The Kitsilano Farmer's Market is up and running!
Check out the Interactive Market Map!
I've visited the Kitsilano market the past two Sundays and have found some delicious treats from lovely vendors that I'd love to share with you!
First off, here are the details:
Kitsilano Farmer's Market
Just outside the Kitsilano Community Centre at 10th and Larch.
Sundays
10am-2pm
Parking is limited, but it is available. I had to loop around a couple times today until I found a spot. There is parking at the Community Centre, and also a few spots on the street.
Last week I rode my bike, and they were doing free bike tune ups, and also, the fantastic Bicycle Valet is there to keep your bike safe and sound as you shop!
Bring cash, but if you absolutely don't have time to grab some before hand, you can get "Market Money" by using your debit card- all vendors take Market Money, and will give you back exact change, when needed.
Favourite vendors so far:
Paul's Produce- a family farm in Abbotsford. Radishes are only $1 a bunch here! I don't think Paul's Produce is organic, but it is local, and is the best priced produce at the market.
High Crow Gluten-Free Foods- I've tried the Ginger cookie, and a Cranberry/Orange Loaf. Absolutely divine.
Hui's Farm- Mushrooms! Many varieties including many exotic looking mushrooms that I'm hesitant to try, but I've picked up a large amount of Crimini for $4 here. The cutest wee little mushrooms you've ever seen. Delicious.
Kalley Kandy- Almond Nougat. Need I say more. It's gluten-free, dairy-free, with no preservatives, additives, colourings, or gelatine, but it's made of egg-whites. $5 will get you a package of 6 generous pieces.
Jane's Honey Bees- Met "Jane" herself...but actually it's her middle name. Bought myself a LARGE jar of dark honey for $10. Love buying local.
A little tip for those purchasing fresh greens at the market:
Many vendors have laid out "salad bars" where they have chopped, prepared lettuce. A medium size bag will run you about $7-9, BUT if you buy the lettuces by the bunch and prepare it yourself, you will get about 5x as much for the same price. I bought 3 medium bunches for $7.50, and ended up with way more lettuce than I knew what to do with. Seriously. I've been eating lettuce for every. single. meal.
But it's delicious and healthy.
I'm looking forward to my local farmer's market opening up- West End! I will let you know how it goes.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Allergies- Know Thy Enemy.
It's been over 3 months since I gave up gluten.
Do I love the change? Yes.
Do I feel healthier? Yes.
Have my eating habits changed for the better? Yes.
The problem now is that my body seems to be incredibly more sensitive to what I put in it. I really feel the difference between good food and bad food. I also really feel the pain if I accidentally consume gluten, in any form.
Last night I made a delicious recipe, adapted from one I saw on Steven and Chris
For the recipe: go here.
I messed around with the spices a little, didn't have any wine, used chicken breasts instead of thighs, but essentially a very similar dish.
So, a while back, I bought a bag of curry powder at my local No Frills grocery store. Of course, I read through the ingredients, and although NO gluten was listed on the label, it did say, "May contain traces of gluten". Now, I figured, okay, it's probably made in a plant that there is a risk of cross contamination, but if it actually doesn't contain gluten in the recipe, then it can't be that bad...right?
Wrong.
Pain, people. Lots. Of. Pain.
Slowly I am learning my lesson. No gluten allowed. Not even traces. It's a tough battle- this whole gluten-free thing. The diet is just fine- but wheat/gluten is so sneaky, it's literally in every corner of the grocery store. It just reinforces the fact that I really have to check the labels- and if it says, may contain traces- DO NOT CONSUME! It's just not worth it. Even though the risk may be small, there clearly was enough gluten in the product to really make me feel it.
So, today- I will be tossing out that curry powder, and looking for a new, gluten-free version.
I finished this book yesterday, and recommend it for anyone who is interested in living a gluten-free life, who has recently been diagnosed with a gluten-sensitivity/celiac, or anyone who wants to lose weight, feel better, and have more energy.
It really is a fantastic read- although slow at times (written by a doctor- many medical terms to plough through), William Davis gives a variety of examples of how wheat (gluten) can negatively affect your life. His many medical studies through his patients have proven the benefits of giving up gluten, and the absolute miracles that have occurred in their doing so (diabetes cure, 10 year skin rash disappears, incredibly fast weight loss).
For me, it was interesting to read the scientific side of this problem: how wheat has changed over the years, how science meddling in our food production has been an absolute curse, and of course, reading the many magical stories of people getting healthy through one simple change- no more gluten.
I, for one, know I'll never go back. I don't want to live with the constant stomach aches, the uncomfortable and ugly swelling and bloating of my stomach for reasons I was unaware of at the time, the energy crashes, the painful canker sores, the migraines. All of these problems disappeared within 3 days of me giving up gluten.
Coincidence? I don't think so.
Do I love the change? Yes.
Do I feel healthier? Yes.
Have my eating habits changed for the better? Yes.
The problem now is that my body seems to be incredibly more sensitive to what I put in it. I really feel the difference between good food and bad food. I also really feel the pain if I accidentally consume gluten, in any form.
Last night I made a delicious recipe, adapted from one I saw on Steven and Chris
For the recipe: go here.
I messed around with the spices a little, didn't have any wine, used chicken breasts instead of thighs, but essentially a very similar dish.
So, a while back, I bought a bag of curry powder at my local No Frills grocery store. Of course, I read through the ingredients, and although NO gluten was listed on the label, it did say, "May contain traces of gluten". Now, I figured, okay, it's probably made in a plant that there is a risk of cross contamination, but if it actually doesn't contain gluten in the recipe, then it can't be that bad...right?
Wrong.
Pain, people. Lots. Of. Pain.
Slowly I am learning my lesson. No gluten allowed. Not even traces. It's a tough battle- this whole gluten-free thing. The diet is just fine- but wheat/gluten is so sneaky, it's literally in every corner of the grocery store. It just reinforces the fact that I really have to check the labels- and if it says, may contain traces- DO NOT CONSUME! It's just not worth it. Even though the risk may be small, there clearly was enough gluten in the product to really make me feel it.
So, today- I will be tossing out that curry powder, and looking for a new, gluten-free version.
It really is a fantastic read- although slow at times (written by a doctor- many medical terms to plough through), William Davis gives a variety of examples of how wheat (gluten) can negatively affect your life. His many medical studies through his patients have proven the benefits of giving up gluten, and the absolute miracles that have occurred in their doing so (diabetes cure, 10 year skin rash disappears, incredibly fast weight loss).
For me, it was interesting to read the scientific side of this problem: how wheat has changed over the years, how science meddling in our food production has been an absolute curse, and of course, reading the many magical stories of people getting healthy through one simple change- no more gluten.
I, for one, know I'll never go back. I don't want to live with the constant stomach aches, the uncomfortable and ugly swelling and bloating of my stomach for reasons I was unaware of at the time, the energy crashes, the painful canker sores, the migraines. All of these problems disappeared within 3 days of me giving up gluten.
Coincidence? I don't think so.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
EPIC Expo
YIKES! Apologies for the hiatus! This post below was one I drafted and never got back to...
SO here's my review of the EPIC Expo!
This weekend I attended the EPIC Sustainable Living Expo in Vancouver, BC. Conventions like this should happen all the time! It really was a wonderful event- lots to learn, and even more to eat and drink--even for me!
Let's start with my discoveries:
Mongozo Beer- now available in Canada- (less than 10 parts gluten per million, other parts?...equal to a milligram per litre). With this amount of gluten, they are allowed to certify it as "gluten-free".
I can tell you that I was absolutely fine after drinking it- I can't guarantee that if I went on a 3 day binge with this beer, I would feel the same. I'm going to try to track it down, because it really was delicious. Somehow they've come up with a process of "removing" the gluten from the barley that it is made with. Pretty innovative, and yes, it tastes like real beer!
Upon request, I was told, " It will likely be sold at 16th Street Liquor Store, Brewery Creek, Firefly, Legacy Liquor Store, The Strath or Viti Wine & Lagers"
Choices Markets were giving out samples of some of their products, and a couple of them were gluten-free!
They were:
Raw Cocoa-Nut Drop Cookie
Quinoa and Rice Granola
Both delicious- and I would likely purchase them!
Earth Balance spreads- Coconut spread, and regular. These are great! If you are vegan- rejoice and buy these products! They are made from vegetable oils and are NOT hydrogenated...I'm still doing my research on if they're "good" for you or not- but they certainly were delicious.
I'm really enjoying my exploration in local foods and producers. I've been going to the farmer's markets regularly, and loading up on my produce for the week! It's not only fun, but you feel good doing it. It's nice to see produce that LOOKS like real produce- you know, not the "cookie-cutter" vegetables at your regular grocery store that are obviously GMO or hybridized or sprayed with a zillion chemicals. These look, and TASTE like real vegetables.
SO here's my review of the EPIC Expo!
This weekend I attended the EPIC Sustainable Living Expo in Vancouver, BC. Conventions like this should happen all the time! It really was a wonderful event- lots to learn, and even more to eat and drink--even for me!
Let's start with my discoveries:
Mongozo Beer- now available in Canada- (less than 10 parts gluten per million, other parts?...equal to a milligram per litre). With this amount of gluten, they are allowed to certify it as "gluten-free".
I can tell you that I was absolutely fine after drinking it- I can't guarantee that if I went on a 3 day binge with this beer, I would feel the same. I'm going to try to track it down, because it really was delicious. Somehow they've come up with a process of "removing" the gluten from the barley that it is made with. Pretty innovative, and yes, it tastes like real beer!
Upon request, I was told, " It will likely be sold at 16th Street Liquor Store, Brewery Creek, Firefly, Legacy Liquor Store, The Strath or Viti Wine & Lagers"
Choices Markets were giving out samples of some of their products, and a couple of them were gluten-free!
They were:
Raw Cocoa-Nut Drop Cookie
Quinoa and Rice Granola
Both delicious- and I would likely purchase them!
Earth Balance spreads- Coconut spread, and regular. These are great! If you are vegan- rejoice and buy these products! They are made from vegetable oils and are NOT hydrogenated...I'm still doing my research on if they're "good" for you or not- but they certainly were delicious.
I'm really enjoying my exploration in local foods and producers. I've been going to the farmer's markets regularly, and loading up on my produce for the week! It's not only fun, but you feel good doing it. It's nice to see produce that LOOKS like real produce- you know, not the "cookie-cutter" vegetables at your regular grocery store that are obviously GMO or hybridized or sprayed with a zillion chemicals. These look, and TASTE like real vegetables.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Why you should ask, "Would a Caveman eat that?!"
This article gives an example of why we really should only eat what we are meant to eat- things that the earth gives us. This isn't some hippy-dippy way of living- it's the road to good health.
Coffee Creamer
Coffee Creamer
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Would a caveman eat that?
Let's just think about the topic question for a moment:
Would (or could) a caveman eat that?
I think it's a pretty good evaluation on what you should and shouldn't be putting into your body. I think science, for the most part, has had a negative impact on food and how our bodies react to it. The more natural, the better.
It's incredibly important for those with allergies to be checking the labels on everything- this is for the happiness of your belly, and the healthiness of your body. However, not only people with allergies should be checking the labels of your products; everyone should be.
A couple posts ago in the Gluten-Free Kitchen, I mentioned that Skippy Peanut Butter has a strange ingredient you wouldn't expect to be in your peanut butter. Know what it is? Icing Sugar.
Um...
excuse me?
Icing Sugar.
When you think about someone whipping up a jar of peanut butter, do you imagine them reaching for that white sugary powder? Absolutely not. And yet, it's there.
What about all the additional chemicals that science has created to "improve" texture, taste, or longevity of your food?
Here's another little story for you:
I used to go camping with my family every summer. We had a very nice trailer that we parked at a lake- my Mom is a city girl and didn't like "roughing" it- so we had a trailer with nice beds, a full kitchen, and a bathroom. It was the most comfortable form of camping- it was great!
Needless to say, we had a fully stocked refrigerator and cupboards. We used to make these delicious sandwiches over the campfire- ham, egg, processed cheese- all sealed in a toasted, buttery white bread. I'm salivating just thinking about them.
Anyways, after a lovely summer of privileged camping- we left our trailer on the property for the winter.
Fast forward 8 months.
It's June of the following year. My Dad recruits me to help him clean out the trailer to prepare for the summer. We're cleaning out the kitchen, going through the cupboards, and my Dad finds a loaf of bread---an (at the very least) 8-month-old loaf of bread. It's white Wonder bread...and guess what- it looks EXACTLY the same as the "fresh" ones on the shelves of your local grocery stores look.
If that doesn't make you shudder, I don't know what will. ALL food should expire. Everything except the magical goodness of honey.
If I had brought that loaf of bread to someone's house, and made a couple of sandwiches with it- no one would have known.
The only way this could have happened is if the product was either:
a. Plastic
b. Modified by science in order to NEVER expire.
That's just not right.
Our insides still function like cavemen- we may have outsmarted ourselves with our foods- but it doesn't have to be that way.
Meat, vegetables, raw nuts.
Don't worry about fats.
Cavemen ate lots of fats.
Worry about chemicals, processed foods, and of course, gluten. The hybrid wheat just isn't what our ancestors ate- and certainly isn't what cavemen ate.
Worry about "bad" oils- that's 'vegetable', canola, corn.
Consume good oils- that's olive, avocado, and coconut.
Use spices and herbs.
Salt is okay- but use good salt- sea salt, or pink Himalayan. Your body needs salt to live. Once you rid of the processed stuff- your major intake of salt will be gone. Season your meats with salt and pepper.
Eat like a caveman. Even though our world has gotten faster, more efficient, and smarter- your food should still be the same.
Would (or could) a caveman eat that?
I think it's a pretty good evaluation on what you should and shouldn't be putting into your body. I think science, for the most part, has had a negative impact on food and how our bodies react to it. The more natural, the better.
It's incredibly important for those with allergies to be checking the labels on everything- this is for the happiness of your belly, and the healthiness of your body. However, not only people with allergies should be checking the labels of your products; everyone should be.
A couple posts ago in the Gluten-Free Kitchen, I mentioned that Skippy Peanut Butter has a strange ingredient you wouldn't expect to be in your peanut butter. Know what it is? Icing Sugar.
Um...
excuse me?
Icing Sugar.
When you think about someone whipping up a jar of peanut butter, do you imagine them reaching for that white sugary powder? Absolutely not. And yet, it's there.
What about all the additional chemicals that science has created to "improve" texture, taste, or longevity of your food?
Here's another little story for you:
I used to go camping with my family every summer. We had a very nice trailer that we parked at a lake- my Mom is a city girl and didn't like "roughing" it- so we had a trailer with nice beds, a full kitchen, and a bathroom. It was the most comfortable form of camping- it was great!
Needless to say, we had a fully stocked refrigerator and cupboards. We used to make these delicious sandwiches over the campfire- ham, egg, processed cheese- all sealed in a toasted, buttery white bread. I'm salivating just thinking about them.
Anyways, after a lovely summer of privileged camping- we left our trailer on the property for the winter.
Fast forward 8 months.
It's June of the following year. My Dad recruits me to help him clean out the trailer to prepare for the summer. We're cleaning out the kitchen, going through the cupboards, and my Dad finds a loaf of bread---an (at the very least) 8-month-old loaf of bread. It's white Wonder bread...and guess what- it looks EXACTLY the same as the "fresh" ones on the shelves of your local grocery stores look.
If that doesn't make you shudder, I don't know what will. ALL food should expire. Everything except the magical goodness of honey.
If I had brought that loaf of bread to someone's house, and made a couple of sandwiches with it- no one would have known.
The only way this could have happened is if the product was either:
a. Plastic
b. Modified by science in order to NEVER expire.
That's just not right.
Our insides still function like cavemen- we may have outsmarted ourselves with our foods- but it doesn't have to be that way.
Meat, vegetables, raw nuts.
Don't worry about fats.
Cavemen ate lots of fats.
Worry about chemicals, processed foods, and of course, gluten. The hybrid wheat just isn't what our ancestors ate- and certainly isn't what cavemen ate.
Worry about "bad" oils- that's 'vegetable', canola, corn.
Consume good oils- that's olive, avocado, and coconut.
Use spices and herbs.
Salt is okay- but use good salt- sea salt, or pink Himalayan. Your body needs salt to live. Once you rid of the processed stuff- your major intake of salt will be gone. Season your meats with salt and pepper.
Eat like a caveman. Even though our world has gotten faster, more efficient, and smarter- your food should still be the same.
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