It Doesn’t Have to be Winter for Apple Cider!

Although we haven’t been getting the harsh, cold weather as we’re usually used to in Toronto, the weather outside can still give you the chills. Enter: Sweet Apple Cider! Apple cider is one of the few drinks that make you want to curl up on your couch in front of a fire. And while sweet apple cider is delicious and nourishing on its own, apple cider can come in another form that’s both tasty and healthy: Apple Cider Vinegar!

Apple cider vinegar and sweet apple cider are two liquids that your body can truly benefit from. There are many brands out there, but my particular favorite is Filsinger’s, a local Canadian brand, that produces incredibly pure and fresh apple products.

Keep reading – you can enter the contest to win a big basket of apple cider products from Filsinger’s!

Apple Cider Vinegar
Filsinger’s apple cider vinegar is fresh, pure, unpasteurized, and unfiltered – this means nothing’s been added or altered in the process of making it, and their certified organic apples are pressed and aged without preservatives or additives.

Apple cider vinegar has been used for centuries to help with a variety of ailments due to its powerful cleansing qualities as it’s also a naturally occurring antibiotic and antiseptic. You can use it as a home remedy for skin, wounds, burns, acne, sunburns, insect bites, or as a weight loss ingredient. Although I don’t like to promote “weight loss”, apple cider can speed up your metabolism, making your body more efficient at burning energy. A good tip is to place 1 tbsp. in a glass of water and drink first thing in the morning or throughout the day.

You can also use it to clean your house (although it may be more costly) but apple cider vinegar makes a great disinfectant, deodorizer and over all household cleaner.

Lastly, you can eat it! Apple cider vinegar is an amazing addition to salad dressings, stir fry’s, and can be used to add acid (or make vegan buttermilk) in recipes such as cookies, pancakes and muffins. (If you are not local to Ontario, just be sure to look for products with similar standards such as Bragg’s, Eden, and Spectrum).

Sweet Apple Cider
Filsinger’s sweet apple cider is made the old fashioned way from whole apples. They blend several varieties of apples such as McIntosh, Cortland, Spy, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, and Ida Red. According to Filsinger’s, using a variety of apples enhances the flavour. Just like all of their products, they don’t use any preservatives or additives in the preparation of the final product.

How to Enjoy Sweet Apple Cider
Warmed up with a cinnamon stick any time of day! Warm it up in a pot, sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg and a large cinnamon stick. Get into your comfiest clothing and curl up on the couch in front of fire, and just let the apple cider sink in.

Sweet Apple Cider Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Filsinger’s apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp  Filsinger’s sweet apple cider
1 tbsp local honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger powder

Place all the ingredients in a blender or small processor and blend until well combined and creamy. Tastes delicious on spinach or arugula with fresh sliced apples, walnuts and hemp seeds!

If you have never used or tried Apple Cider Vinegar, now is your chance!! Tell me why, what, and how you would like to use it and you just may win your very gift basket full of Filsinger’s goodies! The basket (which is large in size) contains Sweet Apple Cider, Apple Sauce, Apple Cider Vinegar, and Pear Sauce)

Just post a comment below!

At the end of the week, I’ll choose the best answer to be rewarded with the gift basket. Good luck Torontonians!

Note: (Winner must be able to pick it up in Toronto)

Want to hear what Marni’s up to, or grab some #DeliciousTips?

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!