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cool as a…cauliflower

By on January 4, 2014 in Digestive Health, Health, Nutrition 101, Recipes

An article was recently posted on ctvnews.ca stating that “cauliflower is the new kale.” Rightly so…if vegetables can be trends. Although the word “superfood” is overused and slightly passe, cauliflowers are truly an extraordinary veggie.

benefits of cauliflowerAccording to WHFOODS.COM, cauliflower boasts these great health benefits…

  • An excellent source of vitamin K, which acts as a direct regulator of our inflammatory response.
  • Contains sulforaphane, a compound that helps protect the stomach lining by preventing growth of the bacteria Helicobacter pylori which can cause stomach ulcers.
  • Has antioxidant properties and is protective against cardiovascular disease, cancer and inflammation.
  • Contains a high amount of daily fibre which helps keep our digestive system working optimally.

Not to mention cauliflower is an affordable, versatile and readily-available vegetable. If you have a hard time digesting cruciferous veggies, make sure they are steamed and consume an digestive enzyme with your meal.

Some of my favourite cauliflower recipes include…

CAULIFLOWER PIZZA CRUST BY MODEST WANDERER

MILLET CAULIFLOWER MASH BY PAMELA SALZMAN

CAULIFLOWER AND CHICKPEA CURRY BY NATURALLY ELLA

DETOX TABBOULEH BY OH SHE GLOWS

BETTER THAN MASHED POATOES CAULIFLOWER BY MEGHAN TELPNER

What’s your favourite way to eat cauliflower?

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last minute gifts for the modern hippie

By on December 21, 2013 in Uncategorized

Christmas Day is almost here. If you are like 69% of Canadians…you haven’t finished shopping yet! Here are my picks for the modern hippie…you know, that cool, carefree girl who cares about the environment and social causes but looks hip and stylish while doing it?

FOR THE BEAUTY JUNKIE…AROMABLENDS BY CLINICAL LUXURY BY NATURE

aromablends by graydon, clinical luxury by nature

Aside from being a gorgeous modern hippie, Graydon makes the best products. Toxin and allergen-free and vegan, Graydon’s Clinical Luxury By Nature products are the perfect gift for the beauty product lover in your life who wants high quality products but is conscious of ingredients. I particularly love Graydon’s AromaBlends, she has taken the time and effort to really find blends that work in harmony and smell beautiful. www.clinicalluxurybynature.com

FOR THE FASHION PLATE…SWEATERS BY PRELOVED

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Preloved IS conscious fashion. Made of reclaimed vintage fabrics into gorgeous, one of a kind pieces, Preloved sweaters make a great gift for the eco-friendly fashion lover. Another really cool option is giving a Preloved gift certificate…this allows the recipient to choose their own gift or have an item custom made. www.preloved.ca

FOR THE FOOD LOVER…COOKING CLASS WITH MARNI WASSERMAN

Cooking classes by Marni Wasserman

Marni Wasserman has the best cooking classes in Toronto. A trained Holistic Nutritionist and Chef, Marni’s plant-based classes are a good choice for a new or seasoned foodie. She makes plant-based, whole foods fun and accessible and you will leave class armed with knowledge and recipes that will be beneficial for your health and will surprise and delight those you cook for. www.marniwasserman.com

FOR THE SPIRITUAL SOUL SISTER…MALA COLLECTIVE

Malas by Mala Collective

I came across Mala Collective a few months ago when I was looking for the perfect Amazonite mala bracelet. Once it arrived, I order a few more for my soul sisters as Christmas gifts. These are affordable, beautiful and fair trade, made lovingly by workers in Bali. These malas are also famous, worn in Eat, Pray, Love by Julia Roberts. www.malacollective.com

FOR THE GOAL SETTER…SPIRITED BY RACHEL MACDONALD + TARA BLISS

Spirited by Rachel MacDonald and Tara Bliss

This beautiful and inspiring ebook would make a great gift for that far-away friend who is a goal setter, dreamer and believer. Spirited will help the reader find vision and clarity of their goals, wants and dreams which can often times feel outrageously overwhelming. I feel ebooks make great gifts because they are not only portable but sustainable as well. Not to mention for our friends not located near us, sending an ebook is nice, little gift that they will receive on time! www.inspacesbetween.com

Let’s not forget other last minute but thoughtful gifts such as homemade cookies, a gorgeous book, a donation to an animal shelter, a yoga class pass, tickets to an up and coming indie band or spending time together.

What are your go-to last minute gift ideas?

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kale, apple + sunflower seed salad

By on October 6, 2013 in Detox, Entree, Fall ReBoot Detox, Raw, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

It’s easy to over-complicate things…our relationships, our health, our priorities…life. All of these things can be made simpler with some hard work but perhaps the first place to start is with food. It’s often the simplest meals that are the most delicious, maybe it’s because we take less time preparing and more time enjoying. Salads are an easy meal – throw a bunch of food into a bowl, cover with dressing and eat.

We over-complicate this by adding lots of unnecessary ingredients, additives etc. This salad brings things back to basics – simple, clean and full of nutrients. It takes minutes to make, deliciously crunchy as well as being detoxifying.

kale apple sunflower seed salad

KALE, APPLE +SUNFLOWER SEED SALAD

2 bunches of kale, small chiffonade (or use baby kale)
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 apple, chopped
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup organic extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp raw honey or coconut nectar
splash of apple cider vinegar
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins
sea salt, to taste

Massage kale with lemon juice using your hands for a few minutes to break it down. In a smaller bowl, combine mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar and sea salt. While whisking mixture vigorously, add the organic olive oil slowly in a thin stream. Mix dressing with kale and top with sunflower seeds, raisins and apple.

 

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vegan pumpkin cranberry cookies

By on October 2, 2013 in Dessert, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

This past weekend, the Boyfriend and I finally got around to seeing Blackfish. It’s an amazing yet heartbreaking documentary however one that is important to see to truly understand the awful happenings at amusement parks that house captive animals. Post movie, I needed some cheering up and created these delicious, vegan pumpkin cranberry cookies to do the trick.

Pumpkin seems to be in everything lately, from latte’s to pancake’s to…M &M’s (really! Pumpkin is great to use in baking because it adds a nice cake-like texture. It, of course tastes great too.

pumpkin cranberry cookies

Pumpkin Cranberry Cookies

1 cup brown rice flour
½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp sea salt
pinch of nutmeg
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup coconut sugar
¼ cup extra virgin coconut oil
1 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp pure vanilla
¼ cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large mixing bowl, add brown rice flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, sea salt, nutmeg and stir. In a separate mixing bowl, mix pumpkin, coconut sugar, coconut oil, chia seeds and vanilla. Combine wet ingredients into dry ingredients bowl and stir in dried cranberries. Mix well.

Drop cookie dough by tablespoon onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Press cookie dough down into a cookie shape with your fingers.

Bake for 15 minutes. Move cookies to a wire rack and cool completely before eating or transferring to a container to store.

 

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fruity green smoothie

By on September 29, 2013 in Detox, Raw, Recipes, Smoothies, Vegan, Vegetarian

As most Nutritionists can tell you, the consumption of green smoothies is one of the best things you can do for your health. Why? Well we all need to eat vegetables and most of us should be eating more than we do. Drinking green smoothies is a way to increase your veggie intake in an easy and pleasant way.

Green smoothies are a good source of vitamins and minerals as well as fibre (remember, smoothies keep fibre intack whereas juicing extracts the fibre.) There are tons of different greens that can be added to your smoothies….spinach, kale, swiss chard, dandelion, collards, sprouts, broccoli, beet greens and more! It’s a good idea to rotate the kind greens you use as some contain higher amounts of alkaloids which can cause symptoms such as stomach aches in some people.

If the idea of a green smoothie seems unappealing or scary, start with a higher quantity of fruit and smaller amount of greens. The below smoothie is great for beginners!

fruity green smoothie_editted

Fruity Green Smoothie

1 cup dairy-free milk (almond, rice, hemp, coconut)
1 cup coconut water or maple sap
1 cup frozen mango
1 banana
1/2 cup pineapple
2 handfuls baby kale
1 scoop Sunwarrior Protein Powder in Vanilla

Combine all ingredients except protein powder in a blender and blend on high. Add in protein powder and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

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