginger, cayenne, dill

How it’s made:

1. In a blender, process all ingredients until smooth. Chill until ready to serve and garnish with fresh herbs.

This article was originally written for Chatelaine.

The “ONE” protein bar I like!

I must admit, I do LOVE Vega products – it’s that simple! And when I heard about Vega’s new Vega One Bars I was keen to try their new creation! Of course I am a fan of making my own homemade protein bars or energy whenever I can. As you may or may not know, there are a lot of “really bad bars” out there that have many low quality and filler ingredients. But Vega knows what they are doing, and their products truly reflect that.

If you haven’t yet been acquainted with this delicious, nutrient dense bar, you’ll definitely want to try one (side note: see how you can score a free box of Vega One bars below). These bars are a power packed snack or meal replacement (if necessary) with all of the essential nutrients needed for optimal energy and nourishment and they are delicious too!

Everything I love about the Vega One Nutritional Shake is now conveniently packaged in the first ever, all-in-one nutrition bar. In addition to making a delicious Vega One Smoothie every morning…

…you can also have the convenience of grabbing and enjoying a Vega One Bar! These are perfect to put in your bag on the go or for traveling.

Each bar has a balanced combination of essential vitamins and minerals and antioxidants and contains:

• 15 grams of complete protein
• 6 grams of fiber
• 1.5 grams of Omega-3
• A full serving of greens
• 1 billion dairy-free probiotics per bar.

The Vega One Bar is gluten free and contains no artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners. It comes in three delicious flavours: Chocolate Almond, Chocolate Cherry and Double Chocolate flavors.

And to top it off, this nutritionally complete, plant-based bar is dipped in chocolate. =)

For a chance to win a box of these delicious bars, tell @NourishedFully and @VegaTeam how this bar will benefit you. Make sure to include the hashtag #VegaOneBar or #1ofaKind. The contest ends on April 17th!

And come sample the Vega One Bar at Weekday Meal Planning on April 15th!

An Ultimate Love for Legumes!

Kim Thompson, one of our Face of FNLers shares her excitement about heart health month and our goal for her of increasing her legume intake this month! She also shares her progress thus far since starting the program and the baby steps that she is successfully achieving on her journey. Way to go Kim!

When I learned that February is heart health month and we that I should be focusing on incorporating more legumes in my diet, I had one problem.  Where to start?  I must say, I had not eaten very many beans in my pre-vegan days.  With the exception of a few kidney beans in my chili, beans and legumes were just not something that I had grown up eating very often.   I’ve read that as you change your eating habits, your tastes change as well.  That must be true for me because in the past three years, I haven’t met a bean I haven’t liked.

My current go-to dishes for a heart-healthy blast of protein include a spicy Indian inspired lentil soup, an Ethiopian lentil stew, homemade hummus, channa masala served over wilted greens, and one of my favourite quickie lunches which is chick peas mashed with avocado, green onion, lime juice  S & P and cilantro spread high on Ezekiel toast.  Yum! I also love Black Bean Burgers. Marni has a great recipe for them and they are really easy too!

Often people ask me about eating out.  How can you possibly find anything to eat?  And yes, it is a bit of a challenge and something I have had to work on.  But beans and legumes are more and more common at both fast food places, and sit down restaurants.  Mucho Burrito has a whole wheat burrito that you can customize with black beans, pinto beans, veggies, salsa, cilantro and guacamole.  While I’m sure it is not all organic ingredients, when it comes to nutrition per calorie it sure beats the heck out of a burger and fries.  And recently I was hunting high and low on a chain restaurant menu for something more interesting than salad.  I spoke with the waitress, and she was happy to accommodate me, having the cook prepare a vegetable curry, replacing the animal protein with a hearty helping of chick peas.  Ask and you shall receive….

On the Fully Nourished Lifestyle journey front, last month I talked about adding in more nutritious items.  This month I was working on taking out some of the nasties.  Am  I there yet?  A resounding NO.  Am I making progress?  Definitely.  A big first step has been cutting my coffee consumption in half so far.  I am still having my morning cuppa, but have replaced my afternoon one with herbal tea.  Baby steps.  This coming month I’m going to try to pull out the juicer from the back of the dark cupboard and see if I can start replacing my morning caffeine jolt with a jolt of fresh green juice instead.  Just typing that here is a bit unnerving, but I’m willing to try.  I heard something really helpful about giving up addictions (and yes, for me coffee is just that…an addiction). In order to maintain your willingness to change, you need to set an intention every day.  You wake up and say to yourself “I am willing to let this go today”.  Don’t worry about tomorrow or next week.  Just focus on today.  I will keep that in mind as I move forward.

Ciao!

Kim

 

Chickpeas — How Romantic & Delicious!

With the help of Marni and the Fully Nourished Lifestyle Program, Kristy LaPointe is hoping to make 2013 her healthiest year yet, and she is excited to be sharing the journey!  She is an actress, comedian and writer based out of Toronto.

In honor of heart-health month, Kristy is sharing with us the legume that holds a very special place in her heart and her favourite ways to prepare it.

Chickpeas For A Healthy, Romantic Heart

Chickpeas (or Garbanzo beans, as my father often insists on calling them) are versatile, healthy, and so delicious. A lot of people are familiar with Hummus, but these magical little beans can be used for so much more. Plain chickpeas are amazing in salads. They can be mushed up into a kind of tuna spread alternative for sandwiches. Falafel. Soups. Salads. The possibilities are endless. One of my favorite things to do with chickpeas is roast them in the oven or fry them in a pan with a small amount of seasoning. These roasted chickpeas make a great snack on their own, or in a salad.

This week I made a nice, fresh salad with a mound of wasabi roasted chickpeas on top, and it was so satisfying! See the recipe below. I’ve also been experimenting with different varieties of hummus, from roasted garlic to lemon to red pepper.

Wasabi Chickpea Salad

 

This month as I continue on my FNL journey, my biggest struggle has been with moderation. I tend to adopt an “all or nothing” attitude when it comes to health. This is great when it’s in full swing, and I’m consuming 4 bowls of Kale and going to yoga every day.

The trouble is, without balance, it’s very hard to sustain a healthy lifestyle. I get burnt out on plain oatmeal for breakfast, and then instead of spicing it up, I want to have a bagel and a cinnamon roll. A lot of my cravings have to do with carbs and sweets, so I’ve been trying to add healthier versions to my meals. The best sweet replacement I’ve come up with this month is frozen bananas. At the beginning of the week I sliced up a bunch of bananas, and separated them into small, freezable containers. Now whenever my sweet tooth strikes, I can go to the freezer and find a delicious, frozen treat. I still have chocolate and baked goods occasionally, but this has definitely helped me cut down.

If you have a great chickpea recipe, we’d love to see it! Leave a comment or tweet at @NourishedFully and @kristylapointe.

Make a Date with Your Heart!

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s time to treat your heart with the utmost love and care it deserves. There’s one easy fix to this and it includes incorporating legumes into your diet. Legumes are one of the most heart-healthy plant-based foods and are packed with nutrients that are essential to your heart-health and every day functioning.

Being very high in protein and one of the best sources of soluble fiber, legumes are a staple in cuisines from all over the world. Legumes are a staple source of protein with moderate caloric intake, making them ideal for any diet.

Here are a few key reasons why we love beans and why they are our favourite heart-healthy ingredient especially during the cold winter months:

• Controls your weight: Beans are high in soluble and insoluble fibre, which slows digestion and makes you feel full longer.
• Great source of fibre & protein: Combining iron-rich beans with good sources of vitamin C increases the body’s ability to absorb the iron.
• High in protein: Legumes are one of the best sources of protein. They are low in cholesterol and have almost no fat.
• Incredibly versatile: Beans are easy to cook and can be used in everything from Indian curry, bean dip, salad, veggie burgers, soup, falafel and hummus, chilis, and many varieties of salads and stews. While some legumes benefit from soaking before cooking, this step is not necessary for lentils and dried peas. It is important to prepare dried beans, as opposed to canned beans, as they are sodium-free. You can use a one-inch piece of Kombu to reduce the gas. But if you’re in a pinch, you can opt for canned beans the occasional time. EDEN brand is all organic, natural and BPA-free.
• Colorful and flavourful varieties: You will never get bored of them because there are so many different types of legumes that you can eat including kidney, black, navy, lentil, chickpea (garbanzo), adzuki, and mung. They vary in color and size, which makes for a creative presentation of your meals.
• Great for digestion and elimination of toxins: Eating beans helps move things along in the digestive tract. The fibre in beans passes through the gastrointestinal tract relatively intact, and speeds up the passage of food and waste through your gut.

Join us this month at a legume-focused cooking class and help cupid look out for your heart by incorporating more beans in your diet!

 

Black Bean Salad with Fresh Mint

What’s in it?

1 cup black beans, soaked* or use Eden canned organic beans

3 cups filtered water (no water needed of canned beans are used)

1 tablespoon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

½-1 teaspoon sea salt

¼ extra virgin olive oil

3 red radishes, small dice

3 scallions, minced

¼ cup parsley, minced

¼ cup fresh mint, minced

How it’s made:

1. Drain soaked beans and rinse well with water. Drain again.
2. Combine beans and water and bring to a boil over high heat. (Alternatively, you can use canned beans but only by EDEN organics)
3. Lower heat and cook for 1-1/2 hours. Drain beans
4. Whisk together the next five wet dressing ingredients and pour over warm beans.
5. When beans have cooled, toss together with vegetables.

Healthy Soup Made Easy

We know that homemade soup is a healthy choice for a meal. It can be filling but low in calories, and all the nutrients from its veggies and protein stay in the broth instead of getting lost in water that will be drained away. But making a homemade broth can be time-consuming, and some days you don’t have time for a dish that you have to watch closely while cooking. So what do you do if you want a soup that’s good for you but also easy to get on the table? Make one with peas.

With both green and yellow varieties to choose from, peas are a wonderful choice for a soup on a cold winter day. Green peas, in particular, have a very distinct flavour and go very nicely with both fresh and dried herbs. The benefit of using dried split peas is that they don’t need to be soaked, like other legumes and beans, but can simply be cooked directly in your soup pot. They need to cook for a good hour or so, but they will eventually break down and blend nicely into your soup.

As for thickening your soups, have you ever considered cauliflower? This healthy vegetable can replace potato, flour, or any other thickener that would typically be used in a soup. Cut up your cauliflower into little florets — they’re a perfect addition to any soup that you are going to blend or purée, and they add a healthy dose of fibre, antioxidants, and vitamin C. Just because it’s white doesn’t mean it lacks nutrients, so make use of this lovely veggie. Cauliflower also makes a great substitute for mashed potatoes!

Looking for more reasons to make a bowl of soup a diet staple this winter?

Six reasons to include more soup in your diet this winter

1. Soup is nourishing, warming, and energizing, making it a perfect choice for a fall lunch or dinner.
2. You can get a great meal all in just one bowl. All you need to do is include grains, veggies, and/or salad with your soup to make a full meal
3. Soup is easily stored in the fridge or freezer, so you can make a big batch and it will last for a few days, weeks, or even months.
4. It’s an easy meal to take on the go. Simply warm your soup up in the morning and pack it in a thermos for a healthy and inexpensive packed lunch.
5. Soup is a comforting, feel-good meal. There is truth to the idea of eating soup to stay healthy — a nourishing bowl of soup can go right to your soul and uplift your spirits, as well as your immune system.
6. Finally, soup can help with controlling weight. Having a low-calorie bowl of soup before a meal can help to make you feel fuller and suppress hunger — you may actually eat less of the more-caloric main dish.

Cauliflower and pea soup
Here you have it, the world’s easiest soup. Well not really, but it is pretty simple and made all in one pot — just warm, purée, and serve!

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups green or yellow split peas
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets — or try 1-2 small sweet potatoes if using yellow peas (to thicken and sweeten)
2 celery stalks, chopped
Pinch of rosemary
Pinch of thyme
Fresh oregano
Pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch of greens (kale, spinach or chard)

Directions:
1. In a large soup pot, put 6 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the split peas, onion, carrots, cauliflower, celery and herbs. Stir and bring to a boil again.

2. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the peas and vegetables are tender, about an hour. If you prefer a creamy soup, transfer half the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Return it to the soup pot and mix well to combine.

3.  Stir in chopped greens of choice into warm soup, to wilt.

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Do you want more nutritious recipes? If so, join Marni on either February  21st for Mediterranean Flare or February 28th for Grain Goodness.  Hope to see you there!

This article was originally posted on Chatelaine.com 

Superfoods for a Super You

It seems like more and more lately we keep hearing about superfoods. The question is, do you know what a superfood is and what qualifies it as a superfood?

What Are Superfoods?

Superfoods are a category of foods found in nature; they are superior sources of essential, super-power nutrients, nutrients we can’t make ourselves.  They are the most powerful foods on the planet, and are powerhouses for the transformation to a slender, healthier you.  If you are what you eat, why not be super?

Where Can I Find Them?

Superfoods can be found everywhere. You are likely using many of them already everyday. Not all superfoods come from exotic places like Costa Rica and Thailand – but many are right here in North America and can be found at your local health food store, grocery store or farmer’s market.

Everyday foods such as kale, quinoa, sweet potatoes, blueberries, and raw honey are amazing superfoods to start with.  If you want to get exotic –  include superfoods such as nori seaweed, cacao, goji berries, maca, Maqui, and mesquite as well.

Superfoods Also Include:

• Raw foods – (food not heated above 48 degrees Celsius or 120 degrees Fahrenheit),
• High enzyme foods - (foods that easily break themselves down are easier on our digestive system, such as mangoes, pineapple, papaya and avocados)
• Organic foods - (foods grown without pesticides, herbicides, and chemicals)
• Fresh, local foods (visit local farmers markets and taste the difference that local foods make!)

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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Don’t tell Mum…And Get Down with Goji Granola!

The sweet smell of granola baking in the oven is enough to make anyone  feel happy and hot! Even better – knowing the ingredients in your granola are wholesome, rich, and pure. My favourite kind of granola is nothing  short of one  that is homemade.  Of course, being the month of February, love is  in the air. That being said, something sweet and chocolaty with a hint of red is definitely in store!  With the  range of goodness offered by Mum’s Originals Superfoods, there’s more than enough goodies to choose from to make this steamy batch of  granola.

With the heart in mind this month (and not only for health) I made sure each    ingredient was picked with total love and care!

 Oats – Oats are rich in fiber and are excellent for reducing cholesterol and  provide long lasting energy (a perfect way to start the day with your Valentine)

Coconut Sugar – Low glycemic, slow burning and just perfectly sweet. You can’t get much better than this!

Goji Berries – Tender, juicy, red and filled with antioxidants, fiber and protein. The perfect boost!

Cacao (aka chocolate) – Need I say more? Magnesium, calcium and the best source of energy, ahem, and a natural aphrodisiac.

Coconut Oil -  Rich, creamy, and sweet, it makes everything taste delicious. It can be used anywhere on your body too! (Hint, hint)

Banana Powder – Did you know that bananas are full of B vitamins? It helps keep those sex hormones alive!

Hemp Seeds – Shaped like hearts, these little guys loaded with heart healthy omega 3′s and fiber

Sea Salt – We all need a little salt in our diet. It makes the sweet sweeter!

Cinnamon – Sweet, delectable, and spicy cinnamon is great for balancing blood sugar and just makes everything taste good. And it adds a little kick when you need it.

Sweet Loving Granola!

What’s in it?

1 cup quick oats
2 tbsp oat flour
1 tbsp banana
2 tbsp coconut sugar
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp roasted hemp seeds
1 tbsp coconut cacao clusters
2 tbsp goji berries
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt

How it’s made!

1. Preheat oven to 300 F.
2. Combine the oats, oat flour, banana, coconut sugar, coconut oil in a bowl and combine until the coconut oil is melted in.
3. Bake in oven for 15 minutes, stirring once part way through. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
4. Place baked oats in a large bowl and combine with hemp seeds, cacao clusters, goji berries, cinnamon and sea salt.

This Goji Granola, filled with natural boosters and energy-infused ingredients, is a flawless way to begin your Valentine’s Day to keep you and your sweetie invigorated and juiced up into the evening. Try it as a surprise Breakfast-in-Bed, and hopefully what follows next is as hot as the granola!

 

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

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