Healthy Life Lessons

Welcome Back!  I hope you had a wonderful holiday.  We had tons of fun in the sun in Florida.  This year's vacation was a trip full of discoveries.  Here are some things I learned: 1. Little A is not a very good traveller. 2. Even when there are no delays or turbulence, I still hate flying.  Guess I'm not really a good traveller either. 3. Cheap chocolate sweetened with maltitol isn't good for anything except as an emergency laxative.  I'll spare you the details here... 4. Sketchers' GOWalk Oasis shoes are so freakin' comfortable, I had to buy them in 2 colours: 5. After doing absolutely no exercise for 4 days and consuming a wee bit a lot more beer and chocolate than usual, one's regular workout will feel a wee bit a lot harder! 6. Lilly's Chocolate , sweetened with stevia, tastes awesome, and should be used for pleasure eating and will not cause stomach upset. Of course, like many yummy things, it doesn't seem to be available in Can

Next Monday I will likely be poolside at the Vistana resort, pictured above, watching the kids splash in the water.  We're heading to Orlando with Adam's family for a little break.  For this reason, I'm actually happy that all four of us are currently suffering from a bad cold, because I'm hoping this means we will all be healthy (for once) during our holiday. I am looking forward to relaxing with the kids and spending a whole week with absolutely nothing to do, except eat, sleep, and play.  No, we're not going to Disney.  We're saving that for a year or so from now when Little A is, HOPEFULLY, past the melt-down stage, so we can ensure, as much as you can ensure anything when you have kids, that we will get our money's worth, and not have to leave abruptly, after spending a fortune on entrance fees alone, because of a tantrum. In any case, have a happy, healthy holiday (keep eating your greens, getting lots of sleep and exercising!!) and I will be bac

If you celebrate Christmas, there are endless decorating options for your home and food.  The choices are far more limited for Hannukah.  Blue and white are the colours and menorahs and dreidels are the associated objects.  Even though I love Christmas lights, white and blue lights would still look Christmas-y.  I suppose I could make a wreath out of dreidels or something, but I'm not that crafty. I had a similar problem looking for a way to make Hannukah themed cereal squares for our community Hannukah party.  Red, white and green Christmas sprinkles and candies are everywhere, but there were no blue and white Hannukah ones to be found.  I'm sure they exist somewhere but not in my 'hood.  In any case, I wasn't thrilled about adding some food-colour-filled sugary crap to an already not particularly nutritious treat.  So I settled on dried blueberries!  There ya go, blue and white.  And blueberry and vanilla flavours are so good together, I'm pretty pleased with

I know, I know, I'm on a Thai Food kick right now.  But can you blame me?  Thai food kicks butt.  I have always adored the balance of sweet, salty, sour and spicy.  This dish does exactly that with the fish sauce, chili, mango and cashews.  Make it vegan by using tofu instead of chicken, if you wish, and subbing out the fish sauce for plum vinegar (or coconut vinegar). Thai Mango Cashew Chicken 1 lb ground chicken or chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces (or 1lb extra firm tofu) 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 3-4 tbls finely chopped fresh ginger 2 tbls fish sauce (or plum vinegar) crushed red chili flakes, to taste I can light coconut milk 2 cups frozen or fresh mango chunks 1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets (lightly steamed, if desired) 2 cups snow peas, trimmed 2 sweet bell peppers, sliced 1 bunch green onions, sliced 1/2 cup chopped roasted, salted cashews 1.5 cups brown jasmine rice Place rice and 3 cups water in a large pot.  Bring to bowl and turn hea

It's out: President's Choice Insider's Report for the 2012 holiday season featuring all the latest products available at Loblaws and affiliated grocery chains across Canada. Honestly, it's pretty much same old, same old.  High fat frozen hors d'oeuvres, and rich, sugary desserts, many of which are probably not worth the calories.  Really, I'm not saying you shouldn't indulge at all over the holidays, just indulge in only the absolute best stuff, and skip the rest. Here are a few tips to keep you feeling your best all season long: For savoury bites, stick with good ol' fresh veggies with hummus or dip, pickles, olives, cheese and whole grain crackers, popcorn, etc.  A shrimp platter is another healthy option: If you do want something a bit more indulgent, go with something like a holiday nut carousel: Personally, I think most appetizer-type foods are icky.  If you are looking to splurge, I say save it for the sweet stuff at the end of your meal

  Happy Monday morning!  I am glad to say that we have our internet back, but it took until Saturday for it to really be 'fixed'.  Looks like we will be switching to Rogers anyways at some point in the future, but I just have to wrap my head around closing out my Bell email, which will likely cause me many headaches. Aside from all that, it was a pretty good weekend.  Dinner out with colleagues Friday night, a massive Hannukah party on Saturday, and a whole bunch of errands on Sunday with a whiny, hysterical 3 year-old.  Okay, Sunday wasn't so hot.  In fact, Adam and I both had moments of wanting to wrap Little A up in wrapping paper, placing her on somebody else's front porch, ringing the doorbell, and then running like hell. I'm kidding of course...we like our neighbours too much for that. Actually, like pretty much all parents around the world, regardless of their antics, we were feeling extremely lucky to have our little ones safe at home with us, fo

I don't have time for a real post today as Big A is home with a bad case of strep throat.  It's the third time she's had it and apparently if she gets it too many more times it may be that she needs to get her tonsils out.  Oy! It's been a trying week for other reasons too: our internet service has been very intermittent since last Saturday.  I've been on the phone with Bell Canada at least 5 times and they've even sent someone to our house and each time they claim they've fixed the problem and then it goes down again.  So I'm writing this as fast as I can before it conks out again. I hope you have a lovely weekend and that I am back online - for good - by Monday.  If not, you can bet I will be SCREAMING at the Bell Canada folks and perhaps considering a different service provider.

Adam refuses to use natural peanut butter.   He doesn’t object to the taste, but he can’t stand the mess and difficulty of spreading it on bread, particularly when you get down to the bottom of the jar.   Although I do insist on buying the all natural stuff for myself and the girls, I can’t really blame him.   Somehow it never seems possible to get the oily part mixed all the way through so the top is liquidy, the middle lumpy, and the bottom, a dry, solid mass. So what to do with that dry stuff at the bottom of the jar?   Make truffles!   Easy, decadent but not too unhealthy, delicious truffles. 1 cup ‘dry’ peanut butter or other nut/seed butter ½ cup coconut sugar 2 tbls coconut oil (not melted) ½ tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp sea salt 250g dark chocolate chips   Place nut butter, sugar, coconut oil, vanilla and salt in food processor, and process until it comes together and is smooth.   Place mixture in freezer for 30 minutes, until firm.    Meanwhile, melt chocolat

This is an easy dish that can be customized based on your tastes and what you have in the fridge.   I’ve listed the veggies I used, but you can use any you want, fresh or frozen. 1.5 cups brown rice ¼ cup soy sauce/tamari/coconut aminos ¼ cup rice vinegar (the unseasoned kind) ¼ cup sugar-free orange or apricot fruit spread 1 tsp sesame oil 3-4 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup finely chopped fresh ginger ¼ tsp salt, or to taste Crushed red chili flakes, to taste (optional) 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1.5 cups cooked black beans) 1 bunch broccoli, cut into small florets (lightly steamed, if desired) 2 sweet bell peppers, sliced 1 lb mushrooms, halved or sliced 1 bunch green onions, sliced   Place rice and 3 cups water in a big pot.   Bring to a boil, turn heat down to low and simmer until all the water has been absorbed.   Whisk together ingredients for sauce in a medium bowl.   In a large skillet or wok, stir fry beans and veggies in sauce until vegg

I think fast food, and fried foods, in particular, smell horrendous.   On the other hand, I am the first to admit that the smell of a Cinnabon is absolutely mouthwatering.   But it’s been at least 20 years since I had one since those babies are absolute nutritional nightmares.   Nothing more than trans fat, white flour, and a whole whack of sugar.   Instead, I make my own cinnamon rolls, using a whole grain dough and minimal fat or sugar.   This variation, in fact, has no refined sugar even in the frosting.   They are also A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!   I can’t be bothered to make dough from scratch, so I cheat and use Bob’s Red Mill dough mix, and make it in our bread maker, but if you are more ambitious than I, just prepare your favorite whole grain dough recipe, vegan, gluten-free or whatever suits your fancy.   You could also add in chopped nuts, dried apples or raisins if you wish. I have discovered that quark is a fantastic base for icing.   It is thick, rich and creamy, but low-calorie

I am relieved to say that the girls' fighting has lessened recently.  Don't get me wrong, eruptions still occur, but they are not constantly yelling and bickering anymore, thank goodness.  Of course, I can't take any responsibility.  I still have yet to sit down and review the things I read in Siblings Without Rivalry , nor have I gotten Adam to read it, so few of the ideas and suggestions have been implemented.  Lately I've been thinking that I need to make myself little cue cards because of the fact that my mind seems to go blank regarding effective parenting strategies just when I need them most.  Perhaps if I have something I can whip out of my pocket to jog my memory, I might be a better parent and disciplinarian/teacher.  And, admittedly, I still need to work on being more patient.  That will always be my greatest challenge. Little A has also been having fewer meltdowns, although we still shouldn't dare cut her toast the wrong way or give her anything but t

What do you think, could I win an award for the world's worst food photographer?  Not to state the obvious or anything, but my interest in taking photos of food is almost non-existant.  So while I can't make anything LOOK good, you'll just have to trust me that it TASTES good!   Big A adores cheese flavoured popcorn so I thought I'd try to whip up a healthier version of her favorite. Cheezy Vegan Popcorn 1 cup popping corn 1/3 cup Earth Balance 1/4 cup nutritional yeast 1 heaping tsp dijon mustard 1 tsp sea salt Pop corn in an air popper or paper bag in the microwave.  Place popcorn in a large bowl.  Melt Earth Balance in a saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in remaining ingredients and pour over the popcorn.  Toss to coat.  Enjoy immediately! We have a fun weekend ahead.  It's my mom's birthday today so my parents are coming to town and we are going out for an adult-only dinner.  Tomorrow Big A has a birthday party and then we have my mother-i

As I've said before, most things that fall into the 'snack food' category are crap, no matter how you sugar-coat it (ha ha!).  Low fat, reduced sodium, gluten-free, organic, most of it still has little nutritional value and lots of calories. The only exception is popcorn.  Too bad I don't like it.  But my peeps do, so I make it a lot because I'm happy to feed them this low fat, low calorie, whole grain snack and they are happy to eat it.  This is one of the least healthy versions I've made before, but it was for a holiday party and was being shared by all, so an exception was made.  He he! Here is a recipe you can customize to suit your fancy. It's so quick and inexpensive, it's an easy thing to have handy for holiday entertaining and, unlike me, most people love it.  This is not a crunchy caramel recipe, its more ooey gooey.  To get it crunchy, you have to do the whole sugar boiling, make it reach a certain temperature thing, which I've never b

I made this as a side dish but add some chickpeas or tofu and it can be a whole meal.  Colourful, flavourful and delicious! Morrockin' Quinoa 1 onion, diced 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 3-4 cloves garlic 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp harissa spice blend (purchased or homemade ) 1/2 cup red quinoa 300g box frozen, chopped spinach, thawed, or 1 lb fresh baby spinach 1 cup olives, pitted and halved (Spanish or sundried are best) 8 artichoke hearts, quartered (canned, or frozen, not marinated in oil) 1 cup white quinoa 1 28oz can diced tomatoes, with juice 2 cups water Juice and zest of a lemon   Saute onion, garlic and red quinoa with vinegar, garlic and seasonings in a large skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.  Add all remaining ingredients, except lemon, turn heat down to medium-low, cover and cook until all the water has been absorbed.  Add lemon zest and lemon juice just before serving.  Serves 6 as a side dish and 4 as a main. Freezes well. This recipe has been sub

This tastes just like something you'd get at a Thai restaurant, only I can guarantee this version is much lower in fat and calories.  So, so good.  I made it with chicken, but it would be just as good with tofu if you want a vegetarian version. Rice vermicelli are a cinch to use.  I don't even soak them beforehand, I just add them to the dish dry and let them soak up the yummy sauce to soften. Thai Yellow Curry Noodles Stir Fry 1 lb brown rice vermicelli noodles, broken up 1 lb chicken (boneless, skinless breasts or thighs, or ground), or extra firm tofu 1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets and lightly steamed 2 lbs mushrooms, cut in half 2 bell peppers (red, yellow or orange) 1 bunch green onions, trimmed and sliced in 1/2 inch pieces Sauce 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup fresh ginger, minced 2 tbls fish sauce (or plum vinegar for vegetarian) 2 tbls yellow curry powder (mild or spicy) 2 tbls tomato paste Siracha hot sauce, to taste (optional) 1 can li

Image source I love love love discovering new forms of physical activity.  I've never much been into organized sports, but I love movement and exercise and finding new ways to challenge my body and improve my fitness. I heard about aerial yoga a while ago and started scoping the city to find classes, but couldn't find one that fit my schedule.  Then I saw a WagJag deal for 4 classes for $24 and I couldn't resist. After all, most studios charge that much for just one class!  I had never heard of the club before, and it's not particularly convenient for me, but I figured I'd never find a better deal. The class is offered at 10am on Saturdays at the Cardio Go King West Club  in the Entertainment District of Toronto.  Cardio Go has 4 locations, but only this one offers aerial yoga.  It was clearly a popular deal as I bought the deal months ago but could only get space in a class this past weekend. It involves doing yoga poses, core exercises, and inversions sus

Did you ever have one of those days that just seems surreal?  That was my Wednesday this week. I had a terrible sleep Tuesday night after the daycare fundraiser.  I was just too wound up.  I just landed a new gig writing reviews of fitness clubs for BlogTO , a local online magazine.  Wednesday I was scheduled to check out a new fitness studio near where Adam works.  Adam had the car that day, so he recommended the best way for me to get there by public transport and suggested that an hour should be plenty of time to get me there, regardless of my legendary bad luck with the TTC. The bus arrived at the bus stop down the street from our house almost immediately - in an unusual stroke of luck for me.  I made it to the subway, efficiently caught the first subway going east, and then was thrilled to find the connecting northbound subway pulling into the station as soon as I arrived.  I hopped on and sat down relieved that the trip was going so smoothly. Then an announcement was made

The frenzy has begun for holiday shopping. I've already gotten all my Hannukah gifts, so I can relax, sit back, and give you all some ideas for those hardest-to-buy-for folks in your life.  It's much easier to be Jewish in December I tell you!! Recenly we received the Hammacher Schlemmer catalog.  I always find it amusing to look through.  Like every year, there are items that range from clever to outrageous.  Here are some of my favorites. The Peaceful Progression Wake Up Clock The catalog's description is as follows: More gentle than traditional jarring alarms, this clock uses gradually increasing light, stimulating aromas, and peaceful nature sounds to awaken sleepers. At 30 minutes before wake-up, the clock's light begins to glow softly, brightening over the next half-hour. The device can simultaneously release aromatherapy scents into the air to stimulate the olfactory senses. Fifteen minutes before wake-up, the clock generates your choice of six nature s

If you have school-aged children, than you are probably frequently called upon to contribute to bake sales and/or treats for various functions and events.  Even for those of us who love to bake, this can sometimes get overwhelming.  If you don't bake, then it can be downright terrifying. But don't fret, there is no need to resort to buying the revolting 2-bite cupcakes in the plastic clamshell package from your local grocery store.  Other options abound. I whipped this up for the girls' daycare fundraiser last night and it was a huge hit.  It was inspired by my experience being one of the bake table salespersons at their school's spring event this past year.  I noticed that regardless of the actual product, some of the most popular items were those that parents had pre-wrapped, allowing them to be more portable, less messy and enjoyed later.  After all, there is only so many cupcakes or cookies people can gobble down at once.  Well, maybe not, but let's not g

I love falafel but have never made them from scratch until now.  I always thought you had to use dried chickpeas or fava beans and grind them and it all just seemed to intimidating and time-consuming.  Then I saw Dreena Burton's recipe which uses canned beans and pan fries instead of deep fries them.  She dredges them with flour (I used chickpea flour) to get the exterior crispy.  I  loved this idea and knew I had to try making them myself.  Of course, as I always do, I adapted the recipe.  Among other things, I use zucchini instead of celery, and use a bit of konjac flour, instead of oats, to hold them together.  I hate hiding grains in food in a way that you can't appreciate them!  Kind of like I'd rather get my fats from nuts, nut butters and avocado, rather than oils hidden in dishes in such a way that you don't even know they are there.  I am experimenting with konjac flour (glucommanen) more and more these days as a binder and thickener ingredient. It is so

I started out trying to make chocolate mousse...I even almost followed a recipe!  I used Michael Smith's tofu chocolate mousse recipe , but instead of using bittersweet chocolate, I used unsweetened, and used xylitol to sweeten. At first it had the perfect mousse-y texture, but once refrigerated, it hardened into what was more of a ganache.  Oh well, I ended up with intense chocolate, sugar-free, high protein, vegan truffles.  I'll take that, thanks! Dark Chocolate Protein Truffles 225g unsweetened chocolate, melted 350g silken tofu 1 cup xylitol or powdered stevia 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 tsp salt Cocoa powder for rolling Puree tofu, sweetener, vanilla and salt in food processor until smooth.  Add melted chocolate and blend.  Refrigerate until firm.  Form into balls and roll in cocoa powder.  Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

TGIF! I am so glad it's the weekend!! How about you? It's not that it's been a bad week, per se, but it's been exhausting. For the first time in a long time, I had insomnia.  In fact, last night was the first good sleep I've had since last Sunday night. This self-employment thing is tough for me sometimes.  The whole uncertainty of it.  You see, this week was looking pretty quiet counselling-wise, so I took on a whole host of other commitments.  Then at the last minute, the appointments started coming in and before I knew it, this week was completely jam-packed.  Not a bad thing, but I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. A lot of my stress is due to the fact that I'm on the fundraising committee for the girls' daycare and we have our big annual fundraising event next Tuesday.  I volunteered to take care of the catering, which I'm pleased about, of course, because I got to insist on healthier fare than past years, but going with a new caterer, it

This super chocolately, decadent-tasting granola is actually sugar-free, gluten-free and oil-free.  Definitely makes you feel like you can have your cake and eat it too!  Amazing with yogurt, milk or on its own as a snack.  All the chocoholics in this house, even Little A who is not usually a granola lover, have been enjoying this. 1.5 cups unsweetened prune puree (baby food works perfectly!) 1/4 cup-1/2 cup xylitol or powdered stevia, or to taste 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup cocoa powder 4 cups large flake oats (gluten-free, if necessary) 8 large, unflavoured rice cakes, crumbled, or 6 cups puffed brown rice 1-2 tbls chia seeds 1/2-3/4 cup unsweetened dried cherries Optional: 1/2 cup chopped, toasted almonds or hazelnuts and/or sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc. Whisk together prune puree, sweetener, vanilla, salt and cocoa powder.  Place oats, rice, and chia seeds in a large bowl.  Poor prune mixture overtop and stir until fully coated.  Spread evenly onto 2 b

Up until now I have not been a huge fan of the shiritake noodles made with tofu.  Aside from the ones I found in New York, which, unfortunately, like so many other yummy products are not available in Canada, I've found the kinds I have tried here not to my liking.  The texture just didn't do it for me.  This has been disappointing because the Asian-style ones, that I love, aren't really well suited for Italian pasta recipes. Recently, however, I've been noticing Wild Wood's new Tomato & Herb Angel Hair Pasta Slim in grocery and health food stores.  Something about them piqued my interest and I decided to give them another try.  Last week I made some, served with a red clam sauce, and topped with garlic sauteed kale for lunch.  I loved them!  Definitely a must try.  Just be sure to use the 'drying' method for the noodles, by putting them in a very hot, dry fry pan after rinsing them, and 'cook' until all excess liquid is gone.  Also, make su

Usually to make truffles, you have to melt chocolate with another high-fat ingredient, usually cream.  In this case, I've substituted amazing, fat-free, high protein quark and the results are fantastic.  I use this kind:  With just a few ingredients, these are simple to make and make an impressive treat to serve at holiday gatherings or to give as a hostess gift. Super Simple Low-Fat Truffles 1/2 of a 375g tub quark 270g chocolate* (use chips, or chop into pieces), melted and cooled slightly 2 tbls agave syrup 1/8 tsp salt Stir everything together until smooth.  Place in the freezer until firm (about 1 hour).  Form into small balls and roll in cocoa powder, or finely grated coconut, or crushed candy canes, nuts, etc.  Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks...but don't worry, they'll never last that long! *I decided to try President's Choice new naturally flavoured mint semi-sweet chips, because everyone in our house loves chocolate mint.  Most dark or sem

Image Source Literally the day after I posted about the new and improved Little A, she went back to the old and not so improved preschooler we've been dealing with the past 18 months.  She has had her characteristic irrational and incredibly dramatic fits every evening this week.  The change coincided with her catching a bad cough and cold, however, so I'm hoping that it was a temporary blip.  By Saturday when she seemed fully recovered, she was back to her happy, delightful self.  Things with Big A have been unraveling too.  She has been giving me attitude for a while now, but Friday night she was being so obnoxious and disrespectful that I was flooded with the extreme negative feelings I used to get during our interactions on a regular basis.  I can't even remember the last time that happened.  Adam was out at a concert with his parents and while I was putting her to bed I felt like I was coming close to losing control.  I spoke through clenched teeth and may have s

This was an experiment gone very right.  I love it.  Adam loves it.  You'll love it.  It was inspired by Little A.  No not because she'd ever eat it.  Not with 'bits' in it (i.e. detectable pieces of vegetable).  But because last weekend she became mesmerized by a bag of plump, garnet hued fresh cranberries and insisted Adam buy them for her.  He tried to explain that they would not taste terribly good raw, but she wouldn't listen and promised she would like them and would eat them.  As soon as they got home, however, I placed one in her eager hand, she popped it in her mouth, nodded her head for a second to indicate liking, then began shaking her head vigorously to indicate, no, she did not actually like it.  Sooo, I ended up with a big bag of fresh cranberries in the fridge. It never occurred to me to add cranberries to chili, but I was making chili and adding butternut squash, and since squash and cranberries work so well together, I figured, "Why

Image Source I haven't mentioned it on the blog before, but Adam and I have been embroiled in a bureacratic nightmare with the U.S. government for the past year or so. You see, we are both dual citizens: me, because my parents are from New York, and he, because he was born in Boston.  Neither of us have ever worked in the U.S., I've never lived there, and Adam only lived there for a few months before his parents moved back to Toronto.  So it never occurred to either of us, or any of our parents, that we should be filing taxes with the U.S. government.  We pay lots of taxes here, thank you very much.  When the laws for U.S. citizens living abroad changed, we decided to be honest and went through the process of trying to file.  Unfortunately, this turned out to be not so easy.  First off, we couldn't do so without having social security numbers.  Adam never had one, and the one my parents had for me was apparently 'invalid'.  Adam immediately drove to Niagara F