Signs and the City

While walking around the beautiful city of Toronto (which I do a lot during the summer), I am certain to keep my eyes open for quirky, clever signage and am never disappointed.

Here are some pictures of what I found this past week:

Summer Soup

Made some raw soup from Juliano's Raw: The Uncook Book called Extra Avo Soup and was incredibly pleased with the result! I garnished it with shelled hemp seeds and fresh Roma tomato slices (the tomato had just been picked from M's parent's garden!)

I've been experimenting with raw soups lately because I love things that are fast to make and smooth to taste. I also enjoy the melodious whirl of the blender....

Shiny, Pretty Things

This Friday, I witnessed a vision become a reality.

I fell in love with a picture of a ring online and sought out a Toronto goldsmith to create it for me. I found Suzanne Crudden of Form + Flux, who is quite literally my jewelry fairy (read: possessing ample talent and the ability to make all your jewelry dreams come true!)

I showed Suzanne the picture and she made a wax mould so we could envision it in 3D. After tweaking the design and sizing my finger, I anxiously waited until 3 days later an email arrived in my inbox saying the ring was ready.

This is how my ring turned out. I fell in love instantly.

Another view:

While at the shop, which is an independent jewelry store featuring all local Toronto artists, M and I noticed this sign on the window:

This is a really cool movement going on amongst Toronto shop owners that are environmentally conscious; this sticker on their door lets people know that they can come in and fill their water bottles for free at their shops! I'm not sure about anyone else, but I've been out and about the city far too often and had to either buy bottled water or die of thirst because I had nowhere to refill my water bottle. Lets face it, having to pay for a plastic bottle of water that has been stored for years and whose source is questionable isn't really that great of an option for health minded people. I'd rather fill up my reusable Voss bottle with good ol' tap water until I get home, thank you very much!

If you're a shop owner and you'd like to add this sticker to your door, the website is www.bluew.org

Wake up, brush your teeth, run a 5 k.

I am incredibly fortunate to live near the University of Toronto campus. With its ample green space and stately architecture, a tour around the grounds can be a calming and nurturing activity.

That is why I have decided to spend every weekday morning running around it. During school, J and I were very good at waking up early each morning and running for an hour. I found that the exercise really boosted my mood and had me sleeping like a baby every night. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress and helps the body expel toxins at a faster rate.

I have made myself a personal goal of running 5 k every morning before work/school until the weather gets too cool to do so. This could be in late November, judging from the last year in Toronto. Another pleasant observation; I seem to have more stamina during exercise ever since I increased the amount of raw food in my diet! Athletes, take note.

Happy running!

Documentary Review: Choosing to Die (2011)

All Healthcare professionals are required to take a bioethics course that is designed to give doctors and nurses an objective view of certain controversial topics. Doctors in the present day are more likely to act in the patient's interest than to act paternalistically, which means that all doctors should have a vast knowledge of both sides of a procedure in order to serve their patients most optimally.

One such controversial subject is euthanasia. An excellent documentary I found was Terry Pratchett's Choosing To Die, in which the director, Pratchett, follows 3 people in their dealings with terminal illness. The film is incredibly moving, but may be very uncomfortable for some to view. Although not all 3 of Pratchett's subjects agreed with the appropriateness of euthanasia in their own lives, they all seemed to agree that everyone should have the right to die with dignity. You can watch the entire film below.

***Warning: Not all may find this film easy to view***

Thai for Dinner!

M made me this amazing dinner tonight that was inspired by the green mango salads that most Thai restaurants serve. It's surrounded by 4 slices of toasted olive foccacia drizzled in olive oil (not raw).

It was missing something, so we garnished it with hulled hemp seeds and voila! Perfection!

The verdict? It was absolutely incredible; the freshness of the ingredients with the sweetness of the mango and marinade were perfectly balanced and the perfect summer supper.

Thank you, M!

What's for lunch today?

Today is a full day. I need yummy food that can be prepared in a hurry, but I'm not feeling like a sweet smoothie and want something savoury and satisfying. Here's what I came up with:

YUMMY! The middle is a fresh green pepper from M's parent's garden that has been stuffed with my Seed Pate that I always keep ready made and on hand in the fridge (recipe follows). Surrounding the pepper masterpiece are Cucumber Bites, a favorite go-to of mine when I'm strapped for time (recipe follows). For my afternoon snack, I plan on enjoying the local seasonal fruits: peaches, golden plums and cherries! All were procured during a recent trip to the Niagara Falls area in which I scoured a few Farmer's Markets.

Fast doesn't have to mean unhealthy!

As promised, the recipes!

Seed Pate

1/2 cup sunflower seeds (soaked overnight)

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (soaked overnight)

1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (this is not raw)

5 sun dried tomatoes

1/2 clove garlic

1 tsp dulse flakes

You have to soak the raw seeds overnight to deactivate the enzyme inhibitors that prevent proper digestion. Blend in blender until smooth and spreadable. You will most likely have to scrape down the sides with a spatula in order to get all of it blended together. Spread inside a halved green bell pepper and enjoy!

Cucumber Bites

1 cucumber

1 to 2 avocados, cubed

1 to 2 tsp dulse flakes

Slice cucumber into discs (I removed the skin today, but you can also leave it on if the cucumber is organic). Place 1 to 2 cubes of avocado on top of the cucumber discs and sprinkle with the dulse flakes. I like to put a lot of dulse flakes on, but you may find you prefer less. Enjoy!