As many of you know, I’m in the middle of a major weight loss challenge. It’s no joke. I have to lose a good 15 pounds (25 would be ideal, but I’m being realistic and leaving room for major muscle gain, which I’ve been experiencing big time) by the end of April for a big “After” photo in the June issue of Today’s Parent Magazine. Can you say “eek”?!

I’ll be posting updates on how I’m doing in a new blog on Todaysparent.com. When I have the link I’ll give it to you asap.

In the meantime, I’m loving the green smoothie my naturopath Jennifer Baer recommended for me. And after stepping on my scale this afternoon, I realized that every time I get into a green smoothie kick, I start to lose weight. Every time. I just started drinking them again this week and my weight is ACTUALLY dropping. And I think it’s the kale.

Yes, kale can taste disgusting in a smoothie, but, I’m telling you it does wonders for weight loss. And when you have the right ingredients, and if you blend it well, a kale smoothie can be quite yummy. I splurged a while back on a Vitamix, and I haven’t looked back since. With a 7-year warranty, the exorbitant price is well worth it. ANYWAY! Here are the ingredients. Just dump them in and BLEND WELL:

1 cup kale
1 cup berries
1 banana
1 cup soy/rice milk
3/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
cinnamon to taste

Sometimes I add chocolate Vega Shake-and-Go Smoothie powder for extra protein, omega 3s and chocolaty goodness….

Makes 2 servings (refrigerate for a snack or breakfast the next day).

Enjoy!

Photo: daveeza

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I heard about her on Dr. Melissa West’s podcast (which I love), Returning to the Body Mind. Melissa interviewed her, and I was riveted and  inspired, and I checked out her website and her fasts as soon as humanly possible. I think the thing that inspired me the most to get fasting was Moira’s idea of teaching or advocating for causes not by preaching but by being a fabulous example. Her glowing skin, abundant energy and positive attitude certainly inspire me to dump my Starbucks soy no-water-tazo-chai AND cookie addictions horrible habits and start eating clean — as in, at least for 21 days, no wheat, no sugar, no coffee, no alcohol and, of course, no animal products.

I’ve talked about this before. I’ve been trying to diet (again) for years now, but I haven’t been able to stick to one plan since the Rascal was born — eating horribly became my coping mechanism for horrific symptoms of prenatal anxiety and OCD (it was the worst in the Fall)…. And now I seriously have a good 20 pounds to lose. I really really do. It’s important. For my health. And because my daughter’s still young enough that she won’t notice if I shed a ton of weight….

I never want her to see me “diet,” anyway. So, let’s just not call it a diet. It’s a fast, a cleanse. Losing weight will be the by-product of a healthier, lighter, happier, cleaner, more energetic me…. More on this on the main site…. In the meantime, here’s a video promo of Moira’s new “Autumn Fast.” (See HERE for how you can get the fast for FREE!)

So thank you Moira! And thanks, too, to @lindseyjay for motivating me with tweets every day — and Moira herself (@feelgoodguru) checking in with tweets. LOVE!

Moira (a Toronto resident, by the way!) is totally generous with her ideas, and she’s encouraged me to share some recipes from the fast with you. The first is the all-important GREEN SMOOTHIE! Enjoy….! (This recipe has been lifted word-for-word from Moira’s fast.)

Here’s how for 2:

Soak a cup of organic almonds overnight in spring water.
This activates the live enzymes in the almonds – packed full
of potential, beautiful trees waiting to grow. In the morning,
drain and rinse.

In a blender or vita-mix:

Add to the almonds 1 organic banana, 1 organic mango or
other fruit like orange, pear, apple, pineapple or whatever
looks great at the farmers’ market or in the produce
section. (Always buy organic to avoid countless toxic
chemicals in and on your food.)

Add a cup of your favorite soy milk,
almond milk or rice milk (I use Eden
Original for my smoothies), a cup of
orange or apple juice, 2 tablespoons of
a green food supplement (I’m using
Garden of Life Perfect Food Super Green
Formula), 2 tablespoons of walnut,
hemp seed or flax seed oil, and a pinch
of cinnamon.

Blend until all the ingredients are velvety
smooth. Sip slowly at room temperature
and feel immediately the benefits of
going green.

So…who’s with me? If you’re with me, you can grab the ebook FOR FREE — HERE’S HOW!

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As part of my new diet/lifestyle regimen, I am no-matter-what supposed to have a Caroline Dupont green smoothie in the morning. I’ve been doing it for a few mornings now, and it truly is a great, healthy way to start my mornings. INFINITY better than the Starbucks Grande Soy Tazo Chai Lattes I’ve been guzzling daily. So, I want to share it with you here, too.

INGREDIENTS:

Fruit: berries pear, apple, peaches, banana, soaked dried fruit like apricots – any combination;

A big handful (2 – 3 cups) organic baby spinach

Water or fruit juice (about 2 cups);

Green powders like spirulina or barley grass juice powder – you can find this at the – Health Food Store (1 tsp or so);

Natural Traditions sprouted chia and flax;

Possibly Vega Smoothie Infusion (Health Food Store).

I like to add about a half of teaspoon of natural vanilla to my smoothie. It gives it a little ZING and seems to mask some of the “green” taste.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place all the ingredients in a blender, and puree until REALLY smooth. I sometimes puree for 3 minutes (because I don’t want to be crunching chia as I drink – no thank you!). ENJOY!

WARNING: Caroline calls it a green smoothie because it really is GREEN! Don’t let that scare you….

I’ve never taken spirulina before, and I’m really excited about it. It makes the smoothie SUPER GREEN. Imagine how many servings of vegetables and fruit there are in just that smoothie!?

So, try this out, and let us know how it CHANGES YOUR LIFE!

For more recipes and health info from Caroline, see her truly excellent book Enlightened Eating. Also, please visit her website for more resources, such as her new healthy eating DVD and meditation cds, Carolinedupont.com.

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Hi Gorgeouses! I hope you’re enjoying the holidays!

As New Year’s approaches, I’m really thinking about my resolutions. Of course, most of them have to do with my diet. And, one of the resolutions I’ve made already — early! — is to have a healthy breakfast every day. NO MORE STARBUCKS CHAI TEA LATTES. HOLLAAHH!

So, for about 3 days now, I’ve been having a HEALTHY smoothie every morning. This means that, by morning, I’ve had at least 2 fruits and maybe a, erm, VEGETABLE! That’s a GREAT plan for making my quota of 5-10 fruits and veggies a day! I also like to sneak in some flax oil — maybe a 2-3 teaspoons — to ensure I get my omega 3 fatty acids (the vegan way). Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for everyone. So, if you’re not a fish eater, you might as well sneak some organic flax seed oil into your diet, and a smoothie’s an excellent place for that.

My morning smoothies are usually a mishmash of things. Here’s what I blended up today:

1 cup Fortified Rice Milk (this helps me get the nutrients I need as a non-milk drinker)
1/2 Frozen Banana
1 cup Frozen Blueberries
1 tbsp Flax Seed Oil
1/2 cup Frozen SPINACH
1 scoop of Hemp Protein Powder

I couldn’t even TASTE the spinach. It was fab.

I actually try to put pureed spinach in anything and everything…like these banana-chocolate-chip muffins I made yesterday:

You can see a TINGE of green. But, I assure you, the kids (and JOSH) tasted no spinach. They had no idea it was in there MWAHAHA! And, they’ve been devouring them! I’ll give you the recipe soon. I’m just obsessed with muffins — because they’re so easy to bake. And, this blog is turning into MUFFINS GALORE! In fact, I’m thinking I should rename it CHEATY MUFFINS. But, there’s something not quite right about that…. By the way, the pumpkin seeds? Purely aesthetic. They help diffuse the green….

So, there you have it. We’re drinking smoothies daily to start the day off right. No more Starbucks mornings. I’m so dunzo with that. We’ll see if I can manage to sit and read there with a mint tea…. Not as exciting, but, you know….

Do you have any dietary resolutions? Please share in the comments!

Love!
xo Haley-O

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By now, you’ve probably figured out that I’m a big fan of THE MUFFIN. Muffins are just SO EASY and always YUMMY. If they’re made nutritiously, they’re like CAKE without the fat and calories.

The muffins I’m sharing with you are adapted from one of my foodie favourite books, Enlightened Eating, by Caroline Marie Dupont, a very talented energetic healer, and nutrition and meditation expert whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with — she did some energy work on me, and it was UNBELIEVABLE.

Anyway, I was in a bit of a hurry, but I REALLY wanted to make the kids something homemade and nutritious to munch on because, as you know, I’ve been feeling down about my cooking lately…. I opened the pantry for an easy organic muffin mix that I THOUGHT I bought. But, alas, there was none in the pantry. And, then I remembered I never actually bought it; I’d put it back on the shelf last minute, SWEARING that I’d bake muffins from SCRATCH. No copping out this time.

So, I went through ALL my cookbooks, as I do EVERY time I go to bake muffins, and I found a surprisingly EASY one, with very few ingredients, AND VEGAN. Sweet!

You know, vegan muffins are not just good for vegans: no eggs = almost NO MESS. So, without further ado, I give you….

ENLIGHTENED APPLESAUCE MUFFINS!

INGREDIENTS
(Serves 12)

1/2 soy milk (I like the YU soymilk with omega 3s in it; you can substitute ANY kind of milk, including dairy for this, though)
1 cup applesauce
3 tbsp. olive oil or butter
1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
1 tbsp. ground flax seed (I used about 3 Tbs)*
2 cups whole wheat or spelt flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 – 2 tbsp lemon zest (I didn’t have lemons, so I left this out)
1 cup raisins or currants

*Always grind your flax seeds right before using them. I use a really small coffee grinder. So quick and easy.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil the muffin tin. Caroline suggests using coconut oil. I used an organic canola oil spray that I have — not the ideal choice, but I use so little….

2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the wet ingredients and ground flax seeds.

3. In another larger bowl, mix the dry ingredients and then fold in the wet ingredients.

4. Add the raisins and stir until everything’s mixed and you get a nice moist batter (never over-stir when baking).

5. Spoon the batter into the muffin tin.

6. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the centre of the muffin comes out clean.

7. Let the muffins cool for 5-10 minutes, and remove them from the tin.

Muffins freeze really well. So, you can put some in an air-tight container to freeze. This will prevent you from eating them all at once, too……. ENJOY!

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OY! It’s a chicken-egg scenario. Only, of course, I don’t eat chicken. Or eggs. Or dairy. Or anything animal. Which makes PASSIONATE FOOD a bit of a challenge — both for myself and the kids.

SO, to end this DOWNWARD SPIRAL into doom and gloom and BLAND FOOD. I’m menu planning. At least for the kids. And, I’m getting out all my ammunition, as follows:

1. Better Food for Kids

2. The Eat-Clean Diet for Families & Kids

3. Wholesome Meals for Babies and Toddlers

4. Organic Baby & Toddler Cookbook

5. Brain Foods for Kids

That’s A LOT of kids’ and kid-friendly cookbooks. I have NO excuse for not getting edible food on the table.

And, I KNOW, I’m being hard on myself. Most kids are picky eaters. There’s not a WHOLE lot I can do. But, I want to try a little harder to APPEAL to their senses….

I’m not sure how much I’m going to take from the books, but there are tons of ideas in all of them. I’ll share recipes with you throughout the week. Anyway! Here goes. Weekday Menu Plan for THIS WEEK. CHECK IT!

BREAKFAST:

Will be easy this week. I’m going to make my — now famous, apparently — nutrient-packed VEGAN MUFFINS. When I run out of those, I have our favourite waffles….

LUNCH & DINNER:

Monday:

Lunch: Macaroni and cheese (a healthier version than Kraft). Sliced tomato and cucumber, and a fruit. I’m going to sneak in some PUREED butternut squash into the macaroni and cheese. The squash adds a richness to the colour, a subtle sweetness to the taste, and, of course nutrients and fiber.

Dinner: BAKED SALMON (recipe from Better Food for Kids to come). The monkeys LOVE salmon, and I never make it. Let’s give it a try…. I’ll bake some SWEET POTATO wedges, and steam some broccoli (sprinkled with almonds?) on the side. Recipes to come.

Tuesday:

Lunch: (Aka HELL DAY because I teach yoga at 1pm, which leaves me only HALF AN HOUR, after I pick Monkey up from preschool, to feed them). Leftover Mac and Cheese, sliced tomato and cucumber, and a fruit.

Dinner: Organic (Hallelujah brand) Chicken fingers and veggies (because I’m getting tired just LOOKING at this menu plan, AND Josh-O has dinner plans).

Wednesday:

Lunch: HUMMUS and vegetable wraps. Mmmm, something I can enjoy with them. VEGAN LUNCH. You should see my little Rascal eating a wrap. So fancy!

Dinner: IT’SGRANDMA’S COOKING.

Thursday:

Lunch: Peanut butter and jam on a bagel/toast. Milk/chocolate milk (for the monkey). Fruit.

Dinner: FRITTATA TIME! (recipe to come)

Friday:

Lunch: Hummus and pita, veggies, fruit.

Dinner: IT’SGRANDMA’S COOKING.

Who am I kidding. It’s such a lot of cooking and cleaning ALL THE TIME — this motherhood thing. Nobody tells you there’s going to be SO MUCH COOKING and cleaning ALL THE TIME. So, here I am telling you.

I also noticed that my kids wouldn’t eat MOST of the recipes from the above cookbooks. So much for my ammunition…. I’ve been flipping and re-flipping through them all and thinking MY KIDS WILL NEVER EAT THAT! Sigh….

So, you tell me, Gorgeouses! What are some of your favourite kids’ meals? (And, you don’t have to be a parent to answer this!)

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Q: My baby is almost 4 months old…what do you recommend regarding exercise, losing weight and breastfeeding? I have read conflicting things and would like to know the best, safest way to lose the baby weight without it affecting my breastmilk.

Thank you!

–Michelle B.

A: This is a question that is near and dear to my heart since I am expecting my first baby at the end of August. I am someone who practiced what I preached. I kept a pretty strict diet and worked out pretty hard – I avoided wheat, dairy and most starches/sugar on a regular basis and weight lifted at least 2 times per week plus cardio 4-5 times per week. WOW did my world get turned upside down when I got pregnant. Needless to say that I have put on more then a couple pounds and had to slow down with the workouts. The result is that I feel fat! I know, I know…I’m pregnant but I thought I would be one of those people who only gained the appropriate 25 pounds. NOT SO!

When I got this question it sparked an urge to formulate a “Bring Sexy Back” plan for all of you moms who want their pre-baby body’s back.

From the research I have done, it is okay to work out pretty intensely assuming you exercised pre baby. It’s the calories you take in or lack thereof that mostly affects the amount of breast milk you will produce. As long as you are providing your body with the right amount of calories coming from good quality, ‘clean’ food there should be no reason you can’t lose the weight!

THE “BRINGING SEXY BACK” PLAN

*If you have never exercised before reduce the exercise portion by half the days and time and work up to 4-5 days per week.

Consult your physician before starting any exercise or diet plan.

Consistency is key!

Exercise:
Cardio: 4-5 times per week for at least 30 minutes (moderate to vigorous intensity)
• Walking/running on the treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical or stair climbing.
• Classes at a gym.
• Going for a brisk walk with a stroller.

Nutrition:
Breastfeeding moms need to make sure they are getting enough calories. For weight loss purposes it’s the type of calories that matter. Maximize your eating by consuming lots of low calorie foods like fruits and veggies!

Tips:
• Make sure you are eating every 3-4 hours
• Don’t let yourself get hungry – then the cravings are too strong to avoid
• Ensure you have cut up fruits and veggies on hand to snack on
• Spend some time cooking and freezing – helps to avoid ordering take out
• ALL MEALS SHOULD CONTAIN A LEAN PROTEIN AND GOOD QUALITY FAT
• Avoid starch at dinner
• Avoid empty calories – sugar is the enemy!
• Load up on fiber

Breakfast: HAVE IT!
• Make sure it contains protein and a complex (full of fiber) carb
• Slow cooking oats with egg whites or cottage cheese is a good choice

Snacks: Fruit with nuts or whole grain crackers with a nut butter

Lunch:
• ½ cup complex carb (quinoa, brown rice etc.)
• 4oz protein
• Veggies
• 1 tbsp fat

Snack: Veggies with hummus, cheese, or yoghurt

Dinner:
• 4 oz protein
• 2 cup veggies
• 2 tbsp fat

I plan to have a protein shake later on in the evening or throughout the night if I get hungry. [Haley's note: for a good protein shake recipe, try Lori's Shake To Go!]

Remember that everyone is different [Haley's note: If you want a more personalized plan, email Lori herself!]. I have had clients who couldn’t lose the weight until they stopped breastfeeding. Consuming organic, good quality food and avoiding processed simple sugars is a great place to start!

Good luck!

Lori

CHECK OUT LORI’S BIO HERE!

Got a nutrition question of your own, Gorgeouses? Ask LORI (click here to ask your question). LOVE!

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Q: I am a person who absolutely has to eat breakfast daily. I will eat (for example) two slices of multigrain toast with local honey and a non-fat yogurt with fresh berries or oatmeal with raisins and skim milk. I always have a 1/2 cup of orange juice, coffee (usally black, sometimes with a bit of 5% cream) and a tablespoon of Salba seeds in unsweetened applesauce.

I am 5′10″ tall and weigh about 142 lbs. I am currently nursing a 7 month old baby boy. Even though I eat what I think is a good amount of food in the morning (around 7:30 am), I am weak by mid-morning (let’s say by 10 am).

What can I eat to prevent the mid-morning blood-sugar lows (if that is what it is)? Any suggestions?

Thank you!

– Lori L.

A: Your mother was right when she said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day! In North America we have our eating habits backwards having our largest meal at dinner time instead of in the morning when we need the most energy from our food. What you eat for “break – fast” helps to determine your energy levels and food cravings throughout the rest of the day. It is important to consume a balanced breakfast that contains a good amount of protein, complex carbs and fat. A bowl of cereal even if it’s a fibre or a flax cereal with skim milk just doesn’t cut it.

Carbohydrates convert into sugar (energy) which can quickly raise blood sugar levels. Whenever something goes up, like your blood sugar levels, it quickly comes down. This “crash” is experienced by feelings of more carb cravings, fatigue in the early morning or in the afternoon, headache, irritability and light headedness.

In my weight-loss program 10 Weeks to WOW! all my clients do for the first week is change their breakfast. I give them pages of balanced breakfast recipes that they must consume for 7 days. The comments I get at the end of the week are that they have a lot less sugar cravings; they have constant levels of energy and are able to make better food choices throughout the day; most even lose 1-2lbs! This is because their breakfast now contains protein and fat whereas before it was all carbs.

The question I was asked was how to avoid blood sugar dips a couple hours after eating breakfast. It’s a great question.

Let’s break down your breakfast –- REMEMBER a balanced meal means that the meal contains protein, carbs and fat:

2 slices of multi grain toast – approx 30g carbs
Honey (1tsp) – 5g carbs
Non-fat yoghurt (100g serving) – 5 – 10g carbs & 4g – 6g protein
Berries (1/2 cup) 10g carbs
½ Cup Orange Juice – 15g carbs
Total Grams Carbs: approx. 70g

Keep in mind the average daily consumption of carbs should be between 120 – 200g of carbs per day! This breakfast contains half the amount of carbs one should consume in the entire day first thing in the morning. I am not debating that these foods are healthy –- they are, but they are not balanced.

My advice would be to cut the honey and the orange juice and have 1 slice of toast instead of 2. If you want the taste of orange in the morning, have ½ an orange instead of drinking the juice. The orange contains fibre. You can still have the yoghurt and berries. On the slice of toast I would add a raw nut butter like almond or walnut butter (1 tbsp). I would also add in a good source of protein like ½ cup 1% cottage cheese or 2oz low fat (7% M.F.) cheese or ½ cup egg whites.

Remember that a meal should only keep you full for approximately 3 hours. Try having a snack around 10am –- something that also contains protein or fat.

Hope this helps!

Lori

CHECK OUT LORI’S BIO HERE!

Got a nutrition question of your own, Gorgeouses? Ask LORI (click here to ask your question). LOVE!

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The only change Nutritionist, Lori, wants me to make this first week is breakfast. I’m supposed to eat one of the balanced breakfasts among her long list. So, two days in a row, I’ve had an egg, a piece of Ezekiel bread, an oz of cheese and an apple. Starting off with this balanced meal sets me up for the day. And, it’s quicker and easier to make than I thought it would be!

My friends don’t seem to understand just WHY I need to quit my Starbucks-chai-tea-latte breakfast — because, really, it’s not THAT BAD calorie-wise, and I DO take it with nonfat milk (or soy milk). But, the problem is, that evil drink SPIKES my blood sugar, throwing me out of balance. It’s a drug, A CRUTCH, for me — hence I chug it, am absolutely incapable of calmly sipping it. I IDENTIFY with this silly drink. It’s my ESCAPE. My cup of ADULT in this toddler/baby world I’m ensconced in.

Now that I realize all this, I have to change it. I canNOT depend on a drink to do all that for me. And, besides, BALANCE, I’m learning, and not ESCAPE is the way to go. When I have that chai, I crave sugar for the rest of the day — “pant pant pant sugar sugar gimme sugar where’s my sugar another chai need another chai more MORE MOOOOORE!” I CRAVE that HIGH ALL DAY. With a balanced breakfast, I crave balance all day, and the satisfied feeling that balanced breakfast gives me. Also, the balanced breakfast makes me more apt to recognize when I’m off balance — like right now, as a matter of fact, because I’m so tired from WAY overextending myself lately! MUST GET MORE SLEEP!

So, balance. Yoga off the mat. Don’t get me wrong, Gorgeouses, renouncing The Chai is NOT EASY, no matter how easy I make it sound! Today, Gorgeouses, I had to work HARD to resist her. I was a like a toddler whose favourite toy has been taken away. I WAAAAAAN IT, and I want it BAD. But, I persevered and managed to get through the day chai…FREE.

I always thought that “dieting” meant denying myself the things I love. But, the things I love are CRUTCHES, ADDICTIONS. And, I need to liberate myself from these addictions. Freedom is in the healthy foods, and not the stuff that WEIGHS US DOWN — the donuts, the cookies, the CHAAAAIIIIIs we WISH we could have copious amounts of!

I’m a yoga teacher. Time to get back on track as an example for my students. The goal is liberation. Freedom from the material. Renouncing that chai is an act of freedom. Goodbye CHAI. You suck arse.

So, HUGE NEWS, Kitchen Gorgeouses! Nutritionist LORI is going to motivate us with monthly contributions, to start. When she has more time, i.e., AFTER SHE HAS HER BABY, she’ll do more — perhaps WEEKLY!

Just so you know, Lori is AWESOME. So many of my friends are on her diet, and they SWEAR BY IT. She’s a “holistic nutritionist” — which means she has an eye on OVERALL health and not just on weight loss. You’ll love her.

More on Lori AND the diet later. For now, a recipe for a BALANCED breakfast that will make you feel as good as I do now. As Lori says, the first thing to do when you’re changing your lifestyle is to change your breakfast. Eat a balanced breakfast within one hour of waking up. Check it!

LORI’S SHAKE TO GO

Ingredients:

1/2 c rice milk (substitute 1% Regular Milk or Soy Milk)
1/4 c water
1 scoop protein powder (I use Hemp Protein powder because I’m a nutball….)
1/2 c blueberries
1 c strawberries
2 tsp flaxseed oil

Blend until smooth! Et VOILA! Enjoy.

I haven’t tried this recipe yet. But, I bought all the ingredients, see?!

Healthy healthy! And, low maintenance — I’m not, like, juicing or growing my own vegetables and sprouts. Will try it tomorrow.

NOTE: Not every diet suits everyone. What you’re reading here, of course, are my reflections. Talk to your doctor, of course, and don’t take these words as Truth. There is no truth. THERE IS NO SPOOOON!

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