We live in a fast paced society (I'm sure you hear this all the time). It seems like everyone is always so busy, but there is a difference between business and stress! Operating at a high level of stress can create all sorts of health complications, but it may also influence your eating behaviours. Associations between stress and eating behaviours: When you are stressed there is a greater chance you will search for high fat and high sugar foods. Ultimately people tend to make less healthy food choices when they are feeling stressed. Studies have found associations between cortisol levels and eating habits. Cortisol is a steroid hormone involved in the flight or fight response (aka stress in

After a busy weekend and an early start to my Monday, I needed a little energy boost. These energy bites are perfect for that afternoon 'slump,' and if you are anything like me they will also satisfy that afternoon sweet tooth. Give this recipe a try and get energized! These nutritious little bites are the perfect fibre filled snack. Makes 10-12 energy bites (more or less depending on your rolling technique). Ingredients: 8-10 Medjool dates, pitted 1/2 cup rolled oats 1/4 cup shredded coconut 2 heaping tbsps. almond butter 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (optional) Directions: Blend everything together in food processor. You may need to separate the dates if any clumping happens. The mixture wi

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE ice cream. It is by far my favourite sweet treat, especially in the summer. There is something so nostalgic about enjoying an ice cream cone or popsicle on a warm summer night. Lately I have been experimenting with making my own popsicles to help satisfy my sweet tooth in a healthier way. Tonight is officially the first day of summer (in Canada), so I am sharing a homemade 'creamsicle' recipe with all of you! What you need: Popsicle molds, you can find these at grocery stores or dollar stores. I found some BPA free ones at my local dollarama. Ingredients: 2 cups coconut milk 1 cup frozen mango 1.5 cups frozen pineapple 1/3 cup shredded coconut 1.5 tbsp. honey

This past weekend Sarah (from Mount Wolfe Forest Farm) and I hosted our first farm to table workshop, which focused on raw foods. In this workshop we taught our attendees to make simple meals that were raw, fresh, and perfect for summer. Today I am sharing with you the raw marinara sauce recipe, created by Sarah. It is super easy to make, involves no cook time, and is packed with flavour. Enjoy this delicious raw sauce over zucchini noodles or regular noodles, or perhaps a combination of the two! Ingredients: ½ cup dried tomatoes ¼ cup olive oil 1 bell pepper, chopped 4 cloves garlic, peeled 2 tbsp. dried basil 1 tbsp. dried rosemary Pepper to taste ¼ tsp. salt 2 tsp. maple syrup 1 ½ cups ca

Have you heard that Canadian children are consuming 5 times more sugar than they should be? Click here to read The Globe and Mail article. The author starts the article by describing how he gave his child a can of coke and 2 sugar cubes for breakfast without knowing it (providing them with sugary cereals, orange juice etc. not actually a can of coke, but the same amount of sugar). I work with many parents of young children who express the difficulties in finding snacks that aren't sugary, child friendly, and acceptable for schools (and I must agree, it can be very challenging). According to data from the Canadian Health Community Survey, Canadian children (on average) are consuming 33 grams

Recently I went out west to Victoria BC for the International Society of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity Conference, where I had the opportunity to present in a workshop. I also got to learn a lot about incredible international research studies and explore BC for the first time. What I loved about Victoria, BC: 1. The food - there were so many incredible restaurants (see below for some recommendations). 2. The views/scenery - harbour front, trees, mountains, it was stunning. 3. Hike Victoria - I went on the most amazing 6.5 km guided hike with Mark from Hike Victoria (see more below). 4. Getting to walk a lot - of course I didn't have a car, so I walked everywhere. This was a lo

Ever since I got my starfrit spiralizer I have become obsessed with spiralizing vegetables. So far, I have created spiral 'noodles' using peppers, cucumber, carrots, and most recently sweet potato. I decided to test out a sweet potato noodle side dish using some of my favourite Asian cuisine flavours (and I absolutely loved it). Give this quick recipe a try, I promise you won't be disappointed. Side note: many grocery stores now sell pre- spiralized veggies (I have seen beets, sweet potato, and zucchini at my local grocery store). Ingredients: 2 small sweet potatoes 2 tbsp. sesame oil 1 small onion, minced 2 tsp. ginger, minced (or paste) 1 1/2 cups cooked edamame beans 1 tsp. chili pepper f

Getting children in the kitchen is a great way to promote healthy eating, get your child interested in trying new foods, and a great opportunity to teach them the role different foods have on their bodies and growth. Although getting children involved in the kitchen sounds time consuming (and messy), it can also be lots of fun. Getting your child involved in cooking can teach them that the kitchen is a place where nutritious meals are created and families spend time together. It can be a great opportunity for you to bond with your children and spend quality time together as a family. There are many different ways you can involve your child in meal prep and cooking that will actually help you