Recipe, Round Deux

This post is dedicated to fancy crackers, you know, the ones that are like $7.99; the ones that you can’t justify buying. Am I right? I usually salivate over fancy crackers at my favourite fine food store, GJ Andrews, and never buy them. But now that problem is solved because I can make them. YUS!

It probably costs less than five bucks to make three-to-four times the amount of fancy crackers in those beautifully designed cracker boxes that line the shelves at GJ’s. But, I guess, Ziploc containers are pretty too…

I went through about 10 recipes online for flax crackers and came to the conclusion that I should take the best bits and pieces from a few recipes and just make up my own version. So I did just that, and the results far surpassed my expectations. Maybe because I opted to put grated parmesan in them. Probably. Most definitely.

I don’t know why I thought that flax crackers would be difficult to make. There is basically no way to mess them up… unless you bake them for too long. Even then, the burnt pieces I had were fixed with a little dip into a container of caramelized onion hummus. Hummus for the win!

Flax Crackers

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole flaxseed
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup chia seed
1 cup water
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried rosemary
Dash of salt + pepper

*optional, but highly recommended:
1/2 cup grated parmesan (or asiago) cheese

Directions:
1) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pre heat oven to 400 degrees.
2) Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well.
3) Let the flax mixture sit and bind together for at least 5 minutes.
4) Using a spatula, spread flax mixture on the parchment-lined baking sheet, no thicker than 1/4″. Score into squares.
5) Bake for 22-25 minutes, checking after 15 minutes to make sure edges aren’t burning.

For extra crispy crackers, turn off the oven and allow the flax crackers to dry out for 1-2 hours. Store in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.

Finding a balance: Chelsea’s story.

Photo courtesy of @essenceofbeing

Pint-size Chelsea Allen, 25, says that this is her plus thirty-pounds.

“Now I can’t image myself thirty pounds less. When I look back at pictures I can’t even believe it was me,” says Allen.

Chelsea’s story is one that I instantly could relate to. And she told it so openly, honestly, and owned it.

It was something she describes that happened organically. When Chelsea was nineteen or twenty, she shed nearly a quarter of her body weight.

“I just started eating super healthy, or well, what I thought was healthy eating. I slowly cut out every food group I thought was bad. I stopped eating bread, dairy products, salt, sugar, fat, and eventually almost everything pretty much.”

What started as a “healthy diet” quickly became a full-blown obsession for Allen.

“I became very OCD about food. I ate the same thing every day for a year. And I could only eat at certain times… That’s what happens, you get into a routine of your ‘safe’ food.”

Subsisting on primarily fruit, veggies, fish, and rice, Allen’s weight drop drastically dropped. People started to notice and comment on her fragile-looking frame.

“It got to the point where people I didn’t even know were telling me I needed to gain weight.”

At a low point, Allen recalls weighing herself upwards of ten times a day.

The media and the beauty/fashion industry are seen as a root cause as of eating disorders and negative body image. Although the media and these industries do play a role, Allen says:

“I never thought, I want to be model-skinny, that never ran through my head. I used to be adamant that it never was the media, the media never influenced me.”

The biggest factor that led to a life consuming eating disorder Allen says was the feeling of being in control.

Photo Courtesy of @essenceofbeing

“There are a lot of things you have no control over in your life. I found that one thing, where I had control, and that one thing for me was what I was eating. I thought, I can do this and no one else can.”

At a point, that Allen can’t exactly recall, she decided to take control of her life and seek help.

“I didn’t get my period for 6 months and that’s what really threw me off. I figured that if I wanted to have a life down the road, I should get things together right now.”

After talking to a specialist, Allen decided that an in-patient program was not the right fit for her. There were no options for an out-patient recovery program.

“I didn’t ever want someone to force me to eat. It didn’t seem right for me. I knew I had to be the one to do it on my own.”

After making that decision, Allen set off on a trip to Europe to visit a friend. She made a deal with herself to try and fix things when she got back.

When she was back in Winnipeg she gained thirty pounds in a month.

“It was the worst feeling in the world because before that I was weighing myself obsessively and if I even gained one pound throughout the day, I was like, my life is over!”

Although she had gained weight, Allen continued to go through phases of unhealthy eating and over-exercising.

“I wasn’t eating normally or healthfully. I started going through super crazy periods of binge eating and then I would just everything, just eat all day long. I would get even more depressed.”

Like most people working towards overcoming an eating disorder the recovery process wasn’t quick and easy for her.

“I didn’t know how to eat properly anymore.”

And even today, Allen acknowledges that she doesn’t eat as well as she could. But she catches herself before falling back into old habits. Allen has a network of friends that have dealt with the same issues.

“I can’t talk to doctors about it, maybe they think they get it, but I like to talk to someone who’s been there.”

She notes that it’s hard to think that she spent so much time missing out on experiences and missing out on being with her friends. When she was first recovering she says that:

“I didn’t go out, I didn’t want to. I was very secluded, didn’t want to be around anyone.”

Allen is constantly around people when she’s at one of her three jobs.

“The only thing that’ve I’ve found which has really kept me sane right now is that I’m so busy.”

I ask if she’s a workaholic and Allen instantly responds, “Yes.”

“I feel like, you think it would make me more throw off my schedule. But being able to fit it all in, makes me feel sane.”

Photo Courtesy of @essenceofbeing

However, Allen says that whether it’s work or food:

“I’m still trying to find my own balance. The thing is now, I’ve realized, everything in moderation is OK. Everything.”

 

 

Get Juiced: whole-food juicing & extraction juicing.

We could all use more fruits and veggies in our lives. And this is why I started juicing three years ago.

The Winnipeg juice scene has exploded with the arrival of Green Carrot Juice Company in Osborne Village. Before this hip juice and healthy snack joint opened up there was a small handful of places to get fresh-pressed juice in the ‘Peg– Organic Planet, Fresh Cafe (now closed), and at smoothie chains such as Jugo Juice. But I usually went between Organic Planet and Fresh Cafe until I was given a juicer. Best gift ever.

A batch of Beet Zinger juice made by yours truly

 

Until Green Carrot there wasn’t a storefront business that sold primarily cold-pressed juice. Well, not at least in my time. Correct me if I’m wrong. And up until pretty recently, I didn’t realize there were two categories of juicing: whole-food and extraction.

I assumed there were only smoothies and (extraction) juice. I was wrong.

Extraction juicing is the type of juicing that I’m familiar with. It involves extracting only the liquids and nutrients from fruits and veggies with a juicer. With this method there is a significant amount of waste– all the fibre and pulp from the fruit and veggies. Apparently you can re-use the pulp to either add to smoothies or make into fruit leather. I haven’t tried either.

Whole-food juicing is what the name implies– using the whole fruit or vegetable and not creating any waste. This variation of traditional extraction juicing was introduced by the people behind the legendary Vitamix blender.

The main premise behind whole-food juicing, besides creating no waste, is that it’s healthier for you than juice made in a traditional juicer. It’s said to be healthier because it has more fibre. Fibre helps to both keep you full longer and balance out the natural sugars in the juice of fruits and vegetables. Another side benefit of whole-food juicing is you can save money, because you use fewer ingredients.

These all seem like great benefits. Whole-food juicing for the win… or not so much.

Fibre is great, but as someone who eats a primarily plant-based diet, I know that too much fibre isn’t a good thing. When I need some extra nutrients in my life, extraction juicing seems like the right option. You can easily digest the nutrients in the juice from an entire head of kale, but consuming a whole head of kale, blended or not blended, is another story.

One of the main reasons I started juicing was to be able to easily absorb nutrients. I have digestive issues, so consuming an abundance of raw fruits and veggies isn’t always an option for me. Like I mentioned, too much of a good thing (fibre) isn’t always so great.

Another claim from whole-food juicing supporters: The natural sugars from the juice of fruits and vegetables can make your blood-sugar levels crash. The fibre in whole-food juice helps to balance out these naturally occurring sugars. This might be relevant if you were consuming juice as a meal.

I don’t believe in juice detoxes or cleanses because your body is designed to detoxify itself. The only real way to get healthy is to eat better and exercise. If you’re interested in this topic, check out this article.

I don’t want to disqualify whole-food juicing. It has it’s benefits. It all depends on what you’re looking to get out of your juice. Either way you go, you’re taking a step in a healthy direction.

PS. I’m sure having a Vitamix would be magical, so much so that maybe a whole-food juice fairy will drop $600 into my palms. Until then, it’ll be smoothies and extraction juicing for this girl.

A (New Year’s) Resolution: Fitness for Fun.

I generally don’t make New Year’s resolutions for one main reason: I don’t keep them. The only New Year’s resolution I’ve kept to date is pretty silly. But at the same time not completely ridiculous. My resolution was to not wear sweat pants, yoga pants (yes Lululemon’s!), or PJ pants in public. With the exception of wearing yoga or work-out pants from the gym to the car, I have kept this resolution for going on seven years. It was mostly a look good, feel good thing. I have no qualms with people wearing sweats or Lulu’s in public, I just wanted to do this personally to feel more confident and ready to take on the day.

As the semester is coming to a crashing halt, I’m looking forward to what’s ahead. I’m looking forward to having a little extra free time, some “me” time. I have not been spending nearly enough time taking care of myself. I keep telling myself, “oh life is just crazy right now,” but really it’s mostly poor time management on my part.

Yesterday I decided to do something I hadn’t done in a couple of weeks– go for a run. And oddly enough the time flew by as my feet hit the treadmill. It’s usually a struggle to get through the 15, 20, or 30 minutes I spend running.

I needed that 20 minute run, mostly to clear my head.

It made me think about my friend Rose’s blog post from a few weeks back. I was working out to feel good, to treat myself for putting in a long day of work. For once, I wasn’t running because I ate Tim Hortons too many times in one week or because I was punishing myself for whatever reason. The run was the reward.

Years ago I used to spend over two hours at the gym at least four times a week. I would force myself to work out regardless of how I felt. I would exercise to point of exhaustion. Earlier this week I felt so overwhelmed, so exhausted with everything going on work-wise, school-wise, and life-wise yet I had a pull from within telling me to take a little time out for myself.

The gym felt like a whole new experience. The environment hadn’t changed. My mind frame had changed. The gym was no longer a place where I had to stay until I burned X number of calories or ran for X minutes. Perhaps I enjoyed my run because it was short and hadn’t done any exercise beyond taking the stairs in a few weeks.

I’ve been telling people for months, if not a year, that I want to try boxing. After all, Pan Am boxing is only a few blocks away from my school. I’ve yet to set foot in the building.

So, this takes me to my (New Year’s) resolution:

Try a boxing class.

Now that it’s in writing, someone (everyone who reads this) can hold me accountable for following through with my resolution. And this is one that I can actually keep.

Exercise should be a treat, you should do it because you want to do something positive for your mind and your body. It hasn’t always been this way for me. But thinking about it, playing soccer has probably been one of my favourite forms of “exercise”. I don’t have time right now to play in a league because of my hectic school schedule, but I look forward to getting back into the game when I have more time. And I’m also looking forward to trying a boxing class in 2015.

Cheers to positive resolutions, whether they’re for now or the new year.

Go Get Ya Caffeine Fix

The first time I heard about bulletproof coffee was when I was in Chicago this May for my friend Jayne’s wedding. My group of friends are spread across Canada and the States and the wedding was an opportunity for all eight of us to be together, in one condo!!

At “family” breakfast we sat around the kitchen table and my friend Scott brought up bulletproof coffee, or as I referred to it, “butter coffee.” My first thought was, of course my Vancouverite friend would be into this weird butter coffee stuff.

Within the last couple of months I’ve been inundated with bulletproof coffee. It seems to be the newest health trend. I’ve also read a fair share of blog posts bashing bulletproof coffee and its apparently not-so-amazing benefits.

So, I decided I might as well give it a shot and see for myself what all the hype (and hate) is about.

Benefits of bulletproofing your coffee:

• Mental clarity and focus without the usually caffeine-fix crash
• A bounty of energy
• Weight loss via ketosis (a metabolic state that is trigged by lack of carbs that burns fat)*
• Helps fight cravings.

And there are some other benefits, too, but these are the biggest/most common perks of trading your everyday breakfast for this butter-coffee stuff.

*I’m personally not interested in bulletproof coffee for the third benefit listed. I’ve done my research on the ketosis diet and I’m not a huge fan of the concept. Well, I’m not a diet supporter at all; it’s all about making lifestyle changes. Also, I’m not agreeing that these are all proven benefits.

Anyways…

I trolled through all corners of the Internet looking for recipes for this miraculous coffee bevy. To be honest, I did pick and choose a bit between the recipes I found. Bulletproof coffee is basically three things– coffee, butter, and oil. The key to making legit bulletproof coffee is to use special coffee beans that are free of mycotoxins (essentially fungi and mold), butter made from grass-fed, organic cow’s milk, and MTC (medium-chain triglyceride) oil. I used coconut oil as my MTC oil because I’m not willing to shell out money for the fancy stuff that is marketed exclusively for making this bevy. Another confession, I didn’t use fancy coffee beans. So shoot me!

At the upper end of the butter scale, you can put 6-8 Tbsp of grass-fed butter in your bulletproof blend. Does anyone else think that sounds a little, uh, crazy? I opted for a starter’s variation. Maybe I’ll work my way up the butter scale, one day.

Here’s what I used:
1 Tbsp unsalted grass-fed butter
1 Tsp coconut oil
1 Cup coffee

Directions:
1) Pour freshly brewed coffee into a blender.
2) Add in butter and coconut oil.
3) Blend until it’s a light caramel colour.

It should also have a layer of buttery-coconutty froth on top.

My verdict:
I’m currently on day three of (possibly) seven of bulletproofing my morning bevy, but I have a pretty solid opinion formed already. Some sources told me I should give it at least 10 days because I might not notice any benefits before that.

I don’t know if I can make it to day 10.

I’ll give bulletproof coffee a few pros, but I think there are definitely some inherent cons, for me at least.

Pros:
• It tastes pretty decent.
• Zero caffeine crash (I don’t usually notice this after my morning coffee though)
• I did notice I had more energy than I do when I drink regular coffee with almond milk.
• It was moderately filling. Maybe this was a psychological thing, though.
• I felt more alert, albeit for short time, first thing in the morning.

Cons:
• I’ve missed the sensation of sinking my teeth into actual breakfast food.
• On day two, I did get a bit hangry by lunch time…
• I don’t think it’s helping to keep things moving/flowing in my system.
• Greasy teeth. Enough said.

I don’t think this is a health fad I’ll be continuing in the long term. I like eating, not drinking, my breakfast. But in desperate situations, I would recommend trying bulletproof coffee over guzzling an energy drink. Don’t get me started on energy drinks, though. That’s a whole other blog post.

Have you tried bulletproof coffee? Let me know your thoughts, DM on Instagram @thelifeof_lucky, or send me an email– breanne.thelifeoflucky@gmail.com

Back to Bloggin’ and… Eating for Pleasure?

Back to bloggin’, and all things CreComm and IPP-related. No more frolicking in sunflower fields for this girl. Adieu summer, see ya next year!

Throughout the last three years working at a salon, one thing has become evident to me – hairstylists do much more than simply cut, colour, and style hair. They’re confidants, advice-givers, and very often (under-paid) therapists. And because many clients are comfortable divulging intimate details with their stylist, I’ve been privy to some pretty juicy gossip.

A few weeks ago, I was at the coffee bar when I heard one stylist and their client talking about something that piqued my interest – dieting. Diets, cleanses, and fitness routines are topics that are frequently discussed at the salon. Perhaps working in the beauty industry makes us more image-conscious than those in other industries. But what caught my attention about this conversation was one simple phrase “you should eat for pleasure only once a week.”

What!? Eat for pleasure ONLY once a week? The stylist and client both agreed that “you should eat purely for nutrition and have one cheat meal a week, or have one ‘cheat’ day.”

Why can’t eating healthy be pleasurable? I think it can! With that being said, I think there’s an assumption that healthy eating requires certain food/food groups to be off limits. I’ve made a conscious effort over the last couple of years to not demonize any food/food groups. However, I avoid certain dairy products because I’m lactose-intolerant. 😥

This conversation made me think about the idealized notion of what it means to be “healthy.” I don’t think healthy eating should revolve around any sort of restriction. Moderation and balance are two concepts I try to always keep in mind. Adhering too much to an idealized version of health can lead to orthorexia, the obsession with eating food that fits into a preconceived paradigm of health. I’ve definitely had my issues with restrictive eating, but until recently I didn’t know that it was a recognized eating disorder; I just thought I was a health-nut.

I’m currently working on creating a e-cookbook of healthy recipes–for those of you who didn’t already know–and I’m struggling about how to position and market it. I want to stray away from representing it as something that idealizes what a healthy breakfast should be. I don’t eat only foods that will be included in my e-cookbook. Sometimes, if a girl wants bacon and pancakes, a girl has gotta eat just that. It’s not a cheat/dirty meal; It’s just a meal.

On Saturday afternoon while I was microwaving a frozen burrito, a coworker asked me, “why are you eating that if you have a health and fitness Instagram account?”

My response: “Because, moderation. If I don’t eat what I want, I know I’ll just binge at some point.”

I don’t think it really got through to her. I guess, I should have just said, “Oh, this? This is my cheat meal…”

PS. follow me on my ~new~ health and fitness Insta account – @thelifeof_lucky

A Toast to Your Health

Last week I posted about apple cider vinegar. As I mentioned (several times) it’s quite the strong tasting stuff… it burns a little on the way down. But fear not!  If you want to reap the health benefits and enjoy a tasty drink, allow me to introduce you to my latest creation…

“Kombucha’s Cousin”

• 1 cup steeped herbal tea, chilled
• 2 tsp – 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 drops liquid stevia*

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!

*I’m not generally a fan of sugar substitutes. Stevia can be bitter and icky tasting; however, the right brand makes all the difference. I use NOW Foods Better Stevia (organic and unflavoured). For the most part, I use it to sweeten beverages and I avoid using it as a sugar substitute for baking/cooking.

And maybe you’re wondering about the name “Kombucha’s Cousin”… or maybe not. Either way, I was inspired to create something like my favourite post-yoga drink – GT’s Kombucha.

It’s fruity, fizzy, tart, and delicious. It’s also good for ya! My creation isn’t quite kombucha, but it tastes just as good. Give it a whirl.

As promised, a recipe!

Zesty Strawberry Chia Jam

Sometimes nothing is more satisfying than a good ‘ole peanut butter and jelly sandwich. My only problem is with the whole jelly, or jam, part. The commercially made stuff is usually jam-packed full of sugar and glucose (sugar) and glucose-fructose (more sugar) and sometimes other not-so-healthy ingredients.

Fear not fellow PB & J lovers, I have a solution for all your sandwich (and health needs). I’ve seen a few variations of chia seed jam floating around the Internet, Instagram, etc. Lucky for you guys, I’ve tested a few out and have modified them to create the best recipe. Instead of adding sugar and various sugar-like substances and pectin, all you need is fruit and chia seeds! Not only do the chia seeds give the jam a nice consistency for spreading they also have many benefits, i.e. they’re a great source of fibre. You’re welcome.

Ingredients:
2 cups chopped strawberries
1/4 tsp grated ginger root
1/2-1 tsp grated orange rind
2 TBSP agave nectar (optional… you could also try adding a few drops of stevia extra, but I’m not a huge fan of it)
1 TBSP chia seeds

Easy Peasy Directions:
-Warm up a pan to medium heat and add chopped strawberries, ginger, and orange rind to the pan.
-Add agave or stevia (optional)
-Stirring continuously, bring the fruit to a rapid boil (about 4-5 minutes)
-Once the fruit is boiling rapidly, turn down the heat to medium-low, or low.
-Stirring occasionally, allow the mixture to simmer for 5-7 minutes and thicken.
-Remove pan from the element and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes.
-Add one TBSP of chia seeds and stir well.
-Pour jam into a mason jar and allow to cool completely and finish thickening.
-Enjoy yo PB & J!

Dear 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 year-old self,

My workout at the gym this week was nostalgic. Not in a good way.

Only being able to make time to hit the gym once a week, I’ve found myself really enjoying my time on the treadmill, in the weight area, and during my final stretches. Enjoyment is what differentiates my workouts now from when I was 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 (probably even 22, 23, 24 and more recently, too.)

I watched as a teenage girl ran her little legs and heart out, until she was completely red in the face, and exhausted-looking.

I’ve been that girl; obsessed with calories burned and distance completed. I pushed myself on countless occasions to workout, even when I was exhausted. My self-esteem depended on how many calories I could burn, or how long I could run for.

It makes me feel awful inside. I hate knowing that other females are going through such self-deprecating things. Maybe she wasn’t, but I’m not the only one that has been through this, I hope.

Working out should be something that you enjoy and makes you feel good. It can be a dangerous line to walk, especially for me.

I genuinely wish that no female has to struggle with accepting her body, accepting herself as more than just a physical self. I’m far from being the poster girl for body positivity, but I’m working on it.

If you want to check out a great post about body positivity and dieting, head over to my friend Cella’s blog.

Eat your oats.

The amount of quick oats I go through in a month is pretty impressive and also kind of embarrassing. I love oats, especially for breakfast. I’ve been testing out a few recipes and I think I’ve finally developed the fail-proof recipe for OIAJ (oats in a jar). Oats in a jar are a mixture of quick oats, milk/non-dairy beverage, chia seeds, and/or any of the following:
Cinnamon, vanilla extract, peanut butter, banana(s), honey/agave, nuts/seeds, fresh or dried fruit, etc…

Here’s what you need for one serving:
A small mason jar
1/3 C quick oats
*2/3 C liquid- milk/almond milk/(greek) yogurt
1/2 T chia seeds (these are super important, they thicken up the mixture!!)

*If you’re going to use yogurt, I recommend adding at least 1/2 T of milk for a better consistency.

Mix all ingredients and add in any additional ones. Get crafty and crazy with your creations! Leave the sealed mason jar in the fridge overnight.

Tonight I made a double batch and replaced half the almond milk with pumpkin puree, added cinnamon and ginger, vanilla extract, agave, and topped my creation with almond butter and pumpkin seeds.