Gaia Attuned

Join The Real Food Revival!

2011-01-16T23:36:00.002-05:00

www.jointherealfoodrevival.com - DO IT!

Paul Nison @ Nature's Emporium

2010-11-21T17:23:00.005-05:00

Tim Van Orden Returns to Newmarket!

2010-11-21T17:21:00.000-05:00

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=167057123326208

Hey Franky, Eat Your Greens!

2010-11-21T16:22:00.001-05:00

Not getting enough greens into your diet?

Well neither is Franky, so he's decided to show you how he plans to do so!

http://www.naturesemporium.com

An Evening With Tim Van Orden

2010-08-16T20:20:00.002-04:00

Tim has been one of the most influential people for me, ever since I got into healthier living and the raw food movement... he still is today. His passion, enthusiasm, compassion, holistic approach, and vast knowledge in athletics and health in general makes him one of the best lecturers today.

At this talk he will be covering the topic of "Diet & Peak Performance".

Come out for a night of great music, food and of course an eye opening, inspirational and life changing talk. Hope to see you there!

For more information visit: http://www.runningraw.com

Toronto Life Magazine

2010-08-14T10:30:00.003-04:00

Toronto Life magazine came by Nature's Emporium for a visit, where I work as a Raw Chef. They left with such a positive impression of the store that an article had to come out of it. Read more below and enjoy the beautiful photo in the background, featuring *ahem* my raw pizza...

Love From The Middle East

2010-08-12T23:22:00.004-04:00

I've recently received a very kind and flattering e-mail from a guy in Galilee named Ofek, sharing with me that some of my youtube videos have inspired him over the years of being raw. He is a part of the raw food community in Palestine and organizes hikes and foraging trips. You can find more information on his website - http://lakatim.tvuna.org/ and watch the Green Smoothie video that he has put together (posted below). The amount of wild greens and fruit that grow around their house is incredible! I felt compelled to share this video and positive energy from a different part of the world with everyone, so enjoy:

Thanks Ofek for sharing this video and keep doing what you're doing!

Sunfood Not Raw?

2010-07-14T01:34:00.001-04:00

This may be old news to some, but I came across this piece of information today and felt the need to share it. Straight from David Wolfe's Facebook page:

"Many of you may be aware that Sunfood.com has been using my name and likeness on labels, online ads, on packages, videos, and articles WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. I have officially and repeatedly equested (since March 8, 2010) that they remove any reference to me or my work in all formats from
their products, website, and YouTube site. They have refused. What do you think I should do???"

The following is taken straight from Quintessence's Raw Chef Dan's Blog.

"Do you Buy From Sunfood.com? Better think twice!

I have been meaning to post this for a month now and finally have found a moment to do so.

As some of you know I have been investigating the raw cacao industry and raw powder and butter in particular. You heard it here first that basically every cacao product on the market today is actually cooked, and as of right now Essential Living Foods, Big Tree Organics and the paste from Ultimate Superfoods (not the powder) is actually a raw product.

Well, I have a grand finale to this story. After many conversations and emails I have discovered some important info about Sunfood, David Wolfes company.

First of all, it is not David Wolfes company.

As of at least 12 months ago, it has been owned by Doug Harbison, a non raw foodist non superhero cooked wonder bread old school business executive. David Wolfe makes no money off of Sunfood and owns no stock in Sunfood. He tried to get Sunfood off of cooked chocolate products and the owners would not listen to him. In fact, they have over 8 lawsuits against David Wolfe.

I spoke to the current owner of Sunfood...

I spoke to the current owner of Sunfood multiple times and here is what he told me:
He does not care if the cacao powder and butter are agave and yacon are cooked products. He said that I am the only person who has called to complain so he thinks that people are still satisfied with these products. Hmmm...
He also told me that he believes that Essential living Foods is lying about their products being cooked. I asked him why a company would self destruct like this and he said he didnt know but he thought they were lying. I asked him why they would lose so many accounts and jeopardize their own investment and he said he didn't know but he really thought that their product was raw and they were making up a story about it being cooked.

Hmmmm....

He finally said that he was sending his buddy Brian from Sunfood down to investigate himself. I asked him why he thought that they would be let in to the manufacturing facility without being a customer, when Essential Living Foods who is actually a customer was not allowed to step foot into the facility. He could not answer me.
He promised to get back to me over month ago with a resolution for one customer, myself, who has spent a fortune on what I was told and promised was the best of the best and come to find out it was cooked and fraudulently sold to me. I havent had any reply.

They knew it was cooked. They still know it is cooked. He doesn't care!

So, I have Doug Harbisons private email and cell phone number. I would like all 286 members on this site to personally call this inflated buffoon and let hm know that you do in fact care that his products are being sold fraudulently, that his raw chocolate is not raw, and that you will no longer support Sunfood nor will you purchase their products anymore. Let him know that what could be the impetus for the tipping point on this planet is being turned into a farce by a few corrupt and greedy individuals such as himself, and that many curious and in need people are being turned off of the raw food movement as a tool for health and consciousness because they dont feel that it is trust worthy and anything other than a hoax. Say whatever you want actually but let this man know that you are not sheeple and will demand truth, integrity, and quality ad will vote with your dollars. Lets not let one bad apple spoil the beauty and truth of this lifestyle choice.

Fill up and flood this mans email and voicemail with your voices!!!!

In my opinion, Sunfood has lost the plot, and is completely out of integrity and should not be supported in any manner and the word should be spread like wild fire through the Superhero network.
I happily provide you now with his private contact information.

DOUG HARBISON
doug@sunfood.com
314-422-0206

Repost this on as many forums as you can folks. Ready-Set-GO!!!"

New in "Living Well Naturally"

2010-07-11T23:32:00.002-04:00

Upcoming Events for June 2010

2010-06-08T22:45:00.005-04:00

Hey Raw Foodies,
Hot weather is here and that means festivals, festivals, festivals... and other cool events :)

Thursday, June 10th - Pedja's Raw Food Demo
Nature's Emporium, 16655 Yonge st. Newmarket, Ontario @ 1pm
Come and learn how to make a decadent Raspberry Chocolate Mousse Cake!

Friday, June 11th - Green Monkey Environmental Store Grand Opening
227 Main Street South, Newmarket, Ontario (one block north of Water street) @ 7pm
"Come celebrate all things earth friendly. Enjoy healthy organic treats and spirits. Join in our environmental auction. Enjoy some great entertainment by local musicians Amanda McFadyen & Joe Alaras."

Saturday, June 12th-13th - Windfall Ecology Festival
Fairy Lake Park, 500 Water st. Newmarket, Ontario @ 10am-5pm
Windfall Ecology Centre presents the 9th Annual Windfall Ecology Festival, York Regions largest Environmental and Energy Conservation Exposition! Learn, share & experience live music, local & organic foods, buskers, Kids Fun Zone, Workshops and so much more. An outdoor event for the whole family in a beautiful park setting. Special Ticketed Event
"Did you know your food can travel as much as 1,500 miles just to reach your plate? These travelling miles are referred to as “food miles” and they have a profound impact on farming practices, the quality of your food, and the environment.
The 'Food Philanthropy: Connection with People, Food and Culture’ event will discuss eating healthy, natural & organic foods, nutrition, and explain how purchasing products locally benefits our health, and benefits the health of the environment.
Watch Andrew Muto and the Nature’s Emporium Team, including Raw Food chef Pedja Milosavljevic, while they prepare and serve you a delicious three-course luncheon.
Also receive a specially prepared goodie bag presented by Nature’s Emporium just for attending the workshop.
Food sampling to follow the luncheon.
.
Tickets are $25.00 (adults) and $10.00 (children under 12)
Space is limited, so purchase your tickets before they sell out.
Tickets can be purchased here, at Nature’s Emporium, or by calling 416-465-6333 ext.152."

Saturday, June 19th - Simply Raw Festival
Central Park, 19 Clemow Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario @ 10am - 9pm
"This year's festival aims to promote healthy lifestyles through raw vegan food and active living. Our famous raw vegan pie contest will be back for another rawsome year, with a panel of local celebrity judges; the event will also feature a range of seminars on healthy living topics by a number of celebrated speakers from across North America; bring together local and regional businesses and organizations with healthy living as the core value of their mission; and a range of other exciting activities and events throughout the day."
Thursday, June 24th - Pedja's Raw Food Demo
Nature's Emporium, 16655 Yonge st. Newmarket, Ontario @ 1pm
Come and learn how to prepare a delicious raw vegan concoction (tba)

Friday, June 25th - "Love The Skin You're In" - June Potluck
Mahalo Naturopathic Centre, 19938 Yonge Street, Holland Landing, Ontario @ 6:30pm
"With the warm months already approaching, the excitement for spending time in the sun is rising!
Should we wear sunscreen? How beneficial is being exposed to U.V. rays? Why is vitamin D good for us?
This month we're fortunate to have Carley Simandl (bio coming soon) answer those questions for us and cover much more!
For those of you that haven't checked out our our potlucks yet, I have to say that the food is getting better and better and the company of like minded individuals with stimulating conversations is better than ever!
Don't forget to bring Organic food, since many of us wish to avoid toxins from conventional produce; and please read through the "About" section carefully before stopping by :)"

Thanks for reading if you made it this far down and hope to see you at one or more of these awesome events!

Green Monkey Grand Opening!

2010-06-08T01:34:00.005-04:00

Green Monkey

Environmental Store

GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION

Friday June 11^th at 7pm

227 Main Street South, Newmarket, Ontario

one block north of Water street

Come celebrate all things earth friendly

Enjoy healthy organic treats and spirits

Join in our environmental auction

Enjoy some great entertainment by local

musicians Amanda McFadyen & Joe Alaras

Looking forward to having you help us officially launch

Green Monkey

Sincerely Karen Dawnn and David Scott

“As we enter the second decade of the 21^st century,

will we prove ourselves to be imaginative beings capable of

creating a better and greener world?”

—David Suzuki

IF YOU ARE ABLE TO DONATE ANY ITEMS OR SERVICES FOR OUR AUCTION,

PLEASE CONTACT ME ASAP AT kdawnstudio@yahoo.ca

Catering in the form of mini raw vegan chocolate "cheese" cakes, by yours truly :)

Raw Food Demo at Noon in a Park!

2010-05-29T02:01:00.003-04:00

Raw Soup Trio

2010-05-13T20:10:00.018-04:00

I had another fun food demo at Nature's Emporium today!

Here are the recipes of the soups I demoed:

Red Pepper - Ginger Devotion

makes 6 servings

2 Red Bell Peppers

2 Cups Macadamia Nuts

1 Small Leek

2 Garlic Cloves

3 Medjool Dates - Pitted

1cm Piece of Ginger

1/3 Cup Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

2 tbsp Paprika

Sea Salt to Taste

2-3 Cups Water

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth and decorate with chopped parsley or your favourite sprouts!

Cantaloupe - Cucumber Californication

makes 6 servings

1 Small Cantaloupe

1/2 Cucumber

1 Shallot

2 Garlic Cloves

4 Sprigs of Mint

1/4 Cup Chopped Cilantro

1/2 Cup Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

Pinch of Cayenne

Pinch Of Sea Salt

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender roughly and decorate with whole cilantro or mint leaves. For extra points, hollow out one half of the cantaloupe carefully so that you could use it as a serving bowl!

Thai Coconut Noodle Soup

makes 6 servings

2 Young Thai Coconuts

1 Zucchini

1 Red Bell Pepper

1 Mango

1 Garlic Clove

2 Green Onions

1/4 Chopped Cilantro

1/2 Cup Loosely Packed Basil

2 Medjool Dates

Juice of 4 Limes

Pinch of Cayenne

Pinch Of Sea Salt

In a high speed blender, blend the flesh and the water of two young coconuts with all the other ingredients, leaving out only the bell pepper, zucchini, mango and the green halves of the green onions. Julienne the red pepper and mango; slice the green onion halves diagonally and spiralize the zucchini using a Spirooli Slicer (making noodles). To serve, start off by putting a desired amount of zucchini noodles at the bottom of your bowl. Pour the soup broth over the noodles and top with julienned peppers, mango and green onions. Enjoy!

Smoothie Trio

2010-05-13T01:05:00.015-04:00

As a part of the 'Naturopathic Medicine Week', I was invited to the Mahalo Naturopathic Centre for their open house on Mother's Day, to showcase and serve some of my smoothies. I decided to share the recipes with those of you that were curious about them at the open house, as well as the rest of you that would like to try them out at home! Here they are:

(All recipes make two 12oz smoothies)

Chocolate Superfood Smoothie

20oz Horsetail & Stinging Nettle Tea
3 Bananas
4 tbsp Cacao Powder
2 tbsp Maca Powder
2 tbsp Mesquite Powder
2-4 tbsp Goji Berries
4 Medjool Dates
Pinch of Cayenne
Pinch of Sea Salt

Alkalizing Green Smoothie

16oz Horsetail & Stinging Nettle Tea

3 Bananas

8 Kale Leaves

2 tsp Spirulina

4 Medjool Dates

10 Cardamom Seeds

Pinch of Sea Salt

Beautifying Smoothie

20oz Horsetail & Stinging Nettle Tea

3 Bananas

2 tbsp MSM Powder

4 tbsp Hemp Hearts

4 tbsp Pumpkin Seeds

4 Medjool Dates

Pinch of Cayenne

Pinch of Sea Salt

Rockefeller RawNaimo Bars

2010-04-29T22:01:00.009-04:00

Makes 12 Decadent RawNaimo Bars

Layer 1:

5 Cups Sprouted Walnuts

1.5 Cups Raw Cacao Powder

15-18 Medjool Dates - Pitted

Zest of 1/2 Orange

Pinch of Cayenne

Pinch of Sea Salt

Layer 2:

2.5 Cups Raw Cashew Pieces

10-12 Medjool Dates - Pitted

1 Cup Melted Virgin Coconut Oil

1/2 tsp Whole Vanilla Bean Powder

Pinch of Sea Salt

Water to Cover

Layer 3:

3 Cups Raw Cacao Powder

2 Cups Melted Virgin Coconut Oil

1/2 tsp Whole Vanilla Bean Powder

2/3 Cup Yacon Syrup

Pinch of Sea Salt

Begin by sprouting your walnuts. Soak them in water overnight and rinse thoroughly in the morning. This will take away the bitterness and make digestion easier by removing the enzyme inhibitors. Allow the walnuts to dry fully before using them. You can do this in a dehydrator at no more than 41C or 105F, or by spreading them out to dry in the sun, your dining room table or anywhere spread out in a single layer.

Once the walnuts are fully dry, combine them with all the "Layer 1" ingredients in a food processor, leaving out only the Medjool dates. Once a fine consistency is reached, pitt your dates and add them to the batch. Process the works until fully combined and once the natural oils start coming out of the walnuts. Line an 8"X 12" rectangle dish with parchment paper and press in your first layer firmly.

In a double boiler (hot water in one bowl and coconut oil in another on top), melt your coconut oil for "Layer 2". While the oil is melting, in a high speed blender with a tamper (Vita Mix), combine all the remaining "Layer 2" ingredients and blend until smooth. Add the melted Coconut Oil and blend to incorporate. Pour the creamy goodness over your first layer and move on to the chocolate topping!

Using the same method for melting Coconut Oil for "Layer 2", repeat for the last layer. Once the oil is fully melted, whisk in the remaining "Layer 3" ingredients until fully incorporated. Wait until the mixture has started to thicken at room temperature, then pour it over your second layer.

Cover the whole dish with parchment paper and pop it into your freezer for 4-6 hours. At that point, score the top using a pairing knife to create guidelines for where you will be making cuts. This will prevent the chocolate from cracking in random spots as you're trying to cut it. Usually I get 12 pieces out of this batch, but you can feel free to cut smaller or bigger pieces. Whatever your heart desires. This may be a bit of a lengthy process, but I assure you, you will be rewarded for all your hard work!

Raw Food on Rogers TV!

2010-04-15T22:46:00.007-04:00

Newmarket's Era Banner Article

2010-04-07T01:20:00.002-04:00

I got interviewed for a story on Raw Foods by the local newspaper. Read more below:

Typo 1: Last name- Milosavljevic, Typo 2: I'm the Organizer, not founder of the group.

My Digital Haircut

2010-04-04T19:30:00.008-04:00

I think everyone should cut their own hair...

Living Lasagna Recipe!

2010-04-02T11:26:00.008-04:00

I recently started doing food demos at Nature's Emporium, where I work as a Raw Chef and this was the first recipe that I shared with everyone:

Living Lasagna

makes 12 servings

By Raw Chef Pedja

3 Large Zucchini

2-3 Large Tomatoes

5oz Basil or any combination of baby greens (Spinach, Arugula, Dandelion…)

Red Sauce

1 Large Tomato

1 Cup Sun-dried Tomatoes

1/8 Red Onion

1 Garlic Clove

1 Sprig of Fresh Oregano

¼ cup Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

White Sauce

1.5 Cups Raw Cashews

¼ Cup Fresh Lemon Juice

1 Garlic Clove

¼ Red Onion

1 Sprig of Fresh Oregano

½ tsp Real Sea Salt

Ground “Meat”

3 Cups Soaked Raw Walnuts

1/8 Red Onion

1 Portobello Mushroom

¼ tsp Real Sea Salt

Begin by soaking your walnuts overnight or for at least 6 hours. Rinse them well, and if possible, allow them to dry at room temperature or in a dehydrator at 41C. This will take away the bitterness and help with digestion by removing the enzyme inhibitors. Combine all Ground “Meat” ingredients in a food processor until coarsely chopped (ground meat consistency).

Prepare each of the sauces separately by combining the ingredients in a high speed blender and blending until smooth consistency is reached. When making the White Sauce, after adding all the ingredients to the blender, add just enough water to cover and blend away!

Slice your zucchinis using a mandolin at 1/8” thickness, or alternatively slice manually. Slice your tomatoes thinly as you would for a burger/sandwich and move on to assembly.

To assemble the lasagna, start by layering a single overlapping layer of zucchini at the bottom of a square/rectangle dish. Follow it by spreading your white sauce, the greens and the tomato slices, in that order. Spread most of your tomato sauce (saving ½ cup), and follow it by evenly distributing your Ground “Meat” mixture. Top the lasagna off by two additional layers of overlapping zucchini slices, place a plate on top and in one quick motion, flip the works over onto the plate. Top off the lasagna with the remaining tomato sauce and additionally sprinkle chopped or whole basil leaves on top. Enjoy!

___________________________________________________

Due to popular demand, I'll be doing Raw Food demos twice a month, so if you're in the area (Yonge & Mulock in Newmarket, On), feel free to stop by and pick up our monthly newsletter with the calendar of events!

Importance of Local Organic Food

2010-01-06T21:53:00.004-05:00

I find it strange that while living in Canada, it's more common to find produce from California, Mexico and New Zealand, than it is stuff grown right here, locally! I understand that some fruits and veggies are not available here all year round, but I also understand the importance of eating seasonally AND locally. By consuming locally produced organic food, not only that you're supporting local agriculture, eliminating pollution that is created by transportation, attuning yourself spiritually to your surroundings, but you also may be paying much less! Eliminating the middle man is totally possible by getting involved in a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), a local co-op, or better yet, growing the food yourself! Watch the video below for more:

Iron & Omega 3 Myths

2009-12-23T23:06:00.008-05:00

Most people are convinced that consuming fish is essential for healthy Omega 3 levels. WRONG! The gist of it is that our bodies have the ability to convert alpha linolenic Omega 3 fatty acid found in plants (especially green leafy veggies), into the longer chain EPA and DHA fatty acids, based on our needs. Watch the video below and you'll find out more about that, as well as my take on heme and non heme iron. Enjoy!

The Logic Of Raw Foods

2009-12-21T00:55:00.005-05:00

Ever since I got into veganism and raw foods, I've been thinking more logically and asking myself basic and rudimentary questions about our habits as domesticated animals. Some of the answers I came across just made too much sense! I simply found myself relating more and more to natural law and ways of being attuned with this planet we all love.

I was recently a guest speaker in the Food and Nutrition class at Thornhill Secondary School, where I covered an array of interesting points relating to healthy living and thriving in this life. We all need to shoot much higher than just surviving in order to reach our full potential as individuals and fulfill our unique missions while we're still here. Enjoy this quick snippet from my talk!

David Wolfe in Orangeville

2009-08-31T01:49:00.007-04:00

The lecture I attended tonight left such an impact on me that I had to write about it right away, regardless of having to wake up in about 3 hours for work. I guess I'll just have to load up on some serious chocolate!

The event took place at Monora Park, in Mono, Ontario, just outside of Orangeville. There was surely over 80 people at this lecture. The word gets around! We had pleasure of enjoying some delicious chocolate elixirs and decadent desserts, as well as being warmly welcomed by David Wolfe, who was incredibly inviting and down to earth. Truly grounded.

The lecture was so high packed with insightful and profound, leading edge information that 4 1/2 hours elapsed in a flash. David covered grounds of Superfoods, spring water, conscious living, ormus extracting technologies, the power of medicinal mushrooms and wild grasses, and the list goes on. Truly an inspirational evening.

You can check out Dr. Wolfe's work @

http://www.ftpf.org

http://www.davidwolfe.com

http://www.thebestdayever.com

http://www.longevitynowprogram.com

Here are several photos from tonight:

Super Green Smoothie

2009-08-03T00:56:00.010-04:00

This is one of my favorite smoothies to drink after a workout, or any time really. It's packed with a wide spectrum of nutrition that will provide you with a boost of energy and vibrance.

You'll need:

2 Kale Leaves

2 Bananas

4 tbsp of Hemp Seeds

4 Medjool Dates

1 tsp of Dulse Flakes

1 handful of Goji Berries

A splash of Vanilla

3 cups of water

Blend away & enjoy!

Events: Light Up Our Alley Festival & The Really Really Free Market

2009-06-30T19:25:00.013-04:00

...Talk about recycling goods and resources, building a community vibe and spreading love... There was all that and more at the festivities on Saturday, June 27th, at the corner of Dupont and Spadina in Toronto. The 'Dupont and Spadina Corner Collective' did an awesome job putting together this fun event, that also included an incredibly diverse and talented group of musicians and bands. Check out the clip below for a bit of the vibe I experienced. Enjoy :)

... and some photos:

Green Living: Mineralization & Wild Edibles

2009-06-29T01:49:00.006-04:00

Mother nature tends to provide us, the human animals, with a plethora of foods that grow around us naturally. Without complicating the preparation of these foods too much, I can say that I best enjoy eating them as they are. Of course, we now call those foods "Wild Edibles", because we've grown so accustomed to eating a diet consisting of domesticated plants.

All the domesticated plats we eat today were once wild plants. Through selective growing, we've now turned prickly and bitter lettuce into a water-rich, crunchy tender green. This process of selective planting of the seeds of only the best tasting (but not always the most nutritionally dense) foods, has been going on for thousands of years and has brought us to where're at now. Fortunately those "original" wild plants still exist and should be a part of our daily food intake. They strengthen the immune system and provide us with a wide variety of medicinal and tonic benefits, ranging from plant to plant.

By avoiding any lawn care products, you can welcome a huge amount of plants and herbs native to your area, in your own front/back yard. At the moment, my yard is full of dandelions, wood sorrel, nettles, thistle, wild mint, dill, wild lettuce, rosemary and many many more varieties that I never planted, yet benefit from, every single day.

If there isn't much wild plants around you because you live in the city or in an apartment building, you could always walk to the nearest forest and see what you could forage. We're blessed enough to have this thing called the internet, that has these other things called wikipedia, google images and youtube, where we could get references at any time, just to make sure we're staying away from those poisonous plants that might not be too good for us.

Considering our culture has grown to massively consume animal products, and highly processed foods, our best bet when turning to those domesticated foods I mentioned earlier, is to go along with mother nature and consume that sun energy from the closest source possible, cruelty free. Plant based diet is where it's at... especially raw and living... especially grown organically by yourself or a local organic farmer.

So, now that you've decided to do a bit of gardening, even if it's just in your kitchen, I can give you a little tip on how to get maximum mineralization in the plants that you're trying to grow!!! It's not enough that you have awesome soil, a good spot in the sun and water regularly. Of course, you'll want your plants to soak up as many minerals from that soil as are available.

I have a way that can load up your soil with so many minerals, your plants won't know what to do with them... so you'll jut have to eat them!

If you don't have a rain barrel, GET ONE! They're cheap, they help preserve water when watering your plants and give your greens exactly what they need (plants prefer rain). Ok, now that you have a rain barrel, get yourself some sea veggies. Kelp is what I usually use. Follow these steps, and you'll be set:

1. Take a leaf of sea kelp and soak it in some pure water for a few hours
2. Blend the soaking water and the kelp leaf in a blender
3. Pour the mixture into your rain barrel (that quantity is usually good for 1/2 barrel or a bit more)
4. Water your plants regularly
5. Wait for them to grow
6. Harvest
7. Enjoy mad tasty nutrition to the max

Of course, if you have money, you could always purchase a more expensive variation of what I do. It's a concentrated ocean water solution called "Ocean Grown". It's up to you!

Keep up the conscious thinking and liberate yourself by always asking questions!

Happy Gardening!

Growing Superfoods: Goji Berries + Gardening

2009-05-15T10:33:00.002-04:00

I think we're all at a point where we seriously need to start considering growing our own food. Kudos to those who already are, but to those of you who haven't gotten your hands dirty yet... it's really not that hard. I find gardening incredibly relaxing and fun. It grounds you on a spiritual and physical levels. I have noticed that people have gotten so out of tune with where their food comes from and what exactly goes into growing it, that it's been reflecting in other areas of their lives.
If you don't have a backyard, don't worry. Kitchen gardening is possible all year round! You can grow many veggies and herbs right in your own kitchen, regardless of your cold climate and lack of outdoor garden space. Check out some of my recent endeavors:

Here I have some wheatgrass, sunflower shoots and pea shoots, after a few days

After a few weeks, this is what the plants looks like (the empty tray on the left was an unsuccessful experiment). On the other side of the table, I planted some bell peppers, italian parsley, sweet basil, cherry bell radishes, goji berries (of course all organic)

So go ahead! Get personal with your food!

The 30-Day Core Conditioning Challenge!

2009-05-09T08:52:00.001-04:00

Hey guys,
Derrick and Kirsten of VibrantVegan have been generous enough to share a great 30 day core conditioning program with everyone. The program is all about "Getting you stronger, Increasing your energy, Making you healthier, Eliminating back pain, Improving your posture, Improving your digestion, Narrowing your waist, Firming and flattening your stomach". Watch the video below for more information and join me and others on this awesome challenge!

Major Victory for Seals - Go European Union!

2009-05-08T13:05:00.001-04:00

I'm so happy this massacre has subsided immensely. It makes me even more proud knowing that I'm European. The European Union took a vote and the results were overwhelming. "This vote cost the Canadian Seal Industry 94 % of it's annual business" !!!! This is amazing news! Thank you European Union on my behalf and the behalf of the millions of seal pups that are still alive! Please follow their example and boycott anything coming from Canadian fisheries.

Sweet Skinny Slaw

2009-05-07T10:14:00.003-04:00

I've been doing some indoor gardening, so expect to see some photos and maybe even a video in the next post!
For now, enjoy another recipe I whipped up on the spot. Low fat and delicious!

Earth Day: Green Tips

2009-04-22T18:59:00.001-04:00

I love it that we have a day to celebrate our planet and turn our consciousness on to more sustainable choices and ways of living. Our planet and life should be celebrated every day, however, it's great that we have an international day to remind us of this. These are just some of the tips I could think of, that will help you, help our planet:

Food:

- Eat local, eat organic, eat as seasonal as you can and keep it raw vegan!
- Purchase food with recyclable packaging, or no packaging at all
- Say no to paper and plastic bags and shop with reusable canvas bags instead
- Eat at home and pack your own lunches for school and work
- Grow your own organic food!

Energy & Water:

- Walk, bike, carpool or use public transportation
- Use natural light as much as you can
- Keep lights and appliances off when not in the room or away from home
- Don't keep the water running while brushing your teeth or soaping yourself up in the shower
- Take more cold showers and less hot baths
- Don't keep the tap running while washing dishes (Soap in batches and rinse in batches)
- Collect rain water and use it to water your lawn and garden (Remember, plants like rain water much better than tap water)
- Weather proof your windows

Waste & Toxicity:

- Compost, recycle & reuse
- Use stainless steel or glass water bottles
- Save and reuse glass jars
- Buy second hand clothing, appliances, books, furniture, etc
- Use home made or green, non animal tested household cleaners (Baking soda, vinergar & water are a great start)
- Use home made or green hygiene products (Watch my "Keep it Clean" video)
- Buy recycled toilet paper
- Utilize handkerchiefs instead of tissue paper
- Utilize cloths instead of napkins and paper towels

No list of green tips is ever complete. There is always more to be added and said. Go ahead!

For even more tips, check out http://pub.ecoactionteams.ca/pub/resources/tips.php

Is Bread Bad For You?

2009-04-20T14:34:00.001-04:00

It's quite unbelievable how big of a part bread and processed wheat products play in our culture. People are more and more addicted to these high processed "food products". In the video below I mention a number of valid points on why we should take a closer look and make major changes in our diet to improve our own health, the quality of life and health of our planet and feel really good and empowered about it.
However, I did leave out an important point that I would like to talk about here. Other additives and ingredients in bread! These are the ingredients in one of the commercial brands of bread, especially marketed towards kids and younger people:

Whole wheat flour, water, wheat gluten, high fructose corn syrup, contains 2% of less of: soybean oil, salt, molasses, yeast, mono and diglycerides, exthoxylated mono and diglycerides, dough conditioners (sodium stearoyl lactylate, calcium iodate, calcium dioxide), datem, calcium sulfate, vinegar, yeast nutrient (ammonium sulfate), extracts of malted barley and corn, dicalcium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, calcium propionate (to retain freshness

Now if you're still wondering, "what's so bad about that?", I'll break it down for you...

High fructose corn syrup- is possibly one of the worst things that you could put into your body. The amount of processing that goes into production of high fructose corn syrup is a joke to even refer to it as a corn product. It plays one of the major roles in our obesity epidemic.

Mono and Diglycerides, Exthoxylated Mono and Diglycerides, Datem - are all animal fat byproducts. Animal fat is the worst kind of fat for us to consume. Besides the moral and ethical implications, from a nutrition standpoint, all the toxicity that an animal accumulates in it's lifespan, is stored in the fat cells.

Dough Conditioners (sodium stearoyl lactylate) - Milk product. Why are milk products bad? That's a whole different subject and a whole different post all together. Briefly, its morally and ethically wrong to consume milk products and support the milk industry. Milk also contains all the hormones, antibiotics, herbicides, pesticides and other chemicals the cows are fed daily; alongside all the blood and pus from the infected and swollen udders of factory farm cows. Mmmm sounds delicious. I'm surprised they haven't made milk glow in the dark yet, to target even more kids.

These are just a few things I wanted to mention. There is much much more to be said, so watch the video below, and go ahead!

Sprouting is too easy. Check out this video to see how I do it :)

Swiss Bliss Salad

2009-04-10T18:51:00.003-04:00

Check out this all around delicious salad, that will get rid of those cheese cravings you may get once in a while:

Beet Stack Salad

2009-04-01T14:54:00.005-04:00

It's crazy to think that a vegetable that was once grown solely for it's leafy goodness is now one of the most commonly used plants for production of sugar. Since this post is not about sugar, let's just forget about it. Who needs processed sugar anyway right? So let's celebrate the beet!

Beet leaves are just loaded with vitamins K, A, C and minerals like magnesium, potassium and manganese just to name a few. The beet root however, packs a great amount of folate and most of it's calories come from sugar. That being said, I generally avoid juicing beets, since that exposes the sugars a lot more and makes them too absorbable (not a good thing). The recipe below is perfect for a weekend meal when you feel like doing something nice for yourself or a loved one and have time to be creative with the presentation. It's fun to play with your food, so go on and impress your friends, family and of course yourself. Enjoy!

Creamy Spinach Salad

2009-03-24T10:38:00.002-04:00

Spinach is one of my favorite greens. Besides it's abundance of vitamin K and folate, it contains Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and it's 30% protein! According to the Nutrition Data website, spinach in it's raw state is also a great source of Niacin and Zinc, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. WoW! The only aspect of spinach that's not-so-great is it's oxalate contents. What that means, is that the iron found in spinach (non-heme iron) is much more difficult for your body to absorb. However, since levels of iron in spinach are higher than levels of oxalate, absorption can be improved by consuming foods that are rich in vitamin C! That being said, you can always add lemon to your salad dressings when eating spinach, much like I did in the video below, and you'll be fine :) Enjoy!

Mont-Royal Hike

2009-03-21T18:58:00.001-04:00

I intended to go for a jog, however, all the ice was semi-melted on the mountain's running tracks, so instead of getting all slushy and falling into puddles, I decided to make this outing a long hike instead. I ditched the paved road and the running tracks and went straight for the steep points to get more exercise out of my hike.
Some of the stairs that I took on my way back, on the way down, were COVERED in ice, so I just sat down and slid to the bottom, while other people were trying to be careful not to fall. It was pretty funny. I wish I had filmed it. Enjoy this natural winter beauty straight from Montreal, Canada:

Now, if you've ever had young coconuts, you may have run into trouble when trying to dump the water out right into a glass. Ok, maybe you're really good at it, but try out the tip I demonstrate at the end of the video above and you won't lose a DROP of that electrolyte rich goodness. Trust me! And if you don't know how to open one at all, then check out the video below!

True Synergy

2009-03-20T09:26:00.001-04:00

I find that many people who are into self improvement and health always seem to leave out at least one or two essential aspects of a whole encompassing healthy lifestyle. Eating whole foods, alone, is not quite enough; Being active, athletic, and fit, alone, is usually not a path to ultimate wellness; Being spiritually connected, alone, won't take you all the way to an enlightened state of being; Being mentally active and always learning new things is great, but solely that will only get you so far. All these things are great to live by, however, if we solely focus on one of them, our well being, happiness and thriving will be limited.

Living an all around conscious lifestyle and encompassing all of those great habits is where its at. Luckily any of those things are a great start. You will find that by adopting at least one of those habits, you'll soon be influenced to keep going and keep adopting more. That's exactly what happened to me! The main point is to educate yourselves and allow the transition and change to take place, while taking full responsibility for your actions.

Imagine being really into fitness, yoga, meditation, learning, teaching and whole plant based raw foods. Now that's some serious positive results and happiness waiting to lay down the law.

Another aspect to consider in an all encompassing conscious lifestyle, is your footprint on this planet that provides us with all of our living needs so selflessly. Hygiene products are a big factor to consider. Check out this video and try to make some changes for yourself, the animals and of course our planet: