Last Sunday of November

Up and out of bed early this cold (-3) November morning, I was paged to assess a labour at 05:00. For us Westcoasters, minus 3 is COLD! The labour was early, so I left the couple with their doula and headed home until things progressed further. 

I try to eat mostly raw, but I don't expect my children to do the same. I have three kids of my own and two international home-stays. The kids often drink my smoothies and eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, but they like cooked food, after all they are teenagers.  My home-stays,say my food is too healthy, I love it!

I try to make as much food from scratch as I can, or buy locally made organic products. I make all the cookies and muffins for the weekly lunches and what a perfect thing to do while waiting on a labour! 

I found this recipe online and used spelt flour, brown sugar and Nature's Path cereal, but you can use any type of breakfast cereal.

Done just in time... paged back to deliver a baby:)

1. 

   Finished Product

   Ingredients
   1 cup Fibre 1* Original cereal, crushed
   2/3 cup skim milk
   1 cup flour
   3/4 cup ground flax seed
   3/4 cup chopped apple
   1/2 cup packed brown sugar
   1/2 cup finely shredded carrot
   1/4 cup granulated sugar
   1/4 cup flaked coconut
   1 tbsp canola or soybean oil
   1 tbsp baking powder
   2 tsp cinnamon
   1 tsp vanilla
   1/2 tsp salt
   2 eggs, slightly beaten

   Instructions

   1. Heat oven to 375°F. Grease 12 regular size muffin cups, or place a paper baking cup in each.
   2. In large bowl, stir together cereal and milk; let stand about 5 minutes or until cereal is softened. Stir in remaining ingredients. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
   3. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes. Remove from pan and serve warm.

   Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 25 min | Total time: 50 min

   Number of servings (yield): 12

   http://www.fortysomething.ca/2008/05/breakfast_cereal_muffins.php Cereal Muffins

No One's Perfect

I have a friend who struggles with her weight and allowing "good food" to come naturally into her life. She wants to trim down and most importantly feel better, have more energy and show her children how important good food and a healthy lifestyle are! I encourage her often, but also remind her that the  change to a healthier lifestyle has to come from within. The key word here is lifestyle, its a lifetime of eating well and exercise not a quick fix or "diet".

I was talking with this friend this morning about eating right and she mentioned that when she was a child she was sent to school with an apple, a juice box and a sugary sweet, that was her example of nutrition. In turn, I mentioned my lunch box wasn't much better as a kid in the 1970's and early 80's  usually a factory made cookie, an apple and a white bread sandwich, often filled with cheese spread, sweet pickles and processed meat! My friend was surprised by this; she thought I had always eaten healthy...nope! I grew up like many of us over fed, but under nourished.

A quote from my friend after hearing that I too was a junk food kid, " talk about that on your blog. make the rest of us feel normal and give us the hope that we can break out of the sad diet too. I tend to think healthy people are that way because they always have been."

Personally I found nutrition on my journey to self acceptance. I made this choice to better myself and nourish my children. It didn't happen overnight, it takes time. Start by making a few changes and those changes will lead to more changes and so on. Think about how this has worked so far, the more junk foods you eat the more you crave, the worse you feel. Most of us gradually abused our bodies over time and don't really notice until we are in trouble with our health, are over weight, or tired and depressed. I know its time to turn things around, love yourself and allow positive change to happen.

PENDER...DO I NEED TO SAY MORE?

Progress...

So, I think this mostly raw, whole food diet, might just be working for me?  Honestly I have never felt better in my life... I have lost 25 pounds and I get daily comments about how healthy I look and how much younger than my actual age I look! Gotta love it!

So, how did I get here?

I have always wanted to be a healthy, organic, happy, human. But, I have to admit I doubted myself for years and hid behind the safety of those "few" extra pounds. I think the initial "wake up" was after the breakup of my 16 year marriage about three years ago. At first I was LOST, I had compromised myself to the point that I didn't even know who I was anymore. With nothing to loose but weight and future illness, I dove into a healthier lifestyle. I had always maintained daily exercise and a "balanced" diet, but its not enough. I had to stop poisoning myself and my kids with non-organic foods, chemical additives, wheat, dairy and cruelly raised meat. Once I got over this and my Carb addiction, I started working towards self love, whole food, and continued with regular exercise. The results are amazing!

The final turning point for me was a 10 day juice feast last December in an attempt to get out of my depressed mood, it reset my body and I felt amazing. I had juiced before but never to this degree.  It was hard, but I did it! From that point on I have made whole-food my life...

I have been 100% wheat free for four months (on and off for years), I eat little to no dairy and I am juicing or making a daily smoothie or two and eating mostly raw foods! Salads, salads, salads, nuts, seeds, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, supplements and super-foods. And WATER...lots of water!

I love my healthy, happy lifestyle and I cant imagine going back to eating anything close to the typical North American diet again!

It was a beautiful sunny Sunday in November, after a crazy night of rain and wind. I did a sunrise bike ride along the ocean... and drove an hour for a lunch date with a good friend. We went out for raw goodies, kombucha and a green smoothie, all yummy, but home made is always better!

Todays smoothie for the road trip...

Blueberry, Banana with Greens
1 cup froze blueberries
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 -2  cups spinach and or kale
1/2 banana
3 pitted dates
1 small avacado
1tsp chlorella
1 tbsp super power blend
(cocao, mesquite, lucuma, maca and
vanilla powder...yum!
sprinkle of cinnamon
Personally I think this smoothie was a little to sweet, but would make a great starter smoothie :) or omit the dates...

Angela

Hello, i’m Angela,

I spent the better part of my childhood on Salt-Spring Island, where I was exposed to the forest, the ocean, farms, animals, interesting foods, beautiful people and the Saturday Market, oh how I loved the Saturday market! My father was a vendor selling his wares and I was his official “helper”. This experience set my foundation for health and simplicity. These memories are what brought me back to my roots… live simple, eating simple and flourish!

I now live in Victoria BC with my children and currently work as a midwife. I have been self-studying nutrition for years and am about to take the plunge and “officially study” holistic nutrition. I’m going to be busy, with kids, pets, work and school, but its all worth it to me. I’m going to acquire the knowledge to nourish, prevent illness and to help heal the human body with food, amazing! This is my passion...join me, find your inner love! Follow my journey, be inspired, watch and even make change, but only if you are ready! Here we go...

Hearty Winter Vegetable Soup

1 small turnip
1 large yam
1 beet
3 carrots
2 cups purple cabbage
2 onions
3 garlic cloves
1 cup corn
2 red peppers, sliced
1 large can chick peas
4-5 cups organic chicken or vegetable broth
salt, pepper and chilli flakes to taste
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro



Peel and chop turnip, yam, beet and carrots into bite sized pieces.
Peel and dice the onions and garlic. Slice red peppers. Drain and rinse 1 can chick peas.
On medium high heat sauté the garlic and onions with olive oil until transparent, add the diced vegetable, salt pepper and chilies to taste; stir until the vegetables are about half cooked. Add broth of choice, chick peas, sliced peppers and corn. Allow to simmer on low heat for 2 - 4 hrs, stirring occasionally. Serve with chopped cilantro or fresh grated parmesan cheese. Your house will smell amazing! Serves 6 plus...

A little raspberry ginger to start the day....

1 cup frozen rasberries
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 banana
1/4 cup juiced ginger
1 tbsp algae powder
dash of cinnamon, nutmeg and maca powder
Blend and enjoy!

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” 
― Hippocrates