Just remember to get agar agar powder, not flakes. Only the powder will work in this case.
In this recipe, I’ve also added in rhubarb from our garden to give it a sweet tangy flavour, but you can always leave out the rhubarb and just use a mix of berries. My favourite part of this recipe is that it’s low in carbs and gluten-free. So give it a try and comment below to let me know what you think!
So in this blog post series, which is focused on healthy living New Year’s resolutions, I’ll not only be sharing tips on how to be healthier, I’ll be giving you examples of SMART goals that you can easily take and adapt to suit your needs.
The first topic of our series is what healthy foods to eat. In a lot of my posts, I have written about the benefits of eating organic and sustainably raised / grown food (e.g. grass-fed, pasture-raised), and I’ve shared many healthy recipes, including those that are low in sugar and carbs in general. So here are some sample SMART goals related to these topics and other healthy eating tips:
Do you have other healthy eating SMART goals? Share them with us!
Check out our other posts from our Healthy Resolutions Project:
]]>Without proper ventilation, these pollutants are trapped inside our homes and can become elevated. Nitrogen dioxide is of particular concern and its concentration tends to be higher than the others after cooking activities, and it can make you more sensitive to things you’re already allergic to, such as pet dander. Regular exposure to NO2 can also lead to wheezing, asthma, and other respiratory problems.
So what should you do to reduce your exposure to these pollutants while cooking? One of the most effective things you can do is install a range hood. Make sure range hood is vented to the outside, and use the range hood each and every time you cook. And if you use a gas stove, make sure you turn on the range hood as soon as you turn on the stove, as toxic carbon monoxide is emitted right away when you turn the knob.
Also keep in mind that the range hood should be large enough to cover the entire cooktop, and low enough to be able to capture the pollutants.
For more information about the importance of using a range hood and how to select a range hood, check out these links:
]]>I love vegan cheese. But unfortunately, it often comes wrapped in a lot plastic like regular cheese, and it’s not exactly very affordable. This recipe creates a firm vegan cheddar cheese that is sliceable, grateable, and smashable on crackers.
I love vegan cheese. But unfortunately, it often comes wrapped in a lot plastic like regular cheese, and it’s not exactly very affordable.
This recipe, which was adapted from www.lovingitvegan.com, creates a firm vegan cheddar cheese that is sliceable, grateable, and smashable on crackers. If it’s not quite hard enough to be grated on the first day, leave it in the fridge for another day and it will harden over time.
It also freezes well, so you can save it later if you can’t finish it all right away. In the fridge, it can sit for up to a week.
The base is cashews and the key ingredient that solidifies the cheese is agar agar, which is a gelling agent that comes from a Southeast Asian seaweed. Agar agar has no calories, carbs, sugar, or fat and is loaded with fiber. It’s free from starch, soy, corn, gluten, yeast, wheat, milk, egg and preservatives.
Just remember to get agar agar powder, not flakes. Only the powder will work in this case.
The other important thing is that the agar agar needs to be dissolved in a liquid like water and then boiled. It will set the other ingredients it is added to as it cools. Once mixed in with the other ingredients though, you will have work FAST before it starts to set.
Here is a list of just some of its health benefits:
When buying apple cider vinegar, it is best to choose an organic, raw, and unfiltered one that looks murky and has a web-like appearance and the ‘mother’ still intact to get the most nutritional value. However, it’s also really easy to make your own using apple cores and peels, or whole apples! In fact, it’s easy as apple pie!
Here are the ingredients and supplies that you need to make apple cider vinegar:
Now that you all the supplies, follow the easy steps below and you’ll have fresh apple cider vinegar in no time! Well okay, you do have to wait a few weeks, but I promise it’s worth it!
Instructions:
Why this chocolate pudding is so good for you:
Raw cacao is one of the world’s most potent sources of antioxidants and minerals, and avocado is loaded with healthy fats and fiber to fill you up.
Did you know:
Both cacao and cocoa are made from cacao beans. However, cacao is made by cold-processing unroasted cacao beans, while cocoa is made from roasted cacao beans. By not subjecting the cacao beans to high temperatures, it retains more nutrients.
Ingredients:
(use organic ingredients where possible)
Directions:
Now, you might think that will mean your food bill will be way too much for you to afford. But there are ways to minimize your costs. You can order your veggies and meats from a farm, either as part of a regular Community Supported Agriculture subscription or as a one-off purchase.
British Columbia has many organic farms that offer direct sales. My favourites include:
Also, for your healthy holiday meals, before you decide where to source your food, take a look at the Environmental Working Group’s Meat Eater’s Guide. It looks at the greenhouse gas emissions of 20 common foods, providing some enlightening information about how our food choices contribute to climate change. It’s a great reminder that we should be consuming less meat on a daily basis.
Now let’s talk about the types of dishes we can make for our healthy holiday meals. Traditionally, holiday meals can be very heavy on carbohydrates with dishes such as mash potatoes, pasta, all sorts of treats such as pies, cakes, and other baked goods. While I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have any of these foods, it is important to remember that all of these dishes and treats will add up to a lot of carbs and raise blood sugar levels. So it’s best to remain conscious of what you’re making and eating. The good news is that many of these traditional dishes and treats can be made with reduced carbs (including sugar). You can find many of my favourite go-to recipes here.
Lastly, when you’re having a holiday meal, you can reduce your eco-footprint by reducing the amount of single-use items (e.g. styrofoam containers, straws, plastic cutlery, etc.) used you in your meal. Opt for reusable plates, cutlery, glasses, etc. instead. You can also have cloth napkins instead of paper towel or tissue paper since even though these items can be composted, they still take resources and energy to make and compost.
]]>To kick it up a notch, today I’ll share a salad recipe that’s more exotic and unique – a Burmese Shan Tofu Salad! Despite it’s name, it’s actually soy-free, and oh so yummy. Savoury and slightly sweet at the same. So let’s get started!
And if you don’t need an immunity-boost, you can make regular popsicles by using just the smoothie mix ingredients listed below and add an additional 1/4 cup of coconut milk or almond milk to the blend.
Herbal Infusion:
Smoothie Mix:
You can let the mixture cool in a glass pyrex dish as you would with jello, but I prefer silicone molds. The gummies are easier to pop out and you can get some fun shapes!
The recipe below makes about 20 regular size gummy bears.
As you can see in the photo to the right, you can also make regular fruit gummies simply by substituting the lemons for other types of fruit (in this case, I have used strawberries).
So here is my easy frittata recipe. I have listed some of my favourite vegetables and toppings to add in, but feel free to try other things!
Servings: 4
]]>
Unfortunately, barbecues (particularly larger gatherings) often produce a lot of pollution and waste. This includes air pollution from burning fuel to heat the grill and solid waste such as disposable plates, napkins, cups, and cutlery that are thrown away once the party is over. So if you are serious about having a healthier and greener home, don’t forget to follow these steps to have a more eco- and health-conscious barbecue.
Let’s start with your grill first. Conventional charcoal grills are widely loved because of the flavour they add to food. However, burning charcoal releases harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter into the air around the grill, and prolonged exposure to these pollutants can have a negative impact on your health. Charcoal also emits ground-level ozone, the main contributor to smog, which is often a health and visibility problem in the summer months. So it’s best to find an alternative to a conventional charcoal grill, and here are your options:
If you aren’t ready to switch grills, then at least choose lump charcoal over charcoal briquettes, as it usually contains no additives and creates less ash. Look for brands of lump charcoal made from sustainably harvested wood or lumber mill waste. Also, ditch the lighter fluid, which contains nasty chemicals, and use a charcoal chimney instead to light up your charcoal. Don’t forget to also reuse the charcoal! Just make sure it is dry, and sandwich the used charcoal in between some fresh charcoal next time around.
Now let’s take a look at what we’re going to cook on the grill. You can reduce the environmental footprint of your barbecue by opting for chicken, seafood, or vegetarian options instead of beef. If you can, choose pasture-raised chicken, sustainably harvested seafood, and organic vegetables. If you absolutely need beef, then choose grass-fed beef. Just remember that grass-fed beef is leaner, so it can burn more easily than grain-fed alternatives. Sear the beef first over more direct heat, and then finish cooking the beef by grilling it at a lower temperature (i.e., moving it farther away from the flame).
Serving larger portions of veggies as part of your meal will also reduce your eco-footprint. If you’re looking for some delicious vegetarian/vegan/paleo burger alternatives, check out these recipes.
Once your delicious meal is ready to be served, you’ll want to have your guests enjoy it using reusable plates, cutlery, and napkins. If you don’t have enough dishware for all of your guests, then opt for biodegradable, recycled or unbleached picnicware. And instead of single-serve beverage containers, choose bulk-size beverage containers (or better yet, make your own refreshing lemonade or sangria!) and reusable cups.
Once everyone is full and you’re ready to clean up, be sure to compost food scraps and other organics such as dirty paper napkins or towels. If you only have a backyard compost available, then only compost uncooked veggie scraps to avoid attracting animals to your compost bin with the smell of meat and cooked foods. Also remember to recycle any recyclable materials. Then pack up any leftovers in tupperware (preferrably stainless steel or glass) so that you and/or your guests can have some yummy leftovers tomorrow!
]]>Other optional ingredients:
For a smoothie that gives an extra immunity-boost, try my herbal smoothie recipe.
Servings: 2
Blend all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth and enjoy!
If you want to learn more about how to make a healthy smoothie that tastes great, you can also check out this cheat sheet developed by Easy Healthy Smoothie.
]]>
Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth, and enjoy!
]]>
In my last foodie post, I shared why store-bought oyster sauce is not so healthy for us (hint: a large part has to do with the MSG or monosodium glutamate that is typically found in it). I also shared my vegan MSG-free, soy-free oyster sauce recipe, which I make more often than my traditional oyster sauce. The main reason is that I am more likely to have shitake mushrooms on hand than oysters. I also prefer to make plant-based dishes whenever possible.
That said, the taste is still not quite the same as traditional oyster sauce. So today I am going to share my traditional MSG-free and soy-free oyster sauce recipe with you. Try it out and let me know what you think!
In many Asian dishes, you’ll find oyster sauce is used to enhance the flavour of the dishes. But store-bought oyster sauce typically has MSG (or monosodium glutamate), which excites and increases the sensitivity of our taste buds so that we think the food we are eating is heartier, more robust and tastier than it really is. But MSG doesn’t just excite our taste buds. According to neurosurgeon, Dr. Russell Blaylock, it is an excitotoxin, as it overexcites our cells to the point of damage or death, causing brain damage to varying degrees. Many people have headaches, nausea, rapid heartbeat and other symptoms when they have been exposed to MSG. Even if you don’t exhibit short-term symptoms, long-term damage maybe being done. Blaylock believes that in the long term, MSG can lead to learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease and more.
How does this happen exactly? MSG is made up of 78% free glutamic acid, 21% sodium, and 1% contaminants. Glutamic acid is used in various parts of our body, including our brain, heart, pancreas, and eyes, as neurotransmitters to initiate certain processes. MSG is thought to interfere with the proper functioning of the glutamate receptors, leading to neurological damage.
Unfortunately, MSG is not just found in Chinese food, it’s in many processed foods such as canned soups, frozen meals, dried soup mixes, bullion cubes, prepared gravy and salad dressings. It’s also found in many fast-food restaurants. Worse, you may not find MSG or monosodium glutamate labeled in the ingredient list. It can be disguised as “vegetable protein”, “natural flavouring”, “yeast extract”, “spices”, or other ingredients.
This brings me back to why I make my own oyster sauce. Being Chinese, I often make Chinese and other Asian dishes at home. It’s what I grew up with, and Asian dishes are typically quite healthy. So today, I am going to share my MSG-free, soy-free, vegan oyster sauce recipe first. For my traditional oyster sauce recipe, stay tuned for my next post!
If you are interested in eating healthy and consume meat, dairy, and/or eggs, the chances are you have encountered marketing labels such as organic, grass-fed, cage-free, natural, etc. So what do those terms really mean, and which one really is best in terms of their impact on our health, the health of the environment, and the health of the animals we are consuming? And how do they really compare to animals raised conventionally?
Here is a quick and easy guide that will help answer that question:
It is possible that the grass and hay could be sprayed with pesticides and that the animals could be given antibiotics or hormones. However, as the animals are able to graze in their natural habitat and have access to open space, they live in much more sanitary conditions and their immune systems are less stressed, and they don’t require artificial assistance. Plus, their natural grazing behaviour helps suppress weeds and support a natural ecosystem, and the solid waste they produce is a natural fertilizer. Consequently, antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, and artificial fertilizers are rarely needed.
So given this, the best choices are:
Now if you’re convinced that you should be purchasing more organic, grass-fed or pastured meat, dairy, and eggs and but are concerned about the cost of these items, make sure you read my article about how to get organic foods on a budget!
]]>
The answer depends on where you live and the condition of your building. For this article, I’m going to focus on the Metro Vancouver region. For other regions, I recommend doing some research to figure out how your tap water is treated and finding the water quality report for your area. Visit this guide to learn how to read a water quality report.
Generally, in the Metro Vancouver region, the quality of our tap water is high. Metro Vancouver, the governing body that looks after water quality, ensures that our watershed is protected and tests our tap water on a regular basis to make sure it is safe and clean. As a result, if you were to check out a water quality report for Metro Vancouver, you would find that the levels of impurities in our water are generally quite low.
Therefore, unless you live in an older building (i.e., older than 1989) that could potentially have lead pipes, or fixtures or solder with lead, the only concern that I generally have is chlorine in the water. Chlorine is added to disinfect the water before it reaches the tap. While chlorine is very effective in reducing waterborne diseases, it also does not distinguish between bad bacteria from good bacteria. This means it could be detrimental to the good bacteria in our bodies.
Luckily, chlorine is a gas so it does leave water relatively quickly. That means one way to remove the chlorine from your water is to simply fill a glass jug with water and let it sit in the fridge overnight to get rid of most of the chlorine. However, if you’re like my family and go through a lot of water each day, or if you do live in an older building, then you could consider getting a water filter.
The water filter our family uses simply consists of a few pieces of activated charcoal, which is effective in removing chlorine and heavy metals like lead, mercury, and copper, and adds alkalizing minerals like calcium and magnesium. Activated charcoal is also what’s used in most pitcher filters. The advantage to using whole pieces of activated charcoal, however, is that you can compost the pieces once they are no longer effective (which is usually in about 3 to 4 months), so you can minimize the waste you are producing. Whole pieces of activated charcoal are sold by an increasing number of vendors in Metro Vancouver, including The Soap Dispensary and Kitchen Staples.
If you are interested in alkalizing your water, another cheap and effective option is to simply add lemon to your water. Lemons are alkalizing as they contain high levels of alkaline minerals.
For more information about Metro Vancouver’s water treatment process, visit their website.
And for more information about water filtration devices, visit the Environmental Working Group’s Water Filter Buying Guide.
]]>This is a wonderful summer salad. I put this recipe together this week using arugula and cherry tomatoes from our garden and it was so refreshing. Even though our arugula was on the more mature side, the peppery taste was a great addition to the salad. Those who want to avoid the peppery taste should opt for baby arugula instead. Enjoy!
Servings: 6 as main dishes, 8 as side dishes
This recipe is a great and simple way to make a kale dish or any vegetarian dish more exciting. The original recipe is from Feed Life, and I’ve made a few small changes to the recipe to make it soy-free.
Servings: 12 scones
But not all butter is equal. When butter is made with milk from a grass-fed cow, the butter contains much more of these important nutrients. For example, compared to butter from grain-fed cows, grass-fed butter has five times more CLA and much higher concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin K2.
Grass-fed butter can be expensive to purchase, but if you have a good blender or standing mixer, it can be made quite inexpensive and easy to make yourself. Our family has invested in a Vitamix, which we use all the time for all sorts of recipes, and it is perfect for making butter!
I’ve written about how to make yogurt and milk kefir before, both of which are excellent fermented foods to incorporate into your diet. Now I’ll show you an easy way to make homemade sauerkraut, which has shown to contain even more bacteria than over-the-counter probiotics!
The recipe below is adapted from the kitchn.
]]>
Milk kefir is tangy and creamy, and has an even greater diversity of good bacteria than yogurt. My son loves to drink it just as is, and we also use it in smoothies and in our cereal.
What’s more, the kefir grains (which are actually tiny cell structures that house the bacteria and yeast that ferment the kefir) that are used to make milk kefir can be reused over and over again, as long as they stay healthy. They will also multiply over time so you can share them friends and family!
Check out this recipe, which has been adapted from the kitchn.
Note: Avoid using metal equipment during and after brewing, especially if there is prolonged contact with the keifr. This can impact the flavour of the kefir and weaken the grains over time.