A Plant Based Diet for the Earth

Kristy, our Face of FNLer, shares her thoughts on Earth Month and how we can all make simple, sustainable, and eco-friendly changes to our lifestyle for a better earth!

People eat plant-based diets for a number of different reasons; health benefits, not supporting animal cruelty, food sensitivities, and of course, environmental reasons.

Helping the planet is a huge part of the reason I stopped eating meat, and why I strive towards a more whole foods, local approach to nutrition.

The amount of resources that go into meat production is astronomical, as well as in the shipment of food across the world. Trying to find local farmers and food producers is a big part of reducing the carbon footprint on your plate. Go to a farmers market, sign up for a produce delivery box service, visit smaller grocery stores that offer local, organic produce.  Try to take note of what’s in season in your area and make the most of it. I stayed with a family in England a few years ago, who were living almost entirely independently, off-the grid. From using a woodstove for heat and cooking to growing their own quinoa and vegetables in their backyard, they made the most of every resource available. It was a really amazing learning experience and eye opening in terms of sustainability. While I can’t plant a garden in my apartment, there are may things I (and my urban dwelling neighbors) can do to make a difference.

Another huge waste, and something I tend to be quite guilty of partaking in, is take-out containers. There is so much unnecessary waste involved with ordering food. There’s a super cool project dedicated to reducing take out waste called Takeout Without. It really forces you to think about all of the paper and plastic garbage you use without thinking about.  Check out their website and think of some ways you can start implementing changes in your own life.

Eating plant based foods is an area that I still have a long way to go on, and one that I feel really passionate about. There are so many small things we can do to make a difference, with regards to the food that we eat. Even incorporating a serving of veggies and fruits into our diet everyday contributes to earth-friendly activities. I’m looking forward to learning new plant-based recipes at Fit and Fabulous next month so that I can eat to stay active and improve the earth. Check out the class here if you’re interested in joining the class (I’ll be there!)

Earth Day and Earth Month are a great time to implement small changes in your life that can make a significant impact. Start composting, eat more plant based meals, recycle everything. I’d love to hear about things you have done to make your lifestyle for sustainable and eco-friendly.

Resources:

Plant-Based Cooking Classes – http://www.marniwasserman.com

Reduce Restaurant Waste – http://www.takeoutwithout.org/

Learn why it’s green to go veggie  -  http://www.downtoearth.org/environment/top-10-reasons

 

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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!

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!)

The Raw Truth

It seems of lately that more and more we’ve been hearing about raw foods. Which leads me to say that adding more of them into your diet is absolutely a great way to boost your health. Incorporating raw foods into your everyday eating means focusing on fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and sprouts. With these foods as the foundation of your diet, you will have more energy, lose weight and feel fantastic, as they’re loaded with enzymes, vitamins, and nutrients.

But it’s not about becoming 100% raw and following strict guidelines – it’s just about eating better and getting some pure, clean, and fresh foods into your body. Even if half of your meals each day consist of raw food, you’re on the right track. Your entire meal doesn’t have to be raw; simply enjoy a cooked meal along with a salad or a fresh juice.

My advice: don’t get too caught up with the details. Just start simply by adding more “raw” foods into your meals.

Here are a few ways to get started + a delicious recipe!

1. Have at least a serving or more of fresh fruit everyday. This can include an apple, pear, orange, berries or a fresh fruit smoothie
2. Have multiple servings of fresh vegetables everyday – cut up carrots, celery, peppers, a large dark leafy green salad or a fresh pressed green juice.
3. Enjoy a handful (or two) of raw organic nuts and seeds. Put them into a trail mix with raisins, goji berries, apricots – and you can even add some pure raw dark chocolate (cacao) into the mix
4. Grab a bag of fresh sunflower or pea sprouts from your local health food store or farmers market. These make a great addition to salads, sandwiches, soups, stir fry’s and smoothies
5. Get creative and try to prepare a few new raw recipes each week including smoothies, raw nori rolls, cookies and nut based spreads

If you’re thinking about reaping the benefits of incorporating more raw foods into your lifestyle and need a little professional help along the way, join me for a Raw Essentials on June 3rd or Raw Made Easy cooking class on June 13th. I will be showing you easy and impressive ways to prepare delicious, raw foods.

Almond Basil Pesto
A delicious spread to enjoy with raw bread, flatbread, and crackers or served with crunchy raw veggies, kelp noodles or shredded zucchini!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp torn fresh basil
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 cup whole almonds, soaked overnight or for 8 hours
½ cup pine nuts
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove
¼ cup olive oil (or more) for a creamier consistency

Procedure:

1. Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth
2. Place in a small bowl and refrigerate
3. Serve with cucumber slices, zucchini noodles, carrots, whole grain or raw crackers or brown rice pasta/kelp noodles or steamed vegetables

My favourite kind of Butter!

Take a look and see what I have to say about my LOVE for nut butters and what I use in my kitchen!

 

Since the term butter can be applied to more than just a creamed milk substance – but to anything that is thick, creamy and loaded with nutrients – I will share what kind of “butters” are my favourites!

These butters come from nuts and seeds and other plant varieties. When you take a nut or a seed and grind it down or blend it into a puree – you will get a thick, sticky substance that makes an excellent substitute for traditional butter and even peanut butter!

(The reason why I am not a fan of peanut butters is because there are so many allergies associated with it. Peanuts also often are grown where there is more a chance for certain toxin’s and molds to grow with it. And lastly peanuts – are actually not a NUT they are legume, grown from the ground and not a tree like most other nuts. But that being said, there are so many delicious and nutritious alternatives.)

It’s easy enough to make your own blends at home by grabbing at least a cups worth of nuts – let’s say almonds – placing them in your food processor and leaving it on for about 3-5 minutes. The oils will start to separate and you will get a smooth paste soon enough. If you don’t quite have the time or means to make your own then support companies that go out of their way to make them for us.

There are quite a few companies that I use to support my love for nut butters

Sun Butter – the best sunflower seed butter (tastes like peanut butter)

Blue Mountain Organics – better than roasted seed and nut butters (raw natural butters)

Then there is also Artisana which is a company that has put true love and care into the quality of their butters. They have a variety from nut based butters from almond and walnut to cocoa, coconut and tahini (sesame seed) butters. They use only organically sourced nuts. Which is extremely important. Since nuts are fat soluble, if they are not organic they usually carry with them toxins and other residues that can absorb within the nut. You can truly taste this purity in their products.

There is something (hopefully) for everyone. Since I love their packaging and product philosophy I have been so genoursoulsy given a whole batch of their wonderul products and now I want to give some away to you!

You can get more delicious knowledge by checking out Marni’s Cleansing with Superfoodse-book, available here: http://www.marniwasserman.com/ebooks/

Tell me why you love seed or nut butters?

What do you put your “butter” on?

In order to win you must live in Canada and:

1. Comment Below

2. Share on Facebook

3. Share on Twitter

This contest is now closed! Thank you for all of your comments.

Eat more Raw Now!

Grab a spot on my Raw Urban One Day Detox Retreat!

Or Join my Raw Essentials Workshop or Raw made Easy !

Adding more raw foods into to your diet is a great way to boost your health. This means making sure the bulk of what you eat focuses on fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouts. With these foods as the foundation of your diet you will have more energy, lose weight and feel great. Raw foods are loaded with enzymes, vitamin and nutrients.

I am not suggesting you become a 100 percent raw foodie or adhere to strict guidelines, but rather simply incorporate more fresh foods into your diet. Even if half your meals each day consist of raw food, you are on the right track.

Five easy ways to add more raw to your diet:

1. Have at least a serving or more of fresh fruit every day: This can include an apple, pear, orange, berries or a fresh fruit smoothie.

2. Have multiple servings of fresh vegetables every day: Cut up carrots, celery, peppers, make a large dark leafy green salad or a fresh pressed green juice.

3. Enjoy a handful (or two) of raw organic nuts and seeds. Put them into a trail mix with raisins, goji berries, apricots – and you can even add some pure raw dark chocolate (cacao) into the mix.

4. Grab a bag of fresh sunflower or pea sprouts from your local health food store or farmers market, these make a great addition to salads, sandwiches, soups, stirfrys and smoothies. Or order them directly from Giddy YoYo and have them delivered to your door!

5. Get creative and try to prepare a few new raw recipes each week (check out different books, websites or videos on how to prepare things like smoothies, raw nori rolls, cookies and nut based spreads).

For an informative and inspirational day on living well with raw concepts grab a spot for my Raw Urban One Day Detox Retreat!

Or for some more inspiring raw recipes & concepts then join my Raw Essentials Workshop or Raw made Easy Cooking Class!

Almond basil pesto

Try this recipe – this is a delicious spread to enjoy with raw bread, flatbread, and crackers or served with crunchy raw veggies, kelp noodles or shredded zucchini

Ingredients:
2 tbsp torn fresh basil
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 cup whole almonds, soaked overnight or for eight hours
½ cup pine nuts
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove
¼ cup olive oil (or more) for a creamier consistency

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth
2. Place in a small bowl and refrigerate
3. Serve with cucumber slices, zucchini noodles, carrots, whole grain or raw crackers or brown rice pasta/kelp noodles or steamed vegetables

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

My thoughts on the Oprah show…

It has taken me almost a week to collect my thoughts on the Oprah show from last week. If you missed it…find out more here. But just to give you some background on the show,  Oprah and 378 of the Harpo staff went vegan for one week. Well it all sounds good in theory but when I thought about the show and broke it down, there is a lot that needs to be said. Of course I don’t have all the answers, so I encourage you to share as well.

To start out (my starter kit):

The new  term “Vegan-ish” was coined on the show which I actually like – as long as it means fresh whole foods. However I am afraid that is not the message viewers got from this show. I know that most people after this show are thinking about attempting to “lean” into veganism to see how it works for them and their lifestyle – but if “vegan-ish” gets the reputation that experimenting with processed and packaged foods – then that is clearly the wrong message. Anyways, there is so much to share, and that is why it has taken me so long to post my thoughts.

I have decided to organize and summarize my thoughts in terms of what I liked and what I didn’t like . You will see my points emphasized and then in italics beside are my suggestions and thoughts on what could have been done!

What I didn’t like:

In the beginning of the show Oprah mentions how she has access to good free range eggs….great but what about America? Why couldn’t other suggestions be made of how those without access can get their hands on farm fresh organic eggs?

There was not much education on how + why one would choose to go vegan. It seemed like the staff was given the challenge, given a bag of groceries, fed vegan food for lunch – but did not have a full understanding of health + ethical implications of a vegan diet. Why couldn’t cooking classes, info sessions or workshops or cookbooks been given throughout the week to go into depth on the benefits + different topics, not to convert people to veganism but just to make them aware and enlighten them?

On that note, why were there grocery bags to take home filled with Junk Food – when they clearly mentioned on the show that a vegan diet can be junk based unless people make healthy choices. The staff weren’t left to make healthy choices, they were snacking on cereal, chips, cookies all week long, but that is okay because it was vegan…right?

It was pointed out, as it is always an area of interest that vegans do not have enough nutrients or get enough protein etc… Yes, this is absolutely the truth when eating a vegan junk food diet. This will of course create imbalances and cause people to become ill or malnourished. If people are shown how to eat a balanced, whole and fresh diet as a vegan, these imbalances are much less likely!

Because Kathy Freston is clearly not a nutritionist, the staff should have been told of some of the adjustments and changes they might experience during the week (gas, bloating, more bowel movements, lethargy, headaches) having this information beforehand might have helped the process. Also this may potentially help to increase the follow through rate of staying on a plant  based diet for longer knowing that your body will change over the course of a few weeks and that it takes time for your body to adjust.

Kathy Freston also took a family grocery shopping  to “restock” their kitchen (after being unloaded of processed food) so that they can make “healthy meals” at home using faux meat substitues- the kids clearly demonstrated that they didn’t like the meal that was prepared. That is never a good sign, especially for national TV and people considering going vegan. How good can a ground up soy concoction taste as the basis of a meal – at least take this opportunity to show the family how to cook with fresh whole foods? Even using organic ground turkey would have been a better choice!

Just to reiterate…America was shown (even in a Whole Foods Market) that a vegan diet comes from a package or a freezer- America got to see the Tofurky and Earth Balance define the basis of a vegan diet! Eating truly vegan to me means eating plants, neither of those options are plants.. why wasn’t quinoa, beans, yams or a head of kale shown to viewers of the show?

The produce aisle was completely over looked in the store, not even mentioned. That is where people need to be shopping!

And lastly it infuriated me, that they showed  Cargill is our “friendly neighborhood” meat slaughtering/meat packing plant. Okay, so it is clean and well managed, but the cows still eat genetically modified corn and other “grains” which are most likely just ground up sugars and potentially other meats. The cows were packed into a feedlot, sad, unhappy etc. They weren’t making any noise or moo-ing because they were tired, sluggish, overweight and mostly likely have just given up. (Okay I am going on here). But the fact that a meat plant was glorified – made me very angry. Why couldn’t they feature organic farmers like Joel Salatin or other places where America can be shown where naturally-happy raised animals are raised and that their innate diet should be weeds, grass and herbs?

What I did like:

That the Vegan movement was recognized and got the big OK from Oprah and was featured on TV. That is always exciting!
That so many staff made the commitment to go Veg for a week! I mean, what have they go to lose?

That Michael Pollan was on the show and made it clear that if you do eat meat- eat it fresh, local and organic. It’s the only way to go!

That a vegan diet can be high enough in protein as long as you choose whole foods like greens, beans legumes. This was mentioned on the show = 1 point, but not explained or showed  = -2 points.
That it takes time to transition to plant based foods and no one can make these changes over night. This goes for anything. It is all about small steps and little changes. But as long as people understand the benefits, than anything can happen!

There is room for error – you don’t  have to be 100% vegetarian or vegan. Just trust what is right for you and to be more aware. That is the message at the end of the day!

Oprah and her staff made mention and are going to embrace Meatless Mondays. This is a bold move for the Harpo staff to take on, it may just encourage more people around the world to take this on!

Final Thoughts:

I understand that a bridge needs to be gaped in order for America to make some changes, but it is away from all packaged and processed foods that we need to emphasize. America is already eating the worst foods from a package but changing that over to “vegan” junk is not the way to go. It wouldn’t have been that difficult to introduce quinoa, brown rice or even and spelt flour. Even a can of Eden organic beans could have been used as an example if necessary. The whole concept and benefits of VEGETABLES I think was not emphasized enough in this show. This could open a whole new chapter of information for viewers.

Now don’t get me wrong, Kathy Freston definitely did present some great points, but this was a chance to truly show everyone watching the power of plant based foods – I just wish it was taken advantage of!

Whats next…

There needs to be a few more follow up episodes to see how people are doing or to bring more WHOLE FOOD HEALTH information to America.

More experts in the field should have a chance to be featured. (Like me?)

More tools and key information that makes it EASY for people to make this transition to whole foods is essential – a cooking class, informative workshops/info sessions, a trip to the farmers market or an organic farm or building a community garden and at the very least… showing people how to shop properly and effectively in a grocery store.

See my tips on how to GO VEG and cut down on meat here!

I truly hope that those of you who watched the episode and who read my blog know that it is so much simpler then it appears to make changes to eat more healthfully. It can be as simple as adding greens to your smoothie or an extra salad a day! Read my article about going veg here!

If you are thinking of trying plants out or leaning in to veggie foods or being “vegan-ish” then you may want to continue to read my blog and get your hands on a copy of my book Veggin’ Comfortably. This will be available online via my website next week!

I didn’t cover everything, so please share your thoughts on the show, express points that I missed or things that were relevant to you.

What you liked, didn’t like. I want to hear!

What would be included in your Vegan Starter Kit?

Good Things Come in Some Packages!

On the topic of healthy snacks this week (and just in time for school), it is within my knowledge to show you what is out there. Snacks that you can get your hands on that I approve of. We all need snacks, they are available, but we have a choice to make. If you have a guideline to follow of what to choose, how to choose, then you are taking one step closer to wellness and a healthy body! In a another post you will learn how to make your own snacks at home.

As a general rule, you want to look for whole foods that are packaged. Pure ingredients made from whole grains, nuts, seeds, dried fruits and natural sweeteners. You should be able to read all of the ingredients on the label (and there shouldn’t be more than 5 unless it is jam-packed super bar) and feel confident that you are putting a good product into your body even though it is packaged!

So here is a my approved guideline for healthy packaged snacks (most of which are in my home):

Bars: Lara Bars, Vega Bars, Pro Bar, Honey Bar, Prana Bar, Organic Food Bar (there are more that aren’t listed here, but hopefully you get the idea)

Rice Cakes with Almond Butter

Sun Warrior or Vega Protein Powder with Almond Milk, Hemp Milk or Rice Milk

Sha Sha Ginger Snap Cookies

Halvah

Pita Break Spelt Crackers with Hummus

Mary’s Crackers with Goat Cheddar

Sheep Yogurt with Granola

Whole Grain Bread with Almond Butter

New Moon Kitchen Cookies

Coconut Bliss Ice Cream

Go Raw Cookies/Chip/Crackers/Granola

Trail Mixes made from Navitas Naturals Products

Raw Crackers and Kale Chips

Dark Organic Chocolate

Raw Dark Organic Chocolate

Herbal Tea

Did I miss anything? I am sure I did. What are some of your amazing, wonderful and healthy snacks that you like to buy ?

Please do share, we all want to hear them!

FALL in Love with Whole Foods!

Are you in love with whole foods as much as I am? I hope so. If not, then you have your chance to be. There is an opportunity coming up in the fall, I know I know, you don’t want to think that far ahead right now, but you must! As you can have the chance of a lifetime to come on an amazing RETREAT in northern Ontario. And if you don’t get on board soon, you will miss your opportunity until next year. I am giving YOU the chance to make that true connection with food from the earth. The food that nature has intended us to eat. When we eat these foods we are nourished, cleansed, rejuvenated and complete. If you don’t believe me, just try it. Start adding whole foods in to your life and just see what happens. I don’t want to be responsible for what takes place – well maybe I do, because only good things will happen!

There is so much information out there about health, nutrition etc… It can be overwhelming, exhausting and discouraging. That is why I want to make it easy for you. Give you a weekend away, where you have nothing else to worry about except for being fed incredible organic foods, learning about your health and wellness and taking time to relax and renew. That can’t be all that bad can it? So if you want to join this amazing retreat then please contact me right away.

Here is just a little bit about what you can expect on this weekend retreat of a lifetime -

First of all you will be trekking all of 2 hours north of Toronto to the amazing Collingwood, home of Blue Mountain. You will be staying in a cozy, spacious and luxurious chalet in the mountains, with fresh air and lots of trees, you will be fed 6 incredible organic, vegan and delicious meals to boost your immunity and take your health to the next level. You will have a chance to learn loads of information on how you can learn to FALL in love with whole foods. Plus did I mention that we will be going to an organic farm, this is where all the magic happens. You can’t really make the connection with whole foods unless you see where your food actually comes from…right? Then of course your body will renew through yoga, hiking and vegging (if that is actually an activity?). We will be watching some incredible and inspiring movies and you will also learn how to prepare whole foods in your own kitchen. I don’t know if I should go on, but the one last component is that you will have a chance to meet, learn and share from group of like minded individuals. This was the best part of my last retreat in the spring!

So please join me – if you register in the next month before September 1st – you will be eligible to have your name put into a draw to have your very own  KITCHEN MAKEOVER after the retreat! Which means I will come into your kitchen, clean it out and help you to restock it!

If this is for you, please tell me why, leave a comment and contact me right away to reserve your spot -as there are only a few left!

Muskoka Cooking Fun – Get on the right path at Wellpath!

I am honoured to be part of the Wellpath Team.  They are a thriving and successful wellness clinic that is based here in Toronto. Their philosophy is rooted in holistic health with naturopathic medicine being at the very core. With prevention as the key and driving force, they are also all about lifestyle. Which of course includes, exercise, nutrition and everyday activity! I met with Richard porter back in February, and there was a plan to open up a location in Northern Ontario in Port Carling. He was immediately keen to ask me to re create my delicious classes in this new facility. I was more than excited to take this on. Who wouldn’t want the opportunity to go up north (especially when you don’t have a cottage!) and teach about eating local, fresh and organic foods? So if I love teaching these classes, then people must love attending them! Which they do. So far we have had two successful classes. The first one was our launch – where we focused on summer fresh recipes. Things that local cottagers and dwellers of Port Carling could easily make throughout the summer. We had a combination of delicious and fresh dishes like collards wraps, wild rice, white bean dip, sauteed garden greens and of course my yummy chocolate avocado pudding recipe for dessert!

Rolling up Zesty Mango Collard Wraps!

Prepping the Citrus Wild Rice

Then in last week’s class our theme was garden fresh Italian. which is always a favourite. Lots of yummy garden greens – from my garden, fresh herbs and other local produce. It was a hit! We made a yummy spelt goat cheese pizza, pesto pasta with white beans, a vegetable tomato sauce and raspberry sorbet for dessert.

Spelt Pizza Crust in the Making!

Raw Raspberry Sorbet with Cacao and Mint

Both classes were a success and I am looking forward to the other ones that are planned for the rest of the summer. New dates for the fall and winter will be posted shortly. We will be taking the fun back here in Toronto as well. Hope you can make it out! If you are interested in participating – please contact the Wellpath Clinic Directly!

Me, Richard and Chelsey!

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