Organic Grass-fed Beef It’s naturally good! It’s that time of year again! Fall and winter in Ontario are grass-fed beef seasons. For those of you that don’t know, grass-fed beef means that the cows only eat grass and whatever else … Continue reading
When it comes to healthy living, one of my main philosophies is that I don’t believe in diets or quick fixes. I believe in learning, every day, to make healthy choices that lead to living a healthy lifestyle. Continue reading
It’s officially fall, and the easy, breezy days of summer have become a distant memory. Everyone is back at work and kids are back at school, which means adjusting to busier schedules & new routines. Continue reading
Coconut Oil has Been Creating Quite the Stir Lately Continue reading
I’m an advocate of buying organic food. However, I’m also aware of the fact that most items are more expensive than non-organic. So, which foods can you get away with buying non-organic, and which ones are a must? Continue reading
Have you ever noticed what happens to your kids after they eat red candy or sugary cereals? They may go a little bonkers. Continue reading
I can give you all the advice, healthy recipes and meal ideas in the world, but you have to be at a point where you want to help yourself. Continue reading
If you’ve gone to college or university, you probably understand what it means to gain the “Freshman 15.” It’s the inevitable weight gain that happens as a result of being away from your mom’s cooking, and thrown into the world of cafeteria food, late-night take-out, beer and sleeping late. Continue reading
Making sure you get enough B vitamins is important because their main function is to help your body metabolize fats, proteins & carbs more efficiently. Continue reading
Holy Guacamole, Batman! It’s fiendishly easy to pack on the pounds in this fine city in summer. Those devilish patios, those shifty, shrinking plates of appetizers, those never-ending, enticing tacos… It’s a chip dip of a conundrum!
Good thing Food For Life’s Lauren has come to the rescue…. (And yes, she is Superwoman!) Continue reading
With all of these new dairy-free options to choose from it can be difficult to know which ones are healthy choices. Here’s a list of my favorite dairy-free choices. Continue reading
Tis the Season! The thing I love about this time of year is the fresh, local produce that is readily available and on sale. I don’t worry as much about buying organic when I know the product is from Canada or better yet Ontario or Quebec. Continue reading
Everyone is different and has different nutritional and supplemental needs. But, there are some vitamins that I think everyone should get enough of; especially if you’re busy, stressed and don’t always have time to eat a wholesome diet. Continue reading
Lately I’ve heard a few people say they’re in a dinner rut. They make the same go-to meals every week and have run out of ideas. In truth, there is a variety of seasonal vegetables available at this time of year that you shouldn’t forget about! Continue reading
Move over, spuds. Next time the fam damily is craving mashed potatoes, shake up the dinner fare by using cauliflower instead. Continue reading
Managing hunger levels is one of the keys to weight loss and maintenance.
Weight loss and maintenance are common struggles for many people. When it comes to weight loss strategy, I don’t recommend calorie counting and daily weigh-ins. Instead, I like to focus on individuals and the types of foods in their diets. Continue reading
Since being in Colombia for 1 week now I’ve discovered some favorite foods that are readily available: avocado, beans, tomatoes & onions. Last night we made delicious chicken & steak fajitas with a Colombian twist. Continue reading
Remember the refined sugar and fat from holidays sweets? The deep-fried, fatty and processed appetizers? The alcohol? As a result, our bodies are overloaded with toxins. That being said, anybody can be toxic at any time of the year due to poor eating habits, stress or their environment. Continue reading
Do Cheetahs drink Giraffe’s milk? No…so why do humans drink cow’s milk? As Dr. Joey Shulman points out in her book Winning the Food Fight, “Humans are the only creatures that drink milk from the mother of another species.” I’ve never thought of it this way, and it sort of grossed me out. Continue reading
Do your start your day with a bowl of Count Chococaramel Loops? Wake up to Lauren’s nutrition tips…
There are very few pre-made cereal options out there that pass my healthy cereal test.
Does your cereal pass the test? Continue reading
Loco for Local – FRESH and in season best bet for great taste Continue reading
My husband and I decided to join a gym while we’re living in Buenos Aires. Continue reading
Try adding more vitamin B5 to your diet. Continue reading
Lauren’s meal ideas are healthy, easy and yummy Continue reading
Pancakes are often considered an “unhealthy” food choice, but they don’t have to be. Here are four simple substitutions to make your next batch of pancakes healthy! Continue reading
Delicious Food and Fun Activity make Jamaica Vacation a Real Treat Continue reading
Counting calories, watching portion sizes, exercising regularly and choosing lean-protein, high-fibre and low-fat options are common strategies when it comes to weight loss and maintenance; but have you heard about mindful eating? Continue reading
You Could be Eating a GM Tomato Right Now and Not Know it Continue reading
Have you ever tried falafels? I feel like they’re underrated when it comes to healthy, vegetarian meal options. I love them. They taste like they should be bad for you, but they’re not (except if deep-fried). Continue reading
Check out my guest blog post on Living Kitchen Wellness! Continue reading
The best part is that you don’t need to have a gym membership to exercise. Continue reading
How to live to 100
(or just feel great getting there) Continue reading
As you know, apples are in season in Ontario right now, so it’s time to start taking advantage of them! Royal Gala and Honeycrisp are my personal favs for snacks, while Cortland, Empire and Granny Smith are tart and perfect for baking. Continue reading
I’m not a parent, but I find it a challenge to make my own lunch everyday so I can only imagine the challenges parents face coming up with healthy, easy lunches that their kids will actually eat. Continue reading
The next time you’re grocery shopping buy double the amount of bananas you normally would. Let one bunch get nice & ripe, and than pop them in the freezer. Continue reading
Worried about harmful ingredients in your cosmetics? Lauren suggests some attractive solutions. Continue reading
This pudding is healthy because it’s made with healthy fats from the coconut oil and avocado. Healthy fats are important to include in your diet for the health of your brain, nervous system, skin and hair; they also promote good HDL cholesterol levels. Continue reading
For me, the perfect cottage weekends are filled with morning runs or bike rides followed by swimming in the lake, tanning and reading mags on the dock with friends and family, kayaking, boat cruises at sunset, camp fires, and of course delicious meals and snacks. Continue reading
If you want to achieve healthy-looking skin, it’s not about what you put on your body that makes a difference, it’s what you put into your body that matters. Continue reading
If you’re in the baking mood I have a great list of delicious and healthy Christmas baking recipes that you’ll be eager to make and share this Christmas season. The best part? You can tell people they’re healthy, and they won’t believe it! Continue reading
Christmas is one of my favourite holidays, but it also comes with a lot of temptation to indulge in high-fat appetizers & sugary treats. In order to maintain your weight, and still enjoy everything the holiday season has to offer; check out my guide to “healthy holiday party eating.” Continue reading
I always encourage my clients to make their own salad dressing instead of buying it at the store. Most pre-packaged, store-bought dressings are full of preservatives, sugar, salt and unhealthy oils. Continue reading
Living a healthy lifestyle is all about balance and long-term sustainable change. I don’t like diets because they’re extreme and yield short-term results. Continue reading
I’ll be honest with you; sometimes maintaining a healthy balance while traveling is a challenge. Living in hotels, wine tours, gourmet restaurants, amazing local cuisine… Continue reading
I recently discovered something truly amazing – how to make my own healthy microwave popcorn using organic kernels and a brown paper lunch bag. Trust me. This is really exciting for all the health-conscious popcorn lovers out there. Continue reading
Bring a big bowl of kale chips as your appetizer this weekend, and watch them disappear! Continue reading
Winter in Canada is upon us once again and colder temperatures = staying in, being less active, and eating more. Our appetites naturally increase when it’s cold in an attempt to “survive” by storing fat. This is okay, but it’s important that you reach for healthy low-calorie, high-fibre snacks if you’re feeling extra hungry. Continue reading
We just spent a weekend up at the cottage, and I was excited to see there was a new kitchen gadget to play with: the Soda Stream. Continue reading
I consider yogurt a healthy breakfast, snack or dessert option. It’s a great source of protein, vitamin D, calcium, and healthy bacteria , which is good for digestion. That being said, not all yogurt is created equal. Continue reading
I know you’ve been dying to know the answer to the question I left for you in my last post: what are the top 3 highest quality protein sources. Well here’s the answer… Continue reading
It can be overwhelming enough to keep track of which food and drinks are healthy, and now I’m talking about your cookware too. I feel the same frustration when I hear about yet another common food, drink or everyday item that’s no longer considered healthy or safe to use. Continue reading
…The Water Here is the Perfect Colour of Turquoise, and the Sand has a Pink Hue to it – Beauty. Continue reading
Our studio apartment in Barbados is small, and the kitchen is even smaller.
When I stumbled across this simple cookie recipe the other day I thought it would be the perfect way to break in my kitchen. This recipe only requires five ingredients that you most likely have in your kitchen right now. (if I do, than you definitely do.) Continue reading
Sometimes I get so caught up in spices, sauces and side dishes that I forget about simple food & flavors.
I recently bought Gwyneth Paltrow’s new cookbook, “It’s All Good” for my mom, and I couldn’t resist flipping through it before I gave it to her. Continue reading
Looking for a tasty weekend (or any-day) treat? Try Lauren’s Kale Hummus. It’s packed with flavor and goodness. Continue reading
I have some exciting news – my husband is going down to South America for 8 months for work, and I will be going with him! Continue reading
Changes that I think everyone can make to start living a healthier life. Continue reading
I love mustard. Do you? There are a few reasons you should make mustard your condiment of choice: Continue reading
One of the tricks to healthy baking is to find a natural, unrefined sweetener to substitute for refined sugar. Ripe bananas, unpasteurized honey, coconut palm sugar, real maple syrup and dates are my top choices. Continue reading
A few weeks ago I discovered the True North Salmon Company, a North American company that sells hormone and antibiotic-free, sustainably caught, farmed Atlantic salmon. Continue reading
If you struggle with dinner ideas; a good place to start is your own fridge & pantry. Continue reading
If you know there’s room for improvement in your diet, take one or two of my rules, and try to follow them for the next two weeks. Once they’ve become part of your routine, add another one, than another, until you wake up one morning and realize all the little changes have added up to a new healthy lifestyle. Continue reading
Vitamin B12 is known as the “energy” vitamin because it stimulates the body’s metabolism of proteins, fats & carbs. Continue reading
Do you find yourself coming up with excuses to avoid working out lately? Thanks to the Nike Training Club app you no longer have any. Sorry. Continue reading
It’s common knowledge that eating raw fruits and vegetables is good for you, but do you really know why? Continue reading
Butternut squash is high in vitamin A, C and E, potassium, magnesium and fiber. Check out my easy recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash! Continue reading
Follow Ottawa Family Living’s Food for Life blogger, Lauren on her International Wellness Journey.
Cooking an easy, healthy meal doesn’t have to be complicated; it’s all about how you approach it. You can put together a different healthy meal every night simply by switching up your combination of ingredients. Continue reading
Curry is a popular flavor in Barbados, and there is lots of local produce available. The other night I made a delicious vegetarian coconut curry stew using my slow cooker. Continue reading
A word of caution – there’s definitely truth behind the saying “old habits die hard.” Continue reading
I’m teaching a workshop next week on how to “Detox from Winter, and Clean up Your Diet for Spring” so I thought I would share a few tidbits from my workshop with my loyal blog readers. Continue reading
Spring kind of reminds me of the New Year’s period; it’s a time for fresh starts. The weather warms up, plants start to grow, and people are inspired to get outside and start living life again. I’ve seen many people … Continue reading
Try incorporating some B1 rich avocado into your breakfast smoothie. I know, it sounds a little suspect, but give this recipe a try and you’ll see what I mean! It’s creamy, delicious and full of vitamins & minerals. Continue reading
This time of year is cold & flu season. It’s cold outside so everyone spends more time indoors, and germs circulate making it very easy to catch a cold or the flu. Continue reading
I love this time of year, but it can be overwhelming. On top of your regular schedule; there are a lot of extra ‘to dos’ in your calendar that can leave you feeling stressed out. Find out which foods can help you manage your stress! Continue reading
Yay! It’s the weekend
Now’s the time to raise a glass and celebrate with our family and friends at the cottage, on a patio or on the beach Continue reading
I recently discovered another blockbuster veggie in Buenos Aires: cabbage. It’s cheap, readily available and packed with goodness. Continue reading
I think most of us feel a little sluggish at this time of year and we could certainly use a break from rich, heavy food. Continue reading
The other day I bought an awesome new kitchen gadget: the OXO Julienne Peeler (available at The Bay for $10.99). It works like a regular peeler, but the blade is serrated to form long, skinny strips of whatever you’re peeling. Continue reading
We arrived safe in Colombia late Wednesday night, and it’s been amazing so far. Continue reading
Hot, smelly, polluted, busy, loud…ahh, I’m back. Continue reading
It’s been a couple of months since I left my life in Canada to travel/study with my husband in South America, and I’ve definitely learned a few things so far… Continue reading
Here’s a recipe I made a couple days ago for lunch. I ate it warm, and it was so tasty & satisfying. Feel free to switch up any of the veggies, herbs or use another bean or whole grain –use whatever’s leftover in your fridge or garden – think outside the salad box! Continue reading
Should you take vitamins or supplements on a regular basis? Lauren weighs in. Continue reading
Everyone is interested in detoxing at this time of year. You’ve overdone it over the holidays, and want to rid your body of built-up toxins. I’ve put together an awesome smoothie recipe that includes fresh, raw ingredients that will do the trick. Continue reading
Want that unwelcome jiggle to disappear? Lauren tells you how to make it happen Continue reading
Here is a list of tips to keep your memory & mind sharp and decrease your risk of developing Alzheimer’s one day. Continue reading
Here’ the skinny on staying slim this summer
(And the rest of the year too!)
I love fish, and try to incorporate it into my diet twice a week. If you enjoy eating fish it opens up a world of opportunity to incorporate healthy, lean protein into your diet. Continue reading
I’ve been experimenting a lot with healthy baking up at the cottage, and the other day I used spelt flour to make some healthy cookies. Continue reading
Making a big pot of chili on a cold day is just perfect. When I’m cold, I definitely don’t crave salads. I want something warm, healthy and satisfying. It’s even better when I can use seasonal winter vegetables! Continue reading
B6 or Pyridoxine has many benefits, but its super-power is especially helpful for women because it helps balance our hormones and with fluid retention Continue reading
Are you getting enough folic acid? Here’s a great Veggie Casserole recipe that will give you a vitamin B9 boost! Continue reading
Vitamin C is probably one of the most well-known vitamins, but also comes with a few common misconceptions. Continue reading
Less sunlight means less Vitamin D – find out why it’s important that you get enough in the up-coming fall & winter months. Continue reading
I’m going to focus on two B vitamins in this post: B2 or Riboflavin and B3 or Niacin because they are quite similar in their functions: both play a key role in the metabolism of fats, proteins & carbs. Continue reading
Nutrition experts at Harvard University released their “Healthy Eating Plate” last week, and I think its great – simple guidelines to follow to ensure you’re eating a healthy diet. Continue reading
I find there’s a lot of hype around vitamins these days, and it can be a little overwhelming. You know you should be taking vitamins, but you’re not quite sure which ones to take & why. Continue reading
Choosing to eat organic is a personal choice, but it’s important to make an educated decision either way. Here’s a bit more information to help you get educated on this hot topic. Continue reading
I’ve been feeling inspired to cook lately, and with the cold weather keeping me indoors more I find I actually have time on the weekends to visit the market, cook and try new recipes. Continue reading
I’m a city girl. My husband and I live right in downtown Toronto. I’m used to a fast-paced lifestyle where I can step out of my condo anytime and grab a coffee, go for dinner, grab a drink or get on the subway. And the only wildlife I come in contact with is the neighborhood dogs. Living on a farm in Colombia is a bit different. Continue reading
If you love pad thai & peanut sauce, but want a healthy version without all the calories, sugar & fat – try this version instead. You’ll love it. Continue reading
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