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!

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!

Preventing with Plants

Last week I held a workshop in conjunction with the Holistic cooking Academy. The topic and premise was focused on meal planning for Cancer. Whether you are a cancer survivor or preventing and living each day to it’s full health potential -  I discussed the importance and essentials of a plant based diet. There is no better way to attain optimal health than through a plant based diet. Within this very specific yet broad topic there was so much to discuss. But I had to limit myself as this workshop could of gone on for hours. Instead it was a 4 hour class which comprised of a  two hour discussion of some of the vital nutrients for cancer and then went on to a hands on cooking class in the kitchen. We made some incredible and tasty recipes!

There are many different dietary approaches when it comes to Cancer and when it comes to any kind of healing for that matter.

Here are some of the possible dietary approaches:

• vegetarian/vegan
• superfoods/raw foods (sprouting, smoothies, etc.)
• macrobiotic diet
• organic whole foods / balanced proteins, carbs, fats

Here are the FOOD GROUPS for Optimal Health:

1) Vegetables

With a strong emphasis on veggies… ideally 50 % of your meals should come from vegetables. Leafy greens are amongst the most important and are often neglected (Kale, spinach, swiss chard, collards, bok choy and the list goes on). Let’s not forget about sea vegetables either – this includes Arame, Dulse, Nori, Kombu and Wakame. They are especially beneficial in preventing breast cancer. Almost all vegetables can be eaten raw or lightly steamed.

2) Fruits

Fruit is best eaten between meals or at least 1/2 hour before other foods. It is also best to eat fruit in season rather than stored, bottled or frozen.

3) Legumes (beans, lentils, split peas…)

Excellent source of protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber and many important nutrients. Approximately 15% of your meals should come from this category.

4) Whole Grains

This includes the whole grain and preferably gluten free grains such as quinoa, amaranth, millet, brown rice, wild rice and limited amounts of spelt, kamut, barley, oats and rye. Grains should comprise of a good part of a balanced diet as whole grains are high in fiber, complex carbohydrates and B vitamins. Whole grains provide long lasting energy and are critical nerve conduction. Try to limit/avoid refined and processed flours and flour containing products – they are high in sugar and stripped of their essential nutrients.

5) Animal protein

Best avoided, but this is not the case for everyone. So if you feel you must consume meat, limit it to wild-caught fish, naturally raised organic poultry, and small amounts of organic, pasture-fed beef. Dairy is mucus forming, and is best avoided. Good quality kefir, sheep’s milk or organic dairy is an exception, and can be consumed in moderation.

6) Soy

Fermented soy products (tempeh, miso, tamari) and edamame (young soy beans) are beneficial. Tofu and other processed soy products (milk, cheese, ice cream, soy protein) should be avoided. These foods have been considered healthy meat and dairy alternatives for a long time, however recent research shows that they are poorly digested and may even inhibit proper protein digestion.

7) Nuts and seeds

Up to 5% of your meals should come from this category. Nuts and seeds are high in protein and healthy fats, and they supply various vitamins and minerals as well. Soaking and dehydrating will make nuts more easily digestible. Enjoy things such as almonds, walnuts, pumpkin, sunflower, hemp, chia and flax seeds!

Oils

Use good quality oils in moderation (cold pressed, extra virgin). For light cooking olive oil is the best, for higher temperatures use coconut or grape seed oil. Hemp, walnut, and flax oil are great for salads – never heat these oils. You can also add them to smoothies, but make sure you just mix them in with a spoon at the end, and do not blend.

Avoid all hydrogenated and processed forms of oils (ie. margarine).

9) Sweeteners

Refined sugar feeds cancer cells. Artificial sugar substitutes are linked to cancer as well. Honey (raw) and pure maple syrup are great in moderation.

10) Additional Items (condiments, herbs, spices)

Apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, carob powder, dark chocolate, unsulphured dried fruits, miso, herbs, spices, sea vegetables

Lots of herbs also have potent anti-cancer properties. (turmeric, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, basil, rosemary, clove, chilli pepper,  thyme, parsley, fennel, anise or coriander)

Green Powders

In addition to green leafy vegetables, pure green powders are key to alkalizing they body and help to rid the body of excess toxins and residues. They provide energy because of their concentrated and easy to absorb form of nutrients. Enjoy 1 tsp – 1tbsp of pure powder with water in the morning or add them into smoothies and vegetable juices. - vitamineral greens, ormus supergreens, chlorella and E3 live are among my favourites!

The Hit Recipe of the day was this super powered dish – which is full of fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, low in sugar and can be enjoyed for breakfast, dessert or a midday snack.

Apple-Berry Crumble

Apple-Berry Crisp

Filling:

6-8  McIntosh or Golden Delicious Apples

8 ounces fresh or frozen blueberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Pinch of sea salt

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of cardamom

½ cup apple juice mixed with 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (this acts like corn starch)

Crisp:

2 cups rolled oats

½ cup whole grain spelt flour

¼ cup cold pressed coconut oil

2 tablespoon maple syrup

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of cinnamon

1. Rinse apples (peeling is optional if they are organic). Quarter them, remove seeds and slice thinly.
2. Place apples and blueberries in baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice, sea salt, cinnamon and cardamom and pour juice over fruit. Toss to mix.
3. Mix crisp ingredients and crumble over fruit evenly.
4. Press down gently; bake at 350 degrees F, for 30 to 45 minutes, until crust is crunchy and golden and apples are soft.

I “Heart” Cookies!

I LOVE  that I can make up a batch of cookies without even baking them! Just in time for Valentines Day these little “raw” sweethearts are power packed full of super foods. These are my same “go-to” ingredients that I use to super power my smoothies and snack on throughout the day. Except this time I threw them all into the food processor and blended them into a thick batter and pressed them into delicious yummy little cookies!

You can use anything you want inside. Just pick from wholesome raw and organic ingredients. It is best to use dates to stick them together and then throw in some other goodies like nuts, seeds, goji’s, cacao and super powders (maca, mesquite, cacao, lacuma) which would make them chewy, crunchy, sweet, bitter and scrumptious all at the same time.

It’s nice to know not all cookies have to be baked. These “hearty” bites took all of 15 minutes to prepare and the yield was enough for me to bring to a dinner party of 10 or more. Very little mess was involved plus the excitement of the creation was the biggest part. I didn’t really plan what or how I wanted these cookies to turn out – they just did!

Sweet-Heart Cookies

1 1/2 cups whole raw almonds

2 tbsp hemp seeds

1 cup chopped dates

1/4 cup goji berries

2 tbsp cacao nibs or cocoa powder

1 tbsp agave nectar

1 tsp mesquite powder (optional)

1/2 tsp vanilla powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp sea salt

**for an extra protein boost – add 2 tbsp Sun Warrior Protein Powder

Place all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until you get a thick “doughy” consistency. Spread out and cut into “heart” shapes with a cookie cutter or roll and flatten into 2 inch cookies.

For the Love of Chocolate!

I have given myself permission to have chocolate everyday. This may not sound like a good thing – but let me tell you that it is, on sooo many levels! Not only does chocolate or better yet cacao possess many amazing nutrients including magnesium, antioxidants and other amazing trace minerals- it makes you feel good. So that should be good enough – right?!

I think I speak for most people (especially women) when it comes to wanting your “fix” of daily chocolate. But the truth is that most women when they “crave” and eat chocolate, they are most likely going for poor sources where chocolate isn’t even the main ingredient. In this case, it is more of an addiction because it is the sugar that many are addicted to and not the chocolate. Not to mention most chocolate bars are full of processed dairy, hydrogenated oils, soybean oil and other ingredients which just take away from the “pure-ness” that chocolate is meant to be. If you want chocolate it in things…add it yourself to your own recipe and make it yummy. But never buy a low quality and poor sources of chocolate. What a waste!

I like to enjoy the purest and most natural forms of chocolate.  Whether it is in the form of a piece of dark chocolate from Endangered Species, Zazubean or local sources such as Chocosol and Living Libations, I am happy to support good fair trade chocolate from all over. Then of course there is cacao powder (both raw and dark roasted), cacao beans and cacao nibs. I add these guys to smoothies, puddings, raw pies, granola, oatmeal, hot cocoa or any other treat that deserves being made chocolaty! When it comes to chocolate try get as pure as you can – with as little ingredients as possible. You may as well get the best chocolate you can – it will only taste better and you will feel it, right down to your core!

So for my daily creation today – being that it is the afternoon on a snowy day. I could go for a hot chocolate or I could go for something with a bit more substance but yet is still warming. I love playing with  my vita-mix and creating something new and fun. So instead of a smoothie – I am going to make a warming, spicy pudding. Here is what I am using and why I used it!

Spicy and Warming Chocolaty Pudding

1 scoop of Chocolate Sun Warrior Protein Powder – to give me a boost of pure vegan protein.

1/2 cup rice milk or almond milk – to make it creamy and somewhat wet

splash of coconut water – Yum!

1-2 dried banana – to sweeten it up naturally

1/2 pear – to thicken and sweeten

1 tsp cinnamon – to warm me up!

1 tsp mesquite powder – to give me extra energy!

1 small piece of ginger – to spice it up!

1 tbsp raw cacao powder – to make it extra chocolaty

1 tbsp raw cacao nibs – to give a chocolaty crunch

1 tbsp chia seeds – to make it thick and delicious

Blend all this goodness and pour into a bowl and enjoy!

A little thing called Acai

How can a berry so little be packed with so much punch? Acai berries are becoming a bit of a new trend and is quite the buzz word these days. Acai powder, acai juice, acai pulp, capsules and so on. Whatever the form, and whatever you may have heard – it is most likely true. These little purplish-blue berries from the Amazon jungle are powerhouses of nutrients. They are  boasted with an array of nutrients from B-vitamins to zinc! Not to mention they are loaded with healthy cell promoting antioxidants. The nutrients in these tiny berries are so concentrated that you need such a small amount (daily) to get all of it’s benefits. They have been known to support weight loss, detox the body, provide long lasting energy and give a delicious and unique flavour to any recipe! I love to experiment with acai in the form of its frozen fruit pulp from Sambazon. These are individually frozen packs that you can put right into your smoothie! They are delicious. My next favourite is Acai powder from either Sunfood Nutrition or Navitas Naturals. With the powder you can add it to smoothies, puddings, spreads, raw pies, cereal, granola, oatmeal or just about anything else that you want to add a nutritional boost to! As you can see there are many ways to add Acai into your diet. Not only will you experience and feel it’s energy pulsing through your cells right away, but you will see the difference in your body. Simply put, Acai is a Superfood – that means it is full of nutrients that are essential to our body. So we need to do our best and make sure we get these essential foods into us from pure, (preferably) raw sources found in nature.

Please share your favourite way of adding Acai into your life!

Bring the Rainbow into Your Kitchen!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Carrot, Cabbage and Beet Slaw

Ingredients:

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

Procedure:

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