Healthy Life Lessons

Next weekend is Passover as well as Easter so many of us will be sitting down to large celebratory meals with loved ones. Unfortunately for Ashkenazi Jews, Passover can be a challenging time of year from a dietary perspective.  I have never been a fan of traditional Eastern European Jewish cuinine (heavy, starchy, meat laden foods), but Passover foods can be even worse.  I know I'm not the only one to not be the biggest fan of traditional Passover food.  I can name few people (i.e. none) who rank gefilte fish or matzo as one of their favorite treats.  Even if you enjoy a good matzo ball soup, charoset, or potato kugel, you may have experienced what I call "Passover Gut", particularly if you abide by the Passover dietary rules for the full 8 days of the holiday. Passover Gut is essentially sluggishness and constipation brought on by eating refined flour matzo and all the other dishes where matzo meal hides.  Combine this with the elimination of high fibre whole grain

What did the grocer say to the kid who stole the brick of pepper jack?  "Hey buddy, that's nacho cheese!" I know, I know, I'm hilarious!  A little humour to warm up your chilly Friday morning. Anyways... These burritos are making some serious yummy lunches for me this week.  You can adapt this recipe with whatever veggies you prefer.  I simply used what I had on hand: a bag of rainbow salad and a massive bunch of kale. I have fallen in love with Joseph's lavash recently.  They are whole grain wraps and really what makes them so special is they are soft and sturdy and RECTANGLE.  I'm not the best rapper...I mean wrapper.  I find these babies hold a ton of filling and are still rollable.  This recipe definitely requires a knife and fork to eat, but when I want an eat-out-of-hand wrap meal, Joseph's are a perfect fit. Nacho Cheeze Burritos Nacho Cheeze Sauce (Adapted from http://ohsheglows.com/2011/10/13/vegan-pumpkin-mac-n-cheeze-sauce/ ) 1

P R E S C H O O L The preschool stage is not an easy one in this house. Big A challenged us from the time she was about 18 months old, until she turned 5 last year, when things finally started to improve.  And that's certainly not to say that things are now easy or perfect! Big A is still prone to erupting into tears over every little bump and bruise (like as minor as a breeze blowing a hair on her arm kind-of-thing!), and I still struggle to get her to respect my authority.  She is definitely much less defiant, moody and emotional than she used to be, but when she is happy and having fun she often ignores me, which is incredibly irritating.  For example, she'll come into the bathroom after I take a shower and slap me on the butt and laugh.  Then she'll keep doing it, and when I ask her to stop, she will ignore me and keep doing it over and over until I lose my temper.  A minor thing, but she does annoying stuff like this to me all the time.  More importantly, she will

What is it about cereal squares that kids love so much? That is not a rhetorical question.  I never ate them as a kid.  But my kids adore them. Problem is, they are either full of junk (sugar, sugar and more sugar) or made with nut butters, which means they can't go to school or daycare or virtually any public space for kids. My solution was to come up with these babies.  Healthy AND yummy is always the best outcome.  No compromise required.  In fact, these treats are gluten free, nut free and vegan, so they can accomodate most dietary restrictions. Choco Crispy Squares 375g pitted dates 2 cups water 1/4 cup xylitol (or other granular sweetener: coconut sugar, Splenda, stevia, etc.) 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 tbls coconut oil 340g (about 10 cups) brown rice crisp cereal Place dates in a large pot over medium heat with 1 cup of water.  Simmer until dates are soft.  Add remaining cup of water and puree in pot with immersion blender, or let cool a

I suppose the bright side of the drastic dip in temperature this week is that it makes this recipe more appropriate to make.  It was inspired by Big A's insistance that because of her wiggly top front tooth, she must eat only very soft foods.  I am very dismayed that she is just as distraught over this tooth, as her two bottom ones, which have already fallen out.  Since this is only tooth #3 that she is losing, we are going to have to go through this drama many more times over before she has all her adult teeth in.  Sigh!  I am going to have to remind her again that she will never be able to get her ears pierced until she can deal with pain a bit better.  Perhaps I'm being insensitive...it's possible that it's really painful, I just don't remember being distressed about losing my teeth as a kid, and certainly most of  Big A's friends seem fine with it too. Anyways, this is a healthy, kid-friendly, wiggly-tooth friendly recipe that makes a great lunch or dinn

Good morning!  Isn't life wonderful? If you feel like throwing your coffee at me for being so perky on a Monday morning, don't worry, if I try hard enough, I can find lots to complain about. My tongue still hurts like CRAZY, which is really pissing me off since my cracker accident happened last Wednesday.  And I can't even elicit much sympathy from Adam who thinks I'm quackers for hurting myself in such an absurb manner.  In my defence, it really hurts to either talk or eat, and since I do so much of both, it's basically hurting all the time! It's also COLD here in Toronto after weeks of spring and summer like weather, which meant a bit of a battle this morning trying to convince the girls that they had to wear their winter jackets. Big A discovered that one of her top front teeth is starting to get wiggly, which made her unwilling to eat breakfast and cry all the way to school because she claimed it hurt so much.  Adam and I are convinced she has the lo

I am not vegan.  I am not even vegetarian.  But I try to eat a plant based diet as much as possible.  I like to think of myself as a flexitarian, if I have to give myself a label.  But hey, who needs a label? Adam?  He prefers meat, or even fish, and flour-based products (i.e. bread and pasta) to beans, tofu and whole grains.  Sigh! He always accuses me of trying to turn him into the gassiest man on the planet because of all the veggies, beans and whole grains I feed him.  Geez, he's so paranoid!  Or...is...he...?  Anytime you do increase your fibre intake it may take some time for your body to adjust, but it will adjust.  You should also increase your fluid intake.  The health benefits of a high fibre diet are plentiful.  Most North Americans don't get enough.  You should aim for 35 grams of fibre per day. Anyways...I love creating hearty vegan recipes like this that satisfy even the most carnivorous appetite.  These enchiladas are chock full of veggies and nutrition, bu

As absurd as this sounds, I am not kidding you when I say I am suffering from a very painful cracker injury today.  Yes, a cracker injury.  Yesterday I badly cut my tongue while eating some Ryvita Sunflower Seed & Oat flatbreads.  Nevertheless, I still adore these crackers! I am probably going to sound like even more of a dolt when I tell you this is not the first time this has happened.  I've actually discovered that if I toast my favorite Stonemill sprouted grains bread, some of the crusts and grains can be sharp enough to cut the inside of my mouth. But please don't be scared off of eating whole grains, I swear the health benefits outweigh the risks!!  I really do encourage you to try Stonemill products, they're awesome.  Besides, I suspect few people are prone to getting such ridiculous injuries.  Did I ever mention I have twice given myself a black eye with a telephone?  Don't ask... Anyways, on to better news.  I am pleased about several stories that ran

It's official: I'm addicted to yoga! Unfortunately, I am still finding it difficult to make it to the JCC for classes.  Also, Adam has put a kibosh on my Do Yoga With Me habit because our internet service is not set up for that much streaming, so we've been dinged with huge extra fees at the end of the past few months. I finally decided I needed to find a decent yoga DVD to do at home.  But my reluctance to purchase yoga DVDs was due to two factors.  First, I have had difficulty finding ones I like - I find it weird that the people in the videos never talk, and instead the yoga is narrated by a disembodied voice which I find gives them an emotionless, robotic quality.  Also, I like variety so I didn't want to be stuck doing the same routine every time, nor did I want to spend a fortune buying a gazillion different DVDs. So I was thrilled when I just happened to find the Total Yoga Box Set on sale for $10!  I had no way of knowing if I'd like it (I was not fami

Little A is not much of a breakfast eater.  I don't know where that comes from because I don't know of anyone on either Adam's side or mine who doesn't like breakfast. I often struggle to get her to eat anything before we leave the house, and even when we get to daycare, she rarely will eat what they are serving.  There is one thing though, that she often asks for in the mornings and will ALWAYS eat: chocolate .  And who can blame her?  So in my desperation to get something in her belly, I have been giving in lately and handing her a chocolate brownie Clif bar for kids, or a Kashi dark chocolate cherry granola bar.  You know, junk food in disguise.  What's worse, is that if I give her this crap, I have to give Big A some too, and she has generally already consumed a massive breakfast. Well last week the girls finished the Clif bars for kids that we got in Florida (they are still not available in Canada) so I started to think about what sort of chocolate treat

This weekend we took the girls to a sugar bush for the first time.  Every spring the Kortright Centre for Conservation: http://www.kortright.org/  has a Maple Syrup Festival.  Located in Vaughan (just past Vaughan Mills Mall!), it is just 30 minutes north of downtown Toronto and a great place to take the kids. Even though the sun and lovely warm temperature didn't appear until about 4pm on Saturday, we still ahd a great time despite the cool, damp weather.  We got there around 10am and followed the trail which took us to demonstrations of how syrup was made hundreds of years ago and how it is made now.  The girls sampled fresh sap and syrup and got to walk around with sap buckets hanging off a yoke balancing on their shoulders like youngsters would have done in centuries past to help out on the farm (got me thinking of all the things I could get them to work doing around the house...). We took a horse-drawn wagon ride and then bought the girls hot chocolate and pancakes with sy

Happy St Paddy's Day!  I have exciting news for you. Did ya hear?  There is a Real Housewives of Vancouver show coming!  Are you as excited as I am? ( Statement dripping with sarcasm ) Actually, I cannot believe they chose Vancouver as the Canadian site for this show.  I thought even the glitterati of our fair west coast city were more into Lululemon, doing yoga and Priuses than Chanel, doing lunch and Ferraris.  But what do I know...I'm not and NEVER WILL BE a real housewife.  Thank goodness! So what does this have to do with green popsicles you ask?  Just that I turned the same shade as these treats due to the nausea I experienced when I saw the ad for this new program on television.  Ha, nice segue huh? For this household of mostly non-alcohol drinking Jews, St. Patrick's Day is not much more than a celebration of the colour green.  That is enough to thrill the girls, and given all the healthy foods that fall into this hue, it thrills me too.  So Big A and I were

Another super quick recipe that made 2 delicious lunches for me this week (spread on a whole grain wrap with some sauteed kale and red onion stuffed inside).  It is very thick, so perfect as a spread for wraps, bread or crackers.  If you want to use it as a dip or sauce, just thin it out with a bit more olive oil or water.  It is also nut-free so safe for allergy-friendly schools and workplaces. 1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1/4 cup nutritional yeast 2 cloves garlic A few handfuls fresh basil 1 tbls extra virgin olive oil 2 tbls lemon juice 1/4 tsp Herbamare or regular sea salt Fresh ground black pepper, to taste Throw everything into the food processor and blend until smooth.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  Keep refridgerated for 4-5 days.

Lately I have watched many people I care about face serious misfortune.  Two close friends of the family were diagnosed with serious cancers, a friend just had a worrisome mass on her cervix removed, another friend's father is ill, a neighbour's son has an illness not yet diagnosed and the husband of one of my best friends just called it quits on their 12 year marriage (they have two sons aged 4 and 1). I am devastated and concerned for each of them and left wondering both what I can do to help, and what would I do if it were me in their place? Like many people who struggle with anxiety, I have a tendency to worry about what ifs because of this irrational belief that if I do, the what ifs won't happen, or somehow if they do happen I'll be better prepared.  This is, of course, a fallacy because it assumes magical thinking, and worrying about things before they happen does little to prevent or minimize pain and trauma when they do occur. I am relieved to say that al

This is a scrumptious treat that incorporates all the flavours of everyone's favorite flavour combination.  It is healthy enough to have for breakfast, but decadent tasting enough to serve as a dessert.  It's great warm or cold, plain or with a dollop of dairy or non-dairy yogurt or ice cream on top.  Any berries will do, or you could try using peaches or plums too. 1.5 lbs fresh or frozen berries (I used a combo of straw, black, blue and rasp) 2 tbls whole wheat or spelt flour 2 tbls whole wheat or spelt flour 2 cups large flake oats 1/4 tsp sea salt 2 tbls coconut oil, melted 2 tbls natural peanut butter 2 tbls agave syrup (or honey) Toss fruit with flour and pour into a large greased Corningware, or other oven safe dish.  In a medium bowl, stir together flour, oats and salt.  When oil is still warm, whisk it together in a small bowl with peanut butter and agave and then pour over oat mixture.  Use a fork to mix it all together.  Once dry ingredients are fully

My parents were in town last weekend and although they stayed with my brother this time, they came to us Sunday for lunch.  I cooked up President's Choice Blue Menu falafels, and they were a hit.  I like them because a lot of pre-made falafels have white flour added as a binder, but these ones are flour free, just chickpeas and herbs and spices! I served up the falafels with whole wheat pita, tahini sauce, and this salad.  My parents LOVED the dressing.  It's tangy, flavourful and refreshing, yet light in fat and calories. Middle Eastern Salad Organic mixed greens Half a cucumber, cut in half circle slices Half a red onion, finely diced 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved Optional: Half an avocado, diced Lemon and Cumin-Scented Yogurt Dressing 2 tbls extra virgin olive oil Juice and zest of a lemon 2 tsp honey 1/2 tsp dijon 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbls white wine vinegar 1 cup non-fat, plain yogurt In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, lem

I have been wanting to check out the Vaughan Mills mall   http://www.vaughanmills.com/  for quite some time.  So when I discovered that Build-a-Bear http://www.buildabear.ca/  has a store there, I jumped at the chance to go seeing as this is where I decided we would buy the supplies for Little A's birthday party.  First I'll start by saying Build-a-Bear is a very cool concept!  You can do on location birthday parties at their stores, which we are not doing since the Vaughan location is the closest one to downtown Toronto and is almost 30 minutes away.  So instead, we bought the bears and some white t-shirts for each of them and the kids will decorate and personalize the t-shirts for their bear.  For free, each bear comes with a birth certificate so each child can name their bear, and a little cardboard house that you can put together.  But the possibilities at this place are endless!  You have a wide variety of stuffies to choose from, and then you can customize your stuffi

I am sure I am not the only parent who starts stressing about planning my kids' birthday parties months in advance.  If you want to rent a venue or hire entertainment of any kind than you kind of have to!   This year things are particularly tricky.  We are doing a joint party for the girls with family in between their birthdays on May 5th so that the cousins don't feel left out (since they don't know the girls' friends from school/daycare) and the aunts/uncles/grandparents aren't overwhelmed by too many kids running around (aka last year's birthday party!).  But Big A has insisted that not only does she want a separate party for her friends, but she also needs me to bake treats for her kindergarten class AND her daycare class.  On top of that, one of her best friends, Z, cannot have gluten so I have to make gluten-free treats for her kindergarten class and for the party (Z doesn't attend her daycare).  Big A wants the party to be small and at home, but I

It seems like as North Americans rates of obesity and chronic disease increase, so does our obsession with grotesquely over-the-top, unhealthy delicacies (i.e. double bacon cheese burgers with a fried egg sandwiched between two maple bacon donuts). I think this comes from two places: (1) the natural tendency humans have to rebel against restraint/rules, and (2) the downturn in the economy which has meant fewer people are able to splurge on expensive big ticket items like holidays, cars, etc., and therefore are turning to more affordable ways to "treat" themselves. I have a problem with both of these issues.  First off, rebelling against recommendations to live a healthy lifestyle is stupid because you only hurt yourself, and second, healthy eating is delicious, exciting and enjoyable and can be just as much a treat as any artery clogging dish you can think of.  Now there are many systemic issues that make it difficult for some people to make healthy choices (cost and av

One of my favorite treats of all time is gingerbread.  Gingerbread cookies, gingerbread cake (remember the classic Silver Palate recipe?), gingerbread men...there is something about the combination of molasses and all those sweet, aromatic spices that makes me crazy.  And there is that little ginger obsession I have, which is why so many of my recipes contain zingy root in some way, shape or form. Image source: http://www.pamsclipart.com/clipart_images/gingerbread_man_cookie_for_christmas_0515-0812-2214-3020.html Lets be clear though, when I am talking gingerbread cookies, I am NOT talking about the bland, cardboard-like ones covered in cement-hard, fluorescent icing that you find at grocery stores and low-quality bakeries.  Don't get me wrong, icing is a must, but for me the perfect gingerbread cookies are relatively thick, and soft and chewy.  The icing is also not rock-hard. My favorite recipe is, well, my own.  These cookies are not for the kids folks.  They have real bite

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is the muscle pain and stiffness that can occur 24 to 72 hours after intense or unfamiliar physical activities.  DOMS is caused by the tissue damage (microscopic tearing of the muscle fibres) that occurs from eccentric muscle contractions.  This muscle damage is not the same as an acute injury.  It is a normal response to unusual exertion and is part of the adaptation process that leads to greater stamina and strength as the muscles recover and increase in size.  It is generally most severe for several days following the activity and then gradually subsides. The extent to which DOMS is experienced seems to vary from person to person.  I have also found that my vulnerability to DOMS has increased over time.  In my 20s it wasn't too often that I experienced it, but now any time I do a really intense workout or new exercise or activity I do.  This may be due to age, or possibly due to the fact that I work out more intensely now than I used to s

No I am not posting about the dating world...after almost 12 years with Adam, I am definitely not current with living the single life.  Today I'm posting about actual fish in the actual sea.  The kind you eat, if you are aren't vegetarian or vegan, that is. I've had a love-hate relationship with fish over the past few years.  I always loved fish until I got pregnant with Big A.  Then during my pregnancy, aside from sardine and tuna sandwiches, I lost my taste for fish.  Figures that tuna is one of the fish you need to limit during pregnancy!  Instead, I developed an insatiable craving for red meat and broke my 9 year commitment to avoiding it after my mother's breast cancer diagnosis.  This preference for red meat was heightened when I was pregnant with Little A, and again, aside from tuna and sardines, I lost my taste for fish.  In fact, I don't think I ate a single grilled or broiled fish fillet during that entire pregnancy!  Slowly, since Little A was born,

I almost exclusively make my pancakes now with oat flour, not because I need to avoid gluten, but because I honestly love them.  The taste, the texture...I'm drooling now just thinking about it! If you do need to avoid gluten, make sure you use oats and oat flour that is labelled gluten-free.  These are so sweet and flavourful from all the fruit, that I don't add any sweetener to the batter, particularly because I douse them in syrup or honey for serving. Gluten-Free Banana Berry Oatmeal Pancakes 2 cups oat flour 1/2 cup large flake oats 2 tbls baking powder 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp cinnamon 2 large, ripe bananas, mashed 4 egg whites or 2 whole eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 tbls fresh ginger, grated (optional) Grating of nutmeg (optional) 1 cup + water or milk 1/2 cup strawberries, chopped 1/2 cup blueberries 1/2 cup raspberries Stir together dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Add wet ingredients and whisk until well mixed.  Stir in berries.  Batter should be

Ever had trouble deciding whether to wear pants or a skirt?  No?  Me neither.  But regardless, I love the idea of "skants" which combines the two in a stretchy, cosy garment perfect for lounging or yoging (my verb for doing yoga) in.  If you want the chance to win a pair, valued at $110, check out the contest over at the Making Love in the Kitchen blog: http://meghantelpnerblog.com/2012/02/29/yoga-clothines-giveaway-working-title/