Making Love in the Kitchen

That’s right homegirls (and boy or two). I made an ice cream float. I haven’t a clue why, in the middle of winter, I suddenly declared that it was ice cream float season. I’m thinking it likely has something to do with all the excitement over my upcoming Gluten + Dairy Free Treats class (yep, a week today!). Or, maybe I was just longing from yonder years when I used to have slumber parties at my grandma and grandpa’s house and ice cream floats were the dessert of choice (that or frozen grape bubble gum??? things I will never understand).

The floats would be served up in these little black and white cups (and if you come to my kitchen, you might just spot it here). We usually had vanilla ice cream and our float liquid of choice was, of course, root beer. The magic of the float was that you would scoop in your ice cream, pour the soda pop over top and the whole thing would turn into a frothy mug of heaven, topped off with a bendy red and white straw. As I will be sweetly demonstrating in my class next week, eating for amazing health does not mean you have to do away with the treats of yesteryear

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Like the sound of an indulgent delights workshop? Of course you do, sweetie! Join us on February 13th for our Gluten + Dairy Free Treats workshop! Beautify from the outside in (and eat it up, too) at our Edible Beauty Care workshop! This weekend is all about snacks. Protein powered, sweet and savoury. Let me know what you [...]

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Want to try a delicious way to use leftover pulp from juicing? Look no further than this quick, simple and delish pate.

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What fun I had when Wilder Weir from Oh So Cosmo! (airing on Cosmo TV) came back to the kitchen for a visit. Remember the last time he was here? I flirted my heart out with him and it seemed he wanted to come back for more. On the menu were our kitchen fave veggie rice wraps with almond dipping sauce and our conversation quickly went off course. One moment we’re talking flaccid cucumber and the next we chatted ‘poo juice’ and how pooping makes us pretty. Watch my love sweet lovers. Watch, laugh and learn. I often have a tough time watching myself on TV- but this clip even had me giggling. The peeps at Cosmo did a superfantab job of this segment and now I will just wait by the phone to see if I get called for a magical third date with Wilder.

This time, we were talking detoxing.

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Once upon a time I went to the bar. I lived at the other end of downtown Toronto, by my university and there were martini bars a plenty. Here there and everywhere. There was one in particular that was my go-to. The name escapes me and has since closed down- or so it seemed from my last drive by. But that is where I went on dates. I am sure the old man who ran the place, who took a sweet liking to me (and showed it by adding an extra chocolate kiss into my chocolatini) wondered what kinda lady I was. The place was perfect for first dates- close enough that I could walk there and equally close enough that I could ditch out and get home on my own. I feel like last time I had a real martini may have been on my 21st birthday. And I am pretty sure were I to have one, it would not end well. Yes. Even after just one. To be honest- I can’t even really imagine drinking that- like pure fire to burn down my liver or something. Now, that’s not to say I don’t enjoy a great cocktail once in a while. But who says a cocktail has to be fire on the liver? Not me. Not me! Since Maeve was on the full on Fab Detox last week, I wanted to help her jazz things up. So we made cocktails. Our style of cocktails.

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Yep- so here I am in St. Lucia, leading my 4th annual Nourish Your Soul Retreat (which, by the way, you might want to get on the wait list for next year), and I still have a tail to share from Hawaii. The story includes tofu pot stickers, of all things. Is there anyone out there that doesn’t love a good dumpling? Nope. I didn’t think so. Why is it that things seem to taste better when wrapped in bundles of dough/rice paper/pasta? I am afraid I don’t have an answer for you. When we were in Hawaii- after a long day of adventuring, we split the drive back to our abode up by stopping for dinner at a raved out veg place. On the menu- tofu potstickers and for some reason, I was all over them. I NEVER eat fried food. I never crave it, never like it and definitely don’t usually want it mixed with tofu. The mere idea s totally barftown. For some reason though- maybe a day in the sun, maybe by mass consumption of odd fruits, maybe the holiday spirit, but I ordered them and they were amazing. And then I kept talking about them to the man… until I had no choice, once home, but to make them.

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Don’t know what to make this weekend? Three great dishes to get you through the week and have fun making them now. And of course- dessert comes first. Enjoy!

Meghan

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There are many snacks out there that claim to be healthy, but in reality they’re not as virtuous as they seem. What’s a health-conscious snacker to do? Eat roasted chickpeas, of course! These delicious nibblies are crunchy, flavourful and full of beneficial nutrients.

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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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My sweet mango pies! It seems like eons upon eons since I offered you fresh off the skillet (or in this case, fresh out of the spiral slicer) recipe for you. It actually has been. Well the next few that I have for you are uber awesome treats. For New Year’s eve, the man was feeling a tad under the weather and the yoga evening I had wanted to join was all full up. Instead I decided to cook up the best ever from scratch dinner. The inspiration started with these treats we had on Kauai- tofu potstickers. I’ll get to those next week. In order to fill out the meal- there needed to be more. So I scooted along the Thai theme until I came up with two other dishes. Green mango salad was one of them. As I was researching recipes and dressings, I came across an ingredient I had never heard of before. I love when that happens. Even after doing this for five years, I love that I still get to keep exploring and discobering. It’s a bit like being a painter and discovering a new colour exists and then you want to go back to all of your past paintings and splash it on. The ingredient that kept popping up was sambal oelek. You know it? When I first read it, I was all negative nelly thinking I was going to have to run around the city trying to track this down. Sambal is really just a blend of chili peppers. I never actually use is a chilis because of the time I nearly exploded my whole face.

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I have weird collections. It used to be shoes. Now it’s foraged mushrooms, and sea weed. Everywhere I go, I check out the local sea vegetables. People now send me gifts of seaweed from their own fair shores too (feel free!). Nothing, however, has stolen my heart quite like Irish or Sea Moss (twin brothers from different mothers). This unsuspecting superfood has been my top of the charts seller since I started carrying it. Not an easy thing to find but an absolute smoothie essential, if you ask me. Also a top, top, top food to eat to help with all your daily detox efforts. Cleans up the thyroid, sheds radiation, strips the gut of excess mucous buildup and other fine jazz. Makes the drinks so silky smooth, keeps all the goods you throw in there in solution, and heals the gut and thyroid like nothing else. You have been asking for it and at long, long last- I have put together my how-to video for Irish Moss. Now, save your Q’s ’cause I now have your A’s answered. All in this video…

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We’re busy bees in the kitchen today- or more accurately, on our computers as we manage your Q’s with our A’s and all the deets and registrations for our Fab Detox. Yep. It goes on sale today at 10:00am EST and we have just 45 spots available. We sold out on our pre-registration in just 24 hours and we expect the same to happen today. Remember- $79 when you buy today, up to $89 if you hum and haw and wait until tomorrow (and there may not even be any left). Back in November we sold out in a crazy five hours! Now, on with the show. I cooked up a storm for our New Year’s eve dinner with three amazing brand new recipes that I will be sharing soon. For now, though, I will share a little post-holiday detox juicing loving. This drink is a treat and a half whether you are in post-holiday recovery mode, ready to get started on your Fab Detox adventure or just want some new smoothie or juicing inspiration.

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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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About a year ago, as the demands on my time grew, and grew and the waiting lists for my classes began to stretch, I realized that I couldn’t do this on my own. There needed to be more people teaching this style of cooking classes- to extend the goodness far and wide. I put out the first notice for the Culinary Nutrition Expert Program last May and within four weeks we were full. After three months of loads of chopping, washing, cooking, reading, writing and delicious eating, these amazing eight people- Odelia, Alexa, Dominic, Vicky, Miranda, Joanne, Kristin and Kim will be the very first to call themselves Certified Culinary Nutrition Experts. And experts they are! After reading their assignments, seeing their presentations, chatting with them, dining with them each week for the last ten weeks, and listening in on their conversations with each other- I have a confidence a thousand times over that these women and man are fully qualified to create the most amazing health promoting recipes, teach AwesomeTown classes, counsel, coach and entice people that fresh, whole, real foods cooking is the VERY BEST way to go to get a kick start on achieving not just our health goals but personal goals as well.

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If you have ever eaten at a raw restauarant and ordered a sandwich, is was likely served to you on this bread. It’s not overly exciting to look at but bow chica bow does it pack an awesome flavour.

What I’m talking about here is Raw Onion Bread. I’ll be the first to pass on anything that includes raw onion- but somehow, this goodness cooks, though at a low temperature, for long enough that the onions become sweet and mild. Be prepared though, you may have to don the old onion goggles to get this one prepped and ready.

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