Hiking Joffre Lakes

There are certain places in the world so beautiful they’re almost shocking. Joffre Lakes is definitely on that list. The first time I gazed at the pristine, glacier water I thought “Is this real?”

The three beautiful jewels that are Joffre’s glacier lakes are very real and getting to spend some time dipping my feet in their aquamarine hued water, hiking along their shores and sitting lake side, gazing at their cool, clean beauty is, in my opinion, a wonderful way to spend a day.

And the best food to re-fuel with after a day of getting up close and personal with the natural beauty of Canada’s wild west?

A very vegan power salad, full of good-for-your-body antioxidants. Here it is:

Raspberry Cashew Greens

• mixed organic greens
• sliced red peppers
• cucumber
• raspberries
• raw cashews

Dressing:

• olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• maple syrup
• fresh raspberries

All ingredients are to taste.

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. – Albert Einstein

Joffre Lakes, BC

Ground yourself in nature. Surround yourself with it and breathe in its beauty.

Being in nature is a simple way to bring you into the moment.

the only moment that really matters.

Stay here long enough and you’ll always be given an invitation to be happy

and peaceful.

Joffre Lake, BC

Raw-berry Smoothie Bowl

And, continuing the raw, fruity theme, here is a pretty, pink smoothie bowl.

I love this recipe because it looks as good as it tastes. It’s also full of good-for-you ingredients. Enjoy.

Ingredients

• 2 frozen bananas
• ½ cup frozen berries or cherries
• 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
• ½ cup almond milk
• fresh raspberries
• fresh blackberries
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon coconut flakes

 

Instructions

1. Add frozen banana, cherries, hemp seeds, chia, raspberries and almond milk to a blender. Blend until smooth and pour into a bowl.
2. Top smoothie with blackberries and coconut flakes.

It’s that easy.

Delicious, raw-licious peach parfait

My infatuation with raw, fruit-filled food is continuing far longer than I thought it would. This might be because I’ve cut most sugars from my diet and the naturally sweetness of the fruit in my recipes is soothing the sugar monster inside of me.

Also, at this time of year, when the Okanagan is harvesting its amazingly fresh and juicy fruit, it would be almost sac-religious to not make use of the abundance of freshness at our finger tips. Last weekend the farmer’s markets were overflowing with ripe peaches and plums. I bought a bunch of them and this is what I made:

Peach Parfait

Layer:

1. Peaches
2. Banana/coconut milk puree
3. Plums

Top with coconut and that’s it. You’re done.

Fresh. Raw. Delicious.

3 Steps to De-Sugar your Life

Have you been thinking about reducing sugar in your diet? Read on to find out what you need to know to help you get this health buster out of your kitchen and your beautiful body.

1. Find the hidden sugar.  Did you know that the average North American eats 31 teaspoons of added sugar every day? That’s almost 500 calories. How does this happen? Well, lots of packaged foods contain sugar, but it’s hidden under different names. Here are some to look out for: barley malt, corn syrup, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate, maltose, maple syrup, molasses, and turbinado. Read the fine print on labels and don’t be fooled by food manufacturers. Sometimes I think one of their biggest goals is to get consumers hooked on sugar, salt and msg. The more hooked we are, the more junk we eat and the more money they make.

2. Avoid high fructose corn syrup like the plague. This sweetener is made by changing the sugar in cornstarch to fructose and it’s more inflammatory than other types of sweeteners. Because HFCS extends the shelf life of foods and is sweeter and cheaper than other sugars, it’s an ingredient in soda, fruit drinks, packaged bread, crackers, and tons of other snacks. Look for it on labels and avoid it at all costs. It’s extremely addictive. 

3. Take B vitamins every day.
B vitamins help lessen withdrawals symptoms for people coming off of addictions. And, since sugar is addictive, the b’s will help you through your withdrawal symptoms.

And, when you do get a craving for something sweet that just won’t go away, try munching on a big bowl of fruit instead of something sugary and fatty that might mess up your health and fitness goals. Here’s an idea for a naturally sweetened, healthy snack:

BC Fresh Fruit Salad

·         Blackberries

·         Raspberries

·         Peaches

·         Strawberries

Add any other fruit you might like. Fruit is fresh, natural, good for you and will kill a sugar craving in an instant.

And, if that doesn’t do the trick, check out my next blog post featuring a delicious, sugar free peach parfait.