Inside…(not) Out!

What do I mean by this – well we need to make a habit to eat in and not out!

We all get too comfortable and too reliant with meals on the go, on the run or just plain old out for dinner at a restaurant…with leftovers! Well it may seem like there is nothing wrong with this, but when it occurs more than three times every week, there is!

It is important to take your control back – get in your kitchen and dine in! How you ask – well you can start by cooking your own meals at home. For the record this doesn’t include ordering in! That is officially cheating. I am talking about home-made meals in the comfort of your own home. Cook, prepare, and create delicious healthy meals with your family. It will not only save you money, but save your health and maybe even time. If you cook a little extra you’ve got meals for the next day. Pack em’ in some glassware, a laptop lunch box, stainless steel containers – and they are ready to go. This also saves the morning headache of scrounging around for meals for the kids or the spouse.

You will not only feel better about yourself if you take this on, but you will also be avoiding takeout packaging. Not to mention sparing yourself from feeling lousy and bloated and paying more than necessary for a bowl of pasta. I am not saying to never dine out – we all have our favourite restaurants and pick up spots -  I definitely have mine (check out Marni’s Faves). Just leave it to less than three times a week.  This may be a challenge, but we all need to start somewhere. Start tonight by getting into your kitchen… and dine in!

Simple Steps to start the process:

-       Go the to the grocery store/ health food store/farmer’s market and start shopping!

-       Makeover your kitchen and fill them with organic/fresh and wholesome ingredients

-       Take a Cooking Class

-       Invite friends over and cook together

-       Have a private cooking lesson in your home with your family

-       Grow your own garden (season pending)

-       Use reusable containers and glassware – even if you are picking up!

-       Try to order less at restaurants to prevent the occurrence of leftovers and packaging

-       When it comes to eating out – try to eat at local, sustainable, organic and vegetarian restaurants (see veg.ca)

Join the Take OUT With OUT Campaign and make a difference!

The Top 3! … well more like 5

So the day has come and it is time to finalize the top posts of people’s FAVOURITE VEGETARIAN MEALS and find out who is going to come to one of my Cooking Classes for FREE!  This contest was not only based on what the meal was, but why this meal was so special and what about this meal made you feel amazing!

I really had a tough time trying to pick…as they all sounded delicious (that is why I have picked 5 instead of 3).

There was a bit of an Indian/Ethiopian theme going on – it seemed that warming beany and grainy meals with veggies seem to hit home for a lot of my readers! There are also quite a few new recipes in these posts, so have a look through and get inspired to make something delicious.

Thank goodness I am leaving the tough part to you.

Each post is listed with a code name – that highlights each specific post.

Then YOU will leave a comment with the code name of your favourite one and why you liked it. (If your post is one listed, you can NOT comment at all! You will just have to wait with anticipation!)

I will tally all of the votes to see which one got the most…and the winner will be announced and contacted in the next couple of days!

Post # 1 : Chickpea Curry

My favourite veggie meal is Indian and it is channa masala (chickpea curry) over basmati pulao (basmati with spices/onions). It is so yummy and filling! The house smells fantastic when you are cooking these items. When you sit down to a plate of beautifully cooked basmati pulao and pour the channa masala on top of it, it is irresistible to me. I’m drooling just thinking about it! I was born in Canada but my family background is East Indian, so this dish brings me back to my heritage and the food I grew up with at home. The great thing is, this is simple to cook but it is so hearty that my non-vegetarian friends love it too. Now that I have thought about it so much, it will have to be dinner tonight!

Post # 2: Pineapple Pear

My favourite veggie meal is my morning Power-Packed Pineapple Pear Smoothie. This power house meal is packed to give me the boost I need to start my day on the right foot. I don’t do well with solid foods in the morning so this drink has the added ingredients to help digest it and support my body at the same time. I start with about a third of a cored organic pineapple. The aroma of the pineapple as I cut it into chunks makes my mouth water and my tummy grumble in anticipation (gets those digestive juices flowing), and it’s beautiful bright yellow colour is a nice ‘eye-opener’ for the morning, along with it’s high vitamin C and digestive and health supporting enzymes. I like using 2 Forella pears that have the yellow-red skin as they are firmer and still have a smooth texture and adds valuable soluble and insoluble (including the skin) fiber. To boost the fiber, protein and iron content I add 30grams of organic ground tigernuts (Egyptian tubers) which also give a nutty flavour. Then I add about 5 stalks of dandelion greens to support my liver and get my greens into my day first thing. Surprisingly and scrumptiously, the slight bitterness of the dandelion is complimented very well by the pineapple’s sweetness and acidity and adds a nice green colour to the drink (bitter tastes also help stimulate digestive juices). Then to add a bit more protein and probiotics which help digestion further along the tract, I add some coconut kefir about a quarter to a half of a cup. This adds some tartness to balance the sweetness and beautiful light coconut flavour to the pineapple. I power pack it off with 30grams of lecithin granules and 1 tsp of spirulina. The lecithin really adds to the smoothness of the smoothie and is great for the nervous system (stress) and lowering cholesterol. The spirulina intensifies the green colour of the smoothie, helps cleanse and build the blood and supports the body in so many ways.

Add about 4 cubes of ice to the blending near the end to chill it up and thin it out a bit, and then let it sit for a few minutes before consuming to allow the flavours to meld. This makes 2 generous helpings. This first meal of the day gives me a sense of great care and love being given to my body. Once you try it you’ll be hooked!

Post #3: Pesto Pasta

My favourite vegetarian meal is spinach pesto on whole wheat spaghettini. Why?

First of all – IT TASTES SO DARN GOOD. I love the punch of the pine nuts and garlic, it’s absolutely delicious.

Why else? Well, I’m by no means a raw foodist, but I know the importance of including raw foods in my diet. This meal is perfect for me because I still get to enjoy my warm, cooked pasta (providing me with healthy, whole grains), but the pesto itself is made from fresh, raw, iron-rich spinach and the antioxidants of the garlic (which this recipe includes LOTS of!).

Post # 4: Injera

My absolute favourite meal is actually one I had tonight: Ethiopian food!!

First of all, eating Ethiopian food is a communal experience. The food comes served on a large platter for sharing, which has a base of a sourdough flatbread called injera. Injera is made from teff flour, not only high in iron and fibre, but really delicious!

Each dish is served in a small dollop: spiced chickpeas, lentils or split peas, collard greens (mmm), potatoes with cabbage and carrots, and salad. You eat the entire meal with your fingers, enveloping each morsel of spiced legumes and veg with the injera. The smells of berbere (the spice mix they use to cook everything — how can you go wrong with chilis, onions and garlic?), frankincense, and strong coffee are all around and deeply satisfying.

Food always tastes better when you can eat with your hands.

Post #5: Dhal Stew

My favorite meal is a dhal stew that I have altered from an original family recipe. It was always a staple in my home growing up. Once I moved out on my own it was the first recipe I made from scratch. I felt so proud and comforted when I first made it on my own (especially when for the first little while I was eating a lot of processed foods).It also started me on the path of ‘loving to cook’! It consists of yellow dhal, tumeric, cumin seeds, garam masala, curry powder, onions, garlic, tomatoes, salt and hot pepper sauce…very simple but oh so good!! You can make it a soup consistency or what I do is add potatoes or plaintains or sweet potatoes and green peas and make it into a stew.

Simple and Delicious!

If you were at the Toronto Vegetarian Food Fair this past weekend and you saw my cooking demo, then you would know exactly what I am talking about. If not, I will tell you anyways. It is always so much fun to get up in front of people and teach them about how easy it can be to make whole foods apart of your everyday life! That was the goal at my demo, to educate people on how everyday eating can be simple and delicious which will ultimately lead towards a path of optimal happiness, health and healing!

I am going to provide you with a brief overview how you can Stock Your Cupboards Full of the Best Quality Ingredients!

Choose whole, fresh foods!

• Raw, living and sprouted foods
• Fresh organic vegetables and fruits
• Nuts and seeds (almonds, pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts, walnuts)
• High quality vegetarian protein (tofu, tempeh, beans, nuts, seeds and greens)
• Whole and gluten free grains (spelt, quinoa, millet, brown rice)
• High quality fats (fresh pressed oils: olive, coconut, sesame) nuts, seeds and avocado

Choose organic, bio-dynamic and local foods as much as possible

• Organic foods have few or no chemicals, they have more minerals, nutrients and energy
• They support local family farms, increase agricultural diversity, and reduce the need for transportation of imported foods (less pollution!)
• They taste better and promote eating food in season

Choose a variety of foods everyday

• Rotate your foods and get the most out of whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds
• When planning your meals or creating recipes – get a balance of flavours whether it is sweet, sour, salty, bitter and astringent, pungent.

- Sweet: grains like rice, sweet fruit, carrots, beets, nuts, honey and other sweeteners

- Sour: lemons, tomatoes, grapes, plums, vinegar

- Salty: seaweed, celery, leafy greens, some cheeses (feta)

- Bitter: green leafy greens, endive, chicory, parsley, coriander, coffee

- Pungent: cayenne, chili peppers, ginger, garlic, leeks, radishes

- Astringent: beans, lentils, apples, pears, cabbage, broccoli, potatoes

For overall balance and diversity:

- Be sure to use different colours (taste the rainbow) textures (crunchy, soft, chewy, crispy), shapes (get creative when cutting fruits and veggies)

To go along with this I have some videos of the recipes I covered (along with the recipes of course!)

White Bean Dip with Dill

A delicious spread to enjoy with flatbread, crackers or served with crunchy raw veggies!

Ingredients:

1 cup soaked or 1 can of navy beans

2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp – ¼ cup tahini

1 bunch of fresh dill or basil, finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

(Add water if a thinner consistency is desired)

Procedure:

1. Cook soaked beans in large pot for 45 minutes – 1 hour.
2. Place garlic, lemon juice, and half of the beans into blender or food processor and blend well.
3. Add the remaining beans, tahini, olive oil, salt and pepper and blend until smooth (add water if necessary).
4. Transfer spread to bowl and stir in the fresh herbs.

Citrus Cranberry Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

½ teaspoon salt

½ cups hazelnuts

½ cup cranberries

½ cup orange juice

¼ tsp ground fennel seeds or Chinese 5 spice powder

½ cup orange segments

1 cup of broccoli florets

Vinaigrette

Zest of one orange

¼ cup fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon + 1 tsp lemon juice

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ cup olive oil

1. Rinse and drain quinoa. Add 2 cups of water and salt and bring to boil.  Lower heat and simmer, covered, until grains have burst and are tender but still chewy (about 12-15 minutes). Drain and set aside in medium bowl.
2. Preheat oven to 325 F. Toast hazel nuts in oven until center are golden, about 5 -10 minutes. Let cool and rub in towel to remove as much of the skins as possible. (Or you can purchase organic dry roasted hazelnuts!)
3. Soak Cranberries in orange juice for 5-10 minutes.
4. Cut broccoli into small florets and blanch (place in boiling water for 1-2 minutes) and set aside.
5. Add the soaked cranberries and the 5 spice to the warm rice. Toss with Vinaigrette.
6. Just before serving, combine hazelnuts and cranberries and broccoli with quinoa. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with orange segments.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Ingredients:

2 avocados

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp maple syrup

4 Medjool dates (soaked overnight or boiling water for 20-30 minutes)

1 tbsp of pure unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tbsp almond butter or 1/2 cup raw almonds (soaked in water overnight for 8 hrs.)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 ripe banana (optional) for extra flavour!

Procedure:

1. Combine the ingredients in a blender and whirl on high until well blended into a thick creamy pudding.
2. Divide the pudding into 2 servings
3. ENJOY!

Gourmet and Gluten Free

Despite what people might think, eating a gluten free diet is not limiting at all. In fact you can get more variety eating a gluten free diet than most people do eating their average diet. When people don’t have any limitations, it is ironic, but that is when people tend to eat the same thing day in and day out. When one is restricted to a specific diet either for health reasons (allergies, intolerance’s, sensitivities or digestive problems) – it forces you to become more creative and add more variety to your everyday eating.
On Wednesday night at my “Gourmet and Gluten Free” cooking class, my participants learned just that. By incorporating gluten free foods in your diet you can have more variety, colour and balance then you ever would have dreamed. For example we made these delicious “Everything Cookies” (recipe below) that had just about everything in them – except for gluten! Based on the response – these cookies tasted better than anything they had ever expected. Also included in the menu was a creamy carrot ginger apple soup, a quinoa pilaf salad with cashews and cherries, a tofu vegetable stir fry with buckwheat soba noodles, black bean and yam burgers, a pesto sauce on brown rice penne pasta and guacamole with blue corn chips. As you can see, there is no lack of flavour, variety, colour and texture in this menu. Gluten free grains are also extremely high in protein, calcium, vitamins, minerals and best of all they don’t make you bloated! You don’t have to be intolerant to gluten to have this variety in your diet – just be creative and have fun.

A word on Gluten:

Gluten is the protein in wheat that many people nowadays have difficulty digesting. If someone is gluten intolerant, they are likely to have Celiac Disease. This can be an extremely severe situation for some people as everyday digestion is compromised causing inflammation of the small intestine.
People who suffer from Celiac Disease need to stick to a gluten free diet indefinitely.
If someone is just simply sensitive to gluten containing foods it is important to stick to gluten free foods as much as possible to keep the gut lining nourished and soothed.

Examples of Gluten Free Grains:

Grains & Grain Products
GF Grains: amaranth, arrowroot, buckwheat, corn (cornmeal, corn grits), fava, flaxseed, garbanzo bean (chickpea, besan, gram or channa), hominy, hominy grits, kasha (toasted buckwheat), millet, pure uncontaminated oats, quinoa, rice, sago, tapioca

GF flours: bean flours (garbanzo, fava, romano), pure buckwheat flour, buckwheat bran, cornstarch, cornmeal, corn bran, garfava flour (garbanzo + fava bean flours), mesquite flour, quinoa flour, montina flour (made from Indian rice grass), nut flours and nut meals, pea flour, potato flour, potato starch, rice flour (white and brown), sorghum flour, soy (soya) flour, teff (or tef) flour

Breads and baked goods made with GF grains and free of other gluten-containing ingredients

Pastas made from rice, beans, corn, potato, quinoa, soy, wild rice and other GF grains
Cold cereals: puffed corn, amaranth, buckwheat, millet or rice, rice flakes and soy cereals
Hot cereals: hominy grits, soy grits, cream of buckwheat, cream of rice, puffed amaranth, rice flakes, quinoa flakes, soy flakes
Rice: brown, white, basmati, jasmine or wild rice
Grains: buckwheat, millet, amaranth, rice, corn, quinoa

Corn or rice tortillas

Everything (but gluten) Cookies

Ingredients:

1/3 cup maple syrup or agave
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp brown rice syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbs. almond butter
1/3 cup tahini
1 cup quinoa flakes
¼ cup puffed amaranth
¼ cup brown rice flour
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup chocolate chips
¼ cup ground flaxseeds
1/3 cup currents
1/3 cup sesame seeds

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease 2 large cookie sheets, or line with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, honey, vanilla, almond butter and tahini.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients. Pour wet mixture over dry and stir to blend well.
4. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared bake sheets.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Cookies will firm up as they cool.

Makes 20-24 cookies.

Nourish yourself this year!

Start off the year right. You owe it to yourself to nourish your body with fresh delicious food and your mind with the satisfaction that you can make the choice to be the best YOU this year. Make the right choices now, or else January will pass by to quickly. Then in February… well no one feels like starting anything new in February. Then March comes and you tell yourself you may as well wait until the spring or summer to start eating right or getting in shape or going on a cleanse. Well I am telling you that if you start right now, by the summertime you will already be looking and feeling great!

So the key is to get yourself motivated today. Start up a new exercise program and fill your kitchen full of healthy choices. You may even want to take a COOKING CLASS (see side column for details) or two, get yourself loaded with health supportive and tasty recipes to get you on your way – just email me if that is your plan!
I am also offering a WHOLE FOOD MAKEOVER WORKSHOP series starting next week that should definitely get you on your path to good health and well being. Sometimes you just need a little push in the right direction to get you on your way.
But if you are the type that just wants to do it yourself, then let me at least give you a few tips to get 2009 to YOUR best and most nourishing year ever!

1. Choose fresh and whole foods everyday
2. Choose organic and bio-dynamic foods as often as possible
3. Choose food that is fresh, local and seasonal
4. Choose foods that are colourful, vibrant and that vary in texture, flavour and shapes (this is great for kids too!)
5. Experiment cooking with different grains, legumes, vegetables and spices for variety
6. Limit your consumption of fried, processed, packaged and sugar laden foods
7. Limit your consumption of commercial meat and dairy (instead select naturally raised or organic whenever possible)
8. Start up a new exercise program, even if that means taking a walk around your block!
9. Find alternative methods for relaxation, healing and rejuvenation (massage therapy, aroma therapy, acupuncture, tai chi, yoga and pilates).
10. Have Fun!

Quinoa with Porcini Mushrooms and Dried Cranberries

Ingredients:

1-cup quinoa
2 cups water or vegetable broth
Salt
1 ounce (3/4 cup) dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup minced red onion
1 garlic clove
1 stalk celery
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
1 cup dried cranberries or currents
½ toasted pinenuts or pecans
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley or thyme

Procedure:

1. Rinse quinoa and place in large pot and dry toast on a low heat for a few minutes. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil with salt. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Combine 1 cup of water with porcini mushrooms in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mushrooms soak for 20 minutes. Then drain the mushrooms, reserving the mushrooms and the liquid separately. Roughly chop the mushrooms.
3. Warm the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and celery and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 7 minutes. At the last minute add the spinach.
4. Add the reserved mushrooms, the garlic, and the cranberries and sauté until the cranberries are heated through about 2 minutes.
5. Add the pinenuts, quinoa, salt and black pepper to taste, and the mushroom soaking liquid. Cook until the liquid has been absorbed, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley and serve hot.

Balance is Everything!

Balance really is everything when it comes to your blood sugar levels. It is extremely important to make sure you moderate and regulate your sugar intake everyday. As participants learned in tonight’s Sweet and Low Cooking Class, whether you have diabetes, hypoglycemia or just want to stay within a normal range and avoid cravings, it is vital to learn which foods will do the job and keep you in balance!

Here is a quick resource of some daily things you can be doing to keep your levels in check while creating overall, balanced and healthy eating habits!

Tips for Regulating your Blood Sugar Levels on Daily Basis Naturally

Always eat a balanced breakfast, everyday!
Do not go more than 2 hours without food or consume large heavy meals. Eat six to eight small meals throughout the day. Even eating a small snack before bed might help.
Eat a diet high in fiber (whole grains, legumes) and include large amounts of vegetables, especially dark leafy greens, squash, spinach and green beans and whole fresh fruits.
Consume beans, brown rice, oats, oat bran, lentils, sweet potatoes, tofu and fruits such as apples, apricots, avocados, banana, lemons.
For protein eat white fish or wild salmon, turkey, lean chicken breast, eggs and goats and sheep’s milk cheeses or sheep’s milk yogurt.
Use natural low glycemic sweeteners such as: brown rice syrup, barley malt, agave nectar, dates, stevia* and maple syrup (in moderation)
Stay away from high fatty foods and fried foods and choose healthy fats and oils instead: (avocado, coconut oil, olive oil or other cold pressed natural oils, raw nuts and seeds)
Remove alcohol, processed foods, sulphured dried fruits, table salt, white sugar, saturated fats, soft drinks and white flour. Also avoid food with artificial colours and preservatives.

Special foods with special properties for blood sugar:

Avocado: contains a sugar that depresses insulin production, which make them an excellent chose for people with hypoglycemia.
Cinnamon: has a lowering affect on blood sugar levels by reducing the amount of insulin secreted. Consume at least 1 teaspoon everyday!
Brewer’s Yeast: (1 Tbsp. twice daily) provides a rich source of the mineral, chromium, which has a glucose tolerance normalizing effect.
Soybeans and other legumes: (1 cup or more daily) Kidney beans, lentils, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, and lima beans retard the rate of absorption of carbohydrate into the blood stream.
Onions and garlic: (1/2 a clove twice daily) normalize blood sugar regulation by decreasing the rate of insulin elimination by the liver.
Other blood sugar controlling foods include: berries (especially blueberries), celery, cucumber, green leafy vegetables, sprouts, string beans, parsley, garlic, onions, psyllium, flaxseed, lemons, oat bran, radishes, sauerkraut, sunflower seeds, squash, watercress.

Sweet Pleasures

Sensational Summer Cooking Class – A True Success

I really do love to cook – but I love teaching people how to cook even more!

My new series of cooking classes have started off great!
A wonderful group of five lively and lovely ladies joined me for a wonderful evening of delicious summer recipes.

Everyone was greeted with a fresh glass of ginger-goji berry lemonade and then sat down to watch a demo of a creamy guacomole being prepared with fresh green garden peas, to be dipped in by organic blue corn chips. This is a delicious and nutritious twist to a traditional guacamole recipe. The peas add some depth, flavour and some good quality protein as well! The bowl was empty within seconds.

We then got into a discussion of the natural and fresh ingredients that were going to be used in the class. Everyone had questions to be answered.

Most questions were stemmed around what the difference is between some conventional ingredients such as soy sauce and sugar and what the natural alternatives were that we would be using in this class.

So I did my fair share of explaining that Tamari is a naturally fermented source of Soy Sauce that does not contain any wheat or additives. The sources of sugar we used in the class were either brown rice syrup, maple syrup or agave nectar, which are all from natural plant or food sources. Which means they contain some vitamins and minerals that would not be found in traditional white sugar. It was also pertinent to mention that brown rice syrup and agave nectar do not spike blood sugar levels as rapidly as processed sugar does.

It is always so great and rewarding to educate people on basic things that they can take home and bring into thier own cooking and daily eating. There are so many questions around food, and I am always more than happy to bridge this gap, and make clear what is confusing.

So the evening carried on with everyone making one of the many recipes that were to be prepared in the class. Everyone got to choose between making either: Tangy Thai Lettuce Wraps, Apple-Fennel salad with a Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette, Quinoa Tabule, Green Beans with Hazelnuts, White Bean Dip with Dill, Citrus Tempeh Skewers or Creamy Lemon Tarts. A tough decision to make, I know!

But everyone chose the recipe that made them eager and excited to prepare .
The recipes turned out fantastic and everyone learned a new technique or two to make things easier for them in the kitchen, whethter it was how slice fennel on a mandoline, processing quick dressings in a blender or vitamix or blanching broccoli to get crisp and tender floret, everyone got something helpful and useful out of the class.

Then after two hours of fun in the kitchen, we all sat down to enjoy the wonderful sampling of all the recipes together, plus there was plenty of leftovers to take home!

After such a great experience, I am really looking forward to my next upcoming summer classes and I hope you can make it to one of them!