No Dough Pizza

Pizza, to me, is essential in life/considered a food group. In the summertime, my family and I (fine- just my mom) make homemade pizzas every Sunday and it is my favorite part of the summer. Paired with a glass of Merlot or Malbec, that my friends, is my definition of bliss. 

As much as I would love to eat Pizza everyday, I am not one of those girls that can eat whatever she wants and not feel/see the consequences. When I saw all the hype surrounding Cauliflower Pizza, I decided I HAD to try it out!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

-2 heads of cauliflower

-A few dahes of Oregano

-1 few dashes of Parmesan Cheese

-Slices of Cheese ( I used mozzarella) 

-1 cup of Tomato Sauce ( I made fresh tomato sauce!)

-2 Eggs

-1 tablespoon of Quinoa Flour

-2 Tomatoes

-Cut up Chorizio

-1/4 of an Onion

-1 tablespoon of Garlic Powder

-A few dashes of Salt & Pepper

-1 tablespoon of Chia Seeds

*You can use any toppings you want, I just decided on Tomatoes, Cheese and Chorizio

      

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Chop up your cauliflower into small pieces and place it in a blender! I used a magic bullet so had to do little bits at a time. I also added a few drops of water to get things moving. Blend until it is pureed. 

3. Place the pureed cauliflower mixture onto a plate and place paper towels over it to get rid of the excess water from the cauliflower. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART! ( I went through a lot of paper towels!)

4. Let the cauliflower sit with the paper towels over it for about a half hour

5. Discard any left over cauliflower liquid by turning the plate upside down with the paper towel on top of it

6. Move the purree mix into a large bowl, add the eggs, a few dashes of oregano, salt and pepper, garlic powder, some Parmesan  the Quinoa flour and the Chia seeds ( the Chia seeds are necessary but I found that they helped to thicken the dough) 

7. Mix together until it is blended in

8. Spread the “dough” into either 1 large pizza shape or 2 small pizza rounds on a lightly greased (coconut oil) pizza pan 

9. Do not spread the  “dough” too thin as the moisture will cause it the crack. 

10. Put in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Once you see the top turning a bit of a golden colour, you can take it out!

11. Remove the crust from the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes. 

12. Add all of your favourite toppings! In my case, tomatoes, mozzarella, chorizio!

13. Place the pizzas back into the oven for another 15 minutes! During the last few minutes, change your oven settings to BROIL to make sure the top is thoroughly cooked. 

14. EAT UP!!!!

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Sober September

Cauliflower Rice

You know how Frank's Hot Sauce has the tag line "I put that shit on everything". Well Tamari Sauce is my version of Frank's. I seriously put it on EVERYTHING and this Sushi Cauliflower Bowl is no exemption.  I came across "cauliflower sushi" in LA (obviously) and decided to try out a version of it that was a little less complicated. 

What you will need (Serves 2):

•1 head of Cauliflower

•1 Avocado

•1 onion

•2 carrots

•4 tablespoons of Tamari Sauce

•Nori Krinkles

•Salt to taste

Instructions:

1.  Start with the "rice"- Shred your cauliflower as fine as possible...so small that it looks like "rice". I could have done this much better but I was in a rush.You can use a food processor if you have one which would definitely help speed things up.

2. Lather up your pan with Coconut Oil and place your stove on Low Heat

3. Chop up your onion and carrots into tiny, little pieces and place it into the frying pan along with the cauliflower "rice". 

4. Let everything blend together and cook until it looks ready

5. Remove from the heat and let it sit until it's mild

6. Add in chopped Avocado, Tamari sauce and some salt. 

7. Lastly, add in your crushed Nori Flakes (a handful)

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Wanderlust Love

         Wanderlust, the 4 day travelling yoga festival, was in one word a: dream. 

I was lucky enough to attend the Whistler festival this past weekend ( they hold festivals across the US and Canada) and got to share an amazing experience with hundreds of other yogis. We gathered together in the sacred place that is Whistler and downward dogged our way to a high state of bliss. 

If the festival had a recipe it would have included a cup of nourishing the body, mind and soul through yoga, a spoonful of live music, a dash of amazing farm to table food,  and a sprinkle of  positive community. Whether it was the violinist leading a power flow class, or singing together in Warrior 1, it brought us all together in these moments and created a powerful connection between us all. As a new yoga instructor, I felt very inspired. 

Aside from taking part in some the most rewarding yoga classes (led by some of the best yoga teachers in the country no less), we were encouraged to hike and meditate in the trails that surrounded us. Adding this element to an already magical experience, gave me such a sense of gratitude. I felt thankful for not only this experience, but for life and everything it has to offer. Life is so beautiful when you are able to slow down and re-connect to yourself ( I am fully aware how cheesy this sounds but it is true!) 

One of my favourite classes was led by Kerri Kelly and Suzanne Sterling and took place on a mountain top. I took the gondoloa up early Saturday morning and felt the positivity the minute I laid down my mat. I was literally on higher ground at 3,000 feet! Even though I was hella sore from the day before, I got a new wave of energy once the class had begun. 

The teachers, who also work at the organization Off the Mat, shared a favourite line with us that hit a chord in me and made me get "yoga high" within minutes. She said "Let the beauty you love, be what you do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground" which is a quote from Rumi. They encouraged us to take the gratitude and love we feel during practise off the mat into the world (which ultimately is the basis of their organization- LOVE). 

*most images are my own, 2-3 are from the Wanderlustfestival.com website

All in all, there is literally something for everyone at a festival like this. It is not a granola festival for people who only eat raw food and wear clothes made of hemp (although there is some of that and I totally bought a shirt made of bamboo tree-HA)! My friend who has only dabbled in yoga here and there before this, truly felt the benefits of the practise and is now fully on board to start it regularly. 

The only bad part of the whole experience was realizing they have another festival in Mont Tremblant later this month and another one next year in Hawaii-I seriously started looking up plane tickets! Yikes!

Although I won't be able to go again anytime soon, I know that I will never forget it and I will forsure be going to the next one I can swing!

See you next time Wanderlust and thank you for having me

XOXOXO

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Hearty Breakfast

One of the things I miss most about LA is the overwhelming amount of smoothie and juice bars on every corner. While Toronto is definitely stepping up it's game, there are no acai bowls within walking distance to me. Due to this I decided to take matters into my own hands and create my own and I have to say, I am pretty happy. It is the perfect breakfast for a weekend and soo filling!

What you will need to make ONE acai bowl:

☻ 2 Frozen Sambazon Acai Packs 

( I prefer the ones WITHOUT Guarana but they only had this kind at the moment). You can purchase from Whole foods, Goodness Me or The Big Carrot

☻ 1/2 Banana (Half for the mix and the other half for Garnish

☻A heavy spoonful of Almond Butter

☻A tablespoons of Bee Pollen

☻2 tablespoons of Raw Cacao Bits

☻Handful of Ice

☻2 tablespoons of shaved unsweetened coconut flakes

☻1/4 cup of Almond Milk

Garnish:

☻Shaved Almonds 

☻Raw Honey 

☻Handful of Carob Chips

☻1/2 a Banana

Blend all the ingredients into a Magic Bullet or Blender (minus the honey, carob chips, almonds and left over banana)  and blend until all ingredients are mixed well. Garnish with Banana slices, Honey, Shaved Almonds & Carob Chips

**I also sometimes put this creation into a smoothie cup and drink it with a straw during the week ( and when I do this, I ditch all of the garnishes obviously)

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Cool friends doing cool things

Name: Sandra Chabot
Occupation: Studying Holistric Nutrition at the Institute of Holistic Nutrition
Website: www.freetobloom.ca

I met Sandra a few years ago through a mutual friend. Throughout my time of living in LA, Sandra has undergone a lot of changes and has shifted her life in an beautiful direction. She is completely focused on her health and well being and loves to share her knowledge with others on her amazing blog- Free to Bloom. She is currently studying Holistric Nutrition at the Institute of Holistic Nutrition and once I am back in Toronto we are going to swap Yoga and Nutrition Lessons with each other! Cannot wait! It seems like "being healthy" is quite trendy right now and there is an overwhelming amount of products and information out there at the moment so I chatted with Sandra about some of her must haves, the reason for her shift

If you had to pick one food item that you could not live without, what would it be?
Clearly a really tough question, but I would say lemons. I use them every single day. They're just so cleansing and help get things moving. When life gives you lemons, you know it'll be a good day!

What's your favourite morning smoothie?
Green and packed with nutrients. Mine usually consist of either spinach or kale, zucchini, lemon, parsley, an apple or pear for sweetness, protein powder, and a very long list of additional goodies that provide me with mind-body energy for the day.

Describe a typical Monday for you.
I start every morning by tongue scraping and drinking a big glass of lukewarm lemon-cayenne water. Mondays I have school, so I head to class for the day making sure to smile at strangers on the way. In the evening, I take it easy and get myself organized for the week ahead - I’m all about R&R. Then dinner. I’m very lucky to have a wonderful man who cooks gourmet meals. Afterwards, I’ll indulge in a hot epsom salt bath with some aromatherapy. Of course, this is complementary to all the studying and FTB work I have to do.

Favourite place in Toronto to shop for healthy groceries and products?
The St. Lawrence Market is truly a gem. I get all of my local and organic produce there on Saturday mornings. Believe it or not, it’s actually cheaper to shop for two than it ever was shopping for just myself at conventional supermarkets. For all of my extra goodies I stick to Essence of Life Organics in Kensington Market or Vibrant Lifestyle in Liberty Village. Community is important. 

What made you change your lifestyle?
Energy. I needed more of it and I wanted to eliminate the bad energy. My first big shift was going vegetarian, which now after three years solid I’m slowly going off of it. Our needs change and we have to be aware of this to maintain optimal health.

5 products you think every person living in a city should not be without.

#1. A BKR glass water bottle (they are so darn pretty and sleek!)



#2.  Buffered Vitamin C for stress and immune support. 

#3. A good pair of running shoes preferably with neon on them

#4. A salt inhaler- Amazing for respiratory issues. I use it in the mornings and before bed to feel a little more zen

#5. A shower filter- both your skin and insides will thank you!

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