Salad for Your Skin – The Green Cream

Not many people can say they’ve smeared a salad on their face and completely loved it, but I’m one of the fortunate ones that can say I have. Of course, I don’t mean literally (although I certainly don’t oppose to the occasional mashed avocado on my face to leave it feeling soft and smooth). What I’m really talking about is the new Green Cream, appropriately titled “Salad for Your Skin”.

I love the Green Cream for 3 major reasons: 1) The Ingredients, 2) The Scent, and 3) The Feel.

1) The Ingredients
It’s what goes into a product that makes the product. This applies to produce and food, too. If your fruits and vegetables are being sprayed and grown with chemicals and pesticides, then unfortunately, that goes into your body too (even though they may still look fresh and green at the grocery store). The chemical-free Green Cream is made up of natural and pure ingredients; the 1^st three ingredients are purified water, aloe vera juice, and avocado oil. It’s infused with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, and contains no mineral oils, parabens, sodium laureth sulphate, phthalates. And you can rub it anywhere on your body – so go ahead and roll around in this salad for your skin!

2) The Scent
The scent of the Green Cream is just an added benefit to its ingredients. Upon spreading onto your face, the scent is immediately brilliant – not overpowering or pungent at all – but rather like smelling a blooming herb garden (after all, that’s what it’s made of!). The scent is really one of the beautifying features of the Green Cream – it makes your skin feel earthy, cool, fresh, and quenched.

3) The Feel
Your skin immediately drinks up the cooling liquid and leaves your face feeling supple, soft, and silky. There is really no way to describe such a refreshed feeling in words. (Think of it this way: try describing a really delicious dessert you’ve eaten to a friend. All you can say in the end is, “You just have to try it yourself!”)

I’ve heard many say that when you “go natural” in cosmetics and skin care, you don’t get the same “quality” you do with mainstream brands. Not true. The Green Cream is truly a testament to this myth. You can get a refreshed and hydrated sensation from the Green Cream with natural and pure ingredients, minus the chemicals and parabens. Also, it doesn’t have the sky-high retail price most hydrating creams in retail chain stores charge. The Green Cream only sells for $25.00 (+ tax).

If you’d like to buy The Green Cream by Marni Wasserman, send us an email at gethealthy@marniwasserman.com.

Or, if you’d like to try making your own natural beauty product using the same ingredients as you would in a green dish, sign up for our Nourish Your Summer Skin Workshop on June 4th with Graydon, the founder of Clinical Luxury.

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?

Dress Your Soul!

I am not usually one to recommend buying a store bought salad dressings, as I am a fan of making my own, but these aren’t any salad dressings – they are raw, pure, organic, nut free, vegan and delicious!

These amazing salad dressings have made their way to Canadian stores. I am proud to say that my family is behind this. My two cousin’s are the tag team who have created salad dressing infusions that are sure to dress your soul from the inside out. I am thrilled that healthy foods, and pure living runs in the family!

You don’t get that with salad dressings. Most are loaded with poor quality oil, sugar, preservatives and usually have a pretty bad after taste. I can’t even recall one that I have every loved off of the shelves of a grocery store.

Raw Dressings, are blended to perfection using top quality ingredients like olive oil, sesame seeds, apple cider vinegar, coconut sweetener and then added superfoods like dulse, goji berries, poppy seeds and hemp seeds. Each variety has it’s own unique flavour and can be paired with salad greens for any meal, any time of day.

To give you a run down on the flavours:

Sea-zar serenity is NOT your typical Caesar salad dressing. In conjunction with being entirely plant-based, organic and gluten-free, this dressing is comprised of a list of incredible, health-promoting, hand-selected ingredients. Dulse is loaded with protein, vitamins B6 and B12, potassium and iron. It also contains vitamins A, C and E (all super antioxidants) and large amounts of calcium. When coupled with other superfoods such as hemp and chia seeds, this power-packed dressing contains countless nutritional benefits and immune-boosting properties. These attributes put sea-zar serenity in a class of its own. However, when paired with superior consistency and taste, you won’t believe it’s actually good for you. Sea-zar serenity – Rich with minerals, vitamins and antioxidants, this dressing won’t cease to serenade your senses, fulfill your diet and satisfy your soul!

French Fusion is a superior blend of super foods with a secret ingredient: the goji berry. This highly sustainable, immune-building, strength-promoting fruit makes our dressing incredibly unique and satisfying. There’s a polysaccharide found in the goji berry that stimulates the secretion of the rejuvenative human growth hormone. This sensational fusion of protein, vitamins and mineral-rich ingredients is created to perfection. French fusion is more than a comfort dressing with massive health benefits and savoury taste, it’s your salad’s answer to the fountain of youth

Purely poppy is a delicious alternative to the creamy-style, traditional poppy seed dressing. RawFoodz version is a powerhouse of nutrients with a plethora of disease-fighting, health-promoting, immune-boosting properties. Fortified with organic, unhulled sesame seeds and poppy seeds, each bottle contains an extra dose of calcium. In addition to protecting colon cells from cancer-causing chemicals, calcium helps in the prevention of bone loss and migraines, as well as the relief of PMS symptoms. This delectable dressing adds zest to any salad, while increasing your consumption of vitamins, minerals, omega 3′s, enzymes and antioxidants. Purely Poppy’s tangy taste and health-topping ingredients create a blended sensation of pure pleasur

Glorious Greek is a healthy infusion of Mediterranean bliss. Our unique blend of premium, organic ingredients make this a dynamic, wholesome and improved version of typical greek style dressing. With added hemp seeds, glorious greek becomes rich in protein, fiber, omega 3&6, vitamins and minerals. Our heaping dose of organic oregano provides effective anti-bacterial and antioxidant activity. Loaded with heart healthy and immune-boosting ingredients, this dressing is nutritionally dense, palate pleasing and exceptionally delicious. Glorious greek is clearly a step beyond a journey, it’s your salad’s destination!

These dressings are showing up in health food stores across Ontario – so be sure to look for your favourite blend in the produce section of your local health food and grocery stores!

You will be also able to purchase and sample their dressings at my cooking classes!

Five Simple, Delicious Ways to Enjoy Avocado

Welcome our Guest Blogger Thierry Godard

The Avocado has long been regarded as an incredible source of health and vitality. Its widespread use in the cuisine of tropical cultures is attributed to essential nutrients that it provides. The avocado has served as a substitute for meats and other high fat content foods throughout history—particularly in regions and cultures where fatty fish and red meat are scarce due to climate, or geography.

Today, the avocado remains a great source of Monounsaturated oleic acid which can help lower your cholesterol and raise levels of High Density Lipoproteins (HDL aka ‘good cholesterol’). The average avocado contains around 9.8 grams of unsaturated fat, approximately 14% of the recommend 67 grams in 2000 calorie diet. The avocado also contains about 28% of your recommended B5 (pantothenic acid) intake, a nutrient necessary to maintain the health of the nervous system and creation of cholesterol. It also has other uses in healing wounds, and fighting acne, which is why avocado is a prevalent ingredient in many beauty and cosmetic products.

As healthy eating has taken root in the form of vegetarian cuisine, many chefs have rediscovered, and recreated the use of the avocado as a healthy alternative to meat and fish. Also popular are drinks and ice creams from South Asia that make use of the avocados great flavor, texture and nutritional properties. Here are a five tasty, simple ways to enjoy the avocado.

Guacamole

What’s not to love? This classic Mexican dish gets its name from its roots in Aztec cuisine. It can be served in a variety of ways but usually as a side to grilled meats, or as a dip. It involves a few simple ingredients; tomatoes garlic, onions, salt and pepper, lemon juice and, of course, avocados. It’s ideal on a really hot summer day, or in the dead of winter when you need a pick me up. Guacamole is the perfect match for an ice cold Negra Modela, or spicy Mexican inspired cuisine.

Mexican Quiche

Though quiche is a classic northern french dish, the Mexican quiche combines old world sophistication and complexity, with the simple and accessible flavors of Latin America. Simply lay the avocados on the bottom of the pie pan, and pour the egg and cheese mix over the top. Bake for about 45 minutes and add a spoonful of chopped scallions, avocado, and tomatoes drizzled with a bit of lime juice on top. If you really want to splurge, add a bit of sour cream on top prior to serving.

Avocado salad

Begin with your choice of leafy greens, add tomatoes, sliced red onions, cranberries, walnuts, and slices of avocado. Sparingly add salt, pepper, and the dressing of your choice (olive oil and vinegar is a simple, but flavorful combination.) I personally like to use a time tested blend of Grey Poupon, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and a minced garlic clove.

Avocado Omelet

This is the breakfast of champions, and it’s really simple! Saute scallions, mushrooms, chives, and tomatoes. Then add two well-beaten eggs and small chunks of avocado into the pan. Sprinkle your choice of cheese on top (grated Monterey Jack never fails) and enjoy.

Avocado on the side of everything and anything

If you haven’t noticed, I love avocados. They have been a staple in my house ever since I was a kid. As long as there is a ripe avocado to be peeled, it will end up on the side of my plate for lunch or dinner. It pairs well with everything, from chicken, red snapper, to any combination of rice, meat, and beans. I even order my hamburger from my favorite burger joint with an avocado on top. It might be overkill, but it is my way of paying homage to one of the most under-appreciated vegetables out there.
Thierry Godard is a guest blogger for An Apple a Day and a writer on becoming a phlebotomist for the Guide to Health Education.

How do you enjoy avocados?

What do you eat them with or use them for?

“Burger” in a bowl

A burger doesn’t always need to go in a bun. A burger can be eaten on a salad, on a pile of grains or just alongside some steam veggies. When I refer to “burger” here, I am talking about an all natural veggie burger made from whole food ingredients. See Recipe Below!

If I were to put my burger on bread, it would be bread made from either spelt, kamut or sprouted grains. Companies such as ShaSha, Little Stream and Grainsfields make excellent breads that are easy to digest, high in protein, fiber and taste delicious!

But in this particular case, I have deiced to put my “burger” in a bowl. Not just in a bare bowl all on its own, but a bowl filled with quinoa, steamed green veggies (broccoli and snow peas from my garden), steamed sweet potatoes and then topped with tahini and tamari toasted almonds. Wow what a bowl! It was a random occurrence of ingredients, but that is the best way to make a meal – especially a vegan one. You can get as creative as you want and just throw a whole bunch of things together and you have yourself a whole foods, balanced meal. Not only is this meal colourful and full of texture but there is also an amazing amount of calcium, protein, fiber, beta carotene, b vitamins, minerals etc… all jammed packed into one little bowl.

Making a homemade veggies burger is also a great way to get in some healthy nutrition and fulfill that urge to eat something that is burger like and has a “meaty” or rich texture. By meaty, I mean (hearty/grainy) so in this case you can use grains, beans, root veggies, nuts and seeds and not even have to go the length of using a faux meat or soy based substitute to get that “patti or juicy burger” option. There are much more naturals options!

So the next time you want to get a little creative and make a burger and throw it in a bowl – make sure to fill both the burger and the bowl up full tasty and nutritious ingredients!

If you have a veggie burger recipe that you would like to share…please leave a comment!

Black Bean Veggie Burger

1 cup black beans, soaked overnight or use 1 can or Eden organic black beans

1 cup sweet potatoes, shredded

1/2 cup almond butter

1/2 cup red onion

1/4 cup spelt flour

2 tablespoons tamari

3 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon cumin

Procedure:

1. Rinse soaked beans, place in a pot with water (cover by 1-2inches). Bring water and beans to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 1-11/2 hours. Remove from water and drain. Or rinse and drain can of organic black beans.
2. Place beans in a bowl and mash. Stir in remaining ingredients.
3. Scoop 1/3 cup of batter at a time to form burger patties.
4. Place burgers on a baking sheet (you may need two)
5. Bake in oven on 350 F for approx 45 minutes.
6. Serve with sprouted buns, a salad or  and enjoy!

Garden of Eatin’

There really is nothing better than produce shopping in your own backyard!

I have always been able to maintain a simple garden consisting of tomatoes, cucumbers, kale and green beans. By maintain, I mean drop the seeds and hope for the best! This year I decided to take it to the next level. Because I have the farthest thing from a green thumb, I had to hire help for this task – an organic farmer. He came at the beginning of the season to get my soil turned over with organic goodness and now he comes by to plant things in their proper places – because now I know there is a proper place for every little seedling and they can’t just go anywhere.

I am also learning that there is a timeline involved with everything, and that all things will grow in cycles. I am also learning that little critters, bugs and animals like to feast on my organic buffet in the backyard – I guess it’s because it all just tastes so good! But honestly it’s not fair that they get to dive in before I do – and they usually eat the best parts! But there are ways around this – like building a mesh mini green house to keep the animals away. As for the little critters, cayenne pepper in a water bottle seems to help a bit. However, I am open to more suggestions, if you know of some other ways I can get the bugs off my chard, kale and lettuce – please let me know and leave a comment!!

So far this season I have been seduced with radishes, spinach and some other greens (which I am going to have all season) this includes everything from salad greens to kale, chard, collards, broccoli and arugula. I also have some berry bushes planted that will yield strawberries, blueberries, cranberries and blackberries. In the later part of the summer I will have carrots, beets, fennel onions. I also have a beautiful little box of fresh herbs like oregano, lavender, sage, thyme and rosemary.

So if you are considering having your own garden please go through with it, hire some help or at the very least just get some seeds or herb plants and plant them yourself. You can usually get a hold of this stuff at your local farmers market. There is nothing better than walking out to your own “garden of eatin’ and picking your own produce.

Having my own organic garden has made my weekly produce shopping extremely easy. It also provides me with enough veggies for my morning juice – without any worry that I am running out of greens. But the best part is that I get to use some of this wonderful organic and very local produce in my cooking classes. The participants really enjoy this as there is nothing better than eating salad that is picked that same day. If you want to experience this, then you are just going to have to come to a class to find out!

Veggie Delight Salad

2-3 handfuls fresh arugula, baby greens or spinach
4 radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
2 carrots, shredded
1/4 of a beet, shredded
2 tablespoons hemp seeds

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil or Vega’s EFA Oil Blend
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2-3 tablespoons agave nectar
1 heaping tablespoon dijon mustard
fresh herbs
salt and pepper to taste

Bring the Rainbow into Your Kitchen!

How does one bring a Rainbow into their kitchen you ask – all you need is a wide variety of colourful fruits and vegetables – and there you have it – a rainbow in your kitchen!

This week’s “Taste the Rainbow” cooking class was themed around the colourful veggies. I couldn’t help but inspire others to learn how to make meals that are bursting full of vibrant colour and of course delicious flavours – as this is how I eat on daily basis.
We made so many colourfully healthy recipes that even a child who believes that the only rainbow in your kitchen comes from a box of lucky charms – would have been impressed!

The good news is that with colourful foods – from nature and not a box – you are not only getting something that is beautiful on your plate – but you are loading your body up full of antioxidants, vitamins and essential minerals. In each colour category: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple – you are providing your body with separate and very different elements of something called phytochemicals. These little guys help to protect us from diseases and keep our immune system strong. So make sure to EAT YOUR COLOURS!

Some highLIGHTS on the menu in last nights class included- mango rice paper wraps, cabbage, carrot, beet slaw, sauteed swiss chard, wild rice with oranges and cranberries and a wild blueberry tart (with a gluten free crust of course!)

So tonight – to keep up with the rainbow theme my good friend came over a for a night of creation. We do this every once in a while – get together and cook up a storm of delicious and of course colourful recipes. Just because it was rainy outside didn’t mean that we had to settle for anything less than a delicious meal – even without the sunshine we brought a rainbow into the kitchen. In fact we even called our meal the “veggie-Q” our version of a typical BBQ – rain or shine the rainbow was on our plates!

Since the slaw salad was such a hit last night – I really wanted to make it again – and what is a “veggie- Q” without a good slaw salad? Of course there had to be burgers and fries thrown into the mix – so we made flax – almond burgers, served in a collard wrap with a pesto made from fresh basil and arugula from my garden, and yam “fries” baked in the oven on a low temp with coconut oil, pumpkin seeds, garlic and oregano (Inspired by Brenden Brazier’s Thrive Diet).
For a sweet and colourful ending to this meal, what better than a bowl of ice cream – yup you got it – vegan creamy goodness made from coconut milk, banana’s and mango and topped with sprouted buckwheat, blueberry compote and cacao nibs – can you say YUM!!!

Once again – I leave it to you to get creative and have fun. There are a whole slew of colourful veggies out there – take advantage of them, have some fun and bring the rainbow into your kitchen this summer with this colourful recipe!

Carrot, Cabbage and Beet Slaw

Ingredients:

1 savoy or nappa cabbage, shredded
2 ½ cups grated beet (approx. 2 beets)
2 cups grated carrots (approx. 4 carrots)
1 fennel (optional)
1 green apple (optional)
5 Radishes (optional)
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1/3- ¼ cup agave syrup
1 ½ Tbs. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. chopped fresh parsley

Procedure:

1. Shred beets and carrots (fennel and apple) using a food processor
2. Chop cabbage into long shreds or shred in food processor.
3. Mix the dressing and toss over cabbage mixture and let it sit and marinate for 1 hour before serving.