Welcome. December s VIRTUAL KITCHEN. to CSNN Mississauga s. Winter is around the corner and the weather has already become distinctly colder.

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Calvin Alan Robbins
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Good Morning. Welcome to CSNN Mississauga s Winter is around the corner and the weather has already become distinctly colder.

joy of cooking with the science of nutrition.

to noticeable changes. Craving a little bread but without gluten?

1 Good Morning. Welcome to CSNN Mississauga s Winter is around the corner and the weather has already become distinctly colder. Breakfast is your introduction to the day, try to include some protein as we have here Here in the Virtual Kitchen we love combining our joy of cooking with the science of nutrition. There are many reasons we can experience dry, itchy skin but cold weather outside and warm temperatures inside can certainly contribute to noticeable changes. Craving a little bread but without gluten? Try our delicious gluten-free English Muffins Sprouted Chickpea Hummus served with cut veggies Beautiful skin starts with nourishment from within... this means optimizing your diet by eating antioxidantrich fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and a varied, colourfully balanced diet. So let s get started. LOOK BACK Looking back at December we featured a PEAR GINGER TART. This is a great beauty booster: rich in skin-hydrating omega-3s in the walnuts. The pear is a good source of cellulose, an insoluble fiber that feeds and helps to promote good gut microbes. December s VIRTUAL KITCHEN

We re made up of cells and bacteria, so for them to be strong and healthy we need to feed them properly with amino acids, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, prebiotics and

Because of this growing trend companies were quick to respond by making gluten-free everything from breads, pasta, crackers, cookies and cakes.

2 We re made up of cells and bacteria, so for them to be strong and healthy we need to feed them properly with amino acids, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, prebiotics and probiotics. Health and beauty begin in your gut. Season s Highlight Gluten-Free Certified GF TM Gluten-Free Many individuals have decided to eat gluten-free for various reasons. Because of this growing trend companies were quick to respond by making gluten-free everything from breads, pasta, crackers, cookies and cakes. When you carefully look at what s in these products most gluten-free packaged and processed foods still contain long ingredient lists that include artificial colours, flavours, binders and chemicals. Additionally, many gluten-free products tend to be higher in carbohydrates and sugar than other products that contain gluten. Be aware and read not only the Nutrition Facts Table but the ingredient list as well. The healthiest way to go gluten-free is to eat mainly whole foods and avoid processed, packaged foods. Check out this months Gluten-free English muffin! It was easy to make, delicious and freezes well. Plus it only has only 9 ingredients with nothing you don t recognize! Gluten-free English muffin

3 Build your skills Get ready to dive into delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes that also offer huge benefits for the skin. One of our biggest hopes for you is that by following the recipes in the monthly Virtual Kitchens you ll feel empowered to use fresh, whole foods in your cooking. I m sure you ve seen terms when reading a recipe that are unfamiliar and you don t know what they mean. This can make following a recipe difficult and confusing. So let s talk about a few of the most commonly misunderstood terms you ll come across in recipes so that the recipe turns out as intended. Al dente this terms usually refers to cooking pasta but it can also be used when cooking vegetables. It simply means that there should be a little bit of bite left. You cook it to about 90% rather than 100%. It important to avoid overcooking and ending up with a mushy end result. Blanching when you blanch a vegetable it preserves colour as well as texture. You briefly boil it from a few seconds to a few minutes and then plunge it into ice water to stop the cooking. For example, if you re making a stir-fry with broccoli, it takes a long time to cook through. Blanch the broccoli first before adding it to the stir-fry. Carryover cooking (sometimes referred to as resting) - food retains heat and continues to cook even after being removed from the source of heat. Consider what you re cooking and remove it 5-10 degrees lower than the target temperature because it will continue to cook while resting. Deglaze if you re roasting or sautéing a food you ll notice brown bits on the bottom of the pan. These are delicious, so don t throw them out. You want to dissolve the brown bits with a liquid such as stock. You add the stock to the hot pan and then scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula so that the bits dissolve in the stock. We ll cover more terms next month.

What s for breakfast sunshine? Often Muesli recipes call for rolled oats.

Excess glucose can bind to skin s collagen and elastin, which can damage our delicate skin. The perfect breakfast.

Get out all your ingredients before you start the recipe Spiced Quinoa & Apple Muesli Ingredients: 1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed 2/3 cup filtered water 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

4 What s for breakfast sunshine? Often Muesli recipes call for rolled oats. In this recipe we decided to use quinoa instead of oats for various reasons; quinoa is packed with essential vitamins quinoa is a complete protein quinoa helps keep glucose levels balanced. Excess glucose can bind to skin s collagen and elastin, which can damage our delicate skin. The perfect breakfast... It s best to make this Muesli the night before for a delicious, quick and nutritious start to your day. Get out all your ingredients before you start the recipe Spiced Quinoa & Apple Muesli Ingredients: 1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed 2/3 cup filtered water 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 1/8 tsp ground cloves 2 Tbsp chia seeds 1 apple or ripe pear -peeled, cored and diced into small pieces 1/2 orange, juiced 1 medjool date, pitted and finely chopped 1 Tbsp raw honey, warmed slightly to melt 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt Alternative (we used the Daiya brand - dairy-free, vanilla bean flavour + extra for serving) 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped 1 cup low glycemic berries such as raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries (your choice)

2. Remove from the heat, cover and let sit for another 5 minutes until all the water has been absorbed. 3.

Cook the quinoa on the stove-top in filtered water 4.

spices have had time to mingle. 5. To serve, divide between 2 serving dishes, top with more yogurt, berries and the toasted pecans.

5 Method: 1. Put the quinoa and water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer until almost all the water has been absorbed (approximately 10 minutes). 2. Remove from the heat, cover and let sit for another 5 minutes until all the water has been absorbed. 3. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, chia seeds, chopped apple or pear, orange juice, date, honey and yogurt. Cook the quinoa on the stove-top in filtered water 4. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge overnight so that the mixture can thicken into a wonderful consistency this is important because its much nicer once it thickens and the spices have had time to mingle. 5. To serve, divide between 2 serving dishes, top with more yogurt, berries and the toasted pecans. We cut the apple into a small dice Kitchen Whizdom various ingredients can be substituted according to personal taste and availability. Try things like hemp hearts, currants, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and unsweetened coconut flakes, use your imagination. Simply mix it up in a bowl and refrigerate overnight Advanced Glycation-end-products (AGEs) cause our skin to become rigid and less elastic. Your skin develops a weakened ability to repair itself and becomes prone to wrinkles and accelerated aging. Consuming sugar, or anything that turns to sugar in the body, increases blood glucose and is the major contributor to glycation.

In this recipe we ve used almond meal. Studies have shown that nuts help fight obesity, promote satiety and increase the action of insulin, thereby improving blood sugar levels.

We often find gluten-free flours use a mixture of flours including garbanzo bean flour which we find can be a little strong we didn t want any bean taste in our English Muffin so we combined almond

6 In this recipe we ve used almond meal. Studies have shown that nuts help fight obesity, promote satiety and increase the action of insulin, thereby improving blood sugar levels. Gluten-free English Muffins Egg McMuffin...only better! These English Muffins were a delicious surprise! Quite simple to make and we loved both the texture and flavour. We often find gluten-free flours use a mixture of flours including garbanzo bean flour which we find can be a little strong we didn t want any bean taste in our English Muffin so we combined almond meal and coconut flour- a delicious blend. Ingredients: Only 9 ingredients g (1 1/2 cups) almond meal (ground almonds) see Kitchen Whizdom below 30 g (1/4 cup) coconut flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp sea salt 1 Tbsp ground flax seed (important because it helps to thicken up the dough) 4 pasture-raised eggs 1/2 cup almond milk (any nut milk will work) 2 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted 1 Tbsp raw honey, melted

Method: 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 2.

Weigh and measure all your ingredients before you start 3. Beat the eggs with the nut milk and pour into the well. 4.

Combine dry ingredients, make a well and pour in the eggs mixed with the nut milk 6.

We used a metal ring (see picture) for a consistent shape but it s fine to simply scoop out 1/3 cup. The recipe made 6 plus 1 small one for tasting).

minutes. 8. Serve warm with a low-sugar jam or place on a cooling rack for later. They freeze beautifully.

7 Method: 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 2. In a medium bowl combine almond meal, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt and flax seed mix, then make a well in the center. Weigh and measure all your ingredients before you start 3. Beat the eggs with the nut milk and pour into the well. 4. Mix to combine then stir in the coconut oil and honey. 5. Important let the mixture rest for 10 minutes so that the flax seed has time to thicken the mixture. Combine dry ingredients, make a well and pour in the eggs mixed with the nut milk 6. Scoop out 1/3 cup dough and place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. We used a metal ring (see picture) for a consistent shape but it s fine to simply scoop out 1/3 cup. The recipe made 6 plus 1 small one for tasting). Each muffin measured 3 1/2 inches across a perfect size. 7. Bake for 15 minutes, flip muffins over and continue to bake for another 8 minutes. 8. Serve warm with a low-sugar jam or place on a cooling rack for later. They freeze beautifully. If you have a metal ring, place the dough in the ring, lift and continue - you should have 6+ Kitchen Whizdom the texture of these muffins was really nice with the almond meal. The Almond meal we bought is different than almond flour. Almond flour is finely ground whereas almond meal is coarser and you can see little specs of brown in it. We wanted the coarser consistency and texture than a finely ground almond flour would result in. Once baked enjoy them warm or place on a cooling rack for later

8 We try to include some protein in our meals and snacks to keep blood sugar levels balanced which then allows our body to burn fat, protect collagen and keep our skin firm and youthful. When it comes to antioxidants we often focus on fruits and vegetables but beans are also an excellent source - so enjoy the taste and health benefits in this Chickpea Hummus! Snack Time! Sprouted Chickpea Hummus with a PUNCH! The reason we developed this recipe is because it s not only delicious but soaking and sprouting the chickpeas unlock a storehouse of nutrients that nourishes the plant as it grows and matures. Sprouting is germination, a process where all the vitamins, minerals, proteins and essential fatty acids that lay dormant, once soaked and sprouted, become active and multiply. Sprouting also eliminates certain acids and toxins in plants that could interfere with our digestion. Kitchen Whizdom -read through the entire recipe so that you re sure you have all the ingredients and note that you need to start this recipe 2-3 days in advance because you re soaking the dried chickpeas and then letting them sprout.

Ingredients: Check your fridge and pantry to be sure you have all the ingredients to make this recipe 1/3 cup dried chickpeas 3-4 small beets, peeled and cut into chunks 1 garlic clove, chopped

tahini) 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil sea salt and freshly ground black pepper pinch cayenne pepper (optional) Getting Started! - soaking and sprouting the chickpeas; 1.

Look at the little white tails on our sprouted chickpeas 2. Once they ve soaked, place your chickpeas in a sieve set over a bowl set aside at room temperature.

9 Ingredients: Check your fridge and pantry to be sure you have all the ingredients to make this recipe 1/3 cup dried chickpeas 3-4 small beets, peeled and cut into chunks 1 garlic clove, chopped finely (or minced with a garlic press) 2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary 1 tsp ground cumin 1 juice of 1 lemon 2 Tbsp tahini (purchased or make your own from our April Spotlight on home-made tahini) 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil sea salt and freshly ground black pepper pinch cayenne pepper (optional) Getting Started! - soaking and sprouting the chickpeas; 1. Place dried chickpeas in a bowl and cover them with filtered water. Let them soak for 8-12 hours. Drain and rinse. Discard any discoloured chickpeas. Look at the little white tails on our sprouted chickpeas 2. Once they ve soaked, place your chickpeas in a sieve set over a bowl set aside at room temperature. Rinse your chickpeas morning and night so they don t dry out, leave in the sieve sitting over the bowl. In a day or so you ll notice a little tail-like sprout appear. Wait until your sprout is about 1/2 inch long (no longer because the longer the little tail grows the more water it retains resulting in less flavour). Now that your chickpeas have sprouted you re ready to continue with this easy, nutritious recipe. Sprouting is fun and easy- here we have both purchased broccoli sprouts and a package of broccoli seeds that we ll do the sprouting. It s less expensive to sprout your own and you control how much and when you want to sprout. 3. Place the sprouted chickpeas, beet chunks, garlic, rosemary and cumin in your high-speed blender and blend until smooth. 4. Add lemon juice, tahini and olive oil and continue to blend until it becomes a creamy, smooth consistency. Season with sea salt and pepper. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper if you like a little heat.

10 Place in the refrigerator for a few hours (or overnight) so the flavours have time to mingle. Then taste to adjust the seasoning. Enjoy this dip with freshly cut vegetables or for lunch as we have here with our English Muffin, a salad with broccoli sprouts, and our colourful Sprouted Chickpea hummus. It packs a powerful punch of nutrition. It s always nice to have a yummy dip in the fridge when it s snack time but it also works perfectly as part of your lunch with a beautiful salad and our English muffin...delicious, colourful and full of nutrients. Kitchen Whizdom the fresh garlic used in this recipe not only adds to the flavour but it s also a medicinal powerhouse. Garlic s beneficial effects have been known for thousands of years. Buy fresh garlic that is plump and firm.

11 For us in the Virtual Kitchen we love testing and sharing recipes because. after all, food is medicine. Eating healthy is a lifestyle, cooking is a skill - develop them both and reap the enormous benefits! We hope that you enjoy this month s recipes with all the details we provide to ensure you are successful. See you next month...

October 2-8 Meal Plan

October 2-8 Meal Plan Welcome to the WonderMamas Plant-based meal plan! Here is how it works: We Meal Prep on Sunday and begin our eating on Monday! We provide Breakfast, AM Snack, Lunch, PM Snack, Dinner