Baby & Mommy Yummies

Mommies want the best for their baby's tummy, but often overlook their own. With the following simple and creative recipes you can turn homemade baby food into a snack or meal for mommy too!

My son, 8 months old

Miranda Malisani's Top 5 Snack Bars

HEALTHY CHOCOLATE FLOURLESS CAKE

One of my fav things to do is spend one-on-one time with my son in the kitchen. In this video we made a healthy version of a flourless chocolate cake.

Here's the recipe:
1 Cup Pumpkin
1 Cup Almond Butter
1/3 cup Unpasteurized Honey
1/3 cup Dark Chocolate Chips
2 tbsp Raw Cacao
1 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Egg (Omega 3)
Combine together and bake for 30 mins at 350

Healthy Holiday Eating

It’s the Holiday Time! There’s a chill in the air, bright lights on the streets and festive frolicking at every mall. There is also holiday treats in the office at work, tins of sugary temptations at home and parties to go to with an abundance of heavy food options.  Although it is a cheerful time of year it can also be a guilt-ridden stressful time because of the lack of control surrounding food you may feel during the holidays.

You may wonder, how you are going to enjoy yourself and not gain weight?

You may think about it so much that you just say:

“Whatever! The holidays only come once a year so I am going to eat whatever I want and then worry about it in January.”

I like to call this the Food Trap Layaway. It’s the one responsible for the yo-yo cycle of weight-gain.  It’s the same as the buy now, pay later purchases we make.

As much as you tell yourself you will put money aside, or you will eat better tomorrow it is just so hard to put it into action.

It is no wonder that January is the most depressing month of the year.

This holiday season, I encourage you to change your self-talk to:

“I am going to be in-control of my food decisions and I am going to enjoy doing so”

You have it in you, just make the connection this time around.

Changing your perception about eating will help you to become more responsible for your health.  You will start to relate more to the feeling of giving your body good quality fuel rather than feeling bummed out that you have to deny yourself that gooey piece of Aunt Carol’s Sweet Potato Pie.

Changing your food attitude can create a feeling of empowerment and excitement that makes the holidays just as joyous.

This season, eat for health, rather than how it hits your palate.

All the best for a healthy and happy 2012!

Miranda Malisani
Holistic Nutritionist, Founder of Live Light Nutrition
Nutrition Expert for The Marilyn Denis Show on CTV
miranda@livelightnutrition.com
www.livelightnutrition.com

Day 1 - October 12 (7 day Detox)

Upon Waking:  Half a lemon squeezed into room temperature 8 oz pure water

1/4 tsp probiotic (optional)

Within 40 minutes of Waking: 1/2 cup steel cut oats or millet with almond milk, walnuts, cinnamon and touch of maple syrup 

40 mins After Breakfast: Glass of 1/2 pure water, 1/2 unsweetened cranberry juice

Mid Morning Snack: Pear

30 mins Before Lunch: Glass of 1/2 pure water, 1/2 unsweetened cranberry juice

Lunch: Organic greens, 4oz anti-biotic free grilled chicken with lemon or apple cider vinegar and cold pressed olive oil

If thirsty with lunch choose room temperature water only

Mid-Afternoon Snack: Handful of pumpkins seeds or carrot and celery sticks

30 mins Before Dinner: Glass of pure water 

Dinner:  Brown rice pasta with tomato basil sauce with zucchini, spinach, onions, garlic with or without soft goat cheese

If thirsty with dinner choose room temperature water only

Late Night Snack if Desired: Small bowl of plain yogurt or air blown popcorn (use olive oil or flax oil instead of butter)

**1 cup of green tea is an acceptable replacement for coffee**

Weighing Your Options

It's no surprise that most people are constantly fighting with their jeans to fit.  We eat more, exercise less, rely on packaged foods rather than whole foods and have higher stress levels than ever before. Most importantly, we have ignored the messages our body's are trying to tell us. We have lost the ability to distinguish the signals of failing health and then get surprised when an illness pops up. We then expect that someone else should fix us, and get frustrated when it takes too long or can't find the answers to your health dilemna. 

At what point do we take responsibility for our own health.

Statistic Canada reports that "during the 2007-to-2009 period, just under 38% of adults were at a healthy weight. About 1% were underweight, 37% were overweight and 24% were obese." The overweight and obese percentages have increased since these reports.  According to a health survey conducted by the University of Ottawa, the latest analysis shows that 48% of adults were overweight (with a BMI of 25 to 29.9) and 26% were obese (with a BMI of 30 and over). 

With these high numbers comes a slew of weight loss programs, products, gadgets, pills, potions and surgeries. Although there are many products and methods to help one lose the weight, in general a one-sized fits all approach to weight loss just doesn't cut it.

 It's very simple. We all gain it in different ways, how can we expect to lose it in the same way. 

There are many weight loss programs that help one to dramatically lose the weight. It comes off faster than anyone could imagine. Unfortunately, weight is not the only thing that comes off. Being on such a low calorie diet can cause hair loss, nail loss, and general loss of health. Simply put, the body goes into starvation mode called Ketosis. This occurs when our glycogen stores run out and our body begins to produce ketones for energy. During this time, we feel less hungry and eventually our metabolic rate slows down. High ketone levels can be toxic, making the blood more acidic. With this elevated level, damage can occur to the kidneys and liver. 

These quick fix diets are a recipe for disaster. 

The key to weightloss is working with a health practitioner who can work with your individual metabolic needs, create a program that suits your lifestyle and one that takes into consideration your emotional, and physical state. 

Live Light Nutrition offers programs that are personally customized.We work with you to set goals and coach you throughout the entire program.  You health is too important to leave it in the hands of someone handing you a one-sized fits all approach.

Recipe For Good Looks

With the fall approaching and the 35th annual film festival upon us, some basic measures are in order to look your best as the days become shorter and cooler. Here are our recommendations:

1. Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep is the most frequent cause of dark circles under the eyes, headaches and poor skin tone.

2. Drink 8-10 glasses of pure water throughout the day.

3. If you are going to parties and late film screenings, try and stay away from junk food and soft drinks. That will bloat your stomach (not flattering if trying to look like a star), possibly give you indigestion and perhaps some acne the next day.

4. Go easy on other beverages: Excessive alcohol drinking and smoking are also counterproductive to achieving good looks. You can still have fun by doing things in moderation, i.e. no binging.

5. Assist your liver and colon with detoxification. Some artichoke, chelidonium and dandelion herb mix will be quick and efficient. I also like to use homotoxicology for gentle and effective cleansing. Our detox kit containing liver, kidney and bowel remedies added to a bottle of water go a long way in gently cleansing your system.

6. For fall and winter it is essential to have optimal levels of Vitamin D especially living in northern climates such as Canada. For a radiant appearance, we also recommend a combination of Vitamin D, C and E as well as some fish oil supplements.