WIAW- What I Ate Wednesday

I never got into playing games on my iphone (candy crush or whatever it’s called?) but I am extremely good at killing time on food blogs. I love looking for new recipe ideas, interesting ingredients and often some pretty sweet giveaways. A lot of blogs do What I Ate Wednesday (WIAW), and thought this could be a fun addition.

Note: This is not meant to show you how, what, or how much you should be eating because everybody’s life and nutritional needs are different. It’s more meant as a fun way to inspire you with some cooking ideas if you have nothing but an empty fridge and take-out for the past week, which is really easy to do here in Toronto given the hundreds of cheap and tasty restaurants. Further, I don’t believe in ‘shaming’ someone into making them change their dietary habits. Case and point, I was at the Whole Life Expo a few weeks ago when someone from a skin boutique approached me and asked what skin care products I use. When I gave my response, he went on to tell me how BAD these products were, how DAMAGING they were to my body, how I need to change IMMEDIATELY, and how his beauty line was the ANSWER. Do you really think I’m going to buy your product after you’ve basically told me I’m a terrible person? Same thing goes with food, you shouldn’t make someone feel ashamed or guilty about what they eat or what size they are. Instead, motivating and supporting them through change has been proven over and over to be significantly more effective in helping someone live a healthier and happier life.

Breakfast

I like my (read: small) 8oz cup of coffee in the morning, but its awkward to drink with a smoothie. Why not combine the two? I made a smoothie with coffee ice cubes, maca, vanilla protein powder, frozen cherries, and chocolate almond milk, delicious! Yes, my ice cubes are shaped like brains, I’m an anatomy nerd.

Post workout snack

I leave for the holidays in two days and I’m trying to get rid of any perishable items in my house, and therefore have not gone grocery shopping in over a week. I simply took a huge scoop of peanut butter and swirled it on top of some Greek yogurt I had put in the freezer for ten minutes. Voila, instant homemade fro-yo with peanut butter sauce.

Lunch

I was lucky enough to have lunch at Hunter’s Landing today. It has a really cool vibe, and awesome menu that clearly labels which items are GF, lots! My steak salad with dressing on the side was huge and delicious, definitely coming back here to try more menu items.

Snack

I needed a little something to help me make it to dinner. I had a small handful of walnuts that I had soaked overnight then toasted in my oven for a few minutes for a nice warm and hearty flavour, goes great with pumpkin tea from Teavana. In fact, it was so good I forgot to take a picture, sorry.

Dinner

People procrastinate studying different ways. For me, I cook. This meant cooking an entire 11 pound turkey on Monday night and eating leftovers for days. I already froze the carcass and tons of meat to make homemade soup in the New Year, yum! I also roasted a huge combination of onions, beets, mini potatoes and heirloom carrots in the oven (hello botanical medicine on a plate) and coated them with a simple molasses, coconut oil and grated ginger glaze. I sauteed the last of my boxed spinach and smothered it in some turkey gravy for extra flavour. The secret to a good gravy? When there is about 45 minutes left, take the turkey out of the oven, pour the pan drippings into a bowl in freeze. When you go to make the gravy, take out of fridge, remove all the fat from the top and heat with stock on the stove, along with the last pan drippings from the turkey. To make it GF, I made a roux (thickener normally made from flour and butter) with 1tsp xantham gum and a few tablespoon of chicken stock whisked together in a bowl, let it stand for five minutes, then slowly added to the gravy, whisking constantly for at least 10 minutes until it starts to thicken.

I hope I have now inspired you with some healthy and delicious eats for the week, Happy Wednesday, and good luck to all my fellow classmates on our last exam tomorrow

What's in Your Shower?

Today is the last day of November, which means two very important things: it’s time to say goodbye to the flurry of nasty moustaches that have invaded our cities, and according to a special someone, I am officially allowed to play Christmas music in the apartment tomorrow. This morning I found myself scouring the shelves of Winner’s for some healthy foodie finds (side post, HomeSense and Winners are GREAT for organics and specialty health foods). I came out triumphant with a giant bag of Organic Traditions Holy Basil Tulsi Tea and Giddy Yoyo Maca Root! In making my way to the home section, I couldn’t help but noticed the rows of gift baskets and packaged spa sets at the front of the store. With so many Secret Santa, potlucks, and holiday gifts for co-workers or bosses to buy for, it can be tempting to pick up a generic gift basic filled with the usual bubble bath lotion ensemble. Since beginning my studies at CCNM, I have become much more aware of not only what I put in my body, BUT on it as well. When you eat something like McDonalds, you know you’re feeding you body crap, but are you aware of what chemicals you are putting on your largest organ, the skin? This list displayed on the websites and infographic below are by no means exhaustive but provide a good idea of ingredients worth avoiding in skincare, face, or hair products. Although the junk food in my house is minimal, the amount of junk in my bathroom is atrocious. In an effort to slowly convert over to all natural skin care and beauty products, I bought some amazing Green Beaver toothpaste, deodorant and lip balm at the Whole Life Expo last weekend. Tomorrow, I plan to look for some better body lotion and body wash products by Desert Essence or similar brands in Kensington Market.

Given it’s exam time and I am feeling the crunch (homeopathy acutes have taken over my life) I decided not to paraphrase what I found online but instead direct you to some websites that offer sound advice on ingredients worth avoiding.

http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/9-skin-care-ingredients-to-avoid/

http://www.organicbeautytalk.com/ingredients-to-avoid/

It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas....

While exercising on the elliptical this morning, I discovered much to my delight that 98.1 CHFI had started playing Christmas music.  I swear this made me workout harder as I’m a sucker for the holidays. The Christmas tree, snow, decorations, time spent together as a family by the fireplace, presents, eggnog and my favourite, opening the stockings!  The holiday season also means lots and lots of social gatherings, but remember, nobody wants to be ‘that girl’ at the company Christmas party who has one too many rum and eggnogs and starts spilling her entire relationship history in tears to her boss. The holidays can also be a source of stress for people with IBS, food allergies, intolerances or special diets. You want to enjoy yourself, but having to explain your dietary needs over and over, or grill the host over every single ingredient can be tiresome and annoying for both of you. To help avoid awkward situations or even more awkward bathrooms encounters the next day, here are some tips for navigating the holiday menu with style and poise.

1. Plan ahead and call the host- If the event if being catered by a specific company or individual, call ahead and explain your dietary concerns over the phone. Most catering companies are willing to accommodate dietary concerns these days, and if the host is a good friend, politely asking to leave a few dishes aside that don’t contains X,YZ can be extremely helpful. For example, if you are allergic to garlic or lactose intolerant, ask her to leave you a plain piece of protein and plain steamed veggies without any sauce, rub or marinade to ensure safe eating. The same goes for celiac disease as many proteins (chicken, fish, pork etc.) are coated with flour before frying, and flour is used as a thickener in many sauces.

2. But don’t expect the entire party to revolve around you- Just because you can’t eat dairy or gluten or think sugar is the devil doesn’t mean the entire party should have to eat a dairy-free, gluten-free, organic, often overpriced cake from a local bakery on your behalf. I always recommend eating a high fiber snack with protein before attending parties in case you do find yourself starving and with nothing to eat. A salad with egg, handful of nuts and some fruit, or a small serving a greek yogurt before a party are good choices. You can also use these special occasions to expose your friends to different food choices, by bringing specialty items such as almond flour desserts, gluten-free grains and vegan friendly mains. If the party is a potluck, ALWAYS bring a main you feel comfortable eating. At my last potluck, I made this delicious tofu and veggie and edamame quinoa salad with sesame ginger dressing from the Planet Organic market cookbook.

3. Start popping some pills- No I don’t mean copious amounts of Pepto Bismol, Tums or Zantac, but there are some great herbal remedies of there that can help your avoid tummy troubles and keep your digestive system happy. When eating out at restaurants, I always bring a peppermint oil capsule, and a broad spectrum digestive enzyme. I take the peppermint oil capsule about 20 minutes before my meal (usually right after I order) and my digestive enzyme when my meal arrives. I find this really helps reduces abdominal discomfort and GI issues.

4. Prep your elevator speech- In my experience, some people can be extremely judgmental of other people’s eating habits. Suddenly a fun holiday party turns into a debate about different diets and whether or not you’re sensitivities are ‘real’ or you happened to jump on the gluten-free fad bandwagon. If someone asks you why you eat a certain way, clearly explain your intolerances, without preaching, avoid any scientific jargon and then change the conversation topic if necessary.

One of my favourite bloggers, Chocolate Covered Katie, has written an excellent post on this subject that is specific to those who follow vegan diet.

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/11/20/special-diet-parties/

October Superfood of the month is.....Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are my latest pick for the  Superfood of the Month. Thanks to their beautiful orange colour, sweet potatoes are a great source of carotenoids, specifically a phytochemical called β-carotene, which is a precursor for the all important vitamin A. Compared to other potatoes, sweet potatoes contain almost twice as much fiber, and are low on the glycemic index, which is great for people with diabetes and will help you stay full longer. These antioxidant and anticancer spuds are also a good source of B6, manganese, Vitamin C and potassium.

One of the things I love most about sweet potatoes is their versatility. You can roast them in foil on the barbeque, bake as wedges in the oven, puree into soups, zap them in the microwave whole for a quick side dish, or incorporate them into muffin, brownie, bread or pancake recipes. Perfect for both sweet and savoury dishes, sweet potatoes are a winner and very cheap and easy to find at grocery stores this time of year.

1.     Sweet potato fries: When dining out don’t be fooled into thinking that sweet potato fries are any healthier than regular fries. Sure sweet potatoes are better than white potatoes, but fries are still fries (just like a gluten-free brownie is still a brownie). They contain a high amount of unhealthy fats from the deep frying and are usually peeled, stripping the potatoes of all their fiber. Instead, make your own oven baked potatoes fries at home for a delicious and healthy treat, where you can also adjust the spices and flavouring options to taste. When I make sweet potato fries at home, I scrub the potatoes thoroughly but never peel them because I like the taste of the skins left on and is far more nutritious this way

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2013/02/25/crispy-homemade-sweet-potato-fries/

2.     Sweet potato brownies: This paleo friendly brownie options is a sure winner. If you want to reduce the sugar content even more or have zero sweet tooth like me, replace the chocolate chips with unsweetened chocolate or minimum 85% dark chocolate. You can also replace up to half the oil in a recipe with applesauce, but coconut oil is a healthy fat and tastes delicious in baked goodies.

http://paleomg.com/sweet-potato-brownies/

3.     Sweet potato Soup: I’m a big fan of anything curry and spicy, and this soup hits all those notes for me. The chickpeas are optional but they make a great garnish and are also delicious just as a snack on their own. For a lighter option, substitute half the coconut milk for organic vegetable stock in this recipe.

http://minimalistbaker.com/sweet-potato-coconut-curry-soup/

A Healthier Thanksgiving Round 2

Thanksgiving might have been last weekend, but I was head down, nose in the books, in an all out midterm mode for school last week. Needless to say, I survived my first set of midterms at The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM), which means I am one step closer to achieving my dream job! If you are like me and love turkey and thanksgiving eats and wish every other weekend could be thanksgiving, than here are some recipes ideas for the cool weather ahead.

Turkey. This might sound stupid, but check the ingredients list on the turkey before you buy it. You would THINK it would say Ingredients: Turkey but no! apparently we feel the need to add a chemical S$%#storm and copious amounts of sodium to our turkeys these days. Depending on the brand you buy, some will be a better choice. The best option would be an organic turkey (Blue Goose sells these) but I realize this is not always available.

For making gravy, take the pan drippings and put into glass liquid measuring cup and right away into the freezer when your turkey is done. I made a homemade stock using the giblets and leftover veggie tidbits (see image below), and then added this to the gravy drippings with xantham gum for a healthy and clean eating homemade gravy. The reason you put it in the freezer is that all the fat will rise to the top and you when you are ready to whisk your gravy together, you can skim all the fat off. I am not ‘fat-phobic’ but I find this helps you avoid having a terrible post turkey tummy ache after dinner from all the other rich foods you are consuming.

 I’ve made lots of different side dishes in the past and I think this roasted root vegetable medley is now my favourite. The colour is beautiful, it’s simple to make, and tastes fantastic with turkey. I cut down the maple syrup in the recipe because I don’t like really sweet things (CCNM folks, phosphorus much??) but you can adjust to taste. Feel free to use a variety of fall vegetables. I had sweet potatoes, heirloom carrots, parsnips, onions, and beets.

http://artoflivingwell.ca/recipes/vegetarian-a-vegetable-sides/1038-baked-root-vegetables-with-maple-syrup-and-cinnamon

This stunning paleo apple pie dessert was the best part, I made it the day before and enjoyed it in the afternoon because I’m always so full after thanksgiving dinner. Personally, I don’t really enjoy the pie late at night and I find most people go for a slice, or two, of pie after dinner out of habit more than anything. It’s better to stop eating when you are full and realize the pie isn’t going anywhere, you can always enjoy it the next day! For this dessert, I combined two recipes from the amazing food blogger Elana Amsterdam at Elana’s Pantry. I also reduced the coconut oil slightly in the crust still came together perfectly.

http://www.elanaspantry.com/paleo-pie-crust/

http://www.elanaspantry.com/paleo-apple-tart/

And what do you do with all that leftover turkey when there's only two of you and? Make turkey soup of course?

Coming up next, an October Superfood of the Month, stay tuned!

Winter is Coming

Even I will admit, this past Sunday was COLD in Toronto. The sudden drop in temperature and bitter wind was a sad reminder that summer is over, or for all you Game of Thrones fans “winter is coming”.  Cold weather, dark mornings, and lack of sunshine can make anyone want to curl up and hibernate for the winter. It’s much harder to tell yourself ‘let’s go for a run’ when you step outside and are immediately freezing. However, bad weather should never be an excuse for being lazy, but dressing inappropriately for the weather is. To get you ready for Fall fitness here are some tips.

Dress Warm. The MEC store on King Street is one of my favourite places to shop downtown. They have EVERYTHING you need to stay fit and active under all weather circumstances. I managed to go for a long bike ride Sunday, with a little help from my neck warmer, fleece lined vest and winter biking gloves from there. Without these items, there’s no way I would have ever left my cozy apartment. If you go and feel lost in the sea of overwhelming products, snag a staff member ASAP as they are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. My latest find? An awesome front light for my bike that is USB rechargeable, great now that the days are getting shorter.

Prepare yourself mentally. This may sound a little silly but seriously, telling yourself ‘you can do it’ and setting a fitness goal pre-workout (ie. I will bike for one hour or run 5 miles) can help you stay on track and forget about the fact you can no longer feel the tips of your fingers.

Be safe! Coming from experience, there are countless ways you can injure yourself biking in this city. If you are new to cycling and unsure of how to navigate within the city, here are two super nerdy but helpful links from the City of Toronto listed below. The first one talks about general bike safety in the city, and I personally wish I had read the part about crossing street tracks before I wiped out and destroyed my elbow this summer. The other is a cycling map of bike friendly routes and location of bike lanes in the city. You can also use the bike route function on Google maps to find bike friendly roads and planned routes when inputting directions. Guess you no longer have an excuse to drive that car huh??

http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/safety/

http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/map/index.htm#tcm

Safe and happy workouts :)

A Girl's Gotta Eat: Toronto Edition

I officially survived my first week of medical school. And although I already feel completely overwhelmed, I also feel a calming sense of knowing that I made the right decision. I feel right at home with my classmates and can’t wait to start learning more and more about naturopathic medicine. It’s hard work, but I know all this information will be of great benefit to my patients one day. While I’ve been living in Toronto since May, a lot of my classmates have moved here for the first time. Since I LOVE exploring and try new restaurants and food, I though a blog post on some of the best hole in the wall and hidden treasures would be a great choice.

Best sushi lunch special- Sushi on Bloor

This is not my own opinion, but the opinion of several other blogs and critic reviews online. There is a reason Sushi on Bloor has a line up at lunch every day. Their sushi is cheap, fast, good quality and incredibly delicious. My fav, #S7, hold the spicy mayo. There are vegetarian option as well.

Best dine-in sushi- To-ne Sushi

To-Ne Sushi on Queen west is the place to visit for sushi downtown. The restaurant (and bathrooms) are clean and nicely decorated, the staff friendly and the green tea is always hot and comforting. They have a good menu with lots of interesting roll combinations and appetizers. I love their seaweed salad, always beautifully presented and twice the size of most other restaurants. Prices are slightly higher, but 100% worth it for the quality and portion sizes. Try the Blue Jay Roll or Boston roll.

Best Korean- Ka Chi (St. Andrew Street location) 

This little restaurant is both the best Korean and my favorite restaurant to visit with my special guy. We discovered it walking around Kensington one afternoon, and now make weekly visits to the friendly staff at Ka Chi. The prices are ridiculously cheap; we still don’t understand how they can serve such good quality filling meals at small prices. Unlike some Asian restaurants that are rice (read carb) heavy, their dish actually contain huge quantities of fresh and flavorful vegetables, meat and seafood. I love the grilled mackerel and spicy stew combo, and the spicy stir-fried squid with vegetables. Be adventurous and try all the side dishes as well.

Best Indian- Mt. Everest

Mt. Everest on Bloor makes me feel like I’m back in Nepal whenever I visit. Their food is cooked from scratch and they will modify menu items (ie. no added cream) if you ask. The service is slow, but the food is worth the wait. My favorite is their lamb vindaloo, perfectly tender cooked lamb and great spice. The Himalayan Hunting platter is also great for sharing and one order of rice is PLENTY for two people.

Best Vegetarian- Fresh

Fresh has two convenient locations in Toronto, one at Bloor and Spadina and one at Spadina and Richmond. They have an extensive vegetarian and vegan menu that even true meat eaters will enjoy. Their ace of kales salad, and soup, salad, cornbread combo are two of my favorite items. They have tons of GF options, and really interesting combinations of veggies and sauces. Try their sweet potato fries for a yummy indulgence.

Best GF friendly lunch spot

Arepa Café located on Queen west is a celiac’s haven. Their sandwiches are all made on grilled cornbread, and they offer a variety of meat and vegetarian fillings. The meat is fantastic and the sandwiches are huge enough to fill you up for the afternoon.

Best Dessert

Menchies in the Annex beats out all other fro-yo places in the city. Their frozen yogurt simply has more flavor, and they have tons of different healthy (fruit, nuts) and less healthy (chocolate, candies) toppings to choose from.

Still to try

There are two restaurants in Kensington market that are on my radar. Hibiscus Café is vegetarian and GF friendly, offering huge buckwheat crepes with sweet and savory fillings. Seven Lives apparently has amazing tacos with creative fillings and long line-ups to match.