The Life of Gold

Shadows...what are they?

2012-01-24T16:05:00.003-05:00

I came across an article in the Yoga Journal while I was trying to delve deeper into my spiritual self. Shadows are characteristics of yourself that you may or may not acknowledge, most of which you don't like. This 6 page article goes into depth about how to recognize them, the birth of them and how to accept them. It asks you to write two letters, one to a person you dislike or has characteristics that you don't like and the other, to someone you admire. I couldn't think of just one person so I wrote to certain people for each letter. After you've done that, you're asked to read them to yourself in front of them mirror, substituting every you for I, like the letters are addressed to you. Holy shit. Holy holy shit. Everything that irked me about the people that I wrote about, is exactly what irks me about myself in a roundabout way if not directly. Next it asks you to read them to a friend. I didnt really think much of it when I was asked to do so but when I did, I understood. It validates those not so good characteristics about yourself and brings them to light. Me, I want to work on not doing them and the first thing is to accept them for what they are. Day by day, I am recognizing behaviours, actions, thoughts and characteristics that I don't want to be a part of me and switching it up with different, better substitutions. It has helped shed light on what was once a dark place that I didnt even know about or if I did, it was subconscious and made me more aware. I have posted the article in pdf as a link so you can read it too and hopefully take something from it. Its a long read but you're worth it ;).

Here it is!
The Yoga Journal- January 2012- Shadows

Smoooothies and Juicceess

2012-01-06T11:26:00.001-05:00

It's safe to say that I'm on a smoothie/juice kick. I had to find a way for myself to get back into this because its great to include in your daily routine. First, I think you need to have a great to go cup. I got one for Christmas and having one has motivated me because I can now grab and go! Second, you need a good recipe book. I recently received the book Fresh which has a lot of smoothie/juice recipes. I've tried a few this week and so far so good. I will be posting them daily so you can try them too! Oh and if you don't have a juicer, get one. If you cant, then buying premade juice works but isnt as good as fresh.
What has really helped me start this on the daily is prepping. I took a couple hours one day and portioned my fruits and veggies and threw them in the freezer so that I can grab what I need quickly. I also juiced everything I needed to and have it in the fridge or freezer for the same reason. The last thing I want to be doing in the morning is slicing fruit, juicing and then cleaning the thing.
Here are some yield amounts that I find helpful to speed up the process. I tried searching this on the internet but all I could find was oranges, so I decided to do it myself. Always the best way!
1 average sized beet= just under 1/4 cup
1 medium carrot=1/4 cup
1 apple= 1/2 cup
1 pear= 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp
1/4 cucumber= 1/2 cup
1 orange= 1/4 cup

Todays smoothie is Yellow Brick Road from Fresh's latest book.
3 medium carrots
3 oranges
1frozen banana
ice (optional)

Juice the carrots and the oranges or if you've done that already. use the yield amounts above. Transfer the juice into a blender and add the banana and ice. Blend, starting on a low setting and then switching to a higher setting for about 1 minute. Boom, tasty goodness. ( I drank mine too fast to even get a good pic, thats how good it is.)

Cake Pops!

2011-04-11T01:18:00.000-04:00

I made these for my mom's birthday and they turned out awesome. I made a gluten free and dairy free honey vanilla cake and a gluten free and dairy free chocolate cake. To make them into pops was a little time consuming but well worth it! See very bottom of the post for how to make cake pops!

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Vanilla Cake from Elena's Pantry
½ cup coconut flour, sifted
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt (any sea salt will do)
¼ teaspoon baking soda
6 eggs
½ cup grapeseed oil (or substitute equal amounts of organic apple sauce)
½ cup agave nectar (I split it with manuka honey for a stronger honey flavour)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, salt and baking soda
In a small bowl, blend together eggs, grapeseed oil, agave and vanilla
Mix wet ingredients into dry and blend with a mixer or hand blender until smooth
Pour batter into well oiled (I used earth balance) cake pan
Bake at 350° for 20 minutes
Cool completely

I topped these with a fluffy vegan buttercream icing (compliments of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World with some variations). Here's the recipe!

1/2 cup of nonhydrogenated shortening ( I used Earth Balance)
1/2 cup of nonhydrogenated margarine (I also used Earth Balance)
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted ( I used organic cane sugar and ground it up into a powder. Use less if you don't want it super sweet)
1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/4 cup plain rice milk

Beat shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes. Add the vanilla and rice milk, beat for another 5-7 minutes until fluffy.

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Chocolate Cake from Elena's Pantry (with substitutions)
¼ cup coconut flour
¼ cup carob powder
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt (any sea salt will do)
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs (you can use 1tsp oil, 1tsp baking powder and 1/4 cup of rice milk for each egg)
¼ cup organic apple sauce
½ cup agave nectar

In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, cacao powder, salt and baking soda
In a large bowl, blend together eggs, oil and agave
Blend dry ingredients into wet thoroughly
Pour batter into a well oiled cake pan.
Bake at 375° for 20-22 minutes

I topped these guys with a a vegan chocolate ganache (compliments of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World with some variations). Recipe below.

1/4 cup of vanilla rice milk
4 oz of semi sweet vegan chocolate chips or chocolate
2 tablespoons of organic maple syrup

Bring rice milk to a gentle boil in a small sauce pan. Immediately remove from heat and add the chocolate and maple syrup. Use a rubber heatproof spatula to mix the chocolate until it is fully melted and smooth. Set aside at room temperature until ready to use. You can put it in the fridge to speed this process up.

How to make cake pops!
If you're making them into pops, make sure the cake(s) are cooled completely. When the cakes are cooled, crumble them with a fork or your hands until it is crumbs. I made the buttercream icing ahead of time and added some of it to the cake to make it form into balls easily. You can also use rice milk, a tablespoon at a time as you don't want it to be too wet. I made the mistake of making the balls too big which made them too heavy for the lollipop sticks. The size I would recommend is about an inch wide. After you've made them into balls, stick the lollipop sticks and put them in the freezer for a couple of hours. You can make your icing in this time and have it ready for when you take the cake pops out of the freezer.
Here comes the fun part...decorating! I did 9 different toppings. Bee Pollen, crushed organic lollipops, pistachios, pecans, carob, coconut, cinnamon, pomegranate powder and blueberry agave. Use your imagination! Check out Bakerella's website for inspiring cake pop ideas!

Post your creations and comments!

Easy Peasy!

Week 1- Be Healthy

2011-04-03T23:47:00.002-04:00

This week's challenge: Green up one meal per day. A great way to do this is by incorporating non-meat options such as Gardein which is a great vegan protein (does contain gluten though). You can pick it up in the deli section of your grocery store. It has a great taste, texture and fills you up. It also has a lot of amazing ingredients including quinoa, lots of iron, vitamins and protein. Add some awesome organic broccolini, kale or rice noodles and it's an awesome meal!
Check out the link above to find out more. It's great, great stuff and very versatile! Let me know what you end up doing with it and how you enjoy it! Can't wait to hear from you!

Recipe Alert!!

2011-01-24T15:09:00.000-05:00

Check out this great vegan "chicken" salad recipe by Tal Ronnen, author of The Conscious Cook.

"It's so easy, and everyone love this old-fashioned (vegan) chicken salad with some champagne grapes tossed in for sweetness and colour. Toasted walnuts bring some crunch, richness, and extra protein. The dressing is unique thanks to the lime, and agave nectar adds a summery sweetness as well."

1 cup of vegan mayonnaise (try Veganise, it's close to real mayo and lives in the refridgerated organic dairy section of the grocery store)
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon of agave nectar
2 pounds of Gardein chicken-style strips, thawed and coarsely pulsed in a food processor or chopped by hand ( Gardein is found in a refridgerated section by the deli in most supermarkets. I also use the breasts that come with the dijon or tomato sauce because the sauce comes separate and is good to have and I often can't find the strips.)
3/4 cups walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 cup champagne grapes (they only come around every so often in the grocery store. A great alternative is organic purple grapes)
3 stalks of celery, diced 1/4 inch (please, please make sure its organic!!)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently to combine. Serve on your bread of choice. My suggestion is gluten free wraps, Ezekiel makes great ones or on gluten free bread.

Let me know how it goes and if you've changed anything up in the recipe!

Tis the Season

2010-11-11T00:08:00.000-05:00

Since it's November and it's apparently Christmas season, I thought I would jump on the bandwagon.
Eggnog is one of those beverages that IS Christmas. Not only do I love the taste, but I love how I feel when I see it in the grocery store. Excited!!! I've cut out dairy from my diet and even though I'm not vegan, I like to try out vegan recipes from time to time and to be honest, I didn't have enough eggs to make a regular nog.

This is how I did it.

175g organic extra firm tofu
Approximately 2 cups of organic vanilla rice milk
2 baby cans of organic coconut milk
Agave ( I put in about 1/4 cup but do it to taste)
2 tablespoons (or to taste) of Organic Natural French Vanilla Syrup
1 grated cinnamon stick (or to taste)
1/2 of a nutmeg (or to taste)
1 teaspoon of sea salt

Cut up the tofu into cubes and put into a blender. Add the rest of the ingredients to the tofu and blend. When blending, you may have to add more rice milk to thin it out as the tofu makes it surprisingly thick. Add or take awayas you please. To each their own! Refrigerate if you want it chilled. Voila! This literally took me 5 minutes. Perfect for parties, sitting by the fire or for getting your drink on. If you want to add rum or brandy, look for organic...you might as well!

Some names of Organic rum, just to help you out.
River Antoine Rum Distillery & Organic Banana Plantation - Based in Grenada, white rum for US import Papagayo Organic Rum - The original organic spiced rum, easier to find in UK than US.

New fave drink!!

2010-10-16T15:26:00.000-04:00

So I'm embracing fall...mostly because I have no choice. If it was up to me, it would be hot and humid forever.

I'm loving hot drinks for some reason and sometimes, tea just doesn't do it for me even though I think David's Tea is absolutely fabulous!
I've always loved apple cider but rarely have it. Until now. I came across a jug of it in the grocery store and even thought it was made with just apples, I thought I could do better.
Without looking at or for a recipe, I grabbed a couple of bags of Organic Gala apples. Mostly because I definitely know I'm going to be using them and because they are sweeter than the average apple.
I got home and found a great recipe and was makin some cider in no time. This literally took me 20 mins to do and that includes the cooking. I subbed the apple juice for gala apple juice because I have a juicer which definitely made it so much better. You can try out different organic apples to get a different taste. I think I'm going to try Fiji or Fugi apples next. Sweet but not as sweet as Galas.
I have some organic French Vanilla syrup kickin around and adding that just made this drink to die for. I bought the syrup at Home Sense if you can believe it. They usually have a dedicated section for gluten free and organic products and they have some really unique things. Vanilla Agave would work awesome too. Anything you think will work, throw it in!
So there you have it. My new favourite drink. Caffeine free, sugar free, healthy and awesome.

Drink on my friends.

Fall

2010-09-22T13:40:00.002-04:00

http://dyingstate.deviantart.com/

The weather is changing and so are the leaves. It's such a beautiful time of year to take in the beauty of the environment and to do those things you find it interesting to do when it's hot and humid. I feel like every season is the start of something new for me. This fall, I'm learning to find out what's important to me and work through some stuff that's been on my plate for a long time. I find it works best if I'm completely alone for a couple of days and out of my house so I don't get distracted by chores, loose ends, etc. While doing this, not only have I realized that this is something that I need to do often but I've learned things about myself, my relationship and what I want out of life. Sometimes, when you get away from your "normal" life and routine, even if just for a day, it can change your life because you have the time to be with yourself and not worry about anything or anyone else. I'm very fortunate to have a loving, supportive partner that helps me, listens, understands and talks me through anything that is going on with me which is a big help. He is such an amazing person and for that, I can't thank him enough.

It's only Wednesday and I already feel 10000000 times better than I did on Monday. My challenge to you is that if anything is bothering you about yourself, others, your life, write it down. When you write it down, it gets it out of your head and makes you be honest with yourself so you can move forward. It also relieves stress because you're not bringing it back up or trying to stash it in the back of your mind to think about on another day. You're dealing with it, finally. Think of it as your fall cleanse. After doing that, think of why it really bothers you, if it matters and what you can do to make yourself feel better about it, whether it be getting rid of it, talking about it or disconnecting. It's amazing what your mind, words and thoughts can do. Sometimes, we get so caught up in things, that the smallest things feel like a huge weight on your shoulder. When you write it or talk about it, you wonder why you were stressing in the first place.

When moving forward, it helps to know what your working towards. Create some goals, personal, work related, etc. just to get your mind in a good place. An employee from lululemon recently wrote a blog about creating goals and how she worked toward them. Click here for the link. There are also a couple of sites that she mentions which are really cool. Some of us get sidetracked or forget or the 101 things that keep us from attaining goals so these programs can switch it up and really help you.

Take a look around you and find things you love and can cherish for a minute or two. Find or remember things that make you smile. It's those little moments that can bring us back down to earth and realize that what we are stressing about, isn't such a big deal.

I'm appreciating the fall weather, not too hot, not too cold, a beautiful breeze, and the leaves changing on the trees. Isn't nature awesome?

What makes you smile??

Kale! Day 3,4,5

2010-09-07T16:38:00.000-04:00

I have actually had kale in every meal this week including breakfast. While I include it in my smoothie every morning, I also steam it and have it with eggs. For lunches, we made chicken salad with kale and then had it on top of kale, arugula and spinach and also as a sandwich. For dinner, we made kale wrapped chicken with goat cheese on top of white and purple potatoes. Yum yum!

Another good dinner was Tomato Powdered Chicken on top of braised Balsamic Veggies (including kale) and lemongrass rice noodles.

This one is Blue Cheese Lamb Meatballs with Organic-Gluten Free Pasta with a Garlic Butter Sauce, Braised Kale and Red Pepper. We've had lamb a lot this week just to switch it up. Sooo good!!

Last but not least, Lime Marinated Grilled Marlin With Mango Chilli Chutney, Steamed Kale and Roasted Red Pepper Risotto.

If anyone is interested in learning how to make any of this, contact Al, The Spicy Chef at 905.626.2942 or spicychef@ymail.com.

Kale- Day 2!

2010-09-01T11:55:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, to start my day, I had a lovely Thai Massage by Taliena Mills (you can check her out on facebook) and it was absolutely fabulous! You readers have to try it!
In the meantime, my boyfriend was cooking up some lunch for us. Guess what we had? Curry with Kale and Shrimp on top of Rice noodles! It worked perfectly! Kale is known to be good in soups and stir-fry's so this type of dish worked well. Since the taste of kale isn't very strong, it works with almost anything.
Give it a try with red, yellow, green or massaman curry. There is a great book called Curry by Whitecap books. It has easy to follow instructions and great pictures.

Curry time!

Kale- Day 1!

2010-08-30T18:46:00.000-04:00

I started off my day with Kale in my smoothie. I used Pomegranate Cherry and Grape Apple juice by Kiju and a bit of Natura Vanilla Rice Milk along with ground up chia, oats and Nature's Path Synergy cereal. Oh and some mint green tea. So far, so good. If I hated Kale, I would still eat it because of the health benefits. Luckily, I love it because it's so versatile and it doesn't have a strong taste. I highly recommend throwing it in your smoothie because you won't even taste it.

Referring back to the book I've been blogging about, "100 Best Health Foods", here are the nutritional facts for Kale. It will blow your mind.

First, I'm going to start by saying this. Kale contains the highest levels of antioxidants of all vegetables and contains more calcium and iron than any other vegetable. It also is extremely rich in carotenes and lutein to protect eyes. Oh and because of all the awesome nutrients that kale provides, it will keep your skin looking young and healthy. Enough said, but I'm still gonna break it down for you.

For a 3.5oz serving:
Kcalories: 50
Total fat: .7g
Protein: 3.3g
Carbs: 10g
Fiber: 2g
Vitamin C: 120mg
Folate: 29mcg
Vitamin E: 1.7mg
Potassium: 447mg
Magnesium: 34mg
Calcium: 135mg
Iron: 1.7mg
Selenium: .9mcg
Beta-carotene: 9226 mcg
Lutein/Zeaxanthin: 39550 mcg

To sum it up, eat Kale.

The End

Like Tea? You'll love it after reading this.

2010-08-22T23:04:00.000-04:00

You can drink it hot, cold, with alcohol, with milk and a bunch of other things because tea is super versatile. It's also really, really, really, really, good for you. I stopped off at David's Tea on Queen Street a couple of weeks ago for the first time and loved it. They have an awesome selection of loose teas, tea pots and accessories. Check out their website for more info. I will put the link at the bottom of this post.
While I was waiting to get a cup of Organic White Malibu (white Bai Mu Dan tea and young coconut flesh), I came across their tea lists and picked one up for future reference. On the ride home, I discovered these booklets were filled with amazing info on the different types of teas and the health benefits.

Besides having a good, full taste, Black tea is good as an energy booster and it's been shown to help you de-stress 50% faster, protect your heart and sweeten your breath. My fave black tea is good ol' Orange Pekoe.

Green tea is amazing for a whole bunch of reasons. It's great for your skin, boosts your immune system and metabolism, eases arthritis, acts a household deodorizer, just to name a few. My fave green tea to drink is Matcha because the health benefits exceed those of green tea. Since it's a powder, you're ingesting the whole leaf instead of just the brewed water. One glass of matcha is the equivalent of 10 glasses of green tea in terms of its nutritional value and antioxidant content. I LOVE throwing it in my smoothies.

Herbal Teas come in many forms with many different abilities. From having Chamomile to help induce sleep to Peppermint to help aid digestion, the possibilities are endless when it comes to drinking a cure for whatever symptoms you are experiencing. Try and make your own! Be creative! Start with a black, white or green tea base and put in your fave dried fruit, chocolate or even herbs!

Yerba Mate is another one of my faves. I like it because it gives you a ton of energy when you need it most. I grind it up into a powder, steep it for about 10 mins and throw it into my smoothie on most days. This tea is packed full of antioxidants, helps stimulate your immune system and protects against cancer.

Oolong is known for speeding up the metabolism along with burning fat, protecting against diabetes and heart disease and fighting high blood pressure. I haven't tried it yet but it's definitely on the list.

I had never heard of Pu'erh until I read this pamphlet. It is used to control weight, lower cholesterol and aid digestion.

Rooibos is not considered a tea because it's made from a plant. However, it is filled with antioxidants, is great for your skin, caffeine-free and fights insomnia.

Ohh white tea, how I love thee. It's great for your skin, filled with antioxidants and barely caffeinated so drink as much as you can!!

Check out the links below for more info on some of the teas mentioned.

David's Tea

Green Tea as a Deodorizer

Matcha Info

Drink on!!

Books I'm Into

2010-08-09T19:06:00.001-04:00

While chilling out in Chapters, I like to check out the sale books in the cooking section because I seem to find the best books at wicked prices. I've recently acquired a book called "100 Best Health Foods" by Love Food. It is such a helpful book with great info, pictures and recipes, a truly all-in-one book. I thought I would blog about my recent findings into sections because it's a whole lot of info to post in one sitting. I'm going to group my posts into sections and will start off with Skin Health and the foods that assist and benefit. Here goes!!

Seafood

Salmon

First off, as most of us know, Salmon is super wicked for a lot of reasons. It helps keep the brain healthy, skin smooth and its packed full of omega-3's, selenium and B12. Omega-3's are essential heart health, improved metabolism and brain function. Selenium is good for a healthy immune system, maintaining healthy eyes, skin and hair and detoxifying alcohol (Great for us winos!) and fats. Vitamin B, specifically B12, is essential to helping the body convert carbohydrates, fats and proteins into energy and helps to ensure that the immune system functions properly. Um...awesome!

Preparation Tips:
For optimum Omega-3 content, cook Salmon lightly by poaching or broiling rather than pan frying.

FYI: Canned Salmon has a lot less nutrients than fresh or frozen salmon. Also, farmed Salmon has been found to contain up to twice the fat of wild Salmon so make sure to get wild whenever you can!

Next on the list is...tuna!

As with Salmon, Tuna has a lot of the same nutrients. What Tuna has that is different than Salmon is that it's high in protein, rich in magnesium and is a good source of EPA and DHA (which are a part of Omega 3's). EPA and DHA are essential fatty acids that the human body is unable to easily get on its own or through foods. It is also a good source of selenium, B12 and Omega-3's.

Preparation Tips:
Cook fresh Tuna the day that it is purchased if possible. To retain all health benefits of the Omega-3 fats, lightly sear in a pan for as little time as you can. It can be eaten when its raw in the middle. If you don't want to cook it like that, you can cook it all the way through.

FYI: Like canned Salmon, canned Tuna loses most of its beneficial Omega-3 fats.

Ohhh Oysters...

Not sure if you've had Oysters, if you haven't, try them as soon as you can. They are very versatile as they can be eaten raw (the best and most nutritious way), baked, bbq'd, etc. They are one of the best source of zinc which is linked to fertility, virility (sexy time for men) and skin health. Oysters contain Omega-3's, are rich in selenium and contain iron that is easily absorbed. They are also a good source of B vitamins which are good for a whole bunch of things like generating energy, aiding digestion, general health and the reduction of high blood pressure.

Preparation Tips:
Oysters are the best if eaten raw (only if alive) and farmed. Wild Oysters have been found to have toxic levels of contaminants. Top them with shallots, chilies, lime juice and arugula or with lemon juice. Happy slurping!

Crayfish

These guys are like cute, little lobsters. They are low in sodium and rich in vitamin E which is good for heart health and excellent skin. They are low in calories and saturated fat and make a good substitute for shrimp.

Preparation Tips:
Cook live crayfish in boiling water for 8-15 mins, depending on size. Don't overcook or they will become tough. They have a similar sweet flavour and nutritional profile to lobster.

Last but not least...Lobster!

These delicious creatures are low in fat and are an excellent source of minerals including zinc, potassium, selenium and calcium. Potassium helps soothe feelings of anxiety, irritability and stress. It's also helps maintain the normal function of the heart and nervous system. Lobsters are richer in calcium than many other shellfish. I can't forget to mention that they are a very good source of vitamin E!

Preparation Tips:
Pick the one you like. Whether he's super cute, big or the right colour, it's all the same when it comes to lobster. You can boil, bake, bbq, whatever you feel like doing.
These guys are high in pantothenic acid which is the B vitamin essential for the conversion of food to energy.

Stay tuned for the best fruits for skin health!!

Young Coconuts!!

2010-07-21T13:04:00.001-04:00

These have been a favourite of mine for a long time and here's why. Not only do they taste wicked, they are really good for you! Right now, Loblaws/Superstore has them for $.99 so it's a great time to try it out. The coconuts are white on the outside because the green shell has been husked to make it easier for you to prepare. When you are ready to eat, get a sharp clever or butcher knife and lay it on its side and start hacking away at the top (which is where the cone starts to form). Do a little at a time to ensure that you don't lose any of the water. When you have a big enough hole, grab a big bowl and tip the coconut so that the water flows out. If you're not getting a steady flow, go back and cut it some more. Below is a video of how to do it for my visual readers out there. I drink the water as much as I can because I love the taste and the health benefits. The meat inside is different than the brown coconuts because its more like a jelly. It can be used to eat on it's own or with desserts, salads and soups. If you don't want to do it yourself, I suggest going to your local health food store and grabbing a can of all natural coconut water. You can find them in grocery stores but a lot of them have added sugar and some other things that I can't even pronounce.

Be adventurous and try it out!

http://www.living-foods.com/articles/youngcoconuts.html

Young Coconut health benefits
http://hubpages.com/hub/Coconut-water-Nutrition-and-Health-Benefits

Update on the Greens Powder

2010-06-07T20:16:00.000-04:00

It is amazing. Everything dehydrated and broke down as planned. I added in a couple of other things I found around the house such as my fave Organic Gala Apples, Siberian Ginseng, Laver and Alaria. It tastes great in shakes! I'm working on dehydrating some Avacado at the moment...we will see how that goes.
All you need is a cheap coffee grinder and a dehydrator to do it. It takes a couple of days, especially when you're doing apples but when you're done, you've created your own customized powder that will benefit you every day!

Making my own Greens Powder!

2010-06-03T14:06:00.001-04:00

Instead of paying $40-$60 for Greens Powder, I thought it would be interesting to make my own. If you don't have a dehydrator, you should get one asap. Canadian Tire has an inexpensive one made by Salton and it does the trick. If you want a fancier one, by all means, get it. Not only can you dry out your greens, you can make beef jerky, kale chips (which I have a great recipe for), dried fruit snacks, bread (also have a good recipe), dried herbs and spices, lime leaves (amazing for everything), the possibilities are endless.

Yesterday I went and bought Kale, Watercress, Celery, Beets, Spinach, Blueberries, Broccoli, Dandelion, two types of Sea Vegetables, Alaria and Laver and Brussels Sprouts. I also used Parsley, Alfafa and Wheatgrass which I had in the garden. I cut em up and threw em in the dehydrator. This is where I'm at, waiting for everything to dry out. Next, I plan on putting it into a coffee grinder to get a fine powder.
I'm going to be blogging this process as well as adding pictures so you can follow along and do it yourself. I'm making this powder to put in my smoothies but you can experiment and see what else it can go in. Post your new findings! It would be great to share ideas!

Remember, if you ever have any questions, post them on the blog or email me at thelifeofgold@hotmail.com!

Living your life in a healthy, positive environment

2010-05-05T19:39:00.004-04:00

I'm sitting at my beautiful desk looking outside my patio window into my garden and thinking how important it is for me to have a beautiful space. I have realized over time and spaces that if I don't feel good at home, then where can I feel good? It's so important for me to have a space where it's organized, uncluttered and has good energy and some elements of feng shui. It's also important to really know what your style is and what you want out of a space.

I'm big into colourful accents and accessories. I also love having greenery inside and bringing the indoors out. It's what makes me feel good. I would call my house Country Chic because its comfy and it has elegance, sophistication and old charm.

Do you know what kinds of things make you happy? Think about it. Change what you don't like into what you do and your life will change. This doesn't just apply to your space, it applies to everything in your life.
Try starting out with one space at a time so you don't get overwhelmed. Start with little things such as pieces for the wall, then maybe some cool looking candle holders and vases. Buy a plant that makes you feel good. Lighting is a huge factor too. I have several Himalayan Rock Lamps in my house not just because of the health benefits but because of the soft light they provide. You can usually get them at health food stores and they come in different colours and sizes. Most importantly, buy things that represent you and the mood that you want to have in your house or space.
When you live in a place that you respect and makes you feel good, you will become happier because its the one place where you can relax and enjoy.

Check out this link for more info on feng shui. http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/understanding-the-principles-of-feng-shui.html You don't have to abide by every principle but at least try and it out and figure out what works best for you. I'm positive you will see a change.
Here are a couple of principles that I follow:
- Have a water feature
- Keep the toilet lid down and the bathroom door closed
- Creating a flow from the front door straight through to the nearest wall
- No electronics in the bedroom
- Position your bed so your feet aren't pointing at the door
- No mirrors in the bedroom
- Place a light in the dark areas of your home
- Add plants/flowers
- Try not to place your furniture so that your back is facing a door or entry way. If you have to, hang a mirror so you can see.
- Declutter and organize!!!
- Make the entrance of your home welcoming
- Sage your home to get rid of negative energies. Certain rocks and gems like amethyst balances energies and is really pretty. If you live in Durham region, check out Odyssey in Ajax on Kingston road by Safari.
- Clean out stuff from under your bed
- Organize your closet. I colour co-ordinate and organize by style. It not only makes you feel better, it's way easier to find things!
- If you have knives or a knife block on your kitchen counter, put it in a place where you cant see it.
- Buy a hepa filter to clean the air and create good air flow.
- Keep windows clean and open them whenever possible to let fresh air in.
- Let as much natural light in as possible.
- Have pictures of things that make you smile.

Try to appeal to all of your senses when decorating your home. It's not all about aesthetics. Burn some essential oils to uplift you or to calm you, have a water fountain so you can hear to sound of the water to soothe you, etc.

This link provides info on the salt rock lamps. They are wicked!
http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Truth-About-Himalayan-Crystal-Salt-Lamps

If you have a nice flow in your house, the energy and feel of your house will improve which will make you feel super good about yourself and where you live!

Happy cleansing!!

Save, save, save!!

2010-03-04T21:50:00.001-05:00

Saving money is super easy with the help of things like coupons and the scanners code of practice (which rocks my life on a daily basis).
Check out sites like save.ca and brandsampler.ca. There's also one called the Healthy Shopper which has coupons for organic and healthy items at thehealthyshopper.ca. Sign up and start selecting your coupons. Brandsampler also has free samples that they mail out to you seasonally. Who doesn't like free stuff??

Now to tell you about the Scanners Code of Practice. For those of you who don't know what this is...you've been missing out but don't worry, you're about to be educated.
First off, the Scanners Code of Practice is the law but not all stores participate. Just remember to ask, it doesn't hurt. So the jist of it this is, is that if you're buying an item and it's display price is $5.49 and you bring it to the cash and it comes up $5.69 (any price that is higher), you get it for free up to $10 and only the first item. It happens to me ALL the time! If the price is over $10 and the price is wrong, you get $10 off. Example would be if an item is advertised at $14.99 and it comes up as $16.99, you will end up paying $4.99 for the item. If you have two of the same, you will pay $4.99 for the first one and $14.99 for the next one.
How awesome is that? A lot of the time you have to mention it to the cashiers and they sometimes get a little pissy with you but I don't care, it's my money. Some stores will try to give it to you for the lower price instead of for free. Always watch the screen. Believe it or not, it's easy to remember the prices. Try self checkout next time so you can check out at your own pace.
Check out this link for more info and a listing of stores who participate.
http://smartcanucks.ca/canadian-code-of-practice-scanner-price-accuracy/

Moving forward, I will try and attach a link for a coupon for the product I refer to so ya'll can save some cash.

Ta Ta for now

Do you know what's in your food?

2010-02-21T14:02:00.000-05:00

When I go grocery shopping, I look at the ingredient list every single time.
It's so important to know what you're eating and what's going into your body. If you're buying premade meals, take a look at the ingredient list and I bet there is at least one thing on there that you either can't pronounce or don't know what it is. So why put that into your body???
One thing that I check first is the amount of sodium. I do not like feeling bloated one bit so I try and eat foods that have a low amount of sodium. Our daily intake of sodium should be anywhere from 1500 to 2400mg. We can get a lot of it from natural foods and products that already have it in them.

If you're looking for a salt alternative, try sea salt. There are a ton of different ones and they each have the own distinctive taste and melting point (some stay hard and crunchy if you cook them and some melt). I love Himalayan sea salt because it has a mild taste and you can get it in rock form or table salt form. It also doubles as a wicked detox if you put it in the bath. It's better then Epsom salts.
Check this link out for more info on the many uses of Himalyan salt.
http://www.detoxyourworld.com/acatalog/himalayan_salt.html

Ingredients I tend to stay away from are fructose, mainly high fructose corn syrup (found in ketchup, juices, pop, canned fruit...the list goes on), high sugar products and trans fats. I always look at the calories, especially between two similar products. I'm always comparing...lol! Sometimes the differences are huge!

Remember to try and stay organic when you can especially when it comes to fruits, veggies, eggs, processed foods, chicken and beef.

Next time you're at the grocery store, try and take the time to read every label on everything that your purchasing. Also, take a walk down the organic aisle. You will be glad that you did. You will have more enjoyment knowing that you're putting good things into your body and that you took the time to do so.

Happy shopping!

Happy girl!

2010-02-01T19:54:00.001-05:00

I was thinking about this today...music and sunshine make me smile.
My boyfriend was going through a spindle of cds and dvds and came across my first mix. I had a bit of driving to do so I popped the cd in and started playing it in my car. I loved listening to it. I was having a blast! I was dancing away and singing and having the time of my life. I am constantly reminded how music makes me feel. Mind you, it does help that I'm listening to my own mix which I created and picked all of the songs for but still...it get's me in a great mood.
Music takes me away, brings me back and makes me feel like nothing else can.
Point is...do something that makes you happy everyday. Why wouldn't you?

If you're into house music and I mean some sick, dirty beats, check these links out for a musical experience you will never forget.

http://www.house-mixes.com/artists/Katina_Gold/

http://www.house-mixes.com/artists/FLUX/

Kale?

2010-01-29T22:17:00.001-05:00

Umm...so I just had one of the best meals ever.
I was hungry and my super talented boyfriend whipped this up for me.
It was kale, sweet potato, shallots and shrimp. You wouldn't think all of that would go together, but it definitely does. I've never tried Kale before now and I can't believe I didn't try it sooner. It tastes sooo good! There is so much you can do with it too! Put it in a stir fry, soup, sauce, drink, chips, the possibilities are endless.
Not only is it ridiculously good for you, it's cheap! I grabbed a bunch of Organic Kale for $2.00 from Loblaws.
I'm in the process of making Kale chips so follow along if you would like: http://www.katheats.com/favorite-foods/kale-chips/

Check out this link for the health benefits http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2008/jul2008_Kale-Cancer-Protection-Healthy-Eye-Heart-Benefits_01.htm
18 calories for half a cup ...yes please!!

Go Organic!

2010-01-26T02:39:00.000-05:00

If you haven't tried organic anything, I really really urge you to!
Although it's expensive, it is certainly worth it. Not only is it better for your health, it tastes so much better.
When your dealing with proteins, try to grab rain fed, free range chicken and rass fed beef. You will be able to tell the difference right away. When buying fruits and vegetables, they only come in organic and non organic so the choice is obvious.
Right now, I am in love, love, love with organic Gala apples from Loblaws or Superstore. They have a sweet taste and are really juicy. They make for a great tasting, healthy snack. Did I mention they taste really, really good?

Happy eating!

Veggie Burgers!!!

2010-01-18T21:25:00.001-05:00

God, I love these things. I make them at home with my boyfriend whenever I can because they taste sooo good! You can basically put whatever you want in them. I put black beans (not the ones in the can, the ones in the bag), chickpeas, quinoa, rice, spices, flax, chia, annnd I think thats it. I put a little bit of grapeseed oil (it's the best one for you) and fry them. I top them with blue cheese, gouda or emmental, ancho chili mayo that my boyfriend makes and baby bok choy. I make a bunch at a time and put them in the freezer so I can have them whenever I want.
Perfect meal for me any day!

I love that these burgers are super healthy especially when I throw some flaxseed and chia in there. If you don't have either of the products, go get them as soon as you possibly can. They are a great addition to anything. Make sure you get flax meal as it is more versatile. They are both good in sauces, pastas, salads, deserts, etc.

It's all about experimenting and figuring out what you like!

No title

2010-01-12T20:12:00.000-05:00

First post...I guess I should describe what I'm going to be writing about.
This blog is about....trying to eat clean and exactly what that means to me. Everyone is different in the way they digest, what they can and cannot eat and their likes and dislikes. I want to help people understand what eating clean means and how they can achieve it. This is not a diet. This is a liftstyle.
I have decided to switch things up and try this out. So far, so good. I have found out that I have some allergies to foods I've been eating all of my life. I have also found out that having certain symptoms after eating is not something that I have to live with. Yay!

I have a lot of stuff to share and I'm not sure where to start (story of my life) so try your best to follow along.

Here's to starting a new lifestyle! Let's hope you have a glass of wine in hand.