Making Love in the Kitchen

Working for Meghan and not making changes to my diet would probably be impossible. It has been two months, and slowly I have seen hemp seeds, MSM and vegan protein powder creeping into my morning smoothies, which is now consumed through glass straw. My once afternoon coffee was replaced by a big steaming cup of Dandy Blend. My meat and dairy intake has plummeted, being consumed minimally here and there and always via ethical supply. Overall, these small changes have begun to make a difference in me – and my health – and it only encourages my desire to take proper care and attention to my diet. I embarked on the Fab Uplift Detox – if for no other reason than to kick my caffeine habit and clean up my eating. Certain things aren’t an issue for me to cut out – meat, dairy and sugar are things that are on my sometimes but I won’t miss you list. Pathetically, it is potentially the worst vices that I realize I can’t cut out – like my beloved, beloved gluten (pass the pasta, please) and of course, coffee. (Oh, coffee…you are so warm and velvety and dark and…I digress. You aren’t good for me and I know this. We are like Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown. Lovers, but not meant to be… Or something).

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We often hear from peeps who tell us they are going travelling but haven’t a clue what they’re going to eat. That’s one kind of problem. I choose to go places where I can’t decide what I am going to eat. In Hawaii- I didn’t make a choice. I just ate it all! It has been a long time since I have adventured somewhere brand shiny new. A whole new environment to explore and loads of crazy weird fruits to eat! I figure pictures say loads and so I will just share some of the best delectables! Honestly- if this were available where I lived, I might actually turn into a fruit platter! Enjoy the show!
Every morning started with cutting up the market finds. I’d either make us smoothies, or a fruit plate and pack some up for our day out.

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I told you I had a Thai inspired New Years feast. This dish was the shining star of the night- next to me of course. (Joking. Only joking). Thai food had once been my extra super favourite in the whole world. It was also one of the first things I knew I couldn’t eat anymore. The last time I had Thai food from a restaurant, I was doubled over in such horrible toot cramps that I swore I would never eat it again. After doing the research I needed to do to create this recipe, I now know why. I knew that Thai food was loaded with sugar, but holly smokaroondles, I didn’t know there was that much sugar. Seriously. The combo of vinegar and sugar is a perfect recipe to create the biggest toot bomb to ever be ballooned in the belly… not to mention suspect fish sauce. Not to worry my Thai food lovers. I am here for you. I have you covered with this gem. Last week when we rocked the mango salad, I talked about my (now embarrassing) discovery of Sambal (seriously- how did you all know about it and I didn’t), so I thought I’d share some info on another ingredient that I have had before but never bought before. This one will for sure be knew to a few of you… at least I hope so.

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It almost seems to me that these creed topics come up at some kind of exactly perfectly timed moment. I am going line, by line, in the order to which they appear. But somehow- it’s always just the right one. Yesterday, I had an appointment with a personal shopper at Anthropologie to pick out my ensembles for my book shoot that’s happening next week. Colour was the theme of the day, let me tell you! My parents had me in montessori school for pre-school. Part of the philosophy of the school, if you’re not familiar, is letting kids find their own way and their own path. Part of this means that parents are encouraged to let their kids pick out their own outfits. And did I ever!
I remember so incredibly clearly, walking into my parents room, my face barely coming up to the edge of their bed and modelling my latest ensemble for them, asking “Does this go?”. It never did, but looking at old photo albums, it is clear that my parents just lied to me and said “you bet!”. I can remember being asked by a boy in my class in grade three or four, why I had so many barrettes in my hair. I used to try and wear as many hair accessories as my little head of hair could withstand. I wore tap dancing costumes to school as my outfit of choice, and believed it a personal flaw if I ever had the same article of clothing as someone else. Wearing clashing, ridiculous, colour combos seems to have been born and bread in me. It’s just more fun that way. (And you’ve met my dad, right? Genetic maybe?)

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Isn’t that a picture to start the year off right.

Those are my feet. They obviously don’t always look like that. usually they are rather nice, I think. Clean, small, evenly coloured. These are my feet after an 8 mile, 7 hour hike in the Northern paradise of Kauai.

As much as I would love to deliver you a fresh new detox loving recipe on our first day back at it in the New Year, the truth is that I have nothing for you. I’ve been on holidays and before that I was finishing my manuscript. Without any kind of excuses, I am telling you that I haven’t got a single new recipe to share. Wowza- how’s that for pressure? I probably will tomorrow though…

Today, with our first day back at it, what we are talking about is the WORST DISEASE there ever was.

This is the disease that keeps you from getting sh!t done, that keeps you from chasing your dreams, that keeps you from being your best, your healthiest, your most amazing. This disease is epidemic. We like to blame the symptoms of the disease like not having enough time, or space, or love or money. But those are just the symptoms. They are not the cause.

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These past 3 months I have had the pleasure of participating in the first of its kind Culinary Nutrition Program. I had contemplated for awhile attending a holistic nutrition school but decided that I wasn’t so much interested in the scientific background, but more so interested in how to apply nutrition knowledge to everyday living. When Meghan made the announcement last spring about this brand new program I applied right away. Well, I knew it was going to be a lot of work, but what I didn’t anticipate was how much FUN I was going to have and the wonderful friendships that were formed along our journey. Part of our learning experience was developing new recipes. The following is one of my creations. Halva is a sweet dense confectionery that can be found in various forms in many different cultures around the world. It can be made from wheat semolina, sugar, honey, butter and vegetable oil. Nuts, raisins and other dried fruits can be added for extra flavour. This type is gelatinous and has a texture similar to polenta. Another type of halva is made from grinding sesame seeds to make a paste and adding a hot sugar syrup to the hard-cracked stage. This is the type that I (and my family) have been obsessed with for years.

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After reading Meghanʼs blog post, Iʼm sure you all want the dirt on what us CNEʼers made. Iʼm up first! Since Iʼve been Fab Detoxing the past couple of weeks, I figured it was only appropriate to tie that into my presentation. So here you have it, my Detox Guac. I make this all the time, actually Iʼm pretty much famous for it. My friends call it my signature dish. In university I would eat it every other day for lunch with a toasted whole wheat pita or even right out of the bowl with a spoon. I believe that it is probably one of the best things that you can eat to detoxify and boost your immunity. That must be why I never get sick! Really, I donʼt. It must be all the super powered ingredients I use…

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Two years ago I decided to go off the birth control pill. I had been using this convenient way of keeping babies away for 11 years. A few years ago I asked my doctor if he was sure it was okay for me to still be on the pill. I was concerned there may be some long term consequences of artificially regulating my cycle for such an extended period of time. He said, “There is absolutely nothing for you to be worried about, it is completely safe”. Though I didn’t quite believe him, I didn’t feel I had the necessary knowledge to challenge him. Fast forward a few years and I found myself discussing this very issue with the peeps in Meghan’s 4-week cooking class. Meghan was pretty clear about her distain for these magic little pills and I left thinking it was time to kiss these babies goodbye. With the help of the amazing women at the Red Tent Sisters I learned how to monitor my cycle and keep any babies for baking in my oven!

It took awhile for my body to adjust to being in charge of regulating itself; in the beginning she was a little confused. I didn’t get my period for 6 months so was fully relieved when things seemed to settle into a more regular pattern. Then the pain started; the kind that makes you double over and want to cry. I knew something wasn’t right.

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It’s been quite the ride the past three months. The time has come to say goodbye to the kitchen and I wanted to take this last opportunity to share some insight and talk about my experience. After three months of cooking classes, workshops, detoxing, packaging 100 pounds of smelly Irish moss, messes made and cleaned up – there have been lots of laughs and days of full bellies here at the kitchen. Today, I can proudly say that I can bake a really good batch of gluten free muffins…among other things, and I have truly appreciated and loved every moment of being part of the Making Love in The Kitchen Team. Meghan has been our leader, fearlessly running the show while Alexa and I (currently known as thing 1 and thing 2 – an unstoppable team) have been behind the scenes cooking, organizing, prepping and observing. Words cannot express how much I have grown the past three months. After graduating from nutrition school in October, I never could have imagined feeling as prepared and excited about going out into the world to spread the word of health after my time here.

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How well do you know your ABCs? How about a different alphabet, the Alphabet of Avoidance? Lisa Borden – owner of Borden Communications and Super Hero Posse member extraordinaire – has written her first book called The Alphabet of Avoidance. The tagline of the book reads “If you aren’t outraged, then you just aren’t paying attention.” No truer words have been said. And trust us, once you read through this book you will be paying attention and fast. Borden points out what should be obvious about some of the most common used products – but obviously isn’t, considering they ARE the most common used products!

Borden began her company at the tender age of 22 and focuses on marketing products that no only better our lifestyle but better the earth. She is committed to responsible living which manifests itself in her career and personal life. And so came her first (but not last) book, The Alphabet of Avoidance.

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Right so I saw snow last week and the holiday party invites have started to roll on in. What does this mean to me? It means only one thing. It is time for me to pack up and get out of dodge. I often talk on the blog about how we can’t control external things in our life but what we can control is our response to them. I can’t control that it is about to get unbelievably freaking cold and gray, but I can control whether I choose to spend the whole winter shivering in it or not. I choose not and work my bottom off all year long to make that sunshine my winter reality. See, my feeling is that to make the most of the holiday season, you either have to choose to embrace the holiday party circuit or run away. I host parties all year long in the form of cooking classes, workshops, events and other such shindigs.
When it comes time to not working, I am very happy to be very quiet. And so I run away. I’m one of those extroverted introverts- I think anyway.

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Smile at strangers. I live in downtown Toronto. People think of this city as cold and unfriendly, but I gotta say- I don’t see it. I’m thinking that all it takes is for someone to make the first smile. You have to be careful with this smile as a friendly smile to a stranger can quickly become really creepy if too big, or held for too long. Also- men growing Movember moustaches, might want to refrain from smiling at young children in school yards. Just saying. I spent a great part of my early 20′s travelling around the world alone. I made dinner companions, travel partners and friends by smiling. Despite travelling alone, I was never alone. We actually never have to be alone if we don’t want to be. It’s truly amazing what can happen when we take the time in the day to smile at strangers, and open the door for conversations with the people we encounter. I make friends in very random places- hat stores, yoga classes, and now, more often than not, in my own kitchen.

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How do I get a good night’s sleep?
One of Meghan’s followers asked me that question because she is now 50 and having trouble sleeping through the night. Well I wish I had the answer or something magical to give you but I suffer from the same problem. During pre and full on menopause it was much worse and I once read that we go back to the days of waking up with infants.
Here are some things that I have discovered that seem to help.

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I thought all my dreams had come true when I got accepted as an intern here at Meghan Telpner Inc., but then came along the CNE program…
The Culinary Nutrition Expert program has given me all the tools, confidence, and inspiration I need to coach others on the wonders of whole foods, along with three capital letters on my resume so that people can now take me seriously. After all the research papers and meal plans (seriously, am I really not a nutritionist yet?), we finally got to the assignment we had all been anxiously waiting for: the presentation.
So, with my brand spankin’ new dehydrator in hand, I flew home to Ottawa for the weekend to present “Get Flexi With Lexi: Adopting A Flexitarian Lifestyle”.

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Who says men don’t have fun in the kitchen? The segment I did for Oh So Cosmo on Cosmo TV was Oh So Much Fun! Watch and then we’ll discuss.

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