Time for Change

Hello everyone!

Its been a while, I know, I took another long hiatus, but I am back. Im not sure how much time I'll have now since I just started back at school and have a lot of work ahead of me! Tuesdays I am going to have 9 hours of classes! AH! Anyway, I had such a laid back and easy summer, I had 2 months of absolutely nothing- no work, no school, just nothing. Not saying I didn't love it (because I did) but it also lead to no routine,which sometimes is nice. Like I've said before, I had lost almost 60 lbs a few years ago, and the lowest weight I had ever been was last summer. Since then, however, I have gained back 30 of those pounds, which has been really  hard for me. I am really unhappy with the way that I look and feel, and I just feel like if I don't do something now then it could get worse, and that is NOT something Im okay with! This week is still kind of still settling into what my routine is going to be with school and what not, but there are some huge changes ahead. First, of course as I said, schools back, so thats big, lots of work and what not (and I'm not too excited about it, but it has to be done) I have had friends move away, some out of country, some  just farther away, some just now back in school as well and everyones just getting busy as normal life resumes. In addition, my brother is moving to another city in 2 days, and thats going to be a huge adjustment. We had a huge going-away party last night, which was AMAZING, but what I've learned this summer, is that alcohol is NOT my friend in the weight department. Not only does alcohol itself have tons of calories, I tend to MAJORLY binge when I'm hungover, and it usually lasts more than one day, once I start eating bad, it lasts for days. I've found that this summer its happened so much, and my weight has just gotten out of control. Im so fed up with it and I figure with all these other changes going on in my life, its time for me to get myself back on track and just focus on ME right now. Im going to also be changing rooms (taking my brothers) so Im going to move my stuff in a few days, re-decorate, de-clutter, and have my own space. What I'm going to do starting tomorrow (because today with this major hangover has been binge-central) is I'm going to go back to the basics- which for me means following the wild-rose cleanse. I do this cleanse about 2-3 times per year, and I always have great results. This time though, Im not going to buy the kit and take the supplements, Im just going to follow the food guidelines. I just want to get myself off of all the diet/ artificial/unhealthy things that Ive found myself eating a lot of lately, and just treat my body well and feed myself nutritious healthy food. I also started eating some dairy again a few weeks ago (something that I hadn't done in YEARS as I had severe allergies) it didn't seem to make me feel sick at all, but it has really done nothing good for my skin! So thats another thing Im going to cut out again, which shouldn't be hard though as Ive went years without and was absolutely fine. Im actually looking forward to this as I know I can do it, I have made a commitment to myself to not drink any alcohol for at LEAST 2 weeks, ideally a month. I know that that is what throws off my diet every time, and I just am so curious to see how my results will be without that in the picture! (and trust me- after last night I don't even want to LOOK at alcohol!) I read somewhere that it takes 21 days to break a habit, and I would love to put that to the test- with food, with bingeing, with drinking, with smoking, I really know that it all needs to stop. I have found in the past that when I do the cleanse I manage to stop smoking for that time, but once I drink again I will smoke again, so Im just going to cut it all out- 21 days- Also incorporating exercise into my life again I think will be a good distraction- Im going to try and go for a walk whenever I would have usually smoked. A walk a day for 30 minutes is supposed to be just as effective as other exercise for weight loss, so Im going to do it! Im disappointed and depressed about how badly I've let myself go, but I'm really looking forward to the results Im going to have in one-two-three-four weeks time! I'll update with my weight loss/health/overall feeling as the weeks pass, and hopefully have some good tips to share! Perhaps some recipes as well if I get inspired :) 

Hope everyone else is doing well as summer is coming to an end, and that fall treats you all well! It really is one of my favourite times of the year.. :)

xx D

Cooking Investments

Wow, its half way through summer already!

Although here in Vancouver, its only seemed like summer for the past week or so! But Im glad its here! Finally able to get out and enjoy the weather, I've been walking, biking (so fun), and I even went for my first run in quite some time. Theres been a lot of new foods I've been eating, and products I've been using, all of which I'll try and get on the site at some point!
Today I wanted to start with some tools Ive been using lately that are just amazing. A-MAZE-ING I say!
The first is the Vitamix. I swear this is one amazing high-powered blender. Since getting it, for mothers day :), back in May, I can say that we use it every single day, usually numerous times. Especially for someone who has allergies, this has been a saviour! Not to mention clean eating, you can make practically anything you want from scratch, and its so fast and easy. Not saying that the unit itself is something your going to run out and buy, its quite an investment-costing about 500$. But again, its an investment that your going to have for YEARS. The warranty alone is I believe 7 years, and the company is great (yes I was silly and broke one of the tampers already, but they sent me a new one right away- free of charge!)

The possibilities of what can be made in this machine are practically endless! Being a wheat-free Vegan, my options seemed quite limited before I got creative with this machine! I have LOVED making frozen fruit ice-cream, hot soups, green smoothies, nut butters, vegan cheese, pasta sauces, you name it! It is so much more than a blender, thats for sure, and did I mention you can make soup (HOT soup) just from the friction in the blades? It is so powerful that it pulverizes anything! Okay I could go on about my lovely Vitamix for days, but honestly, if your big into cooking your own food such as I am, its a saviour.

The next item that I got a while back is called a Spiralizer, made by Paderno I believe. I googled where to buy them here and I found one at a store on Commercial Drive called Eternal Abundance. It was 45$. But 45$ WELL SPENT! Not being able to eat my old favourite (pasta) since my wheat allergies, I haven't had spaghetti or anything like it for years. But after coming across a vegan fettucine alfredo recipe on youtube using this machine, I went out and purchased the spiralizer that day! It comes with 3 attachments, one small noodle attachment, one medium, and one slicer. You can spiralize any veggie almost, I love to use zucchini for pasta, cucumber for greek salad, potatoes for curly fries, you get the idea! 

I'll post some of the foods Ive been making with these two things soon, so you can get an idea of the possibilities!

xx

D

Listen to...Yourself!

TGIF!

Hope everyones having a great Friday!
This last week, I have to say I've been feeling really good, Ive been doing great with the new WW plan, and Ive also been eating tons and tons of vegetables and fruits. Since I started drinking green smoothies daily (well most of the time its more than once a day- I can't help it, they're so good!), Ive just been eating more fruit and veggies in general. Now don't get me wrong, I've always been a huge fruit/veggie eater, but lately I've taken it to the next level and almost based my entire diet off of these foods. Green smoothies, salads, fruit, thats the majority of my food this week, but when I wake up and I feel GOOD for once, its an amazing feeling. I don't feel so weighed down by all the crap I was putting in my body, I feel like I'm on my way to just being a lighter person. I haven't weighed myself (yet) Im trying to not do that during the week and keep it just to weekly WW weigh-ins, but I've woken up a few days just going wow, my stomach is getting smaller! So Im going off of the way I feel, and I think that goes for a lot of things. Ive been reading lots of books, watching lots of videos, and theres a ton of great information out there for eating healthy, vegan, vegetarian, whatever you are doing, but theres also a lot of conflicting information. What I've kind of realized is that as the saying goes, "different strokes for different folks" haha I know it sounds lame, but its true. Everybody's body works in slightly different ways, and you will come to realize just what works for you, and what doesn't. Ive been watching this guy on youtube called Dan McDonald, I think his video's go by the name life regenerator, and he's kind of a hippie but he's great! Of course, you take all information to the degree that your willing to go, but I think he has some great ideas, and he's entertaining to watch! I've almost eaten 100% vegan this week, minus the eggwhites, which, Im almost thinking of trying a week without just to see. And like I said earlier, Im feeling really good right now with the way I am starting to look, feel, etc. There is a lot of toxicity in my body that its trying to get out, and I think this last week Ive been feeling a bit sluggish but my energy is starting to get back up which is exciting because I've been tired and lethargic for MONTHS...
Anyways, I have lots of new recipes I've been trying, lots of new products (mostly vegan) that I'd love to share on here with you guys, including a new type of soy cheese, non-dairy cream cheese(yum) and a few other things I've been eating a lot of. But even with these new products Im trying, it really takes up a small chunk of what Im eating, its really like 90% veggies and fruit, and the other 10% for more heavy foods like almond milk, grains, seeds, avocado, etc.. Im excited and sure of myself that this weekend will not be like any previous weekends.. there will be no binge. There isn't a desire for me to eat that crap. I just feel too good eating the GOOD food. Im super excited to see what my weight loss results will be on Monday as well, like I said I haven't checked how I'm doing, but I'm FEELING good, feeling like I've lost some weight, and I'm just feeling lighter and less weighed down. I think the more I keep this up, the better its going to get!
Anyways, just a little update, as per usual ;)
Hope you have a great weekend and if I can I'll post a few new things in here in the next few days!

xx
D

Vegan Lasagna!

Happy Monday Everyone!

I hope you all had a great weekend!

A few of you asked I put up the recipe for this, so here it is!

So you guys are going to love this,  not only is it vegan but its also gluten-free and noodle-less! I have never in my life made a lasagna before, and for my first attempt, it was AMAZING. Even my brother liked it and didn't even know the difference! Its savoury and healthy and only 2 WW points per piece! SCORE!

So just to forewarn you it does take a bit of prep/cook time, but so worth it. 

Here is what you are going to need:

"Noodles"

-2 large eggplants

-4-5 zuccini's (preferably large size)

Filling

(while you can add any veggies that you like, this is what I used in mine. You could definitely add some spinach, artichoke (yum), corn, or anything else!)

-1 red pepper

-5 large celery stalks

-About 10-15 mushrooms

-Brocoli

-Onion

-Eggplant

-Zuccini

-Garlic

Other Ingredients:

-1 pack lite tofu (silken) (the kind I get is 4 points for the whole pack)

-2 cups pasta sauce (classico basil is my go-to, as its lowest in points, 1 point per 1/2 cup)

-2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast (this is optional, but adds more of a cheesy-flavor, and some more protein, and 1 point per tbsp)

-1/2 cup Daiya shredded vegan cheese (4 points/half cup)

-7 slices of "canadian slices" soy cheese (1 point per slice)

So the first thing you will want to do is slice your "noodles". Preheat your oven to "roast" at around 450 degrees.( now the temperatures always vary per oven so its best to just keep checking on them throughout) With the eggplant, I preferred slicing it in rounds, and for the zucchini I sliced them in length-wise strips. Try and make them fairly thin, but not too thin that they will decintegrate when you roast them. First you will roast them slightly, so that they are tender and more flavourful! I put them on the roast setting on the oven at 450 and just kept my eye on them (about 10-15 minutes) I put them on cooking paper, sprayed them with cooking oil spray, and sprinkled with some greek seasoning, and garlic plus. (both clubhouse seasonings)

While these are roasting, I stir fried the filling ingredients. I chopped them all up fairly small, used a bit of cooking oil spray, and stir fried them until they where tender, but not overly cooked. 

Once these are done, in a large mixing bowl, place your stir fried veggies, along with the pack of tofu, 1.5 cups of pasta sauce, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast, and 1/4 cup daiya shredded soy cheese. I added some fresh cilantro and parsley, and some more clubhouse seasonings.

Once the "noodles" are ready, you first put about 1/2 cup of pasta sauce on the bottom of your baking dish that you are going to be using. Then, start to place down you noodles. Make sure the bottom is covered, overlapping the strips of eggplant and zucchini. Next, you are ready to put your first layer of filling in. Use about half the filling mix for this layer, as you will be needing the rest for your second layer. Evenly distribute the filling, and begin to place down your second layer of "noodles", again placing the remaining filling on top. With any leftover "noodles" I placed them on top.

The last step is to place your soy cheese on top. But first I put another about 1/2 cup pasta sauce on top. I placed my soy cheese slices over the pasta sauce, and where there where any gaps, i used the remaining 1/4 cup of shredded soy cheese to cover it up. I also sprinkled another 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast on top to add more of that cheesy flavour!

I turned the oven to Bake setting, at about 425, and it was in for about 30-35 minutes. I again would keep checking on it, as oven temperatures and times vary!

Using a standard size baking dish for lasagna, this made 12 pieces. Each piece is only 2 points!!!

So healthy, vegan, gluten-free, and so low-cal!

I hope you guys like it and it turns out well! (sorry if it doesn't, this is my first time making lasagna ever, let alone vegan!) When I make it again, I will be sure to add any comments on what might be a better way of making it !

xx

D

Yet another...Update!

Hey Y'all!

So here it is, Im back on Weight Watchers again! I strayed from it for a while, when I was using "MyfitnessPal" to track my calories, but what I  had noticed on that, was that I actually hadn't lost any weight in the 4 or so months that I was using it, and in fact I gained weight. I can't quite say what it is why it didn't quite work for me, perhaps it was just that it was winter time, and I always tend to gain weight then..who knows. But the news it that I'm now back to attending Weight Watchers, and they have a new program called Points Plus 2012. Its been great so far, very easy to follow and allows for lots of flexibility! I'll add some more updates once I get myself a bit more familiar with the plan, and we'll see how I do at my weigh in on Monday (to see how well its working!) 

Ive got lots of new things Ive been eating, new recipes, etc, and Im going to try post some things in the next week! (Before I start back at school, ugh, yes I know, summer classes.. boooo)

Okay so the first recipe Im going to post is coming up shortly because some people have asked for it and its SO delish! Its vegan/gluten free, noodle-less lasagna!!

xx 

D

Just a little update!

Hey All!

So today is officially the end of day 4, and so far honestly, its going amazing. Compared to times in the past where I have done this cleanse, I had felt deprived and definitely had cravings, yet this time, NONE! I do not feel deprived at all, I am satisfied after meals and don't even think about snacking, and honestly I think its because this time Im actually eating the filling foods that I wouldn't have allowed myself before (healthy fats such as avocados, olive oils, oatmeal, chia seeds, hemp hearts, almonds, etc) It seems odd but these things are things that I considered completely OFF LIMITS before! Ive just not been able to stop telling people how amazed I am with myself for all of this because it honestly goes against everything Ive ever believed in (diet wise) and contrary to what Ive always been taught to lose weight. Fat used to be the enemy, and now its something that keeps me satisfied, something that my body actually needs to function correctly, and is not something that keeps you from losing weight, its actually the opposite. Fat is not what makes you fat, SUGAR is what makes you fat!! And I know its only been 4 days but my hair is feeling so soft and my skin tone is improving. And like I said, the most major thing is that Im satisfied (with smaller portions) and not snacking at all. I have no desire!

One other thing I thought I'd mention is how amazing it is to see how eating the proper foods, as I like to say "foods from the earth" only, how you don't need to TRY and get all your servings of this and that or your vitamins etc, you just do. And another thing (that may have contributed to what I post below, is that the sodium intake amount per day has decreased SO DRASTICALLY its incredible, Its hard to believe how much is in everything you eat on a daily basis, and how now Im hardly even coming close to the daily suggested %. Also, your need for certain vitamins (vitamin C, A, etc) Ive found Im already getting so much of this (more than my daily %) just from eating the right foods. So that cuts out the need to take these supplements, which I found out today, the orange flavoured chewables that I used to eat, have aspartame in them (along with a list of other chemicals/bad things). Needless to say they got tossed out!

I could go on and on about this, and probably will in the next few days, as even more changes occur (all of them are amazing and great so far and Im just thrilled!!) I wanted to share the most EXCITING news of all of this! I weighed myself this morning, so that would have been after 3 full days on the cleanse, and I have lost.... wait for it... 8.5 LBS!!!!! In 3 DAYS!!!!! Im so excited, because I had told my mom that my goal for the 12 day cleanse was to lose 10 lbs, and my mom said " dana dana dana you have to be realistic" and after weighing myself and seeing what a drastic loss it has been already Im just super excited to see how much I'll lose by the end of it, and then of course I'm going to carry on the eating of the cleanse afterwards so I hope to get to my ultimate goal weight which would be a total loss of 20 lbs, and its crazy to think Im already almost half there, in 3 days! AH! The power of all natural, clean, healthy foods! Amazing :)
I will go into more detail about what I've been eating, as its quite different from previous times, (some the same, but a lot different) perhaps tomorrow night I'll post some typical days meals, and also some recipes, and pictures :)
Thanks for listening to this, if you have any questions just comment :)

xox Health and HAPPINESS!!!

Dana

Day 1+2: Success

Hi Everyone!

Well after my last post which was mainly complaining about my current state, I have some fabulous news! Day 2 of the Wild Rose Cleanse has now come to an end, and Im honestly feeling SO much better about myself! I'll admit that Im feeling really quite tired (as you tend to on the first few days of the cleanse) but Im not sure if I can really blame this, as I did have a weekend long birthday fest with little sleep, a few too many drinks, and I've also developed a cold :P

I have to share the most amazing video I've seen in a while, its called Hungry for Change and their website is http://www.hungryforchange.tv/online-premiere . It was funny that the day that I had purchased the cleanse, and was about to start it the next day, that I watched this video that same evening. I stayed up so late that night I just couldn't turn it off! This movie is an amazing motivational video of all the things that you already know, or perhaps some that you don't, that we all tend to not pay attention to- but we really should. So watching this as I began my cleanse really added an extra bit of motivation for this new way of eating, and man is it better than all the crap I was eating before.

I think I liked to believe that I ate healthy, but when I think back now, I had so many unhealthy habits that I really just didn't even realize. First of all, I didn't eat any fat. Seriously. When I would go back and review the day of what I've eaten, usually it would be about 1-2 grams a DAY. Recommended on a 1200 calorie a day diet *this is to LOSE weight* the fat is set to 40 grams a day. So considering I wasn't having any, (and as a dieter this is what you are programmed to believe is the best thing to do) it was surprising that I wasn't really losing any weight, and also how come I was binge-eating so severely on such a frequent basis. I just didn't get it. I was eating so much in volume, yet never felt satisfied or full, so I'd just keep eating. And as we all know, this leads to weight gain..

I feel like Im jumping the gun in having this revelation on day 2 of the cleanse/healthy lifestyle change, but honestly this video along with just being fed up with my current state has really got me just so ready to make this change. Again, WATCH THE VIDEO! you can watch it for free online for I believe 3 more days. (Also, if you are interested in this type of thing, a great book I've read many times that is the same kind of idea, is called Skinny Bitch)

Now I got a bit off topic but I was going to explain the whole "fat" thing. So previously I was eating none, and when I did eat some, it was the BAD fats that I would consume out of binge-eating. I would avoid real oils (healthy oils) such as olive oils, flax seed, etc, as they had "too many calories and fat". I also would avoid healthy fats found in foods such as avocados, nuts, and seeds. Again, due to the fact that they had "too high fat and calories", and why would i "spend my calories on that". So what I've done since I've started the cleanse, is to COMPLETELY CHANGE the way I eat. And what I can tell you 2 days in, is that I'm already proven my old theories to be Wrong!!

Ive had an avocado on both days, Ive had REAL olive oil (not butter flavoured oil-like spray) and you know what, I've stayed EASILY within my 1200 calories, and the best part? I used to feel hungry all the time. And I can say, eating all these all natural foods, simply whole nutritious foods from the earth, nothing processed, that after a meal, Im not hungry. Im not even wanting to snack. I am completely satisfied until the next meal. It is filling me up the way that food should. Perhaps this is not a shock to a lot of you, but to me, this is a completely different way of viewing the way I eat food. These fats and oils are GOOD fats and oils and are actually essential for your body. It all kind of is making sense why I may have been having so many health problems in the last 6 months.. I suppose more time of this new lifestyle will truly test this theory. Was the food I was eating what was making me sick? I'll obviously keep you posted on the progress.
I know this entry is all over the place, but what I wanted to get across is that Ive never felt so strongly about eating right. and it makes SO much sense. Its hard to believe I ate all of the things I did with absolutely no care in the world that it could literally be killing me. I got out every single box of diet jello, sugar free gum, diet pop with aspartame, sugar free candies and mints, ANYTHING with an artificial sweetener, and they are now gone from my life. For good!
 If you want to kickstart your motivation or just a reminder on why you should eat healthy natural foods, again above I have added the link to watch the movie, Hungry for Change, and post any comments I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!
Ps. Ive been taking some pictures and what not of the meals I've been eating and snacks that are all cleanse friendly so hopefully I'll have the time to add some of them this week !

Health and Happiness!

Goodnight :)

Back at it

Hello everyone!
Im back after yet another hiatus, my apologies! I know people have been asking me to post more, but I've been quite busy with school and life in the past month, and will continue to be for the next month or so, but I want to try and update this more! I will definitely attempt to post regular recipes etc once school is done.
The reason I thought I'd post is that once again ( I believe this will be the 4th time) I am doing the Wild Rose Cleanse. If you look back to the beginning of my posts, thats actually what I first started writing about. The reason Im doing a cleanse, is because honestly there is no better time than tomorrow.
My eating has been absolutely horrible in the past month or so, and I've gained quite a bit of weight.
When I get into these bad eating cycles, its hard for me to stop. I have a history with binge eating, and its something I have struggled with for some time, and Im finally ready to tackle my issues and get started again on a healthy path.
I think the most upsetting thing is definitely the weight gain, since the beginning of September I've put something close to 20lbs on.. Its really embarrassing to admit it, but I guess thats the first step in change, is admitting your problems. I just feel not only unattractive and gross, but just so unhealthy. What I should do is listen to my own words of wisdom and re-read my own blog! ( That'll teach me for not posting regularly!)
Over the weekend I just celebrated my 25th Birthday (its hard to say that number, thats ONE thing I DONT want to accept :p) and I partied and indulged just a little bit.. okay a lot :) but I had a fabulous time. I think it was a real eye opener looking at my birthday pictures from this weekend, and realizing that this weight gain is NO JOKE! My weight has always fluctuated up and down 8 lbs over the last 4 or so months, but now its seemed to creep up and up and I've just let myself go.
As I said though, its kind of depressing dealing with looking at myself in the mirror right now. Not only have my terrible eating habits lately caught up with me, but there is going to be several things my body is going to be detoxing from.
First, and most obviously, is the food. Over eating, bingeing, and eating unhealthy foods has got to go. That in itself should help a lot with indigestion, bloating, skin problems, and weight gain. I know its going to be a hard 12 days, but I actually want to continue the eating portion of the cleanse (minus the pills) after the 12 days, and slowly re-introduce some of the other foods back once I'm done.
Secondly, smoking. Yes, I know, its terrible, and has been a long time disgusting habit. Its my 25th year and I just figure for gosh sakes I have to stop! Its so unhealthy, gross, makes you ugly, and its just unattractive. Its just been a hard one to quit. Each time Ive done the cleanse though, for some reason, Ive managed to stop for those 12 days, so I figure I'll quit all these things at once.
The third thing is aspartame and artificial sweeteners, processed foods, etc. I had quit drinking diet pop for a while, and switched to Zevia, but somehow got back onto it in a big (bad) way. I started drinking diet drinks, sugar free gum, and mints etc that all contain the deadly additive. I know its a horrible thing and this as well I am going to quit.
Next is alcohol. Definitely not allowed this on the cleanse, and thats fine. Once its over I will have it in moderation, and trust me I don't want to see the stuff for quite some time after 2 nights of craziness. Lets just say Im still not feeling too good and its midnight haha.
I think my body is going to be in shock tomorrow because this weekend was BY FAR one of the worst binge/unhealthy/drinking/smoking weekends Ive had in some time and today I completely let myself go. I had every single food item i wanted and things that I would NEVER normally eat, knowing that Im starting the cleanse tomorrow, I figured I'd "have them for the last time". I honestly feel so absolutely disgusting, I can't WAIT to start feeling happy and healthy and thin again.
Okay this is kind of just a rant about this I just wanted to check in let you guys know where Im at, and I will definitely be updating on the status of the clenase and hopefully some good recipes/tips that I come across during the process. Wish me luck on my 12 days to health!!
(also, just a PS, I am thinking of starting back at Weight Watchers, more to come on this after I go back to my first meeting)
Any motivation/suggestions/tips are always welcome in the comments :)
xo Good night all!
Health and Happiness are on their way!!! Positivity!!!

If You Bite It, Write It!

Thats pretty much the basis of how I've lost weight, I have always always always written everything down that I eat. I started years ago when I joined Weight Watchers, as their program involves writing down everything you eat, and staying within your "points". This is where I learned to track everything. Of course, as I mentioned in my earlier post, nobody is perfect, but writing everything you eat down allows you to accurately see exactly how many calories you are consuming, and therefore able to stay within a certain calorie limit in order to lose weight. The main reason for this post is that I've recently discovered a new iPhone app (but also available online through their website, as well as on Android/Blackberry) called MyFitnessPal. Yes, I have given up  my years and years of weight watchers and tracking points, because this app is AMAZING! There are so many reasons why I prefer this app to traditional writing down your foods on paper, starting with the fact that it is SO accurate. I feel as if I get to eat more food in comparison to Weight Watchers, as it is tracked calorie for calorie, where as with WW, a "point" can range anywhere from 15-100 calories, and the new program is even more confusing. 

With this app, all you do is type in any food that you eat. They have a massive database of foods including all brand names of every food I've ever had. Including organic, no name brands, natural foods, restaurant meals, anything! If they don't have it, you can also manually enter in the calorie information and save it for future reference! One of the best features, which I didn't even realize was there at first, is the barcode scanner. If you have any food item that has a barcode, you simply press the barcode button, hold your phone up to the barcode, and it will scan it via your phone's camera and automatically bring up all the nutrition information. It is so simple to use, you can divide portions, track your water intake, exercise (tracks how many calories you burn based on your inputted exercise information) and therefore, yep, you get to eat even more! It makes it really nice when you go out to eat,  for example when I go out for sushi, I just look up exactly what I am having, and inputs the calories- where usually I'd not have a clue how many calories are in an avocado roll, or even the pickled ginger. Tracking your weight on the app as well makes it easy to see your progress. 

Another part of this app that is great is that it shows your total daily nutrition broken down into fat, carbs, protein, iron, vitamins, and more, and shows you  how much you should have daily, and what % you have consumed in the day. For someone like myself who is trying to make sure I get enough protein and iron, it makes it nice to be able to easily see if I need more, or if I have had enough. You base your total allowed calories for the day depending on at what rate you want to lose weight at, and you can also add friends on this app for added motivation! I really can't say enough about it, there is more to the app than all that I have added, but you'll just have to go download it and see for yourself! (and did I mention, its FREE?!)

If you have any questions let me know, otherwise the website I added above should have more info, and of course if you download it you can play around with it yourself :)

Happy tracking! 

2012 Already?

I guess Im a bit late for the Happy New Years thing, but hey, it was only 3 weeks ago right? But I'll say it anyways, Happy New Years all my Low-Cal Livin' followers! :)
It always starts out with great intentions for new healthy habits and amazing goals, only to usually be a huge let down when you realize you set the bar too high. Thats definitely what happened to me with my new years resolutions, but Im not going to let that get me down!
I think the key is to set attainable goals. Short-term goals are the best because you reach each milestone sooner, which gives you more motivation to keep going. If its in regards to weight-loss or healthy eating habits, I think even setting goals as low as a few pounds at a time, or in 5 pound increments is much more realistic and motivating then looking at the larger number you'd like to lose. You have to take it one day at a time, and with each day you get closer to your goal. The key is to not give up. Everyone has moments where they cheat, or slip up, or have that extra piece of cake, but thats life. You can't let food control your life, so its all about how you deal with the "living" part. What has usually worked for me is the 90/10 rule (or 80/20) which basically is that I eat really healthy and within my calories during the week, and let myself  off the hook a bit on the weekends.
Another good motivator is to think of it not just in pounds lost, but the way you are going to feel, the clothes you'll be able to wear, or how good your going to look! If you have an upcoming event or party, it can keep you in check knowing that you want to look good for that. Usually when I know I have something coming up, I'll be extra good that week or few weeks leading up to it to make sure I feel my best. Sometimes looking through your closet at a certain clothing item that doesn't quite fit anymore, and imagining being able to wear it.
I also think its really great to have support. Most everyone knows someone who is either trying to lose weight, or perhaps struggles with eating healthy. Maybe you have a friend who is really into exercising. Whatever it is, try and use the people around you as both motivators, but also as a support for when you want to talk about your current issues, or maybe someone to help you not eat that last cookie :p
I wanted to discuss this whole thing because I definitely need to take a bit more of my own advice. Especially this post. I've had a difficult past few months (hence no blog entries) and dealing with life's issues and trying to maintain or lose weight can be difficult, but I've come to the realization that, as this quote I heard goes, "Adding calories to a bad day, will only make it worse". And I think thats so true.
When Im having a bad day, and I head for the kitchen and end up eating out of stress or boredom, I find that I feel a lot of guilt after. Having to deal with your issues as well as gaining weight really doesn't help at all. I think being in control of what you are eating, your health and weight, will only give you that extra bit of confidence to be able to deal with every day life in a more positive and healthy way.
Thanks for listening, even after my 3 month hiatus, but I have lots more to share and I hope you guys all stay tuned for new posts, new food items I've discovered, a new weight-tracking program Im using (yes, Im not doing weight-watchers anymore) as well as great new recipes I've been trying lately.
Hope your all doing great with your own new years resolutions, and your general health, and that we can all remember that its OKAY to not be perfect. Remember that no one is, we just pick up where we left off, and leave the guilt behind.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi All!
I thought it was about time I checked back in on here, its been a little while. Life has just had me pretty busy lately, with school projects, among other things, so I haven't posted much new stuff, but it will come, I promise! What better time to take a little break from life, than Thanksgiving! One of my favourite holidays for sure, not only because its spent with friends and family, there is always amazing FOOD involved! Many may associate Thanksgiving dinner with  "over-eating" "elastic waistband" "food coma" and the likes, but I've found that if you eat the RIGHT foods, you don't have to even feel bad when you are enduring said food coma. The types of food IM bringing to our dinner tonight, are roasted Kabocha squash (think roasted potatoes), mashed cauliflower with roasted red pepper, and a crustless pumpkin pie! All of these items are either "free" of points, or 1 point per cup/serving. Thats one thing I will always do, is bring my own, healthy items to these things, so I always have an option that is low-cal, so that I don't get stuck into eating a 600 calorie piece of something or other!
With that, I will leave you all to enjoy the day with your families and friends, and remember, just because everyone else is eating unhealthy (well in certain families at least) doesn't mean you have to. If you can't bring something of your own, scan what is at your dinner and try and work with it (i.e. ditch the crust on the pumpkin pie, and go for the veggies first) Try and be the initiator of a healthier lifestyle and food choices, chances are, your family will love your low-cal option, and who knows, you might even get a few members of your family on board for your healthy way of life!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING :)
xo

Recipes: Thanksgiving Is In The Air-Cauliflower Mash

Happy Sunday Everyone!
Heres a new recipes for you!

Cauliflower Mash
This is a dish that I've been making for years now. Its a take on mashed potatoes- minus the carbs and calories! Its very easy to make, and doesn't take long. 5 Ingredients- GO!


Ingredients:

• 1 Large Cauliflower
• 1 Medium Onion
• Garlic (to taste)
• Greek Seasoning
• Vegetable Broth

Boil water on the stove in a large pot. Add the vegetable broth and greek seasoning.

Cut the cauliflower into small chunks, place in the boiling water.

Chop an onion up, and place as many pieces of garlic that you'd like in the pot.

Turn down the heat to about medium, so that it does not overflow.

Keep checking your cauliflower, you do NOT want it to be over cooked, but just soft enough. I find that if you let it get too cooked, it turns out watery (which is not good)

So when soft, yet still firm, drain your cauliflower in a strainer. Once water is gone, place back into your large pot. With a hand held electric blender, mix your cauliflower/onion/garlic mix until blended. 

Add more seasonings to taste, and top with anything you'd like! 

Personally, last night I put a mix of rice vinegar, kraft fat-free italian, greek seasoning, nutritional yeast flakes, and a bit of spicy brown mustard.. and maybe some salsa too. Yeah I like seasonings, what can I say- Anyhow it was delicious! 

Butter spray would be good on here as well, making it more like traditional mashed potatoes.

Each cup of cauliflower, in weight watchers points, is ZERO- FREE! So eat your heart out. I will usually count each cup as one point (considering the array of seasonings and sauces I put on it- but still this is a very low cal option) Great to bring to a thanksgiving/holiday dinner or gathering- people will love it !
( I also like to roast red pepper or zucchini with some greek seasoning in the oven, and mix this in- its so delicious!)

Next: Pumpkin pie! At 1 point per serving :D (Im just perfecting the recipe before I add it-yes there has been many "testing" nights :) yum!)

Gettin' your Drink On!

As we all know by now, its recommended we all drink our 8 glasses of water daily. So, its clear that water, and liquid in general, is beneficial to your health. But that sounds just plain boring doesn't it.

Im going to go over some of the different products I like to drink, as well as suggestions if you are to have a night out on the town, or some casual drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) so that hopefully you can make a wise choice, and not waste your calories on liquids- like I've said before, this seems just wrong! Robbery even.

Some of the following products are great for if you like to fill up on liquids, without any calories!

• Zevia- I've mentioned this product before, it is a all natural pop drink, which is made from carbonated water and stevia, which is a natural zero calorie sweetener. As a former diet-cola addict, this is definitely a good substitution, without any guilt of killing your brain with aspartame. So far, I have tried Root Beer, Cream Soda, Orange, and Cola flavours. Personally, I prefer them in that order. Root beer being the best tasting.. to Cola being the most... interesting :) Although if you go online to their website you will see they have plenty of other flavours, just haven't seen them yet :). Once again, ZERO CALORIES!
• Coffee and Tea- Wether you are a coffee drinker or not, this is a wonderful drink in many forms. For someone who goes out for coffee, what I will do when I hit up starbucks, is get a plain decaf coffee ( yes I am a decaf-er) and I add 2 packets of stevia(or splenda) with cinnamon and nutmeg! If you feel like something a bit more tasty, get a pump of their sugar-free syrups! They come in all sorts of flavours from vanilla to caramel dolce, and zero calories! So, instead of getting a 500 calorie mocha chocolate caramel frappucino ( or something along those lines) just stick to the basics, and spice it up with some zero calorie flavourings!
• Cascade Ice sparkling water. You can buy these in the US and Canada, they are 4 calories per bottle, and its a really nice treat. Tons of different fruity flavours, such as blueberry watermelon and strawberry lemonade, they are great for filling you up when you feel like snacking! 
• I also like Vitamin Water ZERO- you can get all those vitamin water varieties in the US that are ZERO CALORIES! While up here in Canada they are the "10 calorie" version. So you see where Im going with this one, there are plenty of flavoured water products which make drinking water not so bad!
• Ocean Spray makes "diet" juice now- yes its sweetened with splenda, but if you are seeking a low-cal option for juice, go with this- 5 calories/cup (if you purchase in the US) or 10 calories/cup if you purchase in Canada - don't ask me why the difference, I'm just an innocent bystander!- They come in a variety of flavours as well, cranberry, pomegranate, blueberry, etc.
• As for alcoholic beverages, my motto is stick to the basics. My drink of choice is vodka. Vodka ( or any other hard liquor, is 2 points per shot. This is as low as alcohol goes, points wise. The other option that is the same points value, is wine, at 2 points per half cup serving.  Now if you are on the WW new points plus program, I believe the alcoholic points is 4 per shot. Hence why I tend to prefer the old program :p
• As far as drinking alcohol goes, there are a variety of drinks you can make that do not add on to your 2 points per drink limit. Sugar-free red bull (only 10 calories/can) diet cranberry, diet coke/any other diet pop, can all serve as a great mixer.

More will be added to the drink list Im sure, just wanted to get something on here for you all before the weekend! So when your at the bar, you know what to order now! 

Vodka Diet!! (or thats what I'll be doing :), enjoy your weekend everyone!

Recipes: Blueberry Apple Mini-Muffins!

So these are pretty amazing.

Muffins- you might think, these delicious, huge breakfast-type delights, filled with things such as fruit, what could be the harm? Let me tell you my friends. A HUGE amount of calories and fat. The average muffin at your local Tim Hortons will run you anywhere from 400-500 calories, and between 13-23 grams of fat!! Basically, stay away from the muffin man.

Not that I was ever a huge muffin person, I do enjoy treat-like things. As I cannot eat wheat or dairy, muffins were usually out of the question. Until I got creative!

Here is the recipe for the DELICIOUS (my taste-testers will vouch for this) mini muffins. So moist and delicious, virtually FAT-FREE, and you get to eat multiple, without any guilt!!

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Flour * (see below)
• 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1/2 Cup Apricot Purée (I buy the jarred baby food variety)
• 1 Medium Banana, Peeled and Mashed
• 1 Cup Blueberries
• 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
• 3-5 packets of Stevia

What you'll need:

• Mini Muffin Baking Trays
• Mini Muffin Silicone Tray Liners
• Mixing Bowl
• Spoon

*For the flour, of course you can use any type you prefer, but as I have wheat allergies, I choose to use either "Bob's Red Mill" brand "All purpose baking flour- Gluten Free" or the same brand carries a great Quinoa Flour. These two varieties of flour contain only 1 gram of fat and 100 calories/serving, so the points described for the recipe are based on the calories associated with these two flour varieties.

Preheat oven to 375 F (this can vary from oven to oven, I usually tend to cook at a bit higher temperature myself, around 400 F.)

Mix your dry ingredients first: your flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and stevia in a bowl. 

Mix in your apricot purée, applesauce, mashed banana, and blueberries. 

Mix together well, and evenly disperse the (delicious, trust me) batter in the muffin liners.

There should be enough batter for 24 mini-muffins.

Place in the oven for 15 minutes.

*NOTE* The time that this takes varies greatly, sometimes I'll turn my oven off after 15 minutes and let them sit in there for a while longer. The reason being is that there is applesauce instead of any butter, or oil,  or eggs. It takes a bit longer than normal muffins to stick together, but it will.

Just continuously poke the muffins with a knife, until the knife comes out clean. When it does, you know its ready.

You do not HAVE to use the silicone muffin tray liners, but I find that you can (carefully) peel them off of the muffin, and they come out MUCH better than the paper variety which likes to take a chunk of your mouth watering muffin off with it! 

I have 2 mini muffin trays (12 per tray) and a package of the silicone muffin liners, both from a store called "Ming-Wo" in Capilano Mall in North Vancouver. This place has tons of great cooking gadgets! Although Im sure you could get these things in most cooking stores. Keep in mind you COULD if you wish make 12 regular sized muffins instead of 24 mini ones, I just prefer quantity :)

Now, for the juicy details:

Yields: 24 Mini-Muffins

Points Per: 2 Mini-muffins..... ONE POINT! yes thats 1 point.(around 50 cals) And if you choose to make 12 regular size muffins, its 1 point each :) Non-Fat, Fruit Filled, Healthy, What else could you ask for?  

(Did I mention two mini muffins for one point??!!)

Hope you guys like these! Try them out and let me know what you think! Have a great night :)

Recipes: Quinoa Salad!

Hey Everyone!
I hope your all having a great week so far. I must apologize for the lack of updates so far this week... The homework associated with school has had to come first! But once I get that under control, I hope to have at least a BIT more free time to update more frequently on here :)

A recipe Im going to add today is one that is easy to make, and extremely healthy.
Quinoa. You've likely heard of it by now, its a super healthy food pronounced "Keen-wah".
This grain has protein, and you can buy big bags of it (organic may I add) at Costco for about $9.00! Really recommend this one if you haven't tried it before, it has a bit of a nuttier taste than rice, so its a nice change.

Quinoa salads are great to make for yourself, or to bring along to a party. Any time I have a family gathering or have to bring  a dish to an event, I usually always bring this. Not only does everyone love it, its so healthy, and it allows ME something to be able to eat while Im out socializing, and I know exactly how many points it is.
Whether its this dish or another, I always recommend bringing something that you know your comfortable eating, because really, you never can be sure what the points could be in grandmas lasagna!

Although you can of course change the quantities/items in this recipe, it serves as a guideline (points-wise)
Bell Peppers, grated zuccini, cooked beets, anything that can add a lot of colour would work great too :)

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Cooked Quinoa
• 2 Cups Grated Purple Cabbage
• 1 Cup Finely Sliced Carrots (I prefer to brown these a bit with the onion and garlic)
• 2 Cup Finely Sliced Cucumber
• 1 Medium Onion (sautéed)
• Garlic (sautéed)
• 1 Can Baby Corn, Cut.
• 1 Cup Coarsely Grated Jicama
• 1/2 cup Edemame Beans
• Green onion

For the dressing, again you can choose whatever you prefer, but to save calories I prefer:

• Greek Seasoning
• Lemon Juice
• Kraft Fat-Free Italian
• Soy Sauce
• Rice or Balsamic Vinegar

Instructions:

Cook the Quinoa according to the directions on the bag. While this is cooking, begin to grate/cut your vegetables. Also, if you should choose to sauté the onion, garlic and carrots, you can do this as well. Once everything is cooked, chopped, and cut, its simple. MIX! Add your dressings and sauces, and don't be shy on the seasonings. Add whatever herbs and spices you enjoy, and this salad is a great healthy option to have around the house for lunches, or just something readily available for when your on the go!

This amount tends to make a large bowl full (perfect for a pot-luck, or multiple meals for the week). The total points for this amount is 16 points. The first thing that I will do when I make something in large quantities (to help take the temptation of eating more than you need) is to pack it up in containers, and store in the fridge. As this amount is 16 points, I like to divide equally. So what I will do is get 8 equal sized containers, and divide the Quinoa Salad evenly. That way, each serving size you know is 2 points each. Perfect! 

Next... 1 point blueberry/apple muffins.. ( did I mention you get TWO mini-muffins for 1 point) 

Stay tuned!

The Essentials.

Good Morning Healthy People!

Im going to start, and continuously add, to this list of my go-to, always stock up on items. These are the things that I keep around because they are low-calorie, therefore low in points, and they are versatile for many different recipes.

Seasonings/Sprays/Etc

• 0 Calorie "Butter Flavour" Oil Spray.

Okay so for this one, I prefer to buy Western Family brand, as I've tried many but they somehow don't quite compare to the consistency, and flavour of this one. Also, beware that some are not 0 Calories, so make sure you always read your nutrition labels! (anyone on weight watchers knows this is second nature, but others may not be used to reading ingredients and calories) I will use this spray for tons of different cooking, for example,  when I fry up my eggs/omlets, for when Im roasting any kind of potatoes/squash/vegetables in the oven, I will coat them in some of this rather than regular olive oil, I also use this on popcorn. What I do is spray the popcorn with this, which allows the spices and different things I put on popcorn, to have something to stick to! Plus its adds flavour. (I'll post some of my delicious popcorn recipes later)
So you get the idea, substitute your regular oil where you can, for this low-cal version which in my humble opinion is QUITE TASTY!

• "I Can't Believe its not Butter" Spray

So this spray is similar to the oil spray, in terms of cooking, but is oh so good for many things on its own.
First off, unfortunately this is only available in the U.S. They used to sell it here in Canada, but all of a sudden stopped. When I looked into it, there where tons of people who had noticed it was gone, and for some reason discontinued in Canada. But, like I said, if you do travel down to the states or live in the states, you can easily purchase at most grocery stores.
So one thing I like eating in the mornings when I'm rushed is a piece of rye toast. But as rye toast isn't the most delicious variety of breads, it needs some help. I love spraying this butter spray on my toast instead of butter. As mentioned, I can't eat dairy, and yes, this product DOES have dairy, but the amount is so minuscule that it has never bothered me allergies wise. But just a heads up for any other people who have dairy allergies. PS This one is also good sprayed on popcorn!

• Smuckers Sugar-Free Jam

This jam is the best! When you look for Jam, most of them are so high in calories for such a small amount (usually the serving sizes for jam is 1 tbsp) but I have  a general rule of thumb for jam: as long as its 20 calories or less, its considered "free" as soon as its up to 25 calories, that 1 measly tbsp will cost you a point! No thanks!
So my usual that you can purchase here in Canada is the Smuckers No Sugar Added, Wildberry Flavor. Why the wild berry? well it has one gram of fibre in it, which helps bring it down on the points scale from being right on the edge of 0 and 1 point, to definitely under 1. (Sorry if this doesn't make much sense yet to you non-weight-watchers readers).
So I thought this was the best that you could do, jam-wise, until, one magical day, when i travelled down to the states( as I usually do) for grocery shopping, I found the same product, but made with Splenda, instead of Sucralose. What is the difference you ask? 1/2 the calories! So the version you see on the right, is the American, "Sugar-Free" version, which is only 10 calories/1 tbsp. Yup , so you could actually DOUBLE the amount of jam (2tbsp)  vs. (1tbsp) of the canadian version. Just sayin'! Plus it comes in a variety of flavours, and they're so delicious! So as I mentioned above, I like to eat my rye bread, and this is also something that I will put on my bread, without adding any points. *Jam PLUS the butter spray makes an amazing combo!)

• Club House Greek Seasoning

So you may have read in a previous post, that yes, I indeed put this seasoning on just about everything! I buy this large size at Costco, where it costs about $8, but this lasts a while. This seasoning honestly is so versatile I hardly even use the other ones in my cupboard. Mind you, while on the cleanse, this one is actually out, as it has some sugar in it (a cleanse no-no) but nonetheless you need to buy this. I season my tofu noodles, eggs, salads, roasted potatos/vegetables/squash, seriously everything. If your not a huge vegetable person, trust me, I eat them all day long but they are never un-seasoned :) As most seasonings go (but of course always read the nutrition label to be sure of calories/fat/sodium etc) they are virtually free of points, as the majority are simply herbs and spices.

• Kraft Fat Free Italien Dressing

Yes, I say this about a lot of items, but this is also another dressing that I use on tons of things. To be honest, the combination of this dressing, greek seasoning, and rice vinegar, are definitely my staple! This dressing is so low-calorie, it kind of blows anything else out of the water. At only 5 calories per tbsp (thats even less than plain balsamic vinegar!) you can load up on this without it costing you a point. As it is fat-free, it serves more as a base of flavour than a rich, loaded with flavour dressing. So what I tend to do, is add this on my salads, noodles etc, and as I said (sorry for the repetition) add on my greek seasoning and rice vinegar. I use this on my roasted veggies as well. What I try to do, is get most of the flavour for my meals out of low-sodium and calorie-free herbs and spices. As we know, we all need a bit of flavour(which usually comes from something that adds moisture such as oil or sauce) so that is why this dressing is perfect. Get creative, how about some salad with chilli lime seasoning on it? Are you getting hungry yet?

• Braggs All Purpose Soy Seasoning

Similar to soy sauce, Braggs seasoning sauce is a great product. Slightly different in taste to soy sauce, it is non-fermented (which is allowable on the cleanse). You can purchase this at any health food store, but more recently at large chains such as superstore. The large bottle runs about $11, but lasts quite some time. For popcorn, I always use Braggs, as its not quite as intensely salty as soy sauce, but serves as flavourful base on popcorn, for all your seasonings to stick to! Of course, you can use this on all your cooking, in stir-frys, salads, etc.. Anywhere you want a bit of flavour! Plus, its all Natural!

• Trader Joe's Salad Dressings

Trader Joes... how do I express my love for this store. For any of you that have never been, its a grocery store chain in the U.S. closest location to me is in Bellingham, (say 30 min drive from the truck crossing) but they have them all over the U.S. Check the  Trader Joes Website  for locations. They have so much healthy, low-cal foods there, as well as inexpensive frozen items! I (Yes, including Praegers Veggie burgers at 1/2 the Canadian price!) I will use these salad dressings, when I want a change from the usual Kraft fat-free italian. These are great because they are only 1 point per 2 Tbsp, and taste delicious! The Fat-Free Balsamic is 25 calories/2 tbsp, and the Fat-Free Sesame Soy Ginger is 35 calories/2 tbsp. I LOVE using the Trader Joe's Sesame Soy Ginger dressing on my tofu noodles!

• Spices/Flavourings.

As I've mentioned, I like to use spices to add the majority of the flavour to all my foods, and spices, herbs, and extracts are something you've definitely got to have on hand. No one wants to eat vegetables and grains when they taste bland, boring and taste-less. Im the FIRST one to agree with you on that one- ITS GOTTA TASTE GOOD! So when I say spices, I mean everything and anything that you like. Some of my favourites to have on hand that are multi-purpose for many meals are: Dill, Rosemary, Thyme, Curry powder, Garam Masala, Chat Masala, Cumin, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Vanilla extract, STEVIA... the list goes on. These are great for changing up the regular. If you usually make stir frys, why not try one night a Indian inspired dish, while the next, Asian inspired! All you have to do is shake a different seasoning on.
The picture here is of a great line I've discovered called "Victorian Epicure". They have the most AMAZING seasonings, and many have NO sodium! I use them on everything, and they make some of the BEST popcorn seasonings you can even imagine! I get them at local farmers markets when they are there, but you can also call them to order. Although they are pretty expensive, I try to justify it in terms of going to starbucks twice.. you get the point.

• Club House "Indian Masala" and "Garlic Plus"

I just discovered these two spices- and as I usually just go for the Club House Greek seasoning, I am always slightly hesitant. Well, Club House has not failed me! These two are amazing! The indian masala flavour is perfect- not spicy, and just the perfect blend of all those delicious indian spices that makes its a one-stop-(or should I say shake) shop! If your not too comfortable with seasoning, this is great because you don't have to purchase each individual spice (coriander, garam masala, etc) and then throw them together and HOPE it turns out!

The garlic plus is really great too- I will be using this a lot on roasting veggies, instead of just using the greek. Its quite garlic-y, but it has some red pepper and other flavours in it ,so its not too overwhelming! I really suggest you try all these club house seasonings, maybe I'll have to pick up another variety next time- adventurous aren't I! :p

• Heinz Dill Relish

Relish- Already an item in the list below as something you should have on hand. But this, my friends, takes the cake! I just discovered it last weekend, and yes- its ZERO CALORIES! (Regular relish is not 0 cals) I found this at Target (sorry, in the states) and it is really tasty! I've been putting it as a sauce on tons of dishes because it adds so much flavour and a bit of crunch and no calories! Its much more pickle-tasting (hence, DILL relish) than regular relish, but thats part of why I love it so much! Im not sure if you can purchase it in Canada, I have not looked yet. But when you go down to the states its only about $1.79 each :) And just to keep you enlightened, Target is apparently coming to Canada, and taking over certain Zellers. So although Im sure the prices still won't be cheaper than in the states, hopefully they will bring with them all the amazing food choices that they offer in the amazing U S OF A!

In addition to these items, there are of course many other things I like to keep on hand. Here are a list of a few more low/no calorie items:

• Rice Vinegar
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Stevia Packets
• Vanilla Extract
• Mustard
• Relish
• Ketchup (In moderation)
• Sour pickled onions
• Capers
• Soy Sauce
• Pickled ginger (For sushi)
• Pickles
• SALSA 
• Hot Sauce
• Pickled garlic mushrooms (trader joe's)

More to come soon, I hope this gets you started with a good base of really low-cal items that should always be around :)

Have a great day!

Fast, AND guilt-free? How you ask?

Hey all! I'll start posting some recipes in between blog posts, until I figure a better way to organize them :)

Spring Rolls! Ingredients: Rice Paper "Julienned" Veggies Low Calorie sesame ginger soy dressing (or any low-calorie dressing you like) You can purchase this rice paper from just about anywhere. I find that the smaller pieces are better, not only because you get two sheets (which means two rolls) for 45 calories, they're also easier to wrap, and eat. The filling can be any type of veggie you would like. I like to use my Julienne Peeler (a must have!) to grate up some carrots, cabbage, zucchini, and whatever else I have hanging around. Also, most grocery stores will offer pre-cut veggies of this consistency. Veggies are "free" of points, so you can really eat away. I do tend to start counting them as 1 point/cup if I have more than 1 cup. Fill your sink or a large plate with hot water. Place the rice paper in the water until it is soft. Remove (CAREFULLY) and place on a clean cloth/small towel. Fill the middle with all your veggies. For folding these, I tend to start from the bottom, fold over once, then fold both sides ( as tight as you can) and finally  roll together. The rice paper is quite sticky so will stick itself together. As for the veggies inside, you could really add whatever you like, if you want to use some Tofu Noodles  (discussed in the blog) that would work as well with the veggies. This option is just the lowest calorie. As for the dip, I would choose something asian inspired, and low calorie, such as my favourite, trader joes sesame ginger soy dressing (25 calories per tbsp) Also, presidents choice makes a great low calorie low fat peanut sauce, which I usually dilute with a bit of vinegar :) Dip, and enjoy! Veggie Burgers, in Lettuce Wraps Ingredients: 1 Dr. Praegers mexican style veggie burger. Crispy lettuce wraps (as many as you want!) Small stir fry (onion, artichokes, or any other veggies you like) Another cleanse-friendly dinner. This was truly delicious, and because its so low-cal you can eat about 15 of the things! You'll come to discover.. I like Volume! This is a twist on my usual, bean "burrito" wraps, which I will add soon. Lettuce wraps- you could purchase any regular lettuce for this, as long as the pieces are big enough and don't break easily! Romaine preferably. I found these "crispy lettuce wraps" at Superstore, they're in the lettuce section- They are amazing! They keep in the fridge for much longer than regular lettuce, and they're crisp, firm and hold what you want them to hold without breaking- PERFECT! What we filled them with is probably my FAVOURITE veggie burger ever- its "Dr. Praegers" brand mexican veggie patties. You can buy these just about anywhere these days. Moderately expensive, unless your like me and stock up in the states :) Honestly they are the healthiest thing you could eat. Nothing artificial, all vegetables, and SO DELICIOUS. Oh and did I mention only 2 points each! I stirfried some frozen artichokes and onion with a bit of garlic, chopped some tomato, and put it all in the lettuce wrap. This made so many wraps I was eating for ages. And at the end of the day dinner was again, only 3 points total. Season with any burger type condiments, seasoning, and voila! The carb-free healthy alternative. Thanks for the patience with me uploading recipes, trust me, as soon as this cleanse is over and I get back to eating more of my regular food, the pictures/recipes will come!! Sorry about the weird formatting for this one, I'll try and fix this problem.

Moderation, not Deprivation!

As many of you that know me are aware, Im a Weight Watchers devotee! I had been on and off going for years. Just over 2 years ago, I joined once again, and this time I was for real! I've been successful over the  past 2 years, currently totalling 57 pounds of weight gone, and still going. (My goal is for 61) This is not to say that its been all sunshine and lollipops, because sometimes you don't lose anything, and sometimes you gain, and sometimes you have a great loss. The one thing I can say is that I've honestly NEVER felt deprived. Your mind makes you think that you need more food than your stomach requires. I believe that when your accustomed to eating such large amounts, your stomach is actually expanded, and requires more. But after a few days of eating "normal" sized portions, your stomach shrinks down, and you actually become less hungry. One thing I often notice, is that if I eat food late at night, I wake up STARVING, yet if I have nothing to eat for hours before I go to bed, I wake up and don't feel hungry at all. Sounds a bit off, but its true.
Anyway, not to be a Weight Watchers spokesperson over here ( yes I did briefly work for them ) But I love the program, the flexibility it has, and how it really just teaches you that you can still lose weight, while enjoying the foods you love. I also want to point out, that for anyone who is interested in weight watchers or is currently on the program, I am NOT on the new "points plus" program. I did give it a try, but was not a fan, and still use their old point system. *If you are to go to weight watchers now, the system they use is a different one than I do, but the idea remains the same. Please feel free to ask me about the differences if you are wondering about it*
 As they would always say, its not about deprivation, its about moderation. And its so true. I think that we all KNOW the basics on how to lose weight, and be healthy, its just sometimes hard to get there. I mean, really its just simple, you read it everywhere. Calories in vs. Calories out.
One of the major things I want to emphasize is that its completely 100% mental. ANY one can lose weight. I don't care what your situation is or how busy you are, anyone can do it. Whatever you believe will happen, will happen. A dear friend of mine once introduced me to the book "The Secret" I never actually read the book myself, but was told lots of the information from it, and the general idea is clear- YOU CREATE YOUR OWN REALITY. Positive thoughts lead to positive actions.
Take me as an example, Ive never been an exerciser. And by this I mean, you'll never catch me hitting up the gym for 2 hours a day 5 days a week.  But, this is not to say that I sit around all day. Im constantly on the go, running around and go for walks/jogs/hikes when I can. I virtually lost the entire 57 pounds without any legitimate gym-time. So that just goes to show you, there really is no excuse why you can't lose weight. If I can do it sans-gym, so can you. (note again, I was never sedentary, but my "exercise" came in different forms)
The basic concept of weight watchers is this: You are allowed a certain amount of "points" every day, which is based on a number of factors including your age, sex, height, current weight, and activity level. Once you are given this number, you are to stick to this amount of points each day. This amount is what you will eat to LOSE weight. Trust me, its not a starvation diet, in fact its not a diet at all. Its simply healthy living.
The other is tracking.
TRACKING TRACKING TRACKING.
Every bite I eat, I write down. I minus each item from my daily total, until I get to 0.
For times when you want to indulge, you are also given weekly "bonus points"  which makes the program even more livable.
Some people, including my own mother, believe its too much effort or work to write down what you eat. Trust me, as a busy person who has many things on the go, I can honestly say that it takes me about 5 seconds to write down what I just ate. I think that writing things down, as many others will tell you about losing weight, is that its crucial. You must be accountable for what goes into your body. It is so very easy to lose track of what you eat in a day, I think I'd forget what I had for a snack this morning if I hadn't written it down! Either way, it keeps you on track because you know exactly where your at with your points, and allows you to plan accordingly.
Planning is a whole other subject in regards to healthy eating, which I will get into later :)
Hope this gives you a bit of a intro on my WW terminology, so you won't be thrown off when you see everything referred to in "points" values :)

PS. The tools used for calculating points are these:
A points "slider" which is a paper that slides and calculates points based on
CALORIES, FAT, AND FIBER.
You can also download apps on your iPhone which will allow you to do these on your phone, discreetly. I believe mine is called iwatchbites
The other tool is a book which has all the points values of foods that do NOT have a nutrition label on them, such as apples.
Small-Med apples are 1 point each. Just sayin' !

Goodnight All!

Its a Christmas Miracle!

Okay, its not a Christmas miracle, but its a miracle none the less.

Yes, my absolute favourite and best low-calorie food discovery is called... wait for it...

House Foods, "TOFU SHIRATAKI NOODLES"

What is this you may ask?

The best thing to ever happen to a calorie countin', wheat and dairy free girl such as myself!

So the details on these things: they sell them in more and more places now, where you buy them depends on how much they cost, I buy them at a place on 14th and lonsdale called "Anna's Produce" and they are $1.69 each. This is the lowest price I've seen them. At other places (such as Osaka, Thrifies, SuperValu) they are about $2.29 per package. 

But either way, worth it for sure!

They come in 3 varieties, Spaghetti, Fettucine, or Angel Hair.

So the nutrition information is as follows:

The entire bag is 40 calories- YES, you read correctly, 40 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 6 grams of carbs. This is a far cry from the hundreds of calories regular pasta contains.

Basically, you can eat as much as you want and you won't ever get fat, pretty sure its a secret of the people of asian countries.

The only ingredients are tofu, and yam flour. so pretty much anyone can eat these, and as they state on the package, they are gluten-free :) *Waring- for anyone who hasn't tried these before do not be alarmed by the scent of them when you first open the bag- they are in a liquid that smells ( yes, kind of fishy) but you simply rinse them, as directed, and voilà!

I like to do a variety of things with these noodles, from eat them alone with a bit of soy sauce, to making pasta dishes, stirfrys, you name it. I will add recipes which contain these noodles, so now you know a bit ( or a lot ) about them !

PS for anyone who is doing Weight Watchers, wether you are on the new points plus program or the old points program (like me), the entire package of noodles is FREE! 0 points for the whole bag, you really can't go wrong!

I will go into much more detail about Weight Watchers, as many people who know me will know, Im a LIFER! I write everything I eat down, and love it. Feel free to ask me questions about this as well, but I will write more about it!

So, to sum up, tofu noodles are the best thing to happen to the world (in my humble opinion) and  tons of my recipes will be added shortly to my Facebook page (Low-Cal Livin') as well as on here. 

Cant wait to get more info out to you guys!