Yoga Teacher Graduation
April 26, 2010
- Yahoo
What a great weekend for our recent group of Yoga Teachers in Training with Syvie Gouin the Director of Core-Ealtion Yoga (and soon to be co-director with me of Elation Centre). This was the last weekend of their innovative and comprehensive 8-month training, lots of laughs, tears and hugs and to celebrate I made extra-special delicious Chocolate Cupcakes with Coconut Icing, actually described by some as orgasmic, so look out 
. The original recipe is from this website The Daily Raw, with some good pictures to guide you as you create these amazingly healthy treats
Congratulations to all our new Yoga Teachers and enjoy the journey ahead.
CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH COCONUT ICING
Cupcake Base
- 1 cup walnuts, unsoaked
- 5 Medjool dates, unsoaked, pitted
- 1/8 cup raw or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil, liquid form
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Process walnut and dates in a food processor until mixture sticks together. Add sea salt, vanilla extract and almond extract.
- Roll small eight balls out of the mixture and place each one in 1 ¼-inch baking cups. Mold the sides of the baking cups around the balls and form into a cupcake shape.
Coconut Icing
- 1 cup coconut pulp
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ½ cup agave nectar
- ¼ cup coconut water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- dash of sea salt
- Puree coconut pulp, coconut oil, agave nectar and coconut water in the blender until you achieve a smooth consistency. Add vanilla extract and sea salt.
- Frost the cupcakes with the coconut icing.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days – they won’t last that long!
Running Like The Wind
April 24, 2010
Wow we ran 16km with the half-marathon group this morning and we were flying! Our long run pace has certainly improved and the goal of my group to run the Ottawa Half-Marathon in 2 hours is within our reach. We all agreed that our speed work with coach Sherry and consistent training has totally paid off.
Here’s a link to the route we did this morning; leaving from our Studio in Westboro
At this point in the training what we eat after the long run becomes very important. Our total weekly volume of mileage is reaching it’s peak and if you don’t refuel well it’s very hard to keep your tank topped up!
One of my favourite post-run smoothies is an adaptation of the Bee Protein Smoothie from Raw Food Real World - a great raw food book. This smoothie is packed with protein and with all the essential amino acids our body needs to build and repair. If you are looking for a 100% Vegan as well as 100% Raw recipe, omit the bee pollen and replace the honey with raw agave nectar.
Bee Protein, adapted from Raw Food Real World
Serves 2 – 4
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp raw almond butter
- 2 cups coconut water or water (you can get coconut water at all health food stores)
- 1 cup diced mango
- 1 cup frozen diced banana
- 1 tbsp hemp protein
- 1 tbsp bee pollen (lots of protein, amino acids and enzymes, gives you energy)
- 2 tbsp raw honey (unpasteurized so it retains vitamins, minerals and enzymes)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Blend until smooth and creamy
Cupcakes & a Great Book for Earth Day
April 22, 2010
Happy Earth Day! Wishing everyone a glorious, gratitude-filled day.
Here is my suggestion for celebrating Mother Earth:
- Get outside; walk, run, bike, hike, reflect. Then come home with a big smile on your face.
- Whip up an easy vegan meal, check out our many recipes for suggstions, hint – the Curried Quinoa Salad with Mango is everyone’s favourite
- Make sure to add dessert – my latest favorite is a raw food treat from Bo Rinaldi of Blosoming Lotus Restaurant - Vanilla Cupcakes with Key Lime Icing! The recipe is below. And here is a link to another yummy recipe for chocolate cupcakes
- And finally curl up with a good book and a cup of tea. On a whim I purchased Where the Blind Horse Sings by Kathy Stevens and was so thrilled to find the review below by John Robbins on the Earth Save International Website
Vanilla Cupcakes with Lime Frosting – Makes 12 cupcakes (or 24 small ones)
From the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Raw
- 1 cup almonds
- 1 cup macadamia nuts
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- 6 pitted dates, soaked at least 30 minutes
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup almond butter
- Pinch cinnamon
- Pinch cardamom
- 1½ tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 6 Tbsp agave nectar*
- ½ ripe avocado mashed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Place almonds, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almond butter, agave nectar, vanilla extract, cinnamon and cardamom in a food processor fitted with an S blade. Process for 15-30 seconds or until sticky mixture of small chunks forms. (Note – if you don’t have a large food processor, do this in 2 batches.)
- With a spoon or small ice cream scoop, measure out 12 cupcakes onto a parchment paper-lined plate. Flatten tops with spoon to hold frosting.
- Place avocado, dates and lime juice in a blender or the food processor, and process until smooth and creamy.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow icing to solidify as much as possible before spreading on top of cupcakes.
- Frost cupcakes and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving
Where the Blind Horse Sings – Love and Healing at an Animal Sanctuary
By Kathy Stevens
Review by John Robbins
Every now and then, a book comes along that grabs you and doesn’t let go. Written by the founder and director of Catskill Animal Sanctuary, a haven for abused and discarded farmed animals, Where the Blind Horse Sings is such a book.
Author Kathy Stevens is an exceptional writer. Her story of the birth of Catskill Animal Sanctuary and of the two and four-legged characters who live there is lyrical and alive, alternately funny and moving. Much of the narrative focuses on a blind horse, a former cockfighting rooster, and a ram who arrived so explosive and violent that Stevens briefly contemplated euthanasia as the only way to keep other animals (including the humans) safe. But patience and love persevered, eventually paying off in spades. Suffice it to say that Buddy, Paulie, and Rambo each evolved into larger than life teachers, and through Stevens’ skilled storytelling, their lessons linger long after the book is finished.
Beyond the writing, though, it is Stevens’ intimacy with the animals about whom she writes that distinguishes Where the Blind Horse Sings from other books about farmed animals and horses. Unlike most authors of such books, she is not a researcher interviewing others about their experiences with animals. Stevens lives and works with the animals: she knows of whom she speaks. When she writes, “Rambo arrived full of testosterone and rage,” it is because she was the one to welcome him. When later she describes the night the transformed sheep summoned her to come to the assistance of a blind turkey inadvertently left outside on a cold November night, I wept at the collective victory shared by the human and the sheep she describes as “her greatest teacher.”
While commentary about the devastating impact of agribusiness is interspersed throughout the book, it is certainly not the book’s focus. Joy is its focus: a clear-headed, unambiguous sharing of the joy its author derives from sharing her life with animals the vast majority of the world sees as mere commodities. The animals arrive angry or terrified, but in their safe haven, become so much more than Stevens, a former educator, imagined possible of a horse or a cow, a pig or a chicken. Who they become has changed her life; it might just change yours. It is certainly a book to share with those in your life who’ve not yet made the connection between diet and kindness.
(Information on the work of Catskill Animal Sanctuary available at www.casanctuary.org)
Clean Burning Fuel
April 15, 2010
Eating for Energy and a Vegan Diet
Here at Elation Centre we receive lots of inquiries regarding how to ‘properly’ adopt a vegan diet. Many new vegans take out the meat but don’t add in the appropriate whole foods to create a balanced diet, here are some quick tips to make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need:
- The first key is to eat a whole foods diet, this is a diet of nutrient-dense foods that will keep you full and energized. It includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, beans, nuts and seeds, eaten simply or combined to make breads, cereals, muffins, sandwiches and soups.
- Fruits are cleansing and healing with an abundance of vitamins and minerals and even most sour or acidic tasting fruits are alkaline forming and are a nice balance to acid forming grains, meats and dairy
- Vegetables are rich in complex carbohydrates making them a great source of energy. Almost all vegetables are alkaline forming
- The richest source of essential minerals are sea vegetables such as nori, dulse, arame, wakame and kombu. They feature all the trace minerals necessary for human function and are rich in amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.
- Whole grains are an excellent source of energy and digest more slowly than processed grains, this allows for sustained energy and added fibre, so you feel full longer.
- Before you cook grains such as brown rice, make sure to soak them over night with a tbsp of apple cider vinegar, doing this makes the grains easier to digest so more nutrients can be absorbed
- Legumes such as beans, chickpeas and lentils grow in a pod. They are nature’s power foods rich in protein, iron, calcium and b vitamins. Except for lentils which do not need to be soaked, legumes are best soaked for 12 hours with apple cider vinegar before you cook them, change the soak water before cooking
- Nuts have a higher content of complete protein than all other plants, with the exception of soybeans, Nuts nourish the brain, nerves and skin, raw nuts are also the best source of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. It is also best to soak nuts and seeds for a few hours before you eat them, rinse well and drain and dry on a paper towel and store in the fridge for a few days
Protein- substitute meat with legumes and do not make the mistake of simply replacing meat with soy-base products. Soy is best eaten as a condiment not as a meal staple, no more than once or twice per week; it should be organic and fermented such as tempeh and miso.
To obtain enough protein in the diet you just need to eat a variety of healthy protein sources throughout the day, such as legumes, grains (particularly quinoa) nuts and seeds, leafy green vegetables and sea vegetables. You do not need to combine complimentary protein sources at each meal as was once believed; the body can combine, store and use amino acids.
Iron– Even though meat is high in iron, many meat eaters are anemic. More iron therefore is not always the answer. There are many ways to ensure adequate iron absorption, one is to take vitamin C with meals, this increases iron absorption by 2-3 times. Good vegetarian sources of iron are whole grains, beans and legumes (you must soak them to release the phytic acid that can inhibit the iron absorption), green leafy veggies, dried fruit, pumpkin and sesame seeds and organic blackstrap molasses.
B12- to ensure adequate B12 intake people eating a vegan diet should take a supplement and should be taken with food.
Calcium - According to Michael Murray author of the encyclopedia of Healing Foods, dairy consumption may be linked to conditions such as cancer, asthma, obesity and osteoporosis. One cup of cow’s milk has 297 mg of calcium, as you can see below there are many non-dairy calcium sources. Colin Campbell author of the China Study has also linked the protein in dairy to development of many cancers.
Non-Dairy sources of calcium: Food source = 1 cup, Calcium content in mg
- Almonds, 380mg
- Broccoli, boiled 75mg
- Carrots boiled, 48mg
- Collard greens, cooked 357mg
- Kale cooked, 94mg
- Kelp raw, 336mg
- Kidney beans boiled, 50mg
- Sesame seeds, 1,400mg
- Spinach cooked, 245mg
- Swiss chard, 102mg
Putting it together- The examples below provide suggestions for incorporating complete protein combinations with tips to ensure maximum iron absorption
1) Protein source – Grains & Legumes + a Vitamin C source for maximum iron absorption
- Whole grain bread and baked beans + green salad
- Whole grain crackers and lentil soup + carrot sticks
- Brown rice and tempeh + tomato sauce
- Quinoa and vegetarian chilli + green salad
- Pita and hummus + lettuce and tomatoes
- Whole grain cereal and rice milk + blueberries
- Veggie burger and whole wheat bun + sprouts and pickles
2) Protein source - Grains & Nuts or Seeds + a Vitamin C source for maximum iron absorption
- Whole grain bagel and nut butter + apple
- Whole grain bread and tahini + banana
- Muesli and nuts And apple + fresh fruit
3) Protein source – Legumes & Nuts or Seeds + a Vitamin C source for maximum iron absorption
- Black bean dip with sesame seeds + raw veggies
- Vegetable stir-fry with almonds With raw veggies + green salad
Follow the above examples and you will have energy to burn!
Kid-Friendly Quinoa Sushi
April 12, 2010
Here is a delicious kid-friendly recipe forwarded by local foodie Korey Kealey of FoodThought.com. This protein-packed vegan recipe from Lucy Waverman’s Globe and Mail article, is an easy and delicious version of sushi. Using nori as a wrap instead of bread reduces your processed-food intake, reduces calories and ups your intake of minerals.
According to WHFoods.com “Sea vegetables contain the broadest range of minerals of any food, containing virtually all the minerals found in the ocean-the same minerals that are found in human blood. Sea vegetables are an excellent source of iodine and vitamin K, a very good source of the B-vitamin folate, and magnesium, and a good source of iron and calcium, and the B-vitamins riboflavin and pantothenic acid. In addition, sea vegetables contain good amounts of lignans, plant compounds with cancer-protective properties.”
And of course using quinoa instead of white rice ensures this version is high in protein (even without traditional fish fillings) and high in fibre and B-vitamins. Enjoy!
Lucy’s Recipe Note: Rinse the quinoa before cooking it to remove the powdery residue. Wash it under cold water until the water runs clear. You might be tempted to put wasabi in these rolls, but its flavour doesn’t work well with the quinoa. I used avocado for the kids, which they did not like, but you can fill them with anything you wish.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
- Pinch salt
- 1 English cucumber
- 1 red pepper
- 1 large avocado
- 6 nori leaves
Method
Place water in a pot and bring to boil. Add quinoa, cover, turn heat to low and cook for 12 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed. Add seasoned rice wine vinegar and salt and stir until combined. Remove from heat and let cool on a cookie sheet.
Cut cucumber, red pepper and avocado into long julienne strips. Cut each nori leaf in half, lengthwise.
Lay one piece of nori so that the longest edge is facing you on a bamboo rolling mat. Sprinkle on ¼ cup of prepared quinoa and use damp fingers to press it into an even rectangle leaving ¾-inch of nori uncovered at the top. Lay a row of each vegetables down the middle of the quinoa. Using your rolling mat as a guide, compress and roll sushi into an even cylinder. Repeat with remaining ingredients until you have 12 rolls. Let stand a few minutes to soften nori and cut into pieces to serve. Serve with soy sauce for dipping. Serves 6.
Movement to Health in the News
April 4, 2010
At Movement to Health, we’re always excited when the outside world catches wind of the amazing people we have participating in (and leading) our classes.
For those of you who missed the Thursday issue of the Ottawa Citizen, please check out the following links:
- Three generations of females are taking a learn-to-run five-km program leading up to Ottawa Race Weekend (highlighting the Nute / Goodman family that are participating in our Westboro Beginner Runner class)
- Going the distance (highlighting our extraordinary leader, running coach, & yoga instructor, Donna Davis)
Congratulations ladies! Good luck on race weekend.
Earth-Friendly Easter
April 3, 2010
The question always arises during holiday meals – as a vegan, what do you eat?
Well I try and create a balanced meal with tons of flavour, veggies, grains, plant-proteins and always dessert! One of the things I love most about eating a vegan diet is I am doing my part to help Mother Nature. A vegan diet, as opposed to a meat -centered diet, has been proven to produce less green-house gasses, less pollution, and uses less of our precious natural resources especially water. This year the spring equinox and Easter so close together and the weather so beautiful it truly feels like a time of renewal and that Mother Nature is smiling! I like to think of my Easter meal as a gift to Her. Enjoy
Menu:
Avocado Soup with Mango Salsa
Quinoa Corn Salad with Spring Greens
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Lemon Drops with Coconut and Cranberry
Avocado Soup with Mango Salsa
Adapted from Living Raw food by Sarma Melngailis
Serves 2.
Ingredients:
For the soup:
- 3 small hass avocados or equivalent, peeled and chopped
- 1 stick of peeled and chopped celery
- 1 handful of fresh cilantro/coriander leaves
- 1/2 cucumber, roughly chopped
- 2 cups water
- Juice of 1 lime
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Finely grated zest of one clementine
- Few pinches of ground sea salt
- Pinch of ground cumin
- Pinch of ground coriander
For the salsa:
- 1 Mango, diced
- 1 Clementine, each segment peeled and chopped
- 1 Red bell pepper, diced
- Leaves from a few sprigs fresh cilantro/coriander, finely chopped
Method:
Blend all soup ingredients. Mix salsa ingredients together. Put the salsa in the center of the bowls, then pour soup around.
Quinoa Corn Salad
From Rebar Modern Food Cookbook
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups corn, fresh or frozen
- 1 small red onion, minced
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
- ½ red pepper, finely diced
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 3 scallions, minced
- 2 tbsp finely minced chives
- 1 tbsp salt
- ½ tsp Tabasco sauce or to taste
Method:
1. Place quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and rinse thoroughly with cold, running water. Bring water to a boil in a small pot, add the quinoa and the salt and bring to a boil again. Cover and reduce heat to low for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep the pot covered for an additional 5 minutes. Strain off any excess liquid and spread the quinoa out to cool on a tray while preparing the remaining ingredients
2. Steam or lightly sauté corn until just tender and cool to room temperature. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and gently toss. Season with additional salt, pepper or hot sauce to taste. Serve with fresh lime wedges.
3. Option – serve the salad on a bed of Spring Greens or Baby Spinach
MTH Lemon Drops with Coconut and Cranberry
Ingredients
- 1-1 1/4 cups ground almonds or store-bought almond meal
- 1 cup soft dates – chopped
- 3/4 cup coconut
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp agave nectar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- dash sea salt
- grated lemon rind of 1/2 lemon
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup dried cranberries sweetened without sugar
Method
Combine almonds and dates in food processor and pulse a few times to get everything well combined
Add remaining ingredients except cranberries and pulse to combine again
Dump into a big bowl, add water if it’s too dry or a bit of coconut or more ground almonds if too wet
Add dried cranberries. Roll into small balls and flatten slightly
Store in Freezer – yummy!
Favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe created by Dreena Burton from her amazing cookbook, Vive le Vegan. Check out her blog post for the recipe
