This past weekend, I had an amazing opportunity to enjoy a raw vegan brunch prepared by the talented chef Doug McNish at Raw Aura Cuisine in Port Credit. Doug is a classically trained chef who transitioned to a vegan diet to improve his health and now proves that vegan food is both healthy and delicious.

It was really special to enjoy Doug’s 3 course brunch at Raw Aura; sitting on a sunny patio sipping freshly pressed juice and sparkling wine, enjoying the company of friends and resisting the temptation to lick my plate clean…I can’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday morning.

The Menu:

Drink

Fresh Orange Juice and Passion Fruit Mimosa with Sparkling Wine

Or

Fresh Pear Lemon and Ginger Kombucha Mocktail

First

Grape fruit and Goji Berry Timbale

Marinated Fig, Fermented Macadamia Gouda, Fresh Mint, Hemp Seeds, Baby Arugula, Coconut Water Date Jam, Sprouted Buckwheat Toast Points

Second

Both Came with a Side Caesar Salad Using Local Greens in a Creamy Sunflower Dressing

The BLT

Thick Cut Sundried Tomato Sesame Zucchini Bread, Creamy Hemp Aioli, Crisp Smoked Eggplant Strips, Heirloom Tomatoes, Dill Pickle Spears

Or

Herbed Broccoli Cashew Cheddar Quiche

Marinated Mushrooms, Eggplant Bacon, Baby Spinach, Roasted Red Pepper, Flax Almond Crust, Local Tomato Crisps, Basil Pesto

Third

Banana Cinnamon Crepes, Walnut Crumble, Local Berry Compote, Caramelized Peach, Young Thai Coconut Vanilla Whipped Cream, Chocolate Fondue

Doug recently published his first cookbook,  “Eat Raw, Eat Well”, which I will admit I have not yet purchased but fully intend to especially after the meal I thoroughly enjoyed on Sunday.

Many people are adopting the health benefits of a gluten-diet both by necessity and by choice. With the increased demand for both healthy and delicious gluten-free options, more companies are producing products to cater to the needs of those with such dietary restrictions. However, removing gluten from one’s diet can be a daunting task and grocery shopping initially can be more of a challenge than anticipated. Below is a list of my favorite gluten-free foods that are readily available at most grocery stores:

Bread: This is one of the toughest foods to find a delicious gluten-free option that tastes good even without being toasted.

• O’Doughs bread is one of my favorites and its produced right here in Canada
• Organic Works Bakery – This company makes delicious bread which is also organic and vegan. Their quinoa and honey bread is my favourite.
• Food For Life makes a really great brown rice tortilla and can be found in the natural value organic section at most Loblaws or Superstore locations
• La Tortilla Factory also makes a delicious gluten free tortilla but they are a little more challenging to locate
• Rudi’s Gluten Free Bakery – Unfortunately, this bread is not yet available in Canada but if you are in the US I strongly recommend you pick up a loaf or stock up on many. This bread is amazing and I have heard that it may be available in Canada soon. (I will post on my blog or on twitter @newellnd when it arrive!)

Snacks:

• Mary’s Gone Crackers offers crackers, pretzel-like sticks and even cookies.
• Sunflower Kitchen Hummus – This is the most delicious hummus I have ever eaten.
• Lara bars
• KIND bars (one of the few gluten-free snacks available at Starbucks)
• Taste of Nature bars are fantastic and Canadian produced, plus you can find bulk boxes of them at Costco. I love that they have created bars highlighting Canadian flavours such as Go Ontario, Niagara Apple Country and Nova Scotia Blueberry Fields.

Baked Goods:

• Nature’s Path Vanilla Animal Cookies are great for kids and adults alike
• Patsy Pie gluten free cookies; the biscotti is my favorite but the pie crust is also phenomenal.
• Mi Del gluten-free cookies
• Judy’s Magic Mixes offer a number of really great mixes for cookies, bread, muffins, etc

Breakfast Foods:

• Namaste waffle and pancake mix
• Nature’s Path Whole O’s cereal and Crispy Rice cereal
• Only Oats gluten-free certified oatmeal (found at Bulk Barn)

What are your favourite gluten-free products or resources?

What product do you wish was available gluten-free?

This past week, I had the opportunity to try out the North American Hemp Co. moisturizing shampoo, conditioner and serum and was really impressed with the results. All the products are sulfate-, paraben- and DEA-free, and vegan and left my hair silky, soft and manageable.

The shampoo claims to rehydrate hair, repair split-ends and add incredible shine. It moisturizes using omega fatty acids from organic hemp seed oil, chamomile extract and thermal algae.  For being sulfate-free, this shampoo created a thick, rich lather. I typically find it very difficult to get sulfate-free shampoos to lather, so I was delighted to find that this lathered using only a small dollop of the shampoo. Additionally, the North American Hemp Co. moisturizing shampoo was very easy to work into my hair and scalp and rinsed without leaving any buildup or tangles. I was worried that this shampoo was going to smell “herbal” but was pleasantly surprised by the slightly sweet, lightly scent.

I am very picky about the conditioner I use, I prefer conditioners that impart moisture a shine but do not weigh the hair down since I love having lots of volume and movement. Additionally, I hate the feeling of any buildup left in my hair and many natural conditioners have just not lived up to my requirements.  I was really impressed by the North American Hemp Co. moisturizing conditioner. It is a thick, creamy conditioner that coated the ends of my hair evenly and rinsed easily. It felt like it did a good job sealing any split ends I have and reduced the number of tangles I usually have after my shower.  As I combed out my damp hair, I was surprised by how smooth my hair was and how easily the comb passed through it.

Finally, I tried out the 369 serum. I loved that this product has a very short ingredient list of pretty recognizable components including hemp seed oil, mineral oil and citrus oil. I applied the serum to my towel dried hair, focusing on the ends of the hair shaft and avoiding getting any near my roots. My hair was soft, shiny and silky after blow-drying and had a fantastic volume and movement all day. Unfortunately, I was not a fan of the scent of this serum; it smelled like the oil may have been a touch rancid. Luckily the aroma didn’t linger very long and the results were worth it.

I will definitely be adding these products to my regular rotation of hair care products. In particular, I think the conditioner will be a “go to” product regardless of what shampoo I am using. I am also curious to try some of their other products…if you have any recommendations please leave a comment.

Today at the gym, I was introduced to a piece of equipment that I have always erroneously believed to be a rack for weights…I had no idea it was actually a functional piece of exercise equipment.  Little did I know….

This was one of the most extreme leg exercises I have ever done. After pushing the Prowler Sled across the width of the gym a few times, my legs felt like jelly and were wobbling as I attempted to walk. It was awesome!

This evening, I got the Nike Training app and tackled the 15 min butt blast workout. I was really impressed by the quality of the workout and the level of challenge it offered. It was structured around timed sets and, true to its name, really blasted my butt. I really recommend this app to challenge anyone; the workouts can be incorporated into home or gym workouts.

Since learning that dairy products and I are not on the best of terms, though I still indulge on occasion, I have been a die-hard fan of Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla almond milk. I have even managed to convert my boyfriend over to using almond milk on his cereal, though he definitely prefers the sweetened variety.

Recently, I noticed that Silk had come out with almond milk called Silk True Almond and was curious to give their unsweetened version a try. I was skeptical since I have tried other non-dairy milk products and always returned to the Almond Breeze but was pleasantly surprised by True Almond. It is thicker than the Almond Breeze and has a more “milk-like” consistency. It also steams slightly better on my espresso machine than the Almond Breeze does, though neither produces thick dense foam.

Comparing the nutritional information:

I think the Silk True Almond will become my new go-to milk substitute. While I doubt I will be ever be the type of person to drink a cup of “milk” on its own, Tue Almond is fantastic on cereal, used as a replacement for cow’s milk in cooking and baking, and holds its own in my morning coffee.