Get Your Greens in!

My Article in Tonic Toronto, December 2009 Issue

But Greens are relevant all year round…read on!

My clients always ask me, “if there is one thing I can do to better my health or one food item I can add in that is amazing for me…what is it?” My answer is always greens! If there is any place to start – it is with greens. No matter what your diet currently consists of – whether you are an omnivore, vegetarian, vegan, flexitarian (little bit of this and a little bit of that), or raw foodie – it doesn’t matter. Getting your greens in is the first step to optimal and long-lasting health.

Most people do not eat enough green veggies, even though they have immense nutritional value. Recent studies have confirmed that populations with diets rich in green leafy vegetables run a far lower risk of heart disease and cancer. Not to mention that they support bone health, aid in detoxification and are an excellent source of antioxidants and fiber. Leafy green vegetables are one of nature’s richest sources of nutrients, so look beyond spinach and broccoli and get familiar with things like kale, collards, Swiss chard, arugula and bok choy.

Depending on what you like, there are so many ways to get your green veggies in. The good news is that each one offers a very different, unique taste and texture. Even if you have to sneak them into a smoothie for the fussy ones in the family, I promise you – there is always a way!

Whether you are following a vegan diet or just want to take your nutrition to the next level, greens should be an essential component to your day. Choosing a leafy green such as kale, will boost up your meal, give your body an extra dose of much needed calcium, magnesium, iron and fiber, and compliment anything and everything on your plate. Kale is fantastic when it is just lightly steamed, sautéed or chopped up and marinated raw into a salad. They even make great ‘chips’ (see recipe below). This goes for any green by the way, so the possibilities are endless and you really can’t go wrong.

It is very common to get overwhelmed when it comes to greens. My suggestion is to start basic. Pick one new green a week to ‘play’ with until you have found a way for you and your family to enjoy it. The number one complaint is that greens are too bitter. Well, yes collards and kale can be bitter, especially if they are new to your palette. Once you find a way to get them into a meal – whether they are added to a smoothie, tomato sauce, chickpea stew, chunky vegetable soup, grain dish or simply dressed with olive oil and sea salt, there is no turning back. You will be hooked because you will suddenly start to feel better, have more energy and you may even lose weight. That doesn’t sound bad does it?

Experiment with nature’s emerald gems, have fun and to make sure YOU get your greens in everyday. Just remember that a meal isn’t a meal unless there is something green on your plate!

Zesty Kale Chips

Ingredients:

• 2 head Kale, washed and torn
• ¾ cup Tahini
• ¼ cup Tamari
• ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• ½ cup Water
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1 Lemon, juiced
• ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
• ¼ cup of Nutritional yeast or hemp seeds

Procedure:

Place the kale in a large mixing bowl. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth to get a thick consistency. You may have to add more water. Pour over kale and mix thoroughly with your hands to coat the kale. You want this mixture to be glued to the kale.

In Dehydrator:
Place kale onto a Teflex sheet, on top of a mesh dehydrator screen, and dehydrate for 6 hours at 115 degrees F. You’ll need to use two trays. Rotate kale occasionally to dry uniformly.

In Oven:
Place on parchment paper on a sheet tray, and bake on a low temperature for about 30 minutes (or more). Keep an eye on it and turn often to ensure even drying.

Marni Wasserman
~ is a natural personal chef and holistic nutritionist
www.marniwasserman.com/

Cooking With Stella!

I am having another CONTEST! For those of you that live in Toronto – there is a screening of a film called Cooking With Stella coming up in March and I need to get rid of these tickets fast!

Click on Image to view the trailer.

“A warmhearted social satire about a Canadian diplomat (Lisa Ray) and her chef husband Michael (Don McKellar) who are posted to New Delhi. Upon arrival they inherit a household of Indian servants headed by the charming, totally inspiring — and wily — cook Stella (Seema Biswas). When Stella agrees to become Michael`s cooking guru, to teach him traditional Indian dishes, little does he know that she`s cooking up a scheme of her own.”

The screening is on Thursday March 11th at 7 pm.

I have 7 tickets for two to go and see the film. If you are available and interested please let me know!

The first 7 to respond will be the lucky winners!

Please leave a fun comment of why you want to go and your email address so that I can contact you easily!

Also if you are not currently following me on Twitter – start now!

And become a Fan of Delicious Knowledge while you are at it!

And if you have a blog – mention this blog and this contest and film!

Have fun – and good luck!

Thank You Mongrel Media for bringing this film to theaters!

Two for Tea… and Tea for YOU!

Yes you heard me, tea for you! I am giving a away a whole tin of Nourish Tea’s looseleaf tea. If you haven’t tried one of their teas yet then you are truly missing out. Nourish tea is a Toronto based company that brings the purest and most wholesome organic teas to consumers. Their tea spectrum ranges from green teas to white teas, black teas and their newest line of amazing herbals teas. However a favourite among many is Chai and for that reason I am going to give away a whole tin of YUMMY CHAI – but first let’s talk about Chai!

This flavourful blend of traditional Indian spices like cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper and other warming delicious spices that make this tea unique. If you want to find out more on chai read my post.There are some great reasons here as to how chai tea began and what chai actually means. Most traditional chai is made from black tea, however you can also make it with red tea if you have a caffeine sensitivity like me. Every now and then, I treat myself and enjoy nourish teas’ chai and it is fabulous and fresh.

For me…this tea is best in the morning!

Marni’s Morning Chai Latte – click here for other Nourish Tea Recipes by Marni

1-2 tsp Yummy Chai

2 cups vanilla rice milk or almond milk

1 tbsp honey

pinch of cinnamon

1. In a small pot bring “milk” to a boil. Lower head and add Chai tea. Stir and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

2. Pour through a tea steeper into a large mug.

3. Stir in honey and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Now in order to be the owner of this delicious tea…I need a couple of things from you! There are a number of ways you can win this contest.

1. Leave a comment here and tell me your favourite kind of tea or why you love Chai!

2. Post a link to this post on your blog and come back here letting me know you did so!

3. Follow me on Twitter and Tweet this post and your favourite tea and let me know on this post! You can also click on Twitter Icon at bottom!

4. Become a Fan of Delicious Knowledge and leave a comment on my fan page and/or on my blog! You can also click on Facebook Icon at bottom!

5. Follow my blog and of course, leave a comment!

I will then assign a number to every post, comment and tweet  for the next week and then randomly pick a number. (This means of course you can share more than once in multiple ways – as it will only increase your chances to win!) I will then announce the winner on my blog and get in contact with you!

It’s Tea Time!

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!