A-Z healthy eating Articles

December isn't the best month for weight loss, is it? The constant socializing of the Christmas season usually goes hand-in-hand with drinking, overeating, and staying out late; not to mention stress from all directions! What does this mean? It means that all the work you put into being healthy this past summer goes right out the frozen, icicle-lined window. Not to worry! There are plenty of healthy holiday swaps and superfoods you can incorporate into your favourite holiday recipes. 

Keep reading for some suggestions for tossing whole foods into your holiday meals, without sacrificing flavour. 

What Are Some Top Healthy Holiday Swaps?

Cocoa Nib Hot Chocolate

This drink is undoubtedly a part of all of our favourite Canadian winter pastimes. But most hot chocolates are filled with unnecessary sugar. This recipe is one of our healthy holiday swaps that uses the superfood Cocoa Nibs (yes, this is a healthy chocolate) you are also getting a high source of magnesium and iron, along with the delicious chocolaty taste. Raw Cocoa powder is also a great alternative.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp of Cocoa Nibs
• 2 cups whole milk [or coconut/almond/rice milk]
• 3/4 65-70% bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 6tbsp of raw cane sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Directions

In a grinder, pulse cocoa nibs until coarsely chopped. Place the nibs in a microwave-safe container and add the milk. Microwave for 3-4 minutes, and set aside to steep for 30 minutes at room temperature. In the carafe of a French Press, combine remaining ingredients [chocolate, sugar, water and salt].

After steeping, return the mixture to the microwave for another 2 minutes. Once finished, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into the French press carafe. Set aside for 1 minute, then stir to combine all ingredients in the French press. Pump plunger of press 10-15 times to froth and aerate. Serve immediately.

Goji Berry Holiday Stuffing

This is one of our favourite healthy holiday swaps. Amp up the nutritional benefits of your classic stuffing recipe by simply adding a serving of Goji Berries. One serving of this superfood has as much Vitamin C as an orange and more beta carotene than a carrot. This new superfood lives up to its name. We bet you'll throw some in your Christmas stuffing now for a new twist on a traditional favourite.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups of chopped celery [roughly 3 medium celery stalks]
• 3/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 9 cups bread cubes [roughly 15 slices, mixed breads]
• 1/2 cup dried goji berries
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped [1 1/2 tsp if using dried]
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped [1 tsp if using dried]
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions

In big skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook celery and onion in butter, stirring frequently, until onion is tender. Stir in roughly 1/3 of bread cubes. Place in large bowl. Add remaining bread cubes and ingredients; soak berries for roughly 5 mins and then toss together. Stuff mixture into the turkey as you would normally.

Red, Green & White Salad

Who doesn't love getting their vegetables and sprucing up the dinner table at the same time? The colours scream festive, and by adding pomegranate seeds to this dish, you will be packing in the antioxidants. If pomegranate seeds or juice are already a staple in your diet, good for you! They have been known to regulate blood pressure, lower cholesterol and reduce atherosclerotic plaques. Not only does it taste good, but it's also good for you and your heart, which is why this is one of our healthy holiday swaps.

Ingredients

• 4 cup thinly sliced hearts of romaine
• 2 heads Belgian endive, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 bulb fennel, trimmed, cored, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 can hearts of palm, drained, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1/2 head radicchio, cored, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 red apple, cored and cut into matchsticks
• 1 cup thinly sliced radishes
• Pomegranate seeds (as many as you feel)

Feeling a little creative? Try adding in some almonds, pumpkin seeds or walnuts for an extra crunch.

Directions

Toss all ingredients in a large [christmas-inspired] salad bowl and add your favourite dressing- poppyseed could be nice, or a nice vinaigrette to cut through the sweets and pull in all the flavours.

Raw Christmas Chia Cookies

Sweet tooth’s, rejoice, this is where our healthy holiday swaps really become beneficial! We know it's hard to stay away from the dessert table this time of the year, but when you have a cookie like this as an option, eat up. And fast! Who knew fibre could taste so good? For a tiny package, Chia seeds really do deliver a big nutritional punch. They're high in fibre, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, maganese and phosphorus, as well as protein. You might want to add these into all your Christmas baking [or smoothies] now, really – we mean it.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dates (without stone)
• 1/8 cup chia seeds
• 2 tbsp cacao powder
• 1/4 cup whole raw almonds
• 1/2 cup raw slivered almonds
• 1/4 vanilla essence
• dash of almond essence

Directions

Using a blender or food processor, blend the dates until a paste is formed. Add the whole almonds, cacao powder, chia seeds, vanilla and almond essence. Blend until everything is combined. Finally, add the slivered almonds and pulse in until the cookie batter is mixed well.

Transfer mixture onto waxed paper, place another sheet on top and roll out using a rolling pin or flatten with your hands. Preferably, the cookies should be about 1/2 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter – preferably one that is festive- cut the cookies out and place on parchment paper and place in fridge. Eat as you desire.

Mistletoe Maca Balls

Who couldn't use a little pick-me-up this time of year? With all the Christmas shopping and snow shovelling, you completely forgot to throw something together for the holiday potluck, didn't you? Not to worry. These Maca balls have you covered for all aspects of your crazy life. Maca has stress reducing, hormone balancing and immune supporting properties. It comes in capsules, liquid (tincture) or in powdered root – which is great for throwing together quick recipes, such as this.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cashews
• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 2 tbsp maple syrup (or agave nectar)
• 1.5-2 tbsp maca powder
• 1 tbsp cacao nibs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch of sea salt

Directions

Grind cashews and oats into a fine flour using a food processor. Add in mac powder and salt, pulse till blended. Then add sweetener and vanilla, pulse until all ingredients are combined. Finally, add cacao nibs to mixture and pulse once more. When the dough is ready, it will clump. Scoop out small balls and roll to shape. Chill in fridge for an hour before serving.

Holiday Green Tea Latte

Believe it or not, there are some moments in the holiday season when you prefer a hot drink over something sickeningly sweet, and you can't bear the thought of having another cup of plain tea! That's where this delicious drink comes into play. One cup of matcha is equivalent to 10 cups of green tea – that's a crap load of antioxidants, metabolism-boosting, and health-promoting goodness in one glass. It might even be worth missing your cup of coffee with Baileys on Christmas morning!

Ingredients

• 3/4-1 cup of favourite milk [coconut, almond, soy etc]
• 1 tsp matcha green tea
• stevia or favourite sweetener to taste

Directions

Heat milk in microwave or on stop top, until steaming. Stir in matcha green tea and sweetener. Use a frother to create a nice foam top, if desired.

Hazelnut Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Christmas pudding is nice, but a rich chocolaty spoonful of mousse as you sit in front of the fire place? Devine. Avocados are high in phytosterols, a fat that helps to regulate the immune system and helps to reduce inflammation. However, don't let the word 'fat' throw you into a tizzy. They are a good fat, a fat that significantly increases the absorption of carotenoids. They make a great addition to your salad, but shockingly, as a dessert, too.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks [or chips]
• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/4 unsweetened cacao powder
• 2 tbsp honey [or maple syrup, agave etc]
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 1 tbsp Hazelnut Kahlua [hey, its Christmas, splurge a little!]
• 1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
• 2 tbsp almond milk
• Garnish with chopped hazelnuts, berries or mint sprigs

Directions

Use a double-boiler or a saucepan with water (and using a bowl on top as a double-boiler) and bring water to a boil. Place chocolate chunks/chips in bowl on top of water, and the heat down low. Whisk chocolate and ensure there are no clumps – and that it doesn't burn. All chocolate should be melted when it is finished. Place all remaining ingredients into a food processor, followed by melted chocolate. Process until silky smooth. Dish into bowl and place in fridge until ready to serve.

Quinoa Salad Stuffed Acorn Squash

We know you have your traditional side dishes for the holiday season, but perhaps you could make room for this one? Quinoa is a super-seed (although it's used as a grain) that has become a staple in most gluten-free diets. One of its biggest superfood bragging rights is that it's a complete protein, meaning it has all 8 essential amino acids. It's higher in protein, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc than wheat.

Ingredients

• 2 small acorn squashes, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
• 5 tbsp coconut oil [melted]
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 tbsp maple syrup [optional]

Directions

Preheat over to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil. Rub squash flesh with roughly 3tbsp of oil and have them face up on the baking sheet. Roast 30-35 mins or until flesh is easily pierced. Remove from oven and cool. In a saucepan, bring broth and orange juice to a boil and stir in quinoa. Lower heat, cover pan and let it simmer, until ready. In another medium saucepan, heat remaining 2tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add onion and celery. Sauté until soft – about six mins. Add garlic and thyme and sauté an extra minute. Add onion mixture as well as cranberries and pecans to cooked quinoa and toss together; add salt and pepper to taste. Fill each squash half with quinoa mixture, and drizzle with maple syrup before serving.
7 Smoothies to get you through your Hectic Holiday Week!
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As more people look for natural ways to improve their health and energy levels, interest in the raw diet continues to grow. Centred around whole, unprocessed foods, this approach emphasizes fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and other minimally altered ingredients. Supporters of a raw diet often report having an increase in energy, improved digestion, and a greater intake of nutrient-rich foods. 

In this article, we'll explore the principles behind raw food diets, their potential benefits, and important considerations for maintaining balanced nutrition. 

What Is A Raw Food Diet?

Contrary to popular belief, raw food can actually be cooked or heated to a certain temperature. There is, however, some debate as to what acceptable maximum temperatures can be used and still considered ‘raw’. The most widely accepted guidelines state that as long as the cooking temperature stays below 118 degrees Fahrenheit, the food can still be considered raw. This allows for a lot of dehydrating of foods, a staple in raw food diets. See below.

What Are The Key Benefits of A Raw Diet?

Phytonutrients, Vitamins and Minerals

Probably the most obvious and perhaps profound benefit of a raw diet is the increase in phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals. When naturally nutrient-dense foods are cooked, the very aspect that makes them healthier is significantly compromised. Raw food-ists have an increased intake of micro and macro nutrients, and antioxidants, which are important for disease prevention and overall better health.

Enzymes

Enzymes digest or break down our food. Our body produces and secretes enzymes for digestion as we eat, but food itself often comes with its own enzymatic effects; the most powerful of those are in raw fruits and vegetables. Cooked fruits and vegetables no longer possess this same enzyme activity.

Alkalinity

Cooking makes food more acidic. Combine that with the fact that highly processed foods, foods high in refined sugars, many animal proteins, and cooked grains (among many other aspects of a typical North American diet) also promote acidity in the body, and it's no wonder that our acid/base balance is typically out of whack! Why does it matter? Enzymatic reactions are not only heat sensitive, but pH sensitive, meaning digestion is compromised in an overly acidic environment. Our body retaliates by leaching calcium from our bones, increasing the risk for osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Raw diets shift the body back to a more alkaline state!

Improved Digestion

Cooked foods take longer to digest. This can be taxing on the body and lead to toxic accumulation due to poor elimination. Moreover, a diet high in processed foods can increase inflammation in the gut, potentially leading to a whole slew of health concerns. Optimal digestion is truly at the root of all health. More nutrients, more enzymes and faster breakdown all mean a healthier digestive system, ultimately meaning a healthier you!

Tips For Implementing A Raw Diet

Low in Animal Products

Raw diets are, out of both necessity and a perceived added health benefit, free from meat and usually all dairy; however, some exceptions apply. Some Raw food-ists still eat raw fish, or sashimi. Some will also consume raw dairy products.

Avoid Processed and Prepared Foods

Raw food enthusiasts generally do not eat prepared or processed foods, avoiding preservatives or precooking, which can again jeopardize the nutritional value of the food we consume. Instead, the focus is on fresh foods, most often organic – again to avoid potentially harmful pesticides. Fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as raw beans, legumes, nuts and seeds are staples of a raw food diet.

Learn to Soak and Sprout

Specifically for many nuts/seeds and bean, germinating is necessary for digestion (in the case of many beans, cooking actually increases enzymatic action for optimal digestion. Germinating beans is one way to get around this. Simply soak for a specified period of time in purified water (soaking times will vary depending on the bean and/or nut/seed). Use caution as some beans are simply off limits, soaked or not (ex. kidney beans)! Many who follow the raw food movement also take things one step further and sprout their own nuts, seeds and beans for even more added nutrition.

Dehydrate Food

With the purchase of a dehydrator, you can dehydrate virtually any fruit or vegetable, as well as nuts and seeds to make crackers, and even meat for jerky. Since temperatures remain low, over a longer period of time, dehydrating is another way to vary your food intake, while still keeping it raw.

Blend

Smoothies, gazpacho (cold soups) and dips, such as hummus, salsas, guacamoles, and pestos, are another way to maintain a varied (and tasty!) diet while still avoiding cooked foods.

Are There Any Disadvantages To A Raw Diet?

There are odd foods that are actually known to be significantly healthier when cooked. Tomatoes are perhaps the best example of this. Cooked tomatoes contain 3-4 times more lycopene than their raw counterpart. Therefore, consistently eating certain foods RAW does actually minimize their nutritional content.

From a Traditional Chinese medicine perspective, raw foods can be very damp forming, a diagnosis that comes with a unique and all too familiar set of symptoms, including fatigue, impaired immune function, a sensation of heaviness, and often recurrent candida, just to name a few. This can be remedied to a certain extent by adding warming herbs and spices to raw foods.

Generally speaking, a raw food diet is healthy if you enjoy making your own food and can take the time and effort to do it properly!

Moderation is key

If all this seems just a little overwhelming, start out slow. Try eating one raw meal/day, or maybe work your way up to 2-3 raw days/week. It’s a great lesson in learning to incorporate more fruits and vegetables in the diet, and rely less on packaged, pre-made (or even pre-cooked) meals. If you don’t think you are going to be diligent with soaking nuts and beans in order to keep protein intake up, and maintaining a varied diet (ie; blending, dehydrating, sprouting, etc. to give you more options), then perhaps an exclusively raw diet is not right for you. Aim for a 70/30 split; raw to cooked foods, or find the balance that best suits your lifestyle, and meets your nutritional needs.

What is Sprouting?

Sprouting is the process of soaking, draining and then rinsing seeds at regular intervals until they germinate or "sprout". Sprouting can be done commercially or in the privacy of your own home quite easily. Common beans for sprouting include mung beans, alfalfa, chickpeas, barley, lentils and azuki beans.

What Are The Benefits of Sprouting?

Very simply put, sprouts offer the highest amount and quality of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fibre and enzymes per unit of calorie. Among its many nutritional claims, sprouting is shown to increase the content of B vitamins, vitamin E and A. Some argue they are the most nutritious food we can eat. As sprouting or germination occurs, the seed is transformed into only essential content, while the nutritionally undesirable content is broken down, producing energy or power to change from seed to sprout. In this case, as a seed becomes a sprout, the protein or amino acid content is increased, while the carbohydrate content is decreased or broken down to provide the seed with the energy to grow.

Sprouts are a living food. They continue to gain in vitamins and nutritional content even after they are harvested and to a certain extent when refrigerated. Compare that to store bought vegetables, which start to lose nutritional content as soon as they are picked, and at times long before they arrive at the store. As an added benefit, sprouts are very easily assimilated and digested, while improving the overall efficiency of digestion. This is particularly important in the case of protein, which often requires more work to digest. Sprouting significantly increases the protein content of many beans, while making it one of the easiest forms of protein to digest.

A study conducted on Salba®, a specific brand of Chia, found that 3.5 oz of Salba® contained as much omega-3 as 28 oz of salmon, as much calcium as 3 cups of milk, and as much iron as 5 cups of raw spinach. Chia is also gluten-free, a bonus for those with gluten sensitivities who have a hard time increasing fibre consumption. All that nutrition and it's also low in calories.

How To Make Your Own Sprouts

The most important tip when sprouting is to make sure that the container you choose to use allows water to drain from it. A jar with a mesh or cheesecloth top works well. If the sprouts are not drained in the recommended time and allowed to sit in the water, they will quickly rot. Each seed has slightly varied soaking and sprouting schedules, but in general:

1. Soak the seeds (in the case of mung beans, you soak for anywhere from 8-14 hours)
2. Drain the seeds and let them sit
3. Rinse and drain the beans 2-3 times/day until the beans have sprouted. (Mung beans only take about 1 day to sprout.) 
4. You may put them in the fridge to prevent rotting once sprouted for a maximum of two days. 

If not used within three days, the seeds usually go sour. As with most things, the fresher the better, so try to eat your sprouts as soon as they are ready – add them to your salad, or make a live granola with sprouts, soaked nuts, and dried fruits.

Sprouting is not dependent on weather or time of year. Sprouts can be grown from January to December. Sprouting does not work well in full sun, as the seeds tend to dry out. A windowsill with indirect sun is the perfect spot to sprout. Mung beans can actually be grown in the dark, although it has been reported that they lose some of their nutritional value.

CLICK HERE FOR SPROUTED PRODUCTS

Sprouting food is all the rage these days. It's fun to grow food right in your own home, and it’s great for kids to partake in the process. Sprouting also has great health benefits that have been known for centuries in different parts of the world, particularly Asia. It’s easy to do at home, and if you are on the run, sprouts are readily available in most grocery stores.

The practice of sprouting food all started when people began to recognize that certain grains and legumes gave them negative digestive symptoms like gas, bloating and indigestion. However, when these foods are soaked and sprouted, they are much easier to digest.

The reason grains and legumes produce gas and indigestion is that many people do not have the digestive enzymes needed to fully digest them. As a result, they ferment, cause negative digestive symptoms and can contribute to inflammation and allergies.

Before farming, humans were mostly hunter-gatherers, so if we came across a bit of naturally growing grain, it was few and far between. Also, these grains would have been soaked and mashed to eat. It’s theorized that because humans did not consume large quantities of grains, flour, and legumes prior to the advent of farming practices, we lack the necessary digestive enzymes to adequately digest quantities of grains and legumes. Sprouted grains and legumes are better suited to our digestive system because they include the enzymes needed to digest them.

What Are Sprouts & What Are They Used For?

Sprouts are the colourful plant-like growth which forms when certain foods are soaked in a small amount of water. Soaking begins a natural process called germination. Nature uses seeds, grain, nuts, and legumes to grow new plants, and it all begins with a germination process.

When these foods become wet, it catalyzes the growth enzymes to begin a chemical process for the growth of a new plant. This is called a sprout, and sprouts are highly dense with enzymes and nutrients. The benefits of eating sprouts are many. Much of the value has to do with the chemicals and nutrients in the sprout itself, which are not available until germination occurs.

This is because unsoaked grains, legumes, and seeds contain what are called enzyme inhibitors, which prevent them from germinating and sprouting. It is only when they become wet that these growth enzymes are triggered, and plant growth begins to happen.

Grains, legumes, and seeds also contain phytic acid and certain toxins to keep them from being eaten by animals and humans. Enzyme inhibitors, phytic acids, and toxins all contribute to grains, legumes and seeds being difficult to digest. Phytic acid also interacts with essential minerals like Calcium making them unavailable for your body to use. Once soaked, naturally occurring healthy Lactobacilli bacteria begin to grow and neutralize phytic acid and toxins, halting their negative effects.

Soaking, fermenting and sprouting also break down difficult to digest proteins like gluten found in most grains, except rice, quinoa, buckwheat, and millet.

What Are They Used For?

Sprouts are mainly used for their nutritional value.

In addition to being a living, enzyme-rich food, Sprouts have many vitamins and minerals. Just by sprouting these foods, their vitamins and minerals increase.

For instance, the vitamin A content in sprouts doubles, the B vitamins will increase 5 – 10 times, and vitamin C will also increase.

Once sprouted, proteins in grains, seeds, and legumes also become more digestible and therefore bioavailable. This is especially important for those who are vegetarians.

They are also rich in the minerals calcium, iron and zinc.

Why do Sprouts Work?

It’s commonly known that the new buds and growth of plants and herbs are highly nutrient-dense and even medicinal. This is Mother Nature’s way of giving new and old plants the extra nutrients and energy they need to grow and produce a full-sized plant.

By eating sprouts, we can benefit from this natural process by giving our body nutrient-dense vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and enzymes that we need to maintain health.

How Can I Use Sprouts?

Sprouts are great on salads, on sandwiches, or blended in health shakes. There is just no wrong way of eating them. One exception is that they are best eaten raw. Cooking them can neutralize their beneficial enzymes.