Heather Allen-Nutrition

01/13/2019

I'm super stoked to be part of a small (but mega mighty) team of health care practitioners doing some pretty darn right amazing things. We got together on The Entrepology Podcast to chat about what we forecast to be hot on the health care horizon for 2019. You should check it out (even if it's just to find out where the best burgers in town are being served up or our thoughts on the superpowers of mushrooms). Tune in here: http://traffic.libsyn.com/entrepologypodcast/TEP_097.mp3
Anita Davis, Naturopathic Doctor MINDSHIFT NINJA Dr. Meghan Walker

11/08/2018

[CONFESSION] I’ve been eating a ton of packaged food lately. And I’m pumped about it.
2 months without a kitchen and way too much has me releasing the beliefs around food that no longer serve me in this exact moment.
I hold myself to a pretty high standard when it comes to food. I enjoy making most things from scratch with love and intention and I feel best when I do. BUT trying to do that without a kitchen/sink/stove has been causing me unnecessary stress and guilt. So I had to let that s**t go, step up and do the best I can given my situation.
This realization hit me when we got slapped in the face with a
2 month extension on our kitchen renovation, I saw my bills adding up and my body was getting pi**ed with all the ‘healthyish’ food I was dialling in from delivery.
Perfection is a limiting belief we can all benefit from letting go of. You don’t need superfood powders, magic dusts or hand-squeezed exotic rainforest nut milks to be healthy. Keep it real (and realistic) for where you are at right now. And if right now means packaged-foods with the most real food ingredients possible, just know that I’m right there with you. 👊🏻🥫🥚🍽
Peep my stories on Instagram for a full kitchen tour and to see what other packaged eats I’ve been chowing down on!

10/10/2018

[REEL LIFE VS REAL LIFE].
My first food pic in over a month! Why? Well, a TON of stuff has gone down over the past month. I lost my beloved fur son Ken and my kitchen/main floor living space all in the span of 24 hours. So I’ve been living the crockpot & hot plate life over here in construction land and learning some seriously valuable life lessons.
1) PERSPECTIVE is everything. Keeping a positive mental attitude (PMA) has been crucial for my sanity in the chaos of renovation land. The hubs and I are currently living in our basement during the reno and pretending our makeshift space is a tiny apartment in New York City and that we’re on some grand adventure! Washing dishes in the shower feels like camping. What a treat! 🤪
2) GRATITUDE.
The fact that I even have an opportunity to craft a dream kitchen with my new hubby so we can start a new chapter (and maybe even a family 😋) is beyond amazing and is something I can count my lucky stars for every damn day.
I’m also grateful for the black mold, k**b and tube wiring and asbestos they found in the walls. Because now we get to take it out and create a safe and healthy home! *Not grateful for the extra invoices for that came along with it. 💸
3) SIMPLICITY.
A lack of stove, oven and sink means meals have been simplified which opens up some time to work on epic things (like the upcoming with my girl Dr. Meghan Walker ). Living with less stuff, clutter and space is something that I am absolutely loving and will carry with me as the reno completes in 8 more weeks and it’s time to ‘fill’ the space again.
4) PRIORITIES.
You make time for what matters. Eating real food is a top priority for me. Even if it means chopping veggies on a cutting board on the floor. I could easily turn to nightly pizza and takeout. I have all the excuses to make that happen, but I won’t because I want to show up as my best self every damn day. Garbage guts from nightly takeout doesn’t usually facilitate that.
So now I need your help! Hook a sister up with your best slow cooker or one-pot meals so I can keep this real eats train going!

08/13/2018

[Food Waste Hack] I’ve got a TON of herbs in my garden right now there is no way I’m letting my babies go to waste! I’ve eaten my body weight in pesto and came up with this idea so I can enjoy it all year long. (Cause ). I’ve been whipping up huge batches of pestos and freezing them ice cube trays so I can pop in a punch of flavour when dinner is a bore and fresh herb season has abandoned me.

08/10/2018

Get your hands on some of our locally grown basil this weekend by visiting the Moss Park Market tomorrow between 10am-5pm. And be sure to whip up a batch of my super simple pesto while you're at it!

Check out this wonderful Basil Pesto Recipe from our partner Heather Allen-Nutrition from ByNature, and come to the market today or tomorrow to get your hands on fresh basil grown right on Queen Street East!

08/04/2018

If you are what you eat, it looks like today I’m going to be a vibrant, homegrown, powerhouse who’s quick and easy. I have mixed emotions about this...
Breakfast can easily become a ‘sea of beige’ when we load up on the ‘basics’ of hash browns, toast, pancakes, French toast and bacon.
If you’re not down with feeling beige on the daily, you’re going to want to hit up Momma Nature for some help. Throw down some of her bold colours to fuel that bodacious bod of yours to the next level.

07/31/2018

Do your pickles have super powers? I’m a big fan of these mouth watering, jaw tingling little critters but as with most foods that come in containers from the grocery store, it’s important to check your labels to make sure you’re getting some top notch eats because not all pickles are created equal and if you pick your pickles right, you can get a mega dose of probiotics! Say what?!

Pickles are traditionally made via lactic-acid fermentation which basically means beneficial bacteria, salt and water work together to make magically delicious and gut-loving, probiotic-rich pickles!

BUT most pickles don’t roll like that anymore and simply use vinegar as a processing agent instead. Not a big deal but if you’re eating something, why not get the most out of it, ya feel me? Check out my story on instagram () for a quick rant on what to look for when buying pickles..
Now and most importantly...
Dill or Sweet 🥒?

07/22/2018

Pesto: I put that sh%t on everything. Eggs, pizza, pasta, salads, bowls, sauces. You name it, it’s getting a shlop of the good green stuff.
This version features some of those gnarly looking garlic scapes you may have seen at your local farmers market but had no idea what to do with them. So go grab some of those beauties this weekend and which up a batch of this super simple green goodness.
Here’s the how-to:
Ingredients:
🍴6-7 chopped garlic scapes (approx. 1/3 cup)
🍴1/3 cup sunflower seeds (roasted or lightly toasted)
🍴2 cups fresh basil
🍴1/3 cup olive oil
🍴1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
🍴Hefty pinch of sea salt *to taste
Instructions:
🍴Toss all ingredients in blender or food processor, minus the olive oil.
🍴Pulse a few times until well combined.
🍴Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while blending to incorporate all that goodness together and avoid separation.
🍴Put your new saucy baby in the a sealed jar in the fridge and shlop on all the things.
* Almost any nut/seed you have on hand will be a tasty substitute for sunflower seeds.
* Add more or less olive oil to reach desired consistency- I like MORE!

07/11/2018

Free-run, cage-free, free-range, pasture-raised, Farm-fresh, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, organic or grain-fed? Since when did buying eggs get so complicated?!

On Tuesday July 17th at the Toronto Botanical Gardens, I'll be doing a talk on 'How to Make Sense of Food Labels' so you can navigate the noise and make top notch choices at the grocery store. Grab your seat here -->

NEW! If complicated food labels and conflicting health claims have left you confused and uninspired about food, let Heather clear the confusion and si...

07/11/2018

Feeling super fortunate to be part of this awesome project and learn from Noel & Jacqueline from the The Toronto Black Farmers and Food Growers Collective. The food we grow together with the help of Building Roots is donated to the Moss Park Market and sold at affordable prices, serving the community with organically grown and super local food. Stop by the market today to get a taste of what we're growing!

Noel from The Toronto Black Farmers and Food Growers Collective gave our group of volunteers in Ashbridge Estate a second workshop on how to grow and cultivate plants. His knowledge is incredible and we are very lucky to have his and Jacqueline's trust and partnership. Thanks so much to Heather Allen-Nutrition for coordinating the volunteers and for planting such lovely gardens with ByNature. We are off to an amazing season with food already being harvested for our Moss Park Market.

07/10/2018

Well, its been a slice but I'm off to join the vegetable orchestra. That Cucumber Oboe just gets me. Okay bye.

07/06/2018

Do food labels have you dropping F-BOMBS in middle of the grocery store? Let me help. On July 17th, I will be doing a talk at the Toronto Botanical Gardens on 'HOW TO MAKE SENSE OF FOOD LABELS' so you can sift through the BS and become a label navigating ninja. Grab your spot here --> https://torontobotanicalgarden.ca/events/making-sense-food-labels/