Seabuck Wonders Organic Himalayan Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil: Product Review

Most people these days seem to have jumped on the omega 3 fatty acid bandwagon whether its making a point to eat lots of fatty fish, omega 3 rich seeds, or simply taking a supplement.

But have you heard of omega 7?

Its another essential fatty acid lacking in the Standard American Diet (SAD). Fear not, its now easy to get, from a vegan source no less, in sea buckthorn oil! I've told you all about sea buckthorn before, when I reviewed products from Seabuck Wonders. Well, now I have more to share about the benefits of this amazing plant.

Like other fatty acids, the omega 7 from sea buckthorn oil is an unsaturated fatty acid with a myriad of health benefits. It promotes cardiovascular health, like other fatty acids, and sea buckthorn is also cytoprotective, anti-stress, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, radioprotective, anti-atherogenic, anti-tumor, and anti-microbial.

Furthermore, one study found that sea buckthorn oil taken orally can help with dry eye...good news for me, a chronic dry eye sufferer! Its also good as a topical treatment for skin. Another study found it improves the symptoms of dermatitis (hello sensitive skin sufferer here!). For more info on benefits see here.

Seabuck Wonders recently sent me their Organic Himalayan Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil tincture to try. While it can be ingested, I was more interested in its topical uses.

My skin is dry, and sensitive and consequently prone to dullness and redness. I decided to try the Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil before bed one night in place of a moisturizer. I love the consistency. It is light and not at all greasy. Beware the colour though! The oil naturally has a bright orange colour, and I do find it turns my skin orange! If you want the Donald Trump look, you may not mind this, but for me, I will stick to using it before bed (just beware of staining if you have light coloured sheets). I love that unlike most skin care products, the active ingredients are not diluted with all sorts of fillers. Its done a great job of helping to heal the irritation I developed around my left eye (which waters a lot to compensate for dryness). My very sensitive skin has also not reacted to it, despite its potency. Yay!

If you want to take it orally, you could probably add it to a smoothie or something. Seabuck Wonders also sells a supplement is softgel format, specifically for hair, skin and nails, that combines the berry oil with biotin.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely! Most of us need to get more essential fatty acids, and sea buckthorn berry oil is one of the few sources of omega 7. Its also a vegan source of fatty acids for those who avoid animal products.

Disclosure: I was sent the product to review, but all opinions on this blog are my own.

Confadent Oral Technology: Product Review

A few years ago when the girls' daycare announced there was going to be sugar-free gum day as a treat, I came in to pick them up, and caught a few moms lecturing the teachers on the dangers of artificial sweeteners and demanding that gum with sugar be allowed.

Oh boy did I have to bite my tongue!

While I can understand wanting to avoid aspartame, or whatever, there are lots of other sweeteners available that are better than sugar.

One of them is xylitol, a natural sweetener (for those of you who find 'natural'  to be a meaningful descriptor). It has slightly fewer calories than sugar and rather than causing tooth decay (one of sugars' many negative health consequences), it is actually protective of teeth.

Xylitol is available granulated and can be used in place of sugar in cooking and baking. It is also an active ingredient in many dental care products such as pastes and rinses.

You can also find xylitol in gums, like this new product, Confadent Oral Technology, which sent us several packs to sample.

The whole family gave them a try so we can share our feedback with you.

Adam, who is a ritual gum chewer, said he found he needed to chew several at a time because they are small, and he prefers gum in stick form. The girls liked the flavour, but found it did not last very long.

Overall, its great if used for its intended purpose:

"help prevent plaque and gingivitis, whiten teeth, and freshen your breath"

If however, you are looking for something merely for chewing pleasure, than you may be disappointed. But, frankly, I find that the case with most gum. After a few minutes of chewing I always have to spit it out or it starts to make me feel nauseous.

There is no doubt in my mind that we should all be avoiding gum with sugar. Oral health has now been determined to influence our risk for all sorts of serious chronic illnesses like heart disease and cancer. Its not just a matter of having clean teeth!

So do I recommend this product? If you find yourself forgetting to brush your teeth regularly or having less than stellar check-ups at the dentist, or worrying about bad breath after meals, than stashing packs of these in your car and bag are a smart thing. Chewing for just a few minutes while the flavour lasts should be enough to get the protective benefits of the active ingredients anyways.

Disclosure: The company sent us the gum to review but all opinions on this blog are our own.

Spibelt: Product Review

Good morning and welcome to a new week! If you are a fitness fanatic, or are just constantly on the move, or even an avid traveler, keep reading...

Where has a SPIbelt been my whole life??

Who doesn't hate having to find a place to stash keys, phone, etc. when running outside. Personally, I have been stuffing my phone in my bra when I run the past few years, which isn't comfortable and I always worry I will destroy it with sweat.

I do have a fanny pack thingy from when I did the 8 hour cancer charity walk a few years ago, but its huge and bulky, designed to carry 2 water bottles and a lot of other stuff.

So I was more than happy to test a SPIbelt out when offered the chance. Its very small, light and sleek and adjusts to fit snugly and comfortably. It looks tiny but the stretchy material can accomodate a phone and other stuff very easily.

Even if you are not a runner, its a great option for walking, hiking, cycling, and travelling. I am going to take it with me for sure to Israel.

Get out there, get active, no excuses!!

SPIbelts are affordable, and come in a ton of different colours, models, and sizes, including ones that can accommodate water bottles, and one with a waterproof pouch.

Disclosure: I was sent a SPIbelt to review, but all opinions on this blog are my own. 

The Edgy Veg: Book Review

Extremism is in. Whether its political views or diets, everyone is polarized these days.

When it comes to food trends, people seem to be either going over-the-top decadent (the latest in Toronto is Asian ice cream and desserts...like this:

...or to the opposite end of the spectrum, such as raw, vegan food like this:

If I have to pick a side, you know where I am going! The latter, of course!!

But there is another diet trend in Toronto, which, I guess is sort of the happy medium: vegan comfort food.

Now, personally, I have little interest in this because I find it tends to mean vegan junk food, and junk food is junk food in my book. It may be better for animals and the planet, but its not better for the body.

Nevertheless, there is clearly a market for it, and I suppose its a good way to get carnivores who have previously given no thought to what they consume an accessible way of becoming more conscious of what they eat, if only for ethical reasons (though I don't get why people would care about the health of animals and the earth, but not of their own body).

The Edgy Veg is a cookbook by fellow Torontonians, and bloggers, Candice Hutchings, and her husband, James Aita, which claims to contain "138 carnivore approved vegan recipes." I would say it definitely can be described as catering to people looking for vegan comfort food.

Now that I think about it, the polar opposite of this might be Paleo since that tends to be a very health conscious, high meat diet (assuming you believe eating large amounts of animal protein, especially red meat is healthy...which I don't).

Anyways, there is a lot to like about this book. It begins with a section on how to prepare to start cooking the recipes, with lists of kitchen tools, pantry staples,  and vegan substitutions. Then there is a chapter on the 'basics', such as pizza dough, seitan, vegan mozzarella, several types of veggie bacon, dairy-free sour cream, and a bunch of sauces. These items turn up as ingredients in a number of the recipes later on. I love that these base items, such as seitan and vegan mozzarella are relatively simple, since making them homemade might seem intimidating (at least to me!).

There are lovely photos of almost all the recipes and tips under the "Hack it" section at the bottom of the pages. Many of the recipes sound amazing and I plan to try such as the mushroom bacon, Eat the Rainbow slaw, Buffalo Cauliflower Wings 7 ways, What the Pho, and Garlicky Green Beans to Keep the Vampires Away.

The recipes span many different cuisines, and cover most of the food that's trendy (at least in Toronto) such as pho, ramen, Chinese/Thai/Indian, and fusions of many of them. Their are chapters for brunch, soup, salads, munchies, mains, sides, beverages, and desserts.

My one criticism is that many recipes use white flour and white sugar. Even organic versions of refined flour and sugar are absolutely void of nutrition and spike blood sugar levels. Nevertheless, you can substitute whole grain flours and healthier sweeteners in most of these recipes easily.

Also, be aware that substitutions for animal proteins are sometimes made with non-proteins (i.e. buffalo cauliflower, carrot lox). So be aware that you will likely have to add a protein somewhere else in your meal.

Do I recommend this cookbook? Absolutely! The recipes are approachable and appealing to even picky, closed-minded carnivores. Its perfect for people scared to eat vegan because they perceive it to be nothing but sprouts and seeds. Good job by my fellow Torontonians!!

Disclosure: I was sent this book to review but all opinions on this blog are my own.

Nerium International IllumaBoost Brightening & Shield: Product Review

You know I hate heat so usually avoid the sun, but the summers here are so brutal, you can hardly be outside for minutes without feeling like a roasted chicken (though with all the rain this year we got off thankfully easy...unfortunately, fall so far has felt more like summer 😠). Not only do I hate heat, but I am concerned about skin cancer, so I do everything possible to avoid skin damage from the sun. Even in winter I always have sunblock on my face. Three of my close friends have been diagnosed with basal cell carcinomas, and a woman I went to highschool with has had melanoma twice!!

I am also prone to getting uneven skin tone which can be exacerbated by the sun and UV damage. So I was thrilled to receive Nerium International IllumaBoost^TM Brightening & Shield to try.

The product:

• Works to brighten the skin’s appearance and help even skin tone
• Helps shield the skin from environmental stressors
• Helps plump and moisturize the skin
• Fights the appearance of discoloration, uneven skin tone and skin damage caused by air pollution
• Can be mixed with: Age-Defying Night and Day Creams, foundation or sunscreen
• Is ideal for all skin types (dermatologist tested)

The key ingredients are:

Phytolumina
A proprietary blend of plant-based ingredients, alpinia officinarum root extract, physalis pubescens fruit juice and bidens pilosa extract, which helps skin look radiant and brighter.

Niacinamide
A well-known ingredient for more even-toned looking skin.

Kombucha Ferment
A unique ingredient derived from fermented tea that offers a host of skin benefits.

Green Tea
A well-known antioxidant that guards against environmental damage.

Glycerin
Derived from lipids, this skin humectant absorbs moisture and supports skins natural barrier.

Hydrolized Sodium Hyaluronate
Naturally present in the skin, it binds water to the skin for volume and firmness.

Alteromonas Ferment Extract
Helps shield skin from environmental stressors.

Is there research proving this product's efficacy? No, nor is there any for most non-prescription products. The only thing I can tell you is that my skin tone does seem more even than it does by the end of every summer, and even more importantly, I did not have any adverse reaction to it. I have super sensitive skin so products with a lot of active ingredients can often irritate it. The company did do its own 4-week consumer study, which they say upheld their claims.

Do I recommend IllumaBoostTM Brightening &Shield? Hey, if you're cool paying a premium for skin care products and you are concerned about environmental/UV damage to your skin, go for it! Just don't forget the sunblock!

Disclosure: The company sent me the product to try but all opinions on this blog are my own.

Well Nourished: Book Review

The causes of obesity are numerous. They also differ from person to person. Contributing factors include poverty, mental or physical illness, parents (their weight status, genetics, behaviour modelling, what they fed you, etc.), and, of course, lifestyle.

Another contributing factor is culture. You've heard me say it before, we live in an obesigenic culture (i.e. is encourages obesity). How does it do so? Here are a few ways:

1. Abundance of high calorie, highly processed food available 24/7, that is cheaper than healthier food;
2. Mechanization of physical tasks (you don't have to churn your own ice cream now, you just open the freezer);
3. Social cues encouraging us to consume (advertising, social pressure, etc.)
4. Focus on productivity/consumption/materialism at the expense of spiritual/emotional/psychological fulfillment
5. Fat phobia

Numbers 4 and 5 are what I believe fuels one cause of being overweight for a lot of people: emotional eating.

Our culture has created widespread depression and anxiety among even the privileged classes. Being the consumerist society we are, people are sold a bill of goods about what they should have/who they should be/what they should be doing, however, even if people achieve it all, they are left feeling empty. To fill the void, they turn to consumables such as alcohol, drugs, and FOOD and numb their negative emotions. Food, of course, has less stigma than the others, but is harder to control, because you can't abstain from eating. Nor can you really ever get away from food or encouragement to eat.

Our veneration of fat is an integral part of the vicious cycle people get stuck in with emotional eating. While food, in and of itself, isn't shameful, being fat certainly is! We treat overweight people terribly! Fat discrimination is rampant. Unfortunately, this means that individuals who are emotional eaters start to develop extreme guilt, shame and anxiety over it, especially if it contributes to weight gain (which is usually does!).

But one of the biggest things that stands in the emotional eater's way of getting control of it is the self-sabotage. Everyone wants and needs unconditional acceptance from loved ones. We don't want to feel we have to look a certain way to get it. So I find many of my clients develop so much anger and resentment over feeling shamed by their weight, that they continue the behaviour spitefully, almost out of rebellion. Unfortunately, they ultimately hurt themselves the most. I often wonder whether emotional eating would be as much of a problem if we lived in a culture of size acceptance. Unfortunately, I don't think we will ever know the answer to that!

The good news is, if you struggle with emotional eating, I have a book for you!  Well Nourished, was written by Andrea Lieberstein, a dietitian and mindfulness eating instructor, among other things, who resides in California (where else?).

The book is like a guide to develop nourishment within the realms that are relevant to our general sense of well-being and commitment. A dearth of these things is what I believe are huge contributors to emotional eating, She includes:

• Physical nourishment
• Emotional nourishment
• Psychological nourishment
• Social nourishment
• Intellectual nourishment
• Creative nourishment
• Spiritual nourishment
• Worldly nourishment

Now, if you are the scientific type, and this all sounds a bit to "energy and crystals" for you, fear not! What I love most about this book is that it doesn't just tell you what may be causing your emotional eating, it provides exercises and instructions for overcoming it by maximizing your nourishment in the defined areas.

I think this is a great book and I will definitely be recommending it to my emotional eating clients!

Disclosure: This book was sent to me to review, but all opinions on this blog are my own.

Honest Company: Product Review

If you are a mom, than you've probably heard of Jessica Alba's Honest Company.

Just introduced in Canada a few years ago, the company sells products that are touted as all natural and non-toxic. They have lines of personal care products, household cleaners and baby care items.

The company claims to use sustainable production methods, fair labour practices and has a commitment to social responsibility.

In terms of their products, they offer the following explanation of their efforts to ensure safety:

Our definition of safety
Our Honest approach takes full consideration of potential chronic (long-term) impacts, exposure routes, unique windows of vulnerability and a wide spectrum of potential health impacts including carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, allergenicity, neurotoxicity and more. It’s a lot more to consider and weigh, but we think our children are worth it.

We create meaningful lists.
Some companies play on consumers’ fears by saying they don’t use certain chemicals in their products — even if that type of product never contains it. (For example, some food brands label their chicken “hormone-free” and pop a premium price tag on it when the reality is that ALL chicken is hormone-free because the USDA banned the practice in the 1950s!) You can trust that the Honestly FREE Guarantee you find on each product is a meaningful list specific to that product. Each one is a unique and important list of ingredients that can be found in similar products.

Our list is always growing.
While each product has a unique guarantee, as a company, we keep a master list of ingredients we’ll never consider for use in anything. Period. We confirm, to the best of our knowledge, based on information from our raw material and packaging suppliers and manufacturing partners that our products are Honestly Made Without: phthalates (DEHP, BBP, DBP, DMP, DEP); PVC; formaldehyde carriers; alkylphenols; benzene; TEA (Triethanolamine); MEA (Monoethanolamine); parabens; phosphates; chlorine processing; chlorinated or brominated solvents; ceteareth 20; resorcinol; bronopol; quaternium 15; triclosan; sulfur oxides; organohalides; hexavalent chromium; DMDM hydantoin; organophosphate pesticides; 1,4 - dioxane; SLS/SLES (sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates); optical brighteners; mineral oil; petrolatum; BPA (bisphenol-A); a-chlorotoluene

This is just the short list of hundreds of chemicals that we’ve opted NOT to use in our products. And our list is always growing.
The only exception to this claim (to be perfectly transparent and honest) is that we cannot account for or always eliminate background contamination or cross-contamination. For example, most soils naturally contain trace amounts of arsenic which can then end up in plants grown in the soil. This is standard for all products, no matter who the manufacturer is, but we do our best to proactively find the purest, most unadulterated ingredients.

We’re über-vigilant to the latest science.
We stand behind the safety of our products, but that doesn’t stop us from trying to do better. Every. Single. Day.
You can rest assured that we’re doing our very best to understand every nuance of the complex world of toxicology. We’re hyper-attentive to staying abreast of the latest science, actively consulting with our own internal scientific team, conducting chemical safety profiling, referring to green chemistry reports, adapting to new international standards and examining credible lists of unacceptable ingredients (like the International Chemical Secretariat’s Substitute It Now list). And should any new regulations, studies or real risks become apparent and concerning to us or our community, we quickly assess the data, modify our approach and immediately update our formulation (that’s how we roll)!

I know some people will still find these products too commercialized and not natural 'enough', but I am not one of those people. I don't worry obsessively about toxins. If you want to bath with nothing but organic rose petals, or some gloopy thing you whipped up in your kitchen, go ahead.

Though I've wanted to try these products for a while, I hadn't had a chance yet, so I was thrilled when the company sent me some of them to sample. A generous box arrived with shampoo/body wash, conditioner and bubble bath in three varieties: Sweet Orange Vanilla, Dreamy Lavender, and Apricot Kiss. They also sell unscented for those with sensitive noses.

Little A and I usually shower together so we sampled them together. We both liked them a lot. Little A thought the scents were a little light but I like that they aren't over powering. We both felt the shampoo lathers just enough, and that the conditioner is creamy enough to do its job. Having dry hair, I am particularly choosy about conditioners and this one does the job. Its not as moisturizing as some of the heavy duty ones I've used, but its good enough for humid summer days, so that's saying something.

I have very sensitive skin but neither I nor Little A had any adverse reactions to the products.

Do I recommend these products? Yes, they work well and they give me enough confidence that I am using safe products on myself and my children. They are premium, mind you, so along with that comes a premium price. The line is readily available in drug stores here across Toronto.  If the products are not available where you live, you can order them online.

Disclosure: I was sent the products to review but all opinions on this blog are our own.

Knixteen/Knixwear Period Proof Underwear: Product Review

Its tough to menstruate.

While being capable of creating life is undoubtedly miraculous, the whole experience of menstruation more or less sucks.

Even women who don't have severe PMS or menstrual disorders probably don't enjoy the monthly cramping, bloating, headaches, digestive upset, mood swings, and other lovely things that typically occur. And no one enjoys having to worry about leaks!

I for one tend to wear black pants or skirts during my period every month, just in case there is a leak so it will be less visible. But depending where you are and what you are doing, it can be really embarrassing!

Thankfully, new technology is now being developed to make managing your period easier, and make leaks a thing of the past.

I was really excited when Knixwear, one of the companies devoted to creating period proof clothes for women, sent me some of their leak proof underwear to try. Specifically, they sent me a couple pairs made for teens, but since I am small, they fit me perfectly anyways.

They do warn that they are meant to fit snuggly, but that's how I like my underwear to fit. Having no waist or hips to speak of, if mine don't fit snuggly, they'll slide right down to my ankles.

I loved these the moment I slid them on. They are thin and sleek and feel a lot like the Lululemon underwear I have, which are my favorites.

At first I still wore a tampon with them because I was skeptical that they were really leak proof. Eventually I gave them a shot and found them to do the job. In fact, I wore them overnight without anything else one night, and they still came through!

Whether you are a teen a 20-something or a pre-menopausal 30, 40 or 50 something, I definitely recommend Knix wear. On top of peace of mind, they also allow you to save money by using fewer tampons and pads, as well as save the environment from all that waste!

The company also makes bras, and I am tempted to try them too. I am such a rare size (big cup, small band), that its hard for me to find things that fit and are comfortable. Their sizing is much more flexible.

You definitely pay a premium for these undies, but its very worth it I think. Thanks Knixwear!

Time to Think About Death

A year or two ago my mom read a book about death, Being Mortal, that she raved about. She gave the book to Adam, who read it, and raved about it. They both told me I had to read it, but I put it off until now.

Like many people, death is something I try to NOT think about. I am not concerned about what will happen to me after I die. I am more concerned with how and when it will happen. But because this is something I can easily get anxious about, I wasn't eager to read the book in case it got me all worked up.

Fortunately, it did not. I even read it as my nighttime reading, which is unusual for me, because normally I reserve that time for fiction.

But I am here now to rave about it and tell you you need to read it too!

To be more specific, the book is about how we view death and how death is treated in Western Medicine. Its written by an American surgeon, Atul Gawande, who I now worship.

It examines what is really important, and what we should really focus on at the end of life. We tend to focus on longevity at the expense of quality.

It made me think of my beloved Grandma Ruth and the last few years of her life she spent in a nursing home. The nursing home was supposed to be one of the best in Manhattan, and that is very depressing. Sure, the staff were great. But an institution is an institution and those places are a miserable hell. Luckily, my grandma basically died of old age, though she had dementia the last few years, so we didn't have to make tough decisions about treatments, resuscitation, etc. But nonetheless, I found the whole situation very upsetting. She had been a very sharp, active woman her whole life and for the last few years she didn't leave the building and basically slept away most of every day. Every time I think about it, my heart hurts.

Gawande says our fear of death prevents us from thinking about how we want to die, and informing our loved ones. This often leads to terrible ends for people (unnecessary painful treatments and surgeries, nursing homes, hospital stays, etc.) and people dying in institutions, instead of at home surrounded by loved ones. He is so right!

Though he supports assisted dying in extreme situations, he points out that if we planned better for our deaths and communicated our wishes better with loved ones and care givers, it would be necessary much less often.

There were only a few spots in the book that got me anxious, particularly, when he discussed a few patient cases involving young people dying of incurable cancer (that basically is my worst fear). Most of it features stories of the elderly, which I can handle better.

The issue, Gawande argues, isn't just dependent on individuals, but also on major changes to the medical system and how we treat terminal illness and disability. Nursing homes are awful places period. Assisted living in its truest form, is much better, as is hospice care.

While this may seem like a depressing topic, its essential reading I think. Because we all will die one day. That's inevitable.

Okay, order the book and then have a good day!

Be a Freezer Fanatic

My long time readers know I am a Freezer Fanatic. If you care about your health, and time and money, you should be too.

Filling your freezer with the right foods means you always have ingredients on hand to make healthy, tasty meals. It is also a great way of reducing food waste.

Here is what to stock up on:

• Frozen fruits and veggies (they are just as healthy - sometimes even better - than fresh)
• Meat and fish (I mostly buy fresh and then freeze, but also buy frozen chicken breasts from Costco and frozen seafood)
• Whole grain bread, pita, wraps, etc. that you are not using immediately. (They will get moldy quickly at room temp, and get stale in the fridge)
• Leftovers (if you've made a huge batch of chili, pasta sauce, soup, etc., freeze in individual or family serving size containers for a meal when you have no time to cook)

Basically any food you aren't using can be frozen instead of letting it go off and then having to throw it away. This includes fruit and veggies (cut up first), milk and other dairy, eggs (crack into ice cup trays), sauces (freeze pesto in ice cup trays for quick access) and more.

Honestly, if you are not using your freezer, you are wasting a lot of time and money on food (and wasted food).

This ends my series on how to stock a healthy kitchen. So throw away those takeout menus (or apps, I guess is what people use now), and start cooking!!

Pantry Staples

I am going to admit upfront that we (mostly me) are food hoarders.  The photo above is NOT our pantry. Ours doesn't look photo worth. We like to be well stocked with our staples, and when we find our favorites on sale, we stock up big time. We also have a Costco membership, and, well, you know how that goes!

If you want to make it easy to be able to make quick, healthy meals at anytime, here are some things to make sure you have on hand (and these are the things you will find in our pantry...and massive storage room):

• Canned beans and lentils and dried beans/lentils
• Canned tuna, salmon and/or sardines
• Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and other condiments
• Dried herbs and spices (buy in small quantities as they lose their flavour quickly, unless you use them a lot)
• Dried pasta, rice, oats, quinoa and/or other grains
• Jarred salsa and pasta sauce
• Nut butters
• Whole grain flours, cocoa powder, sweeteners (coconut sugar, xylitol, stevia, etc.), and other baking ingredients
• Vinegar (white, cider, red wine, white wine, rice, etc.)
• Oils (avocado, olive, toasted sesame, etc.)
• Dried fruit, nuts, seeds

The great thing about stocking your pantry is that the items are non-perishable, so you don't have to be planning to use them immediately. It also means you will be well fed at least for some period of time, if there is an apocalypse.

What's in Our Fridge

Is your fridge bare except for a 6 pack of beer and an old jar of pickles?

Or is it full of a carton of sour milk and 50 bottles and jars of 3 year old condiments?

We are a family with a full fridge. Always.

Its usually over-full on market days, twice a week, but really its only empty when we go away on holiday.

I don't understand how people live without fresh food available, if they can afford it. When our contractor doing our renos last summer recommended we unplug our fridge and live without it for a few weeks it was no deal. NO WAY JOSE!

So what takes up all the space in our fridge?

Here are the things we always have on hand:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Cheese, veggie meat, tempeh/tofu, etc.
• Milk, eggs, egg whites, yogurt
• Miso, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, sugar-free ketchup, salsa
• Non-hydrogenated margarine
• Minced garlic in a jar, pickles, olives
• Salad dressing, sugar-free bbq sauce, maple syrup
• Shirataki noodles

Many of my weight loss clients say they stop buying fresh fruits and veggies because the end up always throwing half of it away uneaten. OMG, wasted food makes me CRAZY! There is an easy way to prevent this. First, plan your meals. Before we head to the market, I plan the meals I am going to make and buy accordingly, so I don't buy stuff that will languish too long in the fridge. Second, if you do end up with stuff you can't use right away, cook or bake with it for the future, or at least freeze it.

Many of my clients also admit their weakness is a lack of motivation to cook at the end of the day and giving in to take-out. But if you have a well stocked fridge, it can take just minutes to whip up a healthy, yummy meal such as a main course salad, omelet, or sandwiches.

Fill your fridge, cook at home and your body (and your wallet) will thank you!!

Feeling "Sanissimo" ?

Hey guys welcome back to my blog!! Today's post is about a super healthy restaurant I discovered 1 month ago or so called "Sansissimo". I love it, I've already been there twice because the food here is just incredible. The restaurant is vegan & vegetarian and they offer so many things, bagels, wraps, salads, healthy burgers, smoothies. I've tried the wraps and they taste so good, plus they are gigantic. I like them because you can design your own. My favorite one has feta cheese,lentils and chickpeas.

The desserts are awesome too, the portions are huge tho, I recommend sharing them with a friend, lol. I've tried the carrot cake which was delicious and also the brownie. I particularly don't recommend the brownie because it has no sugar at all, too healthy for me hahahaha. My friend tried the other day the oreo cake and she told that it was awesome too. Btw, they make the cakes there so if you ever go. they might not offer these that I mentioned because they are just not available, but I'm sure they will have other delicious ones :)

There are two Sanissimo's in Madrid that I know of, one in Pricipe Pio and the other one in Malasaña. The restaurants are small so if you plan on going with lots of people you should call and make a reservations before hand. The good this is that you can also just call and they with bring you your order home.

Well, I hope you liked this post, I you ever feel like eating healthy and wanna try a new place, try Sanissimo. Here I leave you some pictures that I took, I definately recommend it. Have an awesome week guys!!

-GM

email: gemamate@gmail.com

Instagram: @gema.mate

Ojalá restaurant

Hey guys!! Remember my post about some really cool restaurants you should try if you ever get the chance to come to Madrid… Well This one is just about one of the places I mentioned “Ojalá”

There are a couple in Madrid downtown, I usually go to the one in Malasaña. I really recommend it because everything is organic. As or food goes, if you go I suggest you get a brunch menu. It’s offered from 10:00-20:00 I like it because it’s very complete and for a cheap price.

I got: “Huevos catalanes with cereal bread”,3.60€, and to drink a small small smoothie (which it’s huge) with raspberries, açai, blueberries and orange juice,3.80€. One of my friends got the “Just-4-U” brunch ,10€, which includes coffee or an infusion and a drink wich can be: fresh squized orage juice, wine,beer or just a drink. Btw, don’t try de lemon cake unless you like acid flavours because my friend got it and no one of us liked it hahahhaha.

“Huevos catalanes with cereal bread”

In addition to this, if you are looking for someplace to go for drinks or on a date you should come here. This restaurant has a special section with beach sand,music… the atmosphere is really nice down there an Malasaña at night is just amazing J

Well, I hope you liked this post, don’t forget to follow my blog and leave a comment below if you have any wuestions or suggestions for other posts. Have a nice week, see you next Sunday!!!

-GM

email: gemamate@gmail.com

Instagram: @gema.mate

Chocolate & Chia seeds cookies

Hey guys, how is your Spring break going? I hope you are all doing well :) Today's post is a cookie recipe. I made theese a couple of weeks ago and they tasted SO GOOD!! I like this Chocolate & Chia seeds cookies because they are the perfect healthy snack.

Ingredients:

• Oats (1/4 cup)
• Flour (3/4 cup)
• Chia seeds (2 tablespoons)
• Cocoa powder (as you wish)
• 1 egg
• Olive oil (2 tablespoons)
• Honey (1,5 tablespoons); I am not a big fan of honey so I just used a tiny bit
• Brown sugar (120gr)
• Yeast (1/2 tablespoons)

Directions:

1. Mix the olive oil, the egg and the honey in a bowl
2. In a second bowl, mix the dry ingredients: the flour, the sugar, the oats, the yeast, the cocoa powder and the chia seeds.
3. Preheat the the oven, 200ºC
4. Meanwhile add the mixture with the dry indredients to the other bowl (olive oil, honey...) and blendit all together
5. Then, get a baking sheet and with a spoon divide the mixture into balls and smash them a little bit on the baking sheet (you can also use cookie molds)
6. Bake in the oven for 8-10 min. Once you take them out let them cool down before eating them.

-GM

email: gemamate@gmail.com

Instagram: @gema.mate