While I may have missed getting this out there before, both Canadian and American Thanksgiving, there are only 30 days until Christmas / Winter Solstice /Kawanzaa and only 12 days until Hanukkah! I love the smells and tastes of “holiday” foods and don’t think they should be reserved for just the holidays! The idea for this recipe came to me a few weeks ago when at the office, the distinct aromas of someone’s turkey dinner teased my senses. I really love stuffing, but my belly doesn’t tolerate wheat in large quantities, so I decided to experiment with quinoa and came up with this delicious gluten free but oh-so-tasty recipe.  And since quinoa offers up all essential amino acids, pair this with a green salad for a wonderfully nutritious and complete meal!

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa – rinsed.

1 large celery stalk finely diced

1 small onion finely diced

¼ cup finely chopped parsely

1 tsp poultry seasoning (or herbes de provence)

½ tsp sea salt

1 bay leaf

1 small apple (any kind) diced (leave skin on)

½ cup loosely packed dried cranberries (apple juiced sweetened is best)

½ cup chopped raw walnuts

1 cup + 3 Tbsp vegetable broth (I used Pacific Foods Organic)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 ¼ cup water

Method:

In a medium saucepan warm 2Tbsp of broth and 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat for 1 minutes. Add onion, celery, poultry seasoning, and salt. Cook until onion is translucent and celery is slightly tender. Add parsley and 1 Tbsp of broth, stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Add quinoa and coat with onion-celery mixture. Add 1 cup broth and 1 ¼ cup of water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low (3/10), cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add apple, cranberries and walnuts. Cover and let simmer for another 10 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Fluff with fork – and voila!!

*If you prefer a less sticky version, reduce the amount of liquid.

For some strange reason when thinking about writing this post the song “War” by Edwin Starr echoes  in my head. Unlike the anti-war message (which I of course love) in the 1970 song I am definitely pro-running. Maybe I just like the soulful beat and the emphatic James Brown-esque grunts in the chorus.

As many of you reading this may know, I recently completed my first half marathon on October 7, 2012.  It is an accomplishment that has been on my wish list for over 15 years and after 3 failed training attempts due to injury, I decided to try again.  So, In June I signed up with my local Running Room‘s half-marathon clinic and put my best foot forward (quite literally!).

The Why:

I have a desk job. And since moving to Nova Scotia, I rely on my car to get around; almost never walking to accomplish my day-to-day activities as when I lived Toronto.  A regular fitness routine is a no-brainer, but I was bored and disenchanted with the gym and needed a new goal to keep me engaged and accountable.

I kept myself expectations humble. Since in the past, running more than 12K resulted in injury, I decided to take my time, listen to my body and not let my ego push beyond a healthy limit.

The Bigger Why.

To bring even more accountability to this endeavor, I needed a reason larger than just finishing a race. I needed something that would put a fire under my ass (ya I said it), and get me out for a long run in the pouring rain or hill training against gale-force winds. That’s when I made a promise that if I made it through training and all was on-point that I would raise funds for charity: water.  On September 8 I launched the “21K for Clean Water” campaign to fund water projects in Rwanda. I set a goal of $2100.00 and as of the date of this post, this campaign has raised $2466.00!!! Much gratitude to the overwhelming support and generosity of those who have donated!

The Mob is so boss.

The Halifax Running Room clinic was fundamental in my training success. The clinic is designed for all levels of running capabilities and my coaches, Jen Brenton and Sherri Robbins were warm, encouraging and great advocates of John Stanton’s running program.

I go on record stating that I would not have been able to get through the long runs or hill training without the group (aka Mob) support. I am definitely grateful and would recommend these clinics to anyone who is still on the fence about getting involved in a walking or running routine.

I will also go on record to state that the 10:1 method (running for 10 minutes, walk for 1 minute) not only got me fit to complete a half marathon – it got me to the finish line in 1:57 minutes! In my younger, more “type A” years I eschewed this type of training, but now – I’m a believer.

One of these kids is doing his own thing.

I took liberties with my training program to prevent any injury or pain and enhance my performance. Instead of the recommended  5 day a week, I ran only 3-4 times a week and supplemented my training with yoga, cardio on an elliptical machine and resistance training.  I contended with tight IT (iliotibial)  bands on my long runs, which lead to knee pain and stiffness. It did however, improve with massage and “rolling” the tissue along the side of the thigh and stretching sessions and Epsom salt baths.

Food for flight.

I changed up my diet to enhance my training and my body’s ability to recover. I cut back on caffeine, not because I had an unhealthy caffeine habit, but because it can be used to enhance performance and I didn’t want a daily intake of caffeine to build up a tolerance and interfere with my body responding to it for performance enhancement. I also avoided foods that contribute to inflammation in the body such as sugars, alcohol, wheat, dairy and focused on leafy greens, pseudograins, spouted nuts and seeds, and occasionally some fish high in omega 3.  The focus on nourishing not only for health but for performance is a post all to itself. But special mention goes to my pre long run smoothies that were a body-loving combo of spinach, blueberries, vegan protein powder, and chia seeds.  I definitely felt a dip in performance the the one day I skipped it.

So, what IS it good for?

In my case I would say I’ve experienced an increase in overall fitness, cardiovascular health, comradery,  a sense of accomplishment, improved sleep, a lot of fresh air and natural vitamin D, improved mood, improved digestion….I could continue, but it’s time for me to lace up my kicks and enjoy a run on this crisp, sunny fall day.

Hello friends! Summertime was wonderfully busy. I’ve enjoyed spectacular weather in Nova Scotia – the best I’ve experienced in my 3 years living here, actually.  After playing Nova Scotia tour guide to my friend, Jay and then my brother Omar, and a quick visit to my hometown, Toronto including a fantastic Health and Fitness Conference,  I’m back with a brand new blog post on one of my favourite and most-used foods – Quinoa! I get a lot of requests for quinoa recipes, so I thought I’d share my favourite ways to use this delicious and versatile grain.

Before I get into the recipes here’s a little information on this great food:

- It’s pronounced “keen-wa”.

- The taste is similar to rice…I say the taste and texture is a mix between brown rice and couscous, but I’ll let you decide for yourself.

- Quinoa may be a new food to North American tables, but it was cultivated in the mountainous regions of South America over 3000 years ago.

- Quinoa is actually a seed, or “pseudograin” and like it’s pseudograin sisters, amaranth, millet and buckwheat, quinoa is naturally gluten-free and easier to digest than other grains and wheat.

- Quinoa is a good source of iron, calcium and potassium and is high in B vitamins.

- Quinoa contains all 8 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein!

- 1 cup of cooked quinoa has approximately 200 calories, 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fibre.

Now for the recipes:

Basic Cooked Quinoa

Quinoa-Brown Rice Breakfast Bowl – delicious, filling and warming. A great breakfast idea anytime, but oh-so-perfect for those chilly fall and winter mornings.

Roasted Garlic Quinoa – adapted from Brendan Brazier‘s book ‘Whole Foods to Thrive’

Roasted Eggplant Quinoa Pilaf – my favourite quinoa recipe of the summer!

Quinoa Tabbouleh – adding an nutritional boost to this traditional Lebanese salad.

Leila’s Quinoa Salad – jam-packed full of goodness, this is my basic go-to quinoa salad all year long.

If you’re a quinoa “virgin” – I promise that adding quinoa to your diet is easy and tasty!

I hope you’ll try some of these recipes and let me know what you think!

As always, wishing you nourishment, wellness and happiness!

Leila

This is my basic go-to quinoa salad. The specific ingredients change depending on what’s in season and what is in my fridge. The one in the picture has radicchio, but that isn’t something I have on hand all year long. Here’s my basic recipe – I encourage you to add, subtract or multiply to make it your own!

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 cup broccoli florets

1 cup cauliflower florets

2-3 carrots (depending on size) chopped carrots

1/2 of small red onion, finely chopped

1/2 avocado chopped or sliced (your choice)

Dressing:

Juice from 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

Sea salt & black pepper, to taste

1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes (optional)

Method:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Let sit for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to incorporate.

*I recommend adding the avocado just before serving so that it doesn’t get too mushy.

Yield: 3-4 servings

However you spell it, this is a great gluten-free way to amp up this delicious and popular Lebanese salad.

Ingredients:

2 bunches of parsley, washed, dried and finely chopped
4 roma tomatoes or 2 large hot house tomatoes diced very small
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1 small onion finely chopped (white or red)
juice of 1 medium-large lemon
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 TBSP dried mint
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Add all ingredients to a bowl. Mix well and let sit for about 20 minutes to let the flavours incorporate.

*I like to add diced English cucumber and avocado to this salad also!

Yield: 4 servings

What I did here was nothing short of genius, IMHO – I combined  roasted garlic quinoa with some summer fresh, in season eggplant. Here’s how:

Ingredients:

2 cups of roasted garlic quinoa (or plain cooked quinoa)

1 small-medium sized eggplant sliced horizontally, 1/2 inch thick (into circles)

2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted.

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/8 cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350F. Place sliced eggplant on a cookie sheets and coat both sides with coconut oil. Place in oven for 6-8 minutes, turn slices over and cook for another 6-8 minutes. Eggplant should be tender, but not too mushy.

Meanwhile, to toast pine nuts: place pine nuts in small pan over medium heat. Move the pan around or use a spoon/spatula to keep the pine nuts from burning. Once they are slightly golden brown, remove from heat.

Remove eggplant from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. When cooled, chop the roasted eggplant into bite-sized pieces.

In a saucepan, on medium-low heat, add the cooked quinoa and the roasted eggplant and the remaining coconut oil (if desired). Stir gently to incorporate and heat for 3 minutes, until quinoa is heated through. Add the chopped parsley and stir to incorporate.

Garnish with toasted pine nuts. (not pictured).

Yeild: 2-3 servings

Infusing quinoa with the flavour of roasted garlic is soo delicious! Roasting garlic makes it sweet, and almost buttery…YUM!

(recipe is adapted from the Branden Brazier’s book ‘Whole Foods to Thrive’)

Ingredients:

1 whole head garlic

2 – 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa

1-2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp sea salt

*optional garnish ideas: chopped parsley, chopped fresh basil, chopped fresh thyme leaves.

Method:

Roast the head of garlic; heat oven to 400 F. Cut off the top peak of the head of garlic. Place inside aluminum foil and drizzle with about 1/4 tsp of coconut oil. Fold foil loosely and bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Once the garlic has cooled, squeeze the cloves out of the peel into a small bowl. Add the rest of the coconut oil and lemon juice, mix well.

Heat the garlic and coconut oil mixture in a small saucepan on medium-low heat. Add the cooked quinoa and sea salt. Stir to incorporate the garlic mixture and until the quinoa is heated through.

Garnish with fresh green herbs. (optional)

Yeild: 2-3 servings.

I make a batch of this at the beginning of the week and it’s ready to use in porridges, salads and pilafs for quick and healthy meals!

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

1 3/4 – 2 cups of water (depending on how soft you want to make it)

Method:

Rinse the quinoa in a mesh strainer under cold water for about 30 seconds. In a small saucepan add the quinoa and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid and simmer for about 15 minutes. When all the liquid is absorbed, remove pan from heat and fluff with a fork.

Yeild: 2 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa.

I’ve been meaning to post on this topic for a very long time as it’s been hot on my mind for the last few years.

When I started my journey with natural nutrition in 2007, I was enthusiastically introduced to a new sweeter called “Agave syrup”. It was being marketed as the “healthy” , “good-for-you”, low-glycemic alternative to sugar and honey and it seemed that EVERYONE in the natural health world was singing is praises.

I, however, remained very skeptical.   You see, I have “reactive hypoglycemia” – the theory being that I over-secrete insulin when I eat simple sugars and subsequently end up in a dangerous hypo (low) glycemic (sugar) state. Because of this, and my knowledge of food chemistry, I scrutinized the stickiness of this agave syrup. STICKY = HIGH SUGAR. For me, it was as simple as that. But, just to be sure, I decided to do a little more investigation into what Agave was – and what a revelation! I learned that most Agave syrup on the shelves was just as processed at white sugar, containing little to no of healthy benefits of the plant from which it originates, and more importantly – it is almost pure fructose – in some batches, up to 90% fructose!

Do you remember what else is almost pure fructose? – High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) That wicked stuff that is in a lot of processed and packaged foods that many manufacturers in North America have scrambled to remove from their ingredient list in recent years – especially those targeted at children.

While it’s true that HFCS and Agave are lower on the Glycemic Index scale than refined white sugar, Agave’s high fructose concentration still increases the blood glucose levels, and studies have shown this can lead to insulin resistance, an increase in triglyceride levels and fatty-liver disease.

My recommendation is if you chose to use Agave, keep in mind it is not necessarily a “healthier” choice, and it’s still a form of SUGAR. Raw organic Agave nectar is a slightly better choice since the low temperatures used for processing help to maintain some of the natural minerals and enzymes. However, there are other much healthier options for sweetening your dishes. I love raw/unpasteurized honey for not only it’s delicious sweetness but also it’s naturally occurring minerals, enzymes, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Other fantastic options are sucanat, coconut sugar, stevia (a wonderfully sweet sugar-free herb), apple sauce, and majdool dates.

Keep in mind, for optimum health, maintaining a healthy body weight and composition, all sugars should be consumed in tight moderation. Including sugar-concentrated fruits such as bananas, pineapple, and dried fruits.

Wishing you nourishment, wellness and happiness!

Embracing healthy living can mean changing the way we look at food. Oatmeal isn’t the only hearty grain on the breakfast block. Try this yummy superfood breakfast bowl – it will keep you satisfied for hours with the slow-buring complex carbohydrates of the brown rice and the complete protein of quinoa.  I usually make a batch of brown rice and quinoa on the weekend, so this recipe is quick and easy if you already have these grains cooked and ready to go! Oh – I should also mention that goji berries are a source of protein, too! But that’s material for a whole other post. Enjoy!!

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp goji berries, soaked for at least 10 minutes
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 tsp cinnamon (or more to taste)
• 1 Tbsp hemp hearts (optional)
• Small hand full of raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• Almond milk or coconut milk to taste

Method

Heat over stove top the brown rice and quinoa with either water or non-dairy “mylk”.

Transfer to a bowl. Add the re-hydrated goji berries and other toppings – add a splash of mylk if you like, and voila! A super-hearty, superfood breakfast is ready to fill you and nourish you.

Servings: 1