Category Archives: Healthy food

Healthy Drink Recipe: Mango Lime Soda with Minisyrup

Posted on September 19, 2012 | 2 comments

This is a delicious, natural, calorie free beverage recipe that has a great story behind its origin. I was introduced to Minisyrup through a chance encounter at the Chicago airport earlier this year. Minisyrup is best described as a burst of flavour or a flavour enhancer, similar in concept to vanilla extract. Minisyrup flavours beverages with natural, concentrated flavour without any sugar or sweetener.

The recipe inspiration starts with the discovery of the summer drink of choice-grey goose orange and soda with lime…

http://www.vivianlaw.ca/summer-drink-grey-goose-orange-and-soda-with-lime/

With fresh lime juice as the key ingredient, I recalled how I learned about the incredible flavour this drink ingredient adds many years ago in my classic Mr Boston guide to cocktails.  This concept was brought back to me in the creation of the grey goose orange and soda with lime. Lime was the secret ingredient again, when a guest and I added Mango minisyrup to a vodka soda with lime, and created another great new drink . Vodka soda with lime and mango minisyrup was an outstanding cocktail, on par with the grey goose orange and soda with lime.  However, as much I as enjoy a cocktail, I saw great inspiration in the mango minisyrup as it packs so much flavour, and I saw many healthy applications for the product…

Club soda or sparkling water is a non alcoholic beverage that I tend to prefer over plain water at home or in restaurants. It seems like more fun than water with the bubbles.  A good friend and I had some club soda with lime and mango minisyrup with our final outdoor lunch of the season last week and found it to be a superb non alcoholic beverage. We felt this was a great discovery, as she is always looking for an enticing drink to serve her teen children when she is pouring wine or cocktails for the adults. We tested the mango lime soda on her teens and they loved it!

Here is the recipe, complete with photo inspiration from my young friend Francesca.

Fill a tall glass with club soda and ice. Add a squeeze of fresh lime and 2 pumps of Mango minisyrup. Enjoy!

Find and order Mango minisyrup at https://www.zavida.com/minisyrup/mango-minisyrup

 

 

 

 

2 Comments

Posted in Healthy Beverage, healthy recipe, product review

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Food Inspiration: Kensington Market Tour

Posted on September 18, 2012 | Leave a comment

Kensington Market is one of my favourite spots to shop for food in Toronto. There is no other area where I can find so many unique foods that I love. I make a trip there whenever I can spare a couple hours to wander around, check out the ever changing new eateries and gather up my growing list of favourite items. Here’s my tour:

Caribbean Corner (171 Baldwin Avenue) -I stop in here for fresh callaloo they get flown in from Jamaica, caribbean hot sauce, and/or jerk sauce, among all things caribbean.

Essence of Life (50 Kensington Avenue)-is the stop for any health food or supplement you can think of with great selection and prices.

Salamanca(204 Baldwin Avenue)-I have been buying nuts and other dry goods here for over 10 years.

La Tortilleria (198 Augusta Avenue)-makes fresh tortillas daily, with organic blue available on the weekends only.

Jumbo Empanadas (245 Augusta Avenue)-I have been stopping here for a bite of lunch for over 10 years. Their homemade salsa is unbelievable. The chicken empanada with the salsa and Chilean salad are absolutely delicious.

Perola’s (247 Augusta Avenue)-This is a shop I just started frequenting this summer, as I developed serious taco obsession when I missed out on eating at Rick Bayless’ Torta in the Chicago airport. Tacos seem to be the trend of the moment as well. This shop has all the authentic fixings you could want.

Wanda’s Pie in the Sky (287 Augusta Avenue)-Sometimes I stop here first. Amazing dessert is required. This shop is even more fun here than it was when it was located in Yorkville. I love the dulche de leche coconut macaroons (gluten free) and the small fruit pies (which I cut into 4 pieces and share, maybe).

Seven Lives (69 Kensington Avenue)-My top pick for tacos in Toronto. There can be a bit of a wait, but service is quick and the tacos are incredibly flavourful and inventive.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Healthy food, local food, Recommendation, Toronto, Vivian Law

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Recipe: Spicy Noodle Salad

Posted on September 14, 2012 | 1 comment


After perfecting the spicy mango lime dressing this summer, I worked on a gluten free noodle salad that would include lots of veggies to create more of a meal with the salad. Napa cabbage delivers a light crunch with a milder flavour and the sugar snap peas add a touch of sweetness with their crunchy texture. I quite enjoyed the blend of flavours and textures, and so did my testers.

1 250g package buckwheat and sweet potato noodles (or 250g rice noodles)

8-10 leaves of napa cabbage, chopped finely

1 cup sugar snap peas, cut thinly crosswise

2 sprigs of fresh mint, leaves chopped

1/4 cup-1/2 chopped cilantro

1/2 fresh mango, cut into thin match sticks

Spicy Mango Lime Dressing –  http://www.vivianlaw.ca/recipe-spicy-mango-lime-dressing/

Cook noodles according to package instructions, drain and rinse with cold water.

In a large bowl, toss together noodles, cabbage, sugar snap peas with the dressing, mix well. Top with mint, cilantro, and mango, mix again gently. Serve and enjoy at room temperature.

Make this salad a meal by topping it with some lean protein of your choice. Try tofu cubes, shrimp, fish, grilled chicken or pork.

 

 

1 Comment

Posted in gluten free, healthy recipe, Recipe, Veggies

Tagged , , ,

Recipe: Spicy Black Bean Dip

Posted on August 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

This recipe is inspired by a great dip that Chef Melissa Saunders has made a few times. Her version changed my mind about black bean dip, as I’m not the biggest fan of black bean dip. Her dip was so tasty that I became open to making black bean dip myself sometime. I used this dip for raw veggies and even more fun, a black bean and cheese quesadilla made with corn tortillas.

2 cups or 1 can of black beans

1 clove of garlic, slivered

1/2 jalapeno pepper minced (remove seeds if you prefer a milder dip)

Juice of 1-2 limes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor, pulse black beans, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, and jalapeno on high until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste, add cilantro and pulse again until well blended. Enjoy with fresh veggies, chips or in a quesadilla.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Healthy food, healthy recipe, Healthy snack, plant food, Recipe, Vegan, Veggies

Tagged ,

Recipe: Sauteed Callaloo

Posted on August 13, 2012 | Leave a comment

I developed a love for callaloo while I was in Jamaica. It has to be one of the tastiest green veggies around and it is so easy to eat a good volume of it. I have found it here in Toronto at Caribbean Corner in Kensington Market, so look for it at a Caribbean grocer near you.

There is some technique to handling this plant once you have it in your hands. Separate the leaves and the stems throughout. Use a paring knife to remove the fibrous outer coating from the stems.

Sauteed Callalloo

1 bunch of callaloo, stems and leaves separated

1 clove garlic, slivered

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to your taste

Cut the stems and leaves of callaloo into small pieces. See below for a visual:

In a large pan, heat olive oil and garlic over medium heat. Add cut callaloo, saute for 2-3 minutes or until leaves start to wilt. Cover pan and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper or any other seasoning to your taste. Enjoy!

 

 

Leave a comment

Posted in antioxidant, Greens, Healthy food, healthy recipe, plant food, Recipe, Recommendation, Vegan, Veggies, Vivian Law

Tagged ,

Fat Loss Tip: Daily Water Intake Goal

Posted on August 12, 2012 | Leave a comment

Here is another fat loss tip that is also a general health recommendation. Our body is composed of nearly 75% water. That water in our body needs to be constantly refreshed, as water is needed for every physiological process that occurs every minute within our body. Here is a calculation that gives you a daily water intake goal that helps you reach optimal hydration and therefore optimal physiological function within your body. Being closer to optimal hydration and physiological function supports fat loss.

Your Body Weight in kilograms X 0.033= Daily Water intake Goal in litres

This number may sound like a lot to some people. That is alright. Being healthy is a daily process, so this is a lifelong health habit we can all work on daily. Even if you had only one glass of water yesterday, making an effort to an extra glass today and slowly building up to your water intake goal, day by day, week by week will make a difference to your health.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in fat loss, Healthy Beverage, Recommendation

Tagged , , , ,

Fat Loss Tip: Eat More Greens

Posted on August 10, 2012 | Leave a comment

All of us need to eat more greens, including me. For those who are looking to lose some fat, eating more greens is an excellent way to increase your intake of nutrients, which helps with fat loss. In fact, eating greens is a healthy habit to try to incorporate into daily life to maintain optimal health.

Eating more greens can help a person to shed fat, because it can help a person to eat fewer calories by inadvertently displacing higher calorie foods. You feel more full eating when you eat more greens, so you eat less starchy foods without even noticing. Greens in general provide a range of phytochemicals and antioxidants, which the body uses in the process to build and repair tissue. These are processes that are important in maintaining optimal health and supporting fat loss.

Here are some green ideas to try anytime:

Try adding 1/2-1 cup, cooked, of the veggies listed below on a daily basis for health improvement and fat loss.

Callaloo

Kale

Collard Greens

Bok Choy

Chard

Beet, Dandelion, Mustard greens

Rapini

Watercress

Cabbage

Spinach

 

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Greens, Healthy food, plant food

What’s Healthy to Eat?

Posted on August 5, 2012 | Leave a comment

As a fitness trainer and nutritionist, I have had many discussions with many different people on healthy eating and what I eat myself. When I am asked what do you eat? My answer is food, real food. By real food, I mean natural, whole, unprocessed foods that are easily identifiable from the source to my plate. The recipes I post on my site here are composed  of natural whole foods that are enjoyable to eat and highly nutritious. The term ‘natural’ food in itself is debatable in our world of mass food production. There is a lot of information out there that warns us of what is bad for us. I answer a lot of questions and enter a lot of debates on ‘bad’ food as well.

A friend sent me this link yesterday and I found this to be quite funny in the way it addresses foods that are ‘bad’ for us:

http://www.nwedible.com/2012/08/tragedy-healthy-eater.html

This article is absolutely hilarious, because it captures the way thinking of many people when they get into ‘healthy’ eating. If we took every piece of information on what is good and/or bad for us and followed it to the letter, there is pretty much nothing to eat without distress. Feeling constant mental anguish over food choices is actually counterproductive to being healthy.

Healthy eating is part of a healthy lifestyle, which is something that has to be taken care of daily. It’s a commitment to taking care of yourself. In my opinion, food is to be enjoyed first and foremost. There are no bad foods, just foods that ought to be eaten more often, less often or infrequently. The more you choose and enjoy nutritious foods, the more you will develop a taste for healthy food and processed food simply loses its appeal. The more conscious and aware you become of how you feel when you eat certain foods, it becomes even easier to choose healthy ones.  Enjoy your veggies and fruits and even better when you grow it yourself or someone close by grows it.

Leave a comment

Posted in Healthy food

Tagged , ,

Recipe: Healthy Granola

Posted on July 23, 2012 | Leave a comment

Granola is a food that most of us enjoy for the taste and texture, but consider to be a food that is too high in calories to enjoy regularly. However, the source of the ‘high calories’ is very important to consider. This recipe is wheat free and contains various sources of fibre and healthy fats that we could all use in our diet. The soluble fibre in the oats can help lower blood cholesterol. The pumpkin, sunflower and chia seeds provide healthy fats and vitamin E in addition to fibre. The coconut oil provides flavour and medium chain fatty acids, which help your cells absorb nutrients amongst other benefits.  I like to have granola for breakfast with non dairy milk, such as Coconut Dream, and fresh berries. I find it to be a great source of steady energy that tastes great at the same time. Many friends that have tried this granola just love to eat it out of hand as a quick snack.

4 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1/4 cup oat bran

1/4 cup whole chia seeds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1tsp ground cinnamon

6 tablespoons coconut oil

1/2 cup honey or maple syrup or combination

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together oats, coconut, ground flaxseed, oat bran,  chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and cinnamon. In a small sauce pan, melt together honey and/or maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla extract. Pour liquid honey mixture over the oat mixture and toss to coat evenly. Spread mixture evenly on shallow rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15 min, remove from oven, use a spatula to stir the mixture to ensure even browning. Bake a another 15-20 minutes until granola is crunchy and browned to your desired level.  Add 1/2 cup of your favourite dried fruits after the granola cools, if desired. Store in an airtight container. Try a 1/3-3/4 cup serving size to see what amount fits your energy needs.

Leave a comment

Posted in Healthy food, healthy recipe, Healthy snack, Vegan, Vivian Law

Tagged , , , , , ,

Recipe: White Bean and Feta Dip

Posted on July 8, 2012 | Leave a comment

I received a recipe for a black bean and feta dip from a client yesterday. She had tried the dip at a party and loved the flavours of feta and mint. I happened to have only cooked white beans on hand, as I prefer not to use canned beans, so I adapted the recipe. I really enjoyed these flavours as well. This dip is a great way to eat some raw veggies.

2 cups or 1 can of cooked white beans (black beans if you prefer)

1 shallot finely minced

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (greek, sheep’s milk is good)

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Salt and black pepper to taste

In a food processor, pulse beans and shallot until pureed. Add feta, mint and lemon juice, pulse until well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Healthy food, healthy recipe, Veggies, Vivian Law