Category Archives: Making Life Good Recommends

Recipe: Polenta

Posted on February 10, 2014 | Leave a comment

Polenta is a dish I have not always loved. However, it is always good to keep an open mind to trying different foods. Like children, we need to try a new food a few times before we can learn if we like it enough to make have it more regularly. I tried making polenta for the first time this week to a great result using a recipe from the Eating Italy, cookbook. The secret is to allow the polenta to brown at the bottom of the pan , which adds (a cheese like) flavour.

5-6 cups water

1/2-1 tsp salt

3/4 cup polenta

butter and chopped fresh herbs to taste

In pot with a wider circumference, bring water to a boil, add salt. Swirl in polenta slowly, bring back to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer without stirring until the polenta is the desired consistency, this will take 45min-an hour. Season with butter and fresh herbs, stir and scrape browned polenta from the bottom of the pan. Serve and enjoy with your favourite pasta sauce, stew or as a grain side dish.

 

 

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Posted in gluten free, Healthy food, Making Life Good Recommends, Recipe

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Recipe: Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Posted on January 29, 2014 | Leave a comment

Brussels sprouts were not on my list of regular veggies for a long time. My mom served them boiled a few times during my upbringing, no one liked them and I stayed away for a long time. Even delicious versions of brussels sprouts at Campagnolo and Momofuku Daisho did not motivate me to cook them. We had roasted brussels sprouts with Christmas dinner and I discovered they were tasty!!

Brussels sprouts are of the cruciferous family of vegetables with sinigrin and sulforaphane as antioxidant, detoxifying nutrients in addition to vitamin A, C, E and lutein. Roasting (caramelization improves the flavour) and sauteing are the best ways to go with cooking brussels sprouts. Lemon juice, vinegar, and nuts are good accompaniments. Here is a super simple recipe:

1 pound brussels sprouts, washed, and cut into halves or quarters for even size pieces

1 tablespoon olive or grapeseed oil

1/4 cup dried cherries (optional)

salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss brussels sprouts in shallow baking dish with oil, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with dried cherries if using. Roast for 10-15 minutes until desired doneness. Season further with salt, pepper and lemon juice as desired. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Roasted brussels sprouts with dried cherries

Roasted brussels sprouts with dried cherries

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Posted in antioxidant, gluten free, Greens, Healthy food, healthy recipe, Making Life Good Recommends, plant food, Recipe, Vegan, Veggies, Vivian Law

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An Indo Row inspired workout

Posted on January 15, 2014 | Leave a comment

I tried an Indo Row class for the first time summer 2010, really enjoyed the experience and brought a rower home thereafter. We have a water rower at our studio in Toronto and some challenging workouts can be created. Challenging workouts that energize you are part of making life good. Here is the my most recent workout on the water rower:

http://www.befiteveryday.com/a-water-rower-workout-only-500m-4-times/

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Posted in Indo Row, Making Life Good Recommends, Vivian Law, water rower, Workout

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New Year, new habits?

Posted on January 10, 2014 | Leave a comment

Many of us set out on great courses of action at the start of a new year. The gym seems busier with people who have resolved to change themselves. Lasting change and transformation in the realm of health and fitness requires improving lifestyle habits on an ongoing basis. How can this be done? I would say cultivate patience and make things easy for yourself.

Patience with yourself during and through the process of any change will make reaching your goal easier. Making things easy for yourself means creating incremental, achievable goals. For example, 3 Making Life Good healthy eating goals that apply for everyone all the time are:

1. Eat green vegetables at least once daily

2.  Drink adequate quantities of water and herbal tea http://www.vivianlaw.ca/fat-loss-tip-daily-water-intake-goal/

3. Track your alcohol intake

Try the above habits in addition to your exercise program to feel your best-Here’s to your optimal health!

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Physical Activity Experiences of 2013

Posted on December 31, 2013 | Leave a comment

I keep active most days of the week, and the activity is required to balance the taste experiences! Here is my list of memorable physical activity experiences of  2013 in no particular order:

Yoga class with Dharma Mittra:

I attended a session with 73 year old Dharma Mittra in March at the Toronto yoga conference and was very much positively affected by the practice he led. Breathing and meditation followed by physical practice is a highly effective formula.

www.dharmayogacenter.com

Circus at Circability:

I tried the trapeze, aerial hoop and silks for the first time at Circability in April. Great instructors that guide you into fun ‘tricks’ even on your first try.

The fun of inverting during lesson number one

The fun of inverting during lesson number one

http://www.cirque-ability.com/Cirque-ability_Toronto/Welcome_to_Cirque-ability.html

 

40 second sprints up to a vineyard in Tuscany:

With professional pride at stake, a few workouts with 40 second sprint repeats up to a vineyard in Tuscany brought me home leaner as I proclaimed. Very challenging, and a great experience.

IMG_3581

Running by the Kahala:

Going for a run in Hawaii is always a magical experience.

the Kahala view

the Kahala view

Short hike at Gros Morne Park:

We took a short hike into the Western Brook Pond…this was a hauntingly beautiful experience to say the least. A wind whipped pond, a bog that houses pickled life underneath and then the glacier formed pond.

 

 

Running on Fogo Island and meeting a fox:

Fogo Island is the edge of the earth, which brings a peaceful feeling. Looking up at ledge of rock and having a little fox stare intently curious at you is incomparable.

Ultimate Spin with Vlad Radanovic:

Vlad has taught me indoor cycling for over a decade. His music is a lot of fun, complete with his turntable. He has opened his own amazing gym Ultimate Athletics and teaches his awesome classes many times a week.

www.ultimateathletics.ca

Gravity workout at Evolution Fitness:

The gravity machines have been around for a few years now. I was invited to try a Gravity workout at the new Evolution Fitness, 101 Yorkville Ave by owner Conor Kelly. Definitely a unique experience that combined strength training with the fluid movement of the Gravity machine. The most challenging upper body workout I’ve had in recent memory.

www.personaltrainerstoronto.com

889 Yoga:

I quite enjoy the experience of yoga at 889 Yonge, at the Four Seasons and very occasionally at the Thompson hotel. The instructors are fantastic and the space is the right balance of clean and zen. Special acknowledgement to Jodi Fichstein and Sunny Smith, teachers I am grateful to see regularly.

www.889yoga.com

Happy New Year with best wishes for an active and healthy 2014!

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Taste Experiences of 2013

Posted on December 29, 2013 | Leave a comment

There were many incredible taste experiences during the course of 2013. Here are few memorable moments in no particular order:

Sweet potato fries with Nutella at the Canadian National Exhibition: Hot, crisp sweet potato fries drizzled with Nutella and sprinkled with icing sugar. A highly memorable taste combination that kick started a new love for Nutella. I even tried dipping healthy dehydrated sweet potato chips in Nutella, an interesting snack.

Fig and walnut panforte from Volterra, Italy: Perhaps it was the hillside drive to Volterra, however, fig and walnut panforte from this small town in Tuscany was outstanding. Chef Melissa Saunders created a version in time for Christmas, the perfect accompaniment to cheese.

Holy Chuck  burger and truffle fries: I like a good burger. At the urging of friends and colleagues in the neighbourhood, I finally tried a Holy Chuck burger this year. Truly one of the best burgers I have had. The fresh black truffle fries with cheese are also a taste sensation.

http://holychuckburgers.com/

Ahi musubi at the Kahala: These are fried balls of rice with a center of ahi poke, the Hawaiian national dish. This dish served at the Kahala resort reminds me of arancini, the Italian fried rice ball with a Hawaiian slant in the poke centre and Japanese twist in the seasoning with furakake. Here is the recipe (I have not ventured to try it yet):

http://www.kahalaresort.com/blog/post.cfm/ahi-poke-musubi-with-king-crab-namasu

Growlers caramel icecream: Their caramel icecream is the best, with a delightfully rich taste and texture. Fogo Island is a bit of a journey, however, if you ever go there, Nicole’s Cafe and Growlers Icecream are a treat to be had.

http://www.nicolescafe.ca/

Sauteed turnip greens with lemon: Turnip greens were an interesting discovery I made on Fogo Island. We picked up some items in what appeared to be a convenience store, and I noticed bags of turnip greens, so we bought some. Prince Charming sauteed the greens and seasoned them with lemon, very tasty and a new veggie discovery! Apparently turnip greens are usually boiled in Newfoundland, and we can certainly say sauteed can be tastier.

Gingerbread cupcake at DLish: This was a limited edition cupcake that I loved at first bite. Great texture with the right mix of cinnamon cream cheese icing. The DLish gingerbread cupcake is on par with a perennial favourite, the miette gingerbread cupcake in San Francisco

https://www.dlishcupcakes.com/

 

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Recipe: Gluten free Gingerbread Waffles

Posted on December 24, 2013 | Leave a comment

Gingerbread waffles are a Christmas time favourite of mine and many friends. After much testing, here is a gluten free version that I am happy to eat and share. This particular blend of various flours (sorghum, millet, chickpea, buckwheat, amaranth, brown rice flour) is a one that I like for taste, texture and nutrition-Making Life Good recommends.

Feel free to experiment with other gluten free flours. The key is variety of flours, some starch and xanthan gum.

3 tablespoons sorghum flour

3 tablespoons millet flour

2 tablespoons chickpea flour

2 tablespoons buckwheat flour

2 tablespoons amaranth flour

2 tablespoons brown rice flour

2 tablespoons tapioca starch

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cardamom

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon allspice

1 egg

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 tablespoons softened or melted butter

2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger

2 tablespoons currants

In a medium bowl, stir together various flours, baking powder, baking soda. Add spices and combine well.

In another medium bowl, whisk together egg and brown sugar. Whisk in molasses, buttermilk, then butter. Add dry ingredients, stir until just combined. Stir in crystallized ginger and currants.

Heat waffle maker to medium. Pour in half the batter into the center of the grid. Cook waffle to desired degree of brown or until the maker beeps. Repeat with the other half of the batter. Makes 8 waffles.

Enjoy immediately with maple syrup, apple butter, ice cream, or passion fruit curd. These waffles can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days or frozen and reheated in the toaster.

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Posted in gluten free, Making Life Good Recommends, Recipe, Vivian Law

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Celebrations and holidays are coming-time to exercise!

Posted on November 18, 2013 | Leave a comment

November is the month I really notice the darkness setting in earlier in the day and the proclivity towards hibernation starts to arise…

If we were squirrels, gathering lots of food and hibernating for the winter would be a good plan. In preparation for the upcoming season of celebration and indulgence we can increase our activity level, much like the squirrels are doing now.  Being fit and well requires some foresight and organization. Setting an intention to step up our workouts now, before the holiday season is a brilliant concept.

Going to see a fitness and wellness professional at this time when you may be starting to slow down is a great proactive move-I could use the guidance and it works! Just think, committing to being active now and sticking with it throughout the holiday season decreases the work load for the new year. Plus, you’re that much more beach ready-

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Mind what you eat and say

Posted on November 10, 2013 | Leave a comment

I recently came across this thought from yogi Dharma Mittra in his book ASANAS 608 yoga poses:

Essentially, if you control your mouth-what you put into it and what comes out of it-you’ve controlled much of your mind already.

Being mindful of what we eat and what we say is practice in living truthfully.

5 keys to right speech from Buddhism:

 

‘It is spoken at the right time. It is spoken in truth. It is spoken affectionately. It is spoken beneficially. It is spoken in good will.’

Say what you mean and mean what you say is my interpretation, and it also applies to food choices.

 

 

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Posted in commentary, Making Life Good Recommends, Vivian Law

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Pizza and Summers Icecream; Good Habits?

Posted on October 27, 2013 | Leave a comment

Pizza and icecream are foods that clients and friends tell me on a regular basis are ‘bad habits’. My response is ‘I love pizza and icecream!’. Looking back, pizza and icecream have been on my top 10 list of favourite foods since childhood. My tastes have refined over the years, but I still love to eat pizza and icecream regularly.

I invite you to have pizza and icecream as part of the good habit of mindfully experiencing and enjoying food you love to eat.

Make pizza a good habit, by finding high quality pizza that you love and be sure to order salad and/or greens with it. My top picks for pizza in Toronto are Buca www.buca.ca, Paese http://paeseristorante.com/ and Falasca http://falascaspqr.com/Falasca/Home.html

Icecream is a good habit when you take a time out to enjoy a kiddie size scoop of icecream along with some sunny outdoor time if possible. Summers http://www.summersicecream.com/is the icecream (pralines and cream flavour) I have most frequently. Bakerbots http://bakerbotsbaking.com/, Lapperts of Hawaii http://www.lappertshawaii.com/home.html (macadamia nut flavour!), and Growlers of Fogo Island (caramel flavour!) were some amazing icecream experiences this year.

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Posted in Healthy food, Making Life Good Recommends, Recommendation, Vivian Law

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