Grain discovery series - more fun with oats!

Mares eat oats and does eat oats... and people should eat oats too!!

Oats, just to recap, are a good source of manganese, phosphorous and potassium, amoung other nutrients. They help to build and maintain healthy bones and muscles and keep your energy up. They're also filling and help keep you satiated between meals!

Oats are also extremely versatile, aside from the breakfast cereal and granola you may be used to seeing them in, oats can be ground into flour, or bought pre-ground as oat flour.  I prefer to grind my own, just in keeping with my compulsive need to know where my food has been as much as I possibly can manage.  Plus, it's SUPER easy.  I can even do it with my Magic Bullet, seriously!  Just put them in a food processor and grind, keep an eye on it though because you may have to shake the food processor up a bit to ensure all the oats make it to the blades. 

Fun fact: you can also use the same process to grind nut flour/meal but this requires an even closer eye because if you overdo it you'll end up with nut butter.

Anyway, back to oats!  Here's a quick and easy recipe for oat scones:

1 cup organic oat flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/3 Almond milk or coconutmilk

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 chia egg

 

You can also add any fruits or natural flavourings of your choice!  Try: lemon or orange zest, vanilla extract, berries, craisins, raisins, walnuts, bananas...

Grain discovery series - Teff

Teff is the tiniest of all the seeds I've encountered! These little guys are even smaller than chia seeds, if you're familiar with those (and if you're not, highly recommend you get acquainted!). Teff is a popular grain from north eastern Africa. It is rich in calcium, iron, protein and thiamine.

Unlike oats which I often grind myself at home to make oat flour, teff grains are farrrr too tiny for the average home coffee grinder or food processor to pulverize. So what's it good for? It has a deep, earthy, hazelnuty taste to it and, if you like the texture of cream of wheat, you'll like it as a breakfast cereal. To do that toast the seeds in a pan until they're fragrant and add to a pot of boiling water (you should use 3:1 water to teff, ie. 3 cups water to 1 cup teff).

Honey fig teff breakfast cereal:
1 cup teff
2.5 cups water
0.5 cup vanilla almond milk
2 tbsp raw honey
3 dried figs coarsely chopped
0.5 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch salt

Put water/almond milk and salt in a pot to boil. Toast teff seeds in a pan, stirring continuously until fragrant. Add toasted teff to pot of boiling water/almond milk. When the mixture is almost at your desired consistency add the honey, figs, cinnamon and nutmeg. Continue to let simmer until it reaches desired consistency. Serve drizzled with honey, almond milk and walnuts. I usually make enough at once for several servings and then reheat/reconstitute with boiling water.

Bon appétit!
Talia

Getting reacquainted with the barre!

... It was an unseasonably beautiful day one November when I thought I'd enjoy the last glimpse of warmth before having to pack my road bike away and hook it up to the indoor trainer for winter. What I wasn't expecting that day was to have to take a detour over the hood of a Chrysler and spend the next 4 hours with Mount Sinai's (wonderful) emergency crew. The result being a bright purple forearm cast, which, aside from being incredibly unsexy also became a weapon (and an assault with battery charge waiting to happen...) to any unsuspecting Salsa dancing partner I encountered. Thus effectively putting a hold on my dancing career. Other injuries have kept me from my love from childhood: ballet. While I recuperate, I've had to try other activities that are kinder to my body without sacrificing my activity level... But, I miss dance!

Anyway, today I took a walk up to Yonge and Eg to try something new!! Barre Beautiful (http://barrebeautiful.com).

Barre Beautiful offers several ballet barre inspired workouts ranging from a classic workout to cardio to sculpting. The class I tried: classic, which is the perfect marriage of a ballet barre warmup and a full Pilates workout. Dancers will be familiar with terms like: battement, attitude, plié, relevé, first position and tendu which will have you reminiscing about hairspray, perfectly smooth buns, bodysuits and sequins... The micropulsing, contractions, ab work with resistance bands and weights will have you sweating and maybe even crying out for your mama. Haha. Ok, maybe not, but I would describe myself as a person who is reasonably in shape and I found it HARD!! With two exclamation points on purpose. That's not to discourage my less fitness savvy sisters (and brothers!!) from trying this out, it's a great way to get back on the fitness bandwagon. The instructor will watch and correct where necessary, so nobody walks away injured. I have a particularly defiant set of lower back muscles, glutes and tight hip flexors that sometimes send my pelvis rogue, particularly when I start to get tired... Thankfully, the instructor caught and corrected this anterior tilt a few times (my spine thanks you). I highly recommend the experience if you're looking to spice up your routine!!

I'll definitely be back for more!!

Ah bientôt!
Talia

Grain discovery series - Amaranth

I am a big believer in having variety in your diet. As a society we're over run with meat, wheat and dairy. There is wheat and dairy or derivative(s) of one or both in everything and if you're not eating wheat or dairy as an additive in some pre-packaged or fast food thing you ate, you probably had say: toast for or with your breakfast, maybe a sandwich for lunch and then maybe you had some pasta with dinner? Ok, maybe that's not every day, but I think my point is made. That's a lot of wheat!!!! Haha

My mission here is not to judge. Wheat is fantastic... But there is such a thing as too much of a good thing and too much of any one thing, even great things, isn't good.

I have been seeking alternatives to wheat and dairy for the past few years, not to replace them entirely, just to add some variety to my diet. Several years ago I discovered quinoa and that has become a godsend for me... But lately, I'm feeling like maybe I rely too heavily on that. So, I'm going to write a little series on my exploration of the grain and grain-like seed world. Today: amaranth!

Amaranth is a grain-like seed, similar to quinoa. It actually originated in the same region of the world. Nutritionally, amaranth, like quinoa is a complete source of protein and the protein compound found in it is highly digestible. Like quinoa, its also high in the amino acid lysine (great for tissue growth and repair). It's also high in calcium, magnesium, fiber and iron.

The seeds are verrrrry tiny, tinier than quinoa even. When boiled, they sort of resemble caviar. Amaranth can be boiled on the stovetop, similarly to how you would cook rice, oats or quinoa. It can also be popped like teeny-tiny popcorn. The first time I prepare it, I boiled it the way I would quinoa. I have decided that as a side for dinner, it isn't my favourite. To me, the texture reminded me of a more dynamic cream of wheat. I think because the seeds are SO tiny. Quinoa is a little bigger, so it's a bit like rice when cooked. Amaranth is not. However, I have used it the way I used to use cream of wheat as a breakfast food with maple syrup or honey and it was fantastic!!! I have also popped it like popcorn and I have to say, next to my coconut "whipped cream" discovery, this is my new favourite thing ever!!! As such, I'd like to share the love.

To pop amaranth, you need only a pot and 2 tablespoons of amaranth at a time. When I was researching how to do this, I found everywhere was suggesting using a pan. I don't recommend this at all unless you want to eat half of your popped amaranth off the floor... Or share it with the family dog, I suppose. Anyway: heat the pot on the stove top. I put the pot on the burner and turn it on high, leave it until its hot. Then drop your 2 tbsp of amaranth in the pot. Put the lid on the pot and take it off the burner and, holding the pot handle(s) start swirling the amaranth around the bottom. It should start popping. Don't swirl for more than 10-15 seconds or you'll burn it. Sort of like microwaveable popcorn you'll hear a second where the amaranth stops popping, that's the sweet spot. Transfer into a mason jar or other container and repeat this process until you have the desired amount of popped amaranth.

There are a lot of uses for popped amaranth. You can put it in a granola recipe, sprinkle it on yogurt... Be creative with it! I really like to drizzle honey on it and eat it with a small amount of vanilla almond milk.

Bon appétit!
Talia

Want to live happier and healthier? Start today with these 6 easy tips.

I don't claim to be Deepak Chopra or the Dalai Lama, obviously. Not by a long shot. These are just some things that work for me and they're super easy to do. Wellness doesn't necessarily require a large commitment. It doesn't mean becoming a yogi or devoting your life to charity work or giving up all your worldly possessions to live in a nudist colony in the arctic. Certainly, for some, I'm sure those are viable options. My guess is that, for most, they are not.

My journey to a healthier lifestyle, as you know if you've been following the old blog, started with a diagnosis of IBS. Which is really the absence of a diagnosis, in the end... Unexplainable digestive disturbance. That's not to minimize how disruptive the symptoms can be on your life, certainly there were days I couldn't get out of bed and I knew people who suffered worse than I did who received the same diagnosis. But, I digress, IBS is not only triggered by dietary choices but stress and mood does effect our physical body. Certainly for me stress was a major trigger of a digestive episode. However, stress and mood can also decrease your overall tolerance for pain and can have long term negative effects on your physical health and well being (there is a ton of research on the short and long term effects of stress and mood on overall health). It's all connected. Anyway, hopefully you find some of these tips as helpful as I did!

1. Start and/or end every day by allowing yourself to be still and enjoy the present. We focus our energy so much on what has happened or what will happen and sometimes we forget to live in the present. I'm totally guilty of this. Our minds become so distracted with bills and getting to work on time and making that sale and... and... and... I feel exhausted even just writing about those things!! Take time to stop, "and smell the roses", as it were (wise words). For me: this means coming to my yoga mat. My yoga mat has become a safe place for me, a place separate from the floor beside it. Once I step on my mat, it's almost as though I have conditioned myself to be still and quiet there. For you perhaps this means going for a walk, maybe you find contentment and quiet enjoying your surroundings and focusing on that.

2. Drink water. I know, I know...... But seriously, do it. If you can tolerate it, the water should be room temperature. Cold water can be shocking to your digestive system. If water doesn't do it for you, try spicing up your life a little by adding a lime and/or some peppermint oil or leaves (press mint leaves in the glass with a spoon or something to release the flavour). You can also try adding: cucumber slices for a cool, fresh taste or lemon and honey......

3. Dry skin brushing. What's the point? Your skin is your largest organ and your body's first defence against environmental contaminants. Dry brushing will stimulate blood flow to the skin and promote lymph drainage. It will help keep your skin looking firm and remove dead skin cells which will give it a healthy glow. As an added benefit, it leaves you feeling invigorated. Another potential benefit (ladies) is a reduction in cellulite. I'm not sure how much research there is to support this last point, but some suggest that because dry brushing releases toxins in the skin, it can serve to break up cellulite deposits/toxic buildup in the tissue. Maybe experiment with that for yourself! So how do you do it? Before you shower, stand in the tub/shower stall and starting from the bottom of the feet, moving to the top of the feet and up your legs gradually brushing in a circular motion, always in the direction of the heart. Continue to your abdomen, hands, arms, back, etc. don't dry brush your face. How often? Every day.

4. Eat more plants. Even if you can't put down the McDonald's, make a conscious effort to eat more fruits and veggies every day. The benefits are sooooo plentiful. Even now with everything we know about the benefits of the fiber content, vitamins and minerals in fruit and vegetables, there is still new research cropping up all over the place on the benefits of phytonutrients. It seems the benefits never end. Protect your heart, prevent cancer, keep your digestive tract doing what it does best....... Just do it.

5. Moisturize. Sometimes to find the best moisturizers we need look no further than our kitchen. I was first curious about the benefits of using fruit/vegetable oil on the skin when I was suffering through a particularly irritating case of dry itchy skin this winter. I found that conventional, store-bought moisturizers (yes, even the organic, paraben-free, chemical-free kind) were either not helpful or only exacerbated the problem. It was then that I reached for the olive oil. Yes, that olive oil. The extra-virgin kind that was waiting patiently in my pantry to be part of my next salad dressing. I've also used pure coconut oil. I find olive oil absorbs pretty quickly (use it sparingly), it's also chock full of vitamins and nutrients that will be absorbed into the skin. I've also read that it will protect the skin from environmental damage and even from UV rays... To some degree. That said, I would never recommend it as a sunscreen. I just mention it for interest sake.

6. Sweat. Here it is. Those of you who know me, knew this was coming haha. Strap on your running shoes. Dance like no one is watching. Join a fitness class. I'm sure we all know how working out can prevent heart attacks and strokes... Elevate mood... Prevent premature aging... Promote detoxification (that's the sweating part)... etc, etc, etc.  I'm not suggesting you become a marathon runner or relentlessly drag yourself to a gym or fitness class you hate. Or even that you become and athlete at all if that's not your cup of tea! Maybe it means a brisk walk after dinner or a friendly game of tennis, a leisurely bike ride (maybe you take the hilly route home once in a while?), a game of catch with the kids... Whatever. No one ever regretted working out. Ever.

7. Cook. As often as you can. It sounds so simple, but when did it become a treat to have a home cooked meal? More and more often I hear about people bragging about 'that home cooked meal' they ate on the weekend or that restaurant they went to that tastes 'just like a home cooked meal'. The best way to know what you're putting into your body, or perhaps more importantly, what you're NOT putting into your body, is to prepare food yourself. With fresh, raw ingredients, as much as you possibly can. Keep it simple.

... And at the end of the day, that's really the best advice, I think. Keep it simple. Remember to enjoy life because you only get one to live (unless you believe in reincarnation, which is sort of redundant in this context because you don't remember your past lives anyway). Stop and enjoy the moment, laugh... Often!!! Even if you don't always feel like it. Ask questions.  Take good care of your body and mind and spread the love. Nobody ever regretted kindness.

Ah bientôt!
Talia

Baby... It's cold outside! Healthy hot chocolate and bonus chocolate chip cookie recipe!

There's no two ways about it: the cold sucks. It sucks. I've heard people say they like winter, but even those people complain about the cold and so I can only assume that their reasons for enjoying winter are unrelated to the temperature. Perhaps, in spite of it.

Being residents of Canada, we sometimes have to live with cold... In Toronto, we don't suffer nearly as much as some other regions in Canada, but suffer we do. As an adult, I feel, I've learned a few life lessons... Several, actually, but on the subject of cold: hibernating or being in denial about our climate for 4 months out of 12 months really is no way to live. So, I try to go about my schedule... Sometimes that means when I run and it's -21 Celsius with the windchill, the inside of my nose freezes... And I spend the next 24 hours in coughing fits in a near catatonic state while my joints thaw out......... Hey, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right???? Plus, running on a treadmill makes me feel kinda like a gerbil. So, I say: stop running from the cold!!! Embrace it... then take some time to reward yourself. Enjoy my decadent and (sort of) healthy hot chocolate with coconut "whipped cream" and cookies!

Healthier-than-yo-mama's chocolate chip cookies

1/4 cup oat flour
1/4 hazelnut meal
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup flax meal
1/4 cup vanilla almond milk
5 tbsp liquified coconut oil
4 tbsp almond butter
2 tbsp raw honey
2 tbsp chia/water mixture or "chia egg replacer" (2 parts water, 1 part chia seeds or chia meal)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Add all dry ingredients to a bowl and mix. Add 2 tbsp chia "egg", honey, almond milk, almond butter, coconut oil to food processor and blend until thoroughly mixed. Add wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until doughy consistency. The mixture should feel a bit like sticky play dough. Add chocolate chips and knead in with your hands until thoroughly distributed. If you find the mixture a bit dry, add a bit more coconut oil and/or almond milk. Evenly space dough on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 14 minutes, until golden brown.

Rich, frothy hot chocolate:
1 chia "egg"
2 cups vanilla almond milk
1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate
1 tsp raw honey

Mix vanilla almond milk and chia "egg" in a food processor or in a bowl with a hand mixer. Add chocolate chips to mug and add just enough almond milk mixture to cover chocolate. Microwave for 1 minute 15 seconds. Slowly mix in the remaining almond milk mixture and microwave for 1 minutes. Stir.

Coconut "whipped cream":
1 can full fat coconut milk
1/2 tsp raw sugar or sweetener of choice

Refrigerate coconut milk for a few hours. Open can and scoop out only the hard coconut fat from the top of the can into a bowl, leaving the remaining milk in the bottom (the remaining coconut milk can be used in another recipe or mixed into a smoothie). Use a handmixer to blend the mixture until smooth and you can form soft peaks.

Add the "whipped cream" to your hot chocolate and serve!

Bon appétit!
Talia.

Tiramisu! (Guest post of the month!)

Hello everybody,

Being a guest of Talia's blog is very much an honour, specially after having seen the amazing tips she's giving to all the people- like me- who thought that eating vegan was having just soy milk and lemongrass. At the same time I feel bad to spoil her collection of healthy and vegan food with a recipe that is soaked in diary and animal-derived ingredients from top to bottom.
However, I also think that cakes are one of the most useful supplements to boost girls' happiness (not guilt-free but this is another story). So, before my cake-fasting starts for 40 days (lent; the longest 40 days of my 2013), I want to fuel up with happiness as much as I can and- being 100% italian- I must start with tiramisu!

Here is how to make a portion of heaven:
500 g mascarpone
4 eggs
400 g lady fingers
120 g sugar
cocoa powder
6 cups espresso

Whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well blended then add mascarpone and beat until combined. In a separate bowl whip the eggs white until soft peaks hold, and then fold gently into the mascarpone cream. Dip the lady fingers in the espresso and place layers of soggy cookies and layers of cream, finishing with a creamy layer. Dust with cocoa powder and keep it refrigerated until 15 minutes before serving.

Now enjoy the happiness and thank you Talia for sharing with me a new page of your creation looking forward to the next brunch or workout or trip...!!!

Buon Appetito!!
Laura Santi

Laura is a fellow foodie, blogger and running enthusiast, also an Italian teacher and translator. For more information you can find her at: ca.linkedin.com/pub/laura-santi/8/23b/972