You Don't Have to Be a Yogi...

…to meditate. Many people are surprised to learn that meditation merely augments natural, positive body processes that occur many times during one’s waking hours.  During meditation, alpha brain waves, typically 7 to 14 cycles per second, are prominent.  Everyone, whether formally meditating or not, enters this state many times each day, based on the brain’s need to rest (as with the muscles or any other part of the body).  A typical cycle of prominent alpha wave brain activity occurs naturally every 1 ½  to 2 hours.  For 10 to 20 minutes at regular intervals, the cognitive brain shuts down.  During sleep, this brief (but potent) interval manifests as dreaming.  During waking hours, this interval causes lapses in attention that range from barely perceptible to overtly obvious.  This lack of focus is often commonly called daydreaming.

Especially with people who push themselves without accommodating the brain’s normal physiological cycles, even one correctly performed daily meditation session helps the brain de-stress and provides needed rest.

In Western culture, we have become so out of balance emotionally, mentally and physically, that a daily meditation session may not be a luxury, but a necessity. The main components of meditation are a quiet environment, comfortable position, receptive attitude and an auditory or visual cue.  Some people meditate as part of their spiritual practice while others do it to simply relax.  I will address the physical, mental and emotional clarity and leave the spiritual component to personal choice.

One of the most widely known meditation techniques is Transcendental Meditation programs or TM for short.  The TM technique utilizes a silently voiced mantra, consisting of a one or two syllable Sanskrit word.  TM is promoted as inducing a settle, peaceful mind and imparting physical benefits that include decreased heart beat rate, increased skin resistance to electrical current, decreased blood pressure, an increase in alpha brain waves and decreased blood lactase levels.  Over time, people enjoy faster reflexes, increased perceptual ability, better motor coordination, a need for less sleep and generally improved health.

During the past few decades, considerable research has been conducted on TM.  The official TM website is packed with dozens of citations of articles from such respected publications as Scientific American, American Journal of Physiology, Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology and International Journal of Neuroscience.  The authors publishing in these journals have PhD and MD degrees and some of them work in prestigious universities. I read a number of studies on the web.  One study reported on the medical effects of TM on two thousand people across the United States who practiced regular meditation and the more advanced TM Sidhi programs found a marked decrease in the number of medical services required over the course of five years.  Their rate of overall hospitalization was an astounding 56% lower than average.

When sorted into specific conditions, the meditators, compared to the control group were impressive.  The meditators rate of hospitalization for cardiovascular disease was 87% lower, for cancer, 55% lower, for conditions of the nervous system, 87% lower and for noses, throat, and lung problems 73% lower.  No one could possibly rationalize these figures as statistical accidents! Meditation can also profoundly affect pain levels.  In a 2006 study, using imaging techniques of the brain that highlighted its structure, function and pharmacology scientists found a 40 – 50% lower brain response to pain in long term meditators.

The most basic form of meditation is giving your full attention to whatever you are doing, be it preparing a meal, driving a car, or simply talking to another person. Another word for this focus of being in the present is mindfulness. Our culture does not encourage us to slow down and be mindful.  If we were so focused, we would naturally gravitate towards holism.

Whatever definition of meditation you prefer, distressing and becoming more mindful are imperative in order to function in today’s world.

Here is a link to the TM website. http://www.tm.org/ Here you will find easy meditation sessions that you can download. You can even ready Oprah’s article on the benefits of TM meditation.  If you are an iPhone user, there is an app for that.  iPhone has applications for mediations that you can do anywhere – while waiting for an appointment, 10 minutes on your lunch break or on an airplane.

Remember it’s no longer a luxury to meditate; it’s truly a necessity.

Green Energizer

Serves 2

Combine...

• 6 chopped romaine leaves 
• 4 chopped kale
• ½ cup of fresh parsley
• ½ cup of chopped pineapple
• ½ cup of chopped mango
• 1 inch fresh ginger (peeled and chopped)
• 1 ½ cups water

...in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Brush and Glow

The skin is without a joke THE largest organ in the body and is responsible for one-fourth of the body's detoxification each day, making it one of the most important elimination organs. More than one pound of waste products are discharged through the skin every single day! Toxins from everyday soaps, cleaners, antiperspirants/deodorants, lotions and cosmetics can gather beneath the surface of the skin and contribute to a variety of skin conditions as well as prevent the skin from breathing properly. If the skin becomes inactive with all its clogged pores full of dead cells and chemical residues then all these impurities end up remaining in the body.

When you brush your skin you activate your lymphatic system, jump starting it and reminding it to rid the body of these toxins. The natural fiber bristles of the brush will improve the skin's surface circulation and help keep the pores of the skin open allowing your body's toxins to discharge the accumulated waste products and making your skin look and feel healthier.

Benefits of Dry Skin Brushing:

• Tightens the skin 
• Helps digestion 
• Removes cellulite 
• Stimulates circulation 
• Increases cell renewal 
• Removes dead skin layers 
• Aids lymphatic system in detoxification 
• Strengthens the immune system 

Ok, so now that we have gone over the benefits package, let's have a look at what kind of brush you should be purchasing:

1) A natural bristle brush (no synthetic hair please)
2) A brush that has a long detachable handle so you can reach even the most difficult spots

Once you have bought the brush, here are some tips on when and how to brush that beautiful body of yours:

1) Get naked
2) Do NOT wet your skin (remember it's all about dry brushing)
3) ALWAYS brush towards your heart
4) Brush each part of the body several times
5) Start by brushing the soles of your feet
6) Then move on to the ankles, calves and thighs
7) Move on to your stomach and buttocks
8) On your abdomen, brush in circular counter-clockwise strokes
9) Lastly brush your arms and hands

Once you have completed your little brushing session, hop in the shower or take a warm bath. If you are consistent over the course of a few weeks and you have made brushing a habit you will notice a huge change in the health of your entire body. Truly!

How to Uninvite Mr. Montezuma

Diarrhea or Montezuma's Revenge, can ruin your vacation, keeping you in bed for days on end. Travelers diarrhea is usually caused by bacteria, parasites and viruses. The microscopic bugs at the top of these rather gut wrenching charts are E Coli, the staphylococci, shigella and salmonella species, campylobacter jejune, cryptosporidiosis, and hepatitis A.

Infected food is the biggest culprit, with water coming in second. Ice cream, cocktails served in re-used coconut shells, raw seafood, ice, and food from street vendors are potential risks that can interrupt your adventure with less salacious memories to pass on to family and friends.

If you take a few precautions however and observe some simple guidelines along with having the right remedies in your suitcase, you may be able to avoid a case of Mummy Tummy and enjoy every minute of your vacation.

Tip1

Drink only bottled mineral water when you travel and avoid drinking local tap water even for brushing teeth or ice in your drinks. This is the most important thing you can do to help protect yourself from ingesting organisms that may be in the water wherever you vacation.

Tip 2

Eat only cooked foods. Many raw foods, especially fruits and salads are washed in the local tap water, which may leave deposits on the skin containing organisms that can give you traveler's diarrhea. If you eat fruit, only choose those that can be peeled.

Tip 3

Include hand sanitizer gel and wipes in your suitcase when you travel. Use the wipes before eating or whenever you feel you need a cleanup to prevent the spread of germs while you're out and about.

Tip 4

Watch what you eat. Even cooked foods may contain local products that may be contaminated or merely processed locally, exposing them to organisms native to that environment. If you are not used to eating the local foods, you may get ill.

Tip 5

Take homeopathics and spagyric botanicals such as Colo Chord, Amoeba Chord and Core Olive Leaf from our Energetix product line with you to prevent you from getting sick.

Pineapple Kiwi Colada

The list of ingredients (scroll to the bottom for the list and recipe) is straight forward but contains some great healing properties.

Pineapple:
Pineapples contain a special group of enzymes called bromelain, which function both as a digestive aid and anti-inflammatory compound. Pineapple is also an excellent source of manganese – an essential co-factor in a number of enzymes important in energy production and antioxidant defenses – as well as vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that protects against oxidative damage to cell structure.


Kiwi:
You may be surprised to hear that Kiwi’s actually contain more vitamin C than an equivalent amount of orange! Their rich concentration of vitamin C, combined with the health promoting carotenoids and flavonoids provide powerful antioxidant protection against the oxidative damage caused by free-radicals.


Lemons and Limes:
As a medicinal agent, lemons and limes are truly remarkable. They have a cooling effect so they are good for fevers. Lemons/limes aid digestion by stimulating the flow of saliva, easing the work of the liver. Their juices act as laxative and diuretic and have antiseptic and antimicrobial properties. Lemons benefit bile formation and therefore support liver function; they improve the absorption of minerals, cleanse the blood and are extremely alkaline.

So how about that Colada? Are you thirsty yet? 


Ingredients:
1 cup of fresh pineapple
1 kiwi
Juice of ½ a lemon
Juice of ½ a lime
Small handful of fresh mint
1 cup of ice
½ cup of coconut milk (we used SoDelicious)
Agave to taste/if at all needed


Preparations:
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend away until smooth.
Serve!

The Heart Truth

Reading the latest statistics on heart disease and stroke truly made me cringe the other day as according to Canada’s Heart and Stroke Foundation heart diseases and stroke take 1 in 3 Canadians before their time.

Believe it or not, cardiovascular diseases are relatively new to human history. Prior to 1910, heart attacks were a rarity. Today however, they have reached epidemic proportions. Over the years, medicine has been improving their ways it can help keep heart patients alive – provided that their first attack is not fatal. Since no one, obviously, wants their heart attack to be fatal how about looking at reducing our exposure to the factors that cause arterial damage such as loading up on daily amounts of supplementary vitamins and minerals that may have cardio protective effects? Or how about looking at making dietary changes to help reduce arterial plaque? Or better yet, how about trying both?

Let’s assume you took these new statistics to heart and you opened yourself up to making dietary changes and wanted to start adding supplements. What would it take and how would such a change look like?

According to David W. Rowland, PhD., a cardio protective diet relies on a wide variety of natural, unprocessed foods:

•          Emphasize on eating vegetables and fruits (4 cups daily). They provide a number of protective factors, including fibre, folic acid, potassium, saponins, phytosterols, vitamin C and flavonoids.
•      Emphasize on eating oats and whole grains to get adequate dietary fibre. Choose whole wheat, whole rye or whole spelt over refined fibreless grains.
•      Consume fish regularly (twice per week) and favour cold water fish such as Chinook, Norwegian salmon, mackerel, orange roughy and trout.
•      Consume fresh garlic
•      Restrict your total fat intake to 30 per cent of calories. Trim excess fat from meat and favour non-fat cooking methods such as baking and poaching.
•      Avoid cured, smoked or processed meats containing nitrates or nitrites.
•      Minimize alcohol and sugar intake
•     Emphasize monounsaturated fats, especially olive oil.

and the following daily vitamin and mineral supplements:

Vitamin C

Vitamin E

Folic Acid

Vitamin B6 and B12

Calcium

Magnesium

Potassium

Chromium

Selenium

Zinc

Many of these suggested changes seem fairly straight forward to me, don’t you think?

How to Tame the Bulge

New Year’s Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past and more importantly, forward to the coming year. It’s a time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make and resolve to follow through on those changes. Incredible as it may seem, water is quite possibly the single most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off. Here is why…

Water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat.
Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits. Why is that you may ask? The kidneys can’t function properly without enough water. When they don’t work to capacity, some of their load is dumped onto the liver. One of the liver’s primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body. But, if the liver has to do some of the kidney’s work, it can’t operate at full throttle. As a result it metabolizes less fat hence more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops.

Drinking enough water is the best treatment for fluid retention.
When the body gets less water, it perceives this as a threat to survival and begins to hold on to every drop. Water is stored in extracellular spaces (outside the cells). This shows up as swollen feet, legs and hands. Diuretics offer a temporary solution at best. They force out stored water along with some essential nutrients. Again, the body perceives a threat and will replace the lost water at the first opportunity. Thus, the condition quickly returns. The best way to overcome the problem of water retention is to give your body what it needs – plenty of water. Only then will stored water be released.

The overweight person needs more water.
Larger people have larger metabolic loads. Since we know that water is the key to fat metabolism, it makes sense to say that overweight people need more water. Water helps to maintain proper muscle tone by giving muscles their natural ability to contract and by preventing dehydration. It also helps to prevent the sagging skin that usually follows weight loss – shrinking cells are buoyed by water, which plumps the skin and leaves it clear, healthy and resilient.

Water helps rid the body of waste.
During weight loss the body has a lot more waste to get rid of – all that metabolized fat must be shed. Again, adequate water helps flush out the waste.

Water can help relieve constipation.
When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from internal sources. The colon is one primary source. Result? Constipation, being unable to eliminate toxic waste. Constipation is nothing to laugh at really as it is the root cause of most chronic diseases. So don’t forget to drink up for normal bowel function to return.

How much water is enough?
On average a person should drink eight 8-ounce glasses every day. That’s about 2 quarts. However, the overweight person needs one additional glass for every 25 pounds of excess weight. The amount you drink also should be increased if you exercise briskly or if the weather is hot and dry.

So far, we’ve discovered some remarkable truths about water and weight loss, don’t you think? I showed you that water may be the only true “magic potion” for permanent weight loss when battling the bulge. But what about the psychological aspect of being overweight? According to Louise L. Hay, metaphysical teacher and lecturer, “overweight” represents a need for protection. In her opinion we seek protection from hurts, slights, criticism, abuse, sexuality and sexual advances; from a fear of life in general and also specifically. Take your choice.

To help with your weight loss goal it is important to be persistent and stay focused. I am including an affirmation in this article that you can practice daily. Stand in front of a mirror and read it out load once or twice a day. This, together with your increase in water intake will assure you to stay on track so you can embrace the changes you see in yourself and become the new you!

Daily affirmation:I am willing to release the pattern in me that created these conditions.
I am in the process of positive changes.
I have a happy, slender body.
I experience love wherever I go.
I appreciate all that I do.
I love and approve of myself.
I trust the process of life to bring me my highest good.
I deserve the best and I accept it now.

Fireside Fennel and Dill Salmon

Mmmmh, what could possibly be better than spending a day at the beach building sand castles, soaking up some Vitamin D while reading a good magazine followed by frequent, refreshing dips in one of Canada's finest lakes. I know, I know. You are probably thinking that nothing could possibly top that, right?
What would you say if I told you that M. and I added to our already perfect day by having a fireside beach BBQ while watching a gorgeous sunset...

... and enjoying delicious fennel and dill salmon.

I love fennel due to it's volatile, aromatic oils. If you know fennel already you will know what I'm talking about...the lovely aroma of anise a.k.a licorice. Science has discovered that fennel contains many health promoting antioxidant phytonutrients, such as quercetin, kaempferol and rutin, which protect cells from oxidative damage and the already mentioned aromatic volatile oils contribute to fennel's anti-inflammatory compounds.

With it's sweet and spicy notes, fennel is a warming herb that tonifies the bladder, kidneys, spleen, stomach and liver. So, when shopping for this recipe select unblemished bulbs, which look crisp and have soft, fragrant blue-green leaves. The bulb should be medium size and pearly white. Because fennel does not store well make sure that you use within a couple of days.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole, organic salmon fillet
• 1 cedar plank, soaked in water for 6-8 hours
• 1 bulb fennel, diced
• 1 handful dill, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 tbsp. black sesame seeds
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• Sea salt and black pepper

Preparation:
Wash the salmon and pat it dry with paper towel.
Put the salmon on top of the soaked cedar plank add sea salt and pepper and set aside.
In a bowl add the diced fennel, chopped dill, olive oil and lemon juice.
Add sea salt and black pepper to taste
Grill the salmon until it is firm all the way through.

With the sun setting right before our eyes we sat next to our fire, surrounded by smells of cedar, fennel and dill.

Slurpable Sunscreen - The Blueberry Antioxidant Smoothie

Gosh, this summer so far has been hot, hot, hot!
M. and I have made it a point of spending us much time as possible with the rest of our family. We've visited my mom and dad overseas, have gone up North for some well deserved rest and relaxation and were experimenting in our kitchen where we came up with this new delish Super Antioxidant Blueberry Smootie.

So, what's in it you may ask and how could we possibly call it a "Slurpable Sunscreen"?? Well, dear paper bag kitchen readers here are some facts surrounding antioxidants in blueberries and acai berry powder, free radical absorbency and the ORAC scale.

Blueberries: 

Blueberries have been ranked with some of the strongest antioxidant activity. Antioxidants are nutrients (vitamins and minerals) as well as enzymes (proteins in your body that assist in chemical reactions). They are believed to play a role in preventing the development of such chronic diseases as cancer, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, and cataracts. Some of the most powerful antioxidants found in blueberries are the anthocyanidins also known as their blue-red flavonoid pigments. Antioxidants slow down the oxidative process and protect us against free radicals caused by sun exposure.

Acai Berry Powder:

Acai powder comes from Central and South America and is loaded with antioxidants, essential amino acids and packed with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Acai is an excellent source of vitamin C and contains many micro-nutrients including ployphenols and flavonoids. Last but not least, Acai berries score just as high as blueberries on the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbency capacity) scale protecting us also from free radical damage.

So, how do you feel about our slurpable sunscreen now? M. sure approved of our latest creation.

Ingredients:

• 1 pint of blueberries
• 1 tsp. of chia seeds
• 1 rounded tsp. of acai berry powder (we used Navitas)
• 1 tbsp. of protein powder (we used Sunwarrior vanilla flavoured rice protein)
• 1 cup Coconut milk (we used SoDelicious)
• Agave Nectar to taste

Preparations:

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend well.
Serve and consume immediately.

HAPPY SUMMER!

Honey Cake with Raspberry Cashew Cream

Today's recipe, it's gluten and egg free by the way, is dedicated to all of the honeybees and honeybee lovers out there. Just recently M. and I watched a very disturbing documentary called Vanishing of the Bees. It talks about a disease called Collony Collapse Disorder which is a rapid loss of the adult bee population and has started to affect many bee keepers in North America. It is a powerful documentary that everyone should watch as without bees our population can not survive!
M. and I have always supported local honey bee farmers who believe in organic honey bee keeping. So, the honey used in this recipe comes from a farm that takes pride in their product and believes in a holistic approach when it comes to the health and safety of their honey bees.

Amongst the many health benefits of honey, what is most impressive to M. and I  – it can be a powerful immune system booster. Honey’s antioxidant and anti-bacterial properties can help improve the digestive system and help you stay healthy and fight disease. Start every brand new day with this cleansing tonic: before breakfast, mix a spoonful of honey and lemon juice from half a lemon into a cup of warm water and drink it. It will help to get your digestive juices flowing and will increase enzyme production so you can better digest your food. How about that,eh?

So without further ado, here's our beloved gluten free, egg free well loved Honey Cake with Raspberry Cashew Cream.

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 4 oz. organic semisweet chocolate, melted in a double boiler
• 1 1/3 cups of organic sucanat
• 1 cup (2 sticks) of organic butter
• 1/2 cup organic honey
• 2 tbsp. ground flax mixed with 6 tbs. of warm water
• 1 1/2 cups of gluten free all purpose flour (we use Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 tsp. aluminum free baking soda
• 1 tbsp. organic raw cocoa powder
• 1 cup boiling water

Raspberry Cashew Cream:

• 2 cups raw cashews
• 1 cup coconut milk (we use SoDelicious)
• 1/3 cup organic honey
• 1 pint of fresh organic raspberries plus extra for decorating the cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter a 9-inch springform.
Beat together the sucanat and soft butter until creamy.
Add the honey
Add the flax seed mixture and fold in the melted chocolate
Then slowly add the flower and baking soda and cocoa
Lastly, add in the hot cup of water
Pour the batter into the buttered springform
Bake for up to 1 1/2 hours but check frequently after 45 minutes.
If it is getting dark on the outside but still not cooked in the center, cover with some aluminum foil and keep checking every 15 minutes.

Once the cake is baked and cooling down, get ready to prepare the Raspberry Cashew Cream.

In a blender (we used a vitamix) add cashews, coconut milk, honey and pint of raspberries and blend until commpletely smooth and creamy.
Once the cake has cooled down apply the Raspberry Cashew Cream and decorate with some more raspberries.

 

While enjoying a slice of Honeycake M. and I listend to Debussi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17UmmI7t7Y8 

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

That's right ladies and gents, you did indeed just read Chocolate Avocado Pudding! Come on now, how many of you had that thought going through your head that this recipe M. and I are just about to post is going to taste like sh.. sugar plums??
To tell you the truth this little gem of a recipe is so irresistibly delicious that none of you will ever go back to eating commercially produced pudding ever again. Plus when you look at the health benefits this baby has to offer compared with, ummh, let's just call it "the other kind" that comes with a list of ingredients that you can't even pronounce you will never cross over to the dark side of unhealthy pudding isle again.

M. and I love, just love avocados. They are the key ingredient in this recipe and give this handsome boy a smooth, rich and velvety texture. Plus avocados adapt easily to other flavours, such as chocolate, as they are pretty neutral in taste.

Asides from their lovely taste and texture avavocados are a rich source of oleic acid, with 59% of their total fat content represented by this amazingly heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. They are also a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure. If taken in adequate amounts potassium can help to guard against circulatory diseases, like high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.
Avocados contain B vitamins, folic acid as well as fiber. As a matter of fact, 1 medium size avocado will supply you with a whopping 7 grams of fiber.
So, how do you feel about this recipe now? I doubt that any other puddings out there will give you any kind of fiber, vitamins as well as healthy monounsaturated fats!

The second most important ingredient in this recipe is of course CHOCOLATE!! M. and I are pretty sure that we do not have to sell you on how great it is to eat chocolate, right?
Nevertheless the type of chocolate we are using is completely unrefined. We use raw, organic cocoa powder harvested from cocoa beans that grow in the Amazonian Jungle.

Believe it or not but raw cacao also offers some amazing health benefits. One of my all time favourite teachers, David Wolfe, talks about raw chocolate's healing powers again and again.

Did you know that...

...cacao contains the highest concentration of antioxidants of any food in the world?

...cacao seems to be the number one source of magnesium, one of the great alkaline minerals?

...cacao contains 314% of the recommended daily allowance of iron per 1 ounce (28 gram) serving?

M. and I could truly go on and on and on as to why we should be eating dishes made out of whole foods versus picking up sh.., ummh we mean sugar plums ;) at the grocery store. We could continue to write pages and pages of health related benefits regarding avocados and raw cacao.

But we also know to have faith. Faith in you, yes you! So, take a chance and try making this delish, super easy recipe.

Avocado Chocolate Pudding:

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado
• 1/4 cup of coconut milk
• 3 tbsp. of raw cacao powder
• Agave nectar to sweeten as desired

Preparations:

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Spoon into dessert bowls and let chill for a couple of hours.

Serve and enjoy!

Now how easy is that!

M. and I rocked out to this 70's ABBA song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-crgQGdpZR0

Happy blending!

M. and E.

x0x0

Lovage infused Leek and Potato Soup

M. and I decided that it was time for some love sweet love. Even though it shows the month of June on our calendars over here, the temperature surely doesn't reflect the fact that it is supposed to be summer!
A couple of months ago we had it in the back of our heads that surely by this time of the year we would be writing and sharing about thirst quenching recipes and talking about enlightened summer dishes. Instead, here we are sharing one of our favorite recipes. Lovage infused Leek and Potato Soup to celebrate our +12 degrees summer day - Whoopee!!

Leeks are a pretty amazing vegetable. Not only are they super versatile, you can substitute them for onions if you prefer a milder flavour, but they are also rich in Manganese, Vitamin C, Iron and Folate. The other great thing about them is that they are cousins of the onion and garlic family which means they too contain health protective phytonutrients called thiopropanal sulfoxides (try to pronounce that three times in a row!!)

So when buying a bunch of leeks use the following guide line to select the best ones out of the bunch ;)

Look for ones that are firm and straight with dark green leaves and long white necks. They should be between 1/2 inch and 1 inch in diameter.

Avoid leeks that are yellow, wilted or have bulbs that are cracked or bruised.

Once bought and carried home leeks will remain fresh for up to 7 days when properly stored. The best way to store them is by putting them in a plastic storage bag before refrigerating. Wrap the plastic bag tightly around the leeks, squeezing out as much of the air from the bag as possible.

Lovage infused Leek and Potato Soup:

Ingredients:

• 1 large or 2 medium sized leeks, washed and diced
• 3 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 handful of fresh lovage
• 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp. of coconut oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparations:

Heat up the coconut oil in a medium size to large pot.

Add the diced and washed leeks and saute over medium heat until tender.

Add the diced potatoes and the lovage.

Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper

Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Puree the soup with a hand blender.

Taste the soup and adjust seasoning (salt and pepper) if necessary.

Enjoy!

While making this soup M. and I rocked out to the following tune by Duffy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7ZEVA5dy-Y

Moroccan Inspired Pesto

Finally. It seems that warm weather has finally arrived! M and I went to the nursery today to get flowers and herbs for our garden. We ended up getting all kinds of yummy stuff such as rosemary, thai basil, lovage, parsley. We bought so much of it, that by the time we arrived back home the entire car was infused with all these different, highly aromatic lovely smells of summer.

You can probably imagine, that as soon as our flowers and herbs were planted, we immediately found ourselves in the kitchen experimenting. We finally agreed that this Moroccan inspired pesto is going to play a big role in a lot of dishes this summer. You will find that it is nice and light and quite refreshing compared to the traditional Italian style pesto you may know.

Ingredients:

1 cup     tightly packed fresh parsley

1/2 cup   tightly packed basil

6 fresh   mint leaves

1/2 tsp.  ground cumin

1 clove   garlic, minced

1/4 cup   extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp.   fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp.  salt

 

Preparations:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until well blended.

Best Lentil Salad

Guess what? I have officially opened our 2011 BBQ season.  This weekend truly couldn’t have been more glorious. With Mr. Sun shining down on me, outside I went to pull out the good ol’ Barbie to have friends and family over for our first of many 2011 driveway get togethers. When I entertain outside, I keep it simple. Simple from top to bottom which means we eat off of good old fashioned paper plates serving simple but delicious, finger licking foods such as this best ever Lentil Salad. The flavours in this salad are simple but taste outstanding. It makes it a great item to take for a picnic as you can prepare it ahead of time and can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.

The other reason why I am head over heels for lentils is because of their amazing health benefits.

The culinary enjoyment of lentils dates back to prehistoric times and were used by the ancient Greeks for both medicinal and culinary purposes. Unlike other members of the legume family, lentils do not need to be soaked before cooking, so they are a relatively quick and easy way to add nutrient-rich legumes into your daily diet. Lentil’s rich concentration of dietary fiber and folate makes them an excellent choice for intestinal health. According to Dr. Neal Barnard fiber rich foods have the ability to attach themselves to excess estrogen and other toxins that may be lingering in your intestinal tract and transport them out of the body. Lentils also contain polyphenolic phytonutrients and catechins which provide powerful antioxidant protection to cellular structures from oxidative damage caused by free radicals. So, by eating just one cup of this yummy lentil salad you will get 16 grams of fiber, 17 grams of protein and 7 mg of iron.

So here is The Best Lentil Salad:

Ingredients:

1 cup dried lentils
1 cove garlic, mashed
1/4 tsp. oregano
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup currants
1 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 red pepper, diced
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
1/4 kalamata olives
3 tbsp. mint, coarsly chopped
3 tbsp. parsley, coarsley chopped

Preparations:

Combine the lentils, garlic, bay leaf and cinnamon stick in a saucepan and cover with enough water.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the lentils are tender (about 20 minutes).
Drain the lentils and discard the whole spices.
In a seperate bowl, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, cumin and salt together.
Toss the lentils, pepper, cucumber, olives, mint and parsley.
Combine, taste and add extra salt if needed.