Oh my! It's been forever since I've blogged. It's always so crazy before you go on vacation and then afterwards you are well rested but running around catching up with everything you missed.
London and Portugal were great. Chris and I didn't relax too much - we were busy running around trying to see as many sights, get as many checkmarks in each city as we could.
It was my first time in London - wow is it ever expensive. I paid 2 pounds (approximately $3) for an apple one afternoon for a snack. That's an expensive apple. Great city. I think more manageable than New York but still something to see around every corner. Great people watching, amazing shopping, and lots of history. Did Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, National Gallery, British Museum, Tate Modern, Portobello Market (lots of fruits and veggies!!!), Chris rowed me around the Serpentine in Hyde Park, saw the Diana Memorial Fountain, Harrods...... we were definitely busy.
Portugal was a food and wine bonanza. I don't understand why the Portuguese serve FRIES and rice with almost every dish but nonetheless they do. Chris was happy but by the second day I was getting smarter and ordering the caldo verde (I think kale, cabbage and potato?) and the salada mista (mixed salad) for most lunches.
The antioxidant filled vinho tinto (red wine) was also very much in supply; as well as the port wine in the 6 of 60 wine cellars we visited in Porto. The seafood was delicious - we ate A LOT of cod and we even tried this fish called Sea Breem!
The timing of dinner was a bit tricky in Portugal. I grew up eating dinner at 5:00, sometimes even earlier if Dad had to go back out into the fields to do some more work. Chris and I usually eat at 7:30 but in Portugal most restaurants didn't even open until 8 and if we were there at 8 we pretty much ate alone until our last few bites. Of course being on vacation means shifting your eating habits and schedule ... Most of the time people were out having a bica (I'm sure their 5th or
6th espresso of the day!) when we were walking to dinner! Last but not least I have to mention all the pasteleria's with those tasty custard tarts. They are everywhere.
Obrigado Portugal!
About Me
Friday, April 24, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Healthy and Active Program
Went to an interesting seminar today!
I especially love going to seminars when Anna goes too! It's like the good ol' days when we were still at school, going to seminars as poor students, excited about the free food, and of course catching up.
We were both interested in going to this particular seminar because we both see a lot of patients that come in for weight loss. So it's always great to get the latest research and see what others are doing for success with their patients. Another interesting point made was that it's not necessarily ONLY for people that need/want to lose weight. It is used to improve metabolism overall - so someone with severe PMS or depression, or night sweats or anyone could benefit from eating from such an individualized plan.
One topic I spend time explaining to most of my patients, but especially weight loss patients is the importance of balancing cortisol and insulin. These two hormones are key - you want to keep insulin from spiking throughout the day. That's why I've always said eat 3 meals and an afternoon snack.
Today was interesting because their goal is for the patient to eat ONLY 3 meals a day, no snacks, based on 40 blood markers. So each nutritional plan is unique and individual according to these markers.... things like cholesterol, liver enzymes, iron, sodium, potassium etc.
I'll have to test it out on myself (after vacation!!!) and my parents and friends and see what happens!
I especially love going to seminars when Anna goes too! It's like the good ol' days when we were still at school, going to seminars as poor students, excited about the free food, and of course catching up.
We were both interested in going to this particular seminar because we both see a lot of patients that come in for weight loss. So it's always great to get the latest research and see what others are doing for success with their patients. Another interesting point made was that it's not necessarily ONLY for people that need/want to lose weight. It is used to improve metabolism overall - so someone with severe PMS or depression, or night sweats or anyone could benefit from eating from such an individualized plan.
One topic I spend time explaining to most of my patients, but especially weight loss patients is the importance of balancing cortisol and insulin. These two hormones are key - you want to keep insulin from spiking throughout the day. That's why I've always said eat 3 meals and an afternoon snack.
Today was interesting because their goal is for the patient to eat ONLY 3 meals a day, no snacks, based on 40 blood markers. So each nutritional plan is unique and individual according to these markers.... things like cholesterol, liver enzymes, iron, sodium, potassium etc.
I'll have to test it out on myself (after vacation!!!) and my parents and friends and see what happens!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
What is Bee Propolis?
If you have ever read a health magazine or wandered through a health food store you probably have come across bee propolis. It is usually touted as a detoxifier and a supplement great for energy. But what is it?
Worker bees actually collect resins that 'leak' from leaf buds and bark of certain trees. These worker bees then mix the resins with wax, honey, and enzymes and propolis is made.
The bees then use this great compound to repair their honeycombs, seal cracks, etc.
Propolis is one of the most concentrated botanical liver detoxifiers known.
Worker bees actually collect resins that 'leak' from leaf buds and bark of certain trees. These worker bees then mix the resins with wax, honey, and enzymes and propolis is made.
The bees then use this great compound to repair their honeycombs, seal cracks, etc.
Propolis is one of the most concentrated botanical liver detoxifiers known.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Lettuce Eatery
Has anyone been here? I've walked by several of them around Toronto but never eaten at one, until last night.
One of my patients this week told me she eats at Lettuce Eatery downtown every day for lunch. She creates her own salad (the same one!) each time - this intrigued me so last night since Chris was going to be late I decided to stop at Sherway Gardens on my way home and give it a try.
Delicious and great concept. You can pick from 5 or so salads on their menu that they have put together or you can create your own. You pick the 'leaf' - spinach, romaine, or mixed, and then pick your toppings and your dressing.
The serving you get is pretty big and the dressing is already mixed into the salad which is wonderful. My salad was $7.06. I had a mixed green salad with sunflower seeds, carrots, broccoli, red peppers, avocado, grilled tofu, chickpeas, with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Definitely will go back.
One of my patients this week told me she eats at Lettuce Eatery downtown every day for lunch. She creates her own salad (the same one!) each time - this intrigued me so last night since Chris was going to be late I decided to stop at Sherway Gardens on my way home and give it a try.
Delicious and great concept. You can pick from 5 or so salads on their menu that they have put together or you can create your own. You pick the 'leaf' - spinach, romaine, or mixed, and then pick your toppings and your dressing.
The serving you get is pretty big and the dressing is already mixed into the salad which is wonderful. My salad was $7.06. I had a mixed green salad with sunflower seeds, carrots, broccoli, red peppers, avocado, grilled tofu, chickpeas, with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Definitely will go back.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Garden of Vegetables
Last week First Lady, Michelle Obama, dug up a section of the South Lawn of the White House to plant an organic vegetable garden.
I thought it was fantastic to have some local children come to the White House and help dig up a garden. Word on the street is that they are even going to plant kale!!!
I wish every child had a chance to see where real food comes from. I was fortunate by growing up on a farm, my parents had a HUGE garden filled with rows of potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, kale, cabbage, and everything in between. I remember countless springs planting everything and countless summers hoeing and weeding, and countless autumns running to the garden to get something for dinner.
When I talk about healthy food I don't mean organic. A lot of people assume healthy = organic or that organic means local. Organic just means that the food, wherever it came from, has met the 'standards' to be able to be labelled that way i.e. least amount of pesticide possible as an example. When I talk about healthy I mean fresh or whole, not packaged. As I've said before you shouldn't really need to shop in the aisles of the grocery store, shop around the perimeter and you ensure that you are eating healthy.
So congrats to Mrs. Obama for leading by example. If more children understood where food comes from and what 'healthy' really means there would less obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
I thought it was fantastic to have some local children come to the White House and help dig up a garden. Word on the street is that they are even going to plant kale!!!
I wish every child had a chance to see where real food comes from. I was fortunate by growing up on a farm, my parents had a HUGE garden filled with rows of potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, kale, cabbage, and everything in between. I remember countless springs planting everything and countless summers hoeing and weeding, and countless autumns running to the garden to get something for dinner.
When I talk about healthy food I don't mean organic. A lot of people assume healthy = organic or that organic means local. Organic just means that the food, wherever it came from, has met the 'standards' to be able to be labelled that way i.e. least amount of pesticide possible as an example. When I talk about healthy I mean fresh or whole, not packaged. As I've said before you shouldn't really need to shop in the aisles of the grocery store, shop around the perimeter and you ensure that you are eating healthy.
So congrats to Mrs. Obama for leading by example. If more children understood where food comes from and what 'healthy' really means there would less obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Cod for Dinner
Last night we had cod for dinner. We've actually never bought cod ... it looked really fresh on Sunday so we thought we'd give it a try.
Found a great recipe that was easy and quick to make. I didn't have all the ingredients so I improvised and it turned out to be detox- friendly too!
I put the cod fillet on a piece of parchment paper and preheated the oven to 400 degrees. I shaved (used a mandolin slicer!) some white onion and shaved half a bulb of fennel on top, sprinkled some sea salt and pepper and some parsley, poured a few teaspoons of olive oil on top and folded the parchment paper to make a little package with the cod inside and put it in the oven for 20 minutes.
Took it out, sprinkled some fresh lemon juice on top and served it with some salad.
It was a very mild fish and the fennel and onion really gave a 'boring' fish some flavour.
Apparently the Portuguese love cod - salted cod - so I guess we'll have some of that in our near future as we leave in a couple of weeks for Portugal!!!
Found a great recipe that was easy and quick to make. I didn't have all the ingredients so I improvised and it turned out to be detox- friendly too!
I put the cod fillet on a piece of parchment paper and preheated the oven to 400 degrees. I shaved (used a mandolin slicer!) some white onion and shaved half a bulb of fennel on top, sprinkled some sea salt and pepper and some parsley, poured a few teaspoons of olive oil on top and folded the parchment paper to make a little package with the cod inside and put it in the oven for 20 minutes.
Took it out, sprinkled some fresh lemon juice on top and served it with some salad.
It was a very mild fish and the fennel and onion really gave a 'boring' fish some flavour.
Apparently the Portuguese love cod - salted cod - so I guess we'll have some of that in our near future as we leave in a couple of weeks for Portugal!!!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Okra, Green Bean Dinner
Well what's for dinner tonight?
This delicious vegetable dish that we're putting on top of quinoa.
Heat a little olive oil with a pinch of red chili flakes and 2 crushed garlic cloves. After 5 minutes add a box of cherry tomatoes and let them sear and then simmer for 15 minutes. In the meantime wash and cut a couple of cups of green beans into 1 inch pieces and cut the tops off the okra and cut in half.
Add the okra and green beans, some sea salt and cracked black pepper and cover and let cook for 30 minutes. Once everything is cooked and all the flavours have melded together put on top of quinoa and enjoy!
There was one time where I had a bit of roasted red peppers that were left over and threw them in there as well - it was delicious as well.
Enjoy the rest of the beautiful sunshine!
This delicious vegetable dish that we're putting on top of quinoa.
Heat a little olive oil with a pinch of red chili flakes and 2 crushed garlic cloves. After 5 minutes add a box of cherry tomatoes and let them sear and then simmer for 15 minutes. In the meantime wash and cut a couple of cups of green beans into 1 inch pieces and cut the tops off the okra and cut in half.
Add the okra and green beans, some sea salt and cracked black pepper and cover and let cook for 30 minutes. Once everything is cooked and all the flavours have melded together put on top of quinoa and enjoy!
There was one time where I had a bit of roasted red peppers that were left over and threw them in there as well - it was delicious as well.
Enjoy the rest of the beautiful sunshine!
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