Category Archives: Healthy food

Recipe: Banana Coconut Bread (gluten free)

Posted on April 20, 2013 | Leave a comment

Banana bread is a food that some little people in my life really love to eat. I’ve tried many different recipes and this one is a current favourite. This banana coconut bread is really easy to prepare, delivers great banana flavour, and the extra nutrition of coconut flour (fibre, iron, healthy fat).

3-4 very ripe bananas

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup honey

3 large eggs

3/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mash banana until fairly smooth in consistency. Whisk in coconut oil, honey, eggs and vanilla. Mix in coconut flour, baking powder and salt with a wooden spoon. Stir until well combined, mixture will be thick. Pat batter into mini silicone loaf pans (consistency is best with mini loaf pans). Bake for about 30-45 minutes or until the slightly brown around the edges. Slice and enjoy warm or store in a airtight container, refrigerated for up to 3 days.

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted in gluten free, Healthy food, healthy recipe, Healthy snack, Recipe, Vivian Law

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Recipe: Coconut Black Rice

Posted on April 5, 2013 | Leave a comment

Black rice is something I have tasted sporadically over the years in various forms of Asian  fusion cuisine. Earlier this year, I had coconut black rice served with fish in Kauai and then as coconut black rice pudding at Foxley.  Both were delicious and I had to learn how to make it. Black rice contains fiber and antioxidants in addition to its interesting taste and texture. Here is my recipe for coconut black rice, a dessert I have served topped with mango and strawberry to delighted guests. The rice also makes a nice alternative breakfast topped with fruit and nuts. The grated fresh coconut is a nice touch and dry shredded coconut works as well. Omit the sugar and cook for less time if you wish to serve it as more of a savoury side dish.

1 cup black rice, soaked overnight or a few hours in water and rinsed

2 cups water

1 cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons of organic sugar

1/4 cup grated fresh coconut or shredded unsweetened coconut

Bring rice, water and coconut milk to a boil in a pot. Remove the lid and simmer on low heat until water is absorbed or rice is desired tenderness, about 45 minutes. Stir periodically, check for doneness, and add more water if necessary. Stir in sugar and coconut before serving. Serve warm, topped with fresh mango and/or strawberries if desired. Enjoy!

 

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Posted in antioxidant, gluten free, Healthy food, healthy recipe, healthy treat, plant food, Recipe, Vegan, Vivian Law

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Recipe: Sauteed Kale with Apple

Posted on March 18, 2013 | Leave a comment

Here is a recipe that I have used for a few years inspired by Eating Well magazine and Feeding the Whole Family cookbook. I generally like organic black kale best for the milder flavour and texture. The mix of butter, brown sugar, dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar brings the flavours of kale and apple together very nicely. This is a veggie side dish that is finished up quickly!

1 bunch organic black kale

1-2 royal gala apples, cored and sliced thin

1 tablespoon of salted butter

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat, saute apple slices and sprinkle with brown sugar for 2-3 minutes. Add kale and saute until kale is bright green and desired tenderness, 2-3 minutes. Stir in dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar.  Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Sauteed Kale with Apple

Sauteed Kale with Apple

 

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Posted in antioxidant, gluten free, Greens, Healthy food, healthy recipe, plant food, Recipe, Veggies, Vivian Law

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Recipe: Fennel, Blood Orange and Avocado Salad

Posted on March 4, 2013 | 1 comment

This recipe is adapted from Bi Rite Market’s Eat Good Food. The combination of crunchy fennel, sweet and tart blood orange is offset by the creaminess of the avocado. If you have access to dungeness crab, this salad reaches another level of delicious topped with crab.

1 medium fennel, sliced thinly (fronds removed and reserved for soup)

2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced crosswise

1 small shallot finely minced

fresh juice from 1/2 a lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together shallot, lemon juice, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss sliced fennel with dressing. Add avocado on top and salt lightly. Top with blood orange slices. Enjoy at room temperature.

 

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Posted in gluten free, Healthy food, plant food, Recipe, Veggies

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Recipe: Pineapple Avocado Salsa

Posted on February 21, 2013 | Leave a comment

This is a recipe I came across years ago in Martha Stewart Everyday Food magazine and have adapted to add a bit more zip. This tasty salsa is great with corn chips, as a condiment for grilled pork, chicken, shrimp or rice. The avocado is a healthy fat and the pineapple contains bromelain, a digestive enzyme with anti-inflammatory properties.

1 ripe avocado, mashed

1/2 cup chopped fresh pineapple

1 green onion chopped

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper (optional)

salt to taste

In a medium bowl, scoop out avocado and mash until it is a smooth consistency. Season avocado with salt to taste. Stir in pineapple and green onion evenly. Stir in cilantro and jalapeno. Enjoy!

 

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Posted in gluten free, Healthy food, healthy recipe, Healthy snack, plant food, Recipe, Vegan, Vivian Law

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Recipe: Sweet Potato and Rapini Mash

Posted on February 19, 2013 | Leave a comment

This is a nutrient packed vegan dish I first tried in the fall of 2012 at Mela Cafe. I was told it was yummy, which it absolutely was with the sweet potato balancing the slight bitterness of the rapini in a addition to a topping of homemade tomato sauce. The delicious combination of sweet potato and rapini is a super dose of beta carotene, vitamin C, folic acid, lutein and vitamin K. Here is my simple version:

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 bunch rapini, chopped

Homemade tomato sauce

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook the sweet potato until soft. Drain potatoes and put back into the pot. Using an immersion blender, mash sweet potato to desired consistency. Stir in coconut oil, bring back to medium heat and stir in the chopped rapini. Cover and heat until rapini is bright green and cooked through.

Heat desired quantity of homemade tomato sauce in a saucepan. Serve the sweet potato and rapini mash topped with the tomato sauce.-Enjoy!

 

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Posted in antioxidant, gluten free, Healthy food, healthy recipe, plant food, Recipe, Vegan, Vivian Law

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Veggie Inspiration: Choi Sum

Posted on February 12, 2013 | Leave a comment

It seems highly appropriate to introduce Choi Sum, a Chinese green vegetable during  Chinese New Year. Choi sum is mild in flavour, somewhat similar to bok choy. It is part of the mustard family of greens and is a source of vitamin C, soluble fibre, calcium and phytonutrients such as indole 3-carbinol, which helps cells repair their DNA.

Baby Choi Sum

Baby Choi Sum

Choi sum came to my attention in Hawaii while I sampled the incredibly diverse and blended Asian food on Oahu. I found choi sum as a tasty cold salad at a Korean place in the food court at Ala Moana Mall. I believe the choi sum was steamed and seasoned with sesame oil and soy sauce among other unidentified seasonings to create the ‘salad’. I also enjoyed and ordered extra portions of choi sum in tan tan ramen (a spicy sesame infused broth for ramen and a new favourite food!).

With these sources of inspiration, I procured some tender baby choi sum with a little help. It’s an interesting leafy green vegetable to have, which works well for healthy eating and fat loss. Look for baby choi sum, or choi sum that is bright green at your local Asian grocer. Try it stir fried, lightly steamed and enjoyed hot or cold dressed as a ‘salad’, or in a noodle soup.

 

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Posted in antioxidant, fat loss, Greens, Healthy food, plant food, Recommendation, Vegan, Veggies, Vivian Law

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5 Ways to Use Coconut Oil

Posted on February 8, 2013 | Leave a comment

Coconut oil is a superfood with highly versatile uses. It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. There are numerous health benefits to consuming coconut oil with the major benefit being improved metabolism and absorption of nutrients. Here are 5 ways of using virgin coconut oil:

1. Consume it as a dietary supplement much like fish oil. Here’s one way to try it as a supplement to your diet: http://www.vivianlaw.ca/health-booster-lemon-water-with-coconut-oil/

2. Cook with coconut oil. I use coconut oil in granola, rice, and to cook shrimp. A few recipes are on the website here, please check them out.

3. Treat minor skin conditions by applying coconut oil directly to rashes, dry patches, pimples, cuts, and insect bites. Coconut oil is quickly absorbed and helps speed up healing, as it nourishes the skin.

4.  Use coconut oil as an oral rinse to treat oral inflammation like canker sores and irritated gums. Take a tablespoon full, let it melt in your mouth, rinse for a few minutes and expel.

5. Apply coconut oil as a scalp and hair treatment. Coconut oil works very well to ease an itchy scalp. It can also be used as a hair conditioning treatment.

 

 

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Posted in Healthy food, Recommendation, Vivian Law

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Papaya: A fruit to try

Posted on February 5, 2013 | Leave a comment

I have never liked papaya, until I tried one in Hawaii. The papaya tastes entirely different there, fresh and sweet with minimal musky flavour. Perhaps it is also the freshness from the crop being grown on the islands. Papaya contains papain, an enzyme that aids in digestion, which helps the body obtain optimal levels of nutrients. Papain is is used as an ingredient in digestive aid/enzyme supplements. Papaya also contains lycopene, lutein, calcium, potassium and arginine.  I would suggest consuming fresh papaya for the taste, nutrients and digestive enzymes.

Apparently, much of the papaya crop is genetically modified. Natural, unmodified food seems ideal to me. However, this can become a complex issue, that is beyond my scope of practice. I can say that it is a best practice for us all to learn where our food comes from and pay attention to how we feel after we consume various foods. Some foods have more of a positive effect than others. I feel great after I eat fresh papaya from Hawaii and Jamaica-I enjoy the taste of these papayas best. See what types of papaya you enjoy and how you feel…

Jamaican Papaya

Jamaican Papaya

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Veggies for Lunch: Kupfert and Kim Meatless and Wheatless

Posted on February 1, 2013 | Leave a comment

The meatless and wheatless tag line caught my attention when I walked through the First Canadian Place underground in December. I bought lunch at Kupfert and Kim this week. I ordered the First Canadian which was quinoa with shredded beets, kale, carrots, cabbage, radish, microgreens, tempeh, sunflower seeds, pomegranate seeds and maple dressing. I used a serving of hot sauce as well for flavour.

 

First Canadian Kupfert and Kim Meatless and Wheatless

First Canadian at Kupfert and Kim Meatless and Wheatless

The First Canadian with its blend of veggies and quinoa makes for a healthy, satisfying vegetarian lunch. It is a great way to enjoy a variety of veggies for a work day lunch. The dose of veggies is likely to help keep your energy levels up after lunch. The selection of sweets at Kupfert and Kim are good nutritional energy boosters-possible afternoon snacks. The breakfast selections look appealing, as they are breakfasts I would be likely to make and serve to guests myself.

 

 

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Posted in gluten free, Greens, Healthy food, plant food, Recommendation, Restaurant review, Review, Toronto

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