The Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer is a two-day bicycle ride that spans the 200 km from downtown Toronto to Niagara Falls. I am participating for the personal challenge; I hear it’s an emotional event, both evoked by the physical strain and by the fact that many of the participants are either cancer survivors or are family members of those who have battled with it. I am also riding for them. Lastly, I want to spread the word as much as possible about what we can do through nutrition to prevent cancer in the first place. After all, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

And speaking of prevention, I was stuck downtown the other day and got crazy hungry. I usually pack snacks when I know I’m going to be out for more than a few hours, but I forgot that day, and all of a sudden I needed food or I was going to start gnawing on my arm. There weren’t any health food stores around, so I popped into a couple of convenience stores and drug stores to see if I could find anything. I was astounded to discover that there was nothing even close to food! Only junk food! I ended up getting a bastardized version of trail mix that had M&Ms in it (which I picked out and threw in the garbage where they belong) and ate the leftover almonds and raisins. Pretty crazy that we have all this information on how to prevent disease and yet in our society it is actually easier to eat terribly and promote illness than it is to eat healthy and promote wellness. That really grinds my gears!

Which makes me extra proud of all the people who go out out of their way to find an apple instead of a candy bar, to choose ethically farmed animal products, and to pick foods that support the longevity of our bodies and our planet. Good for you, health nuts!

Next time I go for an adventure, I am bringing these protein bars along. I might just pack some along for my long bicycle ride too! I wonder how many high protein granola bars it takes to fuel 200 km of pedaling?

Whole Food Protein Bars

3 ripe bananas

1/4 cup coconut oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

6 Tbsp water

3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (or nut/seed of choice)

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup coconut shreds

1/2 cup good-tasting protein powder or almond flour

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup chia seeds

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

-Preheat the oven to 350 F.

- Add bananas, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and water to a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.

- Add all dry ingredients (walnuts, raisins, coconut, protein powder, sesame seeds, chia, cinnamon, and salt) to a large bowl and mix well.

- Add banana mixture to dry mixture and stir until well combined. Makes a very thick batter.

- On a parchment lined baking pan (mine was 13″ x 9″), place bar batter on sheet and press out with utensil or hands until evenly distributed across pan.

- Bake for 30-35 min.

- Once removed from oven, allow to cool and then cut in desired shapes. These bars also freeze well and can be thawed by popping them in the toaster.

Enjoy! And wish me luck!

Take care,

Alex

As we were waiting for our plane to board, Javier’s mum said to me, “There’s an expression that says that Cuba is the perfect place to learn the past tense.” Havana, the city where Javier grew up, is in many ways a city of “was”.

I am not saying anything new. Everyone describes the city in the same way: Fallen from glory, left behind, a time warp. While I found much of the city to still be glorious in its way, I of course noticed the gracefully decomposing buildings, the fever for recycling and makeshift repairs, and the sheer number of friends and family who have left the country for freer lives. Cuba is a country of heat, lazy greenery, and conversation, of crumbling stone and separated families. The people were generous and intimate; I was treated like family.

My rusty Spanish got a hasty tune-up, but by the second or third day, I was understanding 80% of what was being said around me, the steady flow of voices talking about family or politics. Cuban Spanish is ridiculous. It is spattered with slang and most vowels are swallowed as hands perform a distracting choreography of waves, flicks, and flaps. My 80% comprehension was a miracle.

One thing I understood clearly was that people really wanted to feed us. People hunted down my favourite vegetables, giant papayas, coconuts, and fresh fish. One relative did not even eat with us after we had been served, but chose to sit back and watch with satisfaction and we enjoyed his labour of love.

Having dietary restrictions was only slightly challenging, and helped by the fact that I brought along protein bars and nuts in my suitcase for emergencies. I mostly ate a lot of beans, which was great, because I love beans and Cubans know their beans.

One week was not long enough to sink into a country with such depth. Not nearly long enough. I miss it already.

In honour of our wonderful trip to Cuba, I am sharing this recipe for Cuban black beans. Hope you enjoy!

Cuban Black Beans

2 cups dried black beans, soaked for around 6 hours or overnight

5 cups filtered water or stock, plus more if needed

3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 medium onion, diced

2 Tbsp ground cumin

2 tsp paprika

2 bay leaves

1 tsp chili powder

2 Tbsp lime juice

sea salt to taste

Directions:

-Easy peasy: Throw everything into a big pot and simmer, covered, for about 2 hours. Check periodically to see if more water is needed. Beans taste even better after they have “slept” overnight in the fridge. Garnish with cilantro and love

Gracias a nuestra familia en Cuba por hacernos sentir como en casa. ¡Los extrañamos mucho!

Take care,

Alex

As a holistic nutritionist, I like to focus on fresh, whole foods. Maybe a good quality can of chili is ok in a pinch every once in awhile, but if you are eating packaged foods every night, your body is likely missing out.

This soup is a Thai-inspired variation on the I-don’t-feel-like-making-dinner soup I sometimes make. It takes about 20 minutes to prepare and make, and is incredibly satisfying and delicious. My Thai coconut soup also happens to be a great tummy-healing soup, as the ginger, turmeric, and lemongrass all have anti-inflammatory and digestion-promoting properties.

Thai Coconut Soup

1 can of coconut milk

4 cups of filtered water

2 Tbsp honey

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp coriander

1.5 tsp salt

1 1-inch knob of ginger, minced

2 6-inch stalks of fresh lemongrass, chopped into 5 or so pieces each*

1 delicata squash, seeds & pulp removed, slice into thin moons (can substitute 1 large sweet potato)

1 large red pepper, sliced into thin strips

3 baby bok choy, leaves separated

juice of 1 lime

Directions:

-Add water, coconut milk, honey, ginger, lemongrass, coriander, turmeric, squash, and salt to a pot and cook on high until a rolling boil. Boil for 5 minutes.

- Reduce to a simmer, and simmer for 1o minutes. While the broth and squash is simmering, you can wash and slice the red peppers and bok choy.

-Add the red pepper slices and continue to simmer for 5 minutes.

-Turn off heat, add bok choy and lime juice and leave covered pot over burner for a few minutes while you set the table and the bok choy wilts.

-Ladle soup into large bowls, add protein of choice, if desired (eggs, shrimp, white fish, chickpeas, or chicken go well in this soup), and garnish with fresh basil. Enjoy!

*Note: Don’t try to eat the lemongrass. It’s not bad for you, just very tough & woody. So unless you’re a beaver, you can fish these out of your soup as you eat it.

Have a great weekend!

Take care,

Alex

One of the best days of the year, in my opinion, because V-day is all about love. I happen to think that this appreciation of love doesn’t have to stop at your romantic partner, so I spend at least a couple of minutes every Valentine’s Day (and actually, I try to do this everyday) thinking of the many kind and loving people in my life. When I spend only a few minutes thinking about these people I am flooded with gratitude and whatever I am worrying about seems to matter much less, if at all.

Which is why love is so good for your heart. When you focus your thoughts on the positive things in your life, stress scuttles away. And it’s not about pushing negative feelings away. You can acknowledge negative feelings, say “I see you, Negative Nelly”, and then choose to appreciate what is going right. And there’s always something to be grateful for. You’re breathing, right?

And because I always bring it back to food, this is my favourite Valentine’s Day drink. Hibiscus makes a gorgeous ruby-red tart and sweet tea, mellowed out by rose. Hibiscus is a great heart-healthy herb because it is so high in antioxidants, is anti-inflammatory, and may help to lower blood pressure.This tea goes great with some superfood chocolates

Hibiscus Rose Tea

2 tsp dried hibiscus flowers

1 tsp dried culinary rose petals

3 cups boiling water

1 tsp honey or 4-5 drops liquid stevia

-Boil filtered water, pour over flower petals, and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Strain, add sweetener, and enjoy! Tea may also be iced with delicious results. Serves 2 (lovers).

Thank you to my family, friends, coworkers, clients, and of course my man, for being, well, the best. Big Hugs!

Take care,

Alex

Supported by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, February is Heart Month. This month, not coincidentally falling in the same month as Valentine’s Day, is the time to honour your heart (however, I might argue that it warrants honouring all year round). Today, I’m sharing a recipe that is both heart-healthy and Valentine’s Day-worthy in its deliciousness.

Along with fibre (think legumes and whole grains), omega 3s (wild cold water fish, flax seeds, hemp seeds, and walnuts), and brightly coloured fruits and vegetables, coconuts are being added to the list of heart-star foods.

Coconut oil in particular is proving to be an especially therapeutic food, with consumption being correlated with improved cardiovascular health, brain health, and weight loss, among other health benefits. For more info on the varied health benefits of coconut oil (and another delish dessert!), see this post.

Other than eating coconut oil, here are my top 5 tips for keeping your heart healthy:

1) Eat plants! Naturally high in antioxidants, plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains are naturally high in fibre and antioxidants. Dark leafy greens and dark pigmented berries are my favourites.

2) Don’t smoke! Nuff said.

3) Exercise! Your heart is a muscle that needs to be exercised in order to stay strong. Walk, dance, lift weights, run, or have a good romp in the bedroom- whatever you need to do to get that delicious beat beating. 30 minutes a day, I say!

4) Have fun! Having fun is a great way to manage stress, and stress is something we all need to learn to manage better. TV doesn’t count as stress relief, but hanging out with friends, engaging in a hobby such as painting or gardening, reading, or being out in nature do!

5) Get mushy! Open your heart to receive love and give as much love as you can away. Imagine we all did this? Hug with abandon,  express your feelings, and picture your heart smiling.

And now, for dessert

This “cheesecake”, adapted from the genius over at Elana’s Pantry, is high in fibre and heart-healthy fat, and low in sugar. Virtuous enough to share with your loved ones. Yes, I said share. I know it’s hard.

Heart Healthy Non-Dairy Cheesecake with Berry Topping

“Cheesecake”

3 organic eggs

1 cup full-fat coconut milk

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup almond meal

2 heaping Tbsp of honey

20 drops of liquid stevia

1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

-Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor, and process until smooth and uniform.

-Transfer batter to an 8 x 8 Pyrex baking dish or pie plate.

-Bake at 350 C for 25-30 minutes. You can make the berry topping at this time.

-To set into a dense, cheesecake-like dessert, place dish in refrigerator after baking until chilled.

-Serve with berry topping and prepare for the party in your mouth

Berry Topping

2 cups of frozen raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries (or mix)

2 heaping Tbsp of inulin powder*

Maple syrup or honey to taste (optional)

*Sweet-tasting soluble fibre found at most health food stores

Directions:

- Add berries, inulin, and sweetener to a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes.

-Allow to cool and thicken or serve hot over chilled cake. Yum!

For more personalized dietary advice on how to keep your heart healthy, consider booking an appointment with a holistic nutritionist (like me!). I love keeping people’s hearts happy

Happy Heart Month Everyone!

Take care,

Alex