Breakfast Recipe: French Toast with Sprouted Grain Bread and Stewed Apples

I love breakfast. It’s one of my favourite times of day and I’m pretty serious about making something special every morning.

On the weekend I like to make something extra fancy and my latest creation is off-the-charts awesome.

I’ve been eating Silver Hills sprouted grain bread for a few years now (and I recently had the chance to write about the company for BCLiving.ca) but had never made French toast with it before.

I don’t know where I got the brainwave from but I’m happy I did because not only does it make delicious, chewy French toast, it’s much better for you than the regular white bread that normally goes into this decadent breakfast.

I wanted to top the toast with some kind of fruit and I had a bunch of apples, so I decided to make stewed apples. They were pretty easy to make and totally worth the effort.

This breakfast has appeared on our breakfast table a few times now and once I didn't feel like peeling and chopping apples, so  I dumped a cup of frozen, mixed berries into a saucepan until they were hot and poured them onto my French toast. Delish!

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 3 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 pieces Silver Hills sprouted grain bread
  • 3 apples, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp butter
  • Maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Add oil to large frying pan over medium-low heat.
  2. In medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk and cinnamon.
  3. Dunk bread in egg mixture so that each piece is evenly soaked and all the liquid has been absorbed.
  4. Add 1 tsp butter to pan and swirl to coat
  5. Add bread to pan and cook for about 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
  6. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, add apples, 1 tsp butter, and cinnamon, stirring well to combine.
  7. Cover and let apples stew for about 8 minutes, or until soft and bubbling.
  8. Top French toast with apples and maple syrup.

 

New Movie Trailers

Young Adult

Starring Charlize Theron and Patrick Wilson Opens December 16, 2011

 

We Bought A Zoo

Starring Scarlett Johansson and Matt Damon Opens December 23, 2011

 

Wanderlust

Starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd Opens February 24, 2012

 

The Lucky One

Starring Blythe Danner and Zac Efron Opens April 20, 2012

 

The Five-Year Engagement

Starring Emily Blunt and Jason Segal Opens April 27, 2012  

A Few of My Favourite Things: Workout DVDs, Sport Supplements, and Cold Weather Workout Wear

Workout DVDs

Things have been a bit busy lately and sometimes any barriers to exercise make it seem a little overwhelming. I purchased a gym membership at the gorgeous Steve Nash Sports Club in downtown Vancouver but sometimes, with deadlines looming, it seems like too big an ordeal to get myself there for a workout – and that’s when I turn to my collection of workout DVDs.

There is no excuse not to spend 30 minutes or less in my living room, working up a sweat and preparing my mind for a creative and productive work day.

One of my former employers, Dr Stacy Irvine who owns the gorgeous fitness club and sports medicine clinic Totum Life Science with her husband Tim, wrote an article for the Huffington Post about exercise’s effects on the brain and cited one of my favourite books, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J Ratey (which I mentioned in a previous post). The article and book are a must-read for anyone who uses their brain.

Core Conversion DVD

One of my best friends, Zenia Martynkiw, is a phenomenal physiotherapist and she gave me this DVD as a gift. I love it, it’s my current go-to workout. Core Conversion is a workout developed by the Gray Institute  that trains the body in all three planes of motion using different variations of shoulder raises, lunges, squats and push-ups. It’s like nothing you’ve ever done and it’s awesome.

Power Yoga with Rodney Yee DVD

Yoga is a great way to prepare you mind and body for the day, and following a yoga DVD is a great way to get it done without leaving home and dealing with how disheveled you look. Rodney Yee is one of my favourite yogis and Power Yoga for Strength and Flexibility with Rodney Yee is a great DVD with two different workouts: power yoga for strength and power yoga for flexibility.

Vega Sport Pre-Workout Optimizer

The problem with many supplements is that they pretend to be health-boosting formulas but when you take a close look at the label they’re full of weird chemicals and unhealthy preservatives.

As a personal trainer and fitness enthusiast, I spent a lot of time searching for supplements that would boost my performance and supply my body with quality ingredients. I was never satisfied…until I found Vega.

Developed by Brendan Brazier, a vegan, former professional Ironman triathlete and author, Vega is 100 percent plant-based and has a range of products from meal replacement shakes to energy bars to the new sport performance system that includes my favourite, the Pre-Workout Optimizer (formerly Performance Optimizer) in lemon lime, endurance gel, electrolyte hydrator, recovery accelerator and more.

Under Armour ColdGear Tights

One of the keys to sticking with your workout routine is to be prepared, and having suitable gear – especially for inclement weather – is a must. It’s that time of year again when a chilly morning can leave me feeling iffy about my planned run.

Under Armour ColdGear Tights to the rescue! They’re cozy and warm, nice and long so that there’s no skin peeking out at my ankles, and the waist is high and snug so that my pants don’t migrate south when I'm pounding the pavement.

Breakfast Recipe: Potato Pancakes and Fried Eggs

It was just my husband and I for Thanksgiving dinner last night so I made chicken instead of turkey so that we wouldn't be faced with leftovers for the rest of the month. But I did make a ton of mashed potatoes with one thing in mind: potato pancakes for breakfast.

In case you haven't already guessed, breakfast is my favourite meal of the day. I do nothing, go nowhere, without a good breakfast in my tummy.

I made the mashed potatoes with a little cream and butter. This morning all I added was a dollop of plain yogurt and the leaves from a few stalks of fresh thyme, and then finished them off with a pinch of sea salt. Delicious!

Ingredients

Makes 4 pancakes

  • 1.5 cups leftover mashed potatoes
  • 1/4 cup plain yogurt
  • 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp butter
  • pinch sea salt

Instructions

  1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well to combine.
  2. Form 4 pancakes by rolling mixture between palms.
  3. Heat oil in medium frying pan over medium heat.
  4. Add butter, shaking pan to evenly coat, and then add pancakes.
  5. Cook for about 4 minutes per side or until golden brown and bubbling.
  6. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve with a fried egg, piece of toast, and fruit.

 

"Our wedding was many years ago. The celebration continues to this day." ~ Gene Perret

I’m very curious about other people’s lives and relationships. You might even say I’m nosy, but it comes from a genuine desire to learn and grow. I love reading memoirs and watching biographies or movies about relationships and usually walk away with at least one piece of advice or lesson that I try to apply to my own life. I also try to pinpoint what I see as strengths (or weaknesses) in other’s relationships (yes, I am watching you, I just can’t help it).

I recently celebrated my ninth wedding anniversary and I’ve since done a lot of reflecting on relationships. What makes them work? How can they be improved? How do you maintain your sense of self and individualism while deepening the bond with your partner? How do you keep daily annoyances (like the freshly laundered and pressed shirt that’s now in a crumpled pile on the floor) from turning you into a homicidal maniac?

Beware growing distant

I finished reading Shania Twain’s memoir, From This Moment On, a few weeks ago and found it absolutely fascinating. If you’re out of the Shania loop, I’ll fill you in a little. She collaborated on all of her albums, except her first, with her husband and music producer, Robert "Mutt" Lange. They weren’t only a married couple, but business partners, creative partners and parents to one son.

After 14 years of marriage, he left Shania for his secretary – a woman who was also Shania’s friend and closest confidante. Ouch. But Shania prevailed, after much grieving and soul-searching, and married the love of her life, a man that also happened to be the husband (at the time of the affair) of the woman who had the affair with Shania’s husband. It’s a very inspiring and captivating read and she made some great points about relationships.

One that stuck with me was the importance of not giving your relationship with your partner the opportunity to grow distant. When you let space develop between you and your spouse, it provides the opportunity for damage to occur – and for others to take advantage of the cracks. Communicate deeply and communicate often.

Crazy, Stupid, Love

I really enjoyed the hilarious movie Crazy, Stupid, Love with Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gossling and Emma Stone. Crazy, Stupid, Love is the story (and cautionary tale) of a married couple, Cal and Emily (played by Carell and Moore), who’ve lost their spark, and a playboy, Jacbob (played by Gosling), whose life is thrown off kilter when he falls in love with Hannah (played by Stone).

Emily admits to an affair and as Cal is moving out of their home and about to drive away she says, “I don’t know when you and I stopped being us.” Perhaps there are couples who find that it takes no work to maintain a wonderful relationship, but I imagine that for most long term partners, myself included, it takes at least a little bit of work to stay “us”.

The stresses of every day, responsibilities at work, financial strain, and family life can take a front seat to the effort needed to keep your relationship special, especially as the years tick on and people settle into complacency and routine.

In the article “Crazy, Stupid, Love: Is this what divorce looks like?”, The Globe and Mail’s Dave McGinn asked divorce consultant Deborah Moskovitch: “Do you think that any middle-aged man who wears running shoes on a romantic date with his wife is headed straight to divorce city?” Her reply: “He’s not headed straight to a divorce, but he should head straight to Harry Rosen and work with a stylist.” Haha. Funny but, I think, true, and a sentiment that Jacob shared with Cal: “Your wife cheated on you because you lost sight of who you are as a man.”

This reminded me of a personal training client I worked with a few years ago who came to me because she wanted to lose weight. She said to me when I first met her, "you know how you gain about 20 pounds after you're married?" I was shocked by her attitude that it's okay to let yourself go after you've secured a mate "forever". I believe the opposite, that you should try to be your best self so that your partner is always reminded of what a great catch you are!

Celebrate the little things

When I was newly married I worked at a retirement home as the social director and fitness coordinator, and there were two couples living there who were great examples of enduring relationships that still had their spark. The first couple, in their late 80s, celebrated their “monthiversary” – once a month they would get dressed up and take a cab to a fancy restaurant for a romantic dinner.

The second couple (the wife 98 and the husband 102) often come to mind, as they were such an inspiration not only in their physical and mental health but in their complete adoration for each other after many, many years of marriage. Every day they walked to and from afternoon tea holding hands, and the husband once told me, with a chuckle, as they walked away that they were going off to “smooch”.

These two couples really had an impact on me and inspired me to make the extra effort to make my time with my husband special, as you never know when your time will come, and, as I often heard from the retirement home residents, life goes by too fast.

So unabashedly hold hands, celebrate your monthiversary, be slow to anger, quick to forgive, and always give each other the benefit of the doubt. Call me old fashioned but I love to have dinner ready when my husband gets home from work so we can talk about our day over a nice meal. But, I also love to get dressed up and go out for a date night (especially on our monthiversary), seated amongst the buzz of other couples at a cocktail bar with eyes only for each other.

Health and Fitness Roundup: In the News

In the good old days, at 21, not long before I started getting greys. 

Going grey? Forget hair dye, just cut down on your stress

Globe and Mail, August 22, 2011

Whoah, here’s an interesting article about going grey. I am going grey.

I foolishly dyed my hair in grade eight without my mother’s knowledge (or any knowledge of hair dye) and it came out the worst orange imaginable. It took about ten years to regain the desire to change the colour of my hair and I had it “expertly” coloured at a salon. It turned out a horrible purple-red.

Fast forward nearly another ten years and I decided to give it another go out of necessity – an ever-growing patch of hair right at my crown, of all places, is grey. Again, I had it coloured at a salon and, again, the colour is much to my dislike.

So I’ve decided (for the time being) to embrace grey. But this article suggests that I actually have some power in the matter. Researchers have shown that stress can lead to decreased levels of a protein called p53 which “protects cells from developing abnormalities and helps humans stay healthy.”

“This could give us a plausible explanation of how chronic stress may lead to a variety of human conditions and disorders, which range from merely cosmetic, like greying hair, to life-threatening disorders like malignancies,” says Robert Lefkowitz, a professor at Duke University Medical Center.

Read the full article here.

 

Even just 15 minutes of exercise a day will improve health

Globe and Mail, August 18, 2011

I tweeted about this article last week. Aren’t these findings great? There’s absolutely no excuse now. Anyone can do 15 minutes of exercise a day: turn on your favourite tunes and dance your heart out; go for a jog with your dog; drag a yoga mat to a quiet outdoor space for a few sun salutations. You can do it!

Read the full article here.

 

Parents 'need baby food cookery classes’

BBC News, August 18, 2011

Got a picky eater? It’s probably your fault. But don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just relaying information from an article by Dr Helen Coulthard for BBC News.

“By relying too much on ready prepared foods, with their attractive packaging of fruits and vegetables, we may be making it more difficult for our children to eat fruits and vegetables when they are older.

“Packaged foods may seem to parents like a convenient and safe weaning option. But an over-reliance on packets and jars sets a pattern of using ready-made foods. And it denies babies the chance to try the variety of tastes, textures and appearance that fresh foods have to offer.

“Research shows that there is a window of opportunity for introducing tastes and textures to young infants, before the age of 12 months. After 12 months, infants become much more difficult to feed, and often become wary of new foods.”

Read full article here.

New Movie Trailers

The Change-up

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Jason Bateman and Leslie Mann Opens August 5, 2011  

Our Idiot Brother

Starring Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks and Zooey Deschanel Opens August 26, 2011  

Main Street

Starring Colin Firth, Patricia Clarkson and Orlando Bloom Opens September 9, 2011  

Like Crazy

Starring Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones and Jennifer Lawrence Opens October 28, 2011  

Fit Tip: Exercise for a Cause

Signing up for a charity event that involves physical activity is a great way to help yourself while helping others. Last week my husband and I participated in a charity bike ride in support of the Children’s Wish Foundation and Win4Youth.

It was a very small start – only 15 km – but we only decided to participate at the last minute to support my dear friend Lana who is the branch manager at Holloway Schulz, a professional recruitment company owned by the Adecco Group.

Adecco’s Bike Across America tour, with participating branches from Vancouver, BC to Jacksonville, Florida, is part of their Win4Youth initiative for which they donate money for every kilometre cycled to “support organizations that help prepare children for success in the world of work.”

In addition to Adecco’s charitable efforts with Win4Youth, each branch got to pick their own local, youth-oriented charity that also received a donation for every kilometre cycled, and Holloway Schulz chose the Children’s Wish Foundation, an organization for which Lana sits on the board of directors.

I had a really fun time on the ride through gorgeous Stanley Park and got to meet Adecco staff from Toronto, Ottawa and New York, local employees and clients from Holloway Schulz, and a few athletes from the Canadian Sport Centre Pacific. All that fun has me thinking about signing up for another event. What great motivation to get out there and train for a bike ride, run or swim, knowing that your efforts will also benefit others.

If you’re thinking of signing up for a charity fitness event, here are a few places to get started:

Hot Yoga: Risky Business?

What it lacks in heat, this yoga session on the beach in Tofino makes up for in scenery.  I love trying new things, especially when it comes to food and fitness, so when I first heard about hot yoga I decided to give it a try. I hadn't done a lot of yoga before then, but I knew that I liked stretching and being really hot so combining the two sounded like something right up my alley. I liked it so much that I started going regularly, but the problem was my Type A any-stretch-you-can-do-I-can-do-better attitude, and after a short while I had myself a nasty hamstring injury.

Fortunately I was working at a fitness club and sports medicine clinic at the time and I went to see my friend the chiropractor about my injury. At first I hadn’t put two and two together and couldn’t figure out how I’d hurt myself. My new yoga practice couldn’t be the culprit, I thought, because yoga was just stretching. It turned out that I wasn’t the first, or last, injured hot yogi to walk through his door. He explained to me that the extreme temperatures, sometimes over 40 degrees Celsius, cause the muscles to become very pliable and increase the risk of over-stretching. And over-stretch I did. Sadly, it took over a year for my hamstring to completely heal but I learned that lesson the hard way: listen to your body, give yourself a break when starting a new activity, and never, ever push through pain.

I’ve since been back to hot yoga and absolutely love the crazy-sweat-inducing heat, challenging poses and post-class glowy skin, but I'm very careful to honour my personal limits and opt out of any poses that are more than uncomfortable.

If you're thinking about trying hot yoga or are already doing so, check out this recent Globe and Mail article, Thinking of trying hot yoga? Read this first, which comments on hot yoga-related injuries and fainting spells, and gives tips on safely preparing for a class.

Breakfast Recipe: Toad in the Hole

Something about my British heritage makes me love fried bread. I don't have it often, but this morning I was really craving the double whammy of fried egg and fried bread. I updated it and made it feel significantly more healthy with a large leaf of fresh basil. It really hit the spot.

Speaking of British, are you following Will and Kate's North American tour? I love them so much I can barely stand it. I can't help but think of how proud Diana would be of her eldest son, who seems like such a genuine, down-to-earth and humble man, and who seems to have met an equally lovely soul mate that he's smitten with. Kate is incredibly stylish (and commendable on recycling so many pieces of clothing and shoes) and I've been following her tour wardrobe, with my favourite outfit of hers so far being the green Diane von Furstenberg "Maja dress" she wore on July 8. Gorgeous!

Ingredients

  • 1 slice sprouted grain bread (I love Silver Hills bread)
  • 1 free range egg
  • 1 tsp butter
  • 1 fresh basil leaf
  • pepper to taste
  • vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. Heat cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.
  2. Spray skillet with oil.
  3. Butter both sides of bread and cut out a hole, leaving about 3/4 of an inch around the edge.
  4. Place pieces of bread side by side in skillet and crack an egg into the hole.
  5. Cook for about 1 minute, sprinkle egg with pepper, top with basil leaf, flip over and cook to desired doneness (I usually remove the skillet from the heat right away at this point).

 

Inspiring Pick-me-ups: Two Awesome Websites

I mentioned in an earlier post that my husband always has great advice, and I have him to thank for letting me know about the following two awesome websites.

TEDTalks

If you ever want your mind blown by awesomeness, head to the TEDTalks website. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and started out as a conference bringing together people from those three industries. TED’s motto is "ideas worth spreading" and the talks are definitely ideas worth hearing.

Two of my favourite talks are below. The first is a fascinating and hilarious talk about nurturing creativity by Ken Robsinson, the author of a fantastic book called The Element featured in a previous post. The second is a captivating talk about a new way to think of “genius” by the author of one of my favourite books, Eat Pray Love’s Elizabeth Gilbert.

The 99%

According to their website, “The 99% provides insights on productivity, organization, and leadership – all designed to help creative people take action and push their ideas forward.” I’ve only read a few articles so far but they’ve all been great and it’s definitely a resource that I’ll go back to for inspiration.

I referenced an article from this website the week before last when I listed author Jonah Lehrer’s new book How We Decide as one I’m eagerly waiting to read. Here’s the beginning of that article, called Developing Your Creative Practice, in which Lehrer and composer, musician, and producer Brian Eno appear:

Current neuroscience research confirms what creatives intuitively know about being innovative: that it usually happens in the shower. After focusing intently on a project or problem, the brain needs to fully disengage and relax in order for a “Eureka!” moment to arise. It’s often the mundane activities like taking a shower, driving, or taking a walk that lure great ideas to the surface. Composer Steve Reich, for instance, would ride the subway around New York when he was stuck.

Science journalist Jonah Lehrer, referencing a landmark neuroscience study on brain activity during innovation, writes:

“The relaxation phase is crucial. That’s why so many insights happen during warm showers. … One of the surprising lessons of this research is that trying to force an insight can actually prevent the insight.”

The ebb and flow of concentrated focus and total disengagement has been a subject of particular interest to the composer, musician, and producer Brian Eno (U2, Talking Heads, Roxy Music). Drawing on interviews from throughout Eno’s career, Eric Tamm’s book, Brian Eno: His Music and The Vertical Sound of Color, delves deeply into Eno’s “creative process.”

Read the rest of the article at the99percent.com.

Another 99% article, called 10 Awesome Videos On Idea Execution & The Creative Process, lists some great, inspiring videos. Among them, the previously mentioned TEDTalk from Elizabeth Gilbert, J.K. Rowling’s commencement speech to Harvard’s 2008 graduating class, and a truly moving address from from Apple and Pixar co-founder Steve Jobs to Stanford University’s 2005 graduating class (see below).

 

Adventures in the Great Outdoors

Standing on the front lawn of my house at Beauvais Lake Provincial Park in my snazzy uniform.

An article I just read in the Georgia Straight about Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park and park interpreter Bonnie Moffett got me thinking about the good old days when I was an Alberta park interpreter at beautiful Beauvais Lake Provincial Park.

From May to August for three summers while I attended university I led guided hikes on the natural and cultural history of the area for groups of up to 30 school children, park visitors and campers.

Leading an activity with a group of elementary students (left) and showing our love of trees with a fellow interpreter (right) at Beauvais Lake Provincial Park.

To be outside for nearly the whole day almost every day was truly awesome, even on my days off I was outside running, hiking, canoeing or just enjoying the view from my very own little house on the lake.

Having a paddle around Beauvais Lake with my little brother.

I haven’t done a lot of hiking since moving to Vancouver almost four years ago – it sounds so awful when I say it out loud. Four years? – so it’s time to get back to that wonderful activity that is deeply woven into the fibres of my being.

There is something so special about walking around in nature that goes well beyond the physical benefits of using your muscles and exercising your lungs. The smell of toasting pine needles heated by the sun, the buzz of hummingbirds foraging for nectar and insects, the sight of ground squirrels poking their heads out of their burrow, or discovering the incredible abundance of life in a quiet wetland does something magical to your soul.

I'm in my element leading a wetland discovery program at Beauvais Lake Provincial Park.

Experiencing the natural environment recharges your battery on a different level than food and exercise alone can do. With the soul-filling awesomeness of the great outdoors in mind, here are some resources for planning your own invigorating adventure in BC.

 

Restaurant: Dockside Restaurant

My husband and I recently attended the summer launch patio party at Dockside Restaurant in the Granville Island Hotel. Their newly renovated waterfront patio is absolutely gorgeous and the food is amazing – the lovely view of False Creek doesn't hurt either.

The renovation was a lengthy and carefully considered project, as owner Diamond Karim shared with us, from the double-glazed fireplaces that act as a heat shield while still preserving the view, to the huge, heated cabana that arrived in pieces and was welded together and painted onsite, and the elegant striped curtains made from durable, weather-resistant marine fabric.

I’ve really begun to shed my Alberta-girl palate and have been jumping on every chance to try BC’s amazing seafood. Before moving out west, my exposure to shrimp was limited to the frozen, round trays we’d thaw for Christmas and I’d only tried mussels once.

Judging by the company, the food was pretty fantastic even for Vancouver standards, as I was not alone in swooning over the king crab legs, shrimp and mussels. I never imagined that I'd like mussels, they were delicious. I also had two (or was it three) delectable creme brulees for dessert.

Dockside has an in-house brewery, and although I didn’t actually try any of the beer (I got distracted by the bubbly) the beautiful vintage-eque labels definitely have me intrigued, and the next time the sun peeks out from behind the clouds I plan on heading back to do some sampling. Plus, I'm really keen on brunch and I’ve heard their Sunday brunch is great and even has live jazz and blues.

Image: Sheryl English

Eagerly Awaited Books

Tina Fey talks to Google's Eric Schmidt about her new book, Bossypants.

I generally never buy a book without first test driving it through the public library. I adore the library so much, I want to write it a love song. Can you believe that you can read nearly any book for free? I’m not sure if I’ll ever get over that exciting fact, or the fact that with a little, or sometimes a lot, of patience you can get your hands on nearly any new book, and it arrives for pick-up on a special shelf and has your name on it. It gives me warm fuzzies just thinking about it. Following are a few books that I have on hold and am eagerly waiting to read.

Bossypants by Tina Fey

The cover alone is enough to make me want to read this book. Currently at position 163 in the Vancouver Public Library hold queue, I’m not alone in wanting to read Tina Fey’s allegedly hilarious new memoir. Click here to read an interview with Tina Fey that appeared in the Vancouver Sun and includes a clip from her appearance on Oprah promoting the book.

My Father's Daughter: Delicious, Easy Recipes Celebrating Family and Togetherness by Gwyneth Paltrow

This quote from a Vancouver Sun article by Randy Shore nicely sums up how I initially felt about Gwyneth Paltrow’s new cookbook: “I was fully prepared to hate Gwyneth Paltrow's cook book, My Father's Daughter. But I can't. It's really quite good.” I’ve only flipped through it at the bookstore and heard reviews from friends but it looks beautiful and sounds good so I’m really looking forward to reading it and trying out some of her recipes. See below for a funny video of Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld talking to Paltrow about the book for Jessica’s website, Do It Delicious.

From This Moment On by Shania Twain

How do you get through finding out that your best friend and husband are having an affair? I have no idea, but Shania Twain shares her experience with such a scenario in her new memoir – which I know ends with marrying her best friend’s hunky husband, having her own TV show, and coming out with her first new song since releasing her 2002 album Up. See the video for Today Is Your Day below. I love this song. Go Shania!

Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi, by Yotam Ottolenghi

Vegetarianism has been on my radar a lot lately. From my brother’s new adventures in veganism to my interview with vegan athlete and author Brendan Brazier, and the amount of information I’m learning about the environmental impact of animal-based food production, I am trying to make small changes towards a more plant-based diet. After reading a Globe and Mail article about this new cookbook, which calls it “one of the greatest vegetarian cookbooks of all time”, I am keen to read it and try out some of the recipes for the food blog that I contribute to at BCLiving.ca. See below for a video of the author making the recipe that appears on the cover, Aubergine with Buttermilk Sauce. Yum.

How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer

When you hear about someone twice in one day from different sources it’s enough to pique your interest. So when my husband sent me an article called Developing Your Creative Practice that mentions Lehrer, and a newsletter from Publication Coach Daphne Gray-Grant called Putting a Dollar Figure to Stories, which also mentions Lehrer, appeared in my inbox I was curious to learn more about this young neuroscientist and his new book which, according to the publisher, seeks "to answer two questions that are of interest to just about anyone, from CEOs to firefighters: How does the human mind make decisions? And how can we make those decisions better?" See below for a CBS interview with Lehrer about this book.

Combating the Effects of a Sedentary Career

Having an active hobby, like surfing, helps to offset the negative effects of sitting in front of a computer for long hours. Image: David Roscoe

During my years as a full-time fitness professional I always took pride in my physical health, and maybe even took it for granted a little. I was on my feet for most of the day, teaching fitness classes and instructing personal training clients. Even before then my summer job while at university was active; I led multiple daily hikes as a nature interpreter for Alberta Environment. I was young, fit – and I didn’t have a sedentary job. There were a lot of things I didn’t understand, that I didn’t have a firsthand grasp of, until I started sitting at a computer for the bulk of my work day.

I’ve always felt rather strong and invincible, and with a base of good genes, an active lifestyle, and a physical job, I didn’t get all of the complaints from my sedentary peers. I worked long, hard hours too. What was the problem? But I get it now. The eye strain, the hunched shoulders, the lower back fatigue, the tight hip flexors: painful reminders that the human body is absolutely not meant to sit all day, every day.

Even though it’s been a bit of a shock to feel weakness in the body I figured would always be strong, I feel blessed to now have inside reconnaissance to better help me help others.

There have been a few people that have added insight to the conundrum of why my body has disagreed with my gusto for taking on too much and being perpetually desk bound.

Take time to stretch and sweat every day

First on the list of helpful people is my wonderful husband. He never fails to have great advice, and I always trust that he’ll shed light on any predicament I come across. He's been a technical artist in the film industry for the past ten years – having worked on The Thing, Legend of the Guardians, The Wild, and more – which means he has spent a staggering amount of time in front of a computer. I’m the kind of person that jumps out of bed and switches off my alarm half way through the first beep – the exact opposite of my husband who could probably set a world record for lingering in bed. I used to wonder what the heck he was doing but was too busy getting my day started to notice. Well, now I know.

Just like a cat, he spends a considerable amount of time stretching and limbering up before grudgingly climbing out of bed. Smart. The other thing he does without fail is go to the gym nearly every day at lunch. He says it’s a great way to break up an inactive work day and it helps to keep his body in tune and his mind alert. I’ve adopted these habits and try to start my day with some stretching and take a midday walk with my dog, or head to the gym if I haven’t already done so first thing in the morning. And what a difference it makes to do some vigorous physical activity – or at least enough of something to break a sweat. Read more about my fit tip, “sweat once a day”, here.

Build regular movement breaks into your daily routine

Even though a morning stretch and midday break are a great start to combating the effects of a sedentary career, it’s just not enough to offset sitting all day. I recently signed up for the Publication Coach newsletter, a great writing newsletter created by Daphne Gray-Grant with tips on time management, productivity, and, of course, writing. I’ve been using a trick from a recent article, How to get more writing done, which involves using a timer to measure periods of time where you focus on one task to the exclusion of all others. For example, researching and taking notes on a subject you’re going to write about after closing your email, turning off your phone, and removing any other distractions. This idea is based on the Pomodoro technique, and involves working in 25-minute bursts followed by 5-minute breaks. Gray-Grant recommends doing little exercises during the breaks and it’s definitely helped to have a little stretch multiple times throughout the day.

Acquire physically active hobbies

Our best friends live in Whistler and are one of those irritatingly fit couples who just can’t seem to sit still. It makes it much less irritating, and actually quite inspiring, that they are joyful, positive and full of boundless energy. And their active lifestyle has definitely rubbed off on us. They welcomed my husband and I onto their soccer and volleyball teams when we first met, and they continue to be sports that we enjoy today. While I spent the past winter drinking hot chocolate spiked with fireball whiskey, they collectively hit the slopes over 120 times. When I am wrapping up my workday with a glass of Merlot, I’ll get a text saying they’re about to embark on a “little” 50 kilometre bike ride or 20 kilometre run.

My brother is another example of someone with itchy feet. He is a fish biologist and although he spends a fair bit of time in the field, and therefore being active, he also spends a lot of time at a desk, sorting through data, researching, and writing. But in his off-time you'd be hard pressed to find him sitting still. In the winter months he spends as much time in the mountains, telemark skiing, as he possibly can and in the summer he's either surfing, kayaking, hiking, biking, or skateboarding. And when it's not possible for him to be doing one of those things he's concocting inventive exercises that he can do in the meantime to become better at those things.

And the apple didn’t fall far from the trees because my parents, both avid walkers, walk me within an inch of my life every time we get together. Last time my parents visited me in Vancouver a morning walk turned into an entire day of in-depth walking tours of Yaletown, Gastown, Downtown, and the West End. I drew the line at Stanley Park and took a bus home.

So if you’re feeling the sedentary blues like I have lately, try starting your day with a stretch, taking time out to sweat, building in mini movements breaks, and taking on active hobbies in your spare time.

 

New Movie Trailers

I’m looking forward to seeing these movies, hope you enjoy the trailers!

Beginners

Starring Christopher Plummer, Ewan McGregor, and Melanie Laurent

Opens June 3, 2011

 

The Art of Getting By

Starring Emma Roberts and Freddie Highmore

Opens June 17, 2011

 

50/50

Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen

Opens September 30, 2011

 

The Muppets

Starring Amy Adams and Jason Segel

Opens November 23, 2011

 

The Vow

Starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum

Opens February 14, 2012

 

Health and Fitness Roundup: In the News

New research shows these gorgeous little numbers might put me at risk for arthritis.

My daily reads include a range of entertainment and celebrity gossip as well as real news like the Globe and Mail, Vancouver Sun, and BBC News. Following is a roundup of interesting health and fitness news that I've recently come across.

Sorry, folks, but you have to diet - and exercise

Globe and Mail, June 12, 2011

This seems like a no-brainer to me, but one point I'd like to add is a benefit of a healthy diet and regular exercise regime beyond battling obesity (which the article is about), and even beyond overall physical health: improved mental health.

Arthritis warning to women who wear high heels

BBC News, June 10, 2011

Ack, why do things that look so good have to be so bad for you?

Exercise, diet, precautions are key in preventing seniors from falling

Globe and Mail, May 30, 2011

I worked in seniors' fitness for a number of years and, unfortunately, it's very true that "Falls often mark the beginning of a deadly downward spiral in the health of seniors." I also agree with Karim Khan of Vancouver's Centre for Hip Health and Mobility that "falls can be reduced through strength and balance training", and think that it's never too early to start. My oldest clients were a couple (one of the sweetest couples I've ever met) and were 102 and 98 years old. They were active their whole lives and it showed. Even at their age, they went for walks and played pool nearly every day. What an inspiration!

New study shows how caffeine might prevent pregnancy

Vancouver Sun, May 25, 2011

I seem to have a lot of girlfriends who are planning on starting families very soon, so I thought this was timely. According to the article, researchers have "discovered that caffeine prevents smooth muscles in the Fallopian tubes from contracting — and it's those slow, rhythmic contractions that shuttle eggs down the tubes, from the ovaries to the womb." So ladies who want babies, put the java down!

 

Breakfast Recipe: Rise and Shine Burritos

We recently spent an absolutely wonderful weekend in Victoria, BC with my parents, and were spoiled silly with lots of walking, eating, laughing, and great conversation. And on our last day there my dad made delicious burritos for breakfast.

I make breakfast burritos quite often (pictured above, recipe to follow) but these were quite different than mine. My dad doesn't eat gluten so we had them with these amazing corn tortillas from a local company called Que Pasa Mexican Foods. Inside the tortillas was a delightful mix of scrambled eggs, cheese, chopped green onions, and my new favourite salsa, President's Choice Tomatillo Salsa.  Delicious!

You can be so creative with breakfast burritos and stick in anything you fancy or ingredients that need to be used up. My recipe is a great way to get some greens down the hatch first thing in the morning (go here for another breakfast recipe with greens) and in the past I've liked to use the ulta-thin, low-calorie Mountain Bread – usually use the whole wheat variety but they also come in rice, barley, corn, oat and rye.

The funny thing about Mountain Bread is that I'd been eating it for a while before we moved to Sydney, Austalia for almost nine months last year and didn't realize that it's made just around the corner (well, 849 km around the corner to be exact) from where we were living, in Reservoir, Victoria. Although I still love Mountain Bread, I think it's time to break up because they are lots of great breads in my neck of the woods.

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tsp peppercorn ranch dressing
  • 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1/2 tsp butter
  • 2 cheese slices (I like aged white cheddar)
  • 4 tbsp salsa
  • 1/4 avocado chopped (just enough for my burrito, my husband is not a fan)
  • 2 cups mixed greens
  • 2 wraps

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in medium frying pan over medium heat.
  2. In small bowl, beat eggs with dressing.
  3. Add butter to pan, swirling to coat, and immediately add eggs, stirring constantly until done to your liking.
  4. Section eggs off into desired serving sizes in pan and top each portion with a slice of cheese (I eat one egg and my husband eats two).
  5. Place eggs in centre of tortilla and top with avocado (if having it), half the salsa and half the greens (I super-squish the greens in my hand so that I can fit a cup into each burrito. Appetizing, maybe not. Clever way to get more greens down the hatch, yes!).
  6. Roll up burritos and serve right away.

 

Direct Your Feet to the Sunny Side of the Street

Charlie the Labradoodle has all four feet directed to the sunny side of the street. I think that brain chemistry and mental health are fascinating subjects.  And, I think that the power of diet, exercise and intention to affect brain chemistry and mental health are sometimes lost on people (including myself).

Here are some interesting tidbits (or bits of tid, as my hysterically funny friends Ryan and Lisa would say) on the subject that I hope you’ll find intruiging too.

Martin Seligman

A recent Globe and Mail article, The wedding's over. Now what?, mentions a new book by University of Pennsylvania researcher Martin Seligman about positive psychology.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

“In his new book, Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being, bestselling author Martin Seligman even goes so far as to say that we should teach positive psychology exercises in schools. He moved into the study of positive psychology after 30 years in traditional psychology, which “had been almost exclusively about removing the disabling conditions rather than creating the enabling conditions for people to flourish.” One of Dr. Seligman’s top exercises is the What-Went-Well practice. (It’s also called the Three Blessings.) In order to overcome the brain’s “natural catastrophic bent” – our sky-is-falling tendency to dwell on bad things that could happen – we have to learn the skill of thinking about what went well. From an evolutionary point of view, catastrophic thinking is a survival tool. The Neanderthal who focused on how cool his cave was, but neglected to worry about food, did not survive.”

Read the whole Globe and Mail article here.

Gretchen Rubin

Two of my amazing girlfriends recently gave me a copy of The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin (which I mentioned in a recent post is one of the books on my nightstand) and it has a great accompanying website. A recent post about re-evaluating your mantras caught my eye and made me think about one of my favourite self-help authors, who I’ll mention in a minute.

Rubin  says,  mantras “can have an enormous influence on the way that you act and the way that you think.” See the video below for more.

Tony Robbins

Tony Robbins, one of my favourite self-help authors, gave a talk to students at the Harvard Business School which was recapped in the student newspaper called The Harbus.

Robbins described a “four-step framework that he says anyone can use to create an absolute competitive edge for themselves”. Those four steps (which you can read about in more detail in The Harbus here) are:

  1. Raise your standards
  2. Create a unique identity and consistently live it
  3. The power of state
  4. Give more

Regarding step three, “the power of state”, which is similar to Rubin’s mantras, Robbins said this:

“Living life the way you want is rooted in understanding that the body tells the brain how to feel. He noted that once you understand how to efficiently adjust your physiology – by studying and learning your physiological habits – you will always have the power to ensure you are in the best state to deal with work, academics, or family.”

Also echoing Rubin’s mantras and Seligman's "What-Went-Well practice" is chapter eight of Robbins’ book, Awaken the Giant Within, titled “Questions are the Answer.” Robbins says that by asking the “right” questions we can change our mental state and improve our quality of life. What are the right questions? Robbins states that “our questions determine our thoughts” and therefore “a genuine quality of life comes from consistent, quality questions.”

Don’t roll your eyes until you’ve tried asking yourself some quality questions! I have a little piece of paper in my nightstand that has morning questions and evening questions to being and end the day. I challenge you to try asking yourself these questions regularly and see what happens!

From Awaken the Giant Within:

Morning Power Questions

  • What am I happy about in my life now?
  • What am I excited about in my life now?
  • What am I proud about in my life now?
  • What am I grateful about in my life now?
  • What am I enjoying most in my life right now?
  • What am I committed to in my life right now?
  • Who do I love?
  • Who loves me?

Evening Power Questions

  • What have I given today?
  • What did I learn today?
  • How has today added to the quality of my life or how can I use today as an investment in my future?