**First things first, my heart goes out to everyone affected and suffering as a result of the quake and tsunami in Japan. I cannot fathom what anyone over there must be going through and can’t wrap my head around how one moves forward. How a nation moves forward. It makes me feel so small and helpless to be over here…sitting in my warm house with light and food. I can only send positive thoughts.**

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I have lots to talk about tonight. Yeah, yeah it’s Saturday night and I should be out and about right? I just love you all so much I NEED to blog and tell you all the good stuff I’ve learned this week! So sit back, hand off the mouse or key pad and listen in…

The other love of my life, Gardein, has just introduced a Meatless Burger. For real. I’ve not tried it of course as it’s so new I can’t really find it here but the Internet is all a-buzz about it and BIG things are expected! I will say however, that in My Guy and I’s opinion, for what it’s worth, we think Presidents Choice Worlds Best Meatless Burger really is the best. This new burger from Gardein has to a) knock our socks off and b) be reasonably priced. While the Presidents Choice burgers aren’t super cheap, they do come in a pack of 4 frozen patties so they last for awhile. I find Gardein sometimes priced too high, so I’m really hoping the burgers are more affordable. (Hopin’ and Prayin’)

I’m back on the quinoa train. I LOVE THIS STUFF. I have been making up a batch at night (1 cup quinoa to 1 3/4 cup water, simmer for 12 minutes, fluff, cool) and then mixing up with whatever chopped veggies, some salad dressing etc and have it as a cold ‘salad’ for lunch. The beauty of quinoa is it’s more than a grain…it’s a PROTEIN. It really is perfect food. This is the food you want in a disaster situation…this is the food that will fuel you…perfectly cooked quinoa should have a slight bite to it and you can see the separation of the kernel a bit. It has a nice subtle nutty flavour to it. I noticed while grocery shopping today, the price of bulk organic quinoa has come down significantly. Funny because it seems everything else has gone UP…

Running out of lunch ideas? Making sure My Guy and I both have nutritious and filling lunches each week day can be a chore. It’s great if we have leftovers from the night before but that doesn’t ALWAYS happen. This weekend I’ll be making up a batch of burritos to stick in the freezer for those times when we forgot to make something….grab ‘n go. This is obviously a more healthy option than buying those frozen little burrito-things at the grocery store full of preservative and salt! I buy multi grain tortillas- the big ones, and whip up a batch of rice. It’s fun to change up your rice; so maybe make Spanish rice one time and just add tomato paste and some chili’s to the rice water…I like to saute up peppers and onions, get a can of re-fried beans ready and begin to assemble. I always top with a bit of cheese and some chili or enchilada sauce; not so much that it makes it a gooey (and fattening) mess, but enough to act like the “glue” when you heat it up later! These burritos have saved me on more than one lunch…

This weeks goal? Get to the gym and/or run at least 4 days out of the 7 coming up. I’m so down on myself and this is exactly what I tell others not to do….do not beat yourself up. Problem is I feel I should know better. I am upset because I lost alot of weight years ago and have slowly put just enough back on to be uncomfortable in my own skin. Very uncomfortable. So I challenge everyone out there, to get up off the couch this week and get MOVING.

That’s all for tonight…

Can you believe NEXT WEEKEND we spring ahead and set our clocks forward ONE HOUR? That means, yes, it will be light after say 6 pm! This happens next week, so Spring really is close by- right? It’s been a long winter for me personally and I’m blessed with living somewhere that doesn’t traditionally get a ‘white winter’ or temperatures too cold. But this past winter seemed to stretch on especially long and we did get show and we did go below freezing!! So I’m ready for Spring to be sprung upon us; I don’t care what those pesky little groundhogs had to say. I say BRING SPRING ON.

While we wait though, this last little stretch can seem unbearable. It’s important to keep your spirits up during the colder months because it’s easy to let depression and the blues creep in. I’m my own worst enemy in this one, but you gotta exercise. It’s vital. I realize that, I know it, and I’m trying…I really do feel better when I leave the gym but it’s the getting there part that can be a challenge.

Incorporate more fruits and veggies into your diet. With fruit we can bring in a little ‘sunshine’- I saw whole pineapples on sale last week at a local grocer. When was the last time you bought a pineapple? And lets be honest, fresh pineapple tastes a world better than canned tidbits doesn’t it?

Have some quiet time. Just because you spend part of Saturday lounging in bed reading doesn’t mean your lazy…it means your giving your body a break and a little treat. If we’re not good to ourselves, who will be? Don’t be afraid to indulge and have a lazy day. It’s when those lazy days turn into weeks and months that a problem will arise…

Pull out your recipe books or ask friends/coworkers for some new dishes to try. I’ve got a few recipes from coworkers I’m excited about but haven’t yet tried…one is Low Fat Pumpkin Muffins and then I picked up on Facebook on the gardein page for ‘Chick’n Pot Pie’. I love experimenting in the kitchen and used to do it so much more. I’d like to get back to that as it always made me smile…

Take a walk. Or better yet, does your city have some botanical or tropical gardens under cover? My Guy, Moops and I went to some here in QE Park awhile back and the heady, wet smell of fresh earth mixed with the vibrant colours made my head spin. While it was cold outside, inside was warm….(the pics above at beginning of this post is from there…)

Embrace this time before Spring and try to keep your head up. It can be tough but we’re ALMOST THERE! Tell me your ideas at keeping the winter blues at bay…

In love with Chia

I learn something exciting that pumps me up EVERY day from CBC radio. Today was yet another mind-blowing commute into work as I tuned into the last 5 minutes of a segment on “Chia Seeds”. Yes the same chia as those popular grass headed characters from the 80′s is now back as a SUPERFOOD. I am totally serious. I had no idea this seed was so amazing and full of good stuff our bodies need.

Let’s start with a little background on this tiny seed. It’s Latin name is Salvia Hispanica; a flowering plant in the mint family. Folklore dictates it was so prized by the Aztecs it was offered to rulers, traded for goods and valued higher than gold. Chia has the highest amount of Omega 3′s of any other plant which means it’s great for our heart, skin and hair! The seeds are about the size of poppy seeds so they can be easily ground up to add to other foods such as breads and apparently, quite tasteless (not sure if this is a necessarily good thing…). I’ve been doing a ton of reading on chia today and many articles call it “natures forgotten super food” due to the omegas, high protein and fibre content.

Seems to good to be true doesn’t it? Well it comes with a hefty price tag…I thought quinoa was expensive! I urge you to check out your local health food stores and co-ops; maybe they have chia for a reasonable price. In my neck of the woods there is a little company that’s doing it’s best to bring chia to the masses via a cereal called (I love this) Holy Crap. The site claims it’s the ‘worlds most amazing breakfast cereal’ and I admit, I’m intrigued.

I’m a self-professed cereal-aholic. I have admitted it openly that I sometimes have cereal for dinner. Two bowls sometimes. I’m not ashamed to say this. I do not however have my cupboards full of sugar-laden garbage cereals, and do try to be somewhat choosy about what I put into my bowl. This Holy Crap cereal sounds like a little bit of heaven that is seriously good for you and yes, I need to try it. The company seems a little overwhelmed with orders and are shipping out a ton of cereal so once the frenzy dies down, I’d love to try some.

Another company selling this seed is Webber Naturals under the name ChiaNutra…Also Cobs bread is apparently baking with it now but I’ve yet to see this myself or check it out in the bakery…

Don’t get me wrong there are a TON of places selling chia seeds and products but I’m only going to mention the companies I know of, or were mentioned on CBC this morning in this segment…because I trust where the info came from.

Just when you thought that little green afro seed-head from the 80′s was a silly passing fad…we realize we could have munched on our Chia Pets if we were hungry.

Cheers to chia- I look forward to trying this super food!

What will I learn tomorrow?

Yes folks, it’s THAT  time of year again. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas but it brings with it all the temptations of abundant food & drink. This is a tough time for “dieters” and those of us just trying to stay healthy, one day at a time. I honestly believe with a little willpower and a good dose of positive AND realistic thinking, the Holidays can be enjoyed by all of us. First things first: Christmas DOESN’T mean you stop exercising. It’s not a ‘get out of going to the gym or walking etc’ pass. Remember, you can indulge in those Xmas treats but you HAVE TO BURN OFF THE EXCESS CALORIES YOU PUT IN. It’s simple.

Second, don’t deny yourself this season. Don’t put unrealistic expectations like, “I will not eat any chocolate this Christmas” because as devoted as you may be, this is only asking for trouble. It’s OK to indulge, just choose the occasions wisely and make it the best damn indulgence you possibly can. I was cruising the Web tonight looking for articles to quote and found this one from The Today Show. I know we’ve all probably heard these tips before, but the average person has to hear something at least 8 times before it sinks in…so why not give these tips another quick go?

Third, for all your holiday baking, why not experiment with lower fat recipes? Cooking Light is a great starter-site for this because it not only has a ton of recipes but also articles and straight talk on eating less fat and calories. I refer to this site often for my own cooking and baking…remember it’s OK to have Christmas baking, just put realistic expectations on yourself and if you can’t get to the gym, WALK IT OFF. Get moving any way you can and get your heart pumping…

I work in the health care industry and this time of year we are given endless amounts of chocolate and baking by our Clients. In fact the first tin of cookies arrived today by one of our oldest and dearest Clients….suddenly, I was face to face with CHOCOLATE and you know what? It was so damn busy at the clinic, I had time for ONE chocolate and I was OK with that. I savoured it as I walked out the door at the end of my shift and it was bloody marvelous.

I have a Cookie Exchange to participate in this year and need to come up with a suitable recipe that is equal parts YUMMY and health-smart. I’ve already poured through my cookbooks with no luck so I now turn my attention to the Internet and it’s vast array of information. If you have any recipes you swear by for tasty holiday treats, send ‘em on in!

Christmas shouldn’t be about guilt or negativity. It also shouldn’t be a time we throw our health to the wayside. All it takes is a little planning and responsibility and you CAN enjoy all the season has to offer.

I know I will!

I don’t have trouble believing this story. It’s about a little weight-loss experiment where the author ate a mostly “junk food” based diet (think Twinkies…) and lost the pounds. He did it by cutting calories- so of course this makes sense. This is a common sense answer to an age old equation: If you put in less calories than you normally eat on a day-to-day basis, then you WILL lose the weight….just the same as if you burn more calories than you put into your body you WILL lose weight. Makes total sense right? I think we all need to keep this story in perspective. It’s not about WHAT the author put into his body so much as it’s about HOW MUCH he put into his body. I think he made a really valid point and I hope consumers see this: we need to watch how much we eat. I don’t mean what we’re eating necessarily, because I do believe treating ourselves is a great way to live…but the amount of food we’re ingesting. Simply put we’re eating too many calories.

This site can give you an idea of how many calories you burn on an average day; so what your body needs to function at the level you are accustomed to. If you take the amount and eat LESS calories, along with a regular exercise regime, you WILL lose weight.

Did you know 3500 calories make up a pound? Think about the calorie dense foods/drinks you may indulge in on a daily basis, and then eliminate them. How about soda? Drink alot of that? One can of Coke  has 140 calories approximately. Are you someone who has 3 Cokes a day, 7 days a week? If you cut those out you would see a savings of almost 2800 calories a week! It’s the little things people! How about a little treat with your morning cuppa coffee at Starbucks? Personally I love the Banana Nut Bread but at almost 600 calories a (teeny) slice, I have learned to pass it up. Imagine one of those bad boys 5 days a week? Saying no to that bread is equivalent to a pound of fat. Chew on that.

It’s common sense living. Take the initiative and look at what you’re eating every day. If you’re struggling to lose weight than make a few simple changes with your diet…baby steps…

Ok yes, it’s Kelly Osbourne BUT she did lose some weight and looks fantastic! I don’t know if she did it all on her own, or had a mess of personal trainers and crap we regular folks can’t afford, but in this this article she tells us some simple (translation: common sense) tips on how she did it. I don’t care who you are; if you’ve got a weight loss story and your tricks could be helpful, I’m gonna listen. You know? So go Kelly!

I know it’s “Hollywood” and no doubt she’s touched up, but I’ve seen the other pics and this girl, no matter how much we love to hate her, LOOKS good. In the article she mentions one way to cut out calories is soda. As North Americans we love our damn soda…and those are empty calories folks. Personally, if ‘m going to drink my calories I’ll save them for the Honey Brown Ale when I have a burger or a glass of our current fave red (see wine blog)…save them for when it counts I say….

But back to Kelly…another great tip I thought- get rid of your microwave. It’s too easy to fill your freezer with those less-than-good-for-you frozen meals that say they’re healthy (when really they pack a whollop in calories AND fat). Sure it’s easy to pop something in the microwave for 3 minutes but answer me honestly- are those meals remotely satisfying to you?

I look for inspiration where I can find it…I don’t care who is inspiring me or what they look like. If they’re doing something I think is great and can maybe teach us something, then I’m going to lean in closer for a 2nd look.

My struggle continues. I lost myself this past year and gained some weight back. I’m looking for ideas in all corner…and within. Choose your calories well.

Be well.

Namaste.

CM

It’s that time again folks! Here is a mish-mash of stuff that I’m excited about this week…

San Francisco, I love you. Kudos to the powers that be in office for the most recent ban that involves one of my fave-places-to-hate, McDonalds! What have they done now you ask? City Council has decided to BAN HAPPY MEALS (and other “meals” as supplied by these chain fast food joints that offer toys with meals over a certain calorie and fat %). It’s just one little step to making healthy food more accessible to all; especially low income families that eat out at McD’s because it’s affordable…and yes, for the damn toy. I think this is a HUGE move and if other cities can get behind it and enforce the same ban on all other meal-deals for our kids, then we might be on to something…

I’m one happy camper when I stumble upon sites like this. My head was spinning at all the reusable options for lunches, leftovers and more! The name says it all: Life Without Plastic. Yeah man.

Remember back to grade school…did you carry a lunchbox? I remember the start of each school year and the huge decision that faced me…what lunchbox THIS year? This site, Lunchboxes.com, has something to satisfy every desire and every memory. Trust me. I lost myself in this site today. Over and over…

I don't love Hello Kitty, but I do have a soft spot for nerds.

I wanted to talk about Vegan Lunch Box again…I love this lady. And her little Schmoo. Looks like she hasn’t written much LATELY but her blog is a riot to look through, the pics will wow you and make you believe, maybe, just maybe your little one WILL eat their lunch after all. If you’re not familiar with Bento Boxes you really do need to check this site out, or go straight to the source, Laptop Lunches.

Oooh. Ahhh. So pretty. So organized.

Bran Buds. For real. I put them on all my OTHER cereals….yet to try them on salads. But super crunchy and nutty. Is it sad I’m excited about Bran Buds?

Yup. This really gets me going.

I’m not sure about this cleanse. I’m not experiencing any ‘miracles’ or even really *anything* to be honest. I realize it’s meant to be a gradual thing that happens to your body, slowly eliminating toxins and such…but I’m on Day 25. I really only experience relief if I drink the Kleri tea the night before…the longer I steep, the better the result. I feel as if the fiber powder I drink in the morning is just that- fiber….like say Metamucil or another brand name stir-into-juice type fiber. Sure I’ve read all the reviews- both positive and negative and have to wonder about the positive reviews. I’m honestly starting to feel like they are just a tad hyped up…but is this just the cynic in me?

I don’t feel like I have more energy AT ALL. In fact I feel I’m sleeping more poorly, I have more cramping and don’t feel like I’m any more “regular” than I was before I started this program. I feel like I’m literally dragging my ass. The folks at Dr. Natura have been nothing but nice to deal with though; telling me to be patient, each body reacts differently to the Colonix program.While I do appreciate that, I can’t help but wonder why I’m not seeing the results that so many others are? I know, be patient, right? Right. Gotcha.

I am pleased I didn’t spend money on this because I think any program you start like this, you should put some serious thought and research into. I did look into this company, and the product before I started, and felt confident the product was 100% natural and my doctor agreed it couldn’t hurt…it may not help, but probably couldn’t hurt…I do wish in my research however I hadn’t stumbled upon some of the vile pics Colonix users posted – OF THEIR STOOL! – because I think that’s just going a tad too far. I can’t get the images out of my head and frankly, it kind of grosses me out. Pushing that aside though, I wanted to be honest in my reviews of this program because I have readers asking me my thoughts.

It is Day 25 of what is a 90 day program I believe. I don’t feel rejuvenated, I don’t feel miraculous and I’m not super-regular…I’m being patient.

That’s all I have to say tonight Namaste All.

So My Guy made this soup last week…or was it 2 weeks ago now? Regardless of when it was, it was freaking delish! Even 7-year old Moops gobbled it up and proclaimed, after nodding vigorously, it was EXCELLENT. My 2 cents? Make it the day before you plan on eating it so the flavors, particularly the roasted garlic, have time to mellow and blend. Oh yeah the recipe was taken from an amazing book called ‘A Beautiful Bowl of Soup: The Best Vegetarian Recipes” by Paulette Mitchell.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (with toasted walnuts) –> we used pecans….

1 butternut squash, quartered lengthwise and seeded

1 large yellow onion (prefer the sweet ones)

2 carrots, halved horizontally

Olive oil for brushing over the veggies

1 whole garlic bulb

3 cups Vegetable stock

1 tsp curry powder

1/4 cup dry sherry (we had to omit this due to fact we had NONE!)

1 tbsp packed light brown sugar

pepper to taste

2 tsps minced fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup milk or half and half (we cut the calories and used milk)

salt to taste

How to prepare:

-Preheat Oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with foil

-Place squash segments skin side up, onion and carrots on foil. Brush all surfaces with olive oil.

-Remove papery skin from garlic bulb, trim stem, cut 1/4inch of bulb to expose the cloves – but leave them intact- brush with oil and wrap in foil. Place alongside the veggies.

-Roast in oven for about 40 minutes or until VERY tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

-Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the bulb and scrape the flesh from the squash.

-Add equal amounts of roasted vegs/garlic and stock to blender and puree until smooth (this may take several batches to get right consistency. Of course use a food processor if you have….we don’t)

-Heat 1 tbsp of oil in saucepan and add curry powder; stir for about 30 seconds. Pour pureed soup into the pan and stir in any remaining stock, sherry (if you use), brown sugar, pepper, oregano and cinnamon. Cover and simmer, stirring every once in awhile for about 10-15 minutes.

-Add the milk and stir until heated through. (may need to use hand processor at this point if you want smoother! We did….)

-Garnish with walnuts. The actual recipe calls for a garnish with creme fraiche but we’re saving the calories…

Let this sit overnight and holy man IT IS GOOOOOOD.

Enjoy….

So many things to write about today; where to begin? As I settle down to write, I have CNN on in the background as they prepare to rescue the first of the 33 trapped miners in Chile. I can’t help but marvel at the strength of the human spirit in times of struggle and of all the countries to endure yet another test of faith and hope, it falls to the Chileans to show us again how strong they truly are.

While I rejoice in that story and keep an ear tuned to my TV for the first sounds of the siren…I’m thinking also of how truly inconsiderate and rude mankind can be. It’s quite the opposite feeling from the joy of a rescue, to the realization that not everyone out there thinks in the same terms as myself, and My Guy. We had an experience today that reinforced this and it’s challenge to not take it personally. My Guy is looking for a new car, right? He finds one he’s interested in, calls the owner (private sale) and expresses relief at getting through to them after busy signal and that the car advertised is EXACTLY what he’s looking for. The Car-Seller seems eager too, happy to hear from a prospective buyer and expresses empathy that they too, know how hard buying a car is! A time was agreed upon to meet and My Guy and I hopped in my car to drive out to The Valley (not exactly a short ride away either) to see this car. We’re not even half way there and we get a call…the Car-Seller has sold the car. “It just happened” she reported to us. I can only imagine: a gun was held to her head and she was forced to sell the car, it just happened….yes….poor soul.

I guess we believe in handling things a little differently. My Guy believes in honoring a prior commitment and that as the 1st person to express interest in the car, he should have at least been able to see it. But to get a phone call half way to the meeting point, only to be told “I’m sorry, it just happened, it sold..” is pretty damn lame. So this is one little story about how people really need to think about their actions, beliefs and how they affect others. Sometimes I just wonder, why can’t we all just get along?? Is someone, somewhere, watching the Human Race, and smirking at the fine mess we’ve made of day to day issues?

Treat others with the same courtesy and respect you expect. Simple. Nothing more to it.

On a different note, it’s day 12 of my Cleanse. So far, so good…I don’t have anything HUGE to report. Things are….ahem, errr, “moving” along so to speak. I find the tea EXTREMELY effective and am taking every 2nd or 3rd evening now. In keeping it real, I haven’t lost any drastic amounts of weight yet, I don’t feel things are going that much differently now except for the fact I’m beginning to feel more ‘regular’ and have less bloating pain. I am well aware however that is only Day 12 in a 90 day Cleanse so I’m perfectly content to keep going.

If you are interested in Colonix and try to live a healthy lifestyle, than I think you’ll be impressed with how ‘natural’ this product is. I’m not overwhelmed with harsh medicines or chemicals and I don’t feel like I’m doing harm to my body. I can understand every single ingredient listed on the 3 products and better yet, I can even pronounce them!