Super-Packed & Ready to Go (Canada!)

As you can see by my jam-packed bag full of goodies – I am headed on a trip. I am going to the Vancouver Olympics YAY. By the looks of my bag – you may wonder why I am so overly prepared. If you don’t know this about me already – I don’t take any chances. I make sure that food is of #1 priority – even when I am on Vacation. I am sure there will be some delicious things to enjoy in the Whistler village, but you really never know. In a previous post that I wrote “On the Fly” I talked about the problems associated with not traveling with enough food or being prepared – especially when you get stuck in an airport for 8 hours! But this time my food needs to cover me for more than a week  to keep me nourished and satisfied. Not only is it going to be busy and bustling in the village – but if my memory is correct (when I was there 3 years ago) – there was many a bar and pub in the village and not so many yummy spots for me to eat.  Of course I will make do with the grocery store there and some of the meals that will be enjoyed out (choosing salads, steamed veggies and whole grains where I can) but the rest of my meals and snacks need to be covered (thank goodness we are staying in a place where I can cook). I will not settle on “food on the go”, pizza, wings, burgers – these are main staples that will be easily and widely available. Instead I will have brown rice pasta, quinoa and lentils  to cook up and greens powder, goji berries and cacao in my pockets to keep me fueled throughout the day while I cheer our teams on!

But it does make me wonder… the Olympics portray the most amazing athletes and physical bodies the world has ever seen – and why certain chain companies and poor quality foods (not mentioning any names) are the major sponsors and endorsers to represent fitness, health and performance – drives me nuts! There is so much more to comment on this – but I will keep my cool for now.

But on the flip side….

If only Olympic athletes were on a super-food and plant based diet and these were the foods that were advertised and supported by the media, then others like me would be on cloud nine. When will the day come that we will see a commercial with an athlete biting into a Vega bar or downing a Sun Warrior Shake ? I would be that much more proud of our Canadian Olympic Athletes. But for now I will just focus on myself and make sure that my own health and nutrition is taken care of – and hope for the best in the future! One day – and hopefully soon the world will start to see the wonders of these foods and the incredible impact they have on the human body – whether it is for athletic performance or just day to day vigor – yummy, organic, plant based foods are super-packed full of nutrition and keep you going!

Marni’s Checklist

- Packets of Vega and Sun Warrior protein powder to make yummy goodness throughout the day!

- Homemade Granola

- Rolled Oats – for porridge

- Brown Rice Pasta

- Quinoa

- Organic Dark Chocolate

- Spelt Flatbread

- Rice Cakes

- Almond Butter

- Raw Crackers and Kale Chips

- Mac and Chreese ( just in case !)

- Rice Milk

- Sprouted Lentils and Brown Rice

- Organic Food Bars/Lara Bars/Goji Berries/Cacao/Acai/Hempseeds

- Herbal Teas

I think there is more floating around in there somewhere

I would love for you to share your thoughts, leave a comment, post on twitter – whatever you can do to show your support and let me know that you:

Love super-powered plant based foods?

Travel with food and what  you pack?

Agree that Athletes should eat super-foods?

Or anything else that you want to share!

Vegging Out!

With the season of resolutions upon us, some of you may be thinking of reducing the meat in your diet. This could be a pretty major lifestyle change, so know that you don’t need to become 100% vegetarian right away. But beware, once you start eating more greens there’s no turning back! I can say from personal experience you just start to feel better – even if it’s adding one more salad a day. But if you’re not sure how to approach a more plant-based diet, here are a few tips to get your going:

How to start…

Start small – find the reasons you are choosing to become vegetarian or starting eating more plant foods (animal rights, health, weight loss) and stay true to your goals

Get educated – do the best you can and find resources (books/websites/ blogs) that will support you (www.veg.ca is a good option in Toronto)

Eat the best- as much as possible choose local/sustainable and organic foods as much as possible

Get stocked – by going to local farmers’ markets/health food stores/or have an organic box delivered to your door (www.mamaearth.ca)

Take a vegetarian cooking class – www.marniwasserman.com

How will it help me?

More nutrients (vitamins, minerals, enzymes)

More variety and colour in your diet –meals are more exciting

Health benefits –  (plant based foods support cancer, diabetes, heart disease)

Saves you money

Saves the animals

You Feel better

More energy

Better digestion

Choosing to eat more plant-based foods is the way of the future. Agricultural systems, communities and resources are now finally in place to help support the growing desire to eat more plant based foods. If you have access – make sure you get to local farmers markets or better yet, plant your own garden in the spring. There is nothing better than eating your own home grown food. Take advantage of the immense diversity of plants that exist on our planet. The winter months can be challenging for fresh, local produce, but there are definitely good options out there if you’re willing to do a little digging. Good luck, and if you need a little recipe inspiration please join me at my Comforting Vegetarian Feast Class on January 21^st.

Squash – sational Minestrone Soup!

A bowl of minestrone soup – done “right” can provide your body full of nutrients, not to mention a hearty and healthy meal. What makes a minestrone soup new age…well a typical minestrone soup is based in a tomato/beef broth. A tomato broth may taste good to some, but for most people – tomatoes are too hard on their stomach due to their acid content.  Using beef broth… well I am not even going to get into the reasons why to avoid this. You should know me by now – and if you don’t then you will catch on very quickly to the fact that I am not an advocate for beef. You can get just as much flavour, if not more using root vegetables as the base of your soup.

This particular recipe is made with butternut squash and sweet potatoes as the base. These two combined provide a sweet, delicate broth that is alkalizing and delicious. Butternut squash is warming and extremely medicinal to many organs of the body (spleen, pancreas) and stomach. It can improve energy and circulation. This winter squash is also a great source of natural sugars, carbohydrates and beta carotene. The natural sugars in squash are great for people with diabetes and people with other digestive problems. It provides vitamin A and C, potassium iron, riboflavin and magnesium and very low in sodium.

So as you can see, a bowl of this squashy soup is very nourishing and of course delicious. Just like traditional minestrone this soup is chalked full of veggies, bulked up with kidney beans and brown rice macaroni noodles. At this particular time of the year, there is nothing better than a hearty bowl of soup. Squashes are also in season now. Take advantage and make yourself a bowl of yummy minestrone soup!

New Age Minestrone

Ingredients:

1 Spanish onion, cut into large dice

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1-2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

1 ½ teaspoon, sea salt

1 tablespoon dried oregano

4-6 cups filtered water or stock

1 bay leaf

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into medium dice (or roast half squash in oven on 350F for 45 minutes) – then peel flesh away from skin and place in pot

1 sweet potato cut into large dice

3 ribs celery cut into large dice

1 large zucchini or two small zucchini, cut into small chunks

1 bunch of chard, cut into bit size pieces

1 cup soaked and cooked kidney beans (optional)

½ cup cooked macaroni brown rice noodles (optional)

1. In a small pot, sweat onion in oil with garlic and salt until soft.
2. Add oregano and sweat a few more minutes
3. Add water and bay leaf
4. Add vegetables in order given (squash, sweet potatoes, celery, zucchini)
5. Turn up heat until water bubbles, then lower and simmer covered for 40-45 minutes.
6. Stir vegetables until squash falls apart.
7. Add in chopped chard and pre cooked kidney beans and macaroni noodles.
8. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Stir a few more times and serve.

*** For a smoother texture, simmer squash separately until soft (in 1-2 cups of water), and puree in food processor. Add squash to the soup for the last 10 minutes of cooking.

My Favourite Vegetarian Meal!

This is a tough one for me, but I assure you – I do have a favourite vegetarian meal and so do you!

But first let me tell you about my favourite meal and then read on to find out why yours is important too.

Okay, so my favourite vegetarian meal is one that I like to create when I want something nourishing, warming and revitalizing. In which case I pretty much go for the foods that connect with this energy and make me feel amazing. My go to grain is usually quinoa, this is the best foundation for a wholesome dish. It is nutty, light, high in protein and digests immediately. Then I like to add in all of my favourites – starting with some baked marinated tempeh for it’s juicy and hearty texture, roasted sweet potatoes for some natural sweetness, steamed kale – a meal isn’t a meal without some greens, avocado – for it’s creamy and smooth consistency and then some chopped almonds for some raw crunch. Then to top this dish off I like to add in some tamari – natural salty flavour and tahini for a rich boost of calcium. This is my absolute favourite meal!

Now why am I telling you this, because I want to make it apparent that everyone has a favourite food or a favourite meal, maybe it’s a snack or a drink. Whatever it may be there is something that you have eaten that has made you feel amazing – and I want to know what that is – especially if it is plant-based!

So if you tell me, this is going to work out for you because I am having a contest in which you will have a chance to win a FREE Fully Nourished Cooking Class!

Yes you heard me, you can attend any one of my cooking classes for free!

Well… there are some conditions that this contest is based on.

The premise: Tell me your favourite plant based/vegetarian meal, snack or drink. It can be raw, cooked, gluten free, sweet, savoury – anything you like! Just nothing that comes from an animal (this means NO fish, chicken, meat, eggs, cheese).

The reason: I want to know WHAT about this plant based or vegetarian food item that made you feel happy, excited, proud, energized, nourished, balanced etc…You don’t have to be vegetarian or vegan to do this or have had this experience!

There is significance and purpose to this contest. Not only will I highlight the winning answer on my blog, but the winner will also get to come to any on of my vegetarian Fully Nourished Cooking Classes absolutely free of charge (value over $100). This contest will also demonstrate to people that plant based foods not only taste amazing but have an incredible impact on your health and I want as many people as possible to exploit and share their experiences!

So there are many factors that this veggie experience can be based on. It can be the taste, texture, smell, colour, flavour of the meal – it doesn’t matter to me. I just want you describe what it was and what it did to you that made you excited about healthy plants based food. This can be anything from a simple salad with pumpkin seeds to a coconut banana smoothie. Please share your story, your experience – the more detail you give me, the better chance you have to win.

I am giving you (my readers) one week to post your foodie delight in my comment section – share it on twitter, share it on facebook. And then after that week, I am going to pick my three favourite ones and post them and then you (my readers) will be the judge and pick your favourite one. Then I will contact the winner personally and invite them to come to any vegetarian cooking class of choice to have more amazing experiences eating delicious plant based foods.

I have one more question…are you ready?

Get posting!

This could be you!

Garden of Eatin'

There really is nothing better than produce shopping in your own backyard!

I have always been able to maintain a simple garden consisting of tomatoes, cucumbers, kale and green beans. By maintain, I mean drop the seeds and hope for the best! This year I decided to take it to the next level. Because I have a the farthest thing from a green thumb, I had to hire in help for this task, an organic farmer. He came at the beginning of the season to get my soil turned over with organic goodness and now he comes by to plant things in their proper places – because now I know there is a proper place for every little seedling and they can’t just go anywhere.

I am also learning that there is a timeline involved with everything, and that all things will grow in cycles. I am also learning that little critters, bugs and animals like to feast on my organic buffet in the backyard – I guess it’s because it all just tastes so good! But honestly it’s not fair that they get to dive in before I do – and they usually eat the best parts! But there are ways around this – like building a mesh mini green house to keep the animals away. As for the little critters, cayenne pepper in a water bottle seems to help a bit. However, I am open to more suggestions, if you know of some other ways I can get the bugs off my chard, kale and lettuce – please let me know and leave a comment!!

So far this season I have been seduced with radishes, spinach and some other greens (which I am going to have all season) this includes everything from salad greens to kale, chard, collards, broccoli and arugula. I also have some berry bushes planted that will yield strawberries, blueberries, cranberries and blackberries. In the later part of the summer I will have carrots, beets, fennel onions – I will take more pictures at that time. I also have a beautiful little box of fresh herbs like oregano, lavender, sage, thyme and rosemary.

So if you are considering having your own garden please go through with it, hire some help or at the very least just get some seeds or herb plants and plant them yourself. You can usually get a hold of this stuff at your local farmers market. There is nothing better than walking out to your own “garden of eatin’ and picking your own produce.

Having my own organic garden has made my weekly produce shopping extremely easy. It also provides me with enough veggies for my morning juice – without any worry that I am running out of greens. But the best part is that I get to use some of this wonderful organic and very local produce in my cooking classes. The participants really enjoy this as there is nothing better than eating salad that is picked that same day. If you want to experience this, then you are just going to have to come to a class to find out!

Veggie Delight Salad:

2-3 handfuls fresh arugula, baby greens or spinach
4 radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
2 carrots, shredded
1/4 of a beet, shredded
2 tablespoons hemp seeds

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil or Vega’s EFA Oil Blend
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2-3 tablespoons agave nectar
1 heaping tablespoon dijon mustard
fresh herbs
salt and pepper to taste

Organic is In! Pesticides are Out!

I feel obligated to inform you of what it means to have pesticides contaminating our food. I think people are aware that this exists but have no idea how to avoid them or better yet, how horrible they actually are for long term human health.
There are solutions to this problem. People just need to become informed and aware of which foods to consume organic and which foods to avoid.
With growing evidence that supports the fact that individuals consuming what are considered the 12 worst foods (meaning they contain the most pesticides) are said to have been exposed to at least 10 different pesticides in one day. This may not sound like much but long term health concerns have been noted to include:

• Nervous system effects
• Carcinogenic effects
• Hormone system effects
• Skin, eye and lung irritation

“Pesticides are unique among the chemicals we release into the environment; they have inherent toxicity because they are designed to kill living organisms – insects, plants, and fungi that are considered “pests.” Because they are toxic by design, many pesticides pose health risks to people, risks that have been acknowledged by independent research scientists and physicians across the world.”
Much of this content that I am discussing was put together by The Environmental Working Group which is an organization that has developed a guide based on data from nearly 87,000 tests for pesticide residues in produce conducted between 2000-2007 and collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. FDA(Food and Drug Act). The philosophy behind the guide is simple: give consumers the information they need to make choices to reduce pesticides in their diets.

It is a valuable resource to get yourself educated as to what is the difference between foods with pesticides and foods without and why it is valuable to buy organic for certain types of produce.

The most common question I get in my cooking classes, is “Which fruits and vegetables are crucial to buy organic, and which ones can I still buy conventional and not worry?”. Well the EWG has put together two lists to simplify and prioritize this very question.

THE “Dirty Dozen” (Buy These Organic!) – rated in order Most Toxic to Least Toxic
Peach
Apple
Bell Pepper
Celery
Nectarine
Strawberries
Cherries
Kale
Lettuce
Grapes
Carrot
Pear

The CLEANEST (lowest in pesticides) – if you can- buy these items as organic or local if available.
Onion
Avocado
Sweet Corn
Pineapple
Mango
Asparagus
Sweet Peas
Kiwi
Cabbage
Eggplant
Papaya
Watermelon
Broccoli
Tomato
Sweet Potato

This post would not be complete without a recipe to go along with it. So here is a recipe that incorporates many of these foods, many of which are considered “CLEAN” too!

Tangy Thai Lettuce Wraps

Makes 12 wraps
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup maple syrup
½ cup lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 ½ tablespoons tamari
1 cup almond butter
½ head red cabbage, shredded
6 large collard green leaves
1 avocado, sliced
2 large carrots, shredded
1 large ripe mango, cut lengthwise into strips
1 bunch mint leaves
1 bunch basil leaves

Procedure:
1. In a vita mix or high speed blender, puree the maple syrup, lemon juice, ginger and tamari. Add the almond butter and blend at low speed to combine, add water to thin out if necessary.
2. In a medium bowl, add the shredded cabbage with almond butter mixture and toss well to combine.
3. Cut out the center rib of each collard green leaf, dividing the leaf in half. Place the leaves in a large bowl and toss with 1 tsp of tamari and a 1 tbsp of sesame oil and toss around with hands to coat. Allow to marinate for 1-2 minutes.
4. Place half leaf on a cutting board with the underside facing up. Arrange a few tablespoons of the cabbage mixture evenly across the bottom third of the leaf, leaving about 11/2 inches clear at the bottom. Lay a few stick of carrot and a few strips of mango on top.
5. Add a few leaves of each mint and basil.
6. Fold the bottom of the collard leaf up and over the filling, keeping it tight, and tuck the leaf under the ingredients and roll forward. Place the roll seam side down on a serving dish.

This recipe is adapted from “Raw Food, Real World” Created by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis. Sarma currently owns and operates Pure Food and Wine – fantastic raw food restaurant in New York City!

Warming and Wonderful One Pot Meals

There is something to be said about having a dish that is nourishing, warming, easy to digest and tastes wonderful all in one. You can easily accomplish this with ONE POT MEALS – such as soups and stews!
It is so great to cozy up to a warm bowl of goodness during these long and cold winter days.
If you haven’t experienced this, then let me tell you how extremely simple it is. In fact -it is easier then preparing your average dinner at home (which usually involves more than one recipe to get a balanced meal).
In order for your one pot meal to cover all the basis your are going to need a few things. Start with some vegetables, (or at least onions, carrots and celery as a base) otherwise play with vegetables in season such as sweet potatoes, rutabaga, turnips, parsnips, brussel sprouts, fennel, broccoli, cauliflower, kale (you can really get crazy here!), a legume (such as chickpeas, black beans, white beans, lentils, yellow split peas), some herbs and spices (cumin, parsley, sage, oregano, garlic, ginger, rosemary, thyme), a grain if you wish (barley, quinoa, brown rice, millet) and there you have it – a well rounded one pot meal! These meals make for a convenient and easy way to approach dinnertime in the winter months. You can make a batch of it early in the week or on the weekend and take portions out as you need them throughout the week. You can even warm some up and put it into a stainless steel thermos for you or your kids on the go! You can freeze portions in glass containers and store them for snowy day when you don’t feel like cooking or going anywhere.
Why not benefit from cooking some of your own meals at home- you get to be creative, you know what going in it, you know it’s going to be delicious! So have fun and get creative with some warming and wonderful one pot meals!

Vegetable Medley Stew with White Beans

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
1 leek sliced and washed carefully to remove sand
10 medium mushrooms, quartered
2 rutabagas, cut in small dice
½ cup water as needed
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon ground sage
1-teaspoon herb de Provence
2 fennel bulbs cut into medium chunks
4 medium sweet potatoes, diced
2 turnips cut in medium cubes
1 cup cooked or canned organic garbanzo beans
10 brussel sprouts, cut in ½ pieces
1 head of kale, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 ½ tablespoon Bragg’s amino
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. In a small stockpot, sauté onions in oil until translucent (5-10 minutes).
2. Add rutabaga and mushrooms with 1 teaspoon of salt. Sauté until liquid is released.
3. Add water, bay leaf, sage, oregano, parsley and herb de Provence and bring to a boil, covered.
4. Add sweet potatoes, turnips and fennel. DO NOT STIR
5. Cover and simmer 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
6. Blend 1 cup of vegetables and add back to stew with ¼ teaspoon salt and water as needed.
7. Raise heat until briskly bubbling and add kale and Brussels sprouts to stew, right before serving.

The Hidden Truth about Calcium!

Who needs a calcium supplement when you can get it from food! No, not from dairy … but from plant based whole foods!

Learning about which foods have significant levels of calcium is crucial especially if you are concerned about your bones or current calcium intake levels. Unfortunately, I hate to break the news to you, but the Calcium that you think you are getting from a glass of milk, a cup of “low fat” yogurt or slice of cheese is not being absorbed into your body in a usable or beneficial form. In fact it is doing quite the opposite.

The truth is, dairy (especially commercially processed dairy) is extremely acidic to the body and especially to the bones. So when you consume any form of processed dairy, it is actually stripping calcium away from your bones rather than building on to it. So most individuals in North America, predominantly women could be responsible for their own weakening bone conditions as a result of over consuming commercial dairy. But not to fret, this can be taken care of and quite possibly reversed.

All you have to do is start consuming adequate amounts of Non-Dairy Sources of Calcium. These sources which come from plant based foods, are extremely bio-available to the body and they taste great too!

So get your daily dose of greens in (chard, kale, beet greens, collards, broccoli and bok choy). You can steam them, blanch them, saute them, add them to soups, salads or grain dishes–you can even hide them in a smoothie. Consume nuts and seeds such as sesame seeds, almonds, pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds, all great sources of calcium, iron, protein and essential fatty acids. Other hidden but rich sources of calcium include tempeh, avocado, parsley, figs, carob, beans and legumes, salmon and quinoa.
So do what you will, but you can avoid taking expensive supplements and consuming commercial dairy and simply get your calcium from nature. Your body and your taste buds will thank you!

Recipe:

Parsley and Scallion “Butter” with Steamed Greens
This recipe is inspired by Anne Gentry owner of Real Food Daily (Vegan Restaurant in Los Angeles)

Ingredients:

1 bunch of greens such as kale, beet greens, collards, swiss chard, bok choy or spinach

1 ½ cup fresh scallions, chopped
1/2 cup tahini
1/3 cup fresh parsley
3 tbsp lemon juice (1 lemon)
1 tablespoons umeboshi paste
1 teaspoons minced peeled fresh garlic

Procedure:

Steam greens and rinse with cold water to maintain brightness.
Combine all ingredients of “butter” in a food processor and blend until creamy and smooth.
Transfer the spread to a small bowl.
Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and allow flavors to blend and the spread will become slightly firm.