mind your tempeh (stir fry with marinated tempeh recipe)

Sorry, I'm clearly struggling with clever puns on the word "tempeh" (i.e. the title of this post) - in fact, many of you may not even know what tempeh is, which would make any attempt at a pun ineffective anyway - but hey, at least I tried. ;-)  The important thing is that you're reading this now (or at least I hope you are), and you are about to find out what I'm talking about!

So, tempeh.  What is it?  Well, first and foremost, tempeh is a soy product, (made of fermented soy beans), which makes it a great alternative protein source for meatless meals.  However, it should not be confused with tofu -  although both are soy products, they are quite different - while tofu has very little flavour, is soft and mushy in texture, and is often packed in liquid, tempeh has a very firm texture, and comes packaged in compressed blocks which contain virtually no liquid.  Tempeh also has a mild flavour of its own, which is slightly nutty - and is often combined with other ingredients to enhance its natural flavour.  Personally, I like to use a brand by Henry's, which is made with organic soy beans (important - see below!), and is naturally dairy and gluten-free.  I usually purchase the tempeh made with crushed red peppers:

Depending on where you live, this brand may not be available - but tempeh can usually be found at health food stores, and is likely widely available at Whole Foods.  As the label indicates, it's a product made fairly locally to where I live in Ontario - if you live in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) I've purchased it before at Whole Foods (I don't think they need a plug!), the Organic Garage, Planet Organic, and Goodness Me.

If I am going to use a soy product, I actually prefer to use tempeh over tofu for several reasons:

• It's an excellent source of protein, offering the same quality protein as meat and poultry
• High in dietary fibre and calcium
• Easily digestible 
• High in fatty acids and Vitamin B

And to quote culinary nutritionista extraordinaire Meghan Telpner, it is important to seek out organic tempeh: 

"The main problem with soy is not really that is has phytoestrogens, or that it has enzyme inhibitors, the problem with soy is that most conventionally grown soy crops are genetically modified…. Organic Tempeh is a probiotic food, which means it helps the body to produce the healthful bacteria, while at the same time has antibiotic properties which help fight down the nasty guys. Tempeh is a complete protein and has soy isoflavones that strengthen bones, help to ease menopause symptoms, reduce risk of coronary hearth disease and some cancers." 

So there you have it folks!  Tempeh is ALL good.  But now that you know what it is, and why you should eat it, how should you prepare it?  Well, fear not, because I'm (finally!) about to tell you!! Tempeh can be used as an alternative to ground meat in chill or in veggie burgers, or, in the recipe I'm going to share today, it's also GREAT to use in a stir fry as a replacement for whatever animal protein you would normally use.  So enough already, I don't want to stir up your tempeh (heh heh) by prolonging this preamble any longer - let's get started! 

Marinated Tempeh
Marinate Time: 2-4 hours or overnight
gluten-free, nut free, refined sugar-free, dairy free

Ingredients
1 250g pkg. tempeh
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil or camelina oil (read about why I love camelina oil here)
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. raw honey
1-2 cloves minced garlic

Slice block of tempeh in half width-wise (to make two thinner blocks of tempeh), then chop each thin block into 1/4" pieces.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all the above ingredients;  add tempeh to the mixture, and gently toss to coat with the marinade.  Transfer coated tempeh into a large mason jar:

Seal jar tightly, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours, or overnight.

I find this to be a super easy way to marinate just about anything (as long as you can fit it through the lid of the mason jar, that is) - this way you can pick up the jar occasionally while the tempeh is marinating, and give it a little shake or roll it around to re-distribute the contents.  Easy peasy, and WAY better for you than marinating it in a plastic bag!











Vegetable Stir Fry with Marinated Tempeh
Vegetable Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
gluten-free, nut free, refined sugar-free, dairy free

Ingredients
2-4 tbsp. olive or camelina oil
Pre-marinated tempeh (recipe above)
1 cup carrots, peeled, and sliced thinly
1-1/2 cups chopped broccoli florets, (including stems)
1 cup red onion, chopped roughly
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped roughly (not pictured above)
1/3 c. snow peas, ends trimmed
1/3 c. sliced crimini mushrooms
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
1-2 cloves of minced garlic
1-1/2 cups baby bok choy, chopped at stem to loosen leaves
2-3 tbsp. low sodium tamari
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Wash and prepare vegetables:

Add 1-2 tbsp. of oil to wok or large skillet.  Heat oil over medium-high heat for about 1 minute.

Add marinated tempeh to wok/skillet, and stir fry/toss until edges are browned and crispy (about 2-3 minutes).

Remove from wok/pan, and set aside:

Add another 1-2 tbsp. of oil to pan (or as necessary), and reheat over medium-high heat for 1 minute.

Add sliced carrots.  Stir fry for 1-2 minutes, just until carrots begin to soften.

Add all remaining vegetables except baby bok choi - broccoli, red onion, red bell pepper, snow peas, mushrooms, ginger, and garlic.

Drizzle 1-2 tbsp. tamari over vegetable mixture and stir to coat.

Stir fry vegetable mixture until colours start to brighten and they begin to soften slightly (about 3-4 minutes). This process will happen quite quickly over the high heat - it is important to constantly be moving/tossing/stirring the vegetable mixture:

Add baby bok choy, and return tempeh to mixture to heat through.  Stir fry for about 1 more minute:

Add a pinch or two of sea salt and black pepper (to taste).

Serve over a bed of quinoa or brown rice - and enjoy all that colourful, flavourful, healthful goodness!!

If I do say so myself, this was delicious!  So whaddya say?? Is tempeh something new to you?  If so, I hope I've inspired you to give it a try - and if you are already familiar with tempeh, perhaps this will be a new way to prepare it for you.  Either way, be sure to let me know what you think, and have a happy meatless Monday!  :)

these are a few of my favourite things

Hello!  And welcome to my first ever installment of my favourite things!! ;-)

I know.  You're thinking that I have delusions of Oprah, and are wondering why I would think you'd be interested in my favourite things - but please bear with me, because here's where I'm coming from:  In my line of work, I deal with the public on a daily basis, and I noticed that I was consistently being asked where I got certain jewelry items, etc.  So I guess you could say my own little "focus group" indicated to me that you might also be interested in some of my favourite accessories, and I thought I'd share.  I should also mention that these are NOT paid endorsements - I'm sharing simply because I love this stuff - and maybe you will too. :)

It took me many years to finally come to the conclusion that the style that works best for me, is...comfortable.  If I could, I'd live 24/7 in boyfriend jeans and a T-shirt, Birkenstocks on my feet.  If I had to label my "style", I would probably call it "classic bohemian", or "conservative hippie" (yes, I just coined those terms myself, and come to think of it - they probably also describe my personality in general). Anyway...I think the accessories that I'm drawn to loosely reflect that design aesthetic, so away we go!

I'm going to start with a line of jewelry I absolutely love, by SaraLua.

Based in Saskatchewan, Canada, Sara's line is made mainly from "stuff that's good for the planet"- i.e. recycled, sustainable materials, such as glass and bamboo - which is very much IN line with what I like about it.  The fact that it's also unique, beautiful, and and exactly my kind of style is the cherry on top.

SaraLua's Petit Sandalwood Meditation Beads, paired with two of her bracelets.

I actually stumbled upon Sara's line of jewelry because she happens to be the partner of one of my very favourite musicians, Michael Franti (no I wasn't that creepy about finding this out - if you follow Michael's Instagram, she's very much a part of it) - and together, they head a charitable foundation called Do It For The Love. DIFTL arranges for people who are suffering from life-threatening disease to attend the concerts of their favourite musicians, also offering them an opportunity to meet the musicians personally. While of course I don't know Sara and Michael personally, their compassionate nature is more than apparent in the work they do, both in their chosen professions, and in the charitable and humanitarian work they do for people all over the world (literally).  If you want to buy with a purpose, I believe 10% of the proceeds from purchases are donated to DIFTL - so you'll be buying yourself something lovely, and making someone else happy in the process. :)

The next line of jewelry that I find myself purchasing on a fairly regular basis is another Canadian company, Toronto-based  Foxy Originals:

Foxy's Ziggy (L) and Coca earrings (R), with one of their reversible necklaces

Now, I said I wasn't going to get all Oprah on you, but Foxy actually DID have the distinction one year of having their "Coca" earrings show up on the mighty O's fave things list.  Figuring what's good for O is good for me, I investigated - and have been wearing my Coca's regularly (I have them in both gold and silver)  for at least the last 5 years (their durability rocks!).  Dress them up, dress them down - they go with ANYTHING. The rest of their line is fun, fresh, and always on trend.  I just recently purchased a pair of their "Ziggy" studs from Target (I'm wearing them in my "About Me" pic on the sidebar above), and I adore them.  (They have a limited line exclusive to Target here in Canada - I'm not sure if it is also available at Target in the U.S.).  Another thing I love about Foxy is the reversibility of many of their pieces (the necklace above reverses to brushed silver) - so not only is their price already reasonable, but you're getting two for the price of one.  What's not to love? :)

Okay...this next one is one of my all time, MOST favourite pieces of jewelry, my silver cuff bracelet from The Liquid Metal Collection by Sergio Gutierrez:

This is one that's close to my heart for a few reasons - first, because it's pretty darn gorgeous, and second, (warning, I'm going to get geeky on you here) - I first noticed it on Anna Gunn's character (Skyler White), in the best TV show EVER...Breaking Bad.  (It's amazing what you can find when you simply google "Skyler White's bracelet" - gotta love the big G!)

Anna Gunn as Skyler White on Breaking Bad

Just give me any excuse to talk about this show, I'll take it! :) Honestly though, even if the show had been total crap, I still would have noticed this bracelet, I liked it that much.  I'm complimented on it almost every time I wear it, and have had more than one total stranger ask me where I got it.  Of course I'm always  happy to oblige...but then they wish they'd never asked because all of a sudden there's a crazy lady standing in front of them talking about a TV show they've never heard of... :)

Anyway - I love it.  And if you live in or are planning a visit to the Toronto area, I've seen items from this line for sale at Corktown Designs in the city's charming Distillery District. Go for lunch, and leave with your very own piece of TV trivia!


Next up, something I've just purchased recently that I love - the 1:Face Watch:

Another wonderful opportunity to purchase with a purpose, these watches come in 8 different colours, each one representing a different cause.  For instance, the proceeds from my blue watch benefit the Adventure Project, helping protect the environment.  Other prominent charities involved include the Red Cross,  Pencils of Promise (building schools), and the Canadian Cancer Society.  (There is also a U.S. website, benefitting U.S. based charities).  There's nothing subtle about it, and I know, it looks GIGANTIC in the pic, but actually, it's very comfortable, and I love its clean, bold look - not to mention that I feel good knowing the very reasonable amount money I paid for it is going towards a good cause.  Win, win!!

Before I finish, I should mention one last thing that I probably get asked MOST about, and that's my glasses:

Me and my Clunys

Honestly, from clients at work, to store cashiers, to strangers on the street (and even facebook!), I've been stopped more times than I can count with compliments on my glasses, and enquiries about where I got them.  None of this surprises me of course, because I LOVE my glasses, but what's really surprising about them is that I bought the frames online, without the chance to try them on first - usually a must for buying frames, right?  I really took a chance on these babies - but it paid off big time. So is the suspense killing you.....?  Well wait no longer.  The frames are from DL Eyewear - a small but gorgeous line of optical and sunglass frames by Dan Levy (son of actor/comedian Eugene, in case you noticed the family resemblance).  I adore their funky updates on classic designs - and the "Cluny" in grey was exactly what I was looking for when I started shopping for new frames.  Honestly, if I could have designed them myself, these would be THE frames for me. Thank heavens my little gamble on internet shopping paid off - I (and apparently a lot of other people) love them!!


So there you have it, folks!  My first offering of "favourite things".  Hopefully I don't sound too presumptuous in calling it my "first" - as that implies there will be follow ups (and there may well be) - but you know how it is, when you find something you love, you want to yell it from the rooftops - so I hope you enjoyed my little virtual rooftop shout out.  As I say, I've got nothing to gain from this - my hope is simply that perhaps I've introduced you to a few things that may appeal to you as well - and maybe you'll soon be shouting about it from your own rooftop!

Until we meet again...  :)

ain't no doubt - I love sprouts! (roasted brussels sprouts with carrots recipe)

It's true.  I know it may be hard to believe, but as long as I can remember, I've always LOVED brussels sprouts. From what I understand, however, they are definitely one of those foods in the "you either love 'em or hate 'em" category - and most people I know lean towards the latter.  If you are a sprout-hater :( , I'm not here to try to convert you, because believe me, I know first hand about extreme aversions to the taste of certain foods (hello, cilantro!).  However, if you already feel the love for these adorable little cabbage mini-mes, I'm here to share my favourite way to prepare them. And okay, maybe there's a teeny tiny part of me that hopes you haters out there might reconsider too - because besides being delicious, these little babies pack a BIG nutritional punch:

• They are exceptionally rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
• Sprouts belong to the same family as other nutrient-rich vegetables such as broccoli, collard greens, cabbage, and kale.
• If you combine brussels sprouts with a whole grain (such as quinoa), you create a "complete protein", which makes a great replacement for animal protein in a meal.  Yay, plant power! :) 

I know.  You're thinking, "great, not only do they taste horrible, they're good for me too" - and I'm pushing you even farther away.  But don't give up on me yet.  Because this recipe combines sprouts with something you might actually like - carrots - and together, it's a roasty, toasty, veggie marriage made in heaven - the sweetness of the carrots offsets the bitterness of the sprouts, and it's a virtual flavour explosion! So let's get started, shall we?  As always, choose organic produce whenver possible for optimum nutritional value:

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Carrots 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time:  30 minutes

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

2 c. brussels sprouts

2 c. carrots

2-3 tbsp. olive oil (or camelina oil, see below)

1-2 garlic cloves, minced 

A generous pinch of sea salt

1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Before I continue with the recipe, I MUST make mention of camelina oil.  While I LOVE olive oil, and continue to use it, when I started to dig deeper into the world of culinary nutrition, I came across this wonderful product, derived from an ancient grain - it is not only exceptionally nutritious, but it has a fantastic flavour that enhances anything you cook with it.  Like olive oil, it tolerates a high cooking temperature, and due to it's high Vitamin E content, has a long shelf-life; and as if that wasn't enough, it's high in Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, is non-GMO, sustainable, and traceable (literally, right down to the field where the camelina grain was grown).  I use a brand manufactured in Saskatchewan, made by Three Farmers - and if you hadn't already guessed, I highly recommend it - not only for this recipe, but for anything you would normally use olive oil for.  (And they didn't pay me a cent to tell you that either - honestly, I just love the stuff).

Okay!  We now return to our regularly scheduled program...

Set oven to 400°

Rinse and clean the brussels sprouts, chop off the ends if necessary, and remove any loose leaves; you can either leave them whole, or cut in half lengthwise (or a combo of both, depending on the size of the sprout).

Peel and chop carrots into 1-inch chunks.

Finely mince/chop garlic.

Another handy hint - I use a tool I love called a mezzaluna to chop/mince garlic (named obviously for its half moon or crescent shape - yep, there I go with my awesome Italian language skills again!) ;-) You just rock it back and forth across the garlic, and it gets the job done quickly (mine is double-bladed, so it's extra quick), and you can chop the garlic as chunky or as fine as you like.  It's also a great tool for finely chopping fresh herbs such as parsley, rosemary, etc. - super quick and easy!

Place sprouts, carrots and garlic in a mixing bowl.  Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (a more healthful non-stick option, and easier for cleanup), and arrange vegetable mixture in a single layer.

Roast veggies in oven for 25-30 minutes (rearrange with a wooden spoon approximately every 10 minutes for even roasting):

Remove, and transfer to a serving bowl, or straight to your dinner plate. (But be careful, those little suckers retain their heat like no tomorrow!) 

Looks delicious right?  Can't you just taste that savoury, earthy, goodness from here?  You can prepare this recipe to serve as a side dish, or serve atop a bed of quinoa for a warming, nutritious, (and meatless) meal all on its own.  It's even great the next day for leftovers. (One of these days, I'll get around to writing a post about my favourite way to warm leftover food...) 

Hope you've enjoyed my little shout out to B-sprouts! :)  I'll leave you with a little tip - although it somewhat defeats the purpose of my attempt to get you to show brussels sprouts a little love, this is also an easy way to roast any number of vegetables - sub the sprouts for broccoli,  sweet potato, butternut squash...whatever medley tickles your fancy - and enjoy! :) 

primavera!

Poppies of Cortona, Italy

Well, it's finally here, folks!!  It may be in name only at this point, but today marks the day on the calendar that spring has officially sprung - and a middle-aged woman's fancy turns to...bella Italia!  (That's "beautiful Italy" in case you aren't as awesomely fluent in Italian as I am wish I was...) :)

I love, love, LOVE to travel (did I make that clear enough? ;-) ) I will save my thoughts on that general topic for another day - but if you've taken the time to read my "about me" page (and you probably have, because I know that's the ONE page I usually make a point of reading when I discover a new blog), you will already know that Italy holds a special place in my heart.  I mean, what's not to love?  It has it all - rugged Alpine peaks dotted with pristine lakes in the north, the verdant rolling hills of Tuscany, the sun-soaked Mediterranean coast of the south...and then there's -  the FOOD!!

I first visited Italy back in the late 80's (in late October - a simply splendid time of year to visit). Although at the time I vowed to return again soon, in true "better late than never" fashion, it was not until April of 2008 - 22 years later (!) - that I finally had the opportunity to return once more.  This time, however, we arrived in late April - and although much has been said in books, movies, and song about the virtues of "springtime in Paris", I'm here to tell you that springtime in just about ANY part of Italy is simply glorious.  The sun is warm, the smell of citrus blossoms is in the air, the poppies are in bloom, the landscape is lush and green - and bonus! - the onslaught of summertime tourists has not yet begun. In fact, we loved it so much, we decided to return again in the spring of 2009 to resume our inch-by-inch exploration of this gorgeous land, rich with history, art, and culture.

Seriously, I could write volumes about my love for this country - its people, its natural beauty, the FOOD!!... :) - but I will spare you my verbosity (for once) and cut to the chase, because as you all know, a picture is worth a thousand words - so I offer you my 17,000 word pictorial essay on beautiful Italy, as seen through the lens of my camera.  I promise, I will try (as best I can!) to restrain my comments, but I will cut in from time to time to offer you a few pertinent details.

Our first destination in 2008, "Italy Farm Stay" (below) was an agriturismo (which basically means a working farm that also provides reasonably priced accommodation) in Italy's wild and rugged Abruzzo region, located near the town of Sora. If you're looking for a truly "off the beaten path", authentic Italian experience, I would highly recommend looking into accommodations here - this is about as "local" as it gets - from the wine in your glass to the food on your plate!

Italy Farm Stay

On our second visit to Italy, we decided our first destination would be its famous lake district in the north, noted primarily for George Clooney its three lakes encircled by snow peaked mountains - Lake Como, Lake Lugano, and Lake Maggiore.  I had been there on my first visit to Italy in the 80's (prompted by a segment I had seen on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous! Champagne wishes and caviar dreams, anyone??) And no, I'm not talking about the song by Good Charolotte (although...I actually sort of liked that song...)  :)

Anyway...as mentioned above, I had previously visited this magnificent area of the country 20 years prior, and was excited for Rob to see it for himself.  We headed for Lake Maggiore, and found accommodations in a beautiful little hotel on the charming and very picturesque Isola dei Pescatore, one of a chain of three small islands just off the coast (near the town of Stresa).  This truly is fairytale land, people...the evening we arrived we were almost literally the only guests on the island, and were treated like royalty by our very attentive waiter at the hotel restaurant. Our little bubble of tranquility burst the next day, however, when the island (and the entire surrounding area) was overtaken by what seemed like the entire population of Italy - unbeknownst to us, we had arrived on the eve of an Italian national holiday!  Ah well, nothing to do but join in the fun!  (It was actually a good lesson to learn - when travelling abroad, always be aware of local national holiday dates before you go - it can be a problem when booking hotel rooms).

Isola dei Pescatore, Lake Maggiore

Speaking of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous...no trip to Italy's northern Mediterranean coast, or "Italian Riviera", is complete without a stop in tiny, picturesque, Portofino.  What Portofino lacks in size, it makes up in reputation as a playground to the, well....the rich and famous. (I promise, that's the last time I'll use that phrase).  We spent a gorgeous sunny afternoon in Portofino on our 2008 visit to Italy, soaking in the rarified atmosphere, people watching, and hiking the surrounding hills around the bay.  One of my strongest memories of our time spent there was the overpowering scent of money orange blossoms that permeated the air.  SO much beauty in one location - truly a feast for the senses.

Picturesque Portofino

About 90 minutes down the coast from Portofino, is the Cinque Terre (or "Five Lands") area of Italy.  As the name suggests, the Cinque Terre is named for its chain of five small villages/towns nestled in the rugged and steep coastline rising sharply out of the Mediterranean - in order, from north to south: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarolo, and Riomaggiore.  We stayed in Riomaggiore, at the Locanda del Sole hotel - again, a place I would recommend, but be warned - it is located at the top of the town - so be prepared for a steep walk back to your room at the end of the day.  In fact, due to the nature of the region's topography, anywhere you go on foot in the Cinque Terre is bound to involve a steep climb at one point or another.  But this is part of the draw to this exceptionally beautiful region - how else would you be able to witness spectacular vistas such as this?

Vernazza

Sadly, in October 2011, beautiful Vernazza (and other Cinque Terre towns) were devastated by serious flooding and mudslides - but it sounds as if the area is now well on the road to recovery.  Thank heavens, both for the residents of this unique region, and for those of us who have either visited before, or are planning a visit in the future.  Its charms are irresistible, and irreplaceable. 

Manarola at dusk 

Leaving the Cinque Terre, moving further south and inland, we headed for the heart of the Italian Renaissance, Tuscany's magnificent capital city, Firenze (Florence).  Let it be known that I adore everything about Florence - its relatively compact size, Brunelleschi's monolithic Duomo, the galleries, the architecture...but probably most of all, the sense of history that literally throbs within its ancient cobblestone streets.  I swear - I can see the ghosts of all who have walked those streets before, and hear the clip-clop, clip-clop, of horses hooves echoing upon them.  Of course all of Italy pulses with history (all of Europe for that matter) - but for me, there's just something about Florence specifically that brings the past to life - and I love it.

The Ponte Vecchio on the River Arno, Firenze

A favourite memory of one of our trips to Florence was getting up early to watch the sun rise over the city...it was a tad chilly as I recall, but well worth it - having the streets of this storied city to ourselves, if only briefly, was pure magic!

A rare sight on the Ponte Vecchio - no tourists!

Best place to view Florence?  From the Piazzale Michelangelo, of course: 

Classic view of Florence, from the Piazzale Michelangelo

As you may or may not know, Italy is a country liberally dotted with countless ancient hill towns - waaaay back in the day, settling your village on top of a hill, and barricading it with a massive and impenetrable stone wall was a sure fire way to have an eagle's eye view of your approaching enemies - and making sure they stayed OUT.  Well thankfully, this is no longer a problem - and even more thankfully, many of those ancient towns continue to thrive as places where modern day Italians still live, work, and play.  These days, the only marauding hoards they have to worry about fending off are the invading tourists - although there is one particular hill town, Civita di Bagnoregio, that looks as though it could still exist in the land of long ago.  In fact, the only connection between present day and the medieval past is a long foot-bridge - indeed, as Italophile extraordinaire Rick Steves calls it, this jewel on the hill is a sight to behold:

A bridge to the past - Civita di Bagnoregio

Okay, are you still with me?  Or is this the modern version of being forced to watch a slideshow of your great aunt's visit to Atlantic City?  Well, then, I guess it must be time for a little trivia interlude - are you ready? QUICK! Name this movie:

I'll wait...and give you a few more seconds to think about it...while you look at this:

Does it look familiar?  No??  Well how about this then?

The road to Terrapille

Okay, I think you can see what I'm getting at here.  Of course, the movie still above is from Ridley Scott's Academy Award Winning "Gladiator" (that soundtrack gets me every time) - and if you haven't figured it out by now, the famous wheat field that Maximus (Russell Crowe) so tenderly grazes his hand across as he returns home to his family was shot on location - in what is simply one of the most beautiful places on this planet - Tuscany's stunning Val d'Orcia region.  In fact - I'll (somewhat hesitantly) let you in on a little secret - do you see that villa that lies at the end of the  road?  It's an agriturismo.  And yes, that means you can stay there.  Agriturismo Terrapille, to be exact.  And on both our visits to Italy, we were beyond fortunate to call Terrapille home during our time spent in this region.  From the top of that hill, you're surrounded by a 360° vista of heaven on earth: 

The incomparable light of Val d'Orcia

From Terrapille, you are central to many of the other famous neighbouring hill towns of the region  - Siena, Montepulciano, Montalcino, San Gimignano, Cortona, and the nearby Pienza - not to mention some of the world's best food and wine.  Just a short drive from here, you can also find such classic Tuscan landmarks such as the Capella di Vitaleta: 

And that famous lone stand of Cypress trees: 

Let's take one last look down that long and winding road together as we leave Terrapille, shall we?

I simply can never get enough of this place.  And although photographs can do it justice, it truly MUST be seen to be fully appreciated...

*Sigh.*

Okay. Enough.

Thanks Cher.  I needed that.  :)

Although the pleasures of Tuscany are indisputable, Italy is a country of infinite pleasures - and

from the moment I saw Diane Lane walking the beaches of Positano with her Italian lover in "Under the Tuscan Sun", I knew that one day, I too, would have to visit this cliffside town on the famed Amalfi Coast.  Well, fortunately for me, the man in my life (no, he's not an Italian lover, but he'll do just fine, thank you) promised me that one day, we would do the same - and lucky me, he was true to his word.  Standing on the (pebbly) Positano beach with Rob remains, to this day, one of my life's most memorable moments.  It goes without saying that Italy continues to beckon - and I think next time we visit (should I be so lucky), we will pick up where we left off in Positano, and continue our journey south.  There is still much to be seen!!

Positano - the jewel of the Amalfi Coast

In closing then, may I say....*felice primavera a tutti! (happy spring, everyone!)  Thank you for indulging me my little trip down memory lane...besides helping me re-live my own memories of an Italian spring (that sounds like a President's Choice BBQ sauce, doesn't it?), I'm hopeful that it may have given those of you who have also been fortunate enough to visit Italy, a little reminder of your own time there.  I'd sincerely love to hear about YOUR memories of Italy - please feel free to post them in the comments below.  And if you've never been, I hope I've motivated you to visit - and would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Ciao! :)

*brought to you by Google translate, lest I offend those who really know the language!  :) 

recommendations for a fresh start (confessions of a diet convert part 2)

Okay, I'm back!!  Since I know you were all holding your breath in anticipation of my follow up to Part 1, I'm here to tell you - the wait is over, people!  I know this was probably worse than the wait to see what Hank would do when he finally realized that Walt is Heisenberg (I told you it was a problem!) - but you can rest easy now, because here I am - but be warned - settle in, this is going to be a looonnng one...  ;-)

First things first:

While I AM a certified Culinary Nutrition Expert (CNE), I am NOT a Registered Holistic Nutritionist (RHN).  Advice I offer stems from my own experience, and from my course of study in the CNE program.  We are all individuals, and as such, what works for one person, may not work for another. YOU know your body best; please do your own research, and consult your medical practitioner should you be in need of medical advice. 

Got it?  Great!  Now, one more thing I should make perfectly clear:

While I wholeheartedly embrace and recommend following a primarily plant-based diet, I am neither a vegetarian, nor a vegan - (in fact, I'm not a lover of labels, period.)  When I do eat animal-based protein, it's usually in the form of (organic) eggs or fish - however, if I do eat poultry or beef, I do my very best to choose local, grass-fed, hormone-free, etc. With that in mind then, I offer you my very own food philosophy.  I do hope to expand upon this in a future post, but for now, these are the guidelines I try to follow, which I hope to be fairly self-explanatory:

Be organic  Choose organically grown over conventional produce

Be sustainable  Choose sustainable meat/poultry/fish over factory farmed

Be nutritious  Focus on nutritional value over caloric content

Be real  Eliminate processed foods, make it from scratch

Be conscious  KNOW what you are eating - EVERY. INGREDIENT. MATTERS. 

Be alive!  With the vibrancy of good health from food!

Are you with me so far?  Or are you thinking, "Well good for you and your food philosophy, but I want a food philosophy of my own!"  Well, even I had to start somewhere, and as I mentioned last week in the lead up to this post, if you are considering a transition to a primarily plant-based diet, (let's call it PBD from this point forward, shall we?) you may be overcome with confusion about where to start.  There are SO MANY sources of information out there - and while it may all be good information, it can be difficult to keep it all organized - which leads to frustration...which leads to the nearest take out restaurant.  At least I know it was a problem for me - you know how it goes - one quick web search for a smoothie recipe leads to a FOUR. HOUR. browsing session - and before you know it, your eyes have sunken into your skull and are screaming for mercy, your mousing hand has become a gnarled, claw-like appendage, and you've forgotten every website you've just spent a good portion of your life browsing.  Now, of course Pinterest could be your friend in such a case, or even an info-organizer app like Evernote can be of great help. But I'm not here today to talk tech, so I'll give it to you quick and dirty - my BEST recommendation for a one stop info source to get you on the road to health and vitality through diet is...

Hands down, THIS is the one that cleared the fog for me, peeps.  No point in me rehashing here what Meghan does so well in her book, UnDiet.  She's got all the bases covered, from transitioning to plant-based eating, (including delicious recipes and meal plans) to tips and tricks on how to re-organize your kitchen/pantry.  She also gives you the straight up goods about why you should be rethinking everything from the water you drink (and what you drink it out of) to the expensive lotions and potions you slather on your body on a daily basis - and all in her own uniquely approachable, non-preachy (that was a biggie for me) and vivacious manner (and lots of wonderful pictures too!  I love pictures!).  To me, this is THE PBD-transition bible - and of course, what eventually led me to certification in her CNE program.  (The spring 2014 session is now full, but click on that little green box on the sidebar if you're interested in learning about this amazing, life-changing program).

Before my friend Lynn introduced me to Meghan Telpner, however,  one of the first websites that grabbed my attention when I was foraging my way through the plant-based eating jungle, was Angela Liddon's beautiful blog, Oh She Glows.  As it happens, Angela (like Meghan) is not only a fellow Canuck (no that's not a dirty word, it's slang for Canadian), but she also happens to have published a brand-spanking new cookbook - and if you thought vegan cooking was all sprouted grains and lentil loaves...um, well, okay, maybe there are sprouted grains and lentil loaves in this book - but I promise you, these are NOT your old hippie uncle's sprouted grain and lentil loaf recipes, trust me! :) This book is chock full of flavourful, delicious, easy to follow recipes - not to mention tons of gorgeous (and inspiring!) photos:

I would be remiss if I didn't also mention Gwyneth Paltrow's latest cookbook,  It's All Good.  Yes, I know she annoys you with her tall, tanned, and toned body, rock star husband, and seemingly charmed life, but here's the thing - if you're looking for simple, easy to follow recipes (I was surprised too! - this isn't full of ingredients you can only find in specialty food stores in Manhattan or on expedition across the mountains of Kenya!) - you might consider picking this one up too:

As long as we're talking books, I would also highly recommend perusing anything you can get your hands on from Michael Pollan:

A brilliant writer (and Michael J. Fox's brother in law! - who knew!?), he gets right down to the VERY detailed nitty gritty of why our so-called "Western diet" isn't working - and offers his take on what DOES work.  His books are fascinating, horrifying, and enlightening all at once - and although I highly, highly recommend these as required reading if you are considering transitioning to a PBD, I will say they probably aren't the books you will be throwing in your beach bag for a little light summer reading (if summer ever comes, that is.)

But maybe books/reading aren't your thing?  No probs, I've got you covered - here are three movies to get you headed in the right direction:

Hungry for Change
Food Matters
Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead

All three of the above movies are available to watch either on Netflix (Hungry for Change, Food Matters) or online (Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead) - and all three are compelling and informative, without being boring, or using graphic imagery to get their point across.  In fact, despite its gloomy title, Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead is not only incredibly inspiring, it's downright entertaining!  So what are you waiting for?  Click that link and start watching! :)

Okay, hang in people, I'm nearly done!!!  (Stop cheering, I can hear you from here!)  Just to show you I appreciate you getting this far, if you're still with me, you've just earned yourself a little ***BONUS TIP***!!  Are you ready???  Okay, here goes....

If you're anywhere near serious about following a diet that is primarily plant-based, you'd better save yourself the anguish right now, and just invest in a high-speed blender (such as a Vitamix or Blendtec), and a good quality juicer (I use a Hurom slow juicer).  I kicked and screamed against the idea of spending almost an entire paycheque on a blender (a blender!!!) - but in the end, it's probably one of the best investments in my health that I've ever made.  (Costco seems to have the consistently lowest prices).  I use mine almost every day (for smoothies, soups, and nut milks) and I lurrrrrrve it!! And Vitamix is paying me absolutely zero to say that! (A lovely song by Jason Mraz...I thought you all deserved a little musical break...) ;-)

Well, hopefully my attempt to save you from too much information hasn't actually resulted in giving you too much information - but the bottom line is, if you are serious about changing your way of eating with a view to improved health, there are NO SHORT CUTS.  You're going to have to re-learn, (or maybe learn for the first time), what that room in your house called "the kitchen" is, and you're going to have to USE it.  Familiarize yourself with that block of wood leaning up against the back of your kitchen counter (it's called a cutting board!), and introduce yourself to all those odd looking kitchen appliances you got for wedding gifts (why helloooo, food processor! Pleased to meet you, mini chopper!!) because they are going to be your new best friends.  If it still all seems a bit overwhelming, I'd be happy to try to answer any questions you have - or conversely, if you have any tips and recommendations of your own you'd like to share, please feel free to leave them in the comments below.

Have a great week everyone - the countdown is on - spring is only four days away! :)

confessions of a diet convert (my transition to a plant-based diet) - part 1

You're probably tired of hearing it.  In fact, you're probably giving it the big eye-roll right now, and thinking, "OMG, another preachy post about how eating plants is going to change my life?", and you're just about to click over to eataburgerandfries.com (not a real site - don't get excited, people!) ;-)  Well, the truth is, about a year ago, I would have been right there with you. But if you're willing to hang in with me, I'm here to tell you that if you are ready (important!), with a slight shift in mindset, you too might just consider the benefits of transitioning to a mainly plant-based diet.

It seems like everywhere we turn these days - social media, television, books, etc., we are being bombarded with what appear to be the sexy issues du jour - "EAT CLEAN!", "AVOID GLUTEN LIKE THE PLAGUE!", "GO VEGAN!", "ELIMINATE DAIRY!" Not only that, but we are also supposed to be toting our yoga mats around with us in search of the perfect pristine mountaintop, where we can commune with nature and get in touch with our inner selves - (while what we're really doing is thinking about how cute our new lululemon ensemble looks worrying about whether or not these new yoga pants make our butts look fat).

Okay, okay, I admit it - I wish that could be me! 

Geez.  It's a lot of pressure.  No wonder it's just easier to stop by at your local drive-thru on the way home from work and enjoy your double-patty, heart attack on-a-bun with poutine on the side, while watching the latest installment of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo (or whatever your guilty pleasure may happen to be). With the advances in technology over the past 10 years or so, it's an increasingly tough world out there, and not easy to keep up with how fast life as we know it is changing.  Which...is maybe why it's more important than ever to slow down, simplify, and get back to basics...?

You all remember these, right? 

As a woman currently in her mid-50's, I grew up through what perhaps were the dark ages of nutrition - the advent of heavily processed foods (TV dinners! COOL!!), and the rise of the fast food restaurant - not to mention the more sinister "advances" in nutrition, such as hormonally-enhanced meats and GMO-laden (genetically modified) produce. Not only was I ignorant to the detrimental effects of all this "convenience" - I embraced it wholeheartedly.  In hindsight, it's not surprising then, when in my mid-20's, I started developing mysterious recurring inflammation in my knees - they would intermittently fill with fluid for no rhyme or reason, making it difficult and painful to walk.

Stop salivating! This is the enemy, people! 

Even exploratory arthroscopic surgery by one of Toronto's preeminent orthopaedic surgeons failed to unearth the reasons for this phenomenon - and to this day, it remains a mystery.  These flare-ups have stayed with me off and on throughout my adult life - and with 30 more years of living under my belt, have only become exacerbated by age-related aches and pains and arthritic changes in my hands, wrists, shoulders, and hips (but I'm still determined to do this GRACEFULLY people!) ;-)

I've tried in vain all these years to figure out what was causing this, and I thought I had it nailed several times - I had also taken up "jogging" in my 20's and thought for sure that was the culprit - but it continued to happen even after a long hiatus from running . Something I was eating then? (Duh!)  Drinking?  (Yeah, that was it...those pesky sulfites in my vino bianco!)  If I lost those last 10 pounds, that would put an end to it, right? (I've tried them all folks - from Nutrisystem to Weight Watchers, Richard Simmons to Jenny Craig - but although the weight came off - and ultimately back on - the inflammatory episodes persisted).  I had given up, was ready to accept that middle age had won the battle, and that I would be applying an oil can to my creaky joints on a daily basis for the rest of my life.

Tin man no more! 

And then...one day almost a year ago to the day...my A-HA moment!!  (Well, okay, maybe it was a long, gradual, A-HA!, but it was an A-HA! nonetheless).  One of my daughters suggested that I join her in a 5 day "food cleanse" that she found from someone she followed on Instagram (apologies to whoever that person was, I've since lost her reference info). I decided what the heck, it was only 5 days, and it was "guaranteed" you lose at least a pound a day in the process. Skeptical of the guarantee, but still game to lose a bit of winter weight, I dove in, and filled my grocery cart with a bunch of things that for the most part, had never seen the light of day in my kitchen before - dark green and leafy kale, chick peas, black beans, and a variety of fresh berries, nuts and seeds. I even bought a cheap blender to make smoothies - again, never a staple in my house. And wouldn't you know it...not only did I lose 7 lbs. over 5 days - but I felt FANTASTIC.  More energized and alert than I had been in ages.  My aches and pains were still there, but far more tolerable.   And what had I really done here?

The cleanse hadn't been a wacky "eat nothing but grapes" sort of thing - it was simply five days of eating nothing but healthy, whole, plant-based foods for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.  In fact, it was almost too MUCH food - I hadn't felt the least deprived - and yet, I lost more than the "guaranteed" amount of weight, and felt like a new woman in the process.  It was then that that old adage we have all heard, again and again, (but never really paid attention to) came to mind - "you are what you eat".  So simple, and yet, so TRUE.  Not only did I feel the best I had in ages eating this way - but it occurred to me that perhaps the opposite was true as well.  If I'd been fueling my body with, well, CRAP, for the better part of my adult life (whether intentional, as in the case of fast food, or unintentional as in the case of processed food that was being marketed as healthy) - didn't it make sense that I would feel like crap too? And in that moment, all the bad things that I superficially knew about food additives and preservatives, hormonally fortified meat products, GMO poisoned produce, hit me like a ton of bricks - and it suddenly all made perfect sense to me.  I had to change my diet for my health - not "diet" to lose weight - and hopefully, in the process, reverse some of the damage that had been done over the past 40 years or so.  

I'm happy to report that not only is that what I've been doing for the past 11 months or so, but I've taken proactive steps to learn more about what a clean diet can do for your body, and have proudly earned myself a certificate from Meghan Telpner's Academy of Culinary Nutrition - which not only taught me things I thought I'd never learn, but also qualifies me to teach what I have learned. (Hover over that little green box up there on the right if you want to learn more about this amazing program!)  One thing this experience has taught me, is that there is a LOT of information out there - and boy oh boy, is it tough to sift through, especially at the beginning of such a journey. It's one thing to know what to do; it's another to put it into practice and stick with it - and it can be confusing and overwhelming.

When it comes down to it, though, it's all really rather simple, and is founded mostly on the basic philosophy of the incredibly gifted food writer Michael Pollan: "Eat Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants".  If you're at all curious about where to start, I'd love to share my tips and tricks for beginning your own journey to improved health through food - and I will attempt to do just that in Part 2 of this post.  I hope to put that all together within the next week or so, but in the meantime, I think I've given you more than enough food for thought (yes, pun fully intended!).  Stay tuned...