Celebrate 11/11/11 with me!

I am turning 30 this year and my birthday just happens to fall on 11/11/11. Not only is November 11th my birthday but I was also my mom’s little gift on her birthday. Yes I was her present and we share the same special birthday.

Obviously 11 is a significant number in my life having it on this day and this month, but now the 11th year …that is somewhat amazing – and not to mention I was born at 11:03? How is that for numerology, now if anyone can read into this and make some meaning out of it, I would love to hear more!

November 11th is a day that is recognized globally as Remembrance Day, a day to reflect and acknowledge the heroes that fought in the war.

Don’t worry I am not going to get all political or historical, in fact I am actually going to turn this around and make this about you!

We all need to take time to do this for ourselves every once in a while. Making it about us, reflecting, acknowledging, loving and experiencing gratitude for just who you are!

Most of us are so busy going about our days moving forward moving forward. But sometimes you have to stop, sit and think back to just how fabulous you really are and what you have accomplished!

It’s not about bragging. It’s about acknowledging and having a little self appreciation. Most people go through life not doing this, and it can actually break you down over time.

So today, I would like you to write down 5 things you accomplished this year in 2011 – whether it is business related or personally. Did you have a baby, did you move to a new country, change jobs, get a new bike, take up yoga? Maybe it’s more general, have you started eating better, became a vegetarian?

Here is what I have accomplished this year (so far)!

Getting married my amazing husband Ryan on July 31st.

Moving into a new condo (unit #211) with Ryan and loving every inch of it!

Reaching more people through a new and exciting series of ebooks, adding more classes to my calendar, having a full team with three staff and lots of amazing coop student and creating a brand new Culinary Nutrition Program and working on my book!

Embracing my health and well-being by staying active, (running, yoga, kettlebells and spinning) while continuing to thrive on a plant based diet!

Flourishing my amazing relationships with my friends and family and making some very new and important relationships.

Please share with me below – I want to know why 2011 has been so special for you!

Trick or Treat and make some Choco-Goop Pops!

Okay I know, I know, it’s just one day and it is a holiday that kids look forward to all year long. I don’t mean to be the gringe of Halloween but there is definitely a way around this holiday and there are things that you can do to “manipulate” and even avoid the sugar surge that will overwhelm your kids tonight.

You may have all your plans in place this year, but maybe I can convince you otherwise. At the very least take some notes and put one of these in place next October!

1. Host your own Halloween party – invite all your kids friends over in costume, make some treats of your own cakes, cookies and put out bowls of “healthy” candy. This way, at least your kids will be sucking on fruit juice as oppose to high fructose corn syrup. Try these natural options for candy: Pure Fun, Yummy Earth, or Surf Sweets. These are all divine and decadent choices and no one will even notice the difference!

2. Have a Halloween cooking class - invite both your kids friends and parents over and make and create some delectable and delicious treats together. Your kids won’t even notice what’s going on outside. Make these gooey chocolate pudding pops! (see below) or make some pea-licious muffins with green pea flour for a green goblin look to your muffins without food colouring! Or let me host a class for you!

3. Reverse trick or treat! Find out what this brilliant concept is all about created by my friend and  eco + business strategist Lisa Borden. Your kids will get the best of both worlds!

4. Take your kids to a youth shelter or rehab center where kids who don’t get the chance to experience Halloween reside. Bring them some homemade muffins or cookies.  This may show your kids that not everyone celebrates Halloween – and maybe they will learn a valuable lesson.

5. If you truly don’t think any of these points are valid and you are still going to trick or treat tonight. Go for it, but what I suggest is that when you return home with your “reusable” bag full of candy pick 5 things that your child absolutely wants to have and give away or dump the rest.

But the absolute best thing you can do for yourself and you family tonight is make these!

Cacao Coconut Goop Pops

Chocolate goodness!

Top em’ and stick em’

2 cups *coconut custard (recipe below)
1/4 cup Navitas Naturals cacao powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla bean powder

1. Blend coconut custard, cacao, maple syrup and vanilla in high speed blender for 2 minutes. Then pour evenly into ONYX stainless steel Popsicle tray (an incredible kitchen gadget, no plastic, no mess)

2. Place into freezer for 2-4 hours.

3. Place under running water for 30 seconds, twist and pull your goop pop out!

4. Lick and enjoy!

Sprinkle with cacao nibs, coconut, goji berries

Coconut Custard

3 ½ cups coconut milk
2 tablespoons agar flakes
½ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon kuzu
½ cup water
2 tablespoons maple crystals/sugar

1. Bring coconut milk and agar to a boil in heavy saucepan. Simmer, covered for about 5 minutes
or until the agar is completely dissolved.
2. Add maple syrup and stir until well mixed
3. Dissolve kuzu in water until there are no lumps. Add coconut milk mixture and simmer until
thickened.
4. Oil a large glass dish and sprinkle with maple crystals if desired.
5. Pour coconut milk mixture into dish and refrigerate for 30+ min and serve.

Decorate and Enjoy!

Best Halloween Ever!

What do you think…are you going to try one of these options this year or next?

Or make these divine cacao pops?

What’s your favourite thing to make on halloween?

What can you do to make your Halloween fun and healthy this year?

Tweet : I am going to make @marniwasserman cacao goop pops – they look delicious! #cacao #treat #halloween

On top of the World!

In my last post I let you all know that I was headed to Whistler and here I am in Whistler at the Olympics and having the time of my life. Eating all of my yummy food, spending time with my family and seeing incredible athletes part-take in amazing events!

But I have some news to share with you -

Yesterday – being February 26, 2010 my boyfriend (now fiancee) and I went up to the top of Whistler mountain.  We were trekking around in the snowy windy whether looking for the perfect spot for picture – he handed his camera over to a stranger (set it on video) then got down on one knee and proposed to me (with the most beautiful ring) in the snow. This was not only a complete surprise, but extremely romantic as Whistler is where we met three and half years ago (and we are both from Toronto).  We then spent some time at the top – waited for my family to arrive and took the peak-to-peak gondola from the top of whistler mountain to the top of blackcomb – can you say unbelievable and breathtaking! Then we went to a restaurant on blackcomb which had a panoramic view of the ski hills (where I managed to have an amazing meal – curried coconut carrot soup, and a roasted beet, walnut, apple and goat cheese salad) a perfect post-engagement lunch! Then we spent the rest of the day at the bobsled event where I wore my gorgeous ring under my red Canadian gloves (with the date embroidered into them- compliments of the mom’s).

So I just wanted to share this very special event with all of you – not too much here on nutrition – other than I was nourished with love yesterday!  Oh and I managed to whip up a random dinner of brown rice, lentils, roasted yams with broccolini on four glasses of (local) celebratory wine! I was rather impressed with myself as it was all delicious.

In fact the yams I made yesterday were so good, I will even share the simple way I prepared them!

Cozy Yam Rings

2 yams, sliced into circles (from one end to the other)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 teaspoon herbed sea salt

Place sliced yams into a bowl and toss with olive oil and sea salt.

Lay flat on baking sheet and bake at 350F for 30 – 40 minutes!

Enjoy!