Saturday, December 8, 2012

How this Health Nut was born??


This week I thought I would let you know how this whole “Health Nut” thing became a reality. This will explain my personal story and how by making great positive changes to my life and meeting awesome people along the way has helped me to live my greatest life ever. After 5 years, I can honestly say that I love me.

“ I have been married for almost 20 years and have a soon to be 15 year old son. My favorite motto is “You are what you eat…”

Background

-September 2007, I was at my highest weight ever (almost 200lbs), suffered from daily acid reflux, joint pain, lack of energy, mood swings and lack of sleep.

-I was only 42 years old and had finally decided to do something to change my life for the better…

-Feeling like I was at the end of my rope and having struggled with weight issues most of my life , I took a very deep breath and decided that I would join the Revolution Weight Loss Clinic here in Cornwall at Physical Limits Fitness Club (Jason Christoff founder of weight loss program), I joined the 30lb program.

I lost 35lbs in 2 months and another 20lbs with the guidance of an amazing physical trainer at the gym, Adam Leroux.

Cathy Bourgon leads the weight loss class with her amazing knowledge, dedication and motivation. With her guidance, I was able to build up my strength and core at my own pace, which in turn helped me tremendously with my self-esteem and confidence. Cathy has truly been a great addition to my personal life. She is a true , genuine person and I cherish her friendship…

Through attending many seminars, self-education, I have maintained my weight loss of 55lbs for the last 5 years…I feel so energized and full of life.  Choosing to make a difference in my life has helped me and my family make better, healthier choices to live the best life ever!!

During this health journey, I realized that families do not take the time to sit together, talk and enjoy a great homemade meal. We are not preparing good homemade meals in our kitchen anymore.  How many times a week do your kids eat in front of the tv? What do you send as a parent in their lunch boxes?

I work full-time and now make the effort to take the time to prepare good wholesome meals. This is a choice that I have made, it is a priority in my life.

The most important thing that I have learned with my weight loss journey and how to maintain it, is to prepare my meals on the week-end, then freeze them for the week. This allows me the luxury of always knowing that I have great food in my kitchen for my family at all times. There are always fresh, healthy choices available.

Just the fact of knowing that I recognize the fresh ingredients that go into my meals, gives me peace of mind. I can control the salt and sugar levels that goes into each recipe, which is very important to me.

It is very easy to buy all prepared foods but most of the time we cannot pronounce the ingredients and we just go ahead and consume them anyhow. We have to ask ourselves the question “Would our ancestors recognize these ingredients?”.....

 “Are we eating to live or living to eat”? We are living in a society where the plates have gotten bigger (square and oval, no edges) which gives us no boundaries. Everything is becoming Supersized and so is our waistline. We are living in the largest childhood obesity epidemic…together we can change this.

With all of the positive changes in my life, I wanted to share this information by having healthy eating cooking seminars. The seminars are 3 hours, you receive all of the recipes, information and my personal diet plan…via email.

You can visit my website anytime at www.thehealthnut.ca   . For more information, please call me at 613-931-3119 or email me at thehealthnut@cogeco.ca .

On my website main page, you will also find 20 healthy Health Nut recipe videos (you tube icon, bottom left of the screen).

I also sell homemade natural/organic goods as well as gluten-free goods at local craft shows, fairs and fund raisers….

In health…Sylvie Thibert

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Two recipes for garlic scapes

                                                                                      
2 recipes for garlic scapes                                   

Garlic scapes dressing (makes 1 cup)

Ingredients:

2 garlic scapes, coarsely chopped      4 Tbsp red wine vinegar

2 green onions, coarsely chopped      1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey                                Pinch sea salt

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard                 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:

In a blender, combine the garlic scapes, onions, honey, mustard, red wine vinegar, lemon juice,

sea salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.

With blender on low, slowly add the olive oil until well blended.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 pint Pickled Garlic Scapes  

 
Ingredient                                                                                           

15 garlic scapes

1 dried chile (optional)

1 cup cider vinegar

4 tsp. kosher salt

4 tsp. sugar

Preparation:

*Trim garlic scapes, curl them up, and place them in a pint jar with a tight fitting lid.

1.Work the chile, if you're using it, into the jar with the garlic scapes.

2.In a small saucepan heat the vinegar, salt, and sugar with 1 cup of water until simmering

and salt and sugar are dissolved.

3.Pour warm vinegar mixture over the garlic scapes to cover them (you may not use all of the

vinegar mixture). Seal the jar. Let sit until cool, then store in the refrigerator for at least

weeks and up to six months.  

In health....


Patty pan summer squash stir fry


Delicious patty pan summer squash, pak choi, snow pea stir fry

                                                  
For this vegetable recipe, you'll need a wide, shallow, heavy bottomed pan, with a lid, and a wooden or bamboo spatula.

Ingredients: (2 servings)

1 tsp coconut oil                                                                                                                     

1 large carrot

1 stalk celery

1 cup chopped fresh beans – mixture of yellow and green beans

1 cup chopped patty pan summer squash

1 cup pak choi (finely chopped)

handful of snow peas

2 cups chopped kale (finely chopped)

2 Tbsp water



Directions

-Peel the carrot, slice in half lengthwise, then in thin slices .Wash and trim the celery, and

slice thinly on the diagonal. Wash, trim and cut the beans into 1 inch pieces.

-Wash, trim and cut the summer squash into bite sized pieces . Wash the kale and pak choi

and strip the leaves off the stems with your fingers. Chop in 1 – 2 inch pieces

-Heat the oil on medium-high in your pan  Add the carrot, celery and beans to the pan and stir

fry until half cooked – about 5 minutes

-Add the summer squash and snow peas and stir fry for 5 minutes

-Add the kale and pak choi on top of the veggies in the pan, add the 2 Tbsp of water, and

cover the pan without stirring  Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 – 5 minutes

-Serve immediately.

In health....

Zucchini, dill and fennel salad


Zucchini,dill,Fennel Salad   
Ingredients

1 medium-large zucchini, sliced into paper thin coins

2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed and shaved paper-thin

2/3 cup loosely chopped fresh dill              

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed                                               

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed

fine grain sea salt

4 or 5 generous handfuls arugula

Honey, if needed

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted or almonds

1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

 Directions

-Combine the zucchini, fennel and dill in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice, olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside and marinate for 20 minutes, or up to an hour.

-When you are ready to serve the salad, put the arugula in a large bowl. Scoop all of the zucchini and fennel onto the arugula, and pour most of the lemon juice dressing on top of that.

-Toss gently but thoroughly. Taste and adjust with more of the dressing, olive oil, lemon juice, or salt if needed.

-If the lemons were particularly tart, you may need to counter the pucker-factor by adding a tiny drizzle of honey into the salad at this point.

-Let your taste buds guide you. Serve topped with pine nuts and feta.

Serves 4 to 6.

In health....

Romaine lettuce and cilantro dressing


Romaine lettuce salad with cilantro dressing
Ingredients  (Makes 2 servings)

1 large romaine lettuce

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and julienned

4 large celery ribs, trimmed and julienned

20 fresh cilantro stems, leaves only

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/2 small white onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt (to taste)

fresh ground black pepper


Directions:

-Have ready a large bowl of ice water.

-Rinse the lettuce under cold running water, tear into bite-sized pieces, and

 let stand in the ice water to crisp for 10-15 minutes. Drain well and dry

very thoroughly in a salad spinner.

-In a salad bowl, combine the lettuce, cucumber, and celery.

-In a blender, combine the cilantro and olive oil; process to a puree.

-Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

 -Toss with the salad and serve.


Cilantro/coriander facts

Every single part of this plant is edible, even the roots! The leafy part is known as cilantro and the seed is referred to as the coriander. This is knows as a dual spice herb. The herb contains many notable plant derived chemical compounds that are known to have disease preventing and health-promoting properties.

In health......

Beet, arugula and goat cheese salad


Beet, arugula and goat cheese summer salad




 Adding some raw walnuts, sunflower seeds, almonds to this salad is a great way to add another layer of flavor and texture along with some healthy fats.

Ingredients

Makes 2 servings

4 cups of arugula

¼ red onion, thinly sliced

½ cup of steamed beets

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp plus olive oil

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup goat cheese


Directions

-Combine arugula, onion, and beets in a large bowl. Toss veggies with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, season with salt and pepper.

-Divide salad amongst two plates and top each salad with half of the goat cheese. Enjoy!

Beets nutrition facts

Beets are highly nutritious and “cardiovascular health” friendly root vegetables. Certain unique pigment antioxidants present in root as well as top greens have found to offer protection against coronary artery disease and stroke, lower cholesterol levels in the body and have anti-aging effects.

In health.....

Green garlic and spring onion aioli


Green Garlic and Spring onions              

 Fresh green garlic are very young garlic, about the length of an average scallion or green onion, fresh green garlic is the mild stage of garlic when it first produces very tender green stalks. Beneficial garlic is claimed to be an all-around wonder drug with its numerous anticancer compounds. Strengthening the immune system, it helps to ward off colds, among other ailments. Garlic works as an antibiotic against some types of bacteria, viruses and intestinal parasites. It lowers blood pressure and blood cholesterol.

Green garlic and spring onions are a little milder and sweeter than they will be in a few months. As such, they can be tossed into almost any dish without overpowering it, soups, omelets or a salad.            
Green garlic and spring onion aioli

      (The aioli can be made up to 2 days in advance.)

Ingredients

1/2 cup organic mayonnaise                                                 

1 teaspoon lemon juice                                            

1/4 cup minced spring onions

1 teaspoon minced green garlic

Sea salt and pepper...to taste

Directions
Mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice, onions and garlic in a bowl until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper,set aside. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving

 This great served with steak , chicken, veal with steamed artichokes for dipping

In health....

Roasted Kohlrabi



                                                              
Kohlrabi             

(German turnip)

Vegetable of the same family as that of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower kale, collard greens and brussel sprouts.belongs. This perennial, cool season vegetable, grown all over the temperate climates for its succulent round shaped modified stem as well its turnip-flavored greens. Mildly sweet, succulent Kohlrabi is notably rich in vitamins and Dietary fiber; but has only 27 calories per 100 g, negligible amount of fat, and zero cholesterol. Fresh kohlrabi stem is rich source of vitamin-C and powerful anti-oxidant. It helps body maintain healthy connective tissue, teeth, and gum.

Roasted kohlrabi (side dish) (serves 4)

 4 Kohlrabi

1 clove garlic

1 Tablespoon olive oil

3 Tablespoon fresh grated parmesan cheese

Sea salt and pepper to taste

 Instructions

1 Preheat an oven to 400  F.
2.Cut the kohlrabi into thick slices. Combine olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

3.Toss kohlrabi slices in the olive oil mixture to coat. Spread kohlrabi in a single layer on a baking sheet.
4.Bake in the preheated oven until browned, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally in order to brown evenly.

5.Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to the oven to allow the Parmesan cheese


In health.....

Parsley Pesto

                                                                                                                           
A widely used herb across the world. Parsley is used to season and garnish various dishes. The plant also has a high healing capacity. It is a dark green colored herb with curly leaves and a bitter taste. Another variety known as Italian parsley has flat leaves and isn't as bitter as the curly type. The herb is a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and iron. It also contains various phytonutrients that promote good health. The nutritional content of parsley assures several benefits to your health. We tend to think of herbs as garnishes, but parsley takes a starring role in this fresh Pesto recipe. Try it on toasted bread, steamed vegetables, roast lamb or chicken, too.

Parsley Pesto

(Servings: 4)

 Ingredients

1 bunch organic parsley (leaves only, chopped)
1 garlic clove, minced                                                        
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Place the parsley in a small food processor and pulse 6-8 times. Add the remaining ingredients and process until a thick sauce forms. (Sauce will keep in a sealed container for up to one week.)


In health...

Arugula and strawberry summer salad


Arugula           


           Arugula and strawberry summer salad        

Nutrient-rich and low in calories - just 20 calories in about three cups arugula provides an excellent source of folate, vitamins A and C, and over 100% of your daily vitamin K needs.This same serving supplies a good source of calcium, magnesium and manganese..

          (serves 2)


 Ingredients

6 cups fresh arugula leaves
1 cup fresh organic strawberries
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

 Directions;

          1.Put arugula in a large salad bowl.

          2.Slice strawberries and add to salad.

          3.In a small bowl whisk together mustard and
             lemon juice.

          4.Add a healthy pinch of salt and lots of fresh pepper.

          5.Slowly stream in olive oil while whisking.

         6.Toss dressing with salad and serve.

         In health....
     
              

Mustard Greens salad with balsamic vinaigrette


Mustard greens                    
                                                                                                                                                                                                                If you’ve never had mustard greens before, then I think you’re in for a treat. Think of it as horseradish in the form of a healthy fibrous dark leaf. It has the sharp pungency of a strong mustard and is indeed one of the most nutritious green leafy vegetables. The greens actually contain vitamin A, and K. As the mustard greens get bigger they are awesome in stir fries.

Mustard Greens Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

SALAD:

1 small bunch mustard greens

1 medium tomato

2 Tbsp. green onions (chopped finely)

1 red bell pepper

1 small cucumber, diced

1/4 cup

/DRESSING:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup honey mustard

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried ginger

Instructions;

Wash and chop your mustard greens. Dice the tomato, cucumber and red bell pepper.

1 .In a small bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey mustard, garlic and ginger..

2. Thoroughly combine all ingredients, toss and serve.

Quick Notes

If you are not used to mustard greens, then be forewarned. They pack a big flavor punch, and are much more fibrous than lettuce or even spinach. You may want to sub out half of the mustard greens for lettuce or spinach for a more palatable recipe.
In health...