A Contributing Monkie!

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

Here is my post in case you missed it!

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

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

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

SUN SEED NORI ROLLS

What’s in it?

4-6 sheets of raw nori

1 carrot shredded

2 small beets, shredded

½ cucumber, cut into slices

1 avocado, sliced

Handful of sprouts (mung, sunflower or pea shoots)

The seed spread

1 cup sunflower seeds soaked 10-12 hours

1 cup almonds soaked 10-12 hours

1-2 tablespoons fresh dill

1 tablespoon fresh oregano

1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped

2 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon tamari

1 teaspoon fresh ginger

1 tablespoon kelp or dulse granules

½ teaspoon sea salt

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

How you Roll it!

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

Freshly Picked and Made with Love!

Part 1 -

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

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

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

Jaime – stewing up those Raspberries!

Our gorgeous up-side-down Pie!

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

Part 2-

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

These are the tastiest, sweetest berries!

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

Here is my Raw Berry Pie!

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

Fresh Berry Tart with Almond Crust (Cooked)

1 cup almonds

¾ cup brown rice flour

2 Tablespoons maple crystals

¼ teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of sea salt

3 tablespoons melted coconut oil

¼ cup maple syrup

Filling:

2 tablespoons agar flakes (to gel it together)*

1 ¾ cup apple juice

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

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Sea salt

4 cups raspberries, rinsed and drained

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

For the Crust:

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

For the filling

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

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

But two quick tips, dissolve and heat!

Raw Berry Tart with Almond Coconut Crust

For the crust:

2 cup almonds, soaked

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup raisins

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

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

For the filling

2 cups fresh berries

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 fresh peaches

- blend in a high speed blender until thick and creamy

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

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

A Veggie-Q for my QT!

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Dips – post enjoyment!

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

Quinoa Tabule – a perfect summer recipe!

Brown Rice Pasta Salad with Garden Snow Peas!

My Delicious Plate of Goodness!

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

My Award- Winning Vegan Chocolate Cake!

Vegan – Mint Cacao Coconut Ice Cream

Chocolate Cake with Mint-Cacao Ice Cream

Me and my QT (Ryan)

Mint-Cacao Coconut Ice Cream

2 cans of organic coconut milk

1/4 cup vanilla rice milk

1/4 cup maple syrup

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

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

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

1/4 cup cacao nibs

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

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

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

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

ENJOY!!

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

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

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!

Thriving on a Plant Based Diet

It is quite possible to gain extreme  health benefits on a plant based diet. You can attain not only your fitness goals but your health and your weight goals as well. Long gone are the days that we need meat and dairy to get that lean physique. A low carbohydrate diet is not the answer either – your body need carbs in all it’s forms (except refined ones of course!) along with good quality essential fats and protein! Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and sprouts are the way to go. Not only do our bodies assimilate the nutrients from plants much quicker, but they are much easier to digest – leaving you feeling great with exuberant amounts of energy and attaining all of your health and fitness goals.

There are many health gurus and products that have dedicated their effort to prove the benefit of plant based foods on your health and fitness goals. There are now world renown athletes that consume these diet and thrive! Brendon Brazier for example,  the man behind the Vega product line – not only stands as an example of a triathlete that has attained extreme gains in his fitness through a vegan diet, but has also provided the world information, supplements, protein powders and food bars to help others get there.

Other products that support this is my latest found love – Sun Warrior Protein - which has happily been in my life now for over a year. I can’t even begin to tell you how great I feel on this product. The raw fermented brown rice protein that sun warrior provides my cells – is like nothing else. It gives me energy before a workout, replenishes me after a workout and provides me with balanced smoothie and a whopping 15 grams of protein per serving (which is the perfect amount – in addition to the other goodies in my smoothie!).

It may not be enough for me to say it myself, you may have to pick up a book (The China Study, Thrive (Fitness), Food Matters, In Defense of Food, Green for Life , Superfoods) to believe me, but plant based foods will help you reach your fitness and health goals – I promise. And as I said you will not only feel great, but you will look great and you will only want to do great things!

To learn in person from me or learn how to make some super delicious high plant protein, complex carbohydrate and healthy essential fat recipes – then join my Fit and Fabulous class on April 14th!

Here is how you can start to Thrive on plant based foods: ( just add one or more of these foods into your diet and you are on your way!)

1. Coconut water -replenishes your cells and your energy before of after a workout

2. Hemp seeds – will give your salad a protein boost with high quality essential fatty acids – while giving it a nutty kick

3. Quinoa (and other gluten free whole grains) – are easy to digest forms of complex carbohydrates that will give you long lasting energy

4. Almond butter – will give your body protein, calcium and healthy fat to keep your bones and muscles strong

5. Kale and other leafy greens – provides magnesium and chlorophyll to cleanses your blood and invigorate your cells

6. Avocado – gives your body essential fatty acids while nourishing your nerves and your skin

and don’t forget to use a variety of SUPERFOODS like goji berries, cacao, maca, mesquite, bee pollan and spirulina – full of  protein and essential vitamins and minerals!

Please share with others how you thrive on plant foods or how you fuel your body pre/post workout! We all want to hear!

Carob Fig Frozen Fudge

these are high in plant protein, rich in calcium and make a perfect pre or post workout snack!

1 cup figs, soaked

1 ½ cups filtered water

1 tablespoon pure vanilla

1 ½ cups almond butter

1 ½ cups raw carob powder

½ cup hemp seeds

1. Place the figs in a bowl and cover with water and soak for about an hour, until soft. Drain reserving liquid.
2. In a blender, blend the figs, and vanilla until smooth, slowly adding soaking water as needed to form a creamy consistency.
3. Transfer the fig mixture into a large bowl, add the nut butter, and stir to combine.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the carob and hempseeds.
5. Gradually add the dry carob mixture into the wet fig mixture. Stir well. Press evenly into a 10 by 18 inch brownie pan, 1 inch thick, and freeze until firm (about 3 hours).
6. To serve, cut into 1 inch squares.

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.

The Word is Getting Out!

Yes…the word is finally getting out that America needs a reality check on their eating habits. If there is any one way to start to get the message across America it is through Oprah!

I was a little skeptical when the show began, worried that the right message wasn’t going to get across – but it did. What basically needed to be heard is that people need to be more conscious of their food choices. More importantly to understand that that when you buy “that” chicken, breakfast cereal, fruit juice or any packaged snack at the grocery store, you aren’t buying just that single item, but buying into a whole other “business” that does not have your health in mind. Their are very conflicting nutrition and health claims that are made – “naturally raised”, “heart healthy”, “low fat” which unfortunately have left most consumers confused and often “less healthy” as a result. As outlined on the show – ever since the “low fat” trend took flight in North America – people got fatter? That doesn’t make any sense? Well actually it does, when food is stripped of it’s essential nutrients, packaged and processed – something else needs to take it’s place. Whether is a man-made chemical or sugar – both contribute to weight gain and other long term diseases that so many people suffer from today.

On this particular show, Oprah had the acclaimed food journalist Michael Pollan to interview. The words and values that he defined on the show, are messages that everybody needs to hear or at the very least read in one of his many books.

America also got to get a glimpse at other people and businesses are that are in complete support of a more plant based diet. Alicia Silverstone talked about her transition to veganism and the impact it has had on her health, energy and beauty. Even though it is not expected that everyone should become vegan, what can be taken away from this is “eat more plant based foods” and you are on your way to good health!

A huge emphasis of the show was also dedicated to scenes from Food Inc. A film that was created to show America just how twisted the food industry is. This film will most definitely show you the dark side of factory farming. It is important for consumers to know that their meat, chicken and pork – is not coming from friendly-happy grass fed pastures. In fact it is quite the opposite! It is also essential to learn about the the true food costs that are lost along the way. Where it appears that fast food and processed foods are “cheap”  – the truth is that the price is paid somewhere. Whether it is your health, unfortunate workers from other countries or animals lives – somewhere, someone or something has to be sacrificed. So your 99c burger – is no where near that price!

The take home message at the end of the day – is become more aware, become more conscious and ay attention to the food going into your mouth! You have the right to make a choice with your fork three times a day, so choose wisely. You just might live a long life!

Some food for thought – From Michael Pollan’s newest book FOOD RULES!

#18 – Don’t ingest foods made in places where everyone is required to wear a surgical cap

#14 Avoid foods you see advertised on television

#8 Avoid products that make health claims

#5 Avoid foods that have some for of sugar listed among the top three ingredients

#19 If it came from a plant, eat it; it it was made in a plant, don’t

#27 Eat animals that have themselves eaten well

I could list them all, those are some that have stuck out!

If you have read Food Rules – please feel free to share a rule or two or if you saw the episode on Oprah…what did you think?

Mac n’ Cheeze Pleeze!

Bringing back my favourite childhood meal help to conquer my recent cravings for Mac n’ Cheese. There is nothing more delicious then biting into creamy “cheezy” noodles that are doused in orange sauce and covered with “breadcrumbs”. It is even better when it is vegan, gluten free and organic. I know, I know nothing will every compare to K.D. but this is as good as it is going to get – and maybe even better!

After some research, I have officially re-created it. After trying many non-dairy and other versions of mac n’ cheese, I finally came up with a recipe that works. It has been tested on friends, family members and my young cousins – (who are very well acquainted with Kraft’s number one brand.) Only happy smiles and second helpings have proved to me that I have hit the mark and can offer this as a yummy alternative to kids of my own one day!

What I love about this recipe, unlike some other vegan creations out there, this one doesn’t use any soy, fake margarine, food colouring, soy cheese, rice cheese or anything else that came out of a package. The sauce is truly made from whole organic foods. As I mentioned it took me some time to come up with the perfect sauce that was just orange enough, just creamy enough and just zesty enough to make every bite more delicious than the next. It took some experimenting but a little butternut squash, tahini, miso, turmeric, garlic powder and lemon juice can work wonders. Then just top it with some sprouted spelt bread crumbs and you’ve got the most nutritious and delicious Mac n’ Cheeze going!

Even though I am sharing the recipe here – based on extreme demand, you can also have a chance to make this recipe with me in my upcoming class Comforting Vegetarian Feast on January 21st. You will learn all the techniques I used (along with a few tips). We will also be making other classic and timeless recipes that will bring out the kid in you – as you delve into hearty and mouthwatering favourites.

Easy Mac and Cheese

1 pound pasta ( brown rice – elbows aka macaroni noodles)

Blend together:
1 1/4 cups water

1 cup plain rice milk (may use other non-dairy milk)

1 softened small butternut squash cut in cubes (can be steamed or roasted)

3/4 cup nutritional yeast

3 tablespoons arrowroot powder

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoons tahini

1 teaspoon mellow white miso (or additional salt)

Procedure:

1. Put the pasta on to boil, according to package directions. While it’s cooking, blend all remaining ingredients together in a blender.
2. When the pasta is al dente, drain it, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and return the pasta to pot.
3. Add the sauce mixture and cook, stirring, until mixture boils and thickens. Add a little of the pasta water if more moistness is needed.
4. If the sauce is not as flavorful as you’d like, add a little more mustard and onion powder.