Day 14 – The scents and smells at this time of year…

A
few days ago, I told Lise that I was interested in writing about scents
& smell. She happily agreed and pursued by inviting me to take a
look at one of her 2011 Advent Calendar article on that subject. As I
read her 2 year old article, I realised how connected we all are, and
how important it is to share with each other what we know and what
intrigues us. By sharing our knowledge we are able to see more of the
bigger picture we call life. The more we share and discover, the more we
see and understand. So let’s add and discover together a little bit
more about the impact of scents and smells. You never know, it could
push the boundaries even further, making our world an even bigger
playground!

We use all of our senses to appreciate this season… or do we…

We give a lot of
praise to the gift of sight; we understand the power of sound, we
surrender to a healing touch and we definitely enjoy the sense of taste,
sometimes more than we should; but what about our sense of smell? Of
all our sensory faculties, smell is the one we are the least conscious
about, yet it is the only one that has a direct impact on our moods and
our memories. The reason is biological. Our olfactory system is directly
connected to our limbic system and more precisely, to our amygdala
which is linked to memory and emotions.

 

The “Proust phenomenon” is defined as the chain reaction
that occurs when a smell triggers a specific memory; we call those
memories, “autobiographic memories” because they are linked to a very
specific moment in time, usually a moment in our childhood .

 

Smells are
everywhere and affect us all the time; we are just not conscious of it.
But let’s see if you can relate to this… if I say warm cinnamon bun,
creamy Egg Nog, or fresh cut cedar log … can you smell it? I sure can!

 

Smells play a very
important part in the recollection of memories and feelings, but they
also participate in the healing of our bodies and our minds. Let’s take
for example cinnamon and mandarin, two smells often present during this
time of year.

 

Cinnamon essential oil

Cinnamon is packed
with a variety of benefits for the body: it combats infections,
minimizes inflammation, as well as is a natural immune system booster
and an antiviral fungal remedy. As an essential oil, cinnamon alleviates
depression, energizes the mind and promotes the feeling of happiness,
no wonder we have cinnamon in so many Christmas products!

 

Mandarin essential oil

The mandarin
essential oil stimulates our mood by making us cheerful and energetic.
It is often mixed with other citrus essential oils like lemon, tangerine
and lemon grass.

 

Diffusing the
scent of cinnamon and mandarin in the air is an awesome way to still
enjoy them. As Lise had mentioned in her Scents and Smell article two
years ago, just smelling a scent, soothes the desire to eat the food
itself; so smell away, it’s calorie free!

 

Now, if you are a
real fan of scents, here is a wonderful mixture of scents, called
“Christmas Spirit”. Just like in pumpkin pie there are several spices
that make up the taste to make it “just right”, scents too can be
combined to acquire the combination that is right for your nose. You
will need the essential oils mentioned below and an aromatherapy
diffuser.

 

In your diffuser, blend:

6 drops of Bay leaf essential oil

6 drops of mandarin essential oil

3 drops of ginger essential oil and

3 drops of cinnamon essential oil

 

Finally, Baseformula
is a great website to learn more about essential oils. They use these
to create other sensational products like soap, lip balm and hand
cream… If you like the idea of making your own products, especially to
offer as gifts, you’ll really enjoy this web site. 


Phase 4 tip…

 

If you are
at the end of your Food-Wise journey, it does not mean that you are at
the end of your wellness discovery. Phase 4 is a great time to go out
there and discover the different ways of living a healthy and energetic
life. A healthy life is a happy life and happiness is the ultimate
pursuit of all human beings. 
 

Remember, your new
habits are what will give you a new way of living, not your old ones.
Living is about the process, and the process is ongoing. “Are we there
yet” never applies to the process of living. Your world is always
changing, growing and deepening.

 

On a final note,
if you have ever had a real Christmas tree in your home, you know that
the smell of the wood and the spruce is what makes the difference.
Knowing this, we can only take this connection to scents and smells and
make the most of it in the best and most positive way.


Have fun! Enjoy your health and share your discoveries.

Sincerely,

 

Julie-Jeanne Darc
Food-Wise Weight Loss

PS,
if you would like to know where to buy essential oils at a great price
(because they can be pretty expensive in specialty shops… ) try
Amazon…  Take a look at these…

Diffuser
Combo set of 12 essential oils (including Cinnamon Leaf)
Mandarin Essential oil
Ginger Essential oil
Bay Leaf Essential oil
Cinnamon Leaf Essential oil 

Day 13 – Before you brave the malls…

Before I start, I want to take a moment with my French audience, so stay with me if you will… 

 

J’aimerais
m’excuser auprès de mes lecteurs francophones du fait que les textes
sont seulement en anglais.  Si vous avez besoin de précisions, n’hésitez
surtout pas à communiquer avec moi.  Comme je manque de temps pour
faire la traduction des textes, je préfère vous en faire profiter dans
au moins une langue plutôt que de ne pas distribuer l’information du
tout. J’espère que vous nous pardonnerez ce manquement et que vous nous
ferez part de vos questions. Il nous fera plaisir de vous répondre dans
la langue de Molière. 

The deal with fast foods!

Over the last two
years, I have always included in the Advent Calendar an article to help
you make good choices when you are stuck at the mall trying to get all
the shopping done and out of the way. This weekend promises to be a big
one at the mall. When you are almost done and realize it is 1:00 pm and
you’re hungry and tired, the choices can be daunting. Should you abandon
the mall and get yourself home quickly to eat only to have to return
later to get the rest done? We all know what parking is like. If your
car is already parked and you have gained some momentum, don’t abandon
your shopping excursion because you need to eat. I have compiled a list
of places that you can go to and still remain compliant with phases 1, 2
& 3 of your program.    

 

As I have said
countless times, this is the best time of year to be dieting and here’s
another opportunity for me to show you why… Practice makes perfect! If
you didn’t have to make these decisions at the mall right now, you
would likely not learn what choices are good for you for future
situations.

So here are a few tips to surviving at the mall.

If there is a
grill, head that way first. The Japanese cuisine is actually perfect for
what you are trying to achieve… which is to get lots of protein, stay
away from fried foods and ensure you get two cups of vegetables.  

 

At the Gloucester
Mall, you can find a place called Edo Japan. Awesome food right around
$10. You can even double the meat for only a few dollars! Incredible!
Ask that they cook it with no sauce (you can add some soya sauce at the
end). Tell them you don’t want rice, they will actually increase the
portion of vegetables without you having to ask. I trust you to stick
handle the few pieces of carrot out of the way and enjoy!

 

At some of the other malls in Ottawa (and many other places in Canada and the U.S.) you can find a restaurant called Teriyaki Experience. Check out their menu online. Same idea as with Edo, you can double the meat and get a super meal for about $10.

Here are the locations in Ottawa. They define their food as: “Quick,
water-based cooking done right in front of your eyes. Great for
take-out with sit-in options as well. All main meal options offered are
under $10.”

ST. LAURENT SHOPPING CTR.  1200 St. Laurent Blvd.  (613) 746-5067 
CARLINGWOOD MALL  2121 Carling Ave.  (613) 729-8050 
PLACE D’ORLEANS  110 Place d’Orléans Dr.  (613) 834-9366 
BILLINGS BRIDGE  2323 Riverside Dr.  (613) 730-8181 
RIDEAU CENTRE  50 Rideau St.  (613) 695-1600 
BAYSHORE  100 Bayshore Rd.  (613) 519-0388 
240 Sparks  240 Sparks St.  (613) 800-0450 

Now
if you are at Costco and your entire family is lobbying to eat there,
go for the smoked meat! Leave the bread and eat the meat. It’s not the
leanest meat but in a pinch, it will certainly do! You can buy a tray of
veggies in the store to complement your meat… et voila! You can even
have the dill pickle! LOL

  

There
are a few novelties since last year. The first one and this is a big
one is the salad bar at Farm Boy! If you are mall hopping, make a quick
stop at Farm Boy (and this holds true for any day of the week not just
shopping days). Over the last 8 months, each store has been retrofitted
to have a salad bar. On the one side there are mixed salads, but on the
other side, they have fresh ingredients and protein that you can put
together to make a super lunch/dinner. If you were planning ahead and
brought your IP pack with you, then all you need are vegetables. You can
even purchase single servings of the Lemon Garlic dressing that is so
yummy. You know that the Greek dressing and the Italian dressing (Farm
Boy brand) are acceptable too!  

 

Another
delightful discovery is Freshii. Sadly, there are only two locations in
Ottawa (one on Sparks street for all you downtown workers and one on
Laurier for University of Ottawa patrons) but my, what a place to have a
great lunch! They offer so many choices of ingredients for your build
your own salad that you won’t know where to start. Everything is fresh
and because you make the selection of each ingredient, you don’t need to
remove anything. Just dig in!      

 

OK,
finally, we should take a look at the really bad places… like the
double arches and other places like it!   But first, a quick story! When
Rachel (she was our amazing Orleans coach a few years back) and I
returned from a training weekend in Boston back in October 2011, we
stopped at Exit 17 on Hwy 40 (near Hudson). We were tired, it was 8:30
pm and we were hungry.   The only thing that was open was Burger King!
Rachel, eager to not step off Phase 1, especially after having spent the
entire weekend doing a perfect job of staying on (even at Cheers in
Boston), made a great suggestion.

 

A double burger each with a salad.
We took the two burger patties from our burgers and broke them into
pieces onto the salad (after scraping the ketchup and other condiments
and using the bread to soak up the excess fat). We also reclaimed the
two slices of tomatoes from the burger to add to the salad. I had a
single pack of Walden Farm’s Ranch dressing in my purse that we
shared… Are you getting the picture? We were both so pleased with this
solution and I hadn’t even been the one to come up with it.   Kudos
Rachel! 


Phase 4 tip…

 

At this time
of year, there are so many opportunities to eat fattening things that a
trip to the mall should probably be handled as if you were still on
phase 1 & 2. The comment that I get most often is the difficulty
with frequent “fun days” in any week. If you are shopping on a day that
is not designated as “fun day”, take this opportunity to revisit the
good habits you had developed during Phases 1 & 2. You will be glad
you did and it will serve as a refresher course. At any rate, it’s not
only a question of weight… it is above all a question of health and
there can be no doubt that fast food remains at the bottom of the food
chain when it comes to making healthy choices. 
 

I hope these tips
will help you in a pinch. There is always something you can eat. The
more you practice, the better you will get at making the right choices.
It is still not the ideal situation to go to a fast food… but if you
have to, better be prepared!

On these parting
words, enjoy your weekend, try and plan for all eventualities and don’t
skip meals! You’re not doing yourself any favours by going too long
without food… your body AND THE SCALES will be only too happy to show
you why next week!

 

Have a great day… until tomorrow!

Sincerely,

 

Lise Hamilton-Carriere
Food-Wise Weight Loss

PS.
I know you won’t take this as a license to go to the fast food every
day. You don’t want to make a habit of it (especially with all the MSG
restaurants put in their food) but at this time of year, we are just
scrambling to get everything done with the little time we have.
Solutions are what we need!
 

Day 12 – The Great Outdoors

Here
we are on December the 12th and it looks more like January outside than
it does December.  Technically, we are still in the fall season but
there is really no trace of it out there.  Well if the winter is here,
we might as well enjoy it! 

Dog sledding and hot chocolate, a true Canadian tale!

 

I smile when
people are surprised at how cold it gets here… its Canada and in
winter…. Yes it’s cold! So I figured, why not make the best of it and
enjoy our Canadian winters! Once you get involved in winter activities,
the ugly cold side of this season seems to lose a bit of its chilling
power. I have to admit; the thought of spending a day skiing at
Mont-Tremblant excites me! If you can
‘t get everyone to buy into skiing,why
not simply opt for tobogganing with the family! It is cheap, fun and
believe me, quite the exercise. There are as many winter outdoor
activities as there are preferences. Today I will share one with you:
dog sledding.

 

I was raised with
dogs. I am not talking about a cute lapdog at the end of my bed; I am
talking about lots and lots of outdoor dogs. For many years, my father
had an outdoor expedition company. Wild camping, wild river canoe trips,
survival expeditions and during winter, nothing less than dog sledding.
There are different ways to experience this kind of outdoor sport: our
way was pretty intense. Let me explain the difference. Some companies
focus on the simple experience of sitting in the sleigh for an hour,
wandering in nature trails. Other companies get involve with the city
during events like Winterlude where a track is prepared for potential
clients who will pay to get a 10-15 minute ride on the sleigh.  

 

My dad wanted to
offer adventure; a challenge for the mind, the urban citizen and
naturally, a challenge for the body. His expeditions took place in the
middle of nowhere, hours away from civilization. For 3 to 7 days, the
explorers lived an incredible experience. Each of them had his own
sleigh with his own dogs (7-9 dogs per sleigh). Each explorer learned to
talk to the dogs, understood the terrain as well as developed a
relationship with the sleigh. The whole group would travel in the woods
for about 6 hours a day, 3 hours in the morning and 3 more hours after
lunch. You really do connect with nature during such an experience. You
truly live the beauty of silence, the connection with the rest of the
planet… nothing interferes with the moment, it is all about the
immediate present and it is an awesome feeling!  

 

One thing I have
noticed during those expeditions, is how good everything tastes and how
comforting a hot beverage is when you are outside ALL DAY!  

 

Today, there is no more Huskies or Malamutes, no more sleighs
and no more wild winter expeditions with European tourists; but I have
profound memories that I keep close to my heart. Usually, it takes a
simple cup of hot chocolate or cappuccino to feel the experience of the
trails again, the sound of the snow sliding under the wooden skies of
the sleigh and the pure feeling of freedom.  

 

Smells, tastes,
sight and sounds are lived in the present as well as in the past. By
creating beautiful, odorant and tasty memories, we assure ourselves a
vast collection of them, which in turn provide us with tones of smiles
and beautiful moments.

 

So if you are like
me and hot chocolate brings with it warming moments, don’t be sad, you
can still have a warm cup of coco! You just need a packet of chocolate
drink, warm water and a pinch of cinnamon and voilà!  

Phase 4 tip…

 

As I was
describing the adventures with the dog sleds, it occurred to me that
after a long day outside, a person brings an intense appetite to the
table. If you are doing some heavy duty activities, don’t worry too much
about what you are going to eat. Remember the savings account and the
chequing account concept… if you are spending more than you are
putting in, you need not worry about the body having any of it left to
put into storage/savings!
 

Have a wonderful day and don’t forget, happiness is the accumulation of beautiful moments.

Sincerely,

 

Julie-Jeanne Darc
Food-Wise Weight Loss

Day 11 – What’s that delicious smell?

You
know that moment when you walk into a room and a rich tasty smell wraps
every single molecule of air you breathe? That smell that makes your
stomach grumbles right away…

It’s because of the spices!

 

I know that some
spices have that effect quite drastically on me. My personal favourite
is Garam masala. Good gosh does it ever smell amazing in my house when
we use it! The beauty of it is that along with its great taste, it also
has many beneficial attributes for my health and my family’s health.
This is what I want to tell you about today. The healing power of
spices! They don’t just turn bland food into fun, full flavoured foods;
they also help you heal your body!

  

I have been researching spices and their health benefits over the last few weeks and have found a great book with proven uses and effects of specific spices. The book is called; Healing Spices: How to Use 50 Everyday and Exotic Spices to Boost Health and Beat Disease. The doctors that worked on the analysis are very passionate and reveal many uses I never would have thought about! 

Here are some common spices you should add to your diet if you experience any of these symptoms.

  

Insulin resistance: 1 gram of fenugreek seed daily soaked in hot water.

Stress relief: Spice up your veggies and meats with Basil, Mint or Rosemary

Motion or morning sickness: 1 gram of ginger 30 minutes ahead of travelling

Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes: 500mg of cinnamon a day (=1/4 tsp)

High blood pressure: 1 gram of garlic extract

Flu/Cold prevention: 1 clove of garlic a day

Mild Depression: 15 mg of Saffron twice a day

Cholesterol Problems: 1 clove of garlic a day

Migraines: 1 to 2 grams of ginger at first sign

  

Here are two amazing spice blends that you must have in your cupboard for fast delicious meals.

 

Moroccan blend: 

5 teaspoons ground nutmeg
5 teaspoons ground cumin
5 teaspoons ground coriander

2 1/2 teaspoons allspice
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

 

Mexican taco blend:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

If
you were around last year, Lise had talked about spices on Day 2 of the
2012 Advent Calendar. This is such a big subject with complicated
facets that I thought it merited an encore. Depending on your ethnic
origin, you may have a background rich in flavours from exotic or Middle
Eastern regions or you may have been brought up on salt and pepper…
There is so much to learn about spices and our goal is to enrich you
with trusted references!
 

Phase 4 tip…

 

Cocoa powder
(flavanol rich) is known for a variety of health benefits not the least
of which is its naturally occurring antioxidant powers. Not only does
that sound great but it also tastes great! Adding cocoa to your diet
will improve your digestive track, your immune system, your arteries,
your cardiovascular health; it will help in lowering your LDL (bad
cholesterol), normalizing blood pressure, helping with memory loss and
slowing down skin ageing. So add it to your fun day baking and your warm
drinks whenever you can!

So
now, you are likely wondering what this Garam Masala which I love so
much is all about, so here goes: Masala means “a blend” and Garam means
“hot”. In the typical blend, one would find black and white peppercorns,
cloves, cinnamon for which the virtues have already been described
above, black and white cumin seeds, and black, brown and green cardamom
pods which have so many health properties that you won’t believe it.
From teeth and gum infections to lungs and pulmonary tuberculosis… and
from digestive disorders to breaking up kidney and gall stones…
Imagine all the ways you can help yourself and your family by adding a
dash of this and a dash of that!

Sincerely,

 

Carolyne Sauvé
Food-Wise Weight Loss

Day 10 – Something for your wish list…

On
Tuesdays, I like to provide kitchen tool ideas because I find that
there’s always someone out there thinking up new things to make my life
(and yours of course too) easier!
 

The tool that keeps your salad fresher longer!

 

Have you ever
heard of salad in a jar? I have to admit that until just a few months
ago, I had never heard of any such thing so of course my curiosity got a
hold of me and off I went looking. The principle of salad in a jar is
that on Sunday afternoons, you take out all the ingredients for that
week’s salad recipe and cut everything up. Line up five “wide mouth”
canning jars (Mason is the name that comes to mind) and fill them up
with your salad ingredients, close them up, remove the air and voilà,
your lunches for the entire week are made!

 

Now there is an
order in which to add the ingredients. Think that when you empty the
jar, everything that is on the bottom will end up on the top so you want
to have all your wet ingredients at the bottom. These are not only the
ingredients that are wet but also those that can sustain being wet for a
number of days. This means of course that you can add the dressing
right away since it won’t be touching the fragile lettuce.

 

There are a number
of vegetable combinations that you can make; the choice is veritably
unlimited and ultimately, you want to go with what your taste buds
prefer. We all agree that salads can take a bit of time to make,
especially in the morning, but when you make them all at the same time,
you make the task that much shorter.

 

Now if you browse on Youtube, you will find a number of videos
with recipe ideas, same goes for Pinterest, however, most of them (if
not all of them) contain ingredients that are not phase 1 & 2
approved. So instead of putting in links here, I decided to add this
picture that tells you how to layer your food. This is a good time to
let your imagine run wild!

 

OK, so the secret
is in the removal of the air from the jar. I have to tell you that I was
fascinated by this concept. Here is a quick video on how to do it… YouTube

 

So where can you
find the tools to make this weekly habit easy? Well for starters, if you
already have a vacuum sealer, you are almost there, all you need to
purchase is the jar sealer. You can find this for less than $10 at Amazon.ca

If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, you need not worry, there is a manual tool that works just as well. Watch this video to see how it works. This manual pump is also available at Amazon.ca for $8.95 along with three reusable bags…  

 

If you have always wanted a vacuum sealer but don’t where to start, check this Costco deal… I don’t think you can go wrong!  

 

You can think of these items as an investment. The idea of having
your lunch already made will make it that much easier to get up in the
morning , especially during the winter months! 
 

Phase 4 tip…

 

The wonderful part
of Phase 4 is the addition of different ingredients that you can add to
your salads. Think of avocado, cheese and nuts! Both cheese and nuts
offer enough variety to make incredible salads taste different every
time. Maybe you have been a cheddar kind of person, if so, maybe it’s
time to try some new cheeses, same goes for nuts! Get out of your
comfort zone and try new things. The first time I had blue cheese, it
was on a spinach salad with a raspberry dressing and pecans! I will
never forget just how good it tasted! I thought I was having dessert
instead of salad!


The
bottom line is this… salads can be boring or they can be fun! I use
to dislike the idea of a salad for lunch and thought to myself…
“nothing says I’m on a diet more than me having a salad for lunch”! Well
let me tell you that I have changed my mind completely on this! When
you start experimenting you create new tastes that are far from the
traditional tomato, cucumber and lettuce salads. The trick is having the
right ingredients in your fridge and assembling your salads in
advance… By the time you eat them, it will feel as though someone else
made them for you! Enjoy!

Sincerely,

 

Lise Hamilton-Carriere
Food-Wise Weight Loss

Day 9 – What do you put on your plate?

There
is just a little over two weeks left before the Christmas stretch and
I’m guessing (and this because of my ten year stint in the Federal
Government…) that there will be a number of office parties and
possibly many potlucks. Today’s email is inspired by one that I wrote
two years ago for the 2011 Advent Calendar. I’m going on the premise
that most of you haven’t read it and as such would appreciate a tip or
two for this sort of situation. 
 

A potluck here, and a potluck there…. everywhere a potluck…!

 

At this time of
year the potluck formula is one that many groups opt for as it makes for
an affordable get together and distributes the responsibility between
all members of the group. I was part of the social committee for many
years and there comes a time when organizers just get tired of coming up
with the ideas. I remember distinctly that there was no pleasing
everyone. We use to say “we can please some of the people some of the
time but we can’t please all of the people… even some of the times”.
So whenever we got tired of pulling genial ideas out of the hat we would
call for a potluck!

 

Now, if you are on
Phase 1 or 2 of the protocol, remember that you can switch your lunch
for your dinner so that you can enjoy your meat protein at lunch and not
feel left out. You can have your IP meal at dinner time.

 

OK, what are the
favourites at a potluck? Meat balls, devilled eggs, vegetable platters,
salads, shrimp rings, quiche…. My oh my, there are so many things to
chose from. Your responsibility at a potluck is to bring some protein
that you can safely eat. Let me explain: there is always someone who
will volunteer to bring a vegetable platter, am I right? Of course!
There is always someone who will bring a salad (ok this may be a trap
but if you catch that person before they add the dressing, you will be
able to grab a portion of the salad before it’s too late). The problem
is not typically with getting vegetables, it is with finding appropriate
protein that is not smothered in sauce or breaded.

 

Here are a few
ideas for protein that you can bring and that will have people delight
in your offering. The first idea is simply to bring a shrimp ring. Every
time I have done that, I was the hit of the party. Simply watch for
when they come on sale and stock up. I also buy the great big ones at
Farm Boy. They are in a bag rather than a ring but I simply put them on a
plate with some dipping sauce in the middle and people reach for them
until there is no more. I have never brought home any left over shrimp
because, really, there has never been any left! By the way, Walden Farms
has many products and no everyone likes every product but I have to say
that their seafood sauce is really good. In fact, I have often served
only that one and nobody knew the difference.

 

Another idea is
making devilled eggs. Yes, my friends, you can use the Walden Farms mayo
(and this is one of the products that on its own, is less than
desirable but in the eggs, you can’t taste the difference…) and make
the treat that everybody looks for. Here again, I have never seen
leftover devilled eggs at any party.

 

One of the things
that is always a hit is quiche… now I know what you are thinking but
if you have the My Ideal Protein cookbook from Chef Dan Verati, the
quiche on p. 56 makes an excellent presentation and tastes out of this
world. In the past, I have brought it to the curling potluck and it was a
smashing success!

 

Finally, you can
bring a cauliflower potato salad that people will not recognize as being
cauliflower and you can bring meatballs that you too will be able to
eat, sauce and all. Here are the recipes for these choices. I hope you
enjoy your potluck and get all the credit for bringing something good
and innovative!

 

Cauliflower “Potato” Salad

1 medium head cauliflower (about 4 cups of florets)

2 hard-boiled eggs

1 medium stalk celery, minced

½ cup chopped green pepper

2 green onions, chopped (green and white parts)

Salt and pepper (to taste)


Dressing

1/3 cup mayonnaise (Walden Farms mayo)

1 tablespoon prepared mustard (brown or yellow)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon onion powder

1-2 teaspoons worth sugar substitute

2 tablespoons
sugar-free pickle relish (look for mount olives pickles or relish they
are Splenda sweetened ) I left this out because I was unable to find any
such relish… it must be available only in the US

 

1. Break or chop
the cauliflower into smallish florets. If they are too big, they’re
difficult to cook so that they have the right “bite” and flavour – the
outside tends to overcook.

 

2. Steam on the stove or microwave florets in a covered container with a small amount of water.

 

3. Drain and put into a medium bowl.

 

4. Mix the
ingredients for the dressing (mayo, lemon juice, spices, etc.). Taste
for the balance of flavours you like. Mix the chopped vegetables and the
dressing into the cauliflower. Toss with salt and pepper.

 

5. Chop the egg
and add. (If you add it too early, the egg breaks down when you are
tossing the dressing in and it doesn’t look as pretty!)

 

6. Add chopped
fresh herbs if you wish – chives, dill, or parsley work well, and even
mint if you’re looking for something different. Garnish with the herb,
or sprinkle with paprika. (I left this part out and thought it tasted
fine without – you can be the judge.)

 

7. Chill.

 

Measure 2 cups of salad as one portion of 2 cups of veggies until it’s all gone!

 

Meat & Veggi Meatballs

1 lb ground turkey or beef

2 egg whites

1/8 c. dried basil

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp onion powder

1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic

3/4 cup grated zucchini

3/4 cup grated cauliflower

1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms or spinach

 

Mix ingredients together, make into balls. Place on non stick baking sheet & bake at 425 for 20 mins.

 

Sweet & sour Sauce

1/2 tbsp worcheshire sauce 1/2 cup water

4 tbsp. w.f. pancake syrup

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 tsp onion powder

 

Mix all ingredients, pour on meatballs and heat Yum..Yum..

 

Optional

Throw some green
peppers into a skillet, sauté, pour on the sweet & sour sauce and
place the already cooked meatballs down in the sauce for a minute or
two, and serve


Phase 4 tip…

 

Potlucks are a lot like buffets and the problem with those is that
we start at one end and finish with a plate that is overflowing with
food, some of which we would have gladly overlooked had we known there
was something more interesting further down at the other end of the
table. My tip for you today is start by scanning what is being offered.
You don’t have to include something from every dish on your plate. If
you first look at all the possibilities, you can make better choices and
indulge in the things that you really want to have!

I
have noticed that many of us gauge a party by the quality of the food
being offered… and the quantity too if we’re being honest! At your
next party, I challenge you to sit next to someone that you don’t know
very well and see if you can’t discover an amazing person. We get so
wrapped up in the material aspects of the get together that we sometimes
forget that the important part is not the food but rather, the people.

Sincerely,

 

Lise Hamilton-Carriere
Food-Wise Weight Loss

DAY 8 – What memory warms up your heart?

When
we look back at past events, we seldom remember the gifts (or the food
for that matter…).  Our memories are almost always of things that
connect with our values.  Let me tell you about my most vivid and
warmest memory of Christmas as a young parent. 

This is my best Christmas ever…

 

If
I ask you to reminisce and tell the story of your favorite Christmas,
which one would stand out? Are you a young child? Are your kids young?
Are you on vacation where the snow is just a bad memory? Why is it your
favorite Christmas? Is it the people you surrounded yourself with or the
setting in which it to
ok place? By asking those kinds of questions, we get in touch with our
fundamental values. We realise what is important to ensure our
happiness; which is the ultimate goal: to be happy.

My favorite
Christmas was in 1997. I was a single mother of 4 children and we had
barely enough money to cover the basics. Needless to say, thinking about
Christmas gifts was in itself a luxury. But the funny thing is, I knew
in my heart of hearts that something was going to happen. I just had
that inner hunch whispering to me every day that this Christmas was
going to be pretty special.  

 

It all happened on
the 23rd of December morning. I was making homemade play dough, while
my four children were creating pop-corn garlands for the Christmas tree.
The house was quiet for a change, it felt nice. No one was talking,
crying or wining; we were all too busy being happy in our secure, warm
and cosy environment. I particularly remember the silence because the
knock at the door seemed so loud and sudden that we were all startled.
In a single motion, my children lifted their heads with a thick Egg Nog
mustache above their upper-lip, it was a priceless moment. Rapidly I
cleaned my hands and just like little ducklings, Melina, Natacha, David
and Jonathan jumped off their chairs and lined up behind me…  

 

          Who is at the door mommy?

 

As I opened the
door, the only thing I could see was a huge box wrapped in gold with a
gigantic red silky bow. That first image was followed by a “WOOOOWWW”
that stretched for a good 5 seconds. My kids were hypnotised by the big
golden box with the gigantic red silky bow. We just stood there, our
mouths hanging like coats on a hook. Suddenly but gently, the woman
behind the golden box whished us Merry Christmas and asked me if
”they” could come in. Sure, I said… they? As she walked in, two
other women followed with gifts and food in their arms. We were
speechless. Then, my oldest daughter looked at me, then at the golden
box with the gigantic red silky bow, then at me again but this time,
with twinkles in her eyes. She put her little hands on her hips and said
proudly: «You were right mom! This IS going to be the best Christmas
ever because Christmas came to us! »  

My heart was
agreeing with her as tears of joy rolled down my cheeks. I felt blessed.
I felt my kids had value not only to me but for someone else too. We
meant something; we were valuable to those three women. Oh my God! I
remember so clearly the overwhelming feeling of love and fraternal
kindness; we all did.

 

Let’s say it was
the most humanitarian moment of my life. People, caring for people;
people giving time, gifts and food to people, not to family, not to
friends, not to co-workers but rather, to strangers. To me, that
Christmas is still THE one that stands out the most because fraternal
kindness is one of my fundamental values… what are yours?

 

NOW BACK TO THE PRESENT…

 

In a few weeks, it
will be Christmas again; that means Egg Nog season. Every year I have
to buy tons of that stuff because my kids (now adults) are insatiable
Egg Nog lovers. The Egg Nog we find at the store is not the healthiest
thing to drink that is for sure. That’s why I will make my own this
year. I was so excited when I Found Dr. Dubois’ recipe. That’s when I
decided to share it with you. This recipe gives you three portions of
protein that are unrestricted.

 

Dr. Dubois’ Egg Nog

  

INGREDIENTS

2 ready-made IP vanilla drinks

1 packet of IP plain omelet mix

Nutmeg

Cinnamon

Water

 

The order in which you put the ingredients is crucial. Start by
putting in a large shaker (or blender) one ready-made vanilla drink and
then add the omelet mix (only the powder), then the second ready-made
vanilla drink, followed by the spices. Add about ½ cup of water and
shake your Phase 1 Egg Nog drink.

Phase 4 tip…

 

As a full graduate
of this program, you don’t need to worry about the above recipe, you
can indulge in the real Egg Nog but what does it count as? Well let’s
see, what the ingredients are: milk, eggs, cream, sugar and liquor,
usually brandy. So what do these represent? Carbs, protein, fat, more
carbs… and yet more carbs!  

 

Does this sound like a fun day fix? Yep totally! Enjoy!

The
days are simply rushing by.  I hope you had a great weekend.  This
week, there will likely be more luncheons than usual, more challenges,
more people bringing home baked goods into the office.  Your ability to
keep your focus will be tested over and over again.  I have faith in
you!  Keep your eye on your goal and on what really matters! 

 

Have an awesome week!  

 

Sincerely,

 

Julie-Jeanne Darc
Food-Wise Weight Loss

DAY 7 – Sharing a tradition…

 

Traditions
have a strong hold on us. They are partly cultural, religious and
personal. Traditions are everywhere and in everything we do: the way we
cook, the way we live, the kind of music we love, the activities we
prefer and the way we celebrate Christmas of course. For some of us it
is THE time of the year, for others, it is a day like any other.
 

It twinkled just like a star…

 

Traditions say a
lot about who we are, what we value and what we believe in. My favourite
traditions are those we create with people or groups of people that are
dear to us. In my mind, I have carefully stored certain traditions that
have lasted only a few years, but still managed to touch my heart.
Snowshoeing with my dad is definitely one of those long lost (but not
forgotten) personal tradition.  

 

In winter, our
forest seemed blue; it was like the land of the icy-fairies,
particularly when the sun would shine on the snow and make it sparkle
like a sea of diamond dust.

I was so little and there was so much snow! Snowshoes were
not an option then, we used them daily. It was not uncommon to get out
of the house by the garage door to shovel the snow blocking the front
door. Snow was everywhere; I love that memory because it links itself to
my little snowshoes. It makes me smile and brings me back to the garage
where they were meticulously hung on the wall, right besides my dad’s.
Three winters in a row, my father and I went to the garage after
breakfast with an important plan… that day it was hunting day, it was
treasure quest day, it was victory day! It was the day that we would
come back with that year’s Christmas tree, and I had the honour of
choosing it! WOW!  

 

I recall taking
this task very seriously. I would squint my eyes and scan through the
evergreens to find the one that appeared to sparkle more than all of the
other ones. Sometimes it just felt like it was literally saying: “Hey!
Hello! I’m RIGHT HERE!” Once I had found the glitteriest evergreen of
the forest (that is what I thought anyway), my father and I would ask
the tree if he wanted to come with us. I could not speak their language,
but my dad could and the tree always agreed to come along. As we would
lay it down on the sled, I had mixed feelings, but they would rapidly
dissipate when my young brother and my mother would great us with
screams of joy. They would always agree that it was the prettiest tree
in the world… every year! My adventure would always end with a huge
hot chocolate, it was my prize and I would drink it sloooowly.  

 

Today I still venture in the woods, with snowshoes on my feet, but
I have modified my hot chocolate just a bit. After a nice stroll in the
white covered woods, I prepare a nice fire, and while the logs are
cracking under the heat, I warm-up my hands around a huge mug of
chocolate-mocha coffee. The taste is so creamy, you would never know I
was having a protein meal; coffee mixed with IP’s chocolate drink, and
voilà!

Phase 4 tip…

 

Maintaining your
weight is not about taking pleasures of life away from you; it is about
replacing them with something even better!  

 

The secret is in the recipe: a cup of creativity, half a cup of
curiosity, 2 tablespoons of positive attitude, a pinch of letting go and
a full cup of adaptability. This recipe never fails! If you need to
change the way you used to eat, know what kinds of food you really like
and find or create their healthy double. Once you have mastered that way
of thinking and doing, it’s all up-hill from then on!

On this
beautiful Saturday, maybe you went to get your own Christmas
tree so I wish for you to have found the best one to make this the most
amazing holiday season ever!

 

Have an awesome week end!  

 

Sincerely,

 

Julie-Jeanne Darc
Food-Wise Weight Loss

Day 6 – Nelson Mandela and our program…

Well here we are, even later than
yesterday, but I couldn’t let the day end without sending you my thoughts
on the recent events involving Nelson Mandela.  I couldn’t pass up the
opportunity to talk about the inspiration that he has brought so many
people in so many parts of the world.  I wondered this morning as I listened
to the news if there was anybody who didn’t know if his existence. 
Some may not know all the details but we still know that he was a great
man…   

The Power of Inspiration!

For almost three years now, I have been
coaching people through weight loss and I have maintained from the start
that my role is not so much to motivate as it is to INSPIRE.  I use
this analogy with new clients when we first meet to ensure they understand
the difference.  I tell them that motivation is the red hot ember that
they bring to the process and that my job is to add paper, kindling and big
logs and build the biggest fire to see them through… but that without the
ember that they provide, it will all remain just paper, kindling and
wood… there will be no fire. I’m not adverse to adding some oxygen by
breathing on the young fire to help it grow but I don’t provide any
matches,  that has to come from the client.

Nelson Mandela has built among the
biggest fires in places where the embers were very small and sometimes even
faint. His words and actions have produced changes that were above
everyone’s imagination.   Today, I want to share with you some of
the words of wisdom that are part of his collection.  I have selected
these inspirational quotes because they are totally appropriate and in line
with what you are living right now!

“It
always seems impossible until it’s done.”
  How often I am told by clients that they are invited to a
party and there is NO WAY to avoid cheating… Let me tell you the story of
a client of ours who just last week had a family gathering (all the
relatives from her husband’s side) where all the food would be home cooked
traditional Italian food.  All the pressure would come from the sisters-in-law
who watch like hawks to make sure everyone is eating and trying
“their” dish…  she could not see a way out of insulting
her in-laws or messing up her efforts… We talked and worked out a plan;
you always need a plan…  I told her that when it was time to get up
and make a plate from the potluck table, to get in line with everyone and
build a plate.  I said, “only put on the plate the things that
your husband likes and warn him to not overload his own plate.” 
I suggested that she get some vegetables (there is always a vegetable
platter…) and eat her main meal before leaving home.  Throughout the
meal, I suggested that she play with her fork and food, lifting it every so
often to her mouth so that people think she is eating.  I also
suggested that she move food to her husband’s plate as he made room for
it.  In the end, nobody noticed that she didn’t have any of the foods
that would have sabotaged her program.  She had brought a bar for
dessert and while people saw her chewing and saw the food in front of her,
they were not insulted, but rather quite pleased.  I saw her on
Thursday and she said that it totally worked and that in fact, people were
so busy talking that even her husband didn’t notice that she was shifting
food onto his plate!  It really seemed impossible until it was done!

“When
people are determined, they can overcome anything.”
(Johannesburg, South Africa, Nov. 14, 2006) Determination is that
strong voice that comes out loudly every so often and that everyone
recognizes as being genuine.  Nobody would ever doubt the voice of
determination.  The problem is that everyone has other little voices
that come through a bit like white noise and which reduce the clarity of
the stronger voice of determination.  You know when I said that the
coach’s role is to inspire, it is also to hold a mirror to help the clients
see those things that prevent the loud voice of determination from being
heard.  I have seen determination many times and sadly, I have also
seen people let the white noise of negative self-talk take over the
speakers and prevent determination from being the only resounding
message.  Can you identify the negative self-talk?  Do you have a
strong image of what you want?  Are there things that you are holding
on to that not only have lost their meaning over the years but that are now
sabotaging your efforts towards achieving your new goals?  Are you
ready to revisit all that?  Are you ready to let some of it go? 

 

Phase 4 tip…

“A
good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination”

  When you reach those goals, how
easy it is to fall back into old habits.  The head knows what the body
needs but the heart is starting to miss the things and foods that were once
linked to emotions.  Now is not the time to have both entities working
against each other.  Keep them in check and you will keep your
investment of time, money and efforts in the forefront of your mind! …
and you will keep your weight off! 

 

Nelson Mandela is known to people as a
great leader and as a kind man.  What he did is impressive, of that
there is no doubt.  I want you to think however that in every person,
including yourself, there is a stronger person than what is apparent. 
You can be better, you can achieve all that you want.  You can be
anything you want!  Thank you Mr. Mandela for the great lessons you
have passed on.  

Sincerely,

Lise Hamilton-Carrière
Food-Wise Weight Loss

Day 5 – ‘Tis the season…


Top of the evening to you!  I’m sorry
if this comes to you a little late tonight, I just came home from being out
at a restaurant gathering with former work colleagues of Peter’s (my
husband). I know this sounds a bit complicated but I know some of my
readers were actually at this gathering, so I thought I would mention it…  A fine bunch of people they are and I get
to visit with them whenever one of these gatherings is organized… I don’t
know why but they have adopted me as one of the group… I am thankful!

The
important thing that I want to share however is what I ate… 

‘Tis the season to be invited out to restaurants…

I
have made it a habit to look through every restaurant menu to find the best
food option.  This is my little thing
and one of the reasons of course is so that I can counsel my clients
better.  But it’s not the only
reason.  Has anybody every said to
you that you couldn’t do something or other?  What was your reaction?  Mine has always been to do everything in
my power to prove them wrong!

When
I was in grade 8, my teacher said I would never be able to write properly
because I didn’t like to read.  She
was right about the reading part (and this is something I learned to
appreciate much later in life) however she was way off on the writing
part.  I like to think that I can put
together a few words to enlighten and inspire people…  My grade 9 teacher said I would never be
a good violin player unless I cut my long nails (painted red if you
please…) well didn’t he have to eat his words when in grade 12 I was
awarded the highest marks in music and was granted the title of Concert
Master… with long nails and all…

So
when it comes to eating out, I look for the “needle in the haystack” option
in every restaurant menu. This, so that I can continue to say that there is
always something you can chose that will keep you compliant on Phase
1. 

The
one thing I want to flag here is chicken. 
Have you ever noticed that restaurant chicken doesn’t quite have the
same texture as the chicken you eat at home?  Ever wonder why?  The reason is that most restaurant
chicken that comes as a boneless chicken breast has been enhanced with what
they call seasonings. These seasonings are in fact a variety of things
starting with MSG and other preservatives and always sugar!

Take
for example the Lilydale  precooked
turkey breast that you can buy in the grocery store.  Amazing looking meat that is precooked,
pre-sliced and ready to eat.  When
you look at the nutritional information it all looks great… zero carbs and
all this protein.  Oh but wait, have
you checked the ingredients list? 
Right there in the middle is the word sugar!  Yep, I’m serious!

So
when you go to a restaurant and experience great tasting, tender to the
max, chicken, don’t even wonder for a second… there are carbs in there and
they come in the form of spices and meat enhancers. 

Well
then, is there a time when you can eat chicken in restaurants?  Yes of course… you can select chicken
when it comes on the bone… simply remove the skin and skip the dipping
sauce.   A great choice however would
be steak or grilled salmon.  It is
pretty hard to process those two and get away with it.

So
tonight, as we gathered at the Cage aux Sports in Gatineau, I was thrilled
to see a number of options that were phase 1 compatible… Double chicken leg
meal, half-chicken meal, steak and salmon. 
All could be ordered with steamed vegetables which included
zucchini, red peppers and broccoli… 
Pretty awesome when you can actually eat ALL of the vegetables! 

So
if you thought that the only thing to have at a sports bar was nachos and
chicken wings, think again!  There
aren’t many restaurants that leave me hungry!

Phase
4 tip…

When
it comes to restaurants, as a phase 4 graduate, you’re probably thinking
that you can have whatever you want. 
Well, that is true in the sense that if it is your fun day, you can
go to town.  However, if you have
three restaurant outings in a row… (I actually have another one tomorrow
night with old colleagues of mine… and we are going to a posh restaurant in
Chelsea) you will need to make choices. 
Remember that a 3oz glass of wine with dinner doesn’t constitute a
big indulgence.  If however you go
for the bread, the potatoes, the wine, the sauce AND the dessert… you will
want to have a recovery day the next day so that none of the excess gets
stored.  In a way, this is the most
thrilling time for you because for once you get to have your fun… and not
worry about the long term effects!  I
can tell you that this is one of the things that most definitely has
changed my life!

At
this time of year, there are so many opportunities to eat out, what with
parties and shopping malls that keep you there longer than anticipated
because of the crowds.  I want you to
think of every instance as an opportunity to learn something, make a choice
that coincides with your decision to have a healthier body…and then, simply
feel proud for having executed your plan flawlessly!

Sincerely,

Lise
Hamilton-Carrière
Food-Wise Weight Loss