MONDAY BASICS: on smoothies.

Happy Thanksgiving to you, my dear reading friend. I hope the weekend that was saw you gathered around some good food with some good folks for some good times. And some great phone conversations with those from away.

This week's Monday Health Basics blog post (albeit a day late) is zeroing in on one of the most oft questions I get: what do I think of smoothies? How do I build a good smoothie?

For you, my bullet-breakfast loving friend, here is my spiel on smoothies.

There are clearly two camps when it comes to smoothies: those that say 'yea' and those that say 'nay'. I sit on the fence. I really do.

I think they can be fantastic vehicles for nutrient density; I think they can carry lots of goodies if you're looking to increase your intake of fruit and veg for those all important nutrients, vitamins and minerals to best help support a body.

I wonder how much we are by-passing normal parts of digestion when we just 'drink up' our breakfast (or snack or meal). I mean, I think we have teeth for a reason. I really believe we were always meant to chew our food; chewing activates the proper cascade of events we need to go through in order to optimize digestion. And if you know me, you know what I'm going to say: you are what you assimilate. If you aren't digesting properly, you will have trouble getting nutrients out of the foods you're eating. Our bodies utilize nutrients after all; not food. We need to be able to properly break down our foods in order to get at the nutrients within.

If you look back in history, no one, nowhere was making smoothies. We were all chewing what we had on hand, what was in the larder, and what we found or hunted on the field or in the woods. Or kept in the coop out back. It was all slow food all the time. So I really think there is something to the business of chewing our breakfast, and taking our time for that important first meal of the day.

Digest well

My recommendation here then is, if you're going to make a smoothie for breakfast or for a snack, you should aim to chew it in your mouth in order to start the digestive process properly. Really swish it around your mouth so that you can start building what is called a bolus: from the greek, meaning a soft, roundish mass or lump, especially of chewed food. You need to work your saliva in the mix here in order to help initiate that important breakdown of carbohydrates.

Know that if your smoothie is cold, the temperature can halt or hinder digestion. It is best to warm it up a bit before you consume it in the morning. You can warm it up by adding a spot of hot water, or a mugful of tea!

The Fat of the Matter

It is important to ensure your smoothie is loaded with the good stuff. I do a breakdown of what to include and why, and offer suggestions below. One of my key recommendations to anyone who makes smoothies for meals, is to ensure you have a good fat and/or protein in the mix. This is essential to slowing down the release of sugars found within the smoothie (which can make its way into your system so quickly if your food processor or thermomix has blitzed it in to such small particles).

I have talked before about the addition of full fat at length, and invite you to read up on past Monday Health Basics posts for the refresher. I focus on going full fat (esp. dairy) here, ensuring your animal fat sources come from grass-fed and grass-finished animals. You'll find an earlier post on navigating fats here, and a wee write up on the importance of including the all-important Essential Fatty Acid Omega 3 in your diet here. All good reasons and explanations behind including those good fats.

You may recall a write up earlier in the summer where I spoke about the importance of soaking your nuts and seeds before using them as a base for your smoothie. You can find that write up here, including an easy recipe and how-to for pre-soaking your nuggets. I love using nuts and seeds in a smoothie: they add wonderful healthy fats, give a good plant-based hit of protein and offer some vital vitamins and minerals that are essential to the body's functioning. As if that wasn't enough, they are also good sources of fibre, helping to bulk up your stool and move spent metabolic waste and toxins out of your body so that your engine can run clean. GOOD WORK.

Smoothies are an integral part of the Wahls Protocol, a protocol developed by a Functional Medicine Doctor in the United States named Terry Wahls who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis a number of years ago. She did extensive research into how diet and nutrition could play a role in her health and wellness; she developed a protocol based on nutrient density and foods that would help 'mind her mitochondria'. Dr. Wahls is a big believer in loading up on a variety of colours in your fruit and veg, and ensuring the good things are in the mix here. 

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So let's break down the template, shall we? Here is my smoothie equation for you:

Greens + Berries + Fat + Fibre + Extras
+ The Liquid

Let's go item by item to get the gist of what this means.

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GREENS

This is an important part of the smoothie, and a great way to boost the nutritional content in your smoothie. You can find an extensive write up as to why greens are good for you here at an earlier MHB post. These foods are mineral rich and offer great support for detoxification and overall lowering of inflammation. Including a handful of greens or a cup of chopped greens or herbs in your smoothie is a super idea.

If you have a thyroid condition, consider using swiss chard instead of kale or spinach, as these last two foods have goitrogens, which have been shown to slow down your thyroid's function. Reach for romaine, or add some herbs as greens. Mint imparts a most delicious flavour, and ensures those minerals you are looking for here.

Smoothie-approved greens (1-2 cups):

• kale

• collards

• spinach

• swiss chard

• lettuce

• parsley

• sprouts

• bok choy

• beet greens

• sorrel

• dandelion greens

• nasturtium leaves

• borage leaves

• Organic is always best, as greens have been shown to have a pretty high pesticide residue and so are listed on the 'Dirty Dozen' list as ones you should pay the extra dollar for. Find that information here.

Another idea you can try is to dry your own greens and mince them up, adding a tablespoon of them to your smoothie. Find the how-to here.

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BERRIES

Smoothies are typically sweet tasting. Adding fruit is a wonderful idea and a brilliant natural way to add that sweet taste. My recommendation here though is to stick to low glycemic load fruit, things like berries, or maybe apples or pears. I highlight berries because they're easy to keep in the freezer. They don't spoil as readily when purchased frozen. I love the idea of frozen berries too, seeing as they typically freeze freshly picked berries close to where they were picked. (True for other fruit and veg as well.) This allows the berries to fully ripen on the vine, which ensures a more nutrient-dense end product. Go for frozen berries.

And add a good cup or cup and a half per serving.

Vary your berries from one purchase to the next, in order to offer a variety of nutrients. You should know, most berries are fairly high in pesticide residue as well; it is something you may want to purchase organically. Read up on the why here.

Another benefit to berries is the high fibre content, and also the high amount of antioxidants found in these deeply hued berries. These antioxidants help neutralize that free radical damage that happens in our bodies, especially helpful in slowing down the aging process and protecting our cells from the inside out. These nutrients are of tremendous support to the liver in keeping your engine running clean.

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FAT

In addition to the points mentioned above, fat is also incredibly important in helping balance hormones, and keeping us satiated. Fats are key providers of nutrients necessary to reduce inflammation.

My fave smoothie go-to-fats (choose 1 or 2):

• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, cacao butter, nut or seed butter or straight up butter/ghee

• keep it plant-based by adding a half of an avocado (they freeze beautifully)

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil; delicious flavours at Blue Door Oil + Vinegar

• a handful of nuts or seeds (pre-soaked of course!)

• you can use 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of homemade creme fraiche (the how-to is here)

• 1/2 cup of homemade greek yogurt (read up on why it's wise to make your own here, including full instructions)

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FIBRE

Fibre is just so integral to helping usher out spent metabolic waste and toxins our body is looking to get rid of. I did a wee blog post on the importance of including fibre here. The seeds listed below also happen to have a good amount of omega 3 fatty acids, which will help in reducing inflammation.

I recommend here you include 1-2 tablespoons per person:

• chia seeds

• hemp seeds

• flax seeds

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EXTRAS

This is where you get to be creative. Depending on what kind of health concerns you are currently working through, seeing a Holistic Nutritional Consultant may be of benefit when it comes to figuring out this piece. I know a gal. I can hook you up.

These are all optional; you can pick none, or one, or three to add to your final smoothie. Look for these at your favourite local health food store, or check out The Light Cellar on Bowness Road in the NW of Calgary. (* denotes you should only add at the time you are blitzing the smoothie together)

• 1 tsp matcha green tea powder or 1 tsp moringa leaf powder– great for adrenal support!

• 1 tsp minced seaweed – extra mineral boost, liver support (spirulina is my fave)

• 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of fresh minced ginger – liver support, reduces inflammation

• 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of fresh minced or dried turmeric – anti inflammatory

• 1 tsp of vanilla powder – antioxidant support

• 1 tsp of cocoa powder – if it's raw, extra antioxidant support

• 1 tsp colostrum – immune and gut support

• 1 tsp of medicinal mushroom powder – good write up found here on The Light Cellar's website

• 1 tbsp of dried nettle leaves - liver and inflammation support

• 1 tsp of holy basil loose leaf tea (aka tulsi tea) – excellent support for histamine intolerance issues, migraines, inflammation and adrenal support

• 1/2 tsp bee pollen - for inflammation, although not recommended for pregnant women or women hoping to get pregnant

• a scoop of collagen powder* - for gut support (this one is my preferred)

• a raw egg yolk* – make sure your chickens were pastured; conventionally raised eggs have possible contamination issues like E.coli and salmonella

• 1-2 tsp of cod liver oil – nutrient density at its finest, good for your entire body (find a lemon flavoured one - the best)

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My medicinal mushroom tea with reishi, chaga, astragalus, ginger, cardamom, turmeric, pepper

THE LIQUID

You obviously need to add some liquid to make this a smoothie. To the blender, I would add 1 cup of any of the following:

• water (warmer is better - filtered is de rigueur)

• tea – dandelion root, rooibos, rose hip, ginger, green tea, nettle, lemon tea

• kombucha

• water kefir

• any non alcoholic fermented beverage you have on hand – excellent way to include probiotics

• milk kefir (or coconut kefir if you can't tolerate dairy)

• a cup of any of these liver-loving teas (medicinal mushroom brew recipe included)

• Make a big pot of medicinal mushroom tea, and stash in the fridge once it is complete. You can pull from this stash for a week at least.

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BATCH PREP IS KEY

Batch cooking really is key here to making this a do-able thing. I recently spent a full day with a friend preparing meals for her freezer for easy retrieval; she was about to undergo major medical treatment and wanted some ready-made easy-prep things in her freezer to pull out in order to ensure proper nutrient density for those days when food wouldn't necessarily be so appealing, nor would the energy be there to prep a meal.

She purchased big containers or bags of greens, berries, ensured she had good fats, seeds for fibre and some tasty extras. We assembled about thirty little freezer bags of smoothie essentials. It took all of 15 minutes to put it all together. We set medium-sized freezer bags propped open in a box, and dumped a handful of spinach in each bag, a handful of slivered chard (without the stems), a cup of berries, a few slices of peaches, a tablespoon of coconut oil, a tablespoon of chia seeds, a teaspoon of matcha green tea powder. We wrote on the bag to include some creme fraiche and a cup of kombucha for the day she will be using the baggies. Easy peasy.

On days where she wants a nutrient dense easy meal, all she has to do is take it out of the freezer, add in some liquid, some warm tea and blitz the whole thing in her blender. Voila. Talk about good fuel for her days, and her body's work ahead.

This is a wonderful gift you can put together for a friend in need, or for a loved one about to undergo extensive medical treatment. New moms would love the ease of a quick nutrient-dense meal like this. Your older parents may love the idea of an easy breakfast at hand to go along with their daily buttered toast. Your kiddos away at university may find this saves them on their early mornings. Your littler ones may enjoy helping put together a batch of these baggies so they can start making their own breakfasts in the mornings.

This was a long post. Phew. Extensive. But I hope you find the template a do-able thing, and an easy thing to follow.

Greens + Berries + Fat + Fibre + Extras
+ The Liquid

Now go play with your food.

The information provided in this post is not intended to replace your doctor's advice. This is for educational purposes only. If your current health status is giving you cause for concern, it is best to seek out the support of your Medical Team before consuming any of the foods mentioned in this post.

MONDAY BASICS: lunchbox planning.

The cooler nights are here. The tomatoes are ripening on the double. You've pulled out your first pair of socks in two months. You've stood in amazement at how much your little one has grown in the past two months in the sun. It can only mean one thing: it's time to think of lunch boxes.

Obviously it means more than one thing. But today's blog post is about developing a method to the lunchtime madness, be it for your littles who are away at school or daycare, or be it for the bigs in your life (including you!) who are keen to amp up the good food and make lunch a tasty and nourishing thing. We'll round it all out with a good list of quick ideas for lunches, and point you to a few good spots online for tote-friendly recipe roundups.

If this meal is for a little

Keep it simple. Repetition is a-ok. In fact, some children really thrive on predictability and the security of knowing what their lunchbox contains. If your child is one who likes surprises, still stick to the same lunches but add one small compartment with a surprise in it that is different every day.

Involve your children in the preparation! They are never too young to participate in food choice and prep. I think it is a big part of parenting and guiding them in this world, so get them in the kitchen. Take them grocery shopping, and give them the choice of veggies and fruit they would like to try in the coming week's meals. If they pick a packaged item from the shelf, read through the list of ingredients with them and help them decide if this is something with which they want to fuel their bodies. Have them help with a batch cook prep session on Sundays say, where they chop those veggies and fruit they're going to eat this week. They can cut them in to pieces and in to containers in the fridge. This will make meal assembly a breeze in the coming days.

For my daughter, as she is now preparing her own lunch, we sat down together to drum up a list of what type of meals she can pack for herself on what days. She has always loved the security of a routine, and so loves to have the same meal every Monday (tuna salad), and every Tuesday she counts on a mini pizza, and Wednesdays are for thermos meals, and so on and so forth. It takes the guesswork out of what to make, almost like the plan has been pre-decided and all she has to do is follow the plan. Which is easy, and certainly do-able for her. We went over the concept of what types of things to include in her lunches, always ensuring there is a good protein and a good fat, along with a vegetable or two every day. Not only does she enjoy making her lunches (I know, the school year hasn't yet started... (I promise she did this last year and was a champ)) she actually eats more of it too, meaning she has the fuel she needs to get through the day of school work and play. And I am throwing less soggy, spent good food in the garbage at the end of the day.

Think of themes for those days as a jump off point perhaps. Mondays = tacos; Tuesdays = soups; Wednesdays = eggs; Thursdays = salad; Fridays = pizza. This list can come from a 10 minute brainstorm session where everyone pitches in. What are your family's favourites? 

We have a hand-drawn calendar on our corkboard in the kitchen that my kiddo refers to when preparing her lunch the night before; in this last week leading up to school is the perfect time to get them to build this calendar. They can design it themselves; or you may want to use a pre-made one. I found a few bright and colourful what they call free 'printables' online, you may want to check them out.

Whether you are preparing for a kid-friendly lunch or a meal at your desk or in the work lunchroom (think of the $$ you will save from not going out! and how much more nourishing the food will be!), there are a few good tips that apply to both.

Freezing smaller portions of things like roast chicken, extra pulled pork meat, or other things of the like can be done in easy portions by first doling them out in to silicone muffin trays or ice cube trays. Once they've had a few days to firm up in the freezer, pop them in to a freezer bag to keep them fresher and to keep them from drying out. They'll make for easy peasy meal prep in no time flat! Look for a list of ideas using this method below. (One of my favourites is to freeze pesto into cubes. Adding one to last night's dinner makes it a whole new meal for lunch today! Add one to some frozen stock, throw in the leftover side veggies from supper and add some roast chicken and lunch is served.)

Interested in bringing something liquid to lunch? Salad dressing? Apple sauce? Yogurt + fruit? I highly recommend picking up a flat of 1/2 cup sized glass 'mason-style' jars from Canadian Tire or your favourite grocery store. They seal up like a dream, preventing those sloppy messes from taking over the backpack or briefcase. Bonus, they're fairly easy for littles to open at school. I hand these half cup jars out at some of my classes; they're the perfect size to make enough salad dressing for a few days so that you only need bring it to work on Mondays. It can stay in the fridge at work for the rest of the week, one less step to think about when preparing your meals for the rest of the week. (Remember this post on making your own salad dressings? Worth a recap to understand WHY you'd want to make your own.)

Sandwich or wrap popular ideas chez vous? Might I recommend you go for a sprouted grain product instead of straight up white or brown bread (whether gluten-free or gluten-full). It's the same idea behind this story here about the fox; choosing a sprouted grain product will be immensely easier to digest, and kinder to your system. Think of swapping things out: use lettuce leaves for 'boats' instead of corn tortillas for build-your-own-taco lunch. Use nori leaves to wrap the tuna salad for lunch (although I'd recommend they are assembled only at eating time, otherwise they go soggy). Instead of the wrap, keep the inside components but make it a salad instead. Have them with sprouted grain chips or sprouted crackers instead. Use your liver pate or smoked salmon + cream cheese + chives spread as a dip for veggies!

Another way to have an easier time with grains is to reach for a true sourdough bread instead of a regular loaf. Sourdough is a naturally fermented process which breaks down those nefarious anti-nutrients in grains, inherently making the job of digestion easier. How to know it's a true sourdough? Make sure there is no yeast on the list of ingredients.

Double up and make extra

Next time you're making a pot of soup, or a stew in the slow cooker, consider making a bit extra. If you're roasting a chicken, it's worth throwing in a second one just for the meat you'll have at the ready for easy lunch planning. The extras can easily be frozen in containers or bags into the freezer in single-serving sizes. Taking them out the night before works well, or bringing them to work frozen first thing in the morning prevents them from leaking on the way to work. See? There's a plus to every side, my friend.

A note on thermoses: it's best to preheat the container with some boiling water for 10 minutes, as you are heating up the meal that will be going in. Just make sure to dump the hot water before you put your food in. I've been caught a few times with my eyes half open...

I have a wee list of things below, based on whether they're plant powered or animal powered. You'll find a list of thermos-friendly ideas, and freezing-friendly things too. Please add your ideas in the comments below! It takes a village, friend.

Throw some of these ideas together for a nourishing meal in a flash.

Plant-powered small bites

• nuts + seeds

• olives

• avocado

• sweet potato chunks

• carrot 'coins'

• vegenaise + pesto = dip

• kale chips

• seaweed crackers

• popcorn + coconut oil/butter + hot sauce + parmesan (opt)

• salad of vegs + salad dressing in a small glass jar

• fruit

• berries

• smoothies (make sure there's a good fat – coconut oil, full fat yogurt, nut butter, cocoa butter)

• nut butters on fruit

• celery sticks with nut butter and goji berries (fire ants on a log!)

• shredded coconut

• homemade trail mix (seed + nut + dried fruit + cocoa nibs)

• use sprouted grain bread or true sourdough for sandwiches and wraps

• use nori leaves for wraps

• make nori rolls with tahini, cukes, avocado, sprouts and cut into sushi like pieces

• things-on-a-stick (fruit salad this way! Or veggies + cheese!)

• easy homemade mini pizzas (naan bread + sauce + toppings)

• guacamole + sprouted crackers or chips

• beet chips

• pickles (fermented dilly sticks are a great first ferment, and tasty bites)

• hummus or babaghanoush with veggies

• sprouted corn chips with salsa

• apple sauce

• fruit crisp

Animal-powered bites

• yogurt or creme fraiche + maple syrup + berries

• yogurt + granola + berries

• cheese

• veggies + ranch dip

• mayo + pesto = dip

• sardines + mayo + celery + curry powder

• hardboiled eggs

• egg salad

• deviled eggs

• protein pancakes

• pepperoni sticks (with clean ingredients)

• farmer's sausage (with clean ingredients)

• jerky

• pâté or liverwurst

• smoked salmon

• shrimp

• bacon strips

• tuna salad (or salmon, or sardines); fish + celery + smashed avocado + curry powder

• roast an extra chicken and shred that meat in muffin cups, store in freezer bag for easy portion retrieval

• send lettuce or corn tortillas for your person to make their own tacos (+salsa +cheese +sour cream)

• Meat salad in a wrap: chicken, apple, creme fraiche, celery, pickle relish

• sushi salad (smoked salmon + leftover rice + nori leaves + sesame seeds + chives + avocado)

• salad of cherry tomatoes + peppers + cucumbers + bocconcini cheese + basil + balsamic

• tzatziki + cukes + snap peas

• celery stick + cream cheese

• 1 tbsp butter + 1 tsp honey = frosting, along with an apple or pear to dip

• yogurt + chia jam

• Gut loving jello squares

• homemade yogurt/creme fraiche fruit leather

Good meals to cook extra for the thermos

• cook extra sausages at dinner

• meat stock + seaweed + chives

• chili

• make a big batch of soup or stew and freeze in individual portions for easy retrieval

• make a double batch of your famous meatballs and freeze for easy lunches

• make a double batch of your family's best crockpot recipe and freeze for easy lunches

• make an extra shepherd's pie and divy it up into single sized portions

• refried beans

• keep your stock hot in your thermos, and make your own noodle soup with ingredients in a glass jar (veg, garlic, sesame oil, cellophane noodles, herbs); add stock only just before eating

• last night's dinner

• frozen stock cubes + frozen shredded chicken + frozen pesto cube + hit of salsa or cube of pizza sauce = instasoup

Use silicon muffin trays or ice cube trays to freeze small portions, pop in freezer bags + label

• meat stock / bone broth

• leftover meat

• roast an extra chicken for dinner, and shred the meat for quick easy grab protein

• double your recipe for pulled pork and freeze the meat for quick easy grab protein

• pesto (great way to jazz up lots of things, and change the flavour of a leftover)

• pizza sauce

• blitzed pulse paste (great to add fibre and protein to a quick pieced together meal)

Find more ideas at the blog post on snacking well.

A full roundup of pack-friendly lunch ideas on a pinterest page of mine here

You'll find loads of recipe round ups when it comes to lunch ideas via pinterest. My fave is here. 

My only rules: Keep it simple. Routine is key. You got this.

Good luck on your lunch planning! Now go play with your food.

MONDAY BASICS: snack well.

I am a big believer in feeding the hungry beast, aka your belly. Before I jump in to the idea behind snacking well, I want to make it clear that I really believe that if you are eating nutrient-dense meals and supplying your body with some good eats on a regular basis, foods that fill you up, you will drastically reduce those between-meals hunger pangs and cravings to a dull roar, or in my particular case, to not even a whimper. If you want a good primer on how to eat real food, inherently making your foods nutrient-dense, check out this past blog post o'mine.  Know that I have on the horizon a write up on just what is nutrient density.

But it's 2016, you say. Your days are full up. You have places to be, people to see, and sometimes grabbing food on the go is what is called for. And I get that! Heck I am writing this from my parents' kitchen counter late night about to travel all day tomorrow. It's what is fuelling this post. Eating nutrient-dense meals when out and about can feel impossible at times. But today's post is about being prepared: if you have the good things at hand, you will be snacking well. And snacking well will serve you well for the people to see and those things to do that are on today's agenda.

This post is meant to inspire a sort of template to think about, when it comes to packing snacks.

Of course if you're an all-day-nibbler, these can be the perfect way to fuel your day. If you're the kind of person who gets 15 minutes between clients and can only manage to get some food down the gullet in that short turn-around time, then this post is for you too. If you're the kind of person who gets caught up in the day's work and your to-do list, then my wish is you will find in this post some ideas on how to best fuel your day's work. If you have some traveling in your near future and want to have some snacks at hand for yourself or for any littles in your company, this is a great way to have those edibles ready for when the moment strikes. Pair a few of these together for a picnic in the park! Tis the season, after all.

How I approach this idea:

I like nutrient density. This means primarily reaching for foods that will have a healthy amount of good fats or solid hits of protein. Carbs happen to be almost an after-thought, and certainly not the main impetus behind the snacks.

Not sure as to what is considered a good fat? Check this previous #mondayhealthbasics post here for a good rundown. 

When I say good hits of protein, I mean both animal and plant-based proteins. When it comes to the animal products, I encourage you to seek out meat and dairy from animals that have been raised as they were originally intended, on pasture. Check out this previous #mondayhealthbasics post for the run-down on why you should choose grass-fed. 

Smoothies can be a nourishing way to get good foods in your belly. Ensure a good fat or protein is in the mix!

This list is one that I often share with clients, in order to help inspire them to draw up their own list of quick and easy nutrient-dense grabs that they can easily take with them on their way to work, or for the day of errands or traveling.

I am a big lover of all things plant-based, and pastured animal products too. I often tend to join together a good fat along with a low-glycemic fruit, or a satiating protein coupled with a veg or fruit. What I am looking to provide your body here is the nutrient-density that will slow the release of the nutrients found within the snacks, helping to keep your body satiated for a longer period of time. Eating a fruit by itself will be digested fairly quickly; it gets converted to simpler carbohydrates and sugars into your blood stream within 20-30 minutes, providing a quick hit of energy but then setting you up for a rapid slump. Eating foods high in carbohydrates and available sugars like fruit on its own (or that flaky pastry in the meeting room you just can't pass up) will contribute to blood sugar imbalances, setting you up for a crash in energy soon after, foggy brain, and further upsetting your hormonal balance.

It is this hormonal balance that plays a part in influencing your body's food cravings. By providing your body those nutrient-dense foods full of good fats and protein, you slow down the release of the entire snack to your bloodstream as it takes longer to break down fats and proteins. This slower release of nutrients will supply you with a more steady and reliable fuel source to best nourish you through your day, helping again to balance those blood sugars and assisting in balancing hormones too.

Nutrient dense munchies (plant sources)

• olives

• nuts

• crispy nuts

• seeds

• avocado half, drizzled with olive oil; add chopped tomato and cilantro to make it guacamole-ish

• fat bombs (find easy DIY recipes here)

• make a smoothie to take to work, ensure you add a good fat to the mix (coconut oil, a nut butter, MCT oil, cocoa butter, pre-soaked nuts and seeds )

• hummus

• no-bake cookies like these almond + oats ones from local CHN Lisa Gillespie

• DIY granola (I love this paleo version here)

Nutrient dense munchies (animal sources)

• hardboiled eggs (So easy! And so filling! And so nourishing!)

• deviled eggs

• pepperoni sticks from pastured animal sources, no nitrates

• leftover bacon

• wrap bacon around avocado slices or asparagus or green beans, bake in 400F oven until crispy

• chicken livers wrapped in bacon, baked in 400F oven until crispy + cooked through

• shrimp

• smoked salmon

• mash a can of sardines or tuna with half an avocado, add curry powder, S+P

• cheese

• cottage cheese

• cup of meat stock, add chopped chives and seaweed

• make quick smoothies to take to work high fat yogurt or milk kefir as your base

• add a scoop of collagen powder to your smoothies

• chicken liver pate (this one looks delicious)

• make big batches of easy meatballs (ground bison, onions, shredded carrots, greens)

Pair a good fat with a fruit or veg

• Slather almond butter on banana slices, sprinkle cinnamon to make it fancy

• Mix 1 tbsp butter with 1 tsp honey, you have frosting for your apple

• make your own greek yogurt and add pesto for a dip with crudites (carrots, jicama, peppers, celery)

• mix yogurt with berries and maple syrup, sprinkle on hemp seeds for added protein and fats

• make your own guacamole with crudites or sprouted nacho chips

• chicken liver pate with chopped veggies

• air-popped popcorn (organic!) with lots of butter, good parmesan and hot sauce

• core an apple, slice in rings, slather in PB and sprinkle on coconut shreds

• almonds in raspberries

• DIY trail mix of a nut, a seed, a dried fruit, coconut ribbons, cacao nibs

• make your own berry yogurt bark

• cheese and fruit (blue cheese and raspberries; gouda and apple; brie and blackberries)

• make-your-own jello bites aka gummies

• celery sticks with nut butter, raisins (ants) or cranberries (fire ants)

• tzatziki with veggie rounds

• make easy kabobs on bamboo skewers (cheese, veg, leftover sausage pieces, etc)

• wrap peaches or nectarines with good quality prosciutto

• sprouted grain crackers with cream cheese and strawberries

If you don't feed the beast, you may find yourself unable to say no to that flaky pastry from the lunch room. And the black coffee.

Straight up packaged foods when you need to keep a stash at work

• dark chocolate coconut bars (skip the agave, aim for high fat content)

• kale chips

• coconut chips (read your labels – watch the oils, choose one with few ingredients)

• good quality nut butter cups, low in sugar (read your labels – say no to agave)

• sprouted nuts/seeds trail mix

• halvah

• nutrient-dense energy balls (check the ingredients)

What kinds of snacks do you reach for on your busy days? How do you play with your food when your days are busy? I'd love to know!

MONDAY BASICS: soak seeds for smoothies

This post is for those early birds who are regular consumers of smoothies come morning time. This next in the series of #mondayhealthbasics goes over some basic easy steps you can take in order to make that smoothie really count and nourish you from head to toe. Today's tip will ensure you are better able to digest your morning elixir, and what kinds of things you can add in order to make that breakfast smoothie sustain you for longer periods.

Smoothies come in all shapes and sizes, and the only thing between you and the flavours to wake your taste buds is your imagination. Some folks go for a non-dairy milk as the base: think coconut milk, or flax seed milk, almond milk or coconut yogurt. Others go for the full on dairy, from straight up milk to yogurt to kefir. (I do love me some creme fraiche for my quick smoothies.)

I'm going to offer an alternative to you today:
seeds and nuts as your smoothie base.

Why seeds and nuts, and not their milks you ask? For one, the packaged dairy-alternative milks you find sometimes list carrageenan in their ingredients. For a good primer on just what is this additive we often see listed on the label, check this post.  (For folks who may have some digestive issues, this is one of those food additives that may be contributing to irritation and inflammation in the gut.) So omitting it might be a good idea, if you're looking to bring down inflammation in your body. (Have you heard me go on about inflammation yet? Inflammation is really at the root of just about every chronic degenerative disease out there. Find out more about inflammation and how to tame that beast at a talk coming up this Sunday the 10th!)

In order to eradicate this additive from my diet, I just make my own nut and seed milks. But sometimes, I don't know about you, but there is only so much time in the day.

Enter: THE INSTA-BREAKFAST.

Well, kind of insta-. As insta- as it gets in this house. This is inspired by a recipe from Dr. Carolee Bateson-Koch's book Allergies: Disease in Disguise and serves as a powerhouse of anti-inflammatory fats, good source of minerals like calcium and magnesium. Adding these nuts and seeds to your morning smoothie will also provide your body with satiating protein and fat, helping you go the distance.

But we aren't talking just throwing in some nuts and seeds to the blender when you think of it. No. We're allowing these nuts and seeds to hang out soaking in water overnight before blitzing them into breakfast delicious.

Why pre-soak these nuggets? See, it's all about de-activating the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors in the nuts and seeds. Enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid are Mother Nature's way to ensure survival, but not for you; rather for the seed making its way through your digestive system. These two compounds are in all nuts and seeds and grains that will one day, make it into a whole plant form.

Imagine a fox. Little foxy is meandering through a field of oats. She takes a nibble from one of the plants and feasts on some oat seeds. She feels good, she feels satiated, so she lies down for a nap. But these seeds she ate? They were full of phytic acid (the plant's way of storing phosphorus) and enzyme inhibitors. As they make their way through the fox' digestive tract, the enzyme inhibitors turn off little foxy's enzymes, which means now she can't break down the seed and thus won't get the nutrients in the seed. (This is all done in order that all of the nutrients and minerals held within the seed/nut/grain can remain in the seed.)

While this non-digested seed winds its way through the fox' gut, the phytic acid also pulls out minerals from her stores, depleting her of important trace minerals necessary to bone building, enzyme production, metabolism, detoxification, I mean the list goes on. When this little undigested morsel of oat seed exits her digestive tract via her stool, that seed (fully intact!) will now be ready to grow into a plant. As it makes its way through her digestive system by "soaking" in the fox' digestive juices, this process deactivates the phytic acid and signals to the seed that it's time to grow. But it's only with time that this deactivation happens. You need a minimum of six hours. (Anybody ever heard of soaking their pea seeds the day before planting? It's the same thing.) Good work, seed!

Sorry little foxy. You were robbed.

How to get around this you ask? We must fool Mother Nature. NO WAIT. We must work with Mother Nature. We need to mimic what she's come up with. This means soaking your nuts/seeds/grains BEFORE you eat them so as to ensure you turn off those enzyme inhibitors found in the seeds. They will no longer be able to prevent you from getting the nutrients found within. Additionally, by properly preparing your nuts and seeds before consuming, you will retain those important trace minerals the phytic acid would have pulled out of you on its way through your system because that compound is turned off.

Sure, sometimes I prepare big batches of nuts and seeds and then store them in freezer bags once they are dehydrated. But I just can't be that far ahead of the eight ball most days.

So here is my shortcut, for the person who'd rather do a small batch for their next morning's breakfast. This one will make two tall glasses of the good stuff.

THE PLAYERS
3/8 cup of nuts and seeds, combined (I love pumpkin seeds, sesame for the calcium, flax and brazil nuts but you can use whatever you have on hand)
3/4 cup of filtered water

THE HOW-TO

• The morning before you plan to have this smoothie, measure your nuts/seeds mixture into the filtered water, cover and let sit on the counter for 24 hours, until tomorrow's breakfast. For added benefit, I'd add a tbsp of a ferment like kombucha or water kefir, or some whey from yogurt or kefir in my fridge. (Say goodbye, phytic acid! Sayonara, enzyme inhibitors!)

• The next morning, blitz this mixture in your blender along with an additional cup of filtered water. You will be consuming the whole seed! No milking required!

• You can add whatever you usually add to your smoothies at this point. I usually include about a cup and a half of frozen mixed berries, sometimes a banana, a little bit of maple syrup and voila. Down the hatch. Delicieux.

Of course you could add some swiss chard for the super-greens kind of effect (less of a negative impact on your thyroid than kale ), or an apple for extra fibre. I always make sure I have some good fats in my smoothie, in order to help slow down the absorption of sugars into my bloodstream and help carry me and satiate for longer periods. For me, this usually means creme fraiche, but you could add some coconut butter or coconut oil, or good old butter if you'd like.

Baby steps, my friend. Baby steps.

Soak those seeds for your smoothies. Love your guts. And bones. And liver. And heart. And brain. And every other sweet part of your body is attached to that gut.

(For those who would like a more in-depth look at how to properly prepare bigger batches of different nuts/seeds/grains, you may want to soak a big batch at once and follow these instructions. )

Phat Fats & a Giveaway

My dearies. I have an evening workshop on WHY FATS and WHAT FATS and PHAT FATS (I think that should be the new working title, no?). It's coming up next Tuesday evening the 22nd, so next week. I'd love to have you come to the event! (Full event details by clicking here) So...

I AM DOING A GIVEAWAY.
Because I want you to come.

SHARE this post (handy dandy 'share' button at the bottom of the blog post) and your name will go in a draw next Monday morning for a chance to attend this talk next Tuesday night. I'll be giving away TWO tickets for this event, so that you can bring a friend if you like! Because friends let friends eat the good fats.

Contest closes at noon on Monday March 21st, 2016. Share away! And then fire me word via the facebooks or email at lukasymons@gmail.com to let me know you did just in case. (And let's talk fats too, shall we?) xx

THE DEETS:

In this current era of instant-information and seemingly contradicting information on what foods are good for you, which ones we should omit, it can sometimes be overwhelming trying to 'do the right thing'. In this one-hour presentation, followed by a Q&A, Holistic Nutritionist and local foodie Luka Symons will be helping you navigate through the information on Why Fats are Good, which ones to choose, which ones to omit from your diet and recommendations on how to include the good guys in your every day meal plan.

From heart health to immune health to hormonal balance and the all-important brain health, including healthy fats is a quintessential component to supporting our bodies for the work they do every day. In traditional cultures, fat was an essential daily component of the diet, and with good reason. We will look at saturated, unsaturated, cholesterol and heat tolerance. We'll look at which fats to use where in your cooking as well. As a bonus, I will demo how to make your very own creme fraiche at home, a full fat lactose-free dairy delight, sure to tempt your palate.

Cost is $20 per person, and seating is limited. In order to reserve your spot, please contact Renewal Homeopathy and Wellness at 403.202.8507.

I look forward to seeing you there!