Dairy Got You Down?

Come see me make this LIVE at my upcoming "Intro to Raw Food" Culinary Workshop on May 26th.  Seats on sale now for $40!

It's smoothie season!  Well, wait.  Every season is smoothie season as far as I am concerned.  But the seasons of spring and summer certainly do inspire lighter eating in many of us.  I know that personally, I do tend towards more raw food and liquid lunching this time of year, and even though I have recently retired my hat as a  vegan, I do still prefer using a non-dairy base in my blended concoctions.  Why?  Well I often puree up more than one beverage in the morning, enjoying one straight away for breakfast, and toting the second in my bag to work to enjoy as a midday pick-me-up.  And I don't like the idea of my smoothie greens marinating in dairy all day long...I don't know is that weird?  Not to mention  I also like to add fresh or frozen fruit to my smoothies too, and the combo of dairy and fruit can wreck some real havoc on my digestive system! 

I prefer to make my own rather than purchasing one of the many tetra pack products from the store as this way I can control what goes into the recipe; non of the additives or preservatives that mass produced beverages often require. 

Regardless of reason, I think we can all stand to ditch the dairy every now and then, and replacing your cows' milk with one of these plant-based options in your daily drink is a great place to start.  Nut and seed milks are packed full of protein, and make for nutritious and delicious snacks any time of day.
Classic Almond Milk
1C Almonds, soaked at least 6 hours
4 C water
2 dates or 1 T agave syrup
2 t vanilla

Drain almonds from soaking water. Add to blender with water, dates and vanilla. Process for 2 minutes. Strain through nutmilk bag. You can save the remaining pulp, dehydrate it and use it as flour for other recipes.
 
ALTERNATIVE: If you do nut have a high powered blender or nut milk bag, or are simply in a pinch, combine 4 cups water & 2 tablespoons raw nut butter and blend.  No straining necessary!

Coconut Milk
3 C coconut flakes or unsweetened dried coconut shreds
5 C water

Blend, strain, enjoy!  Store in the fridge, and bring to room temperature, and re-blend  before serving for best consistency.

Be aware that homemade milks do separate upon rest.  Shake vigorously prior to serving!

Creamy Cashew Coconut Soup

I have been rather absent for my blogging the last few weeks due to some major deadlines & projects that took up more time than I had imagined!  But it feels good to be back here online, and back in my kitchen playing with FOOD!

I just wrapped up a very busy weekend up in cottage country, where I was guest speaker/presenter/yoga teacher during the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario's Spring Wellness Weekend at Taboo Resort.  It was a beautiful event, and I feel blessed to have been selected to lead not one, not two, but THREE sessions over the course of the three days.  My two hour lecture on how to overcome trauma and life's many hurdles was a brand new experience for me, but received great response, as did my yoga class & RAW Food Demo (60 ladies got to sample my recipes!).  I am very excited to have been asked to again take part in another upcoming retreat weekend with the organization in June, and if you want to see picture highlights from this past week's event, and hear about what's on tap for MAP Wellness in the coming months, sign up for my newsletter HERE.

Now, onto today's recipe...

With the warm weather that has finally been whisked into our world, I find myself even more in want of easy, breezy raw meals.  Sometimes a gal gets tired of salads, and so I decided that this week I wanted to whip up a light and fresh soup that I could snack on all day long, but that also had enough sustenance to hold off hunger pangs if it was all I managed to scarf down on busy afternoons at the clinic.  What I came up with is the following cashew creation, that I managed to create using only a handful of ingredients I had on hand; no grocery store trip required.  Whiz away!

Creamy Cashew Coconut Soup

In a high powered blender, puree the following until rich, smooth, and frothy:

2 C water
1 C dried, shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 C raw cashews
1 clove garlic
3 dates
2 T fresh OJ or 1/2 an orange
1/2 t onion powder OR 1 green onion
pinch chili flakes
1 t sea salt

To serve, top with your choice of thai inspired stir-ins such as:

cucumber or zucchini noodles (I used tofu noodles)
cherry tomatoes
fresh basil
fresh cilantro
baby spinach 
diced fresh shallot
sliced avocado
(I used tofu noodles, green mango, basil & goji berries!)

We Are All OK.

I have been working on a project the past few months.  This project involves my having to reflect upon, and write about my life, and then put it all to Powerpoint.  This has been one of the oddest things I have ever had to do.

Another odd thing, is that while I have been working on said project for two months, I have very little to show for it.  A handful of family photos filed away in a folder on my desktop, a slew of my favourite quotations highlighted, their pages dog-eared  in all my most cherished books, and a scribbled walk down memory lane on paper.  But that’s it. And I feel ok about that.  It is my story after all, and no one knows it better than me.  No script required. 

I have been contracted to do a talk about overcoming trauma. Because that is what I have done; or, am doing – every single day. Does my past make me an expert in this area? Maybe. Maybe not. But one thing is for sure – I have no qualms talking about any of it. 

To say that I am over all the heart-breaking, soul-crushing events that have transpired in the last three years is a stretch, however. To say that I have learned how to accept them, love them, and own them, is fact.

This project is so very welcomed.  You see, I want to tell my story.  Just this week I had a conversation with a woman I have known very casually for all of a month about just this.  We concluded that my being so open about my experiences is what drew us together.  That we found kinship in our secrets, made public.  Thirty days into our relationship and she knows all about my eating disorder, that I was a “cutter”, that I once had a fiancé, and that my nephew had a brain tumour.  She is fully aware of my need to talk about the fact that my father is gone, because each and every time I say it out loud, another layer of shock that has been shielding my 20/20 vision begins to fade.  She knows that I was once bankrupt, and that I used to drink myself into unconsciousness as a teenager.  This new friend and I were able to connect through our truths.  And know that we are not alone.

Why do I choose to share all of this?  Because it is all ok.  It is ok that I have a history.  It is ok that I have let people down, I have embarrassed my family, made a poor example, and pissed people off.  It is all ok. It is the truth, and it is real.  And all of it makes me who I am.

I would not be here, writing this, preparing for this lecture, had it not been for all the chaos.  Had I not screwed up, thrown up, and finally grown up, I would not be able to share my journey and with that, hopefully inspire some acceptance in other peoples’ hearts.  And the acceptance I am talking about is that of the self.  We all need to accept and love ourselves as we are, now.  Full stop.

It is high time that we all ditch the guilt, toss aside the shame, and just be.  Our innate desire as humans is simply to be loved, and we can give that to ourselves.  We can BE love.  Because we are all ok.  And love is always the answer.

White Magic Macaroons

White Magic Macaroons

3 C shredded coconut

¼ C coconut oil

½ C brown rice syrup

1 t lucuma powder

In large bowl mix all ingredients with a spatula.  Create “igloo” shape using an ice cream scoop or rounded tablespoon. Dehydrate until desired texture is reached, anywhere from 5 to 14 hours!

*Oven option: set oven on lowest heat setting, line baking sheet with parchment and spread macaroons evenly.  “Bake” for an hour, with the oven door propped open (I used the thin end of my rolling pin to hold the door slightly ajar).

Tahini Dressing

Throughout the winter, I find myself routinely resorting to roasted root veggies as a main component to many of my meals. I suppose I like the comfort and grounding that both the cooking technique and tubers provide, and the richness they evoke when caramelized at high heat. Come spring, I find it tough to let go of my faves like sweet potato and turnip, because to me, they pair so well with early harvest treats asparagus and peas. So how do I re-work my mainstays to suit the change of season?

Less dry heat, more steam, baby. Lighter fare. During the delightful days of denim jackets, daffodils, and the dance of first robins in search of worms, nothing beats a big plate of steamed veggies, dressed with a simple sauce. And that sauce ought to incorporate the freshness of herbs, the brightness of lemon, and a touch of silk via some healthy fat. Crowning glory? A generous sprinkle of nuts and seeds. 

This:
Tahini Dressing
3/4 C tahini (sesame seed butter)
3 T fresh lemon juice
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
1 T chopped fresh parsley
1 t cumin
1 large or 2 small cloves garlic
Sea salt to taste
Warm water as needed

Combine all ingredients in small blender or food processor until well combined. Begin drizzling in water with processor running until desired consistency is reached. Serve with veggies, top with nuts.

Spring Sweet Pea Hummus

Sweet Pea Hummus
 
1/2 C frozen peas, defrosted
1 T fresh basil
4 leaves fresh mint
2 T tahini
2 T nutritional yeast
1 clove garlic
1 T extra virgin olive oil

Add all ingredients to a blender or small bowl food processor. Blend to desired consistency. Devour.

Makin’ Yin Love on the Rocks

As I was brainstorming a catchy title for this article, I tossed around various cocktail references; “Yoga on the Rocks, Only Neat”, “Hot todi” (toddy/yogi; see what I did there?)…I know right?  Lame.  But the idea of colliding hot yoga with infrared hot stone technology is anything but.  It is sweetly and sweating-ly sublime.  (I even toyed with the title “Say I-yes-i to Iyashi!”, but was promptly given the cease and desist order by a dinner date that eve).  So to get you up to speed, Iyashi Bedrock Spa is Toronto’s only source for an authentic Japanese Ganbanyoku rock-bathing experience, using ancient Black Silica stones.

I arrive for the 5pm Ganban-Yoga session on a Saturday evening, looking forward to my 30 minute Rock Bath, followed by a 60 minute Hot Yin Yoga class, on the rocks.  Located on Yonge street, just north of Eglinton, I am not bothered by the frigid 15 minute walk I must make to the spa from the subway, as my mind imagines the hot, humid heaven that will soon envelope me.  I am greeted by a sweet and knowledgeable receptionist, and just as I finish filling out my waver form, spa owner Norma Percy arrives to give me the grand tour.  A jolly and warm woman, Norma does not hesitate to bring me through the space, explaining  not only the procedures to follow during my session, but also supplies ample background history of Iyashi, the theory behind the rocks, and why she and hubby chose to bring rock bathing to our great country back in 2008. 

Originating in Thailand, ganbanyoku spas are hugely popular in Japan.  Co-owner Ryusuke Juge, was inspired while returning to Japan in 2007 for martial arts training.  Juge took brought his vision back to Canada and convinced his best friend’s wife (Percy) to move into action.

After Percy has provided a thorough game plan for my visit, I am left to change, hydrate, and head into the treatment room.  Inside the double doored chamber, I am greeted by a wall of humid heat, oak walls, and 2 rows of black granite-like tiled “beds”. I am early for my appointment, and there is only one other soul in the room, a middle-aged man, who lays in savasa (a relaxed supine position) in the far back corner.  I shuffle across the floor in my disposable flip flops, selecting bed #15 and lay one of my two provided towels out atop the black silica stones.  I fold my second swath of terry cloth into a pillow shape and rest it at the top of the station.  I lower my body onto the stone and immediately feel at home.  Man oh man, do I adore the heat.

So, why rock bathe?  Well, there is the sauna factor of course. But more specifically, these magma stones are unique in that they naturally release far infrared rays and negative ions to help the body perspire and "detoxify."   It is believed that ganbanyoku helps improve blood circulation, increases metabolism and also helps eliminate waste and toxins from the body. It is also aid that the negative ions, a type of antioxidant found in nature, are able to react with and breakdown any toxins present in the bloodstream, and increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy.

I spend my initial 25 minutes chilling (wrong choice of words) in the room, alternating between lying on my back, tummy and side.  As I do, the room slowly fills, with only one rock bed empty come the 5:25pm announcement from our yoga instructor that it was time to take a cooling break in preparation for the 5:30pm Yin class.  I retreat from the hot room into the lounge area equipped with water cooler, showers, and plenty of comfy seating.  As part of the rock bath experience, it is recommended that guests work in 15-20 minutes intervals of heat and cooling, and at this point I am questioning the theory as I have barely even broken a sweat!  I discuss this fact with one spa “regular” who is quick to suggest that once we get into the asana work, my dry skin will soon be drenched.

And right she was.  Not five minutes into the class, I am beaded with from head to toe, my hands sliding around on my body as I try to retain form and stability in the series of deep long stretches that comprise our group yoga practice.  But the interesting thing I found, was that the room we were in had no aroma.  None of the icky fresh sweat stench I am used to in regular hot yoga studios, and I also note that the liquid coming from my own pores felt very fresh and clean. 

It is a unique experience to go through all the motions I am used to whilst perched atop the silica stones, warmth radiating right through to my bones.  I feel immensely calm, content and bendy.  We work for about 25 minutes before taking a break to refuel on water, and then once the 60 minute class draws to a close, we are invited to rest for a while longer if we wish, letting all the work resonate within our bodies.  Eventually I emerge from the tropical cave once more, and as I do, I float on my feet, feeling notably more limber and light than I had previously, and I can’t help but smile.

After resting in bliss in my sweaty clothes for a few minutes, I decide it is time to re-enter the real world.  And at this point I am convinced.  Hot rock bathing rocks!  And with a minimum of one yoga class per day, and opening hours from 10am to 9pm daily, I know that I can easily make this a part of my regular wellness routine.  Heck I am already planning on renting out the space for a gals night of fiery fun with my fellow yoga teacher pals, and know that it will be well received all ‘round!

Whether the health claims have any scientific backing or not, I think that rock bathing can be a beneficial addition to plenty of folks’ routines as we all try to navigate our own wellness paths and journey’s.  If anything, I think we should all recognize that what we do deserve is taking some time for ourselves, to be still, to be spoiled, and to by warmed up from the inside out.