make your own almond milk - here's how!

Dairy is a big one on my list of no-no's and not because I don't love a nice tall glass of fresh, cold milk!  It does a heck of a number on me - think sinus cold to the max, massive headaches and breakouts.   Yeah, fun.  Doesn't mean I don't indulge from time to time (especially for ice cream in the summer), but my go to replacement is homemade almond milk.   It's quick and easy to make and tastes SO much better than the store bought stuff.   There's lots of discussion, particularly from a nutritional perspective around whether or not you should soak the almonds beforehand.  If you can find raw almonds, soaking kicks off the germination process which is believed to release additional nutrients and result in a product that is more easily digestible.   I've made almond milk with soaked almonds and with unsoaked and I personally haven't found a difference, except in how readily the almonds are ground up.  The soaked almonds are obviously softer which seems to result in less waste.   Note that soaking benefits are only achieved if you are using raw almonds (cooked ones won't germinate).

Here's what you'll need:

1 cup of raw almonds, soaked for 4+ hours, then rinsed
3 - 4 cups of water (depending on how creamy you like your almond milk)
3-5 dates, soaked for 30 mins (optional)
vanilla to taste (optional)
cinnamon to taste (optional)

Throw it all in a blender, whiz it up and you've got almond milk!  I love adding the vanilla and cinnamon for the chai-type flavour it adds, but if you prefer plane jane, just leave them out.  Dates are for sweetness, so again, depending on your palate, you may want to leave them out or add more.

Strain the mixture through cheesecloth, a nut milk bag or a jelly bag (the latter is what I use as I have them on hand).  Transfer to an airtight container - mason jars are always an awesome choice and cost effective.  The almond milk will store well for 3 - 4 days, though mine never lasts that long!   Use the leftover almond meal in oatmeal, sprinkled over fruit with some honey, in some homemade protein bars - the options are endless!  If I'm not going to use the almond meal within a couple of days, I just pop it in the freezer to use another day.

Here's to healthy choices and ones you can create at home!

time flies...

It's true, it really does fly by when you're having fun!  And the last few weeks for me has been FULL of fun.  

First off was Bryan's birthday - 50th to be exact!  I had been told no party or anything elaborate, but oh well... a party it was!  Nothing fancy, just a BBQ with friends bringing tons of food.   The highlight though?  The cake.  You see, Bryan works for a company that does work with Google, and he's just fascinated by the magic that Google produces.  So this was his cake, produced by a local cake designer, RMC Cake Creations (thank you Rachael!) and it was AMAZING!   Such amazing talent.  

The next few days was spent with family in from Winnipeg and it was fantastic.  Great weather, great meals and most of all, precious time with my sister-cousin (she really is the sister I never had), her baby boy and my Auntie.   We had a blast and I was reminded just how fortunate we are to get to spend time together, even if it's just for a few days once a year.

Fast forward to last weekend spent in Picton, Ontario with great friends (she, also celebrating her birthday) at the Great Canadian Cheese Festival!   Great location to stay if you're looking to make your way around one of the most beautiful areas in Ontario overlooking Lake Ontario.  Lots of cycling, lots of wineries (my personal favourite, Sandbanks Estate Winery - the baco noir is delightful as is the rose.  I mean, why try and decide?!  Another favourite, Buddha Dog for the most amazing gourmet hot dogs with the toppings to match.  Oh and homemade basil blueberry lemonade - YUM!  B and I each got the flight of 3 - the server picks the toppings for 3 hot dogs - one sweet, one savoury, one spicy.   They've got a good thing going here - we will definitely be back. 

And this weekend, a great fundraiser BBQ for the not-for-profit I volunteer for The Hub, a recreation association aimed at making fitness accessible to everyone in the surrounding communities.  Our first objective is re-opening a pool and the BBQ fundraiser was held today as part of Doors Open to educate people on what we're doing and give them tours of the facilities.

Pretty cool 3 weeks and though it definitely has flown by, I've truly enjoyed every busy, exhausting moment of it all!

Namaste

watching life happen!

A few weeks ago (and after procrastinating far too long I might add) I decided to finally clean up and put away the remaining Christmas stuff.  Some lights and garland still on the porch and a couple of wreaths.

Imagine my surprise when, in the front porch wreath, I found a little nest tucked nice and snug into the back of it.   Expertly hidden by the fake pine boughs, it wasn't visible except from inside the house.  Hidden from squirrels and black birds - which of the 2 ravaged last year's nest  perched in the window light above the door I don't know - the little nest looked quite safe.   And lo and behold - a couple of eggs!  This little bird was already well on the way.  

Found the nest!  Totally by accident when I went flying out the front door into the garden.  Though there's only 2 eggs, at least 5 baby birds are now in there.  Haven't managed to get a photo of mom yet.  

Despite there being eggs in the nest, a few people told us to knock it down; we didn't want birds squawking around the front door; we didn't want the hassle of not being able to use the front door; didn't want bird poop all over the place, etc.  We voted not to and am I ever glad we did!  Instead, B blocked off the front porch (aren't bungie cords great things?!) and we watch life unfold from the other side of the glass.

Nicer than "stay the hell off my porch" right ;-) 

These little guys appeared about a week and a half ago - we've counted 5 little beaks, though they're like a mess of puppy dogs inside that nest, so difficult to figure out how many there actually are!  They've been surprisingly quiet, even when momma brings food.  They're bouncing around when she does show up and as soon as they're fed, completely conk out.  

Anyways, just thought I'd share a little bit of magic that's happening on our doorstep.  I've been busy shooing the cats away (I'm not a cat person on the best of days and with baby birds around, even less so) and watching for black birds; it looks like the nest building location was an excellent choice.

Nobody but us seems to know they exist :-)   

Some pictures over the last week:  when we first noticed them and as they've started to poke their heads up for food or to see what's going on in the world.  Still won't be using the front door for a while!  

yes, I eat animal protein. and no, I don't care what you think.

I care how I feel.

Let's get things straight right off the bat - I'm deliberately choosing to wade into this gong-show of a conversation (if one can actually call it a conversation).  Is it going to be pretty?  Probably not.  I'll get over it.

Let me start with this - I do not support factory farming.  If my only choice was to buy meat from a grocery store, I'm quite certain I simply would not eat meat.  But I don't have to buy meat from a grocery store; I get it straight from a local farmer who raises her animals with love, kindness and compassion.  Her care for them does not stop at her farm; she also takes care to select an abattoir that slaughters (yes I said it and I'm ok with saying it) her animals humanely.  

But that's a bit of a digression.  What I really wanted to express here is that I am tired of reading all the rhetoric, accusations and insults hurled at people about their food choices.  That's right - THEIR choices, not yours.  And rather than tearing people down for their choices, perhaps you'd like to write your own article or blog post to provide information about your choice and experiences that people can learn from. 

Whether the article is about being vegetarian (and the dozen different types of vegetarianism), vegan, paleo or otherwise, everybody has an opinion.  The strongest I've seen lately are in response to an article written by a woman who decided to abandon a vegan diet and another who tried paleo and found it not for her.  The criticisms ranged from "you're just lazy" to "you're a murderer".  The "advice" these people provide (keeping in mind most of these people are not educated in nutrition, medicine, natural medicine, or anything similar) is stuff like - stick it out, you might feel like crap for months before your body adjusts!  One of these women actually said she got threats - I mean, come on!

How about support instead?  How about supporting people for making a decision that is right for them and stop criticizing them for something that has nothing to do with you!  I have absolute respect for genuine dialogue about this subject, but these days genuine can be a bit hard to find.

I'm not a doctor, nutritionist (yet), naturopath or have any sort of medical or nutrition training.  I am however aware enough to know that I'm going to feel like shit if I have toast for breakfast every morning thanks to a wheat and gluten intolerance.  So guess what?  I don't do that.  Does it mean I avoid a plate of spaghetti carbonara at my favorite Italian restaurant?   NO!  I eat it and I love it - but only occasionally.  I also know that animal protein is a good choice for me, based on how I feel.  Some days, all I want is fruit and veg from sun up to sun down, so that's what I eat.  The key is listening to what your body is telling you and keeping in mind those messages can come in SO many ways - weight issues, your hair falling out, frequent headaches, digestive issues, fatigue, skin problems - the list goes on and on.

It took me a long time to learn (with the help of a naturopath) how to notice my reactions to certain foods and how to adjust my eating habits based on what I learn.   Your body is a constant feedback mechanism, but it's only meaningful if you're listening.   And I won't lie - that process wasn't a cake walk, it took work and practice.  The biggest gift you can give yourself is to pay attention to how you feel based on what you eat and adjust based on that.  If in doubt, seek out the help of a naturopath or nutritionist or another medical professional well versed in how food impacts our well-being.  They can help.

Most of all - ignore the judgments and do what's right for you.  And those of you judging - knock it off, cuz we don't care - you're not doing anything other than making someone's struggle worse.

There, rant done.  Let the genuine dialogue begin :-) 

it's a running thing!

Last Sunday, my friend Angi and I ran the 5km at the Spring Fling Running Thing in Smiths Falls.  It has been years - and I mean a lot of years - since I last ran in a race.   1998 may have been the last one.   Oh, and let's qualify "race" - I mean I jogged.  Certainly not competitive - I'm more like the Penguin (at least I think that was his/her pseudonym) who wrote columns for Runner's World magazine; slow and steady, watching the world go by.   I loved those columns.

But I digress.  I had so much fun!  I was reminded of the hospitality, the support, the encouragement and the FUN that lives within the running community.   As far as organized athletic events go, I don't recall ever experiencing that kind of camaraderie or sense of community in any other sport.  Most others I have always found to be uber-competitive.  But running?  Nope, never running.  

Being a runner (ok, jogger) is kind of like being a Jeep owner or motorcycle rider.  I'm always seeing motorcycle riders acknowledge each other (Dad, I'm sure you can tell me what that's all about) and it's happened to me ever since I bought my Jeep - a wave as we pass each other (took me a while to figure out it was not my eyesight betraying me and that no, I really did not know those people).  And out running, well it's just about anything - a "good morning", "have a great run" or even commentary about the route up ahead. 

It's like within each of those communities there is a little secret; a treasured secret that only Jeep owners, motorcycle riders and runners know about what they get to experience.  And the wave from the Jeep,  acknowledgement on the bike, or "good morning" on your run is like saying "CAN YOU BELIEVE WE GET TO DO THIS?!?!"

All to say, I certainly won't be letting another 15 years (sidebar: holy s*@t I'm old!) go by before my next race.   

See you at the finish line.

yeah, about that plan from earlier this year...

You might remember the plan I had - weekly goals around 3 key commitments I had - family, health and yoga.  

Perhaps I was a little overzealous with the idea of weekly goals - a tad too much to manage I have come to realize.   

BUT, and here's the but. I have been finding success nonetheless.  What I have realized is that the key is really keeping those commitments top of mind, checking in and asking myself how aligned I am in my actions to those commitments.   Not all that dis-similar from how I approach my yoga practice and teaching and it's feeling good! 

Example about family time - a couple of weeks ago, between work, volunteering and teaching, every weeknight was going to be taken up with time out of the house or in front of my computer.  The key difference was that I was fully aware I was not aligned with my commitment around family time.  Knowing it was going to be a crazy week, I made sure to carve out time.  I got into work early and left earlier so B and I had some time before I headed out to teach; I spent some time in the morning before heading to work hanging with the dogs, kicking the ball around with them.

It wasn't as much time as we would normally spend doing these things, but it was quality time and that is what really matters. 

So, as much as I thought the "plan" was the solution, I now realize it was really only a tool to get me keeping those commitments top of mind.  The plan was the equivalent of training wheels and it's now smooth sailing for this girl!  Doesn't mean I won't take a spill from time to time, but that will just be a reminder that I've lost sight of my commitments to myself, that they for some reason fell out of being top of mind. And that will be an opportunity for me to refocus.  

Kissing the training wheels goodbye and I'm off to the races! 

namaste 

spring!

What was it I was saying about long weekends?  Wow, what an awesome 4 days last weekend to relax and recharge!  The weekend mostly involved sleeping in, watching movies, dinner with friends, lunch with friends, and a jog on the trails in warmer weather with that gorgeous warm sun beating down!  

Nice way to relax after what feels like a ridiculously long winter might be a bit of an understatement.  I also realized, this is my favourite time of year - the sun comes up earlier and is getting warmer, we have longer daylight hours, I can ditch the winter boots, my tulips and crocus' are starting to poke their heads out of the dirt and the birds are out in full force.  Soon, my yard will be awash with colour and butterflies and dragonflies will be floating through.  And maybe, just maybe the odd hummingbird.   Encouraging, no?

This year, we've also had some trumpeter swans show up in Smiths Falls - I had never, ever seen swans in flight and wow are they something to see.  And something to hear... that part is less nice, but I can live with it.  They are more than clear in their trumpeting that spring has arrived.

And that's kind of where I'm at right now - spring is here and everything is starting to come back to life, including me!   So off I go to enjoy what is proving to be a gorgeous day here in our lovely little Smiths Falls!

The sun is beaming and so am I.

Namaste