YOUNG GARDENER VIDEO 3: Hardening off

So you've successfully started your seeds inside, now watch this video on how to bring them outside without killing them!

Cooking for the Rushed

Last weekend, my friend Bethany and I attended an amazing event in St. Thomas called There's a Meal to my Madness.

It was a fusion of lifestyle tips for better family connectedness, and awesome nutrition advice in the field of meal planning.

It was hosted by Sandi Richard. If that name sounds familiar, you may have seen her show on the Food Network called Fixing Dinner, where she helped busy families make a plan for how to get home-cooked meals on the table every night of the week. She used little magnetic icons to say who was prepping and cooking the meals, and involved everyone to come up with a solution. My sisters and I were massive fans, so it goes without saying that I was elated to meet her at the event.

Sandi runs a website called Cooking for the Rushed, which you can also find on Facebook, that helps families achieve dinner success.

One great tip I learned was to make an Eat Sheet. Rather than choose a few meal ideas and scribble down a horrible grocery list.

You have your family pick 5 dinners for the week, that you have printed recipes for. Using the recipes, you write all the ingredients into categories based on the grocery store (Produce, Dairy, Meat, etc.) then walk around your kitchen to see if there's anything you can scratch off because you already have it.

Once you've had a successful week you can lamintate that Eat Sheet, and keep the printed recipes, and use it again for another week. Save a few up and you have a real meal plan.

We had an amazing night - it was a real treat. If you get a chance to see her live, take it, or make a point to buy one of her books!

Label Lessons Free E-Book

I am excited to be able to pass along some good news to my readers.

You can go to this link and get a FREE book:

http://www.naturallysavvy.com/labellessons/

It's all about how to mindfully purchase food in the grocery store using key ingredients on labels.

It gives suggestions for what brands make quality products, and which you should avoid.

Let me know if you give it a read - I'd love to hear what you think!

Starting seeds video (YOUNG GARDENER YOUTUBE SERIES)

Yogurt for Breakfast

It has always surprised me that people don't like to eat breakfast.

I go to bed dreaming of what I'm going to eat and wake up ravenous and anxious to get cooking.

It doesn't bother me that thinking of a yummy, healthy breakfast takes some creativity. I usually start with a base of eggs or fruit, or both.

Today Oliver located our stash of frozen berries (dang these easy to reach freezer drawers). From there we added plain yogurt for protein and minerals and probiotics, flax for fibre and fats and maple syrup for sweetness and more natural minerals. The maple syrup my family's batch from this year; you can read about how to make your own maple syrup here.

But that's just one way to do yogurt.

1. Locate your yogurt. For an easy tutorial on how to make your own go here. If you want to buy it look for no added sugar or sweetener and don't get sucked into the fat-free ploy. Go dietary fats go!

2. Fruit. Bananas (+ peanut butter!), apples (+cinnamon!), peaches, pears, raspberries... the list is endless. No, really, check out the Wikipedia list of edible fruits. If that doesn't inspire you, I don't know what will. You can find some really cool fruits at your local Asian grocer; if you live in London check out Super King in the Westmount Mall plaza.

3. Sweetness. My go-to sweeteners would be maple syrup or honey. I also like brown rice syrup, agave nectar, stevia and sucanat. You can read my blog post about sweeteners here.

4. Add ons. As mentioned above, peanut butter and cinnamon are great on yogurt. My addition was flax seed this morning, but chia seeds and hemp hearts are great too. Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds are awesome, as are cashews, pecans and pine nuts. I love cacao nibs in my yogurt. I love allspice in my yogurt. How about some whole-grain cereals? A homemade granola would be wonderful. Go crazy!

If you're not in a yogurt mood, there are plenty of other options for breakfast and once you chose one, let your imagination run wild:
- A breakfast wrap
- Homemade oatmeal
- A smoothie
- A baked frittata
- Fresh muffins

There's totally no excuse for skipping breakfast when these options are at your fingertips. Try one today... or tomorrow morning I guess.

The Root Cellar Organic Cafe

I've always wanted to be a 'long time listener, first time caller'. There's something nostalgic and exciting about the term. As a pretty infrequent listener of the radio, my dream seemed unlikely. But, this week, I was sort of able to...

Working as a coffee-slinger for Fire Roasted Coffee years ago, I became familiar with a really cool business venture called On the Move Organics. I knew that the founder, Jeff, rode a bike a lot, I knew that his sister Jen was the smartest person I've ever talked to, and that their smoothies were mind-blowingly delicious. As a huge fan of On the Move Organics I was thrilled to hear about their new cafe operation, The Root Cellar. Branching out from the organic produce delivery end of the business, they now offer coffee, juices and an array of baked items. Be-still my heart. I finally decided to request an interview with Ellie Cook. As the manager of the Root Cellar cafe (the bakery and kitchen are run by Max Collin), Ellie is a big time player in the movement to make our city more community-oriented and sustainable. Like Jen, she's also brilliant, and if I had to guess I'd bet she rides a bike like Jeff too. It's amazing to know that our city is harbouring these inspiring minds who are willing to put action to ideas and make change when it's needed. 

Photo by Jackie Noble

The Root Cellar is located in a dreamy, brick storefront at 623 Dundas St, which is just east of Adelaide.

So I guess you could say I was a 'long time beverage enjoyer, first time emailer'. Which is fine with me. Here's our interview!

What is the Root Cellar's mission?

Our mission is simple: to work to rebuild London's local organic food system, and to serve some really good food while doing it! Through our integration with local organic produce & grocery distribution company, On The Move Organics (onthemoveorganics.ca), we are able to source most of the food served in the cafe from small-scale, sustainable farms surrounding London, and offer accessible prices while doing so. It is our intention to strengthen the connection between the producers (the farmers) and the consumers (our customers) by communicating regional needs.

This is our statement of intention--it really sums up what we're all about: "We believe that food is political, that the choices we make about food--what we choose to eat and who we choose to support by doing so--resonate through our community, our economy, and our planet. At the foundation of this project is a commitment to invigorating our community, discovering the plentitude of our local foodshed, supporting sustainable agricultural practices, and working cooperatively."

How long had you been mulling over the idea of opening the cafe and what is the story behind its conception? 

I've always been fascinated by cafe culture, specifically how cafes function as social spaces. Historically, cafes were the centre of creative and intellectual innovation. I think some of that has been lost in the modern corporatization of cafe culture, but small, independent cafes (and there's quite a few of them in London!) continue to provide infrastructure for communities. All this to say--I've always mulled over the idea of opening a cafe! (Plus I really, really love coffee.) Near the end of my university degree, I came to work with my partner Jeff and the rest of the team at On The Move Organics, which at the time had just outgrown its delivery box production space at The Western Fair Farmers' & Artisans' Market, and moved to a new, extensively renovated warehouse space at 623 Dundas. The warehouse came with a beautiful storefront--it used to be a winery. We debated a few different ideas of what to do with the space, and ultimately decided that an organic cafe was the way to go. Basically, we wanted to create a new facet of our business that was most conducive to interaction with our customers--enabling us to both serve the food we're bringing in from the farms, and to share the stories behind that food. With the help of Jeff's sister, Jen, I was able to integrate the cafe business planning and development with my final research project for my Social Justice and Peace Studies degree from King's University College. After joining with baker & cook Max Collin, we opened at the end of July, 2012.

What is different about the Root Cellar?

First of all, everything we offer in the cafe is ethical. All of the produce and ingredients in our dishes are certified organic, with 80% local in season. Milk, cream, sugar … it's all organic. We are very transparent about where we source our food from--we have a big blackboard in the cafe stating where everything comes from (right now is an exciting time, because our growing season is just beginning, so we're seeing new local produce every week). Ingredients traveling to us from outside North America (like our coffee, some of our teas, bananas and tropical fruit, cane sugar) are certified fair trade as well as organic. Ultimately, it's important to us to advocate for the small-scale producers we work with, and to always offer them a fair price. 

Something else different about The Root Cellar and On The Move Organics is that, as a business, we are transitioning to a worker co-operative. This model of business centres on democratic work and ownership of the business by the employees. The core team here (there are 5 of us) have been working together over the past year to consensually define our business mission, values and vision. We strongly believe that this type of business model has the resiliency to withstand economic hardship, as it puts the workers first. Along with our business structure, we also measure our success and profitability using a triple bottom line--we weigh fiscal sustainability equally with social responsibility and environmental stewardship. (Our environmental stewardship was just recognized by the London Chamber of Commerce with a Business Achievement Award in Environmental Leadership--an honour we are still reeling from!)

Lastly, we strive to engage our community in the work that we do. At the cafe, we organize a monthly book club meeting (all are welcome!), a bi-weekly Fibre Arts Collective, and various art and crafts knowledge bartering workshops and music nights. All our events are free, or pay what you can, and everyone is welcome. 

What can you expect for food and drink offerings on any given day? 

We offer a fresh organic & seasonal menu that focuses on local produce. Right now we're still working with a Winter Menu (think lots of beets, lots of squash, kale…), but we'll be transitioning to a Spring Menu as fresh greens, asparagus and fiddleheads become available. Everything on our menu is organic. Our menu is mostly made up of salads, soups and sandwiches, with changing daily specials thrown in every day. We also have an in-house bakery, and offer fresh bread and baked goods every day--all made with 100% organic & local flour from Arva Flour Mill. Saturday mornings from 9am-2pm we also offer a breakfast menu featuring local organic eggs, local GMO-free & pastured sausage, french toast, and the like.

Photo by Jackie Noble

 We also have a fresh organic juice and smoothie bar at the cafe, with a variety of made-to-order fruit & veggie juices and smoothies. Our most popular juice, hands-down, is the Sikorski Slammer--beets, carrots, apple, celery and ginger (it's been touted as a hangover cure!). Our green smoothies are also popular, especially for folks who want to grab a quick healthy meal, but don't have time to sit down and eat lunch.

Lastly, we have the typical cafe offerings, but with an ethical twist--organic coffee and espresso, local wildcrafted teas, organic milk lattes, and the like.

What are your vegan and gluten-free options like?

We offer vegan options every day--soups, salads and sandwiches. Our vegan cinnamon buns have also been a big hit! On the cafe side of things, we offer a variety of dairy-free "milks"--my favourite is our fresh house-made fair trade cashew milk. We are not a gluten-free facility, but our soups and salads don't contain gluten. We also bake with a variety of low-gluten ancient grains like spelt and kamut, so our sandwiches are available on low-gluten bread. Our scones and cookies are made with spelt flour as well. 

What is your favourite thing to eat and drink at the Root Cellar?

Everything! My favourite drink is the Emerald City (a green smoothie with almond milk, spinach, kale, banana, strawberries and hemp hearts), although I also love the Ginger Snaps Latte made with cashew milk (I make all our coffee syrups at the cafe--this one has ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves). Food-wise, I love the Sweet Carrot Panini on a multigrain bun (roasted herbed carrot, house-made hummus, fresh spouts, caramelized onions and cheddar), and the Vegan Squash Curry soup. And on the sweet side, I ADORE our vegan cinnamon buns.

Who have been key players in getting your business on its feet?

We are lucky to be surrounded by a vibrant and creative community who are eager to help out with new projects. Our friends, family and neighbours donated much time and effort to help us with our renovation. On The Move Organics' customers have also been incredibly supportive as we started this new project. 

Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs? 

First of all, be original and creative in your work! Work hard and with integrity. Seriously consider the co-operative model as a viable business structure. There is a huge network of support for those interested in starting a co-operative--don't be afraid to reach out! 

What can people do to help sustainability in London?

Support sustainable local businesses! Advocate for a city compost program. This is one I'm working on right now--love your bike and learn how to care for it. Support organizations like Food Not Lawns (and Food Not Bombs), Veggie City, ReForest London, The London Carolinian Food Forest Project, and London's community gardens. Educate yourself about local food systems, organic farming, and food sovereignty. Learn how to grow veggies, to preserve the harvest, to wildcraft tea---these homesteading practices will, if nothing else, instil a deep appreciation for the work our food producers do for us every day.

The Root Cellar is open Tues & Wed from 10 - 7, Thurs & Fri from 10 - 9 and Sat from 9 - 6. Their menu (updated daily) can be found at https://www.facebook.com/TheRootCellarOrganicCafe

Make Your Mom a Book!

Mother's Day is right around the corner.

My sisters and I (with the help of Calvin and Dad) have had lots of fun ideas in the past for what to do for Mom. One of my favourites was our Momma-Brunch: we set up a full spread of breakfast foods in the backyard and enjoyed it in the fresh air and sun. There was coffee. There was fruit. That's all I need to say!

This year I can give you an awesome deal. It seems like this blog gets me some great opportunities sometimes. I get free products to sample, access to cool events, and the first look at new books. I love it. So here's one that YOU can enjoy.

I can offer you 20% off if you want to design a photo book for your mom for Mother's Day. (But order soon so it'll come on time!)

Blurb is so easy to use. You choose a size, a type of book, and what photos you want to include. From there you can go the easy route and have them do the design for you, or be totally creative and make it your own. The end product is amazing. You have options for hardcover or softcover, the type of paper, etc. Your mom will love it.

It will take you less than an hour to make and the cost starts at $12.99. (That's less than the cost of flowers...)

If you want to use the discount, create your book and at the checkout use the promocode LOVEYOUMOM - it will work until May 10th.

So click here and make a book today!

Gardening Tips That I Learned From Pinterest

Pinterest may be the time suck of the century, but it's taught me a few things. (It's taught me that most people love dieting and Oreo cupcakes, so I'm a little confused...)

Here are the top things I learned about gardening from Pinterest:

1. The most popular veggie that people grow in their gardens is tomatoes. Then cucumbers, then bell peppers.
2. If you grow the veggie for its leaves (spinach, lettuce, kale) you need partial shade. Everything else can use full sun.
3. Epsom bath salts are not only a code name for high schooler's favourite drug, they also give magnesium to your soil which yields better veggies.
4. Avocado pits aren't the only kitchen scrap that you can use to grow a house plant; also onions, garlic, ginger, celery to name a few!
5. You can put the garbage from your vacuum bag, and the hair you pull out of your comb/brush into your compost.
6. Carrots hate to grow near strawberries. Beets like to grow near anything. And more.
7. An easy way to practice crop rotation: for each area of your garden choose root, fruit, or leaf. Swap them each year. So the root section would grow onions, carrots, etc; fruit would grow broccoli, bell peppers, etc; and leaf would grow all greens.
8. You can easily make small starter pots out of wet newspaper. (False, tried it.)
9. There are tons of fun apps that you can download to plan what your garden will look like.
10. The cutest way to store seeds for next year is Tic Tac containers. Do you have some I can use?

My First Gardening Tutorial Video: Choosing Your Garden's Location

Skim Milk Doesn't Help Childhood Obesity

Finally! Everyone is talking about it! All it took was TIME Magazine to publish the study's results:

Choosing skim milk does not help prevent childhood obesity, evidenced by a lengthy study of over 10,000 children at the University of Virginia.

In fact,

• When comparing the "heavy" kids to the "normal" weight kids, more of the heavy ones chose 1% milk (over higher fat options)
• Children drinking 2% milk had lower BMIs than those drinking 1%, and
• Children choosing low-fat milk had a 57% higher chance of being overweight or obese by age 4, than those who chose higher fat milk

Thank you!

I have never been a fan of this weird skim milk craze. Number one, it tastes like cloudy water. I can't help but think it's a scam by the dairy industry to skim off the expensive cream and sell us the watery leftovers for the same price.

How did fat even become such a bad-guy? Well, it doesn't help that it shares the same name as a jiggly stuff on our middle-sections. Just on nomenclature alone, people assume that dietary fat, in food, must translate to extra pounds on their body. Not the case. As well, it has 9 calories per gram instead of the typical 4, like carbs and protein. And then lastly, it doesn't have the same effect on our fullness that fibre and protein do (eat 200 calories of quinoa, feel full; eat 200 calories of butter, feel hungry).

This is all silly because there are so many types of fat that you can't paint them all with the same brush. And what's more, you're more likely to be clinging to those last pounds you want to lose because of a fat-deficiency, not an over-abundance. I'll explain. Your body needs fat - it's essential. And when you don't give it those healthy fats, it takes whichever fats it can get and keeps them. So if you've been slacking on your walnut intake this week but you're more than willing to spread CheeseWhiz on everything you eat: your body will convert the CheeseWhiz fat to a storage form. If you'd just fill up on healthy fats, your intake of less-healthy fats would be used for energy. No more jiggles.

There's also the issue of vitamin absorption. Every bag of milk you buy (sorry, jug, to my American readers) has some sort of claim about Vitamin A! And Vitamin D! Hurray! But wait - vitamin A and D are fat soluble. They cannot be absorbed in the absence of fat. Where is there an absence of fat? You've got it: skim milk! So those healthful nutrients are literally just for show.

You may or may not be a fan of dairy at all, but I urge everyone to open their eyes about reduced fat milk. Buy some whole milk and TELL me it's not delicious. Or if you're so inclined make some homemade almond milk like I do! No skim variety available.

And if you think a child's diet needs an overhaul, rather than reduce their fats, you can simply try to include more fruits and vegetables. You can only eat so much and if you fill them with the right stuff, obesity won't be on the horizon!

Rockin' Wellness Video Update

This is a must watch. My logs from the whole 45 days, drinking Rockin' Wellness Superfood Shake daily.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7MXdeHVgcw&feature=youtu.be

Purchase here : http://www.rwshake.com/dfLT

How to Win Chopped

Chopped is one of my favourite shows on TV. Not only that, it's one of my favourite games to play with my family.

We gather at my parents' house, everyone bringing 1 secret ingredient (but enough for everyone playing to use). We make sure my mom has stocked her fridge and pantry, then we stuff every basket with a little of what we brought.

On the count of 3 by whoever is judging, everyone uses the next 30 minutes to make one sweet and one salty dish, using the secret ingredients.

The judge decides who wins. So fun!

Being that my sister and I have watched nearly every episode of Chopped on TV, we feel pretty qualified to bring you this list... Here are the top 50 ways to win if you're lucky enough to be on the TV show Chopped:

1. Cook your pasta perfectly. Anything under- or over-cooked will be ripped apart by Scott.
2. Make your dessert sweet. Amanda will make sure you win. However, avoid being cloyingly sweet - it will cause them to use this term, which is annoying.
3. Use only a little truffle oil. You would be the first person to do this properly in history.
4. Get to the microwave first. You know that sweet potato has to soften up - run for it!
5. Use the ice cream maker. I've never seen someone use it and lose.
6. Risotto takes too long to cook.
7. Make something more interesting than a salad with all 4 ingredients.
8. Make something less interesting than anything that involves molecular gastronomy.
9. Put all the ingredients on the plate. Also, everything you made. Remember when buddy went home for forgetting his pickled watermelon rind? Exactly.
10. A little bit spicy is okay. You'll get points with Aaron.
11. Sear the outside of the steak, then leave the inside rare. Anything more or less will send you home.
12. Use salt. There are no brownie points for a low sodium meal.
13. Put salt in your sweet dessert. They go wild for this.
14. Don't defend your dish. There is a 100% failure rate for this type of scrambling.
15. Top it with whipped cream. Why not?
16. Parsley is not a cute garnish.
17. Nor is icing sugar. Geoffrey will kill your soul.
18. Use all the time. Even if your dish is perfect, they'll crucify you. Just look busy.
19. If you get falafel mix, don't make falafels.
20. If you get something crunchy, blend it up and crust your protein in it.
21. Use the "tropical beverage mix" sparingly.
22. Some things can't be eaten raw.
23. Make Alex cry with a moving story. It's not hard to do and it'll get you in with the judges.
24. Scott doesn't like raw onions.
25. Almost no one likes raw bell pepper.
26. Alex loves anything acidic.
27. Don't use salt instead of sugar. (Season 1, Episode 4)
28. Learn how to turn kielbasa into a dessert before you appear on the show, for good measure.
29. If you cut yourself, put on a glove on it and keep going.
30. Don't double dip! But do taste.
31. Cross-contamination has forced people to lose every single time.
32. Do you know how to cook a whole duck? Better learn.
33. Buckwheat pancakes are not a dessert.
34. Do you ever cook with gummy candies? Now you do.
35. "You failed to elevate the ingredients." is what you don't want to hear: Elevate!
36. If you're against school cafeteria cooks, you're gunna win. (No, really, they were horrible.)
37. Take the bones out of the fish, please.
38. Bacon is almost as much of a sure-thing as ice cream is.
39. Portion size is key. People have gone home for "too big for an appetizer". People have gone home for "too small for a main." And people have gone home for "Marc got four pieces of king crab and I only got 2."
40. If there is a weird salty ingredient in the dessert basket (think Vegetable Thins, radishes or beef jerky) just whisk it into some mascarpone.
41. Your cake must be perfect. A poorly done cake can be broken up into a triffle.
42. Your vinegarette better have enough vinegar.
43. Cook in the style of your ethnicity. Or, cook in the style of the Indian judge's ethnicity.
44. Donuts almost never lose. This can be true of most well-done deep fried ingredients.
45. If given a full animal (i.e. a whole chicken) use more than one part.
46. Nothing inedible goes on the plate. There will be complaints.
47. Don't sacrifice presentation. Good knife skills can win you the competition.
48. Being a former convict, gang member or drug addict might win you points.
49. Be safe with your blender. Splashing on a competitor might not lose you the round, but it's freaking annoying.
50. Have a sob story. If you get 2nd place, the winner might donate their money to you.

The Best Vegan Make Up Brands in Canada

We know they don't eat meat, they don't eat eggs and they don't eat dairy... but does veganism go further? Does it extend even to... make up?!

For most the answer is should be yes. There certainly are vegans out there who limit only the classic animal-sourced foods and tend to be more lenient with things like gelatin and honey, but for the most part vegans try their best to avoid animal products in every facet of life. Which is challenging, clothing and footwear being one of the worst.

But if you're ready to commit to buying and using vegan make up, then there's a guide for you!

Meet Perrie.

Perrie is a life-long vegetarian, 12-year vegan. Raised by vegan parents on a large farm-property amid gardens and animals galore, you can probably conjure up images of a dreadlocked hippie at this point. But Perrie's just the opposite. A total beauty with eyelashes to the moon, Perrie is an authority on all things beauty without even trying. She knows the ins and outs of what brands combine veganism with professional results. And she's willing to share!


Animal-derived ingredients can be hiding anywhere. Just take this example: Korres is a very all-natural, planet-friendly cosmetics and skin care line that you can buy in Sephora. One question to their Customer Service department about whether their products are vegan came back with this list of animal-derived ingredients that they use: honey, milk, yogurt, royal jelly, silk, bee wax, chitosan, and keratin. Any of them can be hiding in your products so it's worth checking each one.

Shadows are very often tested on animals because the producers check if the colouring is just right. Because of this you want to look for a "cruelty-free" label on the product. If they are made in China you can almost guarantee that they are animal tested.

One of the nicest looking lines out there is NARS, and it can be pretty vegan friendly if you are careful for carmine which is used for pigment. It is made of dead insects (ew) and gives a deep red colour.

Urban Decay is one amazing company for vegans. While their products are known to be some of the best in the industry, they have been cruelty-free since they began producing make up and have a 100% vegan line which is marked by the Marley paw on the package.

MAC Cosmetics is easily one of the biggest names out there are have this to say about whether they are vegan: "Very few animal derived raw materials are found in M.A.C. products.  Animal ingredients are used only when their efficacy cannot be duplicated by any other source of ingredients.  When an ingredient can be obtained from either animals or plants, we use the plant derived material."


Many lip products contain beeswax. EOS, a great lip balm out there, contains it also, but has zero other animal-derived ingredients. The official stance of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is that products from bees, including honey, is unethical. Of course, you can make your own choice.

Smashbox has an interesting take on vegan. They claim if you go by the definition that insects aren't animals then they are vegan. They use no mammal-derived products. But if throw carmine and beeswax into the loop, then no, they aren't. They list these products as mammal- and insect- free: Body Lights Glowing Lotion, Anti Shine (light and neutral), Backdrop Cooling Tint (all shades), Conversion Cream to Powder Foundation (all shades), Hi Definition Healthy FX Foundation (all shades), Photo Matte Powder, Wet/Dry Foundation (all shades except caramel), Function Self-Adjusting Powder Foundation (all shades), Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primers (Balance, adjust & blend), Summer 2007 Lip Gloss in a Pot (heat and sexy).

Tarte Cosmetics (An Amy favourite!) has a section in their online store for vegan products.

ELF Cosmetics hasn't made its way to Canada yet, but is available in Target stores throughout the States at a MAJOR bargain. Many products are only $1. They do not test on animals or use any non-vegan ingredients. JACK POT. They also support PETA. One thing to keep in mind - many of their brushes are made with horse hair. There are many opinions on whether using animal hair is okay in make up brushes (more on this later) because some companies don't take it but rather brush it up from the floor when it falls out naturally. NYX, in Target (including Canada) also has many vegan products at a slightly higher price than ELF.

The Body Shop is known for being animal friendly. While they do use things like silk and beeswax, they can confirm that all practices to obtain these ingredients are 100% humane. The details can be found here.

Most of Too Faced products are vegan and they've even been converting some old ones to be vegan recently. They also make vegan brushes.

A good portion of the items listed so far are available in Sephora stores across Canada, but a good choice if you find yourself vegan make up shopping in a Shoppers Drug Mart is Physicians Formula. Here is a non-complete list of their vegan products: Brow Definer Automatic Brown Pencil (all shades), Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Eyeliner Trio (all shades) ,Eye Definer Automatic Eye Pencil (all shades) Mineral Wear Talc-Free Liquid Foundation (all shades), Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Pressed Face Powder (all shades), Concealer Twins 2-in-1 Correct and Cover Cream Concealer, Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Correcting Pebbles, Mineral Wear 100% Face Brightener (all shades), Healthy Wear Bronzer (all shades), Bamboo Wear Bamboo Silk Bronzer Refill (all shades), Bronze Booster Glow-Boosting Pressed Bronzer (all shades), Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Makeup Remover Towelettes, Oil-Free Eye M/U Remover Pads for Normal to Oily Skin. They do use goat hair in their brushes.

LUSH makes some awesome bath products along with cosmetics and even deoderant. They are strictly against animal-testing and refuse to work with suppliers who do not adhere to this policy. Most of their products are vegan except for a few with honey and lanolin, and I believe a conditioner that contains yogurt. 

Just a word on make up brushes, there are basically two types. Synthetics are of course made from other materials. They are vegan, but because they don't hold moisture, they are best for wet applications like putting on foundation and concealer. Natural animal fibre brushes do absorb moisture so they're great for powders like eye shadow, but you'll want to look into the company's policies. Apparently Smashbox is PETA-approved because they obtain their hair from brushing squirrels who live happy lives.

Choosing to be a vegan, in every facet of your life including make up, is a great choice for you and the animals!

Pineapple Muffin Recipe

Most people have only a few "this just changed my life" food moments - I, on the other hand, experience about three daily. As a food-obsessed woman living in North America where we have the money for and access to all the food we want, I seek out deliciousness constantly. 

These muffins made me stop eating to think: is this real?

Pictured here with six other
muffin varieties (for Amy's Seed
Party 2013!). The ones in baker's
paper.

Here's the recipe:

3 cups flour (wheat or gluten-free all-purpose - you choose)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 tsp ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon  (+ any other spices you like)
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups sugar (I suggest organic raw)

 

2 cups mashed ripe bananas
3 eggs
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple
1 cup oil (you choose)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup shredded coconut 

1 cup dried cranberries re-plumped in a bowl of steaming-hot water, then drained

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine flour, baking soda, spices, salt and sugar.

Combine bananas, eggs, oil, vanilla extract, coconut and cranberries in separate bowl. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overstir.

Fill paper-lined muffin tins a little more than half full. Bake about 25 minutes.

Chil Frozen Yogurt

Self-serve frozen yogurt bars are majorly on trend right now. Just look at the hoards of hungry students shivering in, wearing mitts and scarves, ready to fork out top dollar in the dead of winter for an icy bowl of chilly yogurt. The combination of perceived healthfulness, relaxed atmosphere, and utter customizability is pretty enticing.

What if most bowls of trendy frozen yogurt are not as healthy as you think?

With added sugar, chemical preservatives and a bevy of sweet confections at your finger tips, some of these fro-yo joints are a glorified candy aisle at the grocery store. So paying $8 for a snack-size bowl doesn't seem right.

Don't worry - help is on the way. Someone out there is doing it right.

Chil Frozen Yogurt Bar has spun the mainstream version of this treat on its head and is making self-topped frozen yogurt bowls truly healthy. Located at Richmond and Hyman in London, the joint boasts ample indoor space with a hip, but not trying too hard, feel as well as a seasonal patio that I imagine will be packed. They opened in September of this year. After sampling their array, I am all too excited to share with you how Chil is doing fro-yo differently.

• Organic Greek yogurt. Not the watered down stuff that other places serve, barely fulfilling the minimum requirements to be considered yogurt. Chil's greek yogurt has the water drained out, leaving a creamy, thick, high-protein product that is so pure and real it takes an hour to melt. (For a change.)
• No harsh additives. Forget artificial flavours and colours - with a background in natural health, one of Chil's co-owners explained to me that only the best and most natural will do. The maple frozen yogurt is made with real maple syrup. The soy vegan yogurt is certified organic soy which is of utmost importance when talking about soy. The other co-owner, Kevin says "We don’t believe in adding any artificial flavors, artificial colours, artificial sweeteners, water, fillers, chemicals, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup solids or corn sweeteners of any kind to our yogurt." Refreshing.
• Excellent healthy selection. At time of counting there were 117 toppings to choose from. Yogurt selection doesn't drop below 8, and vegan's can enjoy at least 3 of them. I only noticed one frozen yogurt that contained gluten (the Bailey's flavour) so Celiac's can rest easy too.
• Better toppings. I chose to enjoy a serving of pomegranate, a handful of carob chips, a sprinkling of raw walnuts, some unsweetened coconut shavings and a shake of black sesame seeds. Also on the menu: dark chocolate peanut butter cups, organic museli, quinoa seeds, rock salt, Sriracha hot sauce, and flaxmeal. Go nuts!
• Local sourcing. The owners do their best to find everything possible through London-and-area farmers. 
• Independent ownership. Unlike the big name shops you think of when you hear 'frozen yogurt bar', Chil's company is run entirely by the folks you see hanging out by the hazelnut sauce.

As both a holistic nutritionist and a discerning foodie I recommend this place to anyone within driving distance. They are open seven days a week from 12 noon until midnight @ 620 Richmond & Hyman, downtown London and can be liked on Facebook here.

Update: they open at 11am now! (May 2014)

Strategies for Preventing Obesity in Children

Part of me is very sure that I've mentioned what I do for a living (outside of blogging and nutrition education) on here, but part of me isn't.

Have I told you my job title?

I work for the YMCA of Western Ontario, Child Care Division, as a Dietary Planner. It means I'm responsible for every single thing related to the nutrition of the children in my care. Sometimes that means corresponding with parents about allergies and aversions, sometimes it means balancing meal plans and budgeting groceries, but much of time it can be a very unglamourous job of cutting salmon sandwiches on whole wheat into triangles and secretly whisking carrot juice into a fruity popsicle recipe. I'm also not immune to dish washing, laundry doing, and even helping a crying, snot-nosed preschooler fall asleep even though they want mommy.

And I love my job.

About a week ago the C.E.O. of the organization challenged us to brainstorm strategies to ensure that all of our Y kids are on the path to a healthy weight and a healthy life. It got my wheels a turnin'. Because it's my passion (along with breast feeding, gardening, not using conventional shampoo... you get me).

So because a good chunk of you are mamas out there (or so I think? Or have I been sharing my creepy menstruation solutions with a group of dudes?) I want to share some great ways to promote healthy eating with young ones. I don't consider myself an expert in the field of physical activity so I won't be much help there, but I do recognize that activity is also a major component in health promotion. (As is emotional health, toxin exposure reduction, fresh air, and the list goes on.)

+ Gardening education. Start your child's learning at the natural start: where do vegetables come from? A small plot of dirt or even a large container, plus a handful of seeds, shouldn't cost you more than $20. The daily act of watering and pulling out weeds is a great activity for kids of any age. Oliver has been gardening since he was 2 days old. Because of this his favourite food is cherry tomatoes. Like FAVOURITE. Gardening gives children a natural ownership over what they've grown and it makes them more likely to try it, like it and want to tell others about it. Plus that $20 you spent will probably blossom into much, much more worth in food. Make your tomatoes and cucumber into Greek salad. Blend your strawberries into a yogurt smoothie. Make fresh kale chips. Suddenly the possibilities are endless.

+ Talk about healthy eating. I never miss an opportunity to turn a meal into a lesson. If you're proud of yourself for making a homemade soup, tell your child about how you made it. Tell them why you chose the ingredients you did. Before the soup is even at a simmer, explain and show the process to your little one and it'll make them excited to sample a bite. I like to ask probing questions like "What other veggies could we add to macaroni and cheese to make it really healthy?" (Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots...) "Can you think of another fruit that is green?" (Apples, kiwi, melon...) "What's a yummy thing you can eat if you feel hungry before bedtime?" (Blueberries, mixed nuts, cucumbers with hummus...)

+ Get them involved. Showing the cooking process is great but why not go one step further and have your child lend a helping hand? There are so many ways that kids even under 5 can assist in the kitchen. Many fruits and veggies can be cut with a plastic or dull knife, on a cutting board. Oliver loves helping Grandma bake up gluten free treats because she uses so many different flours that he can taste every one of them as she goes. (Hint: bean flour is gross-tasting, and almond meal is delicious. And don't worry, when she bakes for others she uses the utmost safe/clean food handling skills.)

+ Have great things on hand. Our afternoon snacks are the best on days that we've just gone to the Farmers Market. If your fridge is hurting you're either going to offer something subpar (Ritz cracker sandwiches, no thanks) or something healthy but boring (plain old apple slices - come on mom!). If you have a bounty of healthy ingredients at your fingertips you'll come up with some pretty cool and nutritious options. Oliver is just as excited about veggie kabobs as any other kid would be about a pogo hot dog. Or a plate of colourful raspberries with kamut puffs, edamame beans from the freezer and "green eggies" (a frittata-finger snack I make by baking eggs with spinach and then cutting it into rectangles.) The more likely you are to want to photograph it for Instagram, the more likely your child will be excited to eat it up.

What tips do  you have for helping children to eat healthy from a young age?

It's ooooooover! Rockin' Wellness, Day 45

Whaddya know: 45 days ago (give or take four days I laid dying in bed) I began a challenge to drink 2 scoops of Rockin' Wellness chocolate shake every day!

The benefits have been many and I'm excited to share them with you. My intention was to reflect on the "stats" I'd given at the beginning of the challenge (height, weight, skin health, energy) but most of them, I've realized, don't really show what Rockin' Wellness has done for me. So it will work better to just bust out a bulleted list of the benefits I've seen.

I'm going to post a much more extensive review in the coming days along with a video (spoiler alert!) but here are my top 3:

+ Evening energy - something I've been steadfastly searching for since Oliver was born - it's a miracle!

+ Increased iron status - I can't qualify this with actual lab values but as a girl who has struggled with iron status through teenagehood, through vegetarianism, through liquid diets, trying to donate blood, and pregnancy, I know a thing or two about what good iron status feels like - it's amazing!

+ New interested friends - I've shared a sip here and there with probably ten to twelve people and they're all instant fans!

Check back soon for my full review.

Link for purchase: http://www.rwshake.com/dfLT

What is maca good for

Quiz.

What's grown in Peru, considered a root, and I've tried it in four different forms?

If you answered coffee, you're wrong. Coffee's not a root and I've tried it in 180 forms.

It's maca!

Maca is, yes, a Peruvian root. It tastes a little bit like coffee (or burnt chocolate, or dark caramel) and comes in many forms. It's main benefit is to balance out-of-whack hormone levels.

Although one big study came out that found it had no effect on hormone levels (boo!) the other 149 done recently have shown great things.

I'll outline one incredible result from taking maca with a real life case that I witnessed. That result is: increased fertility.

I was the newest employee at a health food store and a couple came in complaining that they couldn't get pregnant. And they'd been trying for 10 years. Another employee was the first to help them and explained the benefits of maca root while I listened in intently.

My co-worker told both the husband and wife to take liquid maca concentrate daily and to keep trying. And to let her know what happens.

I kid you not they came back less than a year later with a newborn in their hands and I pretty much had tears in my eyes. Everyone else did too.

Maca can lead to better sperm production, sperm motility, and semen volume. That's a recipe for a babe if you ask me!

Fertility isn't the only aspect of hormone health that you should be worried about. Acne, cramping, moodiness... they can all be associated with hormone imbalance.

And, it has other benefits too (don't worry!) It can also increase energy. I've felt this first hand.

The Vega website (one company who produces a maca supplement) says it can:

• Promote vitality
• Metabolize carbohydrates, fats and protein
• Develop and maintain strong bones and teeth
• Form red blood cells and support their proper function
• Contribute to a feeling of overall well-being
• Maintain good health
• Provide antioxidant support

After looking at that list - and not being overly afraid of its aphrodisiac reputation - I gave it a shot. In powdered form, liquid form, concentrate (phew! strong!) and this new "coffee" kind. The coffee one is a powdered maca granule that can be percolated to make a mug of hot, dark coffee-like liquid that is actually liquid maca. Because it gives energy some people can totally switch from coffee to maca-coffee.

So if you're in the market to balance any hormonal strangeness (menopause, anyone?) maybe you could throw a spoon of powdered maca into your morning smoothie. Just make sure you've got a crib and change table ready ;)