Cacao; Friend or Foe?

February 19, 2015 by Barbara Dolan 1 Comment

I had planned to write this article earlier in the week about the difference between cacao and cocoa but after doing a little research to ensure that I did indeed have my facts straight, I came across a few articles that made me stop and think.

These articles were quite clear in their proclamation that cacao, raw or not, is toxic to our body; that we are being misled about it’s health benefits.

I felt uncomfortable reading this information. I have always believed that raw cacao is extremely beneficial to our body. I was not sure if I could talk about cacao and it’s ‘dangers’.Continue Reading

5 Great Ways to Turn Your Salad into a Delicious Meal

February 12, 2015 by Barbara Dolan 2 Comments

I love to eat salad. I really do.

When I make a basic salad, I think about including different types of vegetables; root vegetables (carrots, onions), round vegetables(broccoli, cauliflower) and leafy vegetables(lettuce, parlsey). I also consider different colours of the rainbow. Having a variety of types and colours of vegetables ensures that I will ingest a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Many people tell me that eating a salad is just not enough for them. It doesn’t fill them up. I think that it would help by making the salad the main thing, rather than the ‘side’, if you know what I mean. Get a large dinner plate and pile it high with your favourite things.

I am also told that in the winter time (which is now in my part of the world) they don’t ‘feel’ like having salad. I have a suggestion for that.Continue Reading

My First Time Using Fresh Turmeric

January 21, 2015 by Barbara Dolan 2 Comments

Yesterday was Produce Day at my house. What a great day it was. I love it when my fridge is full of beautiful organic produce.

I ordered fresh turmeric root for the first time. The picture above is what it looks like. It looks very similar to ginger but has a bright orange flesh inside. The taste is difficult to describe. It is not spicy like ginger but it has quite a strong flavour. But not as strong as dried turmeric and not as bitter. I like it and I encourage you to try it.

Turmeric is most known for its’ anti-inflammatory properties. It is so powerful that it matches and often surpasses the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory drugs….without side-effects.

Some other benefits of turmeric are:Continue Reading

Homemade Vegan Cheese; Who Knew?!

January 8, 2015 by Barbara Dolan Leave a Comment

This post has affiliate links.

Remember we talked about the importance of healthy gut flora and how to improve your digestion a while ago?

I gave you several tips on how to do this and encouraged you to be diligent about caring for your digestive system.

Well, my good friend, Steph Jackson, shared some wonderful recipes with me on how to make your own vegan cheese. It is more of a cream cheese, but cheese none-the-less.Continue Reading

Tasty Eastern Dippers

December 3, 2014 by Barbara Dolan 2 Comments

We had guests for dinner on Saturday and I wanted to try something different for an appetizer but not too different. I tend to try out recipes, that I have not made before, at a dinner party. Do you do that too? It must be a faux pas but I figure this way you are under a little pressure to do it right and usually it works out quite well.

I was thinking along the lines of a falafel but I wanted to keep it raw. Our guests are not raw foodies or even vegans but they do enjoy plant-based foods and I knew that they would be open to something new.

I do not like raw chickpeas, so I thought that I would use soaked sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. These are super easy on the digestion. I basically took a general falafel recipe and switched it up a little. This is something that you could bring to an upcoming cocktail party.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

November 11, 2014 by Barbara Dolan 6 Comments

Yesterday was a cold and gloomy day here and I really wanted something yummy and filling for my lunch. I decided on something with broccoli.

Broccoli is a wonderful vegetable that has many benefits. Here are a few for you to know:

Cancer Prevention– Broccoli contains indole-3-carbinol, a powerful antioxidant compound and anti-carcinogen found to stop the growth of breast, cervical and prostate cancer, and also boosts liver function. Other cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, brussel sprouts and cabbage contain indole-3-carbinol as well.
Alkalizes your body- Broccoli, being a vegetable, works to keep your body alkaline. This is great because diseases tend to avoid alkaline situations and go for acidic environments.
Good for your bones- Broccoli is high in calcium and Vitamin C which are important for good bone health.
Anti-inflammatory- Broccoli contains anti-inflammatory phyto nutrients.

Glory Drops

November 6, 2014 by Barbara Dolan 2 Comments

When I was a teenager, I loved to bake muffins. I even bought a book that was exclusively muffin recipes. One of my favourite recipes was Morning Glory Muffins.

Today, I would like to share my raw vegan version of this muffin with you. This is a tasty snack for any time and is easy to share with others.

Remember to use organic ingredients whenever possible.

Your Biggest Source of Stress May Not Be What You Think

October 15, 2014 by Barbara Dolan Leave a Comment

For most people, stress is real in their lives. People struggle with Physical stress, Emotional stress and more recently, Nutritional Stress.

What is Nutritional Stress?

Nutritional Stress is defined as stress in the body caused by eating foods with unhealthy properties. It is caused by eating processed foods, eating too many sugary treats, eating refined foods, eating hydrogenated oils and more.

Our health is compromised by eating processed foods on a regular basis. It is common these days for people to have many food sensitivities, as well as allergies. Studies have shown that there is a link between food sensitivies and allergies and the typical North American diet. The food sensitivies and allergies can give way to ‘cravings’ and so the unhealthy foods are difficult to eliminate.Continue Reading

A Day of Gratitude

October 9, 2014 by Barbara Dolan 5 Comments

In Canada, we will celebrate Thanksgiving Day this coming Monday. It is a time to give thanks for a good harvest and perhaps celebrate other good things that have happened this year.

Previously I regarded this day as a day to get together with family and enjoy a nice meal. Nothing more really.

Since my accident last year, I now take the idea of being thankful a bit more seriously. I actually have a Gratitude Journal that has regular entries. Writing down things that I am grateful for has been good therapy for me. I had a few months there were I was quite confused as to my purpose on this planet and what was really the point of being here?Continue Reading

Fabulous Benefits of Flax

August 21, 2014 by Barbara Dolan Leave a Comment

Flax is a plant native to the Mediterranean that has been used as a food item for over 5,000 years.

Flax was brought to North America with the early colonists and was first planted in the United States. In the 17th century, it was planted in Canada, which is currently the major producer of flax seeds.

Flax seeds are shaped like sesame seeds but are a bit bigger. The colours available are usually a dark brown but can also be this light amber colour that you see in the photo above. The flavour of flax seeds is warm and earthy, with a nutty edge. To make sure that you are able to get all of the benefits of the flax seed, eat it ground rather than whole.Continue Reading