Prana bars have fun combinations like goji- goldenberry, acai-coconut, raspberry-pomegranate. So exciting and unique. Every bite is delicious and they are loaded with enzymes, protein and fiber. They are also raw, organic, unprocessed, non-gmo, soy free, no sugar added, gluten free, dairy free, vegan and all natural! They fill you up and make a great snack! (Delicious Snacks are my theme for the next few weeks – and these bars are included as one of the options for my packaged product guide to snacks – see blog post coming up soon!) Whether you enjoy them for breakfast, before a workout, after a workout, for a midday snack or just to tie you over between meals – they are sure to give you a boost!

So if you haven’t had the pleasure of trying these bars yet, I am offering a little taster teaser contest!!

The first 10 people in CANADA ONLY:  (sorry USA’ers I can’t send food to you – but you can order them directly from Prana Bars!)

1. To comment below and tell me why they would love to try a Prana bar

2. To Tweet about this Contest (+ follow me on twitter) – and comment about it below

3. To Post it on Facebook (+ become a Fan of Delicious Knowledge) – and comment about it below

Will be the lucky recipients of one of these super delicious bars!

If you are one of the first 10 to respond to any of the above you will get first picks of the flavour combination that you would just love to try!

Ready. Set. GO!

Goldenberry Goji

Apricot Goji

Raspberry Pomegranate

Apple Pie

Apricot Pumpkin

Coconut Acai

Mango Maca

Blueberry Coconut

Cashew Almond

Mango Maca

Without further ado…I now welcome Dani:

Hello everyone!  My name is Dani and I write a blog entitled Body By Nature.  Marni has graciously let me contribute a post to her fabulous blog.

In summer, it can be easy to let healthy food choices slide; we spend time on patios, at BBQ’s and cottages and it can be easy to slip up with how we nourish ourselves.  With Fall just around the corner it is the perfect time to re-evaluate your eating habits and get back on the Fully Nourished wagon!

A great place to start is with your snacking.  A snack should be well balanced and low on the glycemic scale so your blood sugar level stays even without any spikes in blood glucose.

If you have access to a fridge at work it’s a good idea to store a selection of healthy foods so you won’t be tempted by a mid-morning trip to the coffee shop or answer when the vending machine is screaming your name in the afternoon. By making small adjustments to your daily eating routine, you will see tremendous results in the way you feel.

Here is a list of healthy and balanced snack ideas:

-hummus and veggie sticks
-Greek yogurt with fruit
-sandwich made of whole grain bread with nut and apple butter
-homemade trail mix (keep dried fruit to a minimum)
-protein smoothie

For my birthday I received a Magic Bullet blender. I brought it to work and keep it at my desk, this way I can throw all the ingredients in a cup at home to make a smoothie and keep it in the fridge until I’m ready for it mid-morning. It’s simple and easy and can keep me going until lunch. Here’s my favourite smoothie recipe:

The Keep Me Going Smoothie

½ cup strawberries (frozen)
½ cup mango
1 cup coconut water
1 banana
1 handful of spinach
1 scoop protein powder of choice
water (amount depends on how you like the consistency)

Blend and enjoy!

Thank you for reading and happy snacking!

Dani @ Body By Nature

PS: Be sure to tune with Fully Nourished after the Vegetarian Food Fair to read my post with more recipes and ideas about Super Delicious and Healthy Snacking!

What do you like to Snack on?

Be sure to make your way out and come and visit Delicious Knowledge at the International Marketplace. Ask your questions, get some answers and sign up for some Delicious upcoming Fall Classes or my Fall Renewal Retreat.  I will have lots of goodies, discounts on classes and other fun things to keep you occupied. So be sure to visit me, even if you just want to say hello!

I would also LOVE to see you at My Cooking Demo on Saturday September 11th at 1:30 pm

Super Delicious Snacking For Everyday Enjoyment!

Everybody loves to snack! However we are all too reliant on picking things up on the go that are not healthy for us whether loaded with sugar, salt or fat. They leave us feeling tired, sluggish and bloated. Through this workshop Marni will teach you how to make some healthy, balanced and simple snacks so that you can have them on hand during the week.

I will also be part of a Panel on Vegan Baking on Sunday September 12th at 6:00 pm

Cruelty-Free Baking Basics – A panel with Marni Wasserman, Lesia Kohut and Ricki Heller

How do you make perfectly light and luscious baked goods without eggs, milk and butter? Join three professionals bakers to hear their tips and tricks. Winning recipes from the Totally Fabulous Vegan Bake-Off will be shared. Bring your questions and culinary conundrums.

Food Fair Hours

Friday: 4pm-9pm

Saturday: 12pm-9pm

Sunday: 12pm-7pm

Location:

Harbourfront Centre

235 Queens Quay West

Toronto, On M5J 2G8

I was not much of a pasta eater growing up as I never liked how I felt and yes, I did feel guilty eating a whole bowl of carbs without any substance. But since I have discovered  brown rice pasta have a new found love and appreciation for pasta. Now I can happily enjoy it alongside my Italian blooded Fiance!

I have now been using brown rice pasta for years, my cupboards are always stocked with Tinkyada pasta. Whether spirals, penne, fusili – what ever I am feeling, I’ve got it. I then top it with anything from a good homemade tomato sauce or a store bought organic local variety, a green pesto sauce (see recipe below) or  just with some olive oil and sea salt. You actually wouldn’t believe how good pasta tastes with just these two other ingredients!

But when I feel like making a full meal out of it, that is colourful and fun, my absolute favourite is making pesto. I am overly spoiled now because I have loads of fresh basil growing in my backyard, which makes this sauce extremely fresh. However you can pretty much always get your hands on a bunch or organic basil. Basil can also be subbed in this recipe for kale, parsley, spinach or arugula. Don’t just get stuck on basil because that is what is traditional (and not to mention delicious) but you can also try some other green herbs every once in a while. Then I like to toss in some white beans or chickpeas, or crumbled goat cheese once in a while to bulk it up and give it extra substance.

I guess the secret is out, brown rice pasta is amazing. If you haven’t tried it already – you will be hooked when you do. there isn’t any family member, friend, class participant or client that hasn’t enjoyed their transition to brown rice pasta. Until you try it yourself you will never know.

Pesto Pasta with Wilted Greens

The Pesto:

1 bunch or 2 cups of fresh Basil (or other green)

¼ cup olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp white miso paste (optional) but makes it really “cheesy”

1 tbsp honey

¼ cup pinenuts or walnuts, toasted

Salt and pepper to taste

What it goes on!

1 package of Brown Rice or kamut pasta

1 tbsp olive oil

1 bunch of spinach or swiss chard, lightly steamed or sautéed

1 can of white beans or cooked navy beans (optional)

For the Pesto:

1. Grind the nuts in food processor; add remaining ingredients and process for a few minutes until well combined.

For the Pasta:

1. Boil a pot of water, add sea salt and cook pasta until tender or al dente about 7-10 minutes.

Putting it together:

1. In a large pot, on a medium or low heat combine the pesto with the cooked pasta, add in the beans, chard or spinach.
2. Stir a few minutes until well combined.

Have you tried Brown Rice Pasta?

What do you like to put on it?

If you didn’t know this already, I am in the midst of planning a wedding. My Fiance, Ryan and I got in engaged in February! We are very excited for our wedding next summer on July 31st 2011. We are making it as ECO and GREEN as we possibly can and on that note, we made the decision a little over a month a go to have a vegetarian wedding. It wasn’t an easy decision at first, but realized that I wanted to share my knowledge, expertise and passion for plant based foods with a room full of people that are most important to me.  I want to show them how truly amazing, wonderful and creative a vegetarian meal can be. What better chance and what more captive of an audience than to showcase this at our very own wedding. The decision was ours (Ryan is fully 100% supportive of this) and this is what we are truly content with our decision. Everything about the evening is going to be magical from the setting on the lake, to the flowers, to my ECO- vegetable dyed organic silk dress and of course the most important detail, the menu. No, I am not cooking up all the food at my own wedding. I am lucky enough to be sitting down with the chef at my venue to create the menu of my dreams (you are just going to have to wait at least a year for these details!)

Since Chelsey did make the decision to have a meat option at her wedding there  has been some dispute about whether one should have an all veggie wedding or not. Even though it was a bit of a debate for me at first, I chose to stick with my well rooted plant based philosophy along with our values as a couple.  It only makes sense, as I try to encourage my clients and the people around me to find other ways to be satisfied without meat (even if it’s just for one meal).  Since meat is usually the focus of the meal at most weddings, without it, often people can’t imagine what that meal would be? That is where I want to shine, and show people that a delicious (and filling) meal can still be in store even though it is vegetarian.

I have to tell you, this is a new era, where health and wellness are at the core of living a balanced life. The more I immerse myself in this wonderful land of veggies – the more I fall in love with it and the more amazing, wonderful and caring people I am meeting not too mention the incredible foods I am always discovering along the way. We need to be compassionate even if it is just for ONE night of your life. It will be worth it. I promise.

So having a vegetarian wedding just makes complete sense to me, since teaching vegetarian cooking classes is not only my business, but mine and Ryan’s lifestyle (for reasons of health, animal rights and just pure satisfaction). Allowing our guests to experience our vegetarian wedding – will not only show them what we are all about- but it will also prove that they can be perfectly satisfied and content with at least ONE blissful meal eating plant based foods! Something for everyone to try once in a while

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK…

Did you have a Vegetarian Wedding?

Would you have a Vegetarian  Wedding?

Would you be satisfied/happy at a Vegetarian Wedding?

Why or Why Not?

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!

Also when I travel, my morals, values and dedication to being a foodie is the same.  Just because you are traveling doesn’t mean that you have to give in and eat crap because it’s too hard to stay on track. I don’t look at the way I eat as staying on track or following a diet plan. It is my way of life and I am proud of it. Those who know me well, know that I am that girl who will bring her own food to a dinner party,  always have spelt or sprouted bread on me just in case it needs to be dipped or create my very own menu item at any given restaurant. That way I can still dine out at restaurants and enjoy my meal. I can also be found in the airport munching on kale chips, flat bread or scooping the flesh out of an avocado. As I said, I don’t settle and I don’t give in. There are no excuses. When food is as important to you as it is to me – there is no other way! It may sound extreme – but this is me, and how I live my life everyday.

I prepare all of my meals pretty much all of the time. I rarely eat out or pick up on the go. So that is why it is nice to get away once in a while and be spoiled by healthy and delicious options when I am traveling. It also gives me some inspiration to go back home and create with some new ideas!

I was just in Los Angeles, visiting my brother, Dan Wasserman (a chiropractor in Santa Monica) and together we explored all the yummy places to eat out there. Luckily he is on board with me, and I don’t ever have to feel judged around him as he likes to eat the way I do. So together we dined at several tasty places. I am going to share my experiences and pictures here – the foods I encountered, the desserts I indulged in – all while being happy, healthy and active.

Real Food Daily – a definite must when coming to LA.  It has everything that a vegan wants to eat. Whether you want to be adventurous with a cashew cheese pizza or go simple clean with brown rice, kale, tempeh and miso soup along with a slice of their rustic corn bread with miso tahini spread. This is one of my all time fav’s!

The Best Corn Bread in Town!

Sweet and Savoury Miso Soup

Cashew Kale Corn Meal Pizza – Scrumptious!

Kind Kreme – A new discovery and truly heaven on earth as far as frozen desserts go. The absolute BEST vegan, raw ice cream I have ever had. They had everything from soft serve to several varieties of hard scoops. A cute quaint little spot near Universal Studios. I wish more places like this existed. If there is one thing I loved for dessert while grown up it was frozen yogurt – so this satisfied all my needs as far as dessert goes. I can’t even compare it to anything else I have ever had.

Coconut Cashew Choc-Vanilla Swirl with Dark Chips

Planet Earth - in Hermosa Beach. A cute little raw lunch cafe. All of 10 items on the menu – so there was definitely a lot of love put into each item. We had a yummy pesto cracker appetizer  and a raw burger on sprouted bread. It was somewhat hearty, the bread and burger were rather tasty with a unique flavour and lots of texture.  I was pleasantly satisfied and would definitely come back.

Rahel’s Ethiopian - My brother and I discovered this amazing little place on Fairfax in little Ethiopia a few years back. It is the only vegan restaurant on the block. I can be easily turned off of ethnic foods, simply because they are meat-centered, loaded with dairy and often spicy. Well not here! They are more than accommodating (especially for me and my lack of palette for spicy foods), they have so many items to choose from and they also now feature a tasty gluten free injera bread. I can truly eat here without any worries. Oh and don’t forget to order the mango juice or a thai young coconut to sip on between those spicy bites! (see picture at top)

Cru – Loved it here. A small raw, vegan cafe that features very specific items that are all crafted beautifully. It was hard to decide what to have. But I settled with a mezze platter with a fig dip, beet and apple salad, kale slaw, cashew cheeze and cucumber salad – served with flax crackers it was totally scrumptious! Of course this was a green juice paired with my meal as well.

M Cafe - This is one of my favourite spots to stop for a simple, clean macro meal. They always have fresh salads, veggie nori rolls and lots of other items. This is a great place to stop if you are on the go as the food comes out rather quick and it always tastes fresh!

So as you can see – LA makes it very easy for me to eat well. There are so many amazing places to choose from. I know not all destinations are not as well equipped as LA, but you have to do your research. The next stop for me on this trip was to Scottsdale and Sedona Arizona. This happens to be a frequent destination for my family and I am always on the lookout for new places to eat. I gave a little intro to Scottsdale restaurants last year with some of my usual destinations like TRUE FOOD KITCHEN – but this year I have discovered a few more!

Luckily I was here with my foodie buddie and good friend Marti Wolfson from Culinary school in New York. So there was no doubt that we weren’t going to eat well and make sure that our “bellies” were totally satisfied. We had the chance to discover some new places along the way…from a juicy tempeh burger to a raw falafel platter and gluten free pizza we had our fair share of delicious meals. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures to prove this but you’ll just have to take my word. Then the other night I was lucky enough to discover a new restaurant in Scottsdale called Nourish – which I literally stumbled upon after doing a search for “vegetarian Scottsdale”. So excited to have found this place! They have a wide menu with lots to choose from and a one-of-a-kind coconut ice cream for dessert!

Okay, that pretty much wraps up my trip. I don’t really like to eat out this much, but when I am traveling or on the go, this is what takes place and the choices that I make. Food comes first (sometimes)…. as I love to eat and I love to discover new things all the time. It may have seemed  like I was indulging – but it was all healthy, clean and delicious! I have also been continuously active – swimming, hiking, biking and yoga! Of course there has to be a balance…and on that note I am actually looking forward (after being so inspired) to making some home-made meals and post some new recipes when I return back to Toronto!

Are you a foodie? If so…please share!

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!

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.

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!