Very Vinegary Household & Health Ideas

- Beth Beauchemin (Read About Beth)

Happy New Year!  We’re almost done the first month, and I have to say, so far so good!  No major snowstorms to battle, (fairly) mild temperatures, and we even had a smooth transition back into regular life after 3 weeks of time with one set of grandparents or the other!

I can’t really say that I’ve made any ground-breaking resolutions, or that I’ve made any, actually!  It is more of a “continue on the same track making small changes to improve my life” type of thing.  So, I don’t have anything big to share with you on that front.

What did inspire me over the holidays, however, was a book that my sister-in-law received as a present.  I was so inspired, in fact, that I borrowed it before she had a chance to read it and copied out all the important parts!  What magical book is this, you ask?   Vinegar – a sour tasting liquid containing acetic acid, 1001 practical household uses OK, so maybe that makes me a total geek so be SO loving the vinegar, but what is so bad about loving this magical substance that does everything from disinfect your house to cure hangovers?  (Ah hah, now you’re interested too, admit it!)  I’ve know I’ve written in the past about using white vinegar as a simple, inexpensive, and extremely effective household cleaner.  Since you may well be in the same boat as me after the holidays (anyone else trying to hide from their visa bill?), I’m sure you can appreciate some of these money saving ways to keep the house (and you!) clean and germ free.

Magical vinegar recipes…….

Cleaning

• To replace Ajax/Comet….. equal parts salt and flour, and add just enough vinegar to make a paste.
• To replace all those toxic insect repellants – equal parts water and vinegar
• To eliminate that yucky smell on dish cloths (my personal pet peeve!) – soak overnight in equal parts vinegar and water.  Rinse thoroughly before use.
• To replace Jet Dry or another rinse aid – (everyday) – 1/4cup vinegar in rinse aid dispenser.
• To disinfect – full strength vinegar
• To thoroughly clean Thermos/flask/decanter – fill with warm water, 1/4 cup vinegar, and some uncooked rice.  Close, shake/swirl, then rinse and dry.

Health and Beauty

Allow me to say…. apple cider vinegar apple cider vinegar apple cider vinegar!!!   What doesn’t it do!

There are MANY ways to take a.c.v., but one of the easiest (I’ve found) is to take a tablespoon “shot” first thing in the am, then chase it with a HUGE glass of water.  (Yes, I still think it tastes disgusting, but it gets better with time!)  If you absolutely can’t handle the taste, you can now buy it in capsule form.  Phew!  According to anecdotal and natural medicine beliefs, apple cider vinegar:

• Acts a purifier, detoxifies many organs and blood stream.
• Helps breaks down deposits and promotes health of organs such as bladder/kidneys/liver.
• Prevents excess alkaline in urine.
• Helps thin blood.
• Promotes proper digestion.
• “may” neutralize toxic substances.
• high in potassium, helping with sinus troubles,excess mucus, tooth decay, unhealthy fingernails, and watery eyes.
• Pectin (a component of the vinegar) aids with constipation (1t/day to aid digestion)
• And my favourite!!!  As a hangover  cure – soak cloth in apple cider vinegar and place on forehead to stop hangover headaches

If you have any uses to add the list (or questions about anything I’ve listed), please feel free to send me an email – beth[at]fitfamily[dot]ca.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Have a wonderful start to 2010!!!

Holiday musings… and ever tightening jeans!

personal trainer diary

- Beth Beauchemin (Read About Beth)

As many of you already know, I have NO hope of keeping my waistline tight and taut over the holiday season.  Having a baby isn’t exactly the best way to stay looking skinny and trim (although it is VERY possible to stay fit through your pregnancy…. Hello Belly Bootcamp prenatal classes!!!), so I’m pushing off my skinny jeans goal until December 2010.  (Yummy… that means all I can eat homemade butter tarts!  Well, maybe not all I can eat, but I will certainly indulge in a few.  It’s for the baby!)

Since I have no hope of controlling my waistline this season, I am hoping (somewhat) to keep a tighter rein on my holiday budget.  What is it about the holiday season that triggers an urge to spend as much as I possibly can to show the people around me that I care about them?  I really and truly don’t look at what I receive as a measure of anything, so why would I put that pressure on myself?  Is it true that “in order to be a good daughter/sister/sister-in-law/friend/etc you need to spend xxx amount of dollars”.   Absolutely not! It is truly a crazy time of year, but here are some ways you can trim the fat from your holiday budget.

1. Go paperless. Not only is this great for the environment (YEAH!), but it will save you time and money!  You can go paperless in a variety of ways.  My favourite 2 are e-cards for holiday notes (This is so fast AND no waiting in line at the post office to mail them all!!!) and being “useful” when wrapping gifts.  As little paper as possible in this house – we recycle gift bags like they are going out of style, of course, but we also try and use fabric.  Bath or kitchen towels make great wrapping paper, as do reusable lunch bags.  Where there is a will there’s a way!
2. Hit the dollar store. While paperless is still goal 1, I still have to send cards to my granny and wrap my mom’s presents.  Some things will never change!  For items like that…. Hello Dollarama!  I can spend $20 on a card and wrapping paper at the drugstore, or $3 at the dollar store.  No brainer!
3. Partner up. This comes from my own personal preference….. I would much rather one nice gift than a bunch of less-than-spectacular little ones.  In our family, I often partner up with a few people to get my dad the tool he’s coveting, or the new golf clubs my mom has been eyeing.  We spend less than we would have individually, and are able to get a much nicer gift.
4. Buy occasions, not items. This is another great “eco” gift.  Items such as a restaurant/movie/spa gift certificates; your babysitting services for a night; tickets to a play… these are all great ideas and will create a memory that the recipient will treasure for a long time to come.
5. Channel your inner Martha. While I admit that not everyone has culinary or sewing skills, there are a variety of easy and gorgeous things that you can make yourself as gifts.  When I was a kid, my grandfather LOVED banana splits.  His present from me one year… “a banana split kit”.  Homemade chocolate sauce, pineapple jam, and strawberry jam, with a small whipped cream container.  Cheesy?  Yes.  Heart-warming?  Very.  Useful?  Definitely!  I think we had banana splits at their house every Friday for the next 2 months!  Spend some time researching online, and you will find a plethora of ideas that truly do come from the heart.

So while I will admit that I did go ridiculously overboard for my granny (can anyone say cashmere set?!), I have managed to find a few places where I’ve been able to be more reasonable.   Now I just have to sit back and let the dust settle on my credit card:  we will see what January brings!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble

trainer-approved recipes

- Beth Beauchemin (Read About Beth)

It's time to eat!

Wow!  Who can believe that the leaves are changing, pumpkins are out, and another long weekend is upon us.  It feels like only yesterday that Max and I were still bouncing out the door in shorts and t-shirts and now its sweaters and jeans!  I love fall – and not just because it’s my birthday season!

My favourite fall activity is Thanksgiving dinner.  Yes, my FAVORITE thing to do is eat! Growing up on a farm, this weekend was symbolic of many things: it was (normally) the end of harvest for my dad and uncle; it meant Halloween wasn’t far away; it meant a big family get together with all the aunts and uncles; it meant we were all getting presents from Grandma since over half the people in my extended family have birthdays in September, October, and November – in short, Thanksgiving was practically better than Christmas! (practically… but not quite!)

A sweet tooth runs in our family… my mom is “lucky” enough to be satisfied with salty things, but for the rest of us, we absolutely crave a bit of sugar after a meal.  Hmmm… is there anything better than a slice of cheesecake or a few pieces of chocolate… I’m in heaven just thinking about it!  Yes, I know fatty, sugary items aren’t supposed to be on a “healthy’ diet, but I’m a staunch believer in keeping a few “yummies” on the menu.

Why?  For me, there are 2 main reasons.  First off, I can control my appetite 80% of the time MUCH better knowing that it’s ok to enjoy my treats the other 20%.  I eat well, I work out often (well, as often as I can!), I’m a generally active person… there are many reasons why I can indulge in a little sweet every now and then.  However, that is the KEY POINT. Every now and then.  One reason to indulge is it helps with self-control; as I mentioned above, a good rule of thumb is 80% healthy, 20% not so healthy!  The other reason is very simple.  Can you imagine life without dessert????  I can handle grey skies and rainy days…. No dessert?  Now that is a depressing thought!

The Belly Bootcamp moms and I worked exceptionally hard this morning, just so that we can all indulge this weekend without feeling guilty.  Cardio training for our hearts and resistance training for our bodies… we fit in a full workout so I feel completely at ease sharing my favourite Thanksgiving dessert with you.  Enjoy, and have a wonderful long weekend!

Beth’s Not-So-Healthy Pumpkin Cheesecake

Yields 10-12 servings

• 1 cup vanilla or graham wafer crumbs
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ cup icing sugar
• ¼ cup butter, melted (NOT margarine)
• 3  8oz packages cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
• 4 eggs
• 1 ½ cups mini chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350F.  2. In a medium bowl, stir together crumbs, cocoa, and powdered sugar; stir in butter. 3. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom and 1/2 inch up side of a springform pan. 4. Bake crust 8min, and remove from oven.  5. Increase oven temperature to 400F. 6. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, and spice until well blended.  7. Add pumpkin and eggs; beat until well blended.  8. Stir in chocolate chips; pour batter into prepared crust.  9. Bake 10min. and reduce oven temperature to 250F; continue baking for another 50min.  10. Remove from oven to wire rack.  With knife, loosen cake from sides of pan.  11. Cool completely, and then remove side of pan.

Refrigerate before serving, then dive in!

Nutrition Information: Do you really want to know?

hold-onto-summer salmon & fruit salsa

trainer-approved recipes

- Beth Beauchemin (Read About Beth)

scenery, prairie-style

I’m just back from a visit out to the family farm in Alberta… how wonderful are 2 week holidays!!!  Travelling with 1 kid (2 if you count my husband!), I needed those 14 days to fully recover from the trip out, relax, and then prep for the return trip!  I won’t bore you with what we did (suffice it to say that with a toddler son “t-r-a-c-t-o-r”  time filled up MANY hours!), but I did spend some time with my mom making healthy – and flavourful – family meals.

It is CONFUSING out there in the supermarkets!  Between fat free, low fat, sugar free, low in sodium, cholesterol free, low cholesterol, organic (and the list goes on and on and on!!!), what is a gal to do?  I consider myself quite educated in nutrition and even I get overwhelmed by the variety of choices and labels out there.  Your best bet? Learn how to cook (if you don’t already)!  Generally speaking, when you make your own meals and snacks food will be fresher, have higher nutrient values, be lower in fat and salt, and taste exactly the way you like it (once you get the hang of it!).  There are tons are great cookbooks out there that can help you on your way to gastronomic greatness; in the meantime, here is one of my favourite family meals.  Fruit salsa is so ridiculously easy and so amazingly delicious.  I bought a mini chop just to make this!  It goes with fish, chicken, and of course, tortilla chips!   We serve it with brown rice and some raw veggies.  You can prepare your salsa up to a day in advance and refrigerate.

Yields 4-6 servings.

Fruit Salsa

• 2 cups diced sweet fruit (nectarine, peach, pineapple, strawberry, kiwi, mango, or a combo)
• 1/2 cup red pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh (2 tbsp dried) chervil or cilantro
  

  wild is best, but farmed salmon is better than no salmon at all...

• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded & chopped
• 1 tbsp honey (or 2 tsp agave nectar)
• 1 tbsp lime juice

Salmon

• 2-3 salmon fillets, skin on
• sea salt & fresh ground pepper
• crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• lime juice

1. Stir all the ingredients together in a bowl.  To save time, you can put everything in the mini-chop (washed and cut into big chunks) and whirl away! 2. Grease grill, then heat BBQ to high.  3. Season both sides of salmon with spices, and lightly drizzle with lime juice and olive oil.  4. Place salmon flesh-side down on  grill.  5. Cook, mostly covered, about 8 minutes (salmon should lift easily from grill), then another 2-4 minutes on skin side.  Skin will probably stay on the grill.  6. Slice fillets lengthwise to create 6 portions and serve with a spoonful (or 2 or 3!) of fruit salsa.

Nutrition Information (6 svgs): (per serving; varies slightly depending on fruit) 451 calories; 26 g fat (of which 22 g are unsaturated) ; 39.8 g protein; 11.7 g carbohydrate; 0.7 g fiber

What’s Good for You is Good for the World

journey to the green side

- Beth Beauchemin (Read About Beth)

I went to see Food Inc. this weekend.  Have you heard of it? If you haven’t heard of it, look it up, and even better, go see it.

Food, Inc.

I don’t even know where to start.  The basic underlying premise of the movie (according to me – this may not be the main goal of the movie) is how much agriculture and the creation of our food has changed in the past 50 years.  The number one culprit? Big business, specifically the big businesses that have gained a monopoly on our food system.  The result? Nothing good.

As I already mentioned, this movie brings up so many points that it is tough for me to know where to begin, but I think I will start here…  I have lived what the movie discusses. I grew up on a small family farm.  We had a big garden overflowing with vegetables, and my father and my uncle happily grew canola, barley, and alfalfa, along with a small herd of beef cattle.  As I grew, a constant phrase in our home was how “our farm wasn’t big enough to pass on.”  We had enough land and cattle to keep us fed, clothed, and entertained, but with the way agriculture was changing we weren’t big enough to survive.  Our family farm is still alive, but we are very much the exception.  Sadly, though I had always dreamed of taking it over, I am now living in the heart of Toronto (about as far away from the Prairies as you can be!) and my brother is running the farm best he can on top of another full time job.

Food Inc. discusses the decline of small farming operations and traces it back to the point when corporate America (and the corporate world, as this is not just a North American problem) began to reach in and take over.

I won’t go into all the points that the movie brings up; I can’t.  We would be here for days and weeks, and perhaps months.  I will, however, tell you what it has spurred me to do:

• I am making my voice heard with my money.  Every time I purchase a particular product (or choose not to), I am letting companies and the government know where I stand;

• I am buying organic and local.  If I can’t get them both together, then I’m buying local, then organic;
  

  The stuff that's best for you is best for the world...

• I am going to farmers’ markets more often – every week if we are in town.  Toronto has farmers’ markets almost every day of the week, so I have no excuse!

• I am looking into joining a food co-op.  Luckily, there is one not to far from my house;

• I am talking about it!  While not everyone will share my viewpoint, I think that everyone should see both sides of the story.  Inexpensive meat and out-of-season produce have hidden costs, and you should know what those are.

For more information you can go to the Food Inc. website.  Better yet, go to the movie (stay away from the popcorn and candy if you can!)

It’s so cheesy but it’s absolutely true:

It’s up to us to make the world a better place for our kids.