Can I Get a Little Pesto Please?

June 20, 2012 by julie Comments

Pass the pesto. . .

Try making your own pesto tonight using this simple recipe that you can add to many different dishes. 

Organic Garlic Scapes (3 bunches)

Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Approx. 1 cup

Sea Salt (teaspoon)

Fresh grated Parmesan Cheese (2/3 cup)

Organic Pine Nuts (1/3 cup)

You may need to adjust the quantities for your own flavour. Throw it all in your blender to your desired consistency.

Our family loves garlic for spreads with bread and a bold Italian red, on homemade pizza, with some delicious cheese. Your choice. Is your mouth watering yet?

Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Snacks

Add a little lemon!

April 24, 2012 by julie Comments

Add a little Lemon…

We all know how important drinking water is throughout the day. I have to admit that sometimes I find it difficult to get my full daily requirement of around 8 glasses a day. My trick that I find works really well is to squeeze some lemon in my water. I actually end up craving it!

Did you know?

1) The body is comprised of up to 75% water

2) Studies show more than 75% of the population in civilized countries are clinically dehydrated.

3) Adding lemon to your water has great health benefits.

Some of the benefits of lemon water:

1) Lemons have an alkalizing effect on our bodies when we drink it.

2) Great digestive aid

3) Helps to purify and detox the body, having powerful anti-bacterial qualities

4) Contains Vitamin A and C

I figure it is important to drink it, so why not add a little flavour but also a great amount of health benefits. I also make a point to squeeze a little in my kids water for overall health.

A helpful tip we do in our family is have a pitcher of water in the fridge with lemon. For our teenage kids this has really helped them increase water intake and decrease juice because they like the cold refreshing taste.

References:

http://www.earthincommon.com/nutrition_01-article.html

wikipedia.org

http://www.waterbenefitshealth.com/benefits-of-drinking-lemon-water.html

Filed Under: Fit & Fab, Food, Healthy Life Stuff, Uncategorized

A Healing Bath at Home

March 10, 2012 by julie Comments

 

A Healing Bath at Home

One of my favorite things to do is bring a little spa experience home. The best way to do this is light some candles and run a hot bath with Epson salts. I also add essential oils depending on the mood I am in.

The combination of Epson salts and essential oils is sure to cure many aches and pains. I also love doing this if I am having trouble sleeping at night. I find a hot bath will really help you get into a deep sleep.

 

Benefits of Epson Salts:

Relives the lactic acid build-up in your muscles. This is great for after an intense workout or deep tissue massage.

Some of my Favorite Essential Oils:

• Eucalyptus – great for sinus and over all breathing and common cold.

• Lavender and Chamomile – great combination for calming and relaxing before bed.

• Grapefruit or Sweet Orange – up lifting essential oils. If you want a take a morning bath these are great.

Helpful tips:

• Have a cold compress on your head when in the tub to help regulate your body temp. This will also help so you do not feel dizzy after the tub. I use a cold wash cloth.

• Always have a tall glass of water

• Try to soak for at least 15 minutes to get the full relaxing benefits.

• Play some soft, pleasing music to enhance the experience.

Filed Under: Fit & Fab, Healthy Life Stuff

Parsnip and Apple Soup

December 24, 2011 by julie Comments

Great to serve for Christmas Eve Dinner


Apple & Parsnip Soup

I wanted to make a simple soup to serve this year as a starter for Christmas Eve dinner.  This is one of my favorites. The house will smell warm and cozy when you are roasting the veggies. Perfect for the holidays!

 

Ingredients:

4 small Granny smith apples (Pealed and cubed)
2 extra large parsnips or 4 small/med (cubed)
3 cloves of garlic
½ onion (diced)
2 stalks of celery (Sliced)
Olive oil
2 pinches of cinnamon
1 pinch of nutmeg
½ teaspoon of oregano
Pinch sage
Salt and Pepper to taste

 Simple Steps to your heavenly soup:

1) Put parsnips, apple, garlic, onion and celery into a 9 x 13 baking dish. (I like using glass)
2) Lightly coat with olive oil.
3) Add spices and Salt and pepper
4) Toss well
5) Bake 375 for approx 40 min or until vegetables are soft.
6) Add roasted veggies to a pot cover with vegetable broth to ¼ inch above veggies
7) Bring to a boil and then turn to a simmer for 5 min.
8) Puree in a blender and serve.

Helpful tips:

I usually will use an immersion blender for pureed soups but I find this one needs the power of a blender to get it nice and creamy.
I like to use a vegetable bouillon paste to create my broth.  My favourite one is “Better Than bouillon” Organic Vegetable base.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Two great natural remedies for Cold and Flu season

November 16, 2011 by julie Comments

Yuk I hate cold and flu season.  I especially hate it now being a busy working mom where I simply don’t have time to get sick.

My pantry essentials for this time of yearThese are two of my favourite killer combos to fight cold and flu.
1) Echinacea tea
2) Manuka honey

At first sign of the dreaded sore throat, I brew some of this tea and add a spoon full of Manuka honey.
Manuka honey is known for its medicinal properties, one of them having high antibacterial properties.
All I can say is it has worked wonders for me.  The other day i felt like I got hit by a truck.  I drank my tea with honey and felt after a good night sleep that my symptoms started to pass.  I thought I was going to be out for days.  I was pleasantly surprised.  I felt really bad so I took a spoonful of honey as well put it in my tea. 

Tips:
1. Make sure you buy active Manuka honey – works better as it has a higher content of anti-bacterial properties. 
2. When steeping your tea – cover and let steep for 10 minutes.  This lets the essential oils stay in the tea instead of evaporating and makes the tea more effective.

Filed Under: Healthy Life Stuff

Hiking, Great outdoor exercise for the Whole Family.

October 11, 2011 by julie Comments

Great outdoor activity for the whole family

 Looking for some fun fitness for the whole family to enjoy together?
 
To me there is nothing better than taking a hike.  Our kids range from 19 years old to 9 months.  This is one activity we can all do together as a family.  The fall is one of my favourite times to hike because the colours are beautiful and the bugs are minimal.
 
Sometimes it might take effort convincing the crew to go, but they always seem to have fun and never regret it. 

 

Hiking tips:
• Trails are the most fun.  The kids love the sense of adventure. 
• If you live in the city, look up conservations areas nearby.  They usually have great well marked trails
• Create activities such as mini scavenger hunts, where they need to find things in nature. (a small stone, a stick, a pinecone, a maple leaf etc….)
• Pack water and snacks (Especially if you have little ones)
• Carrying babies: For young babies I love using the Sport Baby Bjorn.  For older ones like our 9 month old the backpack type is great.

Enjoying the Fall Outdoors while getting some Fitness

Filed Under: Family Time, Fit & Fab

Getting Kids in Touch with their Food

October 4, 2011 by julie Comments

Our daughter picking her carrots from the garden

Getting Kids in Touch with Food.

One of my biggest motivations to have our own vegetable garden (other than the healthy benefits), was to get my daughter in touch with her food.  I feel many kids today are so out of touch with food because a lot of things come out of a box or can.  In our family, eating whole foods (meaning foods in their purest form) is a priority.  Whenever possible we use fresh fruits and vegetables, and having a garden is the best way to do that. 
There is something so rewarding about planting a seed and then watching it actually grow into a vegetable.  And it is surprisingly way easier than you think.   In the spring I get my daughter involved in planting the seeds.  The best part is when she can pick & eat some of her favourite foods such as carrots, in minutes, out of the garden.

This not only cultivates healthy eating habits but really gets kids in touch with their food.  For my daughter having a garden is all she has ever known, so to her it is normal.  I love that kind of normal.
And honestly if I can grow a garden so can you. 

Tips for a Garden
• Start small (you can use planter boxes on your deck to grow almost anything)
• Raised garden beds are the best.  (4 x 10 or 12 is great because you can reach all around)
• Plot out a spot now on your yard for the spring
• You will be surprised how much yield in vegetables you can grow in a small space.
• Look for organic non GMO, seeds to plant.

More about how to build a garden in the spring…………

Filed Under: Food, Healthy Life Stuff

Butternut Squash Soup… Great for the Fall

September 30, 2011 by julie 1 Comment

Yummy, Healthy, Easy, Fall SoupGreat Fall Recipe….

Ingredients:
½ Butternut Squash
2 celery stalks
3 carrots
½ large onion or 1 medium
3 cloves of garlic (smash once with knife)
Vegetable stalk
1/2 tsp Grated Ginger root
Pinch Nutmeg
Sea Salt to taste
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Sour Cream 

Steps:
1) Prep:
Cut Butternut Squash in half, take seeds our with a spoon. Peel with potato peeler.  Cut into cubes.
Peel and cut carrots into thick slices
Cut celery into thick slices.
Dice your onion.

2) Cook:
Heat Olive Oil in a Medium pot
Add onion and sauté 2 min.
Add carrots celery and garlic. Sauté on med for 2-3 minutes.
Add Butternut squash and grated ginger root  (sauté for approx 5  minutes until you see it start to caramelize or sweat)
Add pinch of Nutmeg
Add Veggie broth to about a ¼ inch above your veggies in the pot (make sure it is hot when you add it so it doesn’t drop the temperature)
Simmer on Med/low for approx 20 minutes. ( It is done when the butternut squash pierces easily with a fork)
Add sea salt to taste and pepper if you like.
Turn stove off and use hand immersion blender to puree until nice and smooth.

3) Enjoy
Serve with a dolop of sour cream on top.
Yummy.
Freezes well.

Quick Easy Healthy Tips:
Use organic, local or homegrown  ingredients where possible
Veggie Broth Short cut:  I don’t have time or patience to make my own veggie stalk so I use an organic low sodium cube and mix with hot water.  You can find these in any grocery store in the natural foods section.
I use the other half of my squash to steam for 10 minutes and make yummy baby food.  If you want to use the whole squash and make more soup, just double the other ingredients.

Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Soups

Raw Food Snack

September 27, 2011 by julie Comments

Healthy Food Energy

You ever have those days where you realize it is past 2:00pm or later and you haven’t stopped to take a breath, never mind eat lunch?
That was me today.
I am working with major deadlines however, and at about 2:00pm my tummy is rumbling and I realized I haven’t eaten.
For me when I am hungry it is like my brain shuts off.

So I took a time out (kind of) and brought a plate of raw veggies and dip to my desk.
After minutes of munching I felt way more productive.
Raw Veggies are power foods full of nutrients.  Great for lunches or snacks when you need a pick me up.

Tips to save time and eat healthy:
- on the weekend take time to wash and cut a whole load of veggies. (you will thank yourself later)
- veggies like carrots and celery do great in water to keep their crunch.
- have dips on hand in the fridge to give it some extra appeal. (I love hummus and yoghurt ranch)
- easy peasy and healthy.

Filed Under: Food, Healthy Life Stuff, Snacks

My New favorite Tea

September 23, 2011 by julie Comments

Really Good Tea

 I never used to be a fan of herbal teas, yet I know how healthy they can be, especially when buying organic.  After trying literally tons of different herbal teas, I began to acquire a taste for them.  They are wonderful to drink when you need that little pick me up in the afternoon.  Something warm and soothing to get you through the day without grabbing the caffeine  filled coffee or worse POP!.
I love the ‘Traditional Medicinals’ brand.
This Chamomile with lavender is my new Favourite!  Give it a try, you will love it.
 

 

 

Tea Tips:
-Great before bed to relax and calm
-When you feel like coffee, give this a try instead.
-I love to make tea time, me time; a moment for you in the day. Take a break and have a tea.

Filed Under: Food, Healthy Life Stuff
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