spreadthegoodhealth

Fruit Salad with Homemade Cashew Cream

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 21:22:03 GMT

I've very much a seasonal person, especially when it comes to my diet.

Now that summer is officially here, I find myself eating more raw foods and lighter meals.

One incredibly easy and delicious breakfast I've been obsessing over is a fruit salad topped with a homemade cashew cream.

The wonderful thing about this recipe is that you can customize it to the fruits you have at hand, what's local or whatever suits your pallet!

Personally, I like to load up on mixed berries for the antioxidant benefits, but I also add in banana, mango and kiwi. A wide range of fruits is important for all of the various nutrients.

The cashew cream is quite simple consisting of just a handful of ingredients; RAW cashews (must be raw, cannot be roasted and/or salted) that has been soaked overnight, vanilla extract, maple syrup and water.

Once you have your fruits chopped and placed into a bowl, you can move onto making the cream.

Essentially you're going to add all of your ingredients into a blender and add half a cup of water, keep in mind that the more water you add, the thiner the cream. I like mine fairly thick.

In a blender, blend the ingredients until the cream is smooth. Afterwards you simply pour the cream over the fruit salad and enjoy! If you'd like, you can top your fruit salad with cinnamon or granola for a crunchy texture.

Cashew Cream Ingredients (these measurements makes 2 servings):

3/4 cup of raw cashews (soaked overnight)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup of water

Health & Wellness Tips

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 22:26:41 GMT

January 3rd marks Health and Wellness Day.

January 3rd marks "Health and Wellness Day”, and it would make sense for it to fall early in the year as most people are typically more active in trying to make a more positive change towards their health and wellbeing; people are more conscious of what they are eating, hitting the gym more times per week, looking to quit or at the very least, minimize bad habits etc …

However health and wellness goes far beyond what you eat and how many times you exercise. To me, true optimal health extends to your mental, emotional and spiritual state; the whole of you, holistic (whole) health.

Holistic health considers all aspects of the body, nothing is more greater nor more important than the other. The body is treated and looked at as a whole.

Holistic health also shifts to a more natural lifestyle, meaning eating whole foods, minimizing animal products and avoiding processed foods and taking a more natural approach to treating ourselves with the use of herbs and plants and less with pharmaceuticals.

So if 2024 is the year that you plan on taking charge of your health and becoming the best version of yourself in all aspects of life, keep on reading. Below is a list of the different things you can do take your well-being to the next level:

Exercise/Body Movement:

There is no doubt that exercise is one of the best things you can do to improve your overall health. Most people associate exercise with losing weight or bulking up, and while that is true, exercise has shown to improve not only our stamina and endurance but most importantly our mental health. Exercise and moving our bodies helps to reduce feelings of depression and anxiety by elevating dopamine levels, increased feelings of self confidence and cognitive function. While exercising, our blood flow increases and our brains are exposed to higher levels of both oxygen and nutrients.

As an adult, it is recommended that we workout a minimum of 4 times per week, 40 minutes per session. Examples of exercise include cardio, endurance training, yoga, pilates or playing your favourite sport.

Deep Breathing Exercises:

DBE has recently become popular due to Mr. Wim Hof. He believes that “DBE teaches you to develop mastery over your nervous, immune, and cardiovascular systems to help you be happier, stronger, and healthier.” DBE is essentially taking in deep breaths through the nose, filling your lungs as much as possible and slowly drawing out the breath. This practise is meant to be done for a few minutes before you begin your day. A lot of people use this as a method of meditation as well.

Drink Water:

Drinking water seems to be pretty straight forward when it comes to our health. It has tremendous benefits such as keeping the body hydrated, the skin supple, lubricates the joints, helps to flush out waste etc … there’s also the nagging question of how much water you should drink each day. I think that answer will depend on who you ask, as people have varying opinions. As for myself, I wish that I could say that I was consistent with my daily water intake but I’d be lying; so all I can really tell you is that I try to drink as much as I can throughout the day. Somedays I find myself drinking more than others.

If you find yourself struggling with your intake, I suggest infusing your water with something you enjoy to add flavour. My personal favourite is fresh lemon juice; I love how it tastes and I find that that helps me a lot with my water consumption. Another tip would be to drink your water out of a cute tumbler with a straw, rather than a cap. When you’re drinking out of a straw rather than having to open up a cap, you’ll probably find yourself drinking more as there is literally minimal effort involved. Sounds silly, but it’s true!

Quality Sleep:

Sleep is one of those things that I value ALOT. If I don’t have a good nights sleep I feel like a zombie the next day. Sleep is incredibly important for our overall health as it is during this time that both the body and mind can rest. It is said that during sleep, many biological processes take place, the body repairs cells, restores energy, and releases molecules like hormones and proteins. Simple things like a quiet dark room, getting into a made up bed, clean sheets and avoiding screen time can help induce a deep sleep. If possible, try to aim for at least 8 hours per night.

Meditation:

The first record of meditation being practised dates back to 1500BCE. There are various forms and ways to practise meditation, the most common form is to sit in silence with a quiet and still mind. This isn’t always easy to achieve and takes much practise to accomplish. My favourite way to meditate is to use my singing bowls and gong. The beautiful sounds and frequency is like no other. Meditation is great for our mental and spiritual state as it offers a sense of peace, zen and calmness. It is a great tool for handling stress as well. If you’re like me and have a hard time with meditation, or you don’t have access to meditation tools, you can listen to soothing music or even go for a walk in nature. Anything that helps ground you and gives you peace is worth incorporating into your daily habits!

Eat Healthy:

This is my favourite part of this entire post as I LOVE food! LOL. Eating healthy is self explanatory when it comes to optimal health, in fact our nutritional choices is the most important as it has the biggest effect on our lives and health. Eating healthy means eating as close to nature as possible: fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains and legumes while avoiding processed junk. If you choose to incorporate animal products, be sure to eat organic and free range.

As the great Hippocrates once said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”.

Stress Management:

Stress is something that we all live with unfortunately. There are different types of stress and different ways to handle and deal with it, and which ever type of stress you’re facing, the most important thing to do is to manage it so that it doesn’t take over your life. High levels of stress can cause a variety of different health issues such as insomnia, inflammation, depression, anxiety, poor appetite … and just as there are different stress triggers, there are different things you can do to help alleviate it as well. Some of my favourites are taking long walks (especially in nature), exercising, long hot baths and sound bowl therapy. Of course you can also incorporate reading a good book, taking a break from watching the news, minimizing your time spent on social media, talking to a therapist or getting involved in activities/communities with like minded people.

Simple Green Juice

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 02:07:36 GMT

As I sit here and type this, I realize that it's been 7 months since I last posted here ... how does time go by so quickly?!

It's the summer of 2023 and life has been busy! So busy to the point that I've been finding myself either skipping a meal or forced to eat on the go. But now that things are (very) slowly slowing down, I'm able to find myself back in the kitchen and making fresh juices at home. I figured if I'm too busy to eat, I might as well not compromise on my nutrition and make a green juice that will provide me with the nutrients I need.

From having had previous conversations with others in the past regarding green juices, there seems to be a trend amongst most people that they fear the green juice. They worry that it'll taste earthy, that it'll make them gag and that "they just can't do it". But I say, fear not! For I have a simple, great tasting green juice recipe that will eliminate the notion that green juices are awful tasting.

This juice doesn't contain any wild or exotic ingredients, just simple everyday fruits and veggies, making this an ideal juice that you could happily enjoy often. And the best part is, that because of the fruits involved, it takes that earthiness taste away, so it makes for a great juice for those who are looking to start juicing and/or for those who are apprehensive of what it'll taste like. It's a perfect balance between sweet and "green".

I encourage you to try this recipe out. Be sure to use organic produce if possible and be sure to thoroughly wash your fruits and veggies first before juicing. If you don't have a juicer, you can easily throw the ingredients in a blender with some water, blend, and then strain the juice into a glass jar.

This recipe makes approximately 64oz. You'll need:

2 large handfuls of kale (or spinach)
4 stalk of celery
2 English cucumbers
2 apples
2 pears
1 lemon (brine removed)

Toss the ingredients into your juicer, pour into a glass jar and enjoy!

My First Ever 7 Day Juice Cleanse Experience

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 21:05:15 GMT

When I first went plant based, I would incorporate a fresh juice from time to time.

But I was never consistent with it. Between my lousy juicer, the clean up afterwards and the fact that I was winging the recipes (which led to subpar tasting juices), there was nothing keeping me from wanting to proceed.

However that started to change these last few years. Thanks to Instagram, I had come across various accounts of people who were either vegetarian, vegan or raw vegan who would also juice. And thanks to them, it had opened up a new world for me when it came to juicing. Through the content they shared, I really got to witness the benefits of juicing and learn various types of juice recipes.

One particular Instagrammer who I found to be quite inspiring is Jonny Juicer . His story of how he overcame illness, fatigue and gut issues through juicing is amazing.

As a result of all of this new and inspiring information, I decided to bite the bullet and invest in a high grade juicer. From there I would start to make fresh juices and add them to my weekly routine.

Some of you reading this may have juiced before or have had a fresh fruit/veggie juice once in their lifetime (and if you have, kuddos to you!), but have any of you ever done a juice cleanse before?

I had never, nor had I ever thought to do so. The idea of consuming juices and no solid food for days seemed daunting and impossible to me (I loooove food!). But here I am, sharing with you my week long journey on how I conquered the “impossible”.

But first, let’s circle back to how it all began…

Sometime in November of 2022, Jonny Juicer, along with Tribest, was doing a juicer giveaway. But not just any juicer, the ‘Lamborghini’ of juicers! Just like others, I entered my name into the draw hoping I would win but not holding my breath that my name would actually get picked, especially since I had just won Jonny’s LAST giveaway (how cool is that?!), but lo and behold, I had received a message from him congratulating me that I had won. I couldn’t believe what I was reading!

A few weeks later I received the juicer and immediately got started on juicing. This juicer, comparing to my last one, was amazing. The veggies and fruits were effortlessly masticated and cleanup was fairly quick and easy. If you’re looking to invest in a juicer, I highly recommend checking out their website www.tribest.com

Moving forward to December, I’m noticing that a few of the IG accounts I follow are posting that they are participating in a 7 day juice cleanse and that anyone can be a part of it at no cost. This got me seriously thinking.

I had never done anything like this before nor have I ever really participated in anything that really challenged me, especially mentally. The questions lingered inside my head, could I actually do this? Am I strong enough mentally to get through an entire week of eating no solid foods? Would I be able to resist the temptations of food? For a few days I would go back and forth, weighing out the pros and cons.

While scrolling through IG, these juice cleanse posts would keep popping up on my feed, I took it as the universes way of telling me to jump on board and to give it a try.

If you’re curious as to why I would want to commit to such a thing, one of the reasons is pretty obvious. The health benefits. Juicing is a great way to reduce inflammation in the body, remove toxin build up, boosts the immune system and is an easy way to flood the body with nutrients without having to overwork the digestive system. But the main reason really why I decided to partake in this challenge, I say challenge because it is one for me specifically, is for discipline reasons. I’m just like any other person who has their personal struggles and one of them is the discipline to stick with something and follow through to the end. So I thought that participating in this would be an ideal way to really test myself and see how far along I can really go. Refraining from eating solid foods for 7 days, especially for the first time, takes a lot of self discipline!

So, let me take you through my journey, day by day …

DAY 1: The first day was a breeze! All of the suggested juice recipes were delicious, although I am going to tweak the green juice. My favourite juice is the morning grapefruit ‘fat cleanse’. I now have an appreciation for grapefruit. Energy levels were great throughout the day. Oddly and surprisingly, by the end of the day I wasn’t starving like I had anticipated, instead I felt ‘empty inside’ and a ‘lack of satisfaction’ … if that makes sense. Peed a lot! LOL

DAY 2: Woke up and got out of bed easily (5:45am) with high energy levels! Went to the gym for the first time this we ek, did a brisk 40 minute walk on the treadmill, noticed that my sweat was a bit more stinkier than usual (perhaps the sign my body was beginning to detox?). Felt great throughout the day!

DAY 3: Struggled to get out of bed this morning. Felt a little bit lightheaded, almost ‘high’ in the morning prior to completing my first juice. Again, energy levels were great throughout the day. Surprised at how easy this is!

DAY 4: Feeling really good! Skipped my afternoon drink because I wasn’t hungry

DAY 5: Energy levels still good, starting to miss food

DAY 6: Hardest day of the week thus far. Physically I’m feeling great, but struggling mentally big time. I’m finding myself thinking about food, strong cravings are starting to kick in. Not necessarily craving or wanting to eat junk or something sweet, at this point any type of food is welcome. Found myself immersed in all types of food content, such as cooking shows, Instagram food accounts … stupid me, this is not helping AT ALL! Feeling quite hungry by the evening. By body wants food, but my mind is telling me to push through, I’ve gotten this far and can’t screw this up with one day left to go.

DAY 7: Last day, and I am incredibly proud of how far I’ve come and that I was able to set a goal and accomplish it! Feeling very grateful.

All in all, this cleanse was certainly a mental challenge to see if and how far I can go. It has given me strength to pursue future endeavours that I may have been hesitant to do so in the past.

This was overall a great experience. Would I ever do it again? Certainly! Would I do another 7 days straight? Probably not anytime soon, but I am definitely open to do a juice cleanse a few times per year.

Will you be joining me?

Gluten Free Grains

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 22:55:57 GMT

Who would have thought that there would be an “International Gluten Free Day”?!

Truth be told, nowadays not much surprises me. So in spirit of this day I thought I’d share some of the top consumed grains that are gluten free.

First off, what the heck is gluten? And why are so many people avoiding it or completely eliminating it from their diet?

Gluten is a protein that is found in certain grains, including wheat. It acts like a binder, holding food together and adding a “stretchy” quality—think of a pizza maker tossing and stretching out a ball of dough. Without gluten, the dough would rip easily.

It is commonly found in foods such as cereals, pizzas, breads and pastas and has no nutritional value.

Gluten is also a common type of food intolerance, causing an array of unpleasant symptoms such as bloating, gas, stomach pain, headaches, diarrhea and/or constipation. Those with an intolerance are suggested to minimize gluten as best as possible and those with Celiac Disease (an autoimmune disorder) are suggested to not consume gluten at all and opt for gluten free options instead.

The exact reason for a gluten intolerance hasn’t yet been understood for certain, but research shows that most people just aren’t able to breakdown the protein properly. As a result, the food ferments in the gut, causing a variety of health issues.

Luckily there are many GF options that are nutritious and easily accessible, and with todays food technology, there are plenty of options to pick and choose from. Below is a list of a few wonderful GF grains:

SORGHUM

Sorghum is typically cultivated as both a cereal grain and animal feed. It is also used to produce sorghum syrup, a type of sweetener, as well as some alcoholic beverages.

This gluten-free grain contains beneficial plant compounds that act as antioxidants to reduce oxidative stress and lower your risk of chronic disease. Additionally, sorghum is rich in protein and fibre and can help slow the absorption of sugar to keep your blood sugar levels steady .

Sorghum has a mild flavor and can be ground into flour for baking gluten-free goods. It can also replace barley in recipes like mushroom-barley soup.

QUINOA

Quinoa has quickly become one of the most popular gluten-free grains. It’s incredibly versatile and a good source of fiber and plant-based protein. It’s also one of the healthiest grains , b oasting a high amount of antioxidants that may help reduce your risk of disease.

Additionally, quinoa is a good source of protein and one of the few plant foods considered a complete protein source. While most plant foods are lacking in one or two of the essential amino acids required by your body, quinoa contains all eight. This makes it an excellent plant-based source of protein . Quinoa is the perfect ingredient to make gluten-free crusts and casseroles. Quinoa flour can also be used to make pancakes, tortillas, or quick bread.

OATS

Oats are very healthy. They also stand out as one of the best sources of oat beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber with advantages for your health. Other studies have shown that beta-glucan may slow the absorption of sugar and lower blood sugar and insulin levels.

Although oats are naturally gluten-free , many brands of oats may contain trace amounts of gluten. Oat products may become contaminated with gluten when they are harvested and processed. If you have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, be sure to look for oats labeled as certified gluten-free.

A hot bowl of oatmeal is the most popular way to enjoy oats, but you can also add oats to pancakes, granola bars, or parfaits for extra fiber and nutrients.

BROWN RICE

Although brown and white rice come from the same grain, white rice has had the bran and germ of the grain removed during processing. Thus, brown rice has more fiber and a higher amount of many micronutrients, making it one of the healthiest gluten-free grains around.

Both varieties of rice are gluten-free, but studies show that replacing white rice with brown rice comes with added health benefits . In fact, choosing brown rice in place of white rice can lead to decreased risks of diabetes, weight gain, and heart disease.

Brown rice makes a delicious side dish on its own or can be combined with vegetables and a lean source of protein to create a filling meal.

TEFF

As one of the smallest grains in the world, teff is a tiny but powerful grain. Despite being just 1/100 the size of a kernel of wheat, teff packs a nutritional punch!

Teff is high in protein, which can help promote satiety, reduce cravings, and boost metabolism. It also fulfills a good portion of your daily fiber needs . Fiber is an important part of the diet and is associated with weight loss, reduced appetite, and improved regularity.

For gluten-free baking, try substituting teff in part or in whole for wheat flour. Teff can also be mixed into chili, made into porridge, or used as a natural way to thicken dishes.

BUCKWHEAT

Despite its name, buckwheat is a grain-like seed that’s unrelated to wheat and is gluten-free.

It provides plenty of antioxidants, including high amounts of two specific types — rutin and quercetin . These antioxidants have been proven to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress.

Eating buckwheat may also help reduce some risk factors for heart disease .

Try soba noodles made from buckwheat as a gluten-free swap for traditional pasta. Alternatively, use buckwheat to add a bit of crunch to soups, salads, or even veggie burgers.

Besides several types of GF grains, d on't forget that both fresh fruits and veggies are GF ! Alternatively there are also many brands that offer GF pastas, breads, cereals and crackers , making it super easy to live a GF lifestyle!

Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 18:47:24 GMT

Overnight oats are easily one of my favourite breakfasts.

I especially love them because it saves me so much time in the morning from having to make breakfast. They're also great because oats are super versatile, you can literally create different recipes using a variety of different ingredients. And let's not forget how nutritious oats are!

I also prefer overnight oats to oatmeal (even though they're made up of the same ingredients) because I find that they offer a different texture ... or is it just me? Can anyone else confirm that?

Now that we are officially in the autumn season, I decided to create a recipe that pays homage to fall foods, which includes apples and warming spices, as well as ensuring that the recipe was filling and comforting to the belly. I believe that this recipe hits the mark!

You'll need:

1 large apple, chopped (I prefer gala or honey crisp because of its sweetness)
1.5 cups of oats
1 tbsp of chia seeds
1 tbsp of cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp of ground ginger
2 tsp of vanilla extract
2 cups of unsweetened almond milk

Suggested toppings:

chopped walnuts
coconut flakes
maple syrup
raisins
more chopped apple

Instructions:

In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients. Mix until well combined. Cover and either set aside or refrigerate overnight. I prefer setting the oat mixture aside as I don't enjoy eating cold foods first thing in the morning.
In the morning, stir the mixture to combine. If you find the mixture too thick, add some more milk, if it's too runny, add some more chia seeds. Top your oats with your desired toppings. Eat and enjoy!

This recipe yields 2 large servings or 3 small servings.

My IUD Experience

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Wed, 28 Sep 2022 20:46:34 GMT

I’ll never forget the words I uttered the moment my second (and last) child Kai, was brought into this world, “Thank God it’s over!"

It’s probably NOT what most women say right after their baby is born, but when you’re pushing out a 9 pound baby out of a 10 cm diameter without, I repeat, without any epidural or pain medication, the relief to finally have it over with, is an understatement.

My husband and I were blessed to have both a girl and boy, and after the birth of Kai, we felt that our little family was complete. Once we had made that realization, we knew that something had to be done to prevent any future unwanted pregnancies, so I decided to try the IUD.

At the time, I didn’t know anyone personally who had tried it themselves, but I knew that going on the pill wasn’t an option for me. I had tried it in the past, but I was never good at being consistent with taking the damn thing each day at the same time, so the only other choice was to give the IUD a try.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with what an IUD is, an IUD is a form of birth control that is inserted into the uterus by a practitioner. They’re usually made of plastic, in the shape of a T. There are copper IUD’s that are non hormonal and IUD’s that contain a synthetic hormone. There are several different “brands” in the market, the one that I had used was called the Mona Lisa, recommended to me by my gynaecologist.

During the first 10 years that I had the IUD, I don’t remember specifically if I dealt with any issues. Looking back, I didn’t really pay much attention to myself. My diet was crap, I didn’t exercise much, if at all, and my entire focus was on my two young babies. I can tell you for certain that I didn’t have any serious side effects though.

The first 2 IUD’s that I had (I’ve done 3 in total), were the ones that stayed in for 5 years and when it was time for me to switch to a new one, my doctor had suggested that I try the 10 year one. My doctor had never done me wrong, so I trusted his advice and went ahead with it.

The third IUD was inserted in July of 2021, and just like the other two times, I didn’t experience anything different or unusual. But as months went by I started to notice some unpleasant things. Fair warning, the following text may gross you out …

I was beginning to notice that I had severe bloating and stomach distention. It had gotten so bad to the point where my husband would jokingly ask if I were pregnant, that’s how round and hard my belly would be. Along with the bloating would come stomach discomfort and trapped gas. There were times that I wanted to pass gas so bad because the discomfort was terrible but nothing would come out! And if anything did, it wasn’t enough to feel any relief.

My period was also noticeably longer, lasting a full seven days and fairly heavy too. But before my period would arrive, I would deal with spotting that also lasted quite a few days, so in total I was dealing with a period for 10 days. Not. Fun. And the best part, and I am being VERY sarcastic, is that after my period I would also have to deal with that dreaded milky substance that we women all hate … I don’t even want to type in the word because the word itself is just as bad LOL, but I’m sure you know where I’m going with this. This “substance” was also dark in color, which I know is not usual … so yes, on top of everything else, there was that, the cherry on top as they say.

I don’t know, maybe these sorts of things are common and to be expected, and maybe it was just all a coincidence, but something inside me was telling me that the two were connected. So after deliberating the pros and cons in my head, I decided to have it removed. I felt that after having had the IUD for 12 years that my body needed a break and that I needed to just allow my body to go about its natural processes.

At the end of March 2022, I had it removed, so its been just over two months ago as I sit here and type this out, and I got to admit, removing it was the best decision.

The very first thing I noticed that had changed for the better was the bloating, it was almost instant! The bloating was gone, the stomach discomfort was gone and so was the awful feeling of the trapped gas. I couldn’t believe it!

My first period after having it removed was a few days late, and I’m thinking it was because of the adjustment my body was making. My period came with no pre spotting and it was shorter in length and also considerably lighter than what I was used to. It’s funny, because growing up I remember hearing people say that birth control would shorten AND make your periods lighter, but for me it was the opposite … I also haven’t had to deal with any dark “fluids” outside of my cycle which has been a delight!

As previously mentioned, it’s been just over a few months since I’ve been IUD free, and as each month goes by I’ll be making notes for myself to see how my periods are and how my body responds while making this new adjustment.

The purpose of creating this blog post was to share with you my experiences in hopes that if you find yourself in the same situation, you can rest assure that there are others going through it as well.

Part of my goal with Spreadthegoodhealth is to create a community where we can share stories amongst each other, a place where we can be open and honest without fear of judgement. Health to me isn’t about just diet and exercise, it’s about treating the body as a whole, there is no separation.

September 2022: I'm adding in this bit here as my original intensions were to upload this post in the beginning of summer ... It's been half a year since I had the IUD removed and I am happy to share that all is well! Periods are still considerably shorter in length, bloating is pretty much non existent and trapped gas is no more!

Roasted Cabbage 'Steaks'

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 20:09:23 GMT

Overall I'd say cabbage isn't exactly the most popular of veggies consumed.

Growing up, cabbage was used mostly for soup my mom would make often. And to be honest, that was the only way it was ever eaten at our home, boiled ... how boring!

So naturally I got sick of eating it the same old way, that as I got older and started cooking myself, I never reached for it ... up until recently.

Being a plant based eater, cauliflower 'steaks' have become very popular within the plant based cuisine. A few months ago, I came across a recipe and it dawned on me, 'instead of using cauliflower, I wonder what it would be like to use cabbage instead?' I'm always looking for different ways to incorporate a variety of different foods into my diet, so I figured I'd give it a try. However some of the ingredients listed in this particular recipe didn't tickle my tastebuds so I changed it up to some of my favourite flavours. Low and behold, after a few attempts I have discovered a new (and delicious) way of eating more cabbage!

I believe that this simple recipe is ideal for those looking for a quick and easy to make meal, it's comforting and perfect for plant based and keto eaters alike as it is low carb! If you're looking to add more veggies into your life, you can turn this into a satisfying lunch or dinner.

You'll need:

1 head of green cabbage, cut into 1' 'steaks'
half cup of olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tbsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp pepper flakes
1/2 cup of veggie broth
salt and pepper to taste
balsamic glaze (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
In a bowl, make your marinade by combining the olive oil, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, dried parsley, pepper flakes and veggie broth
Cut your cabbage into 1' steaks and place them on the prepared baking sheet
Brush the marinade onto both sides of the cabbage, evenly coating them. Drizzle the balsamic glaze over top of the cabbage (optional)
Bake for 30 minutes
Enjoy as a meal with either rice, potatoes or salad or as a side dish!

'Not your average' PB & J Sandwich

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 21:23:32 GMT

Who doesn't love the classic and simple, yet hits the spot, peanut butter and jam sandwich?!

Growing up, whenever I wanted a quick snack, my go to was a PB&J sandwich ... a classic! And why not, it was simple and quick to make and tasted delicious. The combination of the sweetness from the jam and the salt from the peanut butter made it a perfect paring. Chase that with a tall glass of cold milk and I was in heaven!

Now that I'm older and more conscious of my food, I decided to try a different take on this sandwich and find a way to make it a bit more wholesome, yet still very satisfying. The "old" way of putting this together used ingredients that weren't the greatest ... the peanut butter contained more ingredients than just peanuts (why add icing sugar???) and the jam was filled with unnecessary added sugar and preservatives.

So after playing around in the kitchen, I came up with this concoction, your 'not so average' PB&J Sandwich. Rather than using jam, we're using whole fresh berries and the PB is organic and natural. I've also added in banana, as I found it to add the perfect touch!

Just like any other PB&J sandwich, this recipe is simple and quick to make and satisfies the belly and sweet tooth.

For this recipe you'll need:

2 slices of toast bread, toasted
Natural peanut butter
1/4 cup of fresh raspberries
1/4 cup of fresh blueberries
1/2 tbsp of maple syrup
1/2 a banana, sliced

Take your two slices of bread and toast them
While your bread is toasting, take a small bowl and combine the berries and maple syrup. Using the back of a fork or potato masher, mash the berries until well crushed and combined
Slice the banana into thin slices
When your toast is complete, spread the peanut butter onto one slice of the bread and layer your banana. On the other slice, add in the berries
Combine the two slices of bread together to form a sandwich, slice diagonally
Eat and enjoy with a glass of milk!

Vitamin C

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 19:30:39 GMT

Apparently April 4th is National Vitamin C Day. Who knew such a day existed?

Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin, meaning that the vitamin is carried to the body’s tissues but is not stored in the body as it dissolves in water.

It is an important essential nutrient - that is, we must obtain it from our diet. It is found only in fruits and vegetables and its highest content can only be found in fresh, uncooked foods. Vitamin C is among the least stable vitamins and cooking can destroy much of this vitamin content in foods.

Vitamin C is readily absorbed from the intestines, ideally about 80-90% of that ingested. It is used by the body in about 2 hours and then is usually out of the blood within 3-4 hours. Because of this, it is recommended that we take a Vitamin C supplement every 4 hours or a time release capsule. Another option would be to consume foods high in Vitamin C throughout the course of the day.

Vitamin C is used up even more rapidly under stressful conditions, with alcohol use and smoking.

While each vitamin plays an important role in our overall health, one important function of Vitamin C is in the formation and maintenance of collagen, the basis of connective tissue.

It also helps thyroid hormone production and aids in cholesterol metabolism, increasing its elimination and thereby assisting in lowering blood cholesterol.

Through continued studies, Vitamin C has been shown to stimulate the immune system; through this function, along with its antioxidant function, it may help in the prevention and treatment of infections and other diseases (bacterial, viral and fungal).

Vitamin C supplements has, and continues to be widely used as a treatment for the common cold, but it is also used to support the adrenal function, helping the body handle stresses of all sorts.

Vitamin C supplements may also help with problems relating to fatigue and slow metabolism, relief of inflammatory pain, burns, fracture healing, bedsores, skin ulcers and to speed wound healing after injury or surgery.

It is also used to aid those withdrawing from drug addictions and other addictive substances such as nicotine, caffeine, and even sugar.

Chronic Vitamin C deficiencies are not very common as Vitamin C can be found naturally in a wide variety of different foods, however, people who deal with the following conditions may have a deficiency to some degree:

Scurvy
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Alcoholism
Very slow wound healing
General weakness
Loss of appetite and poor digestion
Anemia
Loose teeth
Bone brittleness

Food sources of Vitamin C:

When it comes to food sources of Vitamin C, naturally we think of citrus fruits, however there are other foods that are higher in C content.

Guava
Kiwi
Bell Peppers
Strawberries
Oranges
Papaya
Broccoli
Tomatoes
Snow Peas
Kale

RDA (recommended dietary allowances) for Vitamin C:

The recommended daily allowance will vary depending on the age, sex and health status of the individual. Below is the RDA to maintain good health.

Male 9-13 years 45 mg

Female 9-13 years 45 mg

Male 14-18 years 75 mg

Female 14-18 years 65 mg

Male 19+ years 90 mg

Female 19+ years 75 mg

Pregnant 19+ years 85 mg

Lactating 19+ years 120 mg

No Bake Black Bean Brownies

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 20:06:48 GMT

Brownies are one of those sweet treats that most people grew up loving, and what’s not to love? They’re chocolatey, fudgey, decadent and hits the right spot!

But along with those desirable qualities comes the not so desirable empty calories, refined sugars, high fat content and a lack of vitamins and/or minerals. Basically, a traditional brownie is nothing but a guilty pleasure to satisfy the sweet tooth as it offers little to no nutritional value.

So, it became my mission to test the waters and see if I could come up with an easy and quick recipe. One where I could add as many healthy ingredients as possible, while still offering a delicious chocolate taste!

Keep in mind that these brownies are not your traditional brownies that you’re probably used to. They don’t require any baking and there’s a single ingredient that you wouldn’t find in store bought brownies … black beans! Black beans offers this dessert the bulk and moisture content that it needs, while offering the health benefits such as high levels of fibre, protein, folate, magnesium and zinc. Black beans are also naturally low in fat and are cholesterol free.

Can you imagine such a dessert being so healthy?!

Along side the beans, I also used (and encourage you too) CACAO rather than COCOA. Cacao has a more bitter taste I find, but its health properties just can’t be beat. Cacao is considered a ‘superfood’, less processed and is high in antioxidants.

Below is the recipe for these raw black bean brownies, give it a try (I dare you!), I can guarantee that you won’t taste the beans! Feel free to adjust the measurement of the maple syrup to suit your pallet.

1 cup of raw walnuts
3/4 cup of black beans (canned), rinsed
1/3 cup of maple syrup
1/2 cup of almond butter
1/2 cup of unsweetened cacao powder

In a food processor, grind the walnuts and black beans until well combined, ensuring that the beans have all been mashed.

Add the maple syrup, almond butter and cacao powder to the bean and walnut mixture and process until well combined. You’ll notice after a minute or two that the mixture will roll and form itself into a ‘doughy’ ball.

Transfer the mixture into a square pan (be sure to line the pan first with parchment paper!) and with your finger tips, gently press the brownie mixture into the pan, making sure it is evenly spread out.

At this point you can either add a topping such as crushed walnuts or whole pecans or you can keep it as is. If you choose to add a nut topping, be sure to gently press it into the top of the brownie.

Cover and put your brownies in the fridge for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares.

Enjoy!

How to Naturally Raise your Vibration

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Sat, 26 Feb 2022 23:18:59 GMT

No one would have expected or anticipated these last 2 years. Our lives changed literally in a blink of an eye. Our daily routines disrupted, schedules and patterns altered to accommodate this “new normal” (although this will never feel normal to me).

And while people were trying to adjust and do their best to make ends meet (in more ways than one), a lot of people were struggling with how to keep their spirits up.

Everything in this world is running on a frequency, from the trees, to animals, humans and even our thoughts. As humans, our frequency and vibrations are composed from physical matter to the way we think and what we think, and as a result, some of our vibrations vibrate faster and some vibrate slower. Here’s a simple example: think of how you feel when you are listening to one of your favourite songs. You put the volume up as high as it goes and you start to sing along and move your body. That feeling of joy and happiness indicates that you are in a state of high vibration. Now imagine the opposite, you’re living in a state of worry, fear and anxiety. You constantly have knots in your stomach and you’re never in a state of peace, those feelings will have you in a low vibration and frequency.

When you are vibrating at a higher level you feel happier, at ease and “lighter”, whereas lower vibrations feel dense, heavy and dark.

Based on those 2 examples, it’s pretty simple and clear that the idea is for us to be in a constant state of high frequency. Now I know it’s impossible to be this way 24/7, but we can certainly be mindful of our behaviours and manifest this great energy into our daily life.

How are you feeling at this moment? What does your surroundings feel like?

Below are a few simple ways for you to naturally raise your vibration that you can incorporate into your life to keep you in a state of high frequency:

Drink more water: pure, clean water helps to carry nutrients and oxygen to the cells, keeps the body hydrated and helps to move toxins and waste out of the body.

Practise Gratitude: expressing your gratitude each day is associated with happiness, feeling positive emotions, improves your mental health and attracts positive experiences. Even when you’re having a bad day, there is always something to be grateful for, such as family and friends, the warm sun or the given fact that you were blessed with another day. Practising gratitude each day shifts your perception while raising your spiritual awareness for the small things in life!

Eat alkaline foods: consuming a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables will provide the body with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre and phytonutrients. Because these foods are so nutritious, it will leave the body feeling “light” vibrant, and connected to the earth. When you consume “dead” foods such as processed, fried and animals products, it will lower your vibration.

Move your body: not only is exercising great for our physical health, but most importantly for our mental health. Exercise naturally raises our dopamine and serotonin levels, which leaves us feeling healthy, strong, motivated and happy. It also improves our mood, sleep, boosts our energy levels and helps to combat certain health conditions. Adults on average should exercise 4-5 days a week, 30-45 minutes each time.

Meditation: Meditation has been said to help raise vibration and frequency. Meditating can increase self awareness, which allows you to gain control and perspective on stressful situations. It also allows you to reduce negative thoughts and emotions while being and focusing on the present (which we often don’t do).

If you are a beginner or would like to start meditating, it can be hard at first to just sit there in silence, alone with your thoughts, as a result, I highly recommend using guided meditation. Guided meditation can help with controlling your thoughts, while getting you to the state of relaxation and peace.

Spend time in nature (Grounding): When you take the time to go out in nature, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, you instantly feel relaxed and calm. The sounds of the animals, the smells of the earth, the sun’s warm embrace and the cool wind blowing, instantly puts you in a zen like state. Being in nature connects you to Mother Earth in which you can build a connection with her if you are open to it. Grounding (which means to be bare foot and with the earth), has many health benefits, it can help to reduce pain and inflammation, increases circulation throughout the body and calms the nervous system. Connecting to the earth also helps us to connect with our selves and the divine. Going for hikes or long walks in the forest is my absolute most favourite way to centre myself. I encourage you to do the same!

Acts of kindness: when we stop and take the time to do something nice for someone (whether big or small), we are raising our vibration. Seeing the smiles of those we have offered our help to is rewarding and stimulates the pleasure sensors of the brain. The warm feeling we get of wellbeing that overcomes us instantly raises our frequency, knowing that we did something good that helped to brighten someone else’s day! Be kind to everyone!

Refrain from toxins: While smoking, drinking and eating junk food feels good at the moment, it is a temporary feeling. Consuming toxins can lower our perception, lower our energy levels and is a suppressant to the body, resulting in lowered vibration. Rather than numbing ourselves, adapt a more holistic lifestyle and approach to life. It will leave you feeling more healthy, energetic and full of vitality, this would include adapting a whole foods diet, exercising, and consuming herbs and natural supplements.

Channeling your time, energy and efforts into raising your energetic frequency is one of the best things you can do for yourself. When you lift yourself, you lift others around you … your vibe attracts your tribe!

“ As you think you vibrate. As you vibrate you attract.”

- Abraham Hicks

Be Blessed!

Lilian

Swap this for that: Peanut Butter

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 00:02:25 GMT

Peanut butter, what’s not to love? … unless you’re allergic, then maybe not so much.

Whether an ingredient found in a cookie or chocolate bar, eaten by the spoonful or apart of the beloved PB&J sandwich, most people enjoy good old peanut butter in some form or another.

Although we don’t know for certain, it has been said that the ancient Aztecs used to grind up peanuts and make it into a paste, but the modern version that we know and love has been around since the late 1800’s. And would you believe that the creator of PB was Canadian?! Represent! Mr. Marcellus Edson was the one who not only created PB (although it was called peanut paste back in those days) but also the production process, back in 1884 using roasted peanuts. In 1895 John Kellogg, patented the process of using raw peanuts to create PB, which was then referred to as “nut meal”.

As far as peanut butter in a jar, there are several companies that manufacture and sell the product. And when you’re shopping for PB, be mindful of what it is your purchasing and consuming.

True peanut butter should consist of peanuts as the ingredient, nothing more, nothing less. However there are brands who sell PB with unnecessary ingredients such as icing sugar. Other unwanted ingredients are hydrogenated oils, corn maltodextrin and salt.

These ingredients are obviously not healthy, that can add extra unwanted calories and potential adverse health reactions. Be sure to read the label.

Because ‘natural’ food products are becoming more mainstream, you can easily find natural PB at your local grocery store. Organic PB is an even better option, because the peanut is also a big target for little pests. Peanuts are also one of the crops most heavily routinely sprayed with pesticides.

I have heard (and don't quote me on this), that people with peanut allergies are actually experiencing a reaction to the pesticides, not the peanut itself.

If this is what you usually purchase ...

This is what you’ll want to switch to. Organic is an even better option.

PB is also a versatile product. It can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes. Below are a few different recipes that include peanut butter for your enjoyment!

PB&J Oatmeal

https://www.spreadthegoodhealth.com/pb-b-oatmeal

Spicy Peanut Thai Noodles

https://www.cookingclassy.com/spicy-thai-peanut-noodles/

African Peanut Stew

https://www.cbc.ca/life/thegoods/oh-she-glows-soul-soothing-african-peanut-stew-1.5030770

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

https://mygoodnesskitchen.com/vegan-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Vanilla Chocolate Oats

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 20:55:49 GMT

Who doesn't love the idea of chocolatey tasting food for breakfast?!

This particular oatmeal recipe is probably my favourite one ... actually, it is. I just loooove the combination of the vanilla and chocolate flavours. It satisfies my sweet tooth without the guilt!

Oats have quickly become a staple food for me, I love them so much because of how versatile they are. Not only that, but oats are quick to make, they leave me feeling full for hours and they are a healthy option for a meal. If you are looking to lose weight, I highly suggest that you incorporate oats into your diet.

Oats are high in magnesium, zinc, manganese and a variety of other vitamins and minerals and are low in fat, making them nutritionally dense. Oats also contain soluble fibre. Soluble fibre is fibre that dissolves in water, and the Beta-glucan in oats forms into a gel like substance when mixed with our disgestive 'juices'. This 'gel' nourishes the digestive tract and also feeds the friendly bacteria, essentially multiplying them which can contribute to a healthy gut.

The soluble fibre in the oats helps with weight loss because the fibre helps to keep you feeling fuller for a longer period of time, which helps to avoid snacking.

Steel-cut or rolled oats are the most nutritious and filling form of oatmeal to add to your diet. Avoid processed or instant oatmeal and don't add too much sugar to your oats for the most health benefits. You can sweeten your oats with fruit and a touch of maple syrup.

With this recipe, I prefer to use cacao over cocoa to give it that chocolate taste. I always use cacao over cocoa simply to reap the health benefits, however I'm sure cocoa powder will do the trick ... just don't quote me on that! For this recipe you'll need the following:

1.5 cups of vanilla milk

1 cup of quick oats or rolled oats

1 tbsp of chia seeds

1 tbsp of maple syrup

1/2 tbsp of cacao powder

Toppings:

1 banana, sliced

hemp hearts

or toppings of your choice

In a pot, warm the milk over medium high heat

When the milk has come to a light boil, add the oats, chia seeds, maple syrup and cacao powder. Stir until well combined. Cook the oats until softened, this should only take a few minutes. Be sure to stir often to avoid burning.

Once your oats are cooked, spoon into a bowl and add your toppings. I prefer a banana and hemp hearts sprinkled over top.

This recipe makes 1 large serving or 2 small servings.

Stay Motivated and Inspired

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 22:44:37 GMT

Hello 2024! Goodbye 2023!

January 1st of 2024 coincidentally falls on a Monday, which means new day, new week, new month, new year, new everything; the ultimate reset! It also means that there are millions of people around the world ready to get a start on their new years goals. For some folks it might be wanting to quit smoking, or wanting to lose weight. For some it may be to stay more focused and consistent with exercise or learning how to cook and being more proactive in the kitchen.

Whatever the goal, staying motivated and inspired is key in order to achieve success. However, for a lot of people, that’s easier said than done. Most people will be so determined and focused for the first month, but sadly lose touch and sight of those goals and slowly wean themselves away, inevitably not attaining or achieving what they initially set their hearts out for.

This is all too very common. I think it’s because most people are looking for quick results. We live in such a fast paced world where everything is on the go and so many products are designed for our convenience, that it has subconsciously affected our way of thinking … “Why hasn’t this happened yet?” “How come I’m not seeing any changes?” “How long will this take?” “I need to see results quick!”

With this sort of negative mindset (and I too am guilty of this), we can easily get annoyed, frustrated and discouraged and ultimately give up.

So how do we stay motivated to keep moving forward? What can we do to remain inspired?

I’ve complied a list of things that you can refer to when you need that friendly reminder. I hope that you will find this list useful.

Set realistic goals: when you set achievable goals, you increase your chances of success. Setting realistic goals maximizes your time and resources, keeping you motivated.

Create a vision board: a vision board is a visual representation of your goals. Creating one makes your goals clear, provides motivation and focus, enhances productivity and increases your chances of success.

Listen to motivational tapes: listening to motivational tapes can help you stay focused and on track. It’ll serve as a reminder as to why you started in the first place, and to keep moving forward!

Celebrate the big and small victories: celebrating your wins helps to track all of your achievements, whether big or small. Small achievements helps to work towards larger goals.

Have a support system: surround yourself with people who will be a positive light, hold you accountable and help keep you on track.

Don’t compare yourself to others: everyone’s journey and progress will look different from yours. It’s best to stay focused on yourself and your needs. Remember, it’s YOU vs YOU. Comparing yourself to others will only be a distraction.

Acknowledge your progress: attaining goals and keeping them isn’t easy. It requires time, patience, consistency and a certain mentality. When you make progress, acknowledge it! It will help keep you inspired to continue.

Take it one day at a time: there is no rush or time limit to achieve success. Rather than jumping the gun or having high expectations, just take each day as it comes. Approaching your goals this way can increase your chances of success.

Give yourself credit: stepping out of your comfort zone and taking the steps necessary to make big changes in your life can be daunting and intimidating. Give yourself credit for accepting the changes that you need to make and taking the steps to do so.

Be kind to yourself: during your journey you will most likely face bad days and difficult challenges. The key is to remind yourself why you started and to tackle those moments head on as best as you can. If you feel defeated, don’t beat yourself up. Tell yourself that these moments are not a reflection of who you are, that they will only make you a stronger person. Love yourself throughout the process, you are worthy!

Having goals and setting out to achieve them is a wonderful thing. It helps us to grow as an individual and even teaches us a thing or two about ourselves. We learn to quickly recognize our strengths and weaknesses and helps to build character. Setting goals also helps to maintain positive behaviours and promotes a sense of self mastery.

If you are currently working towards a dream or goal, I wish you well on your journey. No dream or goal is too big. If you can imagine it, then you can achieve it.

“A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement.”

- Bo Bennett

Plant Based French Toast

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 21:56:53 GMT

According to daysoftheyear.com, November 28th is National French Toast Day.

French toast isn't my favourite, I much rather eat pancakes instead. However many people do enjoy it, so when I came across "National French Toast Day", I knew I had to tackle a plant based version.

When it comes to choosing which bread to use, thick French or Italian bread is best. It's not the healthiest of breads but when I attempted to make it using Ezekiel bread, it failed miserably. And because I didn't have the thick toast bread, I just opted for regular toast bread.

Traditional french toast consists of eggs in the mixture and a plant based recipe obviously doesn't. But that doesn't mean that it can't be done. Here's what you'll need:

1 cup of plant based milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)

1 tsp of cinnamon

2 tsp of vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Toast bread (I used regular toast bread)

Butter for frying

Toppings can include:

Fresh banana slices

Fresh mixed berries

Chocolate chips

Whipped cream

Maple syrup

Powered sugar

Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.

While the skillet is heating up, prepare the mixture.

In a large bowl (or deep plate) add each ingredient one by one, whisking them as you go along. Make sure that you whisk all of the ingredients until well combined.

Place each slice of bread into the mixture, allowing the bread to soak in some of it.

Melt a small amount of butter in the skillet. When the butter has melted, fry the toast until golden brown. Make sure to fry both sides.

Serve the french toast hot with your favourite toppings. Eat and enjoy!

Stuffed Artichokes - Maltese Recipe

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 22:02:16 GMT

Artichokes are one of those unusual vegetables that most people don’t gravitate towards during their grocery trip.

It doesn’t resemble much of a veggie (at least not to me), in fact it looks more like a cacti flower that you’d find in some sort of desert, with its thick petals and unique shape.

Growing up I had never tried artichoke, it wasn’t until I met my husband that his family had introduced it to me. I remember the first time trying it, I wasn’t really impressed. It didn’t have much taste to it and the process of eating it was a bit unusual to me, so needless to say, I never gravitated towards it again.

Fast forward a few years later and somehow my husband convinced me to try it again. So I did, except this time we tweaked the recipe just a bit to match our (or should I say mine LOL) tastebuds. And OMG it was delicious! So much so that my husband and I make it at least once a month.

Artichokes are great because they are low in calories, fat and cholesterol and are high in fibre, potassium, vitamin C and magnesium. Artichokes are also very high in antioxidants, specifically the ‘heart’, which is located in the middle, deep beneath the petals.

Because of their tough exterior, artichokes take quite some time to cook (at least this recipe) and as a result, I recommend making them during the weekend so that you can cook them slowly.

There are a few different ways and recipes to cook artichokes, but this particular recipe is how we enjoy it most, the common way found in Maltese cuisine.

You’ll need:

12 cups of water

2 tbsp of olive oil

4 medium sized artichokes

5-7 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2.5 tbsp of slice kalamata olives

1 tbsp of capers

Elastic bands

First thing you’ll want to do is rinse the artichoke, removing any unwanted debris or dirt.

Afterwards, with a knife, cut the stem into thin slices and put them aside for the ‘stuffing’ (this is optional, you can skip it if you’d like).

In a bowl, mix the garlic, olives, stems (optional) and capers until well combined. This is what you’ll use to stuff the artichokes with.

Gently pull back the petal of the artichoke, creating an ‘opening’, once this has been achieved, grab a small amount of your ‘stuffing’ mix and carefully push in the ingredients. Pull back the petals and repeat until the artichoke is well stuffed. Once completed, wrap an elastic band around the artichoke, this will help keep the stuffing from falling out.

Do this for all of your artichokes.

In a large pot, boil the water under medium heat.

When the water is boiling, pour in the olive oil.

With a pair of tongs, carefully place the stuffed artichokes into the water. Cover the pot with the lid and turn down the heat to low.

Cook the artichokes in a slow simmer between 5-6 hours, until the outer petals are tender.

Once the artichokes are fully cooked, remove them from the water and let them cool for just a few minutes. When you are ready to eat, the petals should easily pull apart. How do you eat them? You put the petal in your mouth and pull, scraping the ‘meat’ of the artichoke between your teeth. This process is repeated until you get to the heart. The heart can be eaten whole, like you would eat any other food.

Just an FYI, these artichokes are cooked in our home as a snack rather than a meal or side dish. When you factor in the amount of prep and cooking time involved, it is quite a bit, but I promise you it’ll be worth it! The aroma that encompasses the kitchen makes the work involved worth it too!

Enjoy!

Avocado Toast with Roasted Tomato

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 21:08:10 GMT

If you don’t know already, my favourite meals to eat are breakfast meals.

I can eat any “breakfast” food anytime of the day. In fact, I can’t start my day until I’ve had breakfast. So naturally, here I am sharing yet another recipe for you.

This recipe is great for those who prefer something more savoury versus sweet. And just like other recipes that I’ve posted, this recipe is easy to make using wholesome ingredients … because that’s my jam!

So for today’s post, I’m sharing an avocado toast with roasted tomatoes. Avocado toast has become popular over the years, and understandably so, there’s so many different ways that you can top your avocado with.

And if you’re like me and can’t handle avocado on it’s own, this is a great way to squeeze in this healthy fat into your diet!

Avocados are incredibly nutrient dense, as they contain many minerals and vitamins including Vitamin K and Potassium. They are also loaded with antioxidants and aid in the absorption of other plant foods.

Avocados are also known to be a high fat food, and while that is true, avocados are high in Oleic Acid - a heart healthy monounsaturated fatty acid, which is associated with reduced inflammation, aids in weight loss and helps prevent cancers and cardiovascular disease.

So please don’t be fearful, avocados are healthy and optimal in a well balanced diet!

In this recipe, I also included broccoli sprouts. Looking at it, it doesn’t look appealing at all (it looks like something you pulled out of your backyard LOL!) but these sprouts are incredibly nutrient dense. For what it is, it is packed with lots of fibre and protein, vitamins and minerals. It also has very high levels of Sulforaphane, a nutrient that possesses anti cancer and anti inflammatory properties.

So, you’ve got yourself an incredibly nutrient dense, yummy tasting, easy to make, whole food, plant based meal. How can you say no???!!!

Avocado Toast with Roasted Tomato:

2 slices of bread, toasted

1 ripe hass avocado

1 small handful of broccoli sprouts

1 roma tomato

1 tsp of olive oil

Salt & pepper

Montreal steak spice

Chilli flakes (optional)

Set your oven to 350 degrees.

While the oven is warming up, cut your tomatoes into slices. Line them onto a parchment covered baking tray. Drizzle the olive oil on top of the tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Pop the tomatoes in the oven and roast for approximately 5 minutes.

While the tomatoes are roasting, toast the bread.

When the bread is ready, place a half of the avocado on each slice. Using the back of a fork, smash the avocado on the bread, until the bread is evenly coated.

Sprinkle the Montreal spice and/or chilli flakes over the avocado. Top the avocado with the broccoli sprouts and roasted tomatoes.

Enjoy!

(be sure to be careful, as the tomatoes are hot and can burn your mouth)

PB & B Oatmeal

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 21:38:49 GMT

One of my go-to breakfast meals is oats.

And funny enough, I used to hate oatmeal. There was something about the consistency that I couldn’t get past. But over time I grew to get over it and now I love it. Oats are great because they’re quick to make if your mornings are busy and there are a variety of different “flavours” that you can do, depending on your tastebuds (oatmeal is very versatile!).

You can even make oats savoury (although I haven’t tried it myself) or, how it’s most enjoyed, sweet. You can also make oats on the spot, or overnight in jars, which I highly recommend if you have VERY little time in the mornings!

Oats are a staple to most plant based eaters, and for good reason, they are bursting with health benefits! Below is a list of such benefits and why you should incorporate them into your diet:

Low in fat
Low in calories
Nutrient dense
Heart healthy
Aids in weight loss
Keeps the blood sugar balanced
Helps manage type 2 diabetes
Helps lower LDL cholesterol levels
Improves digestion
Provides antioxidants
Promotes healthy bacteria in the gut
Offers high amounts of many vitamins and minerals, such as manganese, phosphorus, copper, B vitamins, iron, selenium, magnesium, and zinc.

Oats are just freakin’ awesome! Wouldn’t you agree? Have I convinced you yet??

Maybe this simple recipe will do the trick!

I make this style of oatmeal between 2-3 times per week for both my husband and I. I call it PB & B (peanut butter and berries) because of the toppings (there’s nothing worse than eating plain old oats … BORING!).

This oatmeal recipe is topped with fresh berries, natural peanut butter for the healthy fats and ground flax seed. Lot’s of wholesome goodness!

PB & B Oatmeal:

1 cup of water

3/4 cup of large rolled oats

1.5 cups of fresh mixed berries

1 tbsp of natural peanut butter

1 tsp of ground flax seed

1.5 tsp of Maple syrup (or to taste)

In a small pot, boil the water.

When the water is boiling, add the oats. Stir often until the oats are cooked through (about 5-7 minutes).

When the oats are cooked, pour them into a bowl.

Top the oatmeal with the fresh berries, peanut butter, ground flaxseed and maple syrup.

Enjoy!

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 21:41:10 GMT

The Canadian Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Families will unite and gather around the dining room table while they feast on all sorts of foods.

One of my most favourite dishes of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner is the ever classic, pumpkin pie! I’m aware that not everyone is a fan, but you can’t deny how fitting it is for this time of the year.

Now while most pumpkin pies are vegan, I suggest that if you’re purchasing one, to take a look at the ingredients first, there may be milk products or eggs hidden in the crust.

But to be completely honest, if you have the time, I recommend baking your own pie. Baking your own ensures that you are using simple and wholesome ingredients and it’s fun to be in the kitchen, whipping something up on your own. And if you have kids, get them involved too!

Below is a pumpkin pie recipe from Angela Liddon C/O www.ohsheglows.com . This pie is not only vegan, but gluten free and soy free.

PUMPKIN PIE WITH PECAN OAT CRUST

A simple pumpkin pie filling with a delectable nutty crust! This pie is lightly sweetened and doesn't feel too heavy or give you a sugar crash after indulging. Prepare this pie the day before, so it has time to set in the fridge overnight.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PECAN OAT CRUST:

3/4 cup pecan halves
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 cup + 1/3 cup gluten-free oat flour
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats

FOR THE PUMPKIN FILLING:

1/4 cup full-fat canned coconut milk (the white cream portion) OR almond milk
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
6 tablespoons pure cane sugar (or granulated sugar of choice)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of fine grain sea salt

DIRECTIONS

For the crust : Preheat oven to 350⁰F and lightly grease a 9-inch pie dish with coconut oil. Add pecans into a food processor and process until a fine crumb forms, the size of sand. Be sure not to process the pecans for too long, or the oil will release. Now add the coconut oil, maple syrup, salt, and oat flour and process again until the dough comes together. Finally, pulse in the rolled oats until the oats are finely chopped, but still have some texture to them. The dough should stick together when pressed between your fingers. If it doesn’t, try processing for a bit longer.

With your fingers, crumble the dough evenly over the base of the pie dish. Starting from the middle, press the mixture firmly and evenly into the dish, moving outward and upward along the side of the pie dish. The harder you press the crumbs into the dish, the more it will hold together. Poke 5-6 fork holes into the bottom to let the air escape.

Bake pie crust, uncovered, at 350⁰F for 10-13 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from oven and set aside to cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes.

For the filling : In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk (or almond milk) with the arrowroot powder until smooth.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all of the pumpkin filling ingredients, including the arrowroot and cream/milk mixture. If your pumpkin puree is firm and grainy - add this filling into a processor and whirl it until smooth. You might need to add a bit more cream/milk if your pumpkin was really dense. Pour this filling into the baked crust and smooth out.

Bake the pie, uncovered, at 350F for 37-45 minutes until the pie is semi-firm, but still a bit soft. Watch the crust and cover with tin foil if necessary. My crust was nice and golden at 40 minutes (when I took it out), but not burned.

Cool the pie for 2 hours on a cooling rack and then cover with foil and transfer to the fridge overnight to set.

Note that the pie will get quite soft at room temperature so I don't suggest keeping it out for longer than 10 minutes at a time.

Easy Peasy Museli Recipe

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 20:53:02 GMT

Raise your hand, if you were like me and grew up on breakfast cereals…

I know I’m not the only one … Cereals that were sugary, chocolatey or colourful. Cereals with different shaped marshmallows, cereals that were frosted, cereals that were packaged in bright colourful boxes, cereals with mascots and memorable slogans … “they’re grrrrrreat!” Anyone remember who said those famous words?

I was definitely one of those kids who grew up on these, except these so called breakfast “foods” aren’t so grrrrreat. They are laden with sugar, low in fibre, and are made up of artificial colours and artificial sweetners. They offer zero nutrition (despite what it’s clever marketing states). In fact, have you ever taken a look at the ingredients?! It’s actually quite terrifying.

Trisodium Phosphate is one of those ingredients that are easily found in most of the popular children’s cereals. TP is simply a food additive and preservative, made by combining sodium and phosphate. It is generally recognized as “safe” and can be found in most baked foods, cereals, breads and meats. And while it is found in some “foods”, it can also be found in items such as paint thinner and cleaning products … now isn’t that lovely?!…

Besides TP being an unwanted and an unnecessary ingredient, most cereals are made up of genetically modified corn, sugars of all sorts (sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, glucose syrup), hydrogenated oils, synthetic vitamins and minerals. Basically to sum it up, you’re consuming a bowl of pure crap! This isn’t the ideal way to start the day …

So instead of reaching for that sugary garbage that has very little to offer but perhaps a blood sugar spike, I encourage you to make and consume muesli instead. It has the same feel as cereal, you eat it out of a bowl with your fave milk poured over top, except that it is incredibly more nutritious.

Museli can easily be made at home from a variety of different wholesome ingredients and can be adjusted to suit your tastebuds. And because of what it’s made up of, you can rest assure that it is high in fibre, vitamins, minerals and protein. Museli is health promoting, helps keep you feeling fuller for longer, helps to reduce bad cholesterol and reduces the risk for heart disease.

Yummy, nutritious and healthy? Now that’s a win win for me!

Homemade Museli:

2 cups of large rolled oats

1/4 cup of raw pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup of hemp hearts

1/4 cup of chia seeds

1/4 cup of raisins

1/4 cup of raw sunflower seeds

Combine all of the ingredients into a large bowl.

Mix until well combined.

Pour the muesli mixture into a sealed jar or container and keep in a dry, cool place.

When eating museli, I also like to add fresh fruit on top, either sliced banana's or mixed berries for added fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants!

Fresh Bruschetta Recipe

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 19:27:59 GMT

Okay, I’ll admit, I’m a really odd person when it comes to certain things like food.

For example, I cannot eat avocados on their own. I know a few people who take no issue to scooping it out with a spoon and eating it straight, but I simply just cannot! There’s something about the texture that throws me off. However, slap it on some toast, sprinkle some Montreal steak seasoning and I’ll devour that up.

Same can be said with tomatoes.

I won’t eat tomatoes on their own, like in a salad for example, but I looooooove it as bruschetta.

It’s the combination of the fresh tomatoes, with the zing of raw garlic and onion (two of my fave flavours!) that I adore.

For those of you reading this who may not know what bruschetta is, bruschetta is an Italian appetizer that was originated in the 15th century. It consists of a tomato “salad” layered on top of bread.

My family and I enjoy it so much that I started making it at home, and luckily, it met everyone’s criteria and was a hit! I am not of Italian descent, so I do not have a family recipe to go by, but I’d like to think that my recipe is just as yummy as you’d find in restaurants … am I tooting my own horn? Will it live up to my Italian friends expectations?! LOL

This recipe is super easy to make, made with a few simple ingredients. You can make it and serve it immediately , however I highly recommend letting it sit for a few hours, allowing the flavours to come together.

For this recipe you’ll need:

1/3 cup of fresh parsley finely chopped (not a traditional ingredient, but it tastes good!)
2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
1/3 cup of red onion, finely chopped
3 fresh Roma tomatoes
1/2 tsp of Italian seasoning
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste
1 baguette (or read of your choice. I do not recommend toast bread)

Add all of the ingredients to a bowl, and mix until well combined. You can adjust the seasonings to your taste if need be.

When you are ready to serve, spoon the bruschetta on top of either fresh or toasted sliced bread. You can also drizzle the bruschetta with a balsamic glaze or sprinkle some (vegan) cheese.

Buon Appetito!

Foundations of a Good Diet

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 20:35:26 GMT

There are several, upon several different types of diets consumed around the world, all boasting and convinced that their diet is the one that provides the utmost nutrition, OR the best option if your looking to lose weight, OR the preferred choice if you’re looking to bulk up and get shredded.

There are diets out there that promote the consumption of higher amounts of one type of food group over the next, diets that have you counting calories or macros and/or diets that have you consuming 75% uncooked foods.

With so many varying diets, contradicting information, doctors, nutritionists and dieticians promoting polar opposite diets, it’s no wonder why people are left feeling confused or misinformed. What diet is really best for me? Which diet is health promoting? Which diet will leave me feeling and looking my best?

The answer, is actually quite simple: The best diet that promotes longevity and good health is a wholesome diet of whole foods.

But what exactly qualifies as a wholesome diet? Well I guess it depends on who you ask, as everyone will have varying opinions, but as for myself, based on my own experience and what I have learned through schooling and research, a wholesome diet is a diet that is high in fresh, raw fruits and vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, high quality proteins, legumes and whole grains, all while avoiding processed and refined foods.

The idea of a wholesome diet is to eat as closely to whole foods as possible, as nature intended it, eating nutrient dense, low calorie foods. It is these types of foods that will provide the body with the nutrients that it needs: the vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, antioxidants and fibre. Now while you are consuming these whole foods, it is best to avoid (if you can eliminate them, even better!) processed foods, refined sugars and carbs, saturated fats, foods high in cholesterol, refined oils, trans fats, enriched/fortified products and foods containing additives and preservatives. This may all seem daunting and even impossible to achieve, but I assure you it can be done! With a health coach by your side to teach you and guide you on proper food choices, you can easily transition to a more healthier whole foods diet. Hit me up if you need assistance!

A wholesome diet also includes eating locally grown foods, choosing organic whenever possible, consuming seasonal foods, food combining and balancing different types of foods so that all essential nutrients are met.

Nowadays, too many of us are consuming the SAD diet, the Standard American Diet, which consists of high calorie, low nutrient foods, foods that are manufactured at labs with ingredients that you either can’t pronounce or have never even heard of. As a result, society is overweight and getting sicker at an alarming rate. Most illnesses and diseases are a direct result of our food choices and can be avoided if we just chose to be more mindful of what we put on the end of our forks. That is why a whole foods diet is imperative to long lasting health. Eating whole foods not only helps us to stay lean, but it promotes a clean and healthy gut, provides us protection against cancers and diseases, improves our mood and memory and provides us with energy to go about our day!

All in all, to obtain and maintain optimal health lets DECREASE: empty calories, saturated fats, acidic, processed and refined foods and lets INCREASE raw fruits and veggies, water, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Your body will thank you for it!

We must remember that our body is a temple, an extension of the universe, and with this gift, we must learn to nourish, nurture and take care of it. If we take care of it, our bodies will take care of itself and us.

My First Colonic

Spreadthegoodhealth (Lilian Arraial) — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 21:07:28 GMT

Prior to July 11th 2021, the idea of having any procedure done to my colon just made me shudder in horror.

However my mind has since been changed, thanks to a wonderful women by the name of Kristina. But lets rewind a sec and get to how this all started … I had heard about colonics but never read or learned about it, and it wasn’t until I saw someone on Instagram talk about how he was on his way to get one. He went on to talk about how excited he was to have the procedure done and he briefly went over some of the benefits. So naturally, this peaked my curiosity! I instantly thought about those past days when I would go to the bathroom (to do number two) just a few times a week, rather than everyday. I was imagining all of the years of built up gunk lining my colon and how my colon could really use a cleanse.

The first thing I did was go online and do a bit of research, I wanted to know EVERYTHING. What was the procedure like? what did it entail? would it be painful? Uncomfortable? What are the benefits? Cons? Would I be stuck inserting the tube myself? How long does it take? The whole idea terrified me so I needed all of my questions answered pronto.

Based on my experience, the entire procedure was very pleasant. Kristina was welcoming, professional and ensured me that there was nothing to worry about. Upon arrival there was a quick questionnaire followed by a consultation where we went over the paperwork and a walk through of the process. Once I was mentally prepared, it was showtime!

I laid on the bed, nervous to get started, but thankfully Kristina was quick to insert the tube, all while reminding me to take breaths and relax. Once that was complete, the water was turned on, and I kid you not, 30 seconds in, and the “plaque” was being removed and sucked out! It was interesting to see and I could not believe just how much gunk was being removed!

The whole process took 30 minutes and during that time, Kristina was massaging the abdomen area, assisting in the breakdown of the plaque. I never once felt any pain, however I did feel light cramping and a sense of “fullness”. We chatted the entire time, which distracted me, so that was nice!

Most people who decide to get a colonic have some sort of medical condition, or just like myself, are looking to do a cleanse. With that being said, there are so many benefits to having it done, here are just a few:

Helps to remove the toxins that have accumulated within the body
Stimulates and improves the immune system
Aids in weight loss
Cleanses the colon
Improves digestion
Aids in detoxifying the body
Increases the body’s absorption of vitamins and minerals
Decreases the risk of colon cancer

These are just some of the reasons why you should get one done and if you suffer from either an acute or chronic condition, chances are a colonic can benefit you too.

Once the procedure was complete, the first thing I noticed was how “light” I felt, it was as if I had instantly lost weight, not in the traditional, fat loss sense but like I had lost the weight of “build up” within my body. Second to that, my stomach was FLAT! Like incredibly flat. So much so, that I was constantly checking myself out in the mirror because I simply couldn’t believe it (did I really have that much gunk inside me?).

It has now been a few days since, and I feel great! Energy levels are up, stomach is still flat, still going to the bathroom normally … all in all I highly recommend everyone to get a colonic done. Your body will reap the benefits and you’ll be cleansing and healing the body all at the same time. If you’re in the GTA area, you need to check out Kristina at www.keydetox.ca

Happy Cleansing!

Got Protein?

Sat, 03 Jul 2021 19:16:57 GMT

Got Protein? The misconception that going plant based equals a lack of sufficient protein.

It never fails, time and time again when people hear that you’ve transitioned to a plant based lifestyle, the first question they ask is, “But where will you get your protein from?”. There’s this huge misconception that in order to get in your protein, you need to consume animal products, specifically meat, but the truth is, is that that idea is completely false (and sooo outdated if you ask me). There are plenty of foods that we can enjoy that not only contain protein but high amounts of it too!

But first, what is protein exactly? And why do we need it?

Protein is a macronutrient made up of small units called amino acids, known as the “building blocks” of protein. Although all protein is made up of amino acids, the sequence of them differs from food to food, giving the food it’s unique structure and function.

Now that we understand what protein is, here’s a list of some plant based options :

So as you can see, there are plenty of choices when it comes to choosing plant based protein sources. There’s no need to fear that you will become deficient, what’s important is that your meals are balanced, made with whole foods.

What’s the deal with carbs?

Sat, 03 Jul 2021 18:58:33 GMT

What’s the deal with carbs? Should we consume them or avoid them? How much of them should we eat? Do they cause weight gain? Can I lose weight on a high carb diet?

When it comes to carbs, there is so much confusion and conflicting information, it’s no wonder why people have a hard time with their diets. We’ve been told that if we want to lose weight, that carbs should be avoided, at the same time, we’re told that carbs are essential in weight loss. What to do? What to believe? Send helpppppp!

The truth is, carbs are one of the 3 main sources of food and are a source of energy. Carbs are mainly sugars and starches that the body breaks down and turns into glucose (a simple sugar that is the body’s main source of energy). And while we could get scientific and all, let’s just keep it simple:

Carbohydrates are generally categorized in two ways which vary by their chemical structure:

Simple carbs are a quick source of energy that offer very little nutrition and because they are digested fast, shortly after consuming them, we find ourselves hungry again, leading us to both wanting and eating more. Consuming simple carbs can also cause a rapid rise in both the blood sugar and insulin levels. These rising levels are unhealthy and can lead to insulin resistance, diabetes, yeast overgrowth, ADHD, heart disease, tooth decay, cancer, anxiety and many other health issues.

Below are some examples of simple carbs. THESE are the types of carbs that we should be avoiding if we are looking to optimize our health, lose weight and/or generally looking to stay healthy:

candy/chocolate
Breakfast cereals
White foods: bread, noodles, pastas, rice and refined sugar
Pop
Processed snack foods
Doughnuts, pastries and refined grains
pizza, burgers

Complex carbohydrates contain fibre, vitamins, phytonutrients and minerals. They take much longer to digest than simple sugars, so they don’t raise blood sugar as quickly as simple carbohydrates. Instead, they act as long-term fuel and contribute to energy production. Vegetables and whole grains are examples of complex carbohydrates. While complex carbs are a better choice, certain foods do score high on the glycemic index and can also cause a spike in blood sugar, for example: whole grain bread.

Below are examples of complex carbs. THESE are the types of carbs that we should be consuming everyday for optimal health:

Vegetables
Fruits
Nuts and seeds
Beans
Oatmeal
Quinoa
Brown rice
Whole wheat bread

Although all of the examples of complex carbs are healthy and play an important role, the body prefers the carbohydrates in vegetables rather than grains because it slows the conversion to simple sugars like glucose, and decreases your insulin level. Grain carbohydrates, on the other hand, can increase your insulin levels and interfere with your ability to burn fat. Moderation is key, even when eating whole grains.

So to round it up, carbs are not made equal. When we are looking to stay lean and healthy and avoid dis-ease to the body, we should be consuming more of the complex carbs while avoiding simple carbs. Now don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with having a slice of pizza once in a while or your favourite doughnut once a month. We’re human and deserve to indulge in some of our favourite foods once in a while. And as long as we’re keeping it to, once in a while, we can still maintain health while treating ourselves!

Creamy Fudgesicles

Sat, 03 Jul 2021 18:38:07 GMT

For my very first recipe on the blog, I thought I’d share one of my favourite treats. Summer is here, the sun is shining and it’s the perfect time to sit outside and treat yourself with a fudgesicle!

Growing up, I remember my parents buying my brother and I these and we’d devour them in days. So when I started playing in the kitchen creating recipes, I knew I had to re-create a plant based version of one of my favourite ice creams.

This recipe is incredibly easy to make (it is one of my missions to create super easy recipes for you all) and only requires a blender, an ice pop mold and three ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store.

When I first made these, I couldn’t believe how similar the texture was to a traditional fudgesicle, not to mention how creamy they were too. These plant based fudgesicles have all of the delicious flavours you’d expect, without all of the added refined sugars (a single traditional fudgesicle contains 11 grams of sugar). The coconut cream gives these pops it’s silkiness and the maple syrup is just the right amount of sweetness (although you could alter the recipe to your preference)!

Go ahead and try these fudge bars, I’m sure they will be a delight to both adults and kids alike!

Ingredients

1.5 cups of coconut cream
1/3 cup of pure maple syrup
1/3 cup of cacao powder

Instructions

Put all of the ingredients in a blender (I use the Magic Bullet), blend until well combined.
Slowly pour the mixture into each of the popsicle molds, making sure not to pour it to the very top.
Put the lids on each of the molds and carefully place it in a freezer. Keep them in the freezer until completely frozen.
Once they are ready to be eaten, slowly remove them from their mold and enjoy!

spreadthegoodhealth

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Easy Peasy Museli Recipe

Fresh Bruschetta Recipe

Foundations of a Good Diet

My First Colonic

Prior to July 11th 2021, the idea of having any procedure done to my colon just made me shudder in horror. ﻿

Got Protein?

Got Protein? The misconception that going plant based equals a lack of sufficient protein.

But first, what is protein exactly? And why do we need it?

Now that we understand what protein is, here’s a list of some plant based options :

So as you can see, there are plenty of choices when it comes to choosing plant based protein sources. There’s no need to fear that you will become deficient, what’s important is that your meals are balanced, made with whole foods.

What’s the deal with carbs?

What’s the deal with carbs? Should we consume them or avoid them? How much of them should we eat? Do they cause weight gain? Can I lose weight on a high carb diet?

Carbohydrates are generally categorized in two ways which vary by their chemical structure:

Below are some examples of simple carbs. THESE are the types of carbs that we should be avoiding if we are looking to optimize our health, lose weight and/or generally looking to stay healthy:

Below are examples of complex carbs. THESE are the types of carbs that we should be consuming everyday for optimal health:

Creamy Fudgesicles

For my very first recipe on the blog, I thought I’d share one of my favourite treats. Summer is here, the sun is shining and it’s the perfect time to sit outside and treat yourself with a fudgesicle!

Go ahead and try these fudge bars, I’m sure they will be a delight to both adults and kids alike!

Ingredients

I've very much a seasonal person, especially when it comes to my diet.

Overnight oats are easily one of my favourite breakfasts.

Prior to July 11th 2021, the idea of having any procedure done to my colon just made me shudder in horror.