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!

A Lean and Healthy You!

Have you been misled by corporations marketing their food products? Most of us have. And we now mistakenly rely on food labels for an accurate picture of the nutritional value of the foods that we consume. If you want to achieve an overall healthier lifestyle, say goodbye to the following misleading terms:

Carb Free – Depriving your body of carbs, will lead you to be craving sugar sooner or later. Stick to complex carbohydrate sources such as brown rice, sweet potatoes and fruit.

Low Calorie – Consuming too few calories, will leave you feeling weak, tired and ineffective during your workday and your workouts. Not to mention you’ll be grumpy because you will be hungry!

Low Fat – When fat is removed from a diet, usually sugar is added right back in to compensate for the nutrients that your body is craving. This is deceiving because sugar can actually make you fat whereas “good healthy” fats won’t make you fat!

No Sugar – If you think that artificial sweeteners are better options than sugar you are setting yourself up for disaster. Chemical sweeteners like aspartame trick your body into thinking it is getting sugar when it’s not and will actually make you crave sugar. Stay natural and choose natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup and coconut sugar.

Gluten Free – Just because something is labeled gluten free does not mean it is healthy. The gluten-free label is being over used on products that are naturally gluten free (like pickles or apples). For more information on this topic read Marni’s latest article on gluten free living here.

The key to ultimate health will not be achieved by focusing on these claims. Incorporate natural, whole foods in your diet even if they are higher in fat or contain more calories than we have been taught will effect weight loss.  Your body will thrive off of healthy fats and complex carbs. They are needed to achieve a healthy, lean weight.

How can you ditch this unhealthy way of thinking?

First and foremost, most of your food selections should be fresh whole foods – items like vegetables, fruits, legumes and nuts. These should be the focus of your diet. Ignore the nutrition claims including fat, calories, and carbs listed. Your body will thrive off of these foods.

When you do choose processed foods, take all label claims with a grain of salt. Realize they may or may not be true, and base your primary decision on the ingredients list instead. You want to look for foods that have only a few ingredients listed, and they should be items that you recognize. Avoid foods that contain unfamiliar additives, preservatives, and artificial flavors and colors. Always use common sense. A sugary breakfast cereal is not going to be your healthiest choice, even if it claims to be a “low calorie” one on the label.

What is the secret to achieving a healthy weight?

Focus on whole, natural foods. Fuel your body with foods that will help build muscle, speed, and recovery.  Use these tips below to start seeing the healthy, lean results that you want.

1. Boost your veggie intake. Include lots of leafy greens in your salads and smoothies.
2. Drink more water. To add some flavour to your water, add a squeeze of lemon or enjoy a delicious herbal tea.
3. Fill up on soup loaded with veggies. Get some delicious soup recipe inspiration here.
4. Choose complex carbs over refined. A low carbohydrate diet is not the answer either – your body needs carbs in all its forms (except refined ones of course!) along with good quality essential fats and protein! Complex carbs including grains such as quinoa, wheat berries, and more will leave you feeling great with exuberant amounts of energy allowing you to achieve your health and fitness goals.
5. Choose healthy fats over bad fats. Healthy fats include avocados, nuts, and seeds. Bad fats include non-saturated fats contained in chips and highly processed foods.
6. Eat enough protein. Protein is an important nutrient required for the building, maintenance and repair of muscle and tissues in the body.
7. Cut out sugars. Choose fruit instead which contains natural sugars. To curb your sugar craving check out these wholesome desserts that provide nothing but essential, whole foods that your body craves.
8. Focus less on weight and calories and more on eating whole, natural foods.  The health benefits of consuming superfoods will out-weight the number of calories in it.
9. Eat 4-6 meals a day.  This way, your metabolism will always be working and you will avoid devouring your meals if you eat nothing in between each meal.
10. Exercise by doing weight bearing exercise and interval cardio. Take a fitness class or start by doing 15 minutes of cardio a day and slowly build up your endurance each week.

What is the secret to a healthy and lean YOU?

Choose foods that are unprocessed and in their freshest form. They are almost always superior to processed varieties.  When choosing between processed foods, look for those with the most wholesome ingredients possible.

When it comes to making your own recipes, don’t get caught up with calories and fat, just enjoy eating balanced and nourishing meals to keep yourself fueled. I promise this will make a difference!

 

& the Fully Nourished Team!

For recipe inspiration and to learn how to make delicious, satisfying and healthy meals, check out Marni’s upcoming cooking classes here.

Take your health to the next level and join our nourishing lifestyle program. Marni can help you reach your goals one on one!

Gluten Free Living

You are hearing it every where, gluten free this, gluten free that! You may not even really know what it means, but you want to learn more. For many, this is a way of life as so much of the population has been diagnosed with Celiac disease. This very common condition means the body is unable to breakdown the protein gluten, and these individuals must avoid gluten for the rest of their life.  Now this is not a curse, this is actually a wonderful way to live as gluten free eating and living can be fun and innovative.

It’s important to understand that this is not a trend or the latest fad diet, it is a serious way of living and some have no choice. However if you are making the choice to eat this way for health or digestive reasons, I must warn you, there are a lot of claims for gluten free products that may not have even contain gluten to begin with. Then there are gluten free products that are made with processed or poor ingredients like: canola oil, sugar, potato starch, corn starch and other overly processed non-health promoting additives. This is a common mistake that people make when “going gluten free”. They think that anything labelled as gluten free is healthy and safe to eat. There can also be traces of milk, butter or eggs in some of these items which is used to replace to gluten to give them their softness and texture, so if you are vegan, you want to be sure to double check your ingredients list.

Now of course where I come from and my standpoint on gluten free eating, is of course to keep it as natural and wholesome as  you can. You can even make soft moist muffins with out dairy! (See the delicious recipe below) Now, I do not have celiac disease, nor am I intolerant to gluten, but I do choose to eat a gluten free diet most of the time. Eating gluten free means that you are ultimately making it really easy for your body to digest (less bloating) and break down that particular grain. What’s even better; is that most gluten free grains like quinoa, millet, amaranth, and brown rice happen to be really good for you nutritionally as they are loaded with protein, fiber and essential vitamins.

So be mindful, and explore the world of gluten free with these tips in mind. Keep it natural, keep it clean and your belly will not only feel less bloated but you will also get the chance to explore some wonderful new ingredients!

To find out more on gluten free grains and Celiac disease please read this article.

The good news!

There are lots of incredible foods to choose from that are natural and gluten free including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Then of course, you can add some amazing gluten free grains while keeping your meals totally pure and natural. You can get breads, pastas, crackers, cookies and other favourites made from real ingredients that are tasty and wholesome – many of which are vegan and sometimes even nut free. Just be sure to practise label-reading so you can become an amazing gluten-free shopper.

Below is my guide to living an exceptionally delicious gluten free lifestyle whether it’s all of the time or sometimes!

Join me on November 19th for our GOURMET and GLUTEN FREE class. We will be cooking up some incredible dishes like pesto pasta, veggie stir fry, carrot soup, and delicious cookies – all without gluten and full of flavour!

Gluten Free Find – a great resource for all things gluten free, from products, to upcoming events, workshops and so much more!

On November 11th, which happens to be my birthday there will be an incredible Gluten Free Garage event in Toronto taking place at the Wychwood Barns.

Some of my Favourite GF Products

Little Steam Bakery Bread

Food For Life

Mary’s Crackers

Sweets from the Earth

Raw Foodz Dressings

Sun Warrior Protein

Navitas Naturals

Coconut Bliss

Ruth’s Hemp Foods

Sunshine Burger

 

Gluten Free Restaurant & Cafe’s I love (In Toronto)!

Live Food Bar

Belmonte Raw

Tabule

Kind Food

Hibiscus

Fresh

Camros

Loving Hut

The Naked Sprout

Villa

Magic Oven

Please share more restaurants that you love below, whether in Toronto or wherever you live. The more resources we can provide people the better!

 

Now you’ve got to try these Yummy…

Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Chia Muffins

1 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/3 cup applesauce + 1 tbsp ground chia (instead of egg)

1/2 cup rice milk

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 tbsp whole chia seeds

1 honey crisp apple, chopped into cubes

How it’s made:

Preheat oven to 350F

1. Mix brown rice flour, almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon and sea salt in a large bowl

2. In a separate bowl, combine applesauce + chia, rice milk maple syrup, coconut oil, chia seeds and chopped apple and stir together

3. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients until well combined. Spoon the  mixture into a muffin tray.

4. Bake for 15 -20 minutes at 350F.

5. Remove from oven and allow to cool for several minutes.

Makes approximately 8 muffins.

Enjoy!!

A Table at Tabule, Please!

When it comes to dining out, it’s becoming tougher and tougher these days to accommodate everyone’s allergies, intolerance’s, and just overall food preferences.

I like to dine out – but not very often. Weekly occasions, dinner dates, time with friends and family, or when I just need a break from the kitchen – it’s nice to know there are places where my food preferences are taken care of when I’m not eating at home.

Fortunately in Toronto, the options have become better especially, for gluten free and vegan dining.  Restaurants are expanding their menus to accommodate most common dietary preferences, which is just a positive move all around. We are nowhere near close to what Los Angeles and New York have to offer, but we are on our way!

I have some favourite places to dine at in Toronto. There are the veg and health centered restaurants that I dine at with my like-minded foodies and then there are restaurants I go to with those not so inclined to eat the way I do.  It’s great that there are options and that I don’t have to be so limited with my choices when going out for a meal.

One of my favourite go-to’s in Toronto is Tabule Restaurant. It is a quaint Mediterranean spot that features fresh and traditional dishes that will appeal to most palettes.  Who doesn’t love authentic Mediterranean food?

They are especially accommodating to vegans and those who are gluten intolerant by carefully labeling on their menu what is dairy free and gluten free. Their falafel and mujadarra (a rice and lentil dish) are gluten free, and their lentil soup is dairy free. They have just added quinoa to the menu in a Tabule salad. They also make their hummus from scratch, no canned beans here. They use fresh lemon juice and olive oil for their salads.

And even though I won’t be ordering it, it’s nice to know they also use fresh, not frozen fish, and get their chicken from a local Mennonite farm.

The good news is that they are also in the midst of adding more local and organic sources of ingredients to the menu. This will only make their menu more accommodating and robust. But just note: you do not need to be living this lifestyle to enjoy these alternative options. They are just as delicious and you are going to feel amazing after dining there!

For a balanced vegetarian meal, here is what I order. To be shared of course, tapas style!

• Lentil Soup
• Quinoa Tabule
• Hummus
• Falafel Platter with rice (their falafels are wheat free)
• Cauliflower with Tahini
• House Salad

I often bring my own flatbread or pita, which they are more than helpful to warm up for me but I know they are also in the works to have a Gluten Free Pita option in house very soon!

Tabülè Twitter Contest!

Follow us on Twitter and enter to win a $50.00 Gift Card to Tabülè! 

HOW TO ENTER

1) Leave a comment below and do the following on Twitter:

2) Follow @TabuleOnYonge and @marniwasserman on Twitter 

3) Tweet the following message exactly:

“I want to win #TabuleGC! http://bit.ly/LTIm87

4) The lucky winner will be selected by random draw. Good luck to everyone!

To see more of Marni’s fave places to dine in Toronto check out her FAVES page!

 

 

Ode to Brown Rice Syrup

I’ve had a post about Brown Rice Syrup lined up for over a week about my love for it and how it doesn’t get enough attention. Now, in recent news, there has been a fear unleashed that organic brown rice syrup is something to be forbidden! Does this change the way I think about brown rice syrup or organic brown rice? Absolutely not.

Here’s why.

According to recent studies that have been released, it has been concluded that brown rice syrup has “higher levels” trace amounts of arsenic. This could be true – I can’t prove anything against scientific lab tests because I don’t have a lab of my own, but what I can say is that there are no US regulations to support what levels are actually safe to be found in foods. So this leaves the whole question of safety unanswered.

Can I Just Ask…?

A few questions for those quick to point fingers at organic brown rice and its level of arsenic: Where are the reports for arsenic being sprayed onto crops? Where’s the bad press for arsenic being a major source of pesticide across the USA? And what about other daily toxins like PFC’s PCB’s, Phthalates, we’re exposed to daily, but aren’t any regulated (just like arsenic) by major health agencies?

It Goes Without Saying…

As you (obviously) know, I am a huge supporter of the organic food and plant-based lifestyle. Personally, I see this claim of organic brown rice syrup containing high levels of arsenic as a claim against the organic food movement, making brown rice syrup into a big monster of chemical consumption when it really, truly isn’t. Arsenic is sprayed onto crops, soil, and land, it will find its way into our food supply – just like many other pesticides that are sprayed onto our crops and leave traces in our fruits and vegetables.

The culprits the article has highlighted are infant formulas and energy bars. Let me be the first to say that if your child’s main source of nutrition is coming from a soy or fractioned milk protein formula, then we should be really be discussing this as a whole other problem! If you are truly concerned with health and feeding your infant healthy, nourishing ingredients, then being dependent on “processed” formula is really not the way to go.

Then there are energy bars – even some of the ones I eat have brown rice syrup in them. But I don’t eat them every day and I usually make my own with, yes, little brown rice syrup.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with brown rice syrup, keep reading.

What is Brown Rice Syrup?

It is sweetener created from fermented cooked rice. The process involves breaking down the rice starch and cooking the remaining liquid.  The reduced cooking liquid forms a thick consistency. Its nutritional profile consists of only 3 % glucose with the majority of its sugars coming from soluble carbohydrates and maltose.

• Mild sweetness
• Thick syrup consistency
• Brown in colour

Benefits of Brown Rice Syrup

Unlike sugar, brown rice syrup is digested quite slowly. This means our body gets to use its energy over time. Sugar on the other hand get digested quickly, and thus its energy (calories) immediately gets stored as fat.

• Low glycemic
• Controls blood sugar levels
• Gluten Free
• Vegan
• Whole food source

How to use Brown Rice Syrup

Store it in a dry place for up to a year and use 1 1/ 4 cup for every 1 cup of sugar. You can pour into coffee, over oatmeal or pancakes, homemade granola, salad dressings and marinades.

Where to Buy Brown Rice Syrup

At your local grocery or health foods store.

Here’s a testimonial from my intern, Jordana, who made the switch from artificial sweeteners to brown rice syrup over a year ago:

“Sugar and artificial sweetener were two food culprits that I knew were bad for my body but as a coffee drinker I was unwilling to give them up. I just loved the sweetness they provided in my daily cup of coffee. I was thrilled to be introduced to brown rice syrup, as it has literally changed my life! (Though, I was majorly skeptical at first) I have completely stopped using sugar and sweeteners because rice syrup gives the perfect sweetness to coffee and other foods.  I substitute syrup into many recipes, and use it in baking, salad dressings, and marinades.”

Conclusion

Brown rice syrup with trace amounts of arsenic at the end of the day is not as much of a concern to me than the un-regulation of genetically modified foods, the increased use of pesticides (which led to this whole arsenic scandal to begin with!), and the increased amounts of hormones in our meat and dairy. Organic products will always be the better choice when choosing your food produce. I will continue to use brown rice syrup in moderation, just like all the other sweeteners that I use. Lundberg Brown Rice Syrup is the brand I usually use, and will continue to use. They confidently stand behind the safety and integrity of their product which is much more than other heavily-processed food brands can say for themselves!

What are your thoughts? Let’s talk about it!

 

Marni’s Food Guide – A Day in the Life of Me

As a nutritionist and healthy food advocate, the most common question I get is, “What  do you eat every day, Marni?!”

Today, I am going to spill the beans, literally. Dish out the goods on what a day looks like for me from breakfast through dinner with all the in-betweens.

First off, I’m going to start by sharing that I am human, and I believe in moderation and balance. With that being said, some may still call me “extreme”, as no matter what, there are some foods I will not allow into my diet, such as meat, dairy, seafood, white sugar, processed foods. There are others that I am more flexible with, but you’ll have to read on   to find out! At the end of the day, I eat a pretty darn clean vegetarian, wheat free diet that   is loaded with superfoods, nutrients, enzymes, protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Yes, it really is easy to be healthy.

So here goes!

Pre Breakfast

I usually start my day with either a glass of water (sometimes with lemon) or a green juice. However, if I plan on working out early, I’ll always have Vega Sport with Ormus Supergreens with coconut or maple water. It’s my absolute favorite morning elixir. Whether it’s lemon water or my elixir, these tasty morning drinks start my day. It not only gets me moving, but get’s things moving internally (if you know what I mean).

Breakfast:

• Usually a smoothie, bulked up with superfoods and greens, then topped with some granola, bee pollen or goji berries. You can even transform it into a smoothie bowl!
• Oatmeal with cinnamon, figs, raisins, almond butter & rice milk
• Chia cereal porridge
• Sprouted spelt bread with almond butter
• Homemade carrot ginger muffin with a Sun Warrior shake (1 scoop Sun Warrior + rice or almond milk)
• Vegetable juice (kale, celery, cucumber, apple, ginger)

Snacks:

• Trail mix
• Apple with almond butter
• Vegan protein smoothie or chocolate elixir
• Sun Warrior with rice milk
• Homemade muffin, loaf or treat with nut butter
• Dark raw or vegan chocolate
• Vegetable juice
• Or any of these treats that come in convenient packages

Lunch and or Dinner:

• Salad with sprouts, avocado, veggies, nuts and seeds with homemade dressing
• Sprouted wrap with hummus, falafel and fresh veggies
• Quinoa or millet with kale, veggies, and tahini dressing or other homemade “sauce”
• Vegetable soup puree with sprouted bread or salad
• Steamed veggies with whole grain (rice, quinoa) and tempeh or veggie burger with baked sweet potato and tahini
• Big bowl of miso soup with noodles, veggies, and sprouted tofu
• Brown rice pasta with vegan pesto and veggies

Marni’s Fast Food

• Veggie Burger either homemade (from freezer) or from Sunshine Burger on salad, wrap or grain
• Nori Roll with veggies
• Leftovers from dinner or lunch

Dining Out
It’s not often, but if I’m not cooking I can be found at one of these restaurants in Toronto:

• Live Food Bar
• Fresh
• Villa
• Kale Eatery
• Pizza Libretto
• Tabule
• Magic Oven
• Urban Herbivore
• Rawlicious
• Cruda Café
• The Beet
• Loving Hut

Just so you know…

I believe in the 80/20 rule. There has got to be some balance in your life. I feel if that if you are eating well most days of the week (80% of the time) then you’re on your way towards healthy eating. My 20 is not typical. It’s usually a dessert from Sweets From the Earth or some Coconut Bliss Ice Cream. Delicious, organic, and nothing to feel super-guilty about. After all, it’s not like I’m going to give into a cheeseburger and french fries!

Let your 20% be just for you – whether it be that something you crave or leaving room for eating out at dinner – things do happen to come up! Just remember to stay on top of yourself and your foods 80% of the week, so the majority of the time, your body is being nourished with healthy ingredients.

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

If you are interested in a highly customized program, the Warrior Way will guide you down the path toward weight loss, enhanced health, and a fitter, happier you. SunWarrior’s celebrity chefs and fitness experts will lead you through meals and mold your body with exercise routines. Their clear and well-defined guidance will let you learn those skills and own your transformation into the Warrior you want to become.

What’s your favourite Chia recipe?

As one of their trusted experts, Ruth’s team has asked me to list some of my favourite uses for Chia seeds. There are so many reasons why I love them and ways to enjoy this incredible seed! Here are some of my favourites!

If you don’t have a favourite recipe for chia seeds yet, maybe you will discover one because we are doing three days of giveaways! Over the next 3 weeks you will have the chance to win some fabulous product from Ruth’s Hemp Foods.

What is your favourite recipes including Chia Seeds?

The amazing thing about Chia seeds is that they are so versatile. They can be used in many ways, from sweet to savory recipes, and anywhere in between. I particularly love to use them in baking because they act as a binder. So I never have to worry about my baking crumbling apart! Simply mix 1 tbsp chia seeds with 3 tbsp water, and you have your paste. My favourite recipe: Pea-licious Banana Muffins.

Join me in Gourmet and Gluten Free on February 27th to make this recipe and other delicious ones!

But now we want to hear from you!

Please share with us your favourite way to use Chia Seeds and you will have a chance to win an incredible gift basket filled with Ruth’s Chia Goodies. I can’t disclose anything yet!

Share on Twitter : My fav #chia recipe is….check out @marniwasserman post (and link to this post)

Share on Facebook : What your favourite recipe is and link to this post!

 

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Brazilian Berry Buckwheat Muffins

Say that 10 times! I bet you can’t! It may not be worth saying it but, they are worth making!

Now every time I make some version of nut milk, I am inspired to try something new with the leftover pulp (fiber). Just about this time of year, every year there is something that has me craving muffins!I made a fresh batch of Brazil nut milk the other day, complete with all the same goodies I use in my almond milk recipe. Brazil nuts are truly something special. They are not only the largest of the nuts, but they have such an interesting taste. Did you know that you only need 2 a day to get in your daily dose of selenium ( a major cancer-fighting antioxidant). Whether it is the whole nut or in milk form – you will still get the same benefit (well maybe not exactly but and for the sake of this recipe!)

Even though the milk and the fiber are separate after making nut milk – I put them back together in this recipe. So using this as my base and source of inspiration, I chose buckwheat flour for some reason to combine it with – maybe it had to do with the letter B?

Buckwheat – being gluten free, despite “wheat” in it’s name is loaded with magnesium and flavenoids  and helps to reduce the risk of cholesterol and heart disease. It has an intense and some would call it “bitter” taste. But to me, it is hearty, rustic and satisfying.

So now that I got the base covered – this recipe was starting to seem like my Moist Banana loaf, and since B was the theme, I decided to keep going with it. So in Banana’s went and for a change, some berries (blue and cran).

So their you have it – a gluten free, vegan muffin that is sure to get your energy levels going in the morning.

Share with Us!

What is your favourite kind of muffin?

What do you like to put in your muffins?

Have you ever made gluten free muffins before?

Brazilian Banana Berry Buckwheat Muffin

1 cup fresh Brazil Nut Pulp (fiber)

1 cup buckwheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp mesquite

¼ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp sea salt

2-3 ripe bananas (depending on their size)

½ cup brazil nut milk

¼ cup coconut oil, melted

¼ cup maple syrup or coconut nectar

1/3 cup applesauce + 1 tbsp ground chia

1 cup blueberries and cranberries

How it’s made!

1. Pre heat oven to 350 F.
2. Mix wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately.
3. Use a large bowl for the dry ingredients. Then mix wet ingredients into dry and fold slowly, and mix together until there are no lumps. Stir in blueberries or chocolate chips.
4. Drop by spoonfuls into an oiled muffin tray or pour batter into a loaf pan.
5. Bake for 20 minutes if these are muffins or 40-50 minutes if this is a loaf.

Make some Millet Madness!

 

Nothing says comfort food like Millet. It is such a special whole grain with such unique characteristics. It doesn’t cook or taste like anything else.

Every now and again I get a huge craving to make a pot of millet. So when I stepped off the plane from my summer trip and felt the cool breeze of fall – I was inspired to turn on my pot and cook up this yellow wholesome grain.

I was feeling like something hearty and colourful for dinner. Since I had so much produce ready to harvest in my garden, I couldn’t help but get my hands on it after 12 days away. I was low on time and didn’t have any beans ready so for a protein boost, so I decided to make a “fully nourished” sauce complete with  protein, fiber and chlorophyll.

If you don’t know much about millet here are the specs:

Where: Millet is from Eastern Asia, and was a diet staple in Northern China until  618 A.D.  It has remained an important crop not only in Asia but elsewhere in the world.  It’s cited in the New Testament, and was a dominant cereal crop into the Middle Ages.

What: Millet is gluten free and high in amino acids (protein!), phosphorus and the B-complex vitamins.  It is very easy to digest and alkaline-forming.  You can cook it with more water for a millet-mash, or cook it with less water for a fluffy pilaf.

How: Cook millet by first rinsing thoroughly in a fine mesh colander.  Then add to pot and heat on low for 1 to 2 minutes (dry toasting) until water is evaporated.  Add water (1 1/4 cups water for 1 cup dry millet), bring to a boil and simmer, covered for about 25 minutes (until water is absorbed).

Storage: Millet can be stored in a glass jar in a cool dark cupboard.  If purchasing more than a two month supply, store in the fridge or freezer (tightly wrapped).

Use: Make millet into porridge, veggies burgers, toss it into a soup or salad or just a cozy and colourful side dish – that you can add anything into.

 

Tell Us….

Have you ever made Millet?

What recipes have you made with Millet?

What do you love about Millet?

So get a little mad and make some Millet in your kitchen!

Here is what I put together, in less than an hour!

Garden Fresh Millet Bowl

1 cup millet, rinsed and drained

1/2 butternut squash, cubed and roasted

1 handful swiss chard, chopped into bite size pieces

1 cup green beans, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp sea salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced

Preheat oven to 350F.

1. Peel and cube butternut squash in to small pieces, toss with olive oil and sea salt. Place on baking sheet and bake in warm oven for 45 minutes – 1 hour. (Toss and turn after 30 minutes).

2. Rinse millet in a fine mesh colander and drain. Place into pot and dry toast for 1-2 minutes on low heat until water evaporates.

3. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of water, bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer with the lid closed for 25 minutes (until all the water has absorbed).

4. Wash and chop swiss chard, green beans into small bite size pieces and mince the garlic.

5. In a saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil + minced garlic. After about 1 minute add in the green beans and stir for another 2 minutes. Add in swiss chard and lightly saute until just soft, but still bright green. Turn off heat.

6. Once squash and millet are done, toss all ingredients into a large bowl and mix together.

7. Garnish with chopped parsley, cherry tomatoes and sea salt to taste.

 

 

Green Hemp-Tahini Sauce

2 tbsp tahini (sesame paste)

2 tbsp water

1 scoop Ruth’s Hemp Protein Power with E3 Live + Maca

1 tbsp tamari

1 tbsp lemon juice

pinch of sea salt

Blend all ingredients in a Vita- Mix!! For a smoothie creamy sauce!

Tell Us….

Have you ever made Millet?

What recipes have you made with Millet?

What do you love about Millet?

 

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