A Complete Smoothie

Base + Protein Booster + Energy Booster + Nutrient Booster

Start with your Base

1/2 to 1 cup Skim Milk or Milk Alternative (Almond, Soy, Oat)

Add one Protein Booster

1/4 to 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or Probiotic Plain Yogurt
1 scoop (15g) Whey protein isolate
1 scoop (15g) Brown rice, hemp, or pea protein

Add one Energy Booster

1/4 Fresh or frozen berries
1/2 Medium banana
1/4 Frozen mixed fruit or mango

Add one Nutrient Booster

1/2-1 cup Spinach or Kale
1 tsp Ground flaxseed
1 tsp Chia or hemp seeds
1 tsp Flaxseed oil or Fish oil

Blend. Mix in a blender and add ice or water for desired consistency.

"The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts" - Aristotle

These combinations are more satisfying than you think. Here are a few of my favourites.

Super Refreshing Summer Drink

Club Soda (I’m partial to Canada Dry - I like how fizzy it is)
Ice Cubes
1 Tbsp of Cranberry Juice
A couple of berries (Raspberries or strawberries)
Slice of Lime

Find a great glass. Load in 4 to 6 ice cubes. Pour 1/2 to 3/4 cups of a can of club soda. Add in cranberry juice, a couple of berries and a squeeze of lime.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

I’ve said it before. This is one of my favourite desserts of all time. I find it more satisfying than a piece of chocolate cake and it’s a healthy dessert option.

I like to use a double boiler method however you can just use a sauce pot.

Simply melt some dark chocolate slowly and tilt the pot to the side and cover the strawberry. I use a toothpick or skewer to hold it. Place 4 or 5 of them on a plate and refrigerate for 10 or so minutes.

Tomato Bocconcini Salad (Caprese)

A truly satisfying salad!

1 medium tomato, sliced thin
6 leaves basil, fresh
2 ball (1 ounce) bocconcini, mozzarella balls, sliced
1 dash salt
1 dash black pepper
3/4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil.

1. Slice tomatoes and bocconcini.
2. Lay tomatoes and bocconcini on a nice plate and top with basil.
3. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over salad.
4. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

My Sunday Coffee

Espresso or coffee
Milk (2%) Foamed with a frother
Pinch of raw sugar
Dark chocolate - grated.

Make your espresso or coffee. Froth milk. Top coffee with milk and add a pinch of raw sugar and a very small amount of dark chocolate.

Energy Tips

Here are a few food and exercise tips to help increase your energy throughout the day:

1. Increase your Magnesium Intake
Eating a balanced diet can help ensure your vitamin and mineral needs are met. But if you still find yourself tired all the time, you could have a slight magnesium deficiency. To make sure you're getting enough magnesium:
• Add almonds, hazelnuts & cashews - grab 10 or 12
• Increase your intake of whole grains, particularly bran cereal (really enjoying Nature’s Path Flax Plus Multigrain flakes lately)
• Eat more fish, especially halibut.

2. Take a walk – even if it’s only 5 minutes
While it may seem as if moving about when you feel exhausted is the quickest route to feeling more exhausted, the opposite is true. Experts say that increasing physical activity -- particularly walking -- increases energy.

3. Don't Skip Breakfast
Studies show that people who eat breakfast report being in a better mood, and have more energy throughout the day.

4. H20
You may already know that it's easy to confuse signals of hunger with thirst but did you know that thirst can also masquerade as fatigue? Sometimes, even slight dehydration can leave you feeling tired and lethargic.
• Keep a glass bottle of water in your fridge. Make it as easy as grabbing a beverage out of the fridge.
• Don’t forget about sparkling water. I’m a big fan of mineral water and club soda.

5. Less Sugar
The key here is keeping blood sugars balanced so energy is constant. When you're eating a sweet food, you get a spike in blood sugar, which gives you an initial burst of energy. But, that's followed by a rapid drop in blood sugar, which in turn can leave you feeling very wiped out. Do that enough times a day, and by evening you're feeling exhausted.

6. Pushups or Squats
If you work on the computer it can feel like your body falls asleep. When I work on the computer I often set a timer for around 15-20 minutes. When it goes off I force myself up to walk around, stretch or do a set of 10 or 12 pushups or squats. Gets your blood flowing and wakes you up.

7. Have a Power Snack
Power snacking is more than just eating between meals. Choose a treat that combines protein, a little fat and some fiber — like peanut butter on a whole-wheat cracker, or some yogurt with a handful of nuts. The carbs offer a quick pick-me-up, the protein keeps your energy up, and the fat makes the energy last.

8. Make It a Latte
Pair a quick caffeine hit with the sustaining power of protein by having a low-fat latte instead of just a cup of coffee. All that milk turns your java into a protein drink. Combine it with an ounce of almonds - the healthy fat will really tide you over.

Putting it into practice: Start by choosing 1 of the 8 tips above and adding it this to your daily routine for a week!

Homemade Citrus Sports Drink

This homemade citrus sports drink is a healthy alternative to Gatorade and other sports drinks. Great for kids camp or a day in the sun!

Homemade Citrus Sports Drink
Makes 2 cups (500ml)

2 Tbsp Sugar
1/8 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Boiling Water
2 Tbsp Orange Juice
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1.75 cup Cold Water

Combine the sugar and salt in a bowl or pitcher. Add boiling water to the sugar and salt mixture and stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Stir in remaining ingredients and chill in the fridge until needed.

Tip: Other unsweetened fruit juices can be used instead of orange juice.

Eating Out Game Plan 2.0

I posted this blog a few years back and it got a lot of interest. Here it is again, with a few extra tips and a game plan for eating out!

1. “I didn’t eat all day” - WRONG APPROACH. This thanksgiving dinner approach doesn’t work for eating out. Don’t “save” calories for your night out. Instead eat a sensible, breakfast, lunch and a snack. If dinner out is at 6:30, eat a snack at 4pm. Why? Because it stops you from ordering those calorie-rich appies.

2. Appetizers & Starters - Skip em. Most are deep-fried or loaded with cheese and fat. Ask them to take bread/buns and butter away from the table. Have a few sips of wine or beer to hold you until entree time. Or if starving, ask for a side salad. 

3. Water - Not every restaurant uses a tonne of salt when seasoning their food, but 95% do! It’s also used as a preservative in most frozen or prepped foods like french fries, canned foods, dressings, etc. It's just part of eating out. So we are going to limit some of the effects of this onslaught of Salt.  Drink more water today at your desk, tonight at dinner, before bed and tomorrow before lunch.

4. Alcohol - Skip the dark beers, tonics and pop mixers. Go with light beer or lighter coloured beers, wine, and use club soda mix in hard alcohol drinks. Don’t mess with the bellini drinks or frozen margaritas. 

5. Entrees - Salads are not always the safe option. Look at the ingredients. Does the salad have cheese, creamy dressing, nuts and avocado with corn or wonton chips. Stay away. Best Bet: A piece of protein (fish, chicken, beef), grain (not fries) and vegetables or side salad. Oil & Vinegar dressing or Balsamic- on the side. 

6. Dessert - Here’s my move. If they have chocolate gelato I get it. If they don’t, I like to go somewhere else that does, and get gelato and wine. Or I have the gelato in my freezer at home. Chocolate or berry gelato packs a big taste punch and can satisfy your need for something sweet. Let me help you with a comparison. Chocolate cheese cake is 500 cals plus per slice with lots of fat. Small Chocolate Gelato is 90 calories. 

7. The Day After -  Drink water. And if you are planning on weighing yourself the day after a night out - skip it. The salt and water will lead to water retention. Wait for a day or two.

The Game plan - Eat during the day. No Saving Calories. More water than usual. No Appie. Lighter drinks with no sugar bombs. Protein based entrees. Chocolate gelato.  Next day drink water and no jumping on the scale.

Tips on How to Save Money as Food Prices Rise

1. Grocery Shopping

   Most likely you have 3 grocery stores within 10 minutes of you. They will all have different sales on each week. Use Flipp.com and plan to buy at sale prices or in bulk. This can save you a substantial amount of money, especially if you’re buying for growing kids.
   

2. Meals & Meal Prep

   Plan your meals for the week, or at least half of them to avoid having to make that last minute decision “what are we having for dinner tonight?”. Less eating out, take out, and less food waste.
   

3. Have 1 or 2 Veg-Based Meals

   Include 1 or 2 vegetarian or vegetable-based meals in the week such as a pasta, chili, stir fry or homemade pizza.
   

4. 1 Egg-Based Dinner

   Eggs are a less expensive protein choice. Make one of your dinners an omelet, scramble or eggless quiche.
   

5. Make Your Own Food

   Making a batch of muffins, cookies, granola or muesli instead of buying store-bought version will save you money. These things freeze really well too.
   

6. Frozen Fruit and Avocado Chunks

   Make use of frozen fruit when fresh is not in season or on sale. You can also find frozen avocado chunks, frozen pomegranate seeds and other things you might like to add to your smoothie.

Recipe: Chicken Mexican Bowl

Here’s a simple recipe packed with the perfect balance of protein, fat, carbs, nutrients and taste. It's in our weekly rotation at home. We’re always changing up the flavours depending on what is in our kitchen.

This recipe is so versatile. Add some corn, red onions, hot sauce, adobo chilies, sour cream or pico de gallo. For Vegetarians, add crispy tofu or another type of bean to boost your protein.

Chicken Mexican Bowl

Makes: 2 Servings *double the recipe if you are making for your family.
Feel free to add peppers, hot peppers and any type of hot sauce to your bowl.

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown rice (1.5 cups cooked)
210 g (7.4 oz) chicken breast, boneless, skinless
1 dash chili powder
1 dash spices, cumin
1 dash salt
1/2 cup (4.9 oz) beans, black, canned, drained , rinsed well
1/2 fruit avocado, ripe
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 stalk green onion, tops only, chopped
2 tbsp cilantro (coriander), fresh, chopped
2 wedge lime, raw

Directions

1. Cook brown rice according to package. 

2. Chop chicken. Heat non-stick pan and add a bit of oil. Cook chicken through so it is no longer pink. 

3. Add chili, cumin and salt to the chicken. *You can also add it to the rice as well if you want.

4. Chop all vegetables and herbs.

5. Rinse black beans well. *You can use them straight out of the can or cook them by boiling them. It's your preference. 

6. Find a shallow bowl. Add rice to the bottom. Top with chicken, avocado, beans and vegetables. 

7. Sprinkle fresh cilantro and lime over all ingredients. Also add a dash of salt and any other herbs or hot sauce. Enjoy.

A Few of the Products I'm Using for Meal Prep this Week

Here a a few of the products in my kitchen right now:

1. Tazo Matcha Mate Grapefruit Green Tea - Love the taste of this one. Great for that 2pm pick me up, and its packed full of antioxidants.

2. Little Big Bread - Sprouted Grain Bread - Packed with Fibre. Low calories. Fills you up.

3. Individual Hummus Packages - Large hummus containers can go bad in my fridge. I love the little portable ones.

4. Menzetta Tamed Jalapeno Peppers - Brightens up a salad or wrap. I find them hot but not too hot. 

5. Blue Diamond Nut Thins - Almond ones are great with just about anything. Pecan are more sweet.

6. Brianna’s French Dressing - I loved this for years then they stopped carrying in parts of Canada. It’s back and I’m so happy.

7. Liberte Greek Lemon 2% Yogurt - I buy the 4x100g containers. I’m a huge fan. 

8. Frozen Pomegranate seeds. Add to oatmeal, smoothies, salads, and the kids lunch boxes.

9. Small Corn Tortillas (La Tortilla Factory) - You have to warm the tortilla in a pan first. I like to top them with a bit of refried beans, a bit of meat protein (chicken or steak), tbsp of cheddar, some tomatoes, lettuce, peppers with some green salsa and sour cream

10. Herdez Green Salsa - A great alternative to the traditional jarred salsas. 

11. BOLD flavours - Olive Tapanade, Curry Spice (Try in Egg or Chicken Salad), Dill Pickle, Hot Sauce, Pink Grapefruit.

12. Pan-fried Panko Breadcrumbs. My husband discovered pan frying panko in some olive oil and sea salt. They have become a great topping for salads, soups, green beans, pasta dishes and marinara pizza.

Feeling Satiated

When you hear of being satiated or satisfied in regards to meals, you may think of being “full”. Feeling full is quite different than feeling satiated.  You could eat a bag of Skinny Pop and you might feel full.  But eat a few grapes with a slice of cheddar cheese and two seed crackers and you will feel satiated or satisfied.

Why is it important?

Taste and feeling satiated is important for both your physical and mental state. Understanding what satiates you can help avoid overeating, cravings, and help with weight control. I’ll use my husband as an example (I hope that’s okay hun).

When my husband wants to lose a couple of pounds he lowers the amount of food he eats (his portions) somewhat, but more significantly, he alters what snacks he eats. Instead of grabbing a sandwich, crackers or chips, etc I will find him eating a pickle, a turkey pepperoni or celery cream cheese and hot sauce. He will also eat smoked salmon and really enjoy it (my husband does not eat salmon usually). When I asked him why he just said “my body wants it”.

You can tell my husband moves towards salt, vinegar and umami tastes to feel satiated. So instead of getting these from high calorie and low nutrient food like chips and crackers he’s altered it to low calorie, high nutrient, very taste oriented foods. 

Which taste profile are you drawn to?

Salty: Turkey pepperoni, slice of ham, slice of turkey, pickle, hot peppers, vegetables and hummus, vegetables and hot sauce, celery and peanut butter. 

Sweet: Dried fruit with 10 almonds, yogurt with fruit, a prune, date, freeze some grapes and eat them frozen. 

Fat: Nuts, hard-boiled egg, 1/4 avocado, smoked salmon, celery and peanut butter, slice of cheese and 1/2 apple. 

A note on Salads: Most likely they aren’t satisfying because they don’t have the keys to make you satiated. You are one or two ingredients away from making that salad satisfying. 

Try one or two these in your next salad:

• Sliced pickle, 4 olives, a tbsp of Parmesan cheese, 1 Tbsp of dried fruits or nuts, green onion, dill, cilantro, grapes, apples, mandarin slices, lemon rind, strawberry, sea salt, black pepper, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, lime juice, pomegranate seeds, sunflowers seeds, hemp hearts etc. 

Try it out: Find what your body is craving. Instead of heading to your go-to snack or meal try to satisfy your craving with an alternative that has some of those key tastes that will satiate you ;)

Easy Tzatziki!

Tzatziki is made simply with yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, fresh herbs (usually mint or dill), garlic, lemon juice and salt. Nutritionally speaking, tzatziki is a creamy but light sauce. You can dollop it generously on your food without adding a lot of calories.

Recipe

Makes 2.5 cups

2 cups diced or grated cucumber
1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint and/or dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Preparation:

1. Working with one handful at a time, lightly squeeze the diced or grated cucumber between your palms over the sink to remove excess moisture. Transfer the squeezed cucumber to a serving bowl, and repeat with the remaining cucumber.

2. Add the yogurt, olive oil, herbs, lemon juice, garlic, and salt to the bowl, and stir to blend.

3. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes or longer to allow the flavors to meld.

4. Taste and add additional chopped fresh herbs, lemon juice, and/or salt, if necessary.

5. Serve tzatziki immediately or chill for later. Leftover tzatziki keeps well, chilled, for about 4 days.

Tzatziki Nutrition & Yogurt Notes

Nutritionally speaking, tzatziki is a creamy but light sauce. You can dollop it generously on your food without adding a lot of calories. It’s a great dip for veggies too! I haven’t found a noticeable difference in texture whether I use whole-milk yogurt, low-fat or non-fat, so any of those will work. Greek yogurt is going to be thicker and higher in protein than regular yogurt.