Happy Eat-Clean Halloween! Recipes, Giveaways and More.

Vegan Coconut Butter Chia Seed Eyeballs

That magical day is upon us as we greet Halloween and the many excitements it brings. Not only is this a great time to try out new costumes, it's also a great time to try out new recipes.

We are bombarded with sweet treats at this time of year. Why not make your own healthy versions. And since this is the last day of Clean Carb October, I've got the perfect recipe for you.

Zain Jamal was working in the kitchen yesterday whipping up Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Back Pack Kisses from The Eat-Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook and a few creative changes later she wound up with Vegan Coconut Butter Chia Seed Backpack Eyeballs!

Halloween Recipe: Vegan Coconut Butter Chia Seed Backpack Eyeballs
*** Note - all measurements are exactly the same as the original recipe just using different ingredients.

Ingredients:
½ cup (120 ml) old-fashioned rolled oats *I used uncontaminated oats (gluten-free)
¼ cup (60 ml) vegan unsweetened protein powder (try Sun Warrior Raw Vegan Protein Powder and receive a discount by entering code: TOSCA)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) hulled hemp seeds *I used unsweetened coconut
2 Tbsp (30 ml) flaxseed, cracked * I used whole black chia seeds
¼ cup (60 ml) unsweetened dried cranberries *I used apricots (for the orange, but papaya or dried pumpkin would work too)
¼ cup (60 ml) vegan semisweet natural chocolate chips
Pinch sea salt *I used Himalayan Crystal Salt
1 cup (240 ml) all-natural peanut butter, sugar and salt free *I used all-natural coconut butter
2 Tbsp (30 ml) brown-rice syrup, yacon syrup or pure honey *I used raw wildflower honey, but can sub syrup for vegans

Methods:
For full methods click here.

And don't forget to check out Zain's post on the scary truth about Halloween.

Trick or Treat Giveaway:

Love & Support to those Affected by Sandy

Sandy has me working from home today.

It has certainly been a tumultuous 24 hours.

I made the call yesterday to err on the side of safety and allow my wonderful employees to work from home today given the circumstances.  I also decided to work from home. In many parts of New York and New Jersey, as I am sure many of you know, employers were told that if they could not guarantee a safe way for employees to get to work and to then get home again, they should not insist employees come to work today.

I understand of course that conditions are far worse in the United States along the Eastern seaboard than they are in the greater Toronto area, but we have still been affected with loss of power to tens of thousands of Southern Ontarions.

I live in an area where if there is something bad to be delivered by Mother Nature then this is where it will land. If the power could go out it will.  If trees are going to come down they will.  As it turns out the storm did not punish us as badly as we might have anticipated.  I am grateful for that.

I am also sad to see the devastating images from New Jersey, New York City, Boston, West Virginia, etc. I lived a number of years in New Jersey and have many close friends to whom I am sending my love and support. I am also sending this to all of you who have been affected in any number of ways.

When chaos hits, in any form, I always remind people to go back to the basics: eat, hydrate and sleep. To those of you affected by this tumultuous storm, don't punish yourselves for getting off track. Take it one bite, one sip and one z at a time. Love yourself up with proper nutrition and plenty of rest. I'm sending virtual hugs to everyone.

We are all a unit together - let's support, love and pray.

Be safe,
Tosca

Batten Down the Hatches for Sandy

What's the Deal with Quinoa?

Forbidden Black Quinoa

Oh quinoa! Yet another Clean Carb that has people guessing. Is it a grain, is it a seed? What the heck is it?

Quinoa is typically consumed in the same way as wheat, oats, barley, and rye and is therefore often considered to be a grain. Quinoa actually comes from the same family as spinach, Swiss chard, and beets, meaning it's not a grain at all. Quinoa leaves look just like their other leafy-green counterparts, but their seeds cook up like fluffy grains. It is often called a pseudocereal, too.

Regardless of what it is, quinoa is an excellent option to including in your diet. It has all essential amino acids (meaning it's a complete protein just like eggs and meat), has tons of fiber, calcium, vitamin E, iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, folic acid and beta-carotene (the precursor to vitamin A), and linolenic acid (part of the omega fat family). It also boasts a bunch phytonutrients, like quercetin and kaempferol.

Convinced yet? It's also extremely easy to prepare. Simply rinse the granules under warm water to remove the saponin coating, then place in a pot with 1 part quinoa and 2 parts water and bring to a boil, let simmer until all moisture has been absorbed and you're done!

Here are a few of my favorite quinoa recipes:
Forbidden Black Quinoa
Quintessential Quinoa
Quinoa Fun Dessert

A Male Diabetic Goes Clean

Thank you to Sean McIntire for sharing his perspective on a diabetic approach to Eating Clean. Don't miss his yummy smoothie recipe below...

As a diabetic, my life sees highs and lows (pun intended). A low brings panic and a high brings frustration and a feeling of failure. A Clean lifestyle helps to minimize these issues because eating a balanced, healthy diet along with exercise assist in managing blood sugar. Attempting to eat healthy and exercise while working, being a father to two daughters, being actively involved in church, and being a husband can be challenging but creates rewards of its own.

When I was diagnosed with diabetes (type 1) my weight had dropped to 145 lbs. This was frustrating because I lost strength and size. By Eating Clean and exercising over the last three years I have added 20-23 lbs of muscle and have lower body fat than I did before (9-10%). I only use protein to reduce stress on my kidneys (no other chemicals). I understand high protein diets are hard on the kidneys so my kidney function is checked yearly.

My life has been made richer by cooking and exercising with my wife. We both enjoy developing a Clean menu for the week and then cooking the food we choose. The healthy food has helped me to build muscle and balance my blood sugar.

My favorite thing about the Eat-Clean lifestyle is smoothies. My favorite is a blueberry/strawberry smoothie. I mix 1-2 cups of kale, 2 cups of blue berries, 1 cup strawberries,

Good Carbs, Bad Carbs October - Bread!

Oh bread! What a debacle bread can cause. We hmmm and haaa over bread and wonder "is it good", "is it bad", "is it clean"?!?

Let's see if I can help you out with this...

I think the most important thing about bread consumption has more to do with whether or not you can digest it. A lot of people react to the ingredients in bread whether it be gluten, dairy, eggs, etc. You may feel things like bloating, gas, cramps, pain, etc.

If you don't react to bread, then here are a couple of Clean bread options:

1. Ezekiel Bread - I absolutely love this bread & have been touting its good properties for years. Tons of sprouted grains & not 1 ounce of crap! Don't forget to keep it in fridge.

2. Rye - Being Dutch I have to admit I thoroughly enjoy a dense rye bread with a slice of cheese. This isn't a treat I give into often, but when I do the bread has to be thick and full and tasty.

3. Bob's Red Mill 100% Whole Wheat Bread Mix - Fill your kitchen with the aroma of freshly baked bread. You can make this yourself in just a few minutes and feel good about the bread in your home.

4. My Homemade Bread - You can also try this recipe from the original Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook.

You'll notice white bread, fortified bread, and whole-wheat bread didn't make the list. This is because a lot of these breads contain absolutely nothing of benefit for you. Just check out the "bad" ingredients on these loaves - often sugar in many different forms and preservatives. Don't be fooled by "whole grain" or "enriched" - these are usually scam terms on the label. Be sure the first ingredient is 100% whole wheat (germ included is even better), stone ground and/or sprouted.

Take a few minutes to review the bread in your cupboard to see if it contains any of the "bad" ingredients, get it off your shelf and try out a new variety.

Don't forget - 1 piece of bread is enough to suffice for a "whole grain from complex carbohydrates" serving.

Share your favorites with us...

A Quick Look Back & Full Steam Ahead!

Stephen Hollohan is our fabulous male Eat-Clean Diet guest blogger today. He is also one of our wonderful success stories. He's here with us today to share how he got started. Could anyone in your life use this motivation? Please feel free to share. Take it away Stephen...

New & improved Stephen.

As this is my first blog relating to my experience with the Eat-Clean Diet, I am going to give you a quick look into my past and how this diet made amazing changes in my life.  As a 28-year-old male, I started following the guidelines laid out by Tosca in the Eat-Clean Diet.  It is sometimes hard as a guy telling others you can’t have those fries, or you don’t want to go for wings and a beer because you are trying to lose weight or “work on your figure”. Starting out at over 400 pounds, I had a long, tough road ahead. The idea of shedding some pounds crossed my mind many times, but I simply found it easier to keep on the same road I had been on for the previous twenty years. In July of 2010,  my Aunt Betty Lou approached me and kindly suggested the Eat-Clean Diet for proper eating and overall good health. At that moment, my life changed! Complex carbs, lean proteins and balanced meals 6-8 times a day became part of my life. I also started a daily workout routine that consisted of both weight training and cardio.

Life at this time was not the same as before as there were many challenges before me. As a teacher, I have always found myself eating in staff rooms or among groups of people.  Being 6’5 and 400 pounds, some would expect me to stroll into the staff room with a whole cow in my lunch box, not bean salad with whole grain crackers.  At first, I wondered what people would say, or how many creative ways they would come up with to make fun of me. As it turned out, right from the start, the ones who I thought would give me most of the ribbing are the ones that asked the most questions about my new way of eating. They are also the ones who began leaving the bags of chips at home and replacing them with some almonds and raisins. Lol

Next time I’ll talk about “Eat more to lose more” and telling a certain girl I’m more of a “spinach and quinoa kinda guy than steak and potatoes”.  If she laughs with you, she’s a keeper.

Till next time,

Stephen Hollohan

Diet Comparison

I put together this fun little comparison to help you sort out what's what. It will also help you sort out Clean Carb October. Of course it's a little Eat-Clean Diet biased...

Please Note: this is the revised version of the chart. We listened to your comments and changed a few things. Thanks for your keen eyes, we have such smart readers!

Good Carbs, Bad Carbs - White Carbs

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to "White" carbohydrates. Many people automatically think that white = bad. I think this requires some clearing up...

White carbohydrates are generally given a bad reputation because they are processed. These are the BAD carbs if you will. White flour and white rice and the things made with these ingredients (white bread, cookies, cakes, etc) fall into this category. It's best to keep these things to a bare minimum. Maybe a treat here and there, but not a regular food in your diet.

Other white foods that fall under the GOOD carbs category include white kidney beans, white potatoes, popcorn and cauliflower. Potatoes and popcorn are starchy carbs that don't offer as much nutritional value as other things, like sweet potatoes, so I would limit your intake of these as well. Kidney beans and cauliflower are great options. You can eat these as much of these as you like.

Any other great white foods out there?

POST CONTEST - What Now? Post Competition Blues

Post-show celebrations with my kids - Kelsey-Lynn, Kiersten & Rachel,
Eat-Clean Diet Ambassador Maryska, Coach Rita, and
Clean Eating magazine resident chef & Eat-Clean Diet Ambassador Chef Jo Lusted

From Me:
Assuming all is normal in my life you would think that post contest week would be easy breezy Covergirl fun.  Not so much.  I am still having fun but things are not simple yet.  On Monday I had a teeny weeny photo shoot with Paul Buceta so we could capture the post-contest body.  Thank goodness!  It may disappear faster than I can write this email.  Hopefully not though because I am going to take this body to New York City, where I am now, and later this week to LA with the purpose of keeping myself tight for interviews and appearances to help promote this amazing lifestyle I love so much. Eating Clean has been very very good to me!

Many competitors struggle with post contest crash. For weeks and months life has been highly structured with nutrition and training, and then you fall into this abyss of not knowing what to do after your contest.  You have to find some way of making sense of it.  I have experienced it every time I have competed.  The pros will tell you it is normal, but you still need to figure it out.  Basically, this means I have to make some adjustments to my pre-contest training and eating.  I know Coach Rita will address the specifics of this, but I will tell you the personal side of it.

Since I have to stay tight I am still eating loads of egg whites, raw vegetables, asparagus and healthy fats. One change I have made though is to increase my consumption of raw juices. I pulled fresh parsley, celery, watercress and Swiss chard from my garden and ran it up the hill to my kitchen so I could press the juice out of it and load myself with alkalinizing nutrients in the way only greens can.  You see when you are on a high-protein diet the danger is that the body becomes overly acidic and that is where disease thrives. I have already had a horrible cancer experience this year losing Robert so I paid strict attention the instructions his cancer doctors at Medicor gave us, "Get that body down to alkaline fast!"  You can test your pH using pH strips and do it once a week to monitor your levels.  The body has its own ability to balance pH but sometimes extra help from greens can be helpful.

I also want to feel good in my skin regardless of what this "old jalopy" (my mother calls her body the Old Jalopy so I am borrowing her words) looks like.  Eventually I won't be in contest shape anymore and I should still be alright with that, shouldn't I?

The point is, I will strive to keep things tight during this not-so-normal post-contest week.  Then Rita and I will address the big "NOW WHAT?" question.

Thank you for your stunning support throughout this wild adventure.

Stay tuned.  There will always be more!
Tosca

From Coach Rita:
Years ago, the first time I competed in a show, itwas the month of May. I remember thinking how great it would be after the fact. I would have a bikini body for the summer, and would finally be able to indulge in the summer wonders of patios and beer, beach and ice cream.  Was I ever living in a fantasy world.

Putting on Weight the Health Way

We have Brock Williams as our Eat-Clean Diet for Men guest blogger today. He shares a common concern for a lot of naturally-thin people - how to put on weight the healthy way. The Eat-Clean Diet can certainly help & Brock shows us how. Take it away...

Eat-Clean Diet-er Brock Williams shares his male perspective.

“Five pounds, please. Five pounds, please”.  For many years, that was my wish every time I stepped on the scale. Many people can relate to that feeling, but my wish was always different. I hoped that I had gained five pounds, not lost them. As a man with a thin body type, I always had difficulty putting on weight and keeping it on. For most people this situation is just unthinkable and even enviable. Many people advised me to eat as much junk food and drink as much beer as I possibly could. But, as a long time student of nutrition I knew that this was not the way to put on lean tissue and remain healthy. Tosca Reno and the Eat Clean Diet team also know this.    

I was first introduced to the Eat-Clean Diet by my mother many years ago. What I appreciate about it is its focus on superior nutrition, weight training and a balanced lifestyle. This is why I’ve also recommended this lifestyle to many people, both health professionals and lay people alike.

Over the years, I have seen slow but steady gains in muscle mass following the Eat Clean Diet for Men. And, as I have progressed, my attitude has also matured towards body weight and physical appearance. I no longer look at my weight as a barometer of my health. Instead, I now focus on my feeling of well-being, which is dramatically improved with a clean diet and the feeling of physical strength. So often our society misses this point – balance is key. No matter where you are on your path to health, I hope the Eat-Clean Diet inspires you to reach your full potential and gain a sense of well-being, as it has for me.

All the best,
Brock Williams

A Long List of Thank Yous!

A day like Saturday does not come together without the love and support of many, many, many people.

I want to take this time to offer up a special thank you to those of you who lifted me up through this incredible journey.

My daughters Rachel, Kiersten, Chelsea and Kelsey-Lynn and their friends/boyfriends/fiance for their boundless love. And my wonderful family sharing their love from afar.

Kelsey-Lynn, Rachel & Kiersten.

Coach Rita Catolino for pain, gain and a new reign!

Time to celebrate Rita!

Valeria Nova for makeup and hair. You're dynamite!

Jeannie Mahoney for scheduling my life

Paul Buceta for his camera action

Manu Nesbet for catching it all on film

Nigel Romaine for your endless support and energy given selflessly to Bob and I and the family for many, many years

The Eat-Clean Diet team at Robert Kennedy Publishing who keep supporting with the best energy and smiles ever

Eat-Clean Diet Ambassador Team - Wow! You are a ladies' rock when she needs one. Thanks for hanging on through the long hours

Yeah Ambassadors!

My friends and cousins - ToJo, Fra, Keith and Margaret, Marilyn and Richard

Arnold Schwarzenegger for his motivation

Holiday Inn Kitchener for hosting my family and I and the rest of us crazy competitors

Crystal Kenny - you took care of all the administrative stuff - thank you!

Ann Perron who made my beautiful suits - what a joy to wear and win

Dina Mansour of Hollywood Tan for  tan #1

Pam Bortmes for tan #2

Ron Hache and team from the OPA

Lori Ann Redding and FEDEl for saving my butt on Sunday - you know what I mean!

Midori Rutledge and Lori Fabrizio for support, jewellery and pants on the big day.

RKP staff for believing in me!

Kelly Childs of Kindfood in Burlington, Ontario for the best post-competition vegan carrot cake ever!

Yummy cake!

My entire support network on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, The Kitchen Table and here on the blog. The messages I've received are actually amazing.

And for my darling Robert shining down on me from above. I love you.

Will it happen again? You can never say never.

Taking the Stage - Winning It

Yes!

I am sure most of you know by now that I took home the trophy for the Bikini Grand Masters category yesterday.  This has been the most thrilling 24 hours of my life. So it is important now to share a personal message of love with all of you.

It was certainly a long day... and many people stayed through the endless day to support me through it. For that I am immensely grateful, and I will thank you more completely in an upcoming post.

Finally, at about 10 pm I was up on stage competing in the Bikini Tall category. Thirteen women of all ages graced the stage with me. In this category I did not place.  I can accept that because youth still trumps all but I knew in my heart I was in the best shape ever and I felt completely comfortable on stage with all of those beautiful women.  However, I still had one category to go - Grand Masters.

Top 3 and me!

I felt incredible energy taking the stage with 4 other wonderful competitors, each over the age of 45. For that alone we all deserve a trophy. This is NOT an easy thing to do at any age, but certainly not at more advanced ages.

I waited patiently through poses, turns and walks hoping my name would be called. Finally, the awards were presented.

And I came first!

This is my first time placing first in a competition in all of my years of competing.

What a thrill.

Bring on the Dom!

I did it for Bob, I did it for me, and I did it for everyone who has helped and followed along on this journey.  On my wrist I was wearing the Tiffany bracelet I had given Bob on our wedding day. He gave it to me to have hours before he passed away.  He was with me all the way.  I love you Bob and we did it!!

Thank you.

Taking the Stage - Round 1 is Over

OPA Grand Masters Bikini

 Okay team - prejudging is over and I am on Cloud 9!

What an exhilarating feeling to take the stage today and shine. It seems I've been gearing up for this for ages.

Decked out in my shiny blue suit, a little bling and my "stripper" shoes, I donned number 153 with pride.

Keeping me grounded the whole time was Bob's wedding bracelet, which I wore in his honour. I certainly felt his presence with me on that stage. It was a like a beam of energy and light on me giving me power to smile and pose with grace and gratitude.

Now, onto a tasty steak in between rounds.

1 more to go... Stay tuned!

Off the Couch Winners!

Isabelle Thibert
Tonya Peace
Caren

Please contact rcorradetti@rkpubs.com with your full address and phone number to receive your prize.

Congratulations!

Final Tosca & Rita Check In

From Me:
Now just days away from my contest I am beginning to feel the "what if's?" and the "am I enough's?"  This is normal for everyone but I do feel the added complication of trying to recover from a nasty bug I picked up in Las Vegas.  UGH!  The timing is not ideal and yet I must put my game face on and prepare no matter what.  The weird thing is that I just don't feel like eating because I can't taste anything.  That may not be a bad thing but the idea is to keep the muscles full so now I find I must force myself to sit down and chew things I can't taste.  I am on litre 4 of the 7 I must drink as I write this …. hold on just have to pee … okay, all better.  I am floating in water at the moment.  Don't worry, on Friday and Saturday, there will be none!  Or very little anyway.

So how do I feel?  I am dogged about my task.  I make the list of what needs to be done, what has to be eaten and consumed otherwise and I just do it.  There is no other way.  I want badly to eat cake and cookies but I have to push those thoughts away.  No one else on stage will have eaten those things and I don't intend to blow it all now.  Still a girl needs a treat now and then right?  It's okay, that can wait until Saturday night when it is all over.

How about my stage prep?  Every day I get a little closer to the stage so I must put in the time to walk and pose in front of the mirror.  I have to remind myself that I want to look and act like me only a little more animated and filled with energy.  I can do that.  I love to address a crowd especially when I am giving seminars and workshops.  I love to wear high heels so that shouldn't be a problem either.  I am already practicing my mantra - the things I will tell myself backstage - to help me put my game face on.  There are many details to attend to before then and each day now counts heavily.  I will start with body grooming by having one final massage, dealing with hair removal and grooming (you know what I mean!), then skin exfoliation, manicure, pedicure, eyebrow shaping and body tan.  So many little things but they are not simply diva tasks.  If you want to feel confident up there in a tiny bikini you must must must prepare in every way possible.  So that is the game plan.

More to come ….
Tosca

From Coach Rita:
This is it. We are here. Tosca competes this Saturday and all of the hours of planning, dedication, hard work, food plans, wine bottles unopened, and toting around Tupperware will be judged in under 30 seconds. It seems unfair, but it is the nature of the beast.

These past 5 months have been quite the adventure.  The coach aspect of the show is always excting the week of the show. The training ended Wedndsday, and the last few days are usually about adrenaline, pampering and practicing the strutting.

As coach, I will be by Tosca's side this weekend as her supporter, her motivator and to tell her when and what to eat, drink, when to pump up and plump up her confidence right before she struts on stage.  She did all of her work over the last few months, listened and followed thropugh to a tee, and is now reaping the rewards and benefits of her new lean physique without having to race against the clock with extra hours of cardio.

She is ready.

And thank goodness she is. Battling laryngitis has put her on her back for  a few days. Her body can afford the rest, and may be a good thing at this point.  Her phone call last night was somewhat reminiscint of a horror movie - or 1-800-number-raspy, low and struggling to get the words out! I feel the same way I do when my 5 year old is sick - I wish I could be sick for her - just as I wish I could take away Tosca's pain and struggle this week and let her enjoy the process. Alas, this is not reality and each struggling moment and bump in the road make your journey that much more meaningful at the end. I know she will look back on this week and be proud of her accompplishments and stick-with-it attitude. I am sure PROUD of her, as I have been all along.  She is a fighter, and continues to prove it to me, to her family and most importantly to herself.

I will be there by her side all weekend, with my gloss, bikni bite and a some rice cakes to keep her shiny, decent and full.  This is the fun part - no more "house of pain" this week, no more "1 more rep" or "suck-it-up-tough-love-coach". But I will be there as her coach, and I will cheer on one of the most hard-working, dedicated human beings I know. I am now proud to not only call her my client, but also my dear friend.

Tosca - you have already won.

Proud, oh-so-Proud Coach C

Off the Couch Cuties Kelsey & Rita Share Stories & Recipes

Today we get to here from the latest Oxygen Collector's Issue cover girls - Off the Couch cuties Kelsey Byers & Rita Catolino. They share their stories and recipes with you below. Loving this? Get your own copy of Off the Couch by commenting below. We'll choose 3 winners.

From Kelsey: Eat Clean & follow your dreams
I am Kelsey Byers, one of Oxygen’s new Off The Couch cover girls.

I have lost about 50 pounds since college.  I lost quite a bit of weight by avoiding both fast food and alcohol, however, the real results did not come until I started Eating Clean.  By that I mean eating non-processed meals every three hours therefore eating 5-6 meals a day.  This meal frequency keeps my metabolism sky high and allows me to keep my body lean year round.

I learned to choose a lean protein and complex carbohydrate at each meal.  Eating complex carbs allows your body to use the food as fuel for energy versus storing fat.  I avoid simple carbs such white bread, white pasta, white rice, chips and other snack foods.  I stick to complex carbs such as oatmeal, whole-wheat bread, brown rice, beans, sweet potatoes, grits and wheat or corn tortillas.

I hired a nutritionist to help me with my portion sizes and that made the biggest difference in my physique.  My body was able to hold more muscle and my midsection got really lean.  Within just 3-4 months of Eating Clean, my body had completely transformed itself.  Eating measured portions of clean, complex carbs helped me to achieve the body of my dreams.

I would like to share one of my favorite recipes that helps curve my sweet tooth and still eat my proper portions of protein and complex carbs.

Egg-White French Toast

Being Thankful

When I read this story from one of our Eat-Clean Diet Ambassadors, Lavanya, I cried...

Lavanya joining team member Meredith ECD at Can-Fit-Pro 2012!

I'm running my first marathon this weekend - the Chicago marathon. The entire run is dedicated to Robert, but mile #26 is especially for him. I've got to get through the first 25 miles in order to get to that final mile for Robert. Thanks to you for giving me the Tough Love Bob t-shirt. Look for pictures after the run. By the way, mile 20 is dedicated to Tosca because I've been told that that's when most people "hit the wall". Who better to think of at that time than her!! Mile 10 is for the ECD and Oxygen girls who I met at Canfit Pro. Thanks to all of you for the inspiration!! Barring any injuries, I hope to finish the run "comfortably".

What do you have to be thankful for this weekend?

Thanksgiving Menu Plan Giveaway

Happy Thanksgiving from me and my girls!

It's Thanksgiving Weekend here in Canada, but Americans you can participate too since your holiday is a 2 months away.

The big question is... how can we have a Clean Carb Thanksgiving? This is HOW!

This is how I am eating even though my competition next weekend. I am still able to have some Thanksgiving treats...

Our Family Thanksgiving Menu (recipes straight from The Eat-Clean Diet Series)

Starters
1. Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup

2. Charcuterie Board with yummies from Seed to Sausage!

3. Roasted Pear and Spinach Salad with Spiced Pecans

Mains and Sides
1. Stuffed Pumpkins

2. Brown Rice and Apple Stuffing OR Ezekiel Bread Stuffing

3. Lemon and Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes

4. Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts (directions from The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook)

4. Turkey Roasting (directions from The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook)

5. Lentil Terrine Meatless Option from The Eat-Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook

Dessert

1.  Coach Rita Catolino’s Non Dairy, Non Grain- but oh so yummy Thanksgiving Pumpkin pie!

CRUST
2 Handfuls Almonds
4-5 Medjool Dates (soak in water for 30min)
1 Tablespoon Organic Coconut Oil

Pulverize almonds until they turn into a fine meal (watch carefully as to not make almond butter). Add dates and a little of their liquid. Continue to puree. Add the Coconut oil and pulse for another few seconds. Spread the mixture  (I use hands) on a nonstick small pie plate. Bake at 375 for 7 minutes (watch not to burn) to crisp up. Remove. As crust is cooling, make filling.
Filling:
Puree Pumpkin (can, jar or real pumpkin- not the pumpkin pie filling- “JUST PUMPKIN”)
6 Dates or dried figs (soaked)- Pureed

2 eggs (Free Range)
2 Tablespoon of coconut oil or all natural almond butter
Halved Pecans or Walnuts for top
Drizzle of All Natural Maple Syrup
All Spice or Cinnamon or Pumpkin Pie Spice

Add pumpkin, eggs, coconut oil ,puree dates and spice. Blend together for a couple of minutes. Fill crust. Place pecan halves on top and drizzle with Maple Syrup. Bake at 350 for 12-15 min. Broil in oven for a few minutes to caramelize top. Enjoy a slice (1/8 of pie) as a perfect pre workout meal!

2. Berry Bowl - just rinse a few berries and top with lemon zest!

Competition Live Chat Video

Did you miss our competition live chat yesterday on UStream? No worries. You can catch the whole thing above.

Enjoy!

Clean Carb October!

Welcome to Clean Carb October! We have a lot of exciting things to feature this month to dispel the myths on carbohydrates. Never again will you get confused by low-carb this, carb-free that, etc, etc.

Check out the infographic above that has been making quite the splash on Facebook. Use it as your guide to choose Clean & Healthy carbs throughout the month - and for the rest of your life.

Don't forget healthy options like pumpkins and squash!

Join us on Twitter with the hashtag: #cleancarbs

So what are your favorite clean carbs?

A Father’s Guide to Conquering Mealtime

Well, if Jason doesn't have you convinced that Eating Clean is the way to go, then I don't know who will. He has a compelling story to share about the importance of taking care of oneself so as to be the best father possible. It might just bring a little tear to your eye. Thanks Jason. P.S. Don't miss his tasty Chili Relleno Casserole recipe below...

Jason & his beautiful baby girl. 

Becoming a father changes a man like nothing else in your lifetime.  It is a single event that is a prerequisite for almost every other story you will share as you grow older and wiser.  But it also does ‘something’ to you, or at least it did to me; it causes you to take inventory of yourself, your habits, hobbies, vices, and motivations.  And of course, it just plain and simple takes a boatload of time.  Being a present father, participating in all that you can, while still doing your thing at work, in the gym, and around the house shortens the days like you never thought possible.

You put all of this together and realize three important things: 1) You want to be around to live those stories.  2) You want to be a good role model and have more good habits, less vices, and leverage the motivation of living “for” another. 3) Finally, you want to make the most of the shorter and shorter days.

Eating Clean is something that absolutely can help you achieve all three, but I want to focus on the latter... time.  In much of the Western world, we live in a food environment of convenience.  Everything is pre-packaged, pre-mixed, ready-to-eat, and “just like” homemade.  Because of this, eating right, what's truly right, seems too time consuming and in the middle or at the end of a busy day, reaching for something that can be heated and ready in five minutes just seems to make more sense.

The “secret sauce” however to Eating Clean, especially for guys, is to make the clean food the convenient choice.  In our house preparing and preserving the core of a week’s worth of food over an afternoon makes Eating Clean so easy that come mealtime it literally makes eating the pre-packaged, pre-mixed junk food harder to do.  When pressed for time, reheating your clean meal is actually easier than fiddling around with that frozen dinner, figuring out which part of the cellophane to cut out, which to prick holes in, what needs to be stirred, etc...

It’s chile harvest season and in the spirit of making clean food ahead, here is a chile relleno casserole that can last a whole work week for you and your significant other.

Vegas the Other Way

Rubbing Buddha's belly at the Aria Hotel in Las Vegas. 

It may strike some of you as odd that some of the healthiest people in the world travel to the city most widely associated with indulgence however that is exactly what I did.  Now that Vegas has been separated by a flight back to Toronto/home it may be a good idea to reflect on how the last five days went paying particular attention to contest and training preparation.  You may wonder if any of that occurred since this city seems to tempt visitors to throw all reason aside and indulge fully in 24/7 decadence.  I am happy to say that I did Vegas the other way.

Coach Rita, and two of my girls, Rachel & Kiersten, and I stayed at the newly opened Aria Hotel located right on The Strip.  Although it was a big hotel with 4007 rooms it still felt intimate enough and it was easy to navigate as well.  Each of the five days of our stay began with a minimal breakfast - water, coffee (naturally), a bit of fruit followed by a stint in the gym.  Rita & I both had to shoot for Oxygen on Saturday so we needed to focus on the final training efforts that would get us tight and lean for the shoot.  This involved circuits and cardio.  After that we used the spa which had hot and cold tubs, meant to be used in sequence always ending with cold.  Then we could indulge in using the special meditation rooms including the Shio Salt Room or the Ganbanyoku Beds.  The Shio Salt Room is a salt infused space said to support healing of the skin and upper respiratory tract.  I fell asleep in there, but my true joy was using the Ganbanyoku beds.  The Aria is the only place in North America to offer this unique treatment.  These are Japanese granite beds heated with infra-red.  The health benefits include increased circulation, accelerated metabolism, relief of muscle aches, elimination of toxins and relaxation.  I used these beds every day and I found myself wondering how I could make a room just like that in my own house.  I am addicted.  It was so effective I experienced a mild detox headache after each use.  It went away quickly.  The spa treatments must have worked well because Val (my makeup and hair artist) commented on how fresh and clean my skin looked.

As for food I kept to a tight diet so I could look reasonable for the shoot.  This meant a steady diet of raw vegetables, mostly salad greens topped with either chicken, turkey or fish.  I began to feel very much like a rabbit and have to admit I am fed up with asparagus right now.  Glad I stuck to the plan though because the early shots looked so good.  Every girl at the shoot went through the same rigours so we are united by our sacrifice.  Happily however Coach Rita gave me a free pass on Saturday evening post shoot.  We had a celebratory meal at Picasso, my husband's favourite restaurant, located in the Bellagio Hotel.  Whenever I eat there it is memorable.  Bob and I had one of our first dates there.  In that space you are enveloped in the beauty of Picasso.  Eleven of his original paintings hang in the restaurant along with original sculptures.  Chef Julian Serrano reigns supreme with gorgeous fare.  It is ridiculously good.  Sigh!  And yes we four went clubbing at Hyde night club, also in the Bellagio.  My quads hurt this morning from the dancing.  It was so much fun to dance with my daughters and Rita.

Now back to reality I am facing much depletion.  But that is another story.

Love and VIVA LAS VEGAS!
Tosca