Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Cookie Heaven


These protein rich cookies are a dream! You will most likely have all of the ingredients on hand and they take about 20 mins to make from start to finish. Bonus points- they are free of gluten, eggs, and dairy and still taste like a real cookie! I think the Cookie Monster will even approve of these little morsels.

Ingredients:
(makes 8 cookies)

1 cup ground nuts (I used almonds today, but pecans and walnuts also work well.)

½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp allspice
**Use any or all of the spices listed as you see fit. I am the kind of girl that does a sprinkle of this and a dash of that. Let me know if you come up with any great combinations!**

¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract or a ½ tsp of real vanilla powder

Method:

Mix dry the ground nuts and spices together in a bowl. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and stir until everything is well combined. Drop in teaspoons on a baking sheet. Bake at 300’ for 12-15 minutes. Be sure to let the cookies cool before attempting to move them or they will just crumble and fall apart.

Also, for my dear friends with nut allergies: I have tried these using sunflower and pumpkin seeds instead and they were equally as tasty. Hooray! Life is good.

Enjoy, and don't worry about feeling too guilty if you end up eating the whole batch!

Health and happiness,
Jennifer xo

Saturday, June 12, 2010

"Sun is shining. Weather is sweet. Make you wanna move your dancing feet." – Bob Marley



Hello summer! Finally, a sunny Saturday in Vancouver. My edible advice of the week is to kick back and relax with this delicious and refreshing drink:

Creamsicle Smoothie
Makes approximately 2.5 cups

- 1/2 cup filtered water
- 1 cup cantaloupe
- 1 orange
- 1 banana

Wash and peel the fruits. Remove the seeds of the cantaloupe. Blend all of the ingredients together until you've reached creamy smooth consistency. This also makes a great frozen treat if you pour the smoothie into a Popsicle mold and freeze for a few hours. Divine!

Your vitamin C, A and B6 stores will thank you as these tropical treats are rich in all three. Now get out and enjoy the gorgeous sunshine and enjoy the good life!

Love and laughter,
Jennifer xo

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Wakie, wakie, rise and shine!


Steel cut oats, is there a better breakie for a rainy day? Their texture is chewy with a slight crunch and their warmth adds a bit of sunshine to your morning despite the weather conditions.

Not only are they scrumptious, they are also rich with nutritional value, hooray! These little flakes are high in B-vitamins, calcium, protein and fiber. In fact, just one cup of steel-cut oats contains 8 g of insoluble fiber. Your colon is going to love that!

At large, whole grains reduce cholesterol and high blood pressure and help prevent heart disease, cancer and diabetes. They help flush toxic waste, unwanted fat and cholesterol out of your system and provide added antioxidants to your day that help you stay healthier, look younger, and live longer. Another bowl, please!

Recipe:
1 cup steel cut oats

3 ½ cups water

Pinch of Himalayan salt
½ cup almond, hemp, or rice mylk
1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder

cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, fresh berries, nuts, seeds or whatever healthy toppings you so please.

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the steel cut oats and Himalayan salt. Give it a little stir.
2. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 30 minutes. Make sure you stir the oats occasionally so they don’t stick to the pan.
3. When the oats start to thicken, at about 30 minutes, add in the mylk and vanilla. Stir it all together and cook for ten more minutes.
4. Add in the fancy toppings as you wish.

*Note-you can use 4 cups of water and omit the mylk, I just like the creaminess that it adds.*

Serve the oats hot. This batch makes 4-6 servings.

If you want you can let the oats cool and refrigerate in a glass container for later in the week. To reheat, I add a splash of mylk or water and reheat on the stovetop. They have the highest protein to carb ratio, thus more sustained energy throughout the day. Say good-bye to feeling burnt out mid afternoon.

So, raise your smoothie and make a toast,
to our dearly beloved steel cut oats!

Jennifer xo

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Laughter is the best medicine


"A day without laughter is a day wasted." -Charlie Chaplin


Research is suggesting scientific truth to the age old adage, "Laughter is the best medicine". Scientists are examining how laughter can help:

Protect the heart Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems. It has been shown to improve your HDL (good cholesterol) levels and reduce inflammation.

Support Immune System Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.

Soothe Stress A study by Loma Linda University revealed that laughter helps lower the stress hormone cortisol by 39%. It also triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals promoting an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.

And so much more!

So, my edible advice of the week is to call up your friends and get together for a healthy feast (visit myedibleadvice.com for recipes) and lots of laughter!!!

One love,

Jennifer xo

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Chocolate Avocado Mousse


Ok, so I was having a relatively not-so-great day until my recent discovery. I am so excited to share, my little fingers can't type fast enough! My girlfriend had mentioned in passing that she had been treated to this delicious chocolate mousse and that she would share the recipe soon. She let me know it was simple, healthy and that the secret ingredient was avocado. Sounds too good to be true, right? WRONG! I have no idea if this is the same recipe because my chocolate cravings got the best of me this morning and I opened my fridge to an avocado that needed to be eaten today. Serendipitous! So, I put on my lab coat and started experiementing and here it is folks, a healthy chocolate mouse to live for! Voilà, My Edible Advice of the day:

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

1 avocado

8 Medjool dates, chopped

1/4 cup cocao powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or the real deal vanilla bean if you are fancy and wealthy

Place all ingredients in food processor. Blend, blend, blend – scraping sides when necessary – until smooth.

That’s it! I don't know, I suppose it makes 2-3 servings but I am sitting here typing and eating it directly from the food processor and I am nearly done. Oops! You can't judge, it is totally healthy.

Enjoy,

Jennifer xoxo

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET


VEGETABLES
Include
Experiment with a variety of vegetables – try for a “rainbow
assortment” at each meal (multi-coloured plate)
Try for at least 1 serving/day of dark-green leafy vegetables

Avoid
Nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, white potatoes*, eggplant,
peppers, tobacco)* Sweet potatoes and yams are OK to eat.
Corn

FRUITS
Include
Fresh or frozen; also unsweetened juice.
Lemons and limes are beneficial and allowed.

Avoid
Citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit, tangerine), bananas

GRAINS
Include
Amaranth, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, teff and rice
*experiment with rice pasta, rice crackers and cooked cereals such kamut, couscous
as quinoa flakes or cream of buckwheat

Avoid
Wheat (white and whole wheat), oats, barley, spelt, rye,
These grains all contain GLUTEN
*note: soy sauce contains wheat – always read labels!

LEGUMES & BEANS
Include
All beans, peas, lentils as well as fermented soy: tofu, miso, tempeh

FISH
Include
All fresh fish (salmon, halibut, mackerel, cod, trout, sardines, etc.)
Ideally, fish can be baked, broiled, poached or steamed.

Avoid
Shellfish

ANIMAL PROTEIN
Include
Ideally free-range or organically raised:
Chicken, turkey, wild game
Lamb, duck, rabbit, quail

Avoid
Red meat, pork (including bacon) and eggs

DAIRY
Include
Milk substitutes in SMALL quantities (less than ½ cup/day):
Soy, almond, hemp or rice milks

Avoid
milk, cheese, cream, yogurt, ice cream, butter

SEEDS & NUTS
Include
Almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, pecans, filberts
Sesame, sunflower, flax, pumpkin seeds
Try also nut butters, tahini (sesame), or adding chopped
seeds or nuts to meals.
Can grind seeds in a coffee grinder and add to cooked
grains, soups, stir-frys, salads, steamed vegetables, etc.

Avoid
Peanuts and peanut butter

OILS & FATS
Include
To cook with: olive or sesame oil, coconut butter
Not to be heated:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
• Flax oil, fish oil
Omega-6 Fatty Acids:
• Sesame, sunflower, walnut, pumpkin, almond,
hemp, evening primrose, borage or black current
oils OR a combination oil such as “Udo’s Choice”

Avoid
Margarine, shortening, commercial salad dressings and spreads, butter (LATER: butter/ghee may be used for cooking)

SPICES & HERBS
Include
Use any spice or fresh herb you enjoy
Turmeric and ginger have powerful anti-inflammatory actions
Real sea salt (will be grayish or pink, and moist)

Avoid
Cayenne, paprika (these spices are from peppers)
refined salt (powdery white even if called “sea salt”)

SWEETENERS
Include
Small amounts of: honey, blackstrap molasses, rice syrup,
maple syrup, stevia (herbal substitute to sugar), carob, agave syrup

Avoid
White and brown sugar, Nutrasweet and artificial sweeteners,any other sweetener, chocolate

BEVERAGES
Include
8 cups of water per day (filtered, spring or reverse osmosis)
Herbal teas – no caffeine
Freshly prepared fruit and vegetable juice (in small amounts)
Mix bottled juice ½ and ½ with water

Avoid
milk, coffee, tea, alcohol, pop, sweetened juices and beverage and caffeinated beverages
(LATER – coffee substitutes: Café-Lib, Bambu, Inka, Swiss water or carbon dioxide decaffeinated organic coffee)

Additional Information:
• Try to eat foods that are whole and pure and in their natural state. This means avoiding processed, packaged and canned foods.
• Try to eat certified organic foods as much as possible. This will decrease the toxic load on your body by eliminating pesticide, antibiotic and hormone residues. In addition, organic produce has been grown on enriched soils so they will be rich in vitamins and minerals. These minerals are needed for the plant to form its own natural sugars- this is why organic produce tastes sweeter and more flavourful!
• Diabetes or hypoglycemia: Try to eat foods with a low glycemic index – this will help avoid blood sugar and insulin spikes. Refer to your additional handout on the glycemic index of foods.
• There really are a lot of wonderful foods allowed on this nutritional plan, so experiment and have fun with it. It also is not forever – just until the inflammation is controlled, and symptoms subside. After that, you can begin adding back most of foods in the “avoid” list, one at a time. The direction on how to this will be discussed in a future appointment.
• Take out foods/restaurants: try Japanese, Thai, Korean, East Indian, Chinese, vegetarian – these cuisines mainly use the allowed foods for your diet. You can eat out at most places – you just have to choose wisely.
There are a lot of gourmet and tasty dishes you can make from your allowed foods. Flavourful ingredients include: olives, dairy-free pesto, fresh herbs, lemons and limes, fresh garlic, ginger, lemongrass, avocado, coconut milk, curry sauces (made without hot peppers), miso, wheat-free tamari, tahini, wasabi, etc. There are also healthy mixes of soups, sauces, pastas or pre-made foods. Browse your local health food market or try the following stores to see how much variety is available to you