Category Archives: Healthy food

Book Inspiration: Everything Coconut Diet Cookbook

Posted on June 30, 2012 | Leave a comment

The Everything Coconut Diet Cookbook was brought to my attention just before Christmas 2011 by a family member who came across it at Indigo books. The diet and the recipes sounded interesting, so I got a copy and read it. I had read another book on coconut and health in 2010 called Coconut Cures by Bruce Fife, which I quite enjoyed as well.  Bruce Fife is quoted as a coconut authority in the Everything Coconut Diet Cookbook.

This book covers the details on how coconut can be used effectively in many ways to help a person improve their health and appearance. Organic, virgin coconut oil being the coconut product that delivers the most health benefits from increasing insulin sensitivity to improving the appearance of skin and hair. Many of the ideas are small changes that many people could implement. I found the book to be an easy, interesting read. The health booster beverage, warm water with lemon and coconut oil http://www.vivianlaw.ca/health-booster-lemon-water-with-coconut-oil/was inspired by this book and Coconut Cures.

A very interesting part of the book is the fairly large list of recipes that incorporate coconut products into many different everyday foods.  I have tried a few recipes so far and have found them to be quite tasty. For example, I love strawberry shortcake and there is a coconut version in this book, and is also gluten free.

The medium chain fatty acids found in coconut are a healthy fat, so this book is a great source of information on how to use this healthy fat for many different health benefits, much like Coconut Cures. However, the Everything Coconut Diet Cookbook provides even more practical applications and interesting recipes. I do not recommend diets at all, but this book is an interesting source of health improvement ideas to try.

 

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Posted in Healthy food, plant food, Review, Trainer's pick, Vivian Law

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Eat Your Greens

Posted on June 25, 2012 | Leave a comment

Most of us would like to lose fat from our bodies in select areas (see hormone fat loss post). I generally find it far too difficult to deprive myself of any food or drink, so I look for other solutions, such as making small changes. The most positive and easy to accomplish is adding more variety of foods or drinks that I consume. One of our favourite fat loss tips that we suggest to our clients is to try eating at least one cup of cooked greens everyday. Cooked green vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, collard greens, kale, cabbage, spinach, rapini, swiss chard, asparagus, dandelion greens, watercress, callaloo, the list goes on.
Most of us including myself need to work at eating a variety of foods to obtain an adequate variety of nutrients. This point is very important especially with plant foods as they all have slightly different phytochemicals and antioxidants that are highly beneficial to our health. I have looked to professional chefs for inspiration with different ways to prepare and enjoy veggies, as they are the experts at making food taste and look good. I have shared a few sources of veggie inspiration in previous posts and I will continue to look for inspiration and encourage veggie consumption.
I was out for dinner twice this weekend and came across restaurants that had great tasting greens on their menu. I would not have eaten that amount of greens if I had not ordered these items. I was at Foxley (a perennial favourite Toronto restaurant) with a friend and we ordered both the green mango seaweed salad and the kale salad. Both were absolutely delicious and a substantial amount of greens. My friend and I both commented that we would not know how to prepare seaweed or kale in such a delicious way, but we were happy to eat it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was also surprised to find great greens at Lil Baci last night. Their tuscan kale salad is exceptionally seasoned and their fresh fava and greens were well prepared and tasty. Again, items I would not have made myself, but I certainly enjoyed eating once on a plate before me. Look on the menu the next time you are out for a meal and see if there is a veggie you are willing to try. You may be surprised that it tastes good and you’re willing to try it again.

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Posted in fat loss, Healthy food, plant food, Recommendation, Toronto, Vivian Law

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Veggie Inspiration: Burdock Root Salad

Posted on May 30, 2012 | Leave a comment

I first tried burdock root salad 7 years when a friend decided to order it at Izakaya restaurant on Front St East (it’s no longer there). I thought the name sounded totally strange and had no idea what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised with the crisp texture that held the strong flavour of the dressing which had hints of sesame, soy, ginger and chili. I purchased prepared burdock root salad at Sanko over the past few years.
On my last trip to Hong Kong, I rediscovered burdock root salad in the prepared foods section of Apita, a Japanese department store that was close to where I stayed.

I so enjoyed the slightly spicy, savoury taste and crisp texture of this salad that I bought it several times for lunch. When I came back to Toronto, I asked Chef Melissa Saunders if she had tried burdock root salad and she had many years ago as well and quite enjoyed it. I’m very excited she has put it on her menu this week. I cannot wait to try her version.

In addition to being a crisp root vegetable that lends itself to tasty flavouring, burdock root is high in fibre and potassium, and has small amounts of iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C and E. The fibre in burdock root is naturally occurring inulin, a soluble fibre and prebiotic, which is now commonly added to foods to boost nutritional value and fibre content. Try burdock root salad when you get a chance for the interesting taste and nutritional benefits.

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Posted in Healthy food, Vegan

Fresh Restaurant

Posted on May 24, 2012 | Leave a comment

Fresh is a vegetarian restaurant that I have been to on quite a few occasions with friends for a quick, healthy meal. The quinoa onion rings are my absolute favourite and must be ordered every time I go there to share. They have a perfectly crisp coating with a tender onion centre.

A client shared with me recently that the macro greens bowl is an approved Weight Watchers menu item. I am pleased to report that the macro greens bowl with brown rice, crispy tofu and green dressing is very tasty and satisfying as a main course. This is not my best food photography, but this is a tasty meal:

The combination of crispy tofu, bok choy, sweet potato, tomato, brown rice with the green dressing is a satisfying taste and texture combination.

I don’t typically choose smoothies and juices at restaurants, but the Fresh drink menu is very appealing with its large array of smoothies and fresh juices. The latest one I tried had the most appealing name of eternal youth. The eternal youth smoothie tasted great while including kale and E3Live.

Fresh is a great option to try delicious vegan and vegetarian meals with familiar foods like onion rings in the mix. Vegetarian diets have numerous health benefits and trying a vegetarian meal at home or at a restaurant like Fresh is a great place to start. Expanding the variety of foods you eat, especially plant foods is always a great idea as it increases the variety of nutrients you intake.

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Posted in Greens, Restaurant review, Vegan

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Veggie Inspiration: Callaloo

Posted on May 16, 2012 | 1 comment

Callaloo was a most delicious green veggie I tried while I was in Jamaica in March. I was told it was like spinach, but a bit milder. I first had it in a mixed vegetable curry, which I quite enjoyed. I had it again for breakfast in a dish of poached eggs and steamed callaloo.

Callaloo provides vitamin C, folic acid, iron and calcium. I found it to be delicious just steamed, so I highly recommend it as a green veggie to have regularly-it tastes good! Having more greens is a tried and true strategy for better health and fat loss. This concept gets much easier when there is a green that is this tasty.

A Jakes employee showed me callaloo growing wild by the side of the road. This is unlikely here in Canada, but be sure to try callaloo if you have the opportunity to do so in the Caribbean. Or at a West Indian restaurant in Toronto. Or try to buy some at a specialty market-I will do so and report back.

June 16, 2012

I got my hands on some callaloo at a Caribbean store in Kensington market. It was imported from Jamaica, but it was definitely a fresh cut plant. I cooked it with the help of a good friend yesterday and it was delicious!

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Posted in antioxidant, Greens, Healthy food, plant food, Recommendation, Vegan, Veggies

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Health Booster: Lemon Water with Coconut Oil

Posted on April 23, 2012 | Leave a comment

Hot water and lemon is a beverage that many natural health practitioners advise people to drink first thing in the morning. Some of the benefits are bringing the body to better balance through improved digestion and liver function. From a practical standpoint, I find hot water and lemon a pleasant way to hydrate after waking up.

Adding a spoonful of coconut oil to hot water and lemon is a beverage concoction that I devised recently for the purpose of bringing a client back to better health. We were amazed by the results of having this drink within one week. Her psoriasis improved dramatically and the appearance of her skin in general was much improved as well. The medium chain fatty acids in the coconut oil is quickly taken up by the cells of the body and helps the cells absorb nutrients. It is great to see this improved nutrition physically in skin, as the skin is the largest organ of the body.

I tried the beverage myself and found an improvement in my skin and hair in addition to some fat loss. The flaky skin that I ordinarily experienced from sun exposure was markedly improved after a few days of drinking this beverage. I lost some body fat in the past month or so from a combination of having this beverage, going to an outstanding yoga retreat in Jamaica with Alyssa Cohen, and keeping up my exercise program. This beverage is a health booster!

Here is the recipe:

-Squeeze the juice of 1/4 or 1/2 an organic lemon into a mug.

-Fill mug half way with boiling water

-Add a spoonful of organic virgin coconut oil

-Stir and fill the mug with room temperature water.

-Stir and drink

 

Please share with us what you notice in yourself after taking this beverage.

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Posted in Healthy Beverage

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5 Everyday Antioxidant Foods

Posted on April 21, 2012 | Leave a comment

Eating foods rich in antioxidants can help prevent illness and slow the aging process. The question what is oxidation, is one I am asked frequently. An easy visual example is imagine cutting an apple in half. What happens in half an hour? The apple starts to turn brown and maybe dry up a bit. This is due to exposure to oxygen and the chemical reaction that occurs in the presence of oxygen (the chemical reaction is oxidation).

We need to eat foods with antioxidants to counteract the environmental stressors our bodies are exposed to such as, alcohol, sun, smoke, pollution, and various other forms stress we experience.
There are various ways to measure antioxidant content in foods, but vitamin C, vitamin E, betacarotene, and selenium are the main nutrients to look for.Here are 5 everyday foods that are high in antioxidants:

1. Oats-are a source of selenium, vitamin E and soluble fibre, which also helps lower blood cholesterol.

2. Berries-blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries are rich sources of vitamin C and many other  beneficial phytochemicals. They are a fruit that is lower in sugar and easy to eat.

3. Broccoli-is rich in vitamin C and indole-3-carbinol, a cancer fighting phytochemical. Try pre-cut broccoli slaw mixed in with your regular salad. If you will not eat broccoli, try other dark leafy greens such as kale, collard greens, watercress, bok choy.

4. Carrots-are a food that most people like to eat raw, so enjoy regularly for its betacarotene, precursor to vitamin A content. If you do not like carrots, try fresh carrot apple juice.

5. Dark chocolate-(try one with a lower sugar content, less than 5 grams of sugar per serving) is fun to eat and contains vitamin C and is a great source of flavinoids, another type antioxidant compound.

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Posted in antioxidant, Healthy food, plant food

Treat Inspiration: Yogorino’s

Posted on April 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

I walked by Yogorino’s during my last trip to San Francisco. I had eaten plenty already, but their tagline was ‘the best tasting yogurt in the world’ caught my attention. And there was something about the shop that seemed a little different than the choose your own topping frozen yogurt places that are proliferating everywhere.

I went in and inquired about the claim and the helpful young lady there, Aljarice was happy to give me a sample. The frozen yogurt, which I tasted with no toppings was delicious, with a creamy texture like soft serve icecream. This frozen yogurt was the best I have tasted from a frozen yogurt shop. She told me the difference was 2% organic yogurt and natural sweeteners.

I had a mini sample with a little bit of topping for fun, very tasty and satisfying because of the creaminess of the yogurt.

I was told that the small portion of the frozen yogurt before toppings is 80 calories and a similar amount of sugar to regular sweetened yogurt, but so much more fun to eat! This was such a tasty treat, that I almost forgot that it qualifies as a healthier type of treat. It was like having an icecream with probiotics, lower fat and real fruit toppings. 
Yogorino’s is in San Fran and Philadelphia so far in North America, but is fast growing in Italy where it originates and is branching out through Europe, Asia and other parts of the world. 

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Posted in healthy treat, product review

Recipe: Acai Bowl

Posted on April 13, 2012 | Leave a comment

So it was not too difficult at all to create an acai bowl at home. I went to a health food store, Evergreen Natural Foods and purchased some Sambazon frozen organic acai berry puree (smoothie packs). Printed on the package was directions on how to make an acai bowl! Here is my version:

One package of Sambazon frozen acai puree
1/4 cup Coconut Dream or other non dairy milk
1/2 banana, sliced
1/4 cup granola
1/2 cup mixed berries of your choice
1 tsp honey or more to your taste

Blend acai puree and milk in blender until thick and pour or scoop into a bowl. Drizzle with honey. Top with granola, sliced banana and berries-enjoy!
Enjoy as a light breakfast, healthy snack or dessert.

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Posted in healthy recipe, plant food

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Salad Inspiration: Mijita jicama salad

Posted on April 12, 2012 | Leave a comment
The jicama salad at Mijita in the Ferry Building of San Francisco is an all time favourite salad of mine. Mijita is a casual taqueria opened by chef Tracy Des Jardins. This salad has the perfect blend of flavour, texture and nutrition. There is vitamin C and other phytochemicals in both the jicama and grapefruit. Healthy fats are found in the avocado and toasted pumpkin seeds. The taste and texture of it all is outstanding! I have written in to Bon Appetit RSVP to try and get the recipe.

April 20, 2012. Just an update. Chef Melissa Saunders made my wish come true. She created a version of this salad for her menu this week. Her jicama salad was super outstanding!!! Even tastier than the one pictured above…maybe more zing in the cilantro lime dressing? Try her for the recipe (that might not happen) or order it from her like I did www.chefmelissasaunders.com

 

 

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Posted in antioxidant, Healthy food