• HOME
• ABOUT US
  • Owner
  • Our Team
  • About the Centre
  • Links
  • Media
• YOGA
  • Schedule
  • Styles
  • Prices
  • FAQs
• YOGA TEACHER TRAINING
  • 200-Hour Training
  • Kids Yoga Teacher Training
• RUNNING
  • Schedule and Prices
  • Elation Run Club - Free
• NUTRITION
  • Workshops/Cleanse
  • Recipes
• WORKSHOPS
• REGISTER
  • Terms & Policies
• CONTACT
• BLOG

Quinoa and Veggies with a ‘Cheesy’ Sauce

January 25, 2012

Fuel-Me-Up!

I was inspired to make this yummy mix of veggies, sauce and high-powered quinoa as I was surfing the ‘net’ for no-oil salad dressings; one thing led to another and on this website I found a delicious no dairy, no tofu, no nuts recipe for a sauce that claimed to be cheesy; yum. The sauce was added to mix of quinoa and one or two veggies and baked in the oven, I tried it, and didn’t love the baking part, it kind of dried the sauce and quinoa out. So….

Here is my rendition of the one that inspired me- top individual servings with the sauce, change the sauce up a bit, add more veggies and don’t bake. While the quinoa is cooking you can chop, steam and make the sauce, dinner is ready in 30 minutes or less. This is perfect powered comfort food and great to refuel after a hard run or Elation Yoga class!

 Quinoa and Veggies with a Cheesy Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups sweet potato, butternut squash, or small delicata squash, cut into small pieces (take seeds out of squash, peel the butternut squash but you don’t have to peel the delicate squash)
• 2 big handfuls baby spinach, torn into smaller pieces
• ½ cup sun dried tomatoes, cut into strips. Add more if you love sun-dried tomatoes
• ½ cup or more black olives, sliced (omit if you don’t like olives)
• 1 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 medium carrot, shredded

Sauce:

• 1 orange pepper, cut into pieces
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• juice of 1 big lemon
• 1 tsp garlic salt or 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp apple cidre vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• ½ tsp turmeric
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring 2 cups vegetable stock or water to a boil and add the quinoa, reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 18 minutes. Remove from heat
2. Meanwhile steam the squash or sweet potato until just tender, remove from heat and let cool slightly
3. Make sauce by blending all ingredients in a blender until smooth, depending on the strength of your blender you may have to add a bit of water
4. In a large bowl combine quinoa, steamed squash, and remaining ingredients, stir to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking
5. Serve the quinoa and top with sauce
6. Makes about 4 serving, depends how hungry you are.

Fastest Soup Ever

January 13, 2012

Tonight, as the snow and wind are swirling outside, I’m craving something warm and nourishing, trouble is I’m tired and don’t feel much like cooking, and the fridge is looking a little bare! Luckily I live around the corner from Natural Food Pantry in Westboro, a fully stocked whole foods paradise, and in no time I was home with a few key ingredients for a simple soup.

This is my quickest soup yet – 10 minutes start to finish; it’s tasty, and of course full of nutrients, you guessed it, one of them is kale.

The kale is included in a product from Cookin Greens called Athlete’s Mix (a frozen mix of kale, spinach, chard, red pepper and white beans), and the ravioli is from Rising Moon Organics, I used the Spinach Florentine filled with a soy ricotta. Both products are frozen so are great staples to have on hand. The broth of the soup is both vegetable soup stock and miso paste, together the add a depth of flavour and loads of extra nutrients. I used Cold Mountain brand Mellow White Miso.

Kale and Ravioli Soup with Sweet Potato and Miso

• In a large soup pot bring 3 cups of organic vegetable soup broth to a boil, (Pacific Naturals is a great brand, I didn’t have any homemade)
• Add 1 package frozen Rising Moon  Spinach Florentine Ravioli
• 1/2 package Cookin’ Greens Athletes Mix
• 1 small organic sweet potato, peeled and diced small
• 1/2 onion diced small – a leftover lingering in the fridge
• 1 jalapeno pepper diced small (no seeds) – another lingering leftover
• Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes, remove from heat
• Stir in 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, and 4 tbsp light colour miso paste. The miso gives the soup some depth of flavour so don’t leave it out
• Serve topped with whole grain organic croutons

Curl up in front of the fireplace and enjoy.

 

Candlelight Cookies

November 8, 2011

Here are two delicious cookie served up by Robyn during our last Yoga and Fertility class, the recipes are from Finally…Food I Can Eat! by local author Shirley Plant who specializes in recipes to address food sensitivities and allergies. These cookies are loaded with healthy ingredients (flax replaces eggs), are gluten-free, dairy-free and have no added processed sugar. Honey is used as the sweetener to make this recipe 100% vegan (no animal products) you can play around with substituting agave or brown rice syrup for the honey.

These are just the kind of delicious snacks we will be serving up at our Candlelight Yoga and Pampering evening for women on November 18th, from 7pm – 9pm.  Our evening will include Restorative Yoga lead by Robyn, this class will relax the nervous system and release stress. Yoga Journal describes restorative yoga poses “as having a particular ability to leave us nourished and well rested. These postures are usually deeply supported by blankets, blocks, or other props and are held for several minutes at a time.”

Along with this nurishing yoga practice we will be educated by Sylvie Lapoine of Facial Angle on facial care and natural products to nourish the skin and we will have goodie bags of products to sample, to top it off we will enjoy tea and snacks to support, nourish and heal the body from the inside out – chocolate will of course be involved.

Hope to see you on November 18th – you can register here               

Carrot Haystacks

Ingredients:

• 1 cup carrots, shredded
• 2 ½ cups shredded unsweetened coconut
• 2 tbsp cold water
• 2 tbsp arrowroot powder
• 2 tbsp safflower oil
• 3 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed and 6 tbsp water (whisked together)
• 2 tbsp brown rice flour
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

• In a bowl, mix shredded carrots, sea salt, safflower oil, flour, coconut, and honey. Mix ground flaxseed in 6 tbsp of water and whisk to make an egg-like consistency; mix in carrot mixture.
• Mix water and arrowroot together and mix with other ingredients.
• Mix all together, mould into small shapes onto baking sheet and bake at 325F for 10-15 minutes or until done.

Yields 16 cookies

Carob Haystacks

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup carob or cacao powder (organic unsweetened)
• 2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
• 2 tbsp cold water
• 2 tbsp arrowroot
• 2 tbsp safflower oil
• 4 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed and 6 tbsp water (whisked together)
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

• In a bowl or food processor, mix water, arrowroot, and carob/cacao powder. Mix well so ingredients dissolve and mixture is smooth.
• Add in remaining ingredients.
• Mould into round shapes onto cookie sheet and bake at 325F for 10-15 minutes or until done.

Yields 12 cookies

Chocolate Power Snacks on CTV!

October 19, 2011

Here are two amazing recipes that I will be whipping up on CTV Morning Live, Thursday Oct 20, 9:25AM and 9:30AM. You can check out the video here - fun and easy!

These chocolate power snacks are dairy-free and free of processed fats and sugar making them heart healthy, and to keep muscles strong and your brain focused, I’ve loaded them with protein and good fats from almonds and hemp seeds! They also use raw cacao powder and cacao beans, which contain anti-oxidants to fight off disease and raw cacao is sugar-free natural source of chocolate which will keep your motor running, be careful not to overindulge remember chocolate contains caffeine!

Both the cookies and chocolate shake can be whipped up in under 5 minutes. Enjoy      

Shake Tips: using a frozen banana and using almond, rice or soy milk will make the shake nice and creamy. Using water and a fresh banana makes it more like chocolate ‘milk’.  Make sure to blend well to get a smooth texture.

This is just a sampling of the yummy food that Deb Gleason of Wellness Warrior Coaching and I will be making at Credible Edibles, Oct 27 at our Eating for Energy cooking class. Hope to see you there!

Chocolate Almond Smoothie

• 1 banana, fresh or frozen
• 1-2 soft dates (soak for a few minutes if they are hard)
• 1 ½ – 2 cups cold water
• 2 tbsp raw almond butter
• 2 tbsp hemp seeds
• 1 tbsp raw cacao powder

Blend and enjoy, makes 1-2 servings

Almond-Cranberry Cacao Chip Cookies
adapted from Annie’s Raw Food Desserts

• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 3 tbsp agave syrup
• 2 tbsp vanilla
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 1 ½ cups almond meal (ground almonds)
• ¼ cup organic dried cranberries, chopped up into small pieces
• ¼ cup cacao nibs

1.  Stir together all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Roll into small balls and place on a serving tray. Use a fork to press balls into a flattened cookie, so they look like peanut butter cookies. Serve right away or freeze for an hour or so
2. Will keep for a few weeks in the fridge or freezer; thaw for 5 minutes before eating

Guest Post by Deb Gleason – Thanksgiving and Cleansing

October 6, 2011

Deb Gleason leads the Elation 12-Day Cleanse with Donna Davis and she is co-founder of Wellness Warrior Coaching, creating programs that help people transition to a whole foods, plant-based diet so they can easily achieve their health and fitness goals.

Our 12 day cleanse is wrapping up and I want to take a second to congratulate everyone who participated this time. It has been an absolute pleasure for me to assist in coaching you on your journey to better health. For some this was their second or third cleanse and a really good way to get back on track. For others it was the first time you gave your body a chance to let go of what was not serving you. From the feedback I have received whether it was your first or third cleanse everyone is feeling great.

Our world has changed dramatically since the rise of fast and processed foods and we are now starting to pay the price. I think initially we thought these food choices were making life easier but we are starting to wake up to the idea that instead they have made life more difficult. Chronic diseases like Diabetes and Heart Disease are on the rise and obesity, especially in children has become an epidemic. Scientists who study these changes say it is not that people are suddenly lazier, it is that the food they are consuming is so void of nutrients they don’t get the signals from the body to stop eating. We are an overfed and undernourished society.

During the cleanse we focused on consuming only highly nourishing foods that left our bodies feeling satisfied. We focused on eating whole, plant-based foods for 12 days. We eliminated meat, eggs, dairy, gluten and processed sugar, all of the things that the body has a really hard time digesting. Doing this really gives the body a chance to stop wasting valuable energy on digestion and instead use that energy to let go of toxins and heal.

Cleanses not only help the body eliminate toxins, they also help to increase awareness and establish new habits. We can get quite comfortable with habits that don’t serve us and they become part of our routine. I truly believe that life begins at the end of your comfort zone and there is not doubt that cleansing takes you out of your comfort zone.

For those of you that cleansed, keep up the good work. For those that did not join us this time incorporating one positive change at a time can do wonders for you energy and health. Moving toward a whole foods, plant-based diet is the biggest gift you can do for you body. I like to say that it is process and not an event and adding in the good foods and lots of them often makes dropping the bad ones painless. Here are a few tips and places to start.

1. Drink more water. We are made of mostly water, water nourishes our cells and helps to remove toxins. Try to drink at least 2 glasses of water every morning before you have anything else and watch the changes happen quickly.

2. Eat your greens. Challenge yourself to get green leafy vegetables into your diet every single day. They have tremendous health benefits and will have you running faster, looking younger and sleeping better. Try adding a handful of kale to your smoothie, add baby spinach leaves to your soups and stews just before they are finished cooking, eat a big salad every day.

3. Cut back on dairy products. Dairy is high in animal protein and saturated fat, both of which cause tremendous problems in the human body. Too much animal protein puts our body into an acidic state and to buffer that acid the body pulls calcium from the bones. We work hard to fill the bones with calcium, we need to be just as diligent at leaving it there. Saturated fat leads to heart disease and strokes which are the second leading cause of death in Canada. Dairy also clogs up the digestive tract which is never a good thing. We have little finger like nutrient receptors in the small intestine. Their job is to grab nutrients from the food we’ve consumed as it passes by. Dairy products actually coat those little fingers and make if very difficult for the body to absorb nutrients. You are what you eat but more accurately, you are what you absorb and constantly clogging up your absorption avenues leads to big problems. Give your bones, digestive system and heart a break and choose plant-based alternatives.

When it comes to dropping dairy, eliminating cheese is the hardest one to swallow for most people. Cheese is easy, tasty and somewhat addictive. It is easier today than it ever has been to ditch the cheese and reach for alternatives. If you want a really nice replacement for cow’s cheese, try Daiya cheese, it is a new tapioca based vegan cheese that melts, stretches and tastes great. I would lead not you astray on this one, I have tried some of the worst vegan cheeses out there and this product is heavenly. Try it on pizza, pasta, and to top off you bowl of chilli.

4. Swap meat with legumes. Meatless Monday is a great way to start. It does not have to be Monday but it helps to know that hundreds of thousands of people are doing the same thing as you on Mondays. Really you can pick any day to drop the meat and then a second day, then a third etc. Add in tofu, tempeh, beans of any sort, and lentils. Burritos, stew, chilli, stir-fry’s are all great places to leave the meat out and add the legumes. You will benefit tremendously and you won’t be lacking protein. Some of the bonuses that come with switching to legumes are they are packed with the fibre, vitamins, and minerals that are missing from meat.

Looking for a plant-based alternative to a roasted turkey this weekend? Check out one of my most asked for recipes at Wellness Warrior Coaching.

5. Need more inspiration? Here are some amazing Elation Centre harvest recipes to create a Thanksgiving dinner to remember. Here’s a taste:  

• Porcini Mushroom Soup
• Thanksgiving Tart
• Cranberry Sauce
• Roasted Winter Veggies
• Baby Spinach Salad with Bosc Pear and Pecans
• Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries and Hazelnuts
• Maria’s Sweet Potato Scones
• Chocolate Truffle Mini-Tarts
• Pumpkin Pie

Wishing you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.

Energizing Peach Smoothie

August 12, 2011

All week I have been enjoying fresh Ontario peaches in my smoothie – absolutely delicious!! Here is a super easy recipe that of course includes greens, green powder and a vegan protein powder (Shake and Go Smoothie Tropical) along with bananas (yum) and coconut water to keep me well hydrated

I’ve also been enjoying spinach in my smoothies, about 2 cups, spinach is sweet tasting and goes well with the banana and peaches. Coconut water is also nice and sweet, it comes in a tetra box and finally, is sold at the Super Store right across the street from my house. Coconut water is not coconut milk, the water is low in calories and high in electrolytes to keep muscles from cramping.  The green supplement I have been using lately is spirulina, a single-cell algae that I purchase in powder form at Natural Food Pantry on Richmond Rd. Here are some spirulina facts:  

• Spirulina is 65 to 71 percent complete protein, with all essential amino acids in perfect balance. In comparison, beef is only 22 percent protein.
• Spirulina has a photosynthetic conversion rate of 8 to 10 percent, compared to only 3 percent in such land-growing plants as soybeans.
• In addition, Spirulina is one of the few plant sources of vitamin B12, usually found only in animal tissues. A teaspoon of Spirulina supplies 21/2 times the Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamin B12 and contains over twice the amount of this vitamin found in an equivalent serving of liver.
• Spirulina also provides high concentrations of many other nutrients – amino acids, chelated minerals, pigmentations, rhamnose sugars (complex natural plant sugars), trace elements, enzymes – that are in an easily assimilable form.

This smoothie turns out bright green, but oh so sweet.  Ok get blending!

Energizing Peach Smoothie

• I banana, fresh or frozen (I like frozen the best) 
• 2 peaches (washed, sliced and stone removed)
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 1/2 tsp spirulina powder
• 1 tbsp Vega Shake and Go Smoothie Tropical Flavour (this makes your smoothie sweet as can be!)
• 1 cup coconut water or more if you want a thinner consistancy smoothie

Blend until smooth, drink slowly and enjoy!

Sylvie’s World Famous Salad

June 9, 2011

It’s very easy to make – incredibly tasty, satisfying, and very healthy.

What you will need:

• 1 block of tempeh, cut into small pieces - Currently I am using Henry’s Gourmet Tempeh (Tempeh is a cultured soyfood and an excellent source of protein.)
• 3 vine tomatoes, chopped
• ½ of a small portobello mushroom, chopped
• Spring mix - I buy it from Viki at the Parkdale Market. Her stall is the farthest from Richmond  Rd. Her spring mix is divine!
• Sunflower sprouts - Can be found in most health food stores. They are worth the price and if you really fall in love with them you can start spouting them yourself. It’s very easy to do. They are an excellent source of enzymes and minerals. These sprouts are very tasty. Don’t skip out on them when you make the salad as they are an integral part of the overall experience. Alfalfa sprouts will not do.
• 2 small cucumbers – I buy them from Viki as well.
• 2 green onions
• A few kale chips, crunched up – Buy them at health food stores. Warning: they get stuck in your teeth, so make sure to floss after!
• Lundberg Rice Chips - Any flavour works. With the bag still closed, break up all the chips by pressing on the bag so that when you open it, you have very small chips.
• Almonds (optional)
• Cashews (optional)
• 1/2 tsp Red Start nutritional yeast - Has a cheesy flavor without the saturated fat of cheese and an excellent source of B vitamins.
• 1/2 tsp dulse flakes (optional)
• Few drops of umuboshi vinegar (optional)
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise

Cut the full block of tempeh into small pieces and combine it with the tomatoes and mushrooms. Saute them in a frying pan over medium heat for about 20 minutes. You may need to add some olive oil to avoid sticking. Once it’s done, stir the vegan mayonnaise into the mixture.

Start with the spring mix, cucumbers, and green onions. Add the crunched up chips (not much – just enough for
taste and crunch) and nuts (if using). Add the nutritional yeast, the dulse (if using), the umuboshi vinegar (if using), and the kale chips. Add the tempeh mixture. How much? It all depends on how hungry I am. Cut up the avocado and add a few pieces of it as well. Top up with sunflower sprouts and enjoy! No dressing is required.

I like to make the salad individually, as opposed to a big bowl of it. If am I making it for Brian and myself, I simply take out our individual bowls and start adding, obviously adding more of everything to his bowl.

I have made it for a few people and everyone LOVES it. I eat it almost everyday, sometimes even for breakfast. It may seem complicated at first, especially if you are not familiar with the ingredients. Once you have made it, you will see how easy it is to make and the divinity of it ( not exaggerating here). It is just too good to pass up….

Jam-Packed Weekend

May 6, 2011

Last weekend was absolutely jam-packed and amazing, I was so busy representing Elation Centre in the press, giving presentations; also working with our Yoga Teachers in Training and enjoying being part of our Ottawa Community, it was a high-energy weekend and I loved it! Here are a few highlights: 

Video for Green Smoothie

May 6, 2011

Most of the ingredients for our Elation Green Smoothie can be found at your local grocery store. I usually shop at the Superstore in Westboro where there is a pretty good Natural Value section for health oriented products, you can get flax oil, flax seed and hemp seed as well. For the extras like coconut water, wheat grass, sunflower sprouts etc. I go to either Natural Food Pantry in Westboro, Herb and Sprice on Wellington St or Rainbow Foods on Richmond Rd. If you don’t have all the extra add-in’s, don’t worry as long as you add some green veggies to your fruit – kale or spinach and celery and cucumber (even a bit), and some flax or hemp, you’re on your way!   

This smoothie will power you up, keep you full and refuel tired muscles after a workout.

Earth Day-Celebration Recipes

April 21, 2011

A day to remember our interconnectedness. A day to make a few commitments to live in harmony with nature.

Inspiration from the sages:
Sylvie shares with us an amazing article, Our Planet, Ourselves The Vision of the Sage, by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait who writes “Humans are the only beings that can choose either to comply with natural law or to violate it. All other life-forms are dominated by instinct and thus remain in direct contact with nature. Humans are gifted with intelligence, and this intelligence is characterized by free will, which dominates instinct. We are an integral part of the web of life—yet our free will gives us a choice of acknowledging our connection with nature, or attempting to stand apart. When we use this gift to consciously acknowledge this connection we make ourselves instruments of harmony; when we ignore this gift we become unwitting agents of destruction.”

For 2011 Earth Day Canada encourages us to ‘Give It Up For Earth Day’, reminding us that the best way to help the planet is to go vegan…try it just for today or maybe just for this weekend. And what a weekend to clebrate life and all that Mother Earth has to offer - Earth Day, Easter and my Birthday (for anyone who knows me, I love to celebrate my birthday). 

What I’ll be cooking up this weekend:
Here are a few delicious vegan meal ideas, as I plan our menu for the weekend at the cottage with family and friends. The following 4 recipes can be emjoyed as one amazing vegan meal or add even one as part of your weekend celebration: (scroll down for all the recipes)

• The Aspargus and Cilantro Soup, and Tofu Quiche with Leeks and Asparagus recipes are both from the Real Food Daily Cookbook by Anne Gentry who founded the namesake restaurant 
• the Santa Cruz Salad with Wild Ginger Dressing is from Fresh at Home by Ruth Tal Brown who founded the Fresh restaurant chain in Toronto
• and the dessert is of course chocolate cake, this one is called Big Momma Freedom Cake and it’s from one of my favourite cookbooks, Vegan Fusion World Cuisine, inspired by the menu at Blossoming Lotus restaurant in Hawaii            

Asparagus and Cilantro Soup

The soup is thin and mild, and the cilantro is in no way overpowering.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• pinch chopped oregano
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 large bunch of asparagus
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy based saucepan and fry the onion until soft. Add the garlic, herbs, cumin and cook 1 minute.
2. Add the potatoes and vegetable stock, cover and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are softened.
3. Prepare the asparagus by removing tough ends, cutting off the heads (save these), then slice into one inch pieces.
4. Add the asparagus to the soup mix and cook for 5-10 minutes until the asparagus is tender.
5. While asparagus is cooking, boil a tiny amount of water and parboil the asparagus heads for 1 minute to use as a garnish).
6. When the asparagus is softened, puree with a handheld immersion blender. Add the finely chopped cilantro, and season to taste. Serve.

Tofu Quiche with Leeks and Asparagus

Serves 6

For the crust:

• 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3 to 5 tablespoons water

For the filling:

• 12 ounces asparagus, trimmed
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• 4 teaspoons chopped thyme
• 1 3/4 pounds water-packed firm tofu, drained
• 3 tablespoons umeboshi paste (available at Asian and health food stores, it makes all the difference in the recipe)
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preparation:

To make the crust:

• Position the rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Blend the all-purpose flour, pastry flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor.
• Pulse in the oil until the mixture resembles coarse meal, then mix in enough water to form moist clumps.
• Gather the dough into a ball, and then flatten it into a disk. Press the dough into a 9-inch-diameter tart pan with a removable bottom.

To make the Filling:

• Cut off the top 3 1/2-inches of the asparagus tips and set aside. Cut the lower portion of the asparagus stalks into thin slices.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, 1 tablespoon of the garlic, the sliced asparagus stalks, oregano, and thyme. Saute for 8 minutes, or until the leeks are tender.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus tips and cook just until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain well and place on paper towels to drain further.
• Blend the tofu, umeboshi paste, salt, and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon garlic in a food processor until smooth and creamy Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the leek mixture.

To assemble the quiche:

1. Spread the tofu mixture over the prepared crust, mounding slightly in the center. Arrange the asparagus tips like the spokes of a wheel atop the filling, with the tips pointing toward the edge.
2. Bake the quiche for 45 minutes, or until the filling is set and golden. Let stand 10 minutes, cut into wedges and serve.

Santa Cruz Salad, Serve with Wild Ginger Dressing

Serves 2

• 8 cups baby spinach
• 2 slices red onion
• 1 cup mung bean sprouts (washed, rinsed & dried)
• 2 kiwis, peeled and chopped
• 2 oranges, peeled and chopped
• ½ cup sliced, toasted almonds
• Toss the baby spinach, red onion, bean sprouts, kiwis and oranges with dressing. Divide salad between 2 bowls.

Garnish with toasted almonds and serve

Wild Ginger Dressing

• ½ mild onion, chopped
• ½ cup sunflower oil
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp filtered water
• 2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• ¼ stalk celery
• 1 tbsp tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)
• 1-1/2 tsp sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Stored in a sealed container in the fridge, it will last at least 2 weeks

Big Momma Freedom Chocolate Cake

Cake:

Dry Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups spelt flour
• 2 cups Sucanat (raw sugar)
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder

Wet Ingredients:

• 5 tbsp Safflower or Sunflower Oil
• 2 ¼ cups filtered water
• 2 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:

• 2 cups vegan chocolate chips
• 12.3 oz Silken firm tofu or avocado
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Loving Preparation

Cake: Preheat oven to 350°. Place dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Combine wet ingredients in a small bowl. Add wet to dry and mix well. Pour into a parchment paper lined 9”x13” baking pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, approximately 35-40 minutes.

Frosting: Place chocolate chips in a double boiler on medium heat until chips are melted, stirring frequently. Combine with remaining ingredients and blend or food process until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until it thickens

Cool cake before frosting. Garnish with toasted coconut flakes, strawberries, toasted pecans and/or chocolate chips

Next Page »

• Categories

  • Events
    • Book Club
    • Photo Gallery
  • Green Tips
  • News
  • Nutrition
    • Power Foods Boot Camp
    • Sports Nutrition
    • Vegetarian Tips
  • Powerful Woman
  • Recipes
    • Meat-Free Monday
    • Sugar-Free Sunday
  • Run
    • 10km Run Routes
    • 12km Run Routes
    • 15km+ Run Routes
    • 5km Run Routes
    • 8km Run Routes
  • Uncategorized
  • Workshops
    • Meditation
  • Yoga
  • Yoga Teacher Training

• Archives

  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • February 2008

• Links

  • Development Blog
  • Documentation
  • Plugins
  • Suggest Ideas
  • Support Forum
  • Themes
  • WordPress Planet

• Recent Posts

  • Quinoa and Veggies with a ‘Cheesy’ Sauce
  • What an amazing weekend
  • Guest Post by Caroline: New Year
  • Fastest Soup Ever
  • Happy New Year
  • New Year’s Day Yoga Class
  • You Have Everything You Need
  • Candlelight Cookies
  • Minimalist Running – is it for you?
  • Chocolate Power Snacks on CTV!

Visit our Ottawa Health & Fitness Centre location in Westboro: Suite 201, 360 Kirkwood Avenue North, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 8P1

Home   |  Register   |  Blog   |  Sitemap   |  Contact Web Hosting & Website Development by ABORG

Copyright © 2010 Elation Centre