You are what you eat and think

Posted on June 30, 2013 | Leave a comment

I would like to share that I love to eat clotted cream, and I ate quite a bit of it this weekend in London. Clotted cream has been an absolute favourite food of mine since the age of 12. I have heard many times the question-‘isn’t that bad for you?’. Some foods have more health benefits than others. However, I invite you to consider your thoughts towards the food you eat. I would suggest a mindfulness where you choose foods you truly enjoy and love eating. This mind frame brings a more positive energy than struggling with a diet. In my own practice, I notice that choosing to enjoy foods I love occasionally delivers its own portion control naturally. Your thoughts and judgements are energy. Having positive thoughts brings positive energy to the process of eating and digestion, pillars of good health. You are what you eat and think…

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Recipe: Barley Pomegranate Salad

Posted on June 20, 2013 | Leave a comment

This recipe caught my eye in the mainly vegetarian cookbook Plenty. I could not get my hands on sherry vinegar, so I improvised with pomegranate molasses or concentrated pomegranate juice (found in middle eastern food shops), which adds a slightly sweet, tart depth of flavour. The pomegranate seeds and celery bring a nice crunchy contrast to the chewy barley.

1 cup pearl barley, rinsed

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

2 stalks celery, diced

1 pomegranate (gather the seeds by slicing horizontally and removing the skin)

2-3 tablespoons chopped dill

2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/4 cup currants (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Place barley into a small pot with 3 cups of water, bring to a boil and simmer for 35 minutes or until tender with a chewy bite. Drain if necessary.

While barley is still warm, stir in olive oil, vinegar, pomegranate molasses and shallot. Allow to cool and stir in celery, pomegranate seeds, dill, parsley and currants if using. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.

 

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Posted in Recipe, Vegan, Vivian Law

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Book Review: The Fast Diet

Posted on June 10, 2013 | Leave a comment

I learned of The Fast Diet when a client told me about a BBC special done by Dr Mike Mosley on the health benefits of fasting. Due to my prodigious internet skills, I was unable to watch even clips of the video, so I bought the book and read it. I read a fair amount of diet books in order to answer questions from clients intelligently.

The Fast Diet is one of the more scientifically and psychologically sound diet plans I have read. The premise is simple: fasting by eating 500-600 calories 2 days per week is conducive to weight loss, an improved insulin response and reduced risk of age related diseases. If you do not have much weight to lose, fasting for a day at occasionally can still offer the same health benefits.

Intermittent fasting is based on the premise that you can give your body a ‘break’ from the constant work of digesting food and essentially reset your hormonal response. The author of the Fast Diet points out that the eating pattern they suggest mimics that of a naturally thin person. A person’s appetite can vary from day to day, so their caloric intake can vary on a daily basis, and comes to a steady average over time.

I have not tried the 2 days per week of fasting that is suggested in The Fast Diet. However, I do notice I eat less if I’m not hungry, so I am naturally inclined to fast a little, very occasionally. In addition to the rare occasions that I have little appetite, I try to eat very lightly when I take long flights, as it helps me minimize jet lag. Airport food can be so unappealing that I choose to not eat and prefer to wait for a decent meal at my destination.

The Fast Diet is well worth reading if you want to learn more about intermittent fasting and/or try a doable eating program for health benefits and weight loss. If you don’t read the book, you can always try to listen to your body and eat according to your appetite, which most likely will vary. Eating less for just one day is doable for most of us.

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Posted in book review, commentary, fat loss, Healthy food, Making Life Good Recommends, Review

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Recipe: Maple Coleslaw

Posted on May 31, 2013 | Leave a comment

Coleslaw is a veggie dish that many clients tell me they like to eat if it is available, so I encourage them to do so. Many are surprised to learn that coleslaw is an easy and healthy salad option that makes eating almost raw veggies taste good. Here is a super simple recipe to try that has a touch of sweetness from maple syrup:

1 bag of precut coleslaw

1 green onion, chopped

1 cup sugar snap peas, sliced crosswise

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro and/or mint

1/2 mango, sliced into thin strips (optional)

juice of 1/2-1 lime

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari

1 tablespoon sesame oil

dash of hot sauce (optional)

In a large bowl, whisk or stir together lime juice, maple syrup, soy sauce/tamari, sesame oil. Mix in coleslaw, green onion, sugar snap peas, cilantro and/or mint. Stir in mango if using. Serve cold or at room temperature.

This coleslaw keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days.

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Ready to eat? Check in with yourself-

Posted on May 20, 2013 | Leave a comment

We all know it is vitally important to ‘eat healthy’ and many of us make an effort to do so. In my opinion, one of the important aspects of healthy eating is to tune into your own energy levels and how you respond to the food you eat. There are many ideas of what is ‘healthy, healthier and healthiest’, however, how you feel and how food affects you personally is of utmost importance. Paying attention to how you feel before and after you eat is a practice that will allow you to find the best food choices for you.

Here are 3 questions you can ask when you are ready to eat:

-How is my energy level?

-Do I feel hungry? (physically, mentally, need a distraction)

-How do I feel about this food choice? (Is it healthy for me? A meal I love? Not enthused?)

Here are 3 questions to consider after you eat:

-How is my energy level?

-What is my level of satiety or satisfaction?

-What do I notice physically in my body?

As you practice tuning in, you may find that certain foods are better choices for you than others. I like to choose foods I truly enjoy eating, that enjoyment is very satisfying and most importantly I feel energized after I eat. Healthy foods and healthy eating is choosing foods that make you feel good-

MLG_recommends

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Posted in Healthy food, Making Life Good Recommends, Recommendation, Vivian Law

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Top 5 Moves to Transform Your Butt

Posted on May 11, 2013 | Leave a comment

I have built muscle and transformed my own butt and many others over the course of my career as a fitness trainer so far. Thank you to my sister for making fun of me and lighting the fire under my butt as a teenager. Here is my list of perennial favourite, super effective moves for transforming your butt in time for spring:

1. Running stairs or hill sprints (walk if that’s more comfortable for your body- still highly beneficial)

2. Walking lunges. This is my go-to exercise, as it is the best for working your glutes, hamstrings, quads and co-ordination synergistically with the undeniable results of a well shaped butt. Walking lunges uphill are a tough workout when the right hill presents itself, meaning a not too steep hill.

Vivian Law butt workout

Uphill training, combined with walking lunges!

3. Squats in any variation. Once you learn to perform squats with good technique, all the different variations confer the benefit of training your core, quads, glutes and hamstrings all at once.

Basic weighted squats can be done anywhere...

Basic weighted squats can be done anywhere…

4. Bridge position, static, or moving reps with or without the stability ball. The bridge position/posture requires the lower back, glutes and hamstrings to work together to hold the position. Holding the posture builds isometric strength and  moving reps with feet on the floor or on a stability ball builds isotonic strength in the glutes and hamstrings. Both types of muscular strength are needed for highly functional and well developed muscles.

5. Virabhadrasana II/Warrior II posture borrowed from yoga practice is a great addition to any strength training routine for the legs. This posture builds strength and flexibility simultaneously in the glutes, hamstrings and quads in addition to inner strength, flexibility and relaxation.

 

 

 

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Making Life Good Recommends

Posted on April 30, 2013 | Leave a comment

MLG_recommends

You may have noticed that there are a fair number of food, food product and service recommendations on this website. The purpose of these recommendations is to share ways to lead a healthy lifestyle, enjoy food and make life good. A lot of care and consideration goes into the recommendations you find here.

Making Life Good recommendations strive for great taste, nutrition, enjoyment, relative ease of preparation and most importantly a way to Make Life Good through healthy eating. The recipes you find here are created and tested myself and on various guests until there is a high level of taste enjoyment.

Our food and food product recommendations are discoveries that are found anywhere in the world, through a constant journey to locate amazing food experiences everywhere. Whenever possible, I have personal conversations with the purveyors of the product to learn the back story. If not, the products are tested myself and repeatedly with various friends and guests. Every product that I ever recommend here is one that I use regularly myself, share and purchase for others. I hope you enjoy our recommendations and they make life good for you-

Yours Truly,

Vivian Law

 

 

 

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Posted in Making Life Good Recommends, Vivian Law

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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: Sweet Potato, Pineapple and Pork Stew

Posted on April 2, 2013 | Leave a comment

This sweet potato, pineapple and pork stew is a great blend of sweet and sour flavour. The recipe is inspired by one I came across many years ago in Eating Well magazine. Essentially, it has become my healthier version of sweet and sour pork:

1-2 shallots, minced

1 small piece of ginger, minced

1 pound of lean pork stew cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups of strained tomatoes

2-3 medium sweet potatoes, cubed

1 cup fresh pineapple chunks

1/4 teaspoon cumin

salt and pepper to taste

chopped cilantro and green onion for garnish

In a large saucepan or pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Lightly brown shallots and ginger for a minute. Add pork, season with salt and pepper, and brown all over. Add strained tomatoes to the pot, then cumin, sweet potatoes and pineapple. Cover, bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer until sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro and green onion. Enjoy over brown rice if desired.

 

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