giveaway: strawesome

by Dani on January 16, 2012

One of my most beloved products is my Strawesome glass straw.  Drinking a smoothie or water through this straw makes it go down much easier, it’s eco-friendly (minimizes nasty toxins in landfills and your body) and let’s be real, slurping is fun!

Strawesome is a fabulous company who hand-make all their glass straws!  In all my dealings with them, they have proven to have outstanding customer service and a lifetime guarantee against accidental breakage!  How cool is that?

I’ve teamed up with Strawesome to host a giveaway of 1 decorative Strawesome glass straw! 

How to enter:

1. Leave a comment below telling me your fav smoothie or drink  to sip with a straw.

2. For additional entries, do the following and come back here and comment below:

Deadline for entry is Friday, January 20th 2012. Contest is open to US and Canada only.

Note – Recipient of Strawesome glass straw may not receive straw as shown above.

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vitamin c boost smoothie

by Dani on January 15, 2012

Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble vitamin that is super important for the growth and repair of tissues in the body, helps us make the protein collagen, helps in wound healing and repairs and maintains bones and teeth.1 That’s a pretty important job!

This fab vitamin also acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps prevent oxidation of water-soluble molecules that could potentially create free radicals in the body which contribute to aging and the development of serious health conditions.2

Because Vitamin C is an essential vitamin for humans we must obtain it from dietary sources. Foods that are high in vitamin C include bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes and of course, citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons. Another great source of Vitamin C is a fruit from the Amazon region called Camu Camu berry which recent studies show as a source of antioxidant phenolics.3 Camu camu has a deliciously tart taste and is available in powdered form.

While studies dismiss the belief that an increase of vitamin C could the risk of catching the common cold, this vitamin does produce a positive immunological response to help fight bacteria and viruses; not to mention is beneficial for a host of other health concerns.4

Vitamin C Boost Smoothie

Ingredients

2 tsp Camu Camu Berry Powder
3 cups orange juice, freshly squeezed
1 cup mango, frozen
1/2 cup strawberries
1/4 cup goji berries, soaked
1 scoop vanilla protein powder, (I used Vega Sport Performance Protein) 
2 tsp chia seeds
1 tbsp flax oil

Directions

1. Soak goji berries in 1/2 cup of water for 20 mins to help soften them.
2. Combine all ingredients, including goji berry soaking water.

Post featured on Tera Warner’s website.

References
1. “Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid).” University of Maryland Medical Center. 2011. 18 Dec 2011. http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/vitamin-c-000339.htm
2. Haas, Elson M. Staying Healthy with Nutrition. New York: Celestial Arts, 2006.
3. Chirinos R., Galarza J., Betalleluz-Pallardel I., Pedreschi R., Campos D.  Antioxidant compounds and antioxidant capacity of Peruvian camu camu (Myrciaria dubia (H.B.K.) McVaugh) fruit at different maturity stages (2010) Food Chemistry, 120 (4), pp. 1019-1024.
4. Haas, Elson M. Staying Healthy with Nutrition. New York: Celestial Arts, 2006.

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spotlight on…apple cider vinegar

January 13, 2012

One of my favourite pantry staples is apple cider vinegar.  Made from raw, unpasteurized apples it is traditionally made by fermenting freshly pressed apple juice for four to six weeks at room temperature.1  A bacterium called Acetobacter is usually used for the fermentation.2 Some of the minerals in apple cider vinegar include; potassium, magnesium, phosphorus [...]

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a note on dying

January 12, 2012
tig2_copyright

Over the holidays, on December 28 2011, I lost my beloved best friend Tig.  She got sick very suddenly and rapidly and she and I spent hours in the pet emergency hospital on Christmas Day but sadly she was not getting better. This entire process took a lot out of me physically and emotionally.  Not [...]

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moderation not deprivation

January 10, 2012

My wonderful and intelligent friend, Ashley was recently quoted in Hello Canada saying “Chocolate happens.  Wine happens.  Pizza happens, too.  We want to learn to incorporate those things in a healthy way, rather than feel we’re depriving ourselves.” I really love this quote because there seems to be an idea that being healthy is about [...]

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oatmeal walnut raisin quinoa cookies

January 9, 2012

When I made Joy’s Chocolate Chip Quinoa cookies, I fell instantly in love.  These cookies are easy to make and full of my favourite healthy ingredients.  After making quite a few delicious batches, I decided I’d add my own twist. Oatmeal Walnut Raisin Quinoa Cookies inspired by Joyous Health Ingredients 4 ripe bananas, mashed 1/4 [...]

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soak your nuts

January 8, 2012

Cheeky I know, but soaking your nuts as well as seeds and grains can help improve the digestion and assimilation of the nutrients in these foods. Nuts, seeds and grains contain phytic acid (or phytate), the principal storage form of phosphorus in many plant tissues, especially the bran portion of grains and other seeds as [...]

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chobani

January 7, 2012

Greek yogurt has become increasingly popular in the fitness and healthy living communities, Chobani especially.  I was recently contacted by the company to review some of their products because of their Canadian launch and I was certainly eager to learn more. The first question out of my mouth was “does this dairy come from factory-farmed [...]

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spotlight on…oats

January 5, 2012

Love my Mother but dang the woman cannot make a bowl of oatmeal to save her life.  Growing up I thought oatmeal was suppose to be the consistency of thin, watery soup (think prison food.) It wasn’t until I was 9 and visiting a friend when I learned that a good bowl of oatmeal “should [...]

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red quinoa with spinach, apple, cranberries

January 3, 2012

I think it’s safe to say quinoa is no longer a fad and is a staple for many of us, myself included. But honestly, I was pretty bored of the plain ol’ beige coloured kind and decided to get a bit crazy and try red quinoa.  The results were delicious. The nutritional profile does not [...]

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