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!

A Contributing Monkie!

I must say, I am proud to be a contributing monkie on G LIVING. It was only a week a go when I got an email from V – the creative mind behind this incredibly edgy and dark site that features all things green with a  modern twisted appeal. There is enough out there that just taps into what trendy and what’s not in the world of GREEN, but this site is different. It has a different look a different feel – and it is rather addicting! Because you just want to learn more, see more and you feel good after looking at it. So this last week I contributed my first post. I am excited to continue to be part of the “GREEN CHEF Monkies on the site. So please check in and even sign up for updates and other spicy information that is coughed up on a daily basis!

Here is my post in case you missed it!

I have never been one for sushi. I mean the l kind with white rice and raw fish. I won’t go into all the reasons why. To me, a real nori roll is one that is filled with veggies, kept raw and full of colour. It is one of my favourite things to eat. It is so simple to prepare and makes an amazing snack, lunch or dinner. I don’t know about you, but I like things stuffed. I love my food bursting with flavour, colour and texture and there has to be more than one ingredient in my rolls – no matter what. How boring is “kappa maki” – just cucumber alone in that roll? There are an abundance of other amazing veggies that would give anything to be inside a luscious roll of nori goodness.

So the key to raw nori making is to use RAW nori sheets. It doesn’t work if you buy the toasted kind. So make sure to buy it raw. Then for the filling, you can go crazy with anything from sprouted quinoa, to chopped jicama (an incredible root veggie from Mexico), to shredded cauliflower. But I went on a totally new tangent. I soaked and sprouted some sunflower seeds and almonds– which are loaded with healthy fats and nutty texture.  Then I blended them into my version of a mock tuna salad. I threw in some fresh herbs from my garden like dill, oregano and sage, added some dulse (a sea veggie – to give it that true vegan “sea” taste) and other condiments to just make it burst with unique flavour.

Once you spread that on your raw nori sheet, you are good to go and add loads of veggies. I would start with carrots, beets, cucumber, wild lettuce, mango sprouts, avocado. This is a pretty good start and will fill your rolls rather nicely. I promise you will be pleasantly surprised how delicious and filling these are. Take them to your next party or just enjoy them on your own – they don’t even need to be dipped!

SUN SEED NORI ROLLS

What’s in it?

4-6 sheets of raw nori

1 carrot shredded

2 small beets, shredded

½ cucumber, cut into slices

1 avocado, sliced

Handful of sprouts (mung, sunflower or pea shoots)

The seed spread

1 cup sunflower seeds soaked 10-12 hours

1 cup almonds soaked 10-12 hours

1-2 tablespoons fresh dill

1 tablespoon fresh oregano

1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped

2 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon tamari

1 teaspoon fresh ginger

1 tablespoon kelp or dulse granules

½ teaspoon sea salt

Place all the spread ingredients in a food processor or high speed blender and blend until uniform. You can leave it chunky or smooth it out by adding a touch of water or blending for longer.

How you Roll it!

1. First you lay one nori sheet flat on a surface.
2. Spread about ¼ cup of seed spread on the nori sheet (you can fill it in to the edges if you want)
3. Place your veggies down in a relatively thin row horizontally towards the bottom of the sheet
4. Begin to roll- Lift the bottom edge closest to you, wrap over all the veggies, holding tight, continue to roll it all the way up – seal it with some water or extra seed spread
5. Cut the rolls – start in the center of the roll and then keep cutting down the center of each half until you have 6-8 pieces.

Freshly Picked and Made with Love!

Part 1 -

If you haven’t been raspberry picking yet this summer you should go before it is too late! These little red gems are so good when they are freshly picked. They are small, tart and juicy – and beaming with red hot love!

Last Saturday – my friend Jaime and I went to an Organic raspberry farm about a half hour north of Toronto (so worth the short drive). A cute cozy plot of land filled with lines of raspberry bushes.  At first we both opted for the largest basket, but didn’t realize how much work it actually is to pick raspberries. Also when they are this small, it takes that much longer to fill up a box. So by the end of the first line, we decided to combine our efforts and just have one basket between the two of use. This would bare more than enough fruit for our soon to be made – Raspberry Tart!

It was a hot one, so we didn’t last too long before we were anxious to get home and start baking. When raspberries are so super tart (in taste) like these ones, they are especially good when paired with something sweet. So the attempt was a fresh raspberry tart with a sweet almond crust. We stewed the raspberries with some Kuzu and Agar-Agar – (my two favourite sea-veggie based thickeners) to make the raspberries hold together in a jello-like consistency. I love using this stuff! Then instead of putting the raspberry blend on the tart crust, we put the raspberries in a bowl and crumbled the crust on top. Since baking likes to do it’s own thing sometimes, the crust didn’t turn out as planned. It was supposed to be on the bottom of our tart, but since it stuck to the glass (which isn’t supposed to happen – even though there was enough coconut oil on it)  – we scraped it out and used it as a crumble instead. Either way it was going down the same “pie-hole” – so to speak, and it all tasted the same – DELICIOUS. We weren’t trying to impress anyone but ourselves, so the actual look of it didn’t really matter. What mattered is that it tasted delicious and we have fun making it. So the moral of the story, is get out there, go pick some raspberries and put them in a smoothie, granola, a pie or raw pie, on cereal, fruit salad or just eat them straight from the bowl! Raspberries are not only beautiful and glorious to eat in the summer but they are full of antioxidants, fiber – and of course lots of love!

Jaime – stewing up those Raspberries!

Our gorgeous up-side-down Pie!

Two ladies in the bush – I promise, I am not naked!

Part 2-

I had so many leftover raspberries, I  made a Raw Berry Pie – as a second attempt. I have strawberries growing in my backyard, just bought some fresh blueberries, and picked some fresh mulberries from a friends tree (right here in Toronto!). So I was inspired not to cook these berries up- but instead – blend them up in my blender – with some fresh peaches for thickness – then I made an almond coconut raisin crust, poured my berry blend on top – and let it freeze. What a nice treat!

These are the tastiest, sweetest berries!

It was a treat to have fresh Mulberries, as I have only ever had dried ones! They are also the most beautiful shade of purple!

Here is my Raw Berry Pie!

So there you have it. Two ways to use up your berries this summer. Both Vegan, both gluten free and both delicious! Enjoy!

Fresh Berry Tart with Almond Crust (Cooked)

1 cup almonds

¾ cup brown rice flour

2 Tablespoons maple crystals

¼ teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of sea salt

3 tablespoons melted coconut oil

¼ cup maple syrup

Filling:

2 tablespoons agar flakes (to gel it together)*

1 ¾ cup apple juice

2 tablespoons kuzu dissolved in ¼ cup apple juice (to make it like pudding)*

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Sea salt

4 cups raspberries, rinsed and drained

Preheat oven to 350. Oil a 9” tart pan.

For the Crust:

1. In food processor, grind nuts to a meal. In mixing bowl, combine nuts, flour, maple crystals, baking powder and salt.
2. In separate small bowl, whisk together oil and maple syrup.
3. Mix wet ingredients (oil and syrup) into dry ingredients (nut meal and flours).
4. Press crust mixture into tart pan. Refrigerate 15-20 minutes, and then bake 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely.

For the filling

1. In a small pot, simmer agar flakes in apple juice until agar completely dissolves. When agar dissolves, add kuzu/juice mixture. Whisk until mixture thickens. Add maple syrup.
2. Add pinch of salt and berries. Cook 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and let mixture cool partially. Pour into cooled crust pan.
3. let set completely. Garnish with mint before serving. There may be a small amount of filling left, you can enjoy as a pudding by blending in food processor.

**Kuzu and Agar can be found at your local health food store in the Asian or macrobiotic section. There are tons of resources online to help you use them.

But two quick tips, dissolve and heat!

Raw Berry Tart with Almond Coconut Crust

For the crust:

2 cup almonds, soaked

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup raisins

- blend in food processor until you have a uniform “dough”

- press out in a tart dish evenly all over and up the sides (there should be enough)

For the filling

2 cups fresh berries

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 fresh peaches

- blend in a high speed blender until thick and creamy

- pour the blended berries into the raw pie crust and decorate ad you would like

- place in freezer for several hours, serve and enjoy!

Refreshing Strawberry Facial Sensation!

My garden is bursting with strawberries. Which is amazing, so I have had to come up with some creative ways to use them up.  Especially the ones that are a bit mushy. It’s funny, often people don’t realize that food makes the best cleansing, nourishing and replenishing tonics for the body and face. I have always known this, I just sometimes don’t practice it as often as I should. That being said, all of the products that I do buy are 100% natural and organic made with food grade essential oils and other carriers like almond oil, shea butter, coconut oil etc…

But it doesn’t get much better than making your own concoctions from scratch. There are many online resources and natural books that can guide you with recipes and ideas. But sometimes if you just think logically- the foods with the most nutrients, colour and vitamins are the best ones to put directly on your body!

So as I said, I have strawberries coming out of my ears (not to brag or anything) but I am putting them to good use. Last night I took a huge handful of them, mashed them up, added in some healing Manuka Honey and smothered it onto my face. I turned red, but I could feel the sweet red juice penetrating my skin and nourishing every cell. It felt so good! If you have every applied Manuka Honey topically, (stickiness aside) I am sure you know the feeling! After about a half hour, I rinsed it off, and my skin was smoothly, supple and nurtured. I loved it!

There is something particularly magical about strawberries when it comes to a facial mask. It is not only loaded with Vitamin C which helps to repair skin damage, a make collagen and since vitamin C is an antioxidant it also helps to protect the skin from free radicals. The alpha hydroxy acid in strawberries help to slough off dead skin cells – which instantly reveals smoother skin. I assure you, you must try this!

Scrumptious Strawberry Mask

1/2 cup fresh strawberries, mashed

1 tbsp Manuka Honey

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and apply directly onto face. Chunks and all!

—To make this mask into an EXFOLIATION SCRUB -  add 2 tbsp almond meal (left over from making almond milk) -

I kind of look like and Umpa-Loopa – but who cares, it works!

Question: Have you ever made a home-made food based mask?

A Veggie-Q for my QT!

Being a vegetarian does not mean that you can’t enjoy summer parties, potlucks and BBQ’s. You just need to get a little creative and have fun with it. So this past weekend was my fiances birthday. He  wanted a low key night, a dinner in with some family and close friends. Of course what this means, is that I am making dinner! Which is no problem of course, I  love providing delicious goodies, especially things that everyone can enjoy! Not everyone who was coming was a vegetarian, but that didn’t matter, my mom took care of some chicken for the group, and I handled the rest!

Make sure that when you are in this situation, you find out what all your hunny’s favourites are – and go from there (hopefully you know them already!). Luckily everything that Ryan loves, are things that everyone could enjoy – and they also make great compliments to the main meal.

So we started off with some yummy appetizers,  There was a  home made guacamole, parsley-hummus, along with an organic store bought salsa – lots of spelt flatbread and organic corn chips for dipping. Then we had a selection of side dishes – Ryan’s favourites include (quinoa tabule,  pasta salad, yam fries and “caesar” salad) and the main meal for us was Organic Sunshine Burgers (which  are truly scrumptious) simple ingredients and are so easy to enjoy at a summer-Q with or without a bun!

Of course the night was topped of with Ryan’s all time favourite – a tender Chocolate Cake – made from spelt flour (all vegan and sweetened with maple syrup) crowned by an almond butter, cocoa icing – this is his number one request on a annual (or more like weekly) basis! So I paired this with coconut-mint (from my garden) cacao ice cream (the colour green in the ice cream is actually from Ormus Super Greens). No one even questioned why the ice cream was so bright green! I may even post this recipe too since it was soooo fantastic!

So there you have it, an amazing, wholesome meal that everyone can enjoy – lots of variety, flavour and texture. You want to keep your crowd happy, but most importantly you want to make your CUTIE smile on his birthday!

If you are in need of some delicious summer recipes – there are still a few spots open in this weeks SENSATIONAL SUMMER RECIPES CLASS on Wednesday night!

The Dips – post enjoyment!

I meant to take this picture before they were all devoured!

Quinoa Tabule – a perfect summer recipe!

Brown Rice Pasta Salad with Garden Snow Peas!

My Delicious Plate of Goodness!

Vegan Caesar on left and Sunshine Burger on right- under the guac and hummus

My Award- Winning Vegan Chocolate Cake!

Vegan – Mint Cacao Coconut Ice Cream

Chocolate Cake with Mint-Cacao Ice Cream

Me and my QT (Ryan)

Mint-Cacao Coconut Ice Cream

2 cans of organic coconut milk

1/4 cup vanilla rice milk

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tbsp fresh stevia leaves (only the fresh leaves or else leave it out!)

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves (or you can use a few drops of peppermint oil)

1-2 tbsp Ormus Super Greens (it has a minty flavour)

1/4 cup cacao nibs

Place all the ingredients except the cacao nibs in a blender and blend until smooth, creamy, and green.

If you have an ice cream maker, pour the mixture in and begin to churn, adding the cacao nibs after a few minutes.

If you don’t have an ice cream maker, freeze the mixture in a large bowl for about an hour, then remove and stir in cacao (so they don’t all sink to the bottom).

Then continue to freeze for another hour or two (depending on the consistency you like).

ENJOY!!

If you are in need of some delicious summer recipes – there are still a few spots open in this weeks SENSATIONAL SUMMER RECIPES CLASS on Wednesday night!

Please share what veggie dishes you like to make in the summer for special events and occasions!

Milking it…for what it’s worth!

If you didn’t know this already, I am not an advocate for cow’s milk. I can write a whole blog post about this or I can simply just tell you that it is not conducive to human health. It does not build our immune systems, it suppresses it, it does not help with digestion, it hinders it – and most conventional types are loaded with pesticides, hormones and antibiotics. Do you want this in your body or in your child’s body? I think not. Have a look here on more on the Dangers of Cow’s Milk. I know this can be frightening for many, as the Dairy industry dictates so much of the information about dairy that we have grown to believe. More than you even know. We are brought up in schools that push the four food groups (with Dairy being in it’s own category), milk and chocolate milk are available everywhere, they have so much money that they pay off companies to promote to the public that it is healthy, bone building and ESSENTIAL for health. But those who have already made the transition, swear by the differences in their health – as far as allergies, immunity and over all well being – who can attest to this (please comment below)?

So that I don’t leave you hanging, I want to set you with the alternatives, the other possibilities that are out there to complete your smoothies, breakfasts cereals, granola, latte’s, baking ingredients and even ice cream etc… there are many such solutions.

First off you can go to the store and buy all kinds of milk substitutes. Of course soy is one of them – but I am going to steer clear from that one, again, there are alternatives. There is rice milk (Rice Dream, Ryza), Almond Milk (Almond Breeze), Hemp Milk (Living Harvest and Hemp Bliss) – even Oat Milk can be found in the markets. These are convenient and easy choices for most people. I am not completely opposed to them as people need to find things that are available to make this an easy and smooth transition.  Just be sure to look at the side panel for the amount of sugars or other additives. (FYI – added oils, and sugars are not necessary). You can buy unsweetened versions and just sweeten them yourself! Again, this is a safe easy bet for most people.

Now if you want to take it one step further, make your own milk. Sounds complicated, but really it isn’t. This works best mostly with either nuts or seeds – as making rice milk at home is not so simple! So once you have decided on your base – almonds, cashews, brazil nuts, sesame seeds, or hempseeds – all you need is water and other additions of your choice. You will also need a blender and some kind of contraption to strain your milk with. However with seeds, you can just blend and drink (you can with nuts too, it just depends whether you want a smooth creamy milk, similar to what you are used to!).

For straining you can use a fine mesh colander, cheesecloth or the funny looking device I have hear (which is actually a Jelly Strainer). But it works wonders for making nut milk. It is so easy to use and makes perfect milk every time. You actually get to “milk it” as if you were milking a cow, by squeezing down on the bag – you want to extract every last drop of liquid. It is rather fun! In fact I am going to give one away – depending on and how many times and how you respond to this post! The winner will be announced in one week! So if you want to know how to make the perfect “milk” then see the recipe below. Otherwise I encourage you to explore some of the other options that are out there, they are tasty, delicious and make the perfect substitution for milk.

For those of you who are wondering where you get your calcium and protein from without milk – let me assure you that even though the dairy industry would disagree, but you can get plenty of calcium from almonds, hemp seeds and sesame seeds! As for rice milk, you would look to other areas of your diet to boost these nutrients. Not everything has to come from a cow

P.S. FOR THE MILK TOLERANT PEOPLE – I want to just mention that Raw or Organic Cow’s Milk, Goat’s Milk and Sheep’s Milk are all suitable options!

Nut Milk Recipe:

1 cup almonds, brazil nuts or hempseeds (soaked overnight)

4 cups of water

1 tbsp coconut oil (optional)

2 tbsp honey or maple syrup – you can even use 1-2 dates

1 tsp vanilla bean powder (or extract)

Simple and Delicious! Enjoy

THE CONTEST- for the Nut Milk Bag Contraption- this way you can make your own homemade Milk and provide your family with delicious nutrients and a yummy creamy milk, made by you!

Ways you can win!

Do one of the following:

Comment Below: Have you made the switch from cow’s milk? What have you noticed?

Comment Below: What type of alternative milk do you use – how do you use it?

Post this blog and follow me on TWITTER – and share it here to let me know!

Share on Facebook and become a Fan - and post a comment here to let me know!

Share this post on YOUR Blog and post the link below!

Harvesting Africa for Greens!

What an experience! I just got back from Kenya, Africa and I am still adjusting to life back here in Canada. Kenya is an incredible place with so much to offer in terms of it’s culture. The people in Kenya, are so amazing. They live a very simple life and enjoy it! Kenya also has so much to offer in terms of it’s land and crops. There is so much lush vegetation, it is green everywhere. However there is a problem, they do know the value of what they’ve got. They have the opportunity to be one of the healthiest nations in the world but they don’t understand the benefits of green veggies and their importance to health and immunity. This is a concern, because despite the simple and enjoyable life that they live, there is the impending issue of terminal diseases which takes the lives of so many Africans every year. This is where we “the Green Team” have stepped in, to make a difference and improve the quality and duration of their lives.

Heading out there. I had an idea of what to expect but nothing ever measures up to what you had thought. The mission for me was to be brought out there to educate different community villages on the benefits of greens. Yes greens! How amazing is that, they have greens everywhere in Kenya, growing all around them all year round! (I also can’t forget to mention the abundance of mango, banana and avocado trees – I was in tropical fruit heaven!)

Over the last year, each of these villages has been cultivated with their own organic garden. A team of well educated local individuals have made this a reality. With agriculture skills and strong knowledge for gardening, harvesting and planting these garden beds have been brought to life. With the garden beds in place, the next step is for the people (mostly ladies) in the villages to become educated on what it means to eat the  greens they are growing! They have the resources, now they need to put it into action. As you may or may not know most individuals in Africa, have been inflicted with some type of disease. Whether it is Malaria, HIV or Typhoid, the truth is they have weak immune systems, which leaves them vulnerable to contract theses diseases at any given time and over and over again. With HIV in particular, the goal is not to let it transmit into Aids. With Malaria the goal is not to get it more then once a year – if that!

With an influx of fresh and raw greens in their diet, they should be well on their way. Victoria Butenko’s book Green for Life was our guideline and driving force for these communities to start eating more greens in the simplest way possible.  Unfortunately most of the villages do not have access to electricity (meaning no blenders or Vita Mix’s), but we showed them how they can still make do. We have provided each village with a hand held juice extractor so at the very least they can get raw liquid green juice and then combine it with some fruit or just take it straight!

The next goal was to teach them how to cook their kale (Sukuma-wiki). Currently, they drench their kale in vegetable oil and cook it until it is brown (i.e. dead in nutrients). So I explained to them what this meant and taught them to just blanch their greens – dip the greens in boiling water for 1-2 minutes to take out the crunch/bite (and prevent any air-bourne illnesses) then combine it with some grains such as millet or rich and sweet potatoes (rather than Ugali – the traditional cornmeal that is a staple in their diet which is also low in nutrients). This way they could still enjoy cooked veggies by preserving it’s vibrant green colour and obtaining all of their vital nutrients.

Education is the driving key to make any immediate changes. It will take time for all of this to be put into action, but the goal is one year.  My friend Elisa, the team naturopath,  has taken a base line of their health and we will see what happens over the next year when they make changes in their diet. The next little piece to this project was the support for the many orphanages and child homes all around Africa- as many children have been left abandoned by their mothers (no money, no resources, ill health etc…). Of course many of them as well have been sadly inflicted HIV and Malaria, but luckily they have been taken in by caring and compassionate individuals who are dedicated to giving these children a roof over their head and food on their plate. Part of this food is greens, as these homes and orphanages have also been equipped with some of the best looking organic gardens that I have ever seen. Every seed and plant is in it’s perfect place for optimal growth and output. Even in some of these locations the children are actually in charge of their own plot of land. At such a young age, some of them don’t even realize how lucky they are to be able to have access to organic green veggies. The nutrition that they will gain from this vegetation will hopefully infuse their bodies with good nutrition to prevent long term and terminal diseases.

I can’t even describe the gratitude that I have to have been part of this incredible project and mission. We have set out to do something incredible and my team leader Dale (from Natural Calm Canada) has been set on this mission for years. He has dedicated his entire being and business to supporting these Kenyan communities. I am excited and humbled to help to make a difference to the lives of Kenyans. I can’t wait to go back next year and follow up and see the difference that Green Veggies have made in their lives. I sure know they have made a difference in mine!

Green Smoothie Testimonial!

Perfect Organic Garden in one of the Villages

Orphans claiming their plot of Organic land!

Vertical Gardening with Kale (Sukuma)

Boaz teaching how to make Green Juice

Students, weeding, seeding and growing Green Crops

Educating Grade School Kenyans about Greens, Immunity and Health

The “GREEN” Team! Juliet, Boaz, Dale, Me and Elisa

Delicious Retreat RaWp-up

I have always wanted to go on a retreat – especially one that was focused on health and wellness. I never really got the opportunity to pursue this interest. So instead, after finding out about the House of Verona in Collingwood Ontario – it wasn’t long  before I decided to host my own retreat. There is nothing better than gathering a group of like minded individuals and guiding them through a weekend of laughter, learning, sharing and cleansing!

I put the word out in February that I was going to host a delicious retreat up in Northern Ontario and it only took about two weeks before 10 + spots had filled. I was so happy and excited that people wanted to share and escape the city for a weekend away. Because it is spring, the topic of the weekend was cleansing, nourishing, rejuvenating while eating raw, organic and vegan food. It is not very often that you get to experience all of this at once!

Planning ahead for the weekend – I created some delicious recipes and planned out all the meals.  I basically took all of my favourite raw meals and created a full menu with them. We started each day with a green juice, smoothie and a yummy breakfast of sprouted bread with acai berry jam, sprouted buckwheat, almond milk and superfood toppings. Then all of our other meals varied between thai coated kelp noodles with collard wraps, savoury nut based dips with LIVE crackers, marinara and pesto pizza with caesar salad, onion-flax bread sandwich with carrot beet and kale slaw and two desserts: mango, banana “ice cream” and chocolate avocado pudding. Did I mention that this was a DELICIOUS retreat?

Trio of Raw Dips – Living Flatbreads and Green Salad

Onion Flax Bread with Walnut Pate and Kale Slaw Salad

Sprouted Buckwheat Cereal with Goji, Coconut and Cinnamon

Acai Berry Jam on Sprouted Kamut Bread

Marinara and Pesto Pizza with Brazil Nut Crust

That was just part of it, the rest of the weekend revolved around learning and sharing. We watched the film Food Matters, had an interactive discussion about cleansing and immunity, learned how to blend smoothies, roll nori, sprout, make nut milks and what essential equipment to have in your kitchen.

Raw Nori Rolling Lesson

Making a Green Smoothie (with Sun Warrior) Lesson

The last component of the weekend allowed for healthy lifestyle activities like yoga, hot baths at a local spa and a hike up blue mountain. We managed to cover a lot in two days- but everyone got something out of it. I had participants from Ottawa, Waterloo, Oakville and Toronto -  everyone had something to offer to the group, with varying areas of expertise and knowledge in health and fitness – we all learned from each other which was the best part! I am even more thrilled that long lasting friendships and bonds were created. From the positive energy and feedback I got from this group, they will always remember their Delicious Weekend Retreat. Thanks to all who joined!

Refreshed after a dip in some hot baths!

Invigorated after our hike to the top of Blue Mountain

Please continue to check my website for details about my next Retreat, October 15-17th – Autumn Immunity and Renewal!

The Culture of Tea

There is a culture of tea growing, whether you like it or not, and hopefully you like it.  The truth is, tea has been around for centuries – is has deep roots on many levels, but what it comes down to is that there is a tea for everyone! Teas come in different shapes, colours and flavours, have unique aroma’s while offering the body an abundance of healing properties that are powerful enough to make a difference in our everyday life.

The culture of tea has been around for thousands of years. It all started in ancient china when a few tea leaves blew into a cup of warm water. Who knew that this would lead to a worldwide fascination where many traditional meanings and practices stem from. For centuries, tea has provided cultures, tribes, and pristine societies with a source of income, tradition and entertainment.

Today, tea still remains an active part of Chinese, Japanese European, Buddhist, and North American culture (among others). It is simply part of their lives and not a day goes by without a cup – whether made out of stone, glass, ceramic or wood – is poured full of a unique flavour that is part of that community or culture. It is cherished and valued with every sip!

Chai tea, green tea, roobois tea, white tea, herbal teas (mint, chamomile, rose) all possess healing and deep-rooted cultural meaning. Any of these teas can be enjoyed on their own, just simply steeped with water or blended together into unique combination’s which can promote relaxation, liveliness, healthy digestion or just good enough to have after a meal.

Adding a cup of tea (or two) into your everyday life can make every sip a gourmet experience. There is hardly a café, restaurant or city block that you can’t pass by that doesn’t offer you an array of teas. This is fabulous and convenient, but if you have the opportunity to buy and steep your own loose leaf teas (or tea blends at home) – there is no turning back. There is absolutely a difference between tea that comes in a bleached white tea bag (with a staple), versus something you can get fresh, loose and organic. The taste is pure and it goes right through your body to each and every cell. When you find a tea that blends with your values and tastes buds, I promise you too will become part of this culture if you aren’t already!

Red Berry Breeze (using Nourish Tea’s – Red Roobois and Berry Breeze)

1 tsp red roobois

1 1/2 tsp Berry Breeze

2 cups water

1 wedge of lemon

1. Place fresh tea leaves and hot water in a steeping kettle/jug or cup- allow water to infuse.

2. Pour infused red water into another glass or tall jug and place in fridge for 2 hours.

3. Pour into a glass and enjoy with a wedge of lemon!

This tea is naturally sweetened with the dried fruit from the berries and it is loaded with antioxidants from the roobois tea (Better than any fruit punch!!). Healing, nourishing and refreshing! You must try it!

Please share with me…

Have you ever had Roobois Tea?

Are you part of this Culture of Tea?

What is your Favourite Tea?

Has Tea healed you in any way?

How to Taste Your Dragon!

I am rather excited! As I have just eaten my first Dragon Fruit. It is so much fun to discover and taste new fruits – especially exotic ones. I can’t believe after all of these years experimenting and trying new things – I had never sliced open one of these beauties.

I’ve walked past them so many times in markets and never picked it up. But for some reason the other day something about this flamboyant fruit enticed me to reach over and grab for it.

I couldn’t help but be drawn in by it’s gorgeous pink flesh. It looks like a flower (in fact it is a flower). I know it’s not local, and most likely not organic either. But it is 100% delicious. This is not and will not be a staple in my diet, but it will be a treat (and I think I will treat myself to it more often!!).

When you cut into it you’ll notice it’s white peppered flesh. Almost like a white kiwi. It is totally unique, there is nothing like it! It is so easy to scoop the flesh out with a spoon and then slice it up and eat it up. I had to control myself from eating the whole thing. It is that tasty and so easy to eat – it literally melts in your mouth! Too bad I bought only one! I will wait at least a couple of weeks to buy another one (I said treat…right?)

Once the flesh is out, you can enjoy it in fruit salads, garden salads, in smoothies, drinks or simply on it’s own. That is just how you eat it, wait until you find out how good it is for you!

I have done my research and now I have learned that by eating Dragon (also known as Pitaya fruit), you can lower your cholesterol, balance your blood sugar, get more than your daily dose of Vitamin C, load up on antioxidants, fill up on fiber and get in your healthy fats (due to all of it’s seeds). That’s a lot of punch for one fruit! But for all that flare in it’s shape and colour, it has to offer something at least as equally interesting on the inside.

This is a loaded fruit. All of it’s beauty was worth it. I can’t wait to taste my next Dragon!

First Cut it in Half

Then Scoop out the Flesh and Slice

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