Books That Are My Constant Companions

Books I live by:

Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford

It’s one of my go-to sourcebooks, bringing together current western research on health and nutrition with authentic traditions of Asian medicine.

Fat Chance by Dr R. Lustig, M.D., M.S.L

I had the pleasure  met Dr Lustig at a Ramsey Talk in Toronto. He is such a compelling speaker and a man on a mission. If you want to understand why obesity has become the world’s No.1 health problem and what we can do about it, this book is for you.

Superfoods by David Wolfe

My sister sent me this book and I couldn’t’ put it down. It’s packed with fascinating details on the top superfoods, breaking each down into easy to understand bite-sized morsels of info

Superimmunity For Kids by Leo Galland, M.D.

This book was a constant bedtime companion for me as my boys were growing up.  Easy tips on how to feed our kids to maintain peak immunity, from pregnancy to teenage years. I must have used up a whole marker pen, highlighting all the great info.

The World’s Healthiest Foods by George Mateljan

I’ve used this book so much it is falling apart. A fabulous resource on how to choose and prepare foods for our optimal health. It also has beautiful colour photos, which are really easy on the eye!

The Detox Solution by Dr Patricia Fitzgerald

My detox ‘bible’ - tons of must-have info on how to keep our toxic load down. 

---

Books for Women:

The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Breast Cancer by Sat Dharam Kaur, N.D

This is an invaluable book for any woman who is looking for clarity about breast cancer and what preventative steps to take.  I have yet to find a book that has more in-depth and easy to follow guidelines when it comes to breast cancer prevention. 

A Smart Woman's Guide To Hormones by Lorna Vanderhaeghe

It's a no fuss, no muss book on the basics of understanding how our hormones work and how to get them working for our best selves.   

---

Cook Books that have never let me down:

Vegetable Soups by Deborah Madison

My son Sebastian bought this book for me and I have had such pleasure recreating Deborah's delicious and nutritious soups. They are always family favourites. 

Meals That Heal Inflammation by Julie Daniluk, RHN

If you are concerned about inflammation and are looking for advice and recipes to make changes, Julie's book does not disappoint. 

Superfood Kitchen by Julie Morris

Why I Love Argan Oil

I gave all my three sisters Argan oil for Christmas this year. It wasn’t because I was feeling lazy – I just had to introduce them to one of my favourite oils and its wonderous benefits. 

Where does Argan oil come from?

Argan oil is prepared from unroasted kernels of the argan tree fruit nuts. The argan trees are exclusive to the dry arid lands of southwest Morocco, one of the poorest areas of the country. Oil extraction requires a tedious multistep process and is primarily undertaken by all-women cooperatives, providing a welcomed financial stream and educational platform for women in this rural part of Morocco. The Argan forest, which covers about 8,280 km2, was declared a Biosphere Reserve by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO,  protecting these rare trees.

So why do I love this wonderous oil so much!!

According to Dr Zoubida Charrouf, Professor of Chemistry at the Mohamed V. University in Morocco, argan oil has traditionally been used in Morocco as a topical oil to a number of skin complaints from dry skin, acne, psoriasis, eczema to wrinkles, joint pain, and skin inflammation.  

Dubbed as “Morocco’s liquid gold”, by The New York Times, Argan oil has so many beautifying applications: Here are a few ways you can reap its benefits:

1. Night and day face moisturizer:  Cleanse your skin and then add a few drops of argan oil, gently massaging over your face and neck in small circular movements for smooth, supple skin. I've been 'dewing' my skin with argan oil throughout the winter months and honestly, it 
2. Body moisturizer: After a bath or shower, apply argan oil over your entire body to minimize itching and dry skin
3. Cuticle softner: Massage a drop into each cuticle to soften cuticles and prevent dry, brittle nails
4. Heel de-cracker: Dry brush your heels, rinse off the dry skin, then place a few drops over your heels and massage in.  For lasting results, do this before bedtime and slip on your favourite socks to lock in argan oil’s moisturing effects
5. Overnight hair treatment: Place a few drops on your head and massage into  your whole head.  Wrap your hair up in a towel, go to sleep and when you wake up, shampoo your hair and unveil your shiny, silky mane
6. Hair styling aid: Distribute argan oil throughout your wet hair – this will protect the hair shaft from hair dryer heat and damage
7. Lip softner: Massage a drop into dry lips to plump and soften them

So what you need to look for when buying your argan oil?

• The label should read just, “100% organic argan oil” from Morroco  certified organic and should contain NO additional ingredients. Watch out for imitators: Morrocanoil – a popular brand does contain argan oil but it is in small quantities. Unfortunately it also contains silicons (for de-frizzing but they clog the pores), synthetic perfumes, dyes, solvents and preservatives. According to the Environmental Working Group, some of these added ingredients are associated with allergies, dermatitis and mild organ toxicity – certainly not what I want to be putting on my skin or in my hair!
• The bottle should be dark, protecting its vital beautifying properties from being degraded by light 
• Avoid plastic bottles at all costs and look for glass bottles. Glass is ALWAYS a good indicator of the authenticity and superiority of a product. Buying products in glass will lessen your exposure to possible cancer-causing  chemicals (more on the dangers of plastic in my next post).

Due to its labour intensive production, argan oil is not inexpensive.  Don’t be fooled by cheaper, inferior brands. But just know, it is worth every golden drop. 

My TOP 3 Kitchen Gadgets Du Jour

OXO GRATER

This grater is my zesting friend - I find it really does a brilliant job of grating away all the peel in an unstoppable fashion. Suffice to say, no peel left behind.  I appreciate this because I am not only ‘amping’ up the flavour of my dishes with this abundance of peel but I am benefiting from a greater amount of the phyto (plant) nutrients -  citrus peel contains excellent levels of vitamin C which boosts the immune system and of flavonoids , which are also a type of  plant nutrient that have anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties. So it’s win-win for the taste buds and for feeling great!

BB tip:  If you are planning on using the peel, go organic - you will be saving yourself and your family from the harmful insecticides and fungicides that are used in conventional farming. According to The Breast Cancer Fund, modern food-production methods have opened major avenues of exposure to environmental carcinogens and hormone disrupters.  Pesticides sprayed on crops expose consumers involuntarily to contaminants that become part of our bodies. Some of these exposures may increase breast cancer risk. (http://www.breastcancerfund.org/clear-science/environmental-breast-cancer-links/food/)

 BLENDTEC

In the beginning it was a toss up between the Blendtec and the Vitamix; I had read all the reviews, done all the research and it always came down to the two machines being very comparable – it was just personal preference. So when I saw the red-coloured Blendtec Designer model, I had to have it. Red evokes a feeling of energy and that’s how I like to feel in my kitchen – ready to embark on any food adventure.  I have never been a fan of black.... so the Vitamix didn’t get my vote that day. Having said that, if you are not bothered by black or maybe you are a fan – you will have a lot of enjoyment with the Vitamix.  I have used it and it is a highly efficient machine.  However, another selling point for the Blendtec was its 6 pre-programmed blend cycles, so if I am making a smoothie,  for example, I simply push the icon on the shiny pad at the bottom of the blender that looks like a smoothie (the straw coming out the top gives it away) and hey presto, the Blendtec blends my smoothie perfectly. Or I can just go manual mode and that’s as easy as a touch on the pad. 

Although the Designer Series came with a jug, I did cough up and buy the large ‘Wildside’ jug for my bigger blending needs plus the ‘Twister Jar’ which is designed for blending the thickest recipes, such as nut butters, hummus, dips, sauces etc - it’s Blendtec’s answer to the Vitamix ‘rod’  and it helps mix up thick batches.

 My Blendtec sits on the counter in pride of place and is one of my most used pieces of equipment. it cuts down my time and blends up my culinary challenges with flare and precision- I have to say that we have an enduring symbiotic relationship!

 SPIRALIZER

As a keen lover of everything in the plant kingdom and someone who likes to get creative, my sprilazer is my 3rd go-to piece of kitchen equipment, to truly bring out the beauty in any fruit or veggie. 

It is such a simple machine to use and with the turn of the handle, produces shoestrings, spiral cuts and veggie ‘noodles’ that really impress; ribbons of carrots and apples for salads or slaws, onion rings for bean burgers and curly sweet potato fries…. It spiralizes almost anything you can think of.

It must have special qualities if my fussy non-zucchini loving son will eat zucchini ‘noodles’ from the bowl. And for under $40, this BPA-free spirilizer will soon pay for itself through all your wonderful culinary creations.