Healthy Life Lessons

1 tsp olive oil 1 cooking onion, diced 3-4 garlic cloves, minced 3-4 tbls fresh ginger, finely chopped or minced 2 tbls garam masala 1/2 tsp turmeric Crushed red chili flakes, to taste (this is what adds the heat) 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1/2 cup no sugar added/all fruit spread (apricot or peach works best) 1 can chickpeas 1 can tomato paste 1-2 cups water Large bunch fresh kale, chopped and tough stems removed Optional add ins: Slivered almonds, raisins, chopped dried apricots In large skillet over medium heat, pour oil and cook onion until translucent. Add garlic, ginger and spices and cook another few minutes. Add vinegar, fruit spread and chickpeas. Next, stir in tomato paste and then add about 1 cup of water. Start adding in kale, a few handfuls at a time and once it has wilted, add more. Add more water if you want to thin out the sauce more. Once all the kale has wilted, serve over brown rice or quinoa.

One of the challenges of being a parent is trying to negotiate the balance between maintaining control over your children, trying to protect them and shape them into compassionate, responsible adults, and encouraging their independence and supporting their individuality. Big A is "Quirky" and this sometimes leads us to butt heads. She wants to wear purple socks, striped pants and and orange shirt and have 3 ponytails. I just want her to wear the perfectly coordinated outfit I picked out for her, with her hair neatly brushed into one ponytail with a hair elastic that matches the outfit. At first I wondered if I was getting too caught up in worrying what others would think of ME if my child dressed this way. But I have begun to realize that I don't really care about that...I worry about Big A being ostracized by the other kids. I clearly remember how painful it is to be rejected by your peers, and I will do anything to try and avoid my children having to go through tha...

1 lb whole grain, short pasta (like rotini) 2 lb (about 8) endive*, halved, bottoms removed 1 tsp olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste 1 tsp olive oil 1/3 lb (about 8 slices) turkey bacon**, sliced width-wise in short strips 2 cloves garlic, minced 85g bag julienned sundried tomatoes (or 1 jar sundried tomatoes, julienned) 2 cups chicken stock 4 tsp whole wheat flour 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced Hot chili flakes, to taste (optional) Toss endive in bowl with oil, salt and pepper. Roast in oven at 425F for 15 minutes or grill for 5-10 minutes. Remove and set aside. When cool enough to handle, roughly chop larger pieces. Cook pasta according to package. Whisk together stock and flour and set aside. Meanwhile, brown bacon in oil over medium/medium-high heat. Add garlic and sundried tomatoes and cook another few minutes. Pour in chicken stock and turn heat down to low. Simmer until sauce thickens a little bit. Stir in green onions just before pasta is done. Toss together pas...

These are so good almost half the batch was devoured while they were still warm from the oven! Most of the sweetness comes from the fruit and they are choc-ful of chocolate. 2 medium raw zucchini, pureed 1 cup pureed cooked fruit (I used peach, but pear would work well too)* 2 ripe bananas, mashed 2 eggs 1/4 cup agave syrup or honey 1 tsp vanilla extract 2.5 cups whole wheat flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Whisk together wet ingredients in large bowl. Stir together dry ingredients and add to wet. Add chocolate chips while gently folding ingredients until everything comes together. Fill greased muffin cups to the top and bake at 400F for about 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Makes 16 muffins *To save time, you can use a few jars of baby food if you don't have pureed fruit handy. Canned fruit thrown into the food processor or blender would work in a pinch too.

Is it weird that vegetables excite me? Wait, don't answer that! But seriously, I love veggies, particularly green ones. So I'm crazy about the products sold by Mann's in the produce section of the grocery store. They are convenient and healthy. I frequently use the broccoli slaw or rainbow slaw for salads, stir fries and wraps. But now I have a new favorite...their snap peas! They make a perfect, portable snack. They are sweet, crisp and delicious and super healthy. A whole 8oz bag is just 100 calories and has 5g of fibre and 5g of protein as well as more than a third of your recommended daily intake of vitamin A, two-thirds of your recommended daily intake of vitamin c, and 15% of your recommended daily intake of calcium and iron. Granted they are not cheap - I paid $2.99, but snap peas can usually be purchased in bulk for less at most grocery stores or markets. Get crunching!

While walking to school through the massive snowstorm yesterday, Big A described the weather as "a big pile of dog poo." Although we discussed how lucky we are that we just got snow and are not dealing with the aftermath of a major earthquake, tsunami or flood, like other not as fortunate people around the world, I still have to agree. This weather is a big pile of dog poo. I am also puzzled with the city's new way of dealing with snow on our street: don't plow it away, simply compress it down so that the road becomes one big, treacherous piece of ice. Mmm, way to go City of Toronto, brilliant idea! There is no better way to take your mind off of natural disasters and crappy weather than a little R&R. What do you do with your spare time? I am sure almost all of you probably said, "What spare time?" Yes, life is hectic and complicated, but taking time out for leisure activities is very important for both mind and body health. No matter what, I take...

This was today's lunch and it was so good. I mean really crazy good. So good that while slurping up the noodles at the bottom of the bowl while sitting at my desk (yes, I eat lunch at my desk almost every day), I splattered the broth all over the textbook I was reading. Yuck! I guess I know where Little A gets her pig-pen ways! Shirataki noodles can be made with tofu or with yam starch. The tofu ones, which have just 50 calories a bag are okay, but the yam ones are much better. And they have no calories. No joke. They are perfect for anyone watching their energy or carbohydate intake, like if you have diabetes. They are also perfect if you need to avoid wheat and gluten. Of course, no calories means no nutritional value, so you don't want to start eating nothing but shirataki noodles! That's something that Hollywood celebrities would do! You could use scallops in this too, or, if, like my hubby, you don't eat seafood, you can replace the shrimp with chicken, ...

Happy Spring! You are not likely to ever find me around a campfire. Camping is about as attractive to me as getting my teeth drilled. I am definitely a city girl! I need A/C, a hairdryer, and any other luxury I can get, and I don't need mosquitos and wild animals. But who doesn't love the flavour combination of s'mores? 2.5 cups graham crumbs (I used New Morning organic cinnamon grahams) 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (or butter) 1/4 cup agave syrup or honey 2 cups mini marshmallows 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 heaping tbls coconut oil, melted (or butter) Mix graham crumbs with coconut oil and syrup or honey. Bake in greased 9x9 square pan at 350F for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle marshmellows over top in a single layer. Put back in the oven for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, microwave chocolate chips for 2 minutes in microwave. Stir until smooth. Add coconut oil and stir until smooth and shiny. Pour over marshmallow layer and place in fridge for about an h...

Yesterday's haircut at The Curl Ambassadors was an interesting experience. Am I happy with the cut? Yes, actually. It isn't so different from how Van cuts it. But the way this woman styled my hair is another story! She straightened out my bangs completely but then spent a significant amount of time arranging every other hair on my head into a perfect ringlet - Shirley Temple style. In addition, even though we discussed which SIDE I wear my hair on several times, she gave me a middle part while simultaneously pulling my hair up and back so it was BIG. Not even the rain or my bike helmet could put a dent in it! The final effect was circa early 1990s suburban mom. I felt like I should have been wearing tapered, high-waisted jeans with a kelly green mock turtleneck. She also educated me on proper curl care - apparently I do EVERYTHING wrong. I need to avoid mousse and hairspray, which are drying, and the cheap drugstore shampoos and conditioners generally contain ingredien...

Wait! Don't call child services, I swear that feeding these to my children is not cruel and unusual punishment...in fact, they love them! I have started taking the same approach to making them pancakes as I do muffins and other baked goods: an opportunity to hide extra nutrition in every bite they eat. I admit that brussel sprouts are not a common pancake ingredient, and truthfully, this would not have been my first choice of veggie to add, but I had extra in the fridge, so I thought I'd give it a try. If you use a cruciferous veggies like brussel sprouts, broccoli or cauliflower - you know, the gas-producing culprits, these will be extra "tooty", but if you are less adventurous or you have particularly picky/sensitive kids, other options that would work are spinach, pea, corn, carrot, pumpkin or squash. Big A actually hates chunks of fruit in her pancakes, even whole berries, but pureeing the fruit makes it even easier to hide the veggies. I like making a big batch ...

Believe it or not, it is never too early or too late to get fit. Physical activity is critical for long-term health. It can help ward off many chronic illnesses, increase longevity and improve quality of life. I began working out on a regular basis when I was 14. Turned off of team sports due to the competitiveness of the girls at my school, I began doing aerobics classes after school. Before leaving for university I was certified as a fitness instructor and I have been teaching and working out daily ever since. My goal is to be active for as long as I can. I am inspired by many of the people I have trained over the years. Take, for example, Yvonne (who shares my hair stylist). She is a mother of 4 and grandmother of 7 or 8 who is now in her mid 70s. For the past 40+ years, she has been working out every day, usually doing a triathalon worth of activity (i.e. a run, a swim and a spin class). Now this extremely high level of time and intensity is not necessary for health benefit...

Last week I had a fantastic meeting with S.D. at the fertility clinic to start planning for my practicum placement in May. It was so exciting! She introduced me to all the nurses, doctors and staff, and gave me a tour. The clinic is even bigger than I realized. I am going to have my own office space to see clients and I am going to be helping her with some very interesting projects including: * Creating and presenting a training program for staff on dealing with the emotional needs of clients. * Starting a support group for clients who have had miscarriages. Next week I have a meeting with D.B., from the therapy clinic where I will also be spending some of my practicum hours to discuss how things are going to run there. S.D. confirmed that getting experience doing more general couples counselling will greatly compliment my work in the infertility field, since you end up doing a great deal of couples counselling anyways. I am so thrilled, I cannot believe that I may finally have a ...

Most people I know are somewhat particular about who touches their locks. I am no exception. Most people also despise their hair and spend a great deal of time and money trying to transform it from it's natural state, into something they deem more desirable. I have definitely been down that road too. In fact, I feel like I have been at war with my hair for most of my life. It is dark brown, fine and curly. Even a lot of stylists have admitted that the combination of fine-curly hair is very difficult to work with. My hair varies from relatively straight on a dry, cold day when I have flattened it with a winter hat, to super tight ringlets on a hot, humid day. In 8th grade I permed it...no idea why seeing as it is already super curly...and added Sun-In, which gave it icky, blondish streaks. In highschool I henna'd it, turning it bright red, and in first and second year university I highlighted and low-lighted my locks. I have also attempted to straighten it periodically...

Here I go, jumping up on my soap box again. But as regular readers know, I HATE REFINED CARBS. I think the reason why is that, while most people consider candy and chocolate a "treat" and know that it is not nutritious, people go along eating tons of white bread, white rice and white pasta and think it's healthy. Really, it has nothing good in it and is actually harmful to your health. A great article in the latest edition of the Nutrition Action Newsletter points out that refined carbohydrates can increase trigycerides and lower HDL (good) cholesterol. White rice has also been found to raise the risk of diabetes. In contrast, whole grains lower the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Whole grains keep you regular, because of their fibre, and contain a multitude of vitamins and minerals. So PLEASE, do yourself a favour and avoid the refined carbs! There are so many whole grain breads, cereals, and pastas available. Just be sure to READ EVERY LABEL!!! Jus...

I'm obsessed with roasted veggies right now. They just become so sweet and flavourful, I find them addictive. This was a warm, comforting dinner on a cold, rainy night. 2 small or 1 large zucchini, cut lengthwize in 4 strips, then strips cut into thirds 4 red, yellow or orange bell peppers, cut into quarters 1 large red onion, thinly sliced 2 tsp EV olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt and pepper, to taste 1 tsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped 1 tsp dried oregano 1 large can, crushed tomatoes 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1/2 cup chopped, pitted calamata olives Juice and zest of 1 lemon Hot crushed chili flakes, to taste (optional) Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Toss veggies with oil, garlic, salt and pepper and arrange on baking sheet. Roast in the oven at 400F for about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and when cool enough, roughly chop. Meanwhile, pour oil into large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and stir for a minute or so, until fragr...

Most parents will recognize CIO as standing for: Cry It Out, a controversial parenting technique where you allow your child to cry without reward until the undesired behaviour ceases. I had absolutely no problem allowing my children to CIO when they were infants. Although a good sleeper once she fell asleep, Big A resisted going to bed, both at night time and nap time and we had to let her CIO for a very long time. After 4 months of pure sleepless hell with Little A, we moved her from the bassinett in our bedroom to the crib in her own room and let her CIO until she started sleeping through the night. Listening to your child cry is never pleasant, but I was able to follow through with the sleep training plans with relative ease. Yet as soon as my children are old enough to understand my words and figure out how to manipulate me, I seem to lose the ability to listen to them cry and become instant putty in their hands. I can't seem to give up the hope that I can reason and negoti...

If you think it's weird to throw whole oranges into the blender and use in baking...just trust me on this. It provides a ton of flavour and moistness and extra nutrition, as all that pith (the white stuff) is full of fibre and vitamins. 2 whole navel oranges, pureed in blender* 4 egg whites or 2 whole eggs 4 tbls canola oil 1/2 cup sugar or Splenda 3 cups orange juice or water 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 cup fine cornmeal 1/2 cup ground flax seeds 2 tsp ground ginger 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp sea salt 340g bag fresh or frozen cranberries (about 2.5 cups) Whisk together wet ingredients in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Stir cranberries into dry ingredients. Dump dry ingredients into wet and mix just until combined**. Spoon batter into greased muffin tins, filling to top, and bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Makes 12-15 large muffins. *Be sure to use seedless oranges,...

A lot of my courses at school, particularly the one I am currently taking, require a lot of self-disclosure. After all, if you cannot admit your own challenges, foibles, fears and vulnerabilities, how can you expect your therapy clients to? So I have learned quite a lot of personal information about many of my classmates and I am simply awed by them. So many of these individuals - most of them already working in the counselling/social service field - have overcome enormous hardship and trauma. We are talking about things like losing a parent at a young age, losing a child to suicide or accident, divorce, and emotional and physical abuse. Yet, they have all come out swinging, with more strength and optimism than I think I could ever muster if I were in their position. It is really inspiring. The courage and bravery with which these folks approach their lives has made me acutely aware lately of just how lucky I am. My biggest challenges right now simply pale in comparison with the ...

During the cold winter months who doesn't occasionally crave a bowl of steaming pasta with a rich creamy sauce? (Unless you're Adam, but he's weird) But the nutrition and health experts recommend that adults avoid creamy sauces since they are filled with saturated fat and excess calories. So here is a good compromise. A low-fat, low-cal sauce that's high in calcium, protein, iron, B-12 and many other nutritional goodies, but still creamy and comforting. 2 cups non-fat or low-fat cottage cheese 2 cloves garlic 2 tsp dijon mustard 1/4 cup milk 2 tbls nutritional yeast 2 tbls grated parmesan cheese, low-fat or regular 300g frozen chopped spinach, thawed or fresh baby spinach A few handfuls fresh herbs (optional) Fresh ground pepper, to taste If using fresh spinach, throw everything into blender and puree until smooth. If using frozen, chopped spinach, add spinach after the rest of the ingredients are blended. Cheese sauce will be green if you use fresh spinach and add...

Both my girls are strong-willed individuals with very unique personalities. But one thing I've learned from them, is that while some personality traits are present straight from birth, other characteristics babies have can change quickly. This can be both good and bad, but it demonstrates how important it is to avoid labelling your child. Particular characteristics may endure, but many difficult habits and behaviours can be outgrown. Big A has been a high-maintenance from day one. She has never been good at entertaining herself and always wants adult attention as well as physical contact and closeness (she doesn't even like to watch t.v. without Adam or I sitting on the couch with her...wanting to stab our eyes out with an exacto because we are forced to watch a repeat episode of Caillou for the millionth time!). She has always been a big wimp about boo boos. Thankfully, Big A did not get into a lot of trouble around the house so we didn't have to do much baby proofing...