Day 12 of Giving: Moving Day!

For today's Give please visit my brand new blog on the new toscareno.com! We will no longer be updating this site because we have switched over all blogging functions to the newly updated toscareno.com site. Thank you for your understanding and continued patronage.

Visit me on the new toscareno.com

Hope you enjoy our new home!

xoxox

Tosca Reno

Day 11 of Giving: Give the Cleanse - Holiday Detox Shake Recipe!

 On the 11th Day of Giving I give you the gift of cleansing!

Treats, sugar and alcohol are common indulgences during the holiday season. To keep your body in balance start your morning off with this Green Detox Shake recipe, courtesy of my daughter and her new favourite website The Chalkboard. This shake helps keep pH neutral, you want to do this because an overly acidic body invites disease.

Ingredients:

3 celery stalks or 1 whole cucumber
4 cups spinach
Juice of 2 ruby red grapefruit or 4 limes
1 avocado
1 tbsp nut butter (or flesh of a coconut)
1/2 cup whole strawberries
1 scoop Powder Greens - I use SunWarrior Greens (you can purchase them at rawelements.ca, and use the discount code "Tosca" for an additional 20% off)
Water and ice if necessary

Optional Ingredients
*small piece of ginger for zing and warmth
*sub strawberries for pineapple

If you are interested in maximizing your detox, as soon as you wake drink 1 cup warm water and lemon, skip the coffee and opt for green tea. Eat as clean as possible throughout the day!

And the Winners Are...

Wow!

What an incredible response we received from yesterday's giveaway. You all really like Bobbi Brown. Awesome.

I am so happy to announce our 2 winners:

Monica P
Heidi Hoff

Congratulations! Please send your full address and phone number to rcorradetti@rkpubs.com.

Thank you and stay tuned for more giveaways coming up as we continue our 25 Days of Giving.

Day 10 of Giving: Give Beauty - Bobbi Brown Giveaway!

Oooooh! I am so excited for today's Give!!!

Many of you know that Bobbi Brown and I have a great working relationship and I was honored to put on an event with her and her staff this past year.

Now she has been kind enough to offer a few special beauty products for our giveaway today.

The first prize is a mystery box full of Bobbi Brown goodies.

The second prize is her amazing Desert Twilight Mini-Brush Set and the Pretty Powerful Coffee to Cocktails Collection.

Talk about some serious goodies.

Comment below on how Eating Clean has made your beauty routine easier and we will randomly select 2 winners.

Love it!

Day 9 of Giving: Give the Little Things

By now you've likely realized that we do our best to focus our 25 Days of Giving on small, heartfelt, low-cost gifts.

And in honor of the start of Hannukah, which began last night, I am sharing my top 8 ways I really like to Give. Try these out over the next 8 days to really feel the holiday magic in your heart.

Best of all, you can do these all year long...

1. Wake up someone special in your life with coffee (or tea!).

2. Spend some time watching your favorite holiday films with your loved ones.

3. Visit a local charity in your community and donate what you can (check out The Salvation Army and Clothesline programs).

4. Donate to your local food bank, and be sure to leave a can or two of food in the donation bins located on the way out of your grocery store.

5. Bake holiday treats for your neighbor or coworker in need. Check out Clean Eating magazine's Latkes with Apple-Yogurt Dip or these super yummy Pecan & Cran Holiday cookies.

6. Take your friend to the gym with you to share one of your favorite workouts.

7. Carve out time in your busy schedule to make holiday crafts with a few special kids in your life. Then you can help them decorate their houses for the holidays.

8. Put together a family cookbook of your favorite Eat-Clean family recipes to share with your loved ones. Don't forget to share your special tips on each one. Best of all, you're encouraging health and wellness for the year ahead.

What are your ideas?

Day 8 of Giving: The Circle of Giving (Truffle Liqueurs)

Welcome Zain Jamal - our resident yoga expert and baking whiz. She shares with us today her amazing approach to the holiday season along with a don't-miss, super-delicious treat of Clean Liqueur Truffles. Yes, I said truffles. Wow!

Zain's Clean Liqueur Truffles

For any of us who have sought for love in the refuge of self-sabotaging behavior, the concept of generosity, when directed to ourselves, may feel gluttonous, indulgent; yet our spirits are so deeply nourished when we are giving of ourselves to others in the form of advice, smiles, gifts, complements, and random acts of kindness.

I mean, how great does it feel to buy a sandwich for a hungry homeless person? How uplifted do you feel when you make a donation to a charity? What is more special than to see your best friend’s eyes light up as she unwraps a beautiful package created just for her, by the glow of a twinkling tree?

“Brain scans of people in the act of giving have found that generous deeds activate the same reward centers in the brain that pleasures like [laughter] and sex do. When these areas are stimulated, dopamine and other feel-good neurotransmitters are released, resulting in pleasurable feelings that can range from contentment to euphoria.”

Why is it that so many of us experience this euphoria when giving to others, yet are unable to truly give to ourselves?

Why do so many of us turn to food or other addictions as a means of rewarding ourselves and knowingly blur the lines between self-care and self-harm?

During my journey to recovery from Anorexia, I asked myself these questions over and over again.  I wanted so much to give to others in everyway I could, so I did.  The problem was that I was not giving anything to myself and thus became depleted.

Day 7 of Giving: Visiting those in Need

On my way to Give some time.

Today I am going to pay an extra-special visit to Kelsey-Lynn, my daughter in her 4th year of university.

She has been struggling with a heavy workload including: having to prepare for and write exams, having to complete several canvases for her for fine arts program, and maintaining her job as a ballet instructor all at the same time. As a result she has been eating terrible food, running out of money, and missing home.

Kelsey-Lynn's amazing artwork. See more at Maverick Behavior.

The best thing I can give her right now is my time.

When we get to her little apartment we will scoop her up and have a delicious latte and time together.

I will help her restock her fridge, clean up her little space, and enjoy seeing her beautiful face and beautiful paintings.

Never underestimate the value of giving someone something as simple, and as valuable, as your time.

P.S. For my other school-bound daughters-in-need: I'm picking up a meal for Rachel (my naturopath-in training) who is finishing up tons of assignments and also has a set of exams, and I'm washing Chelsea's absolutely filthy car tomorrow before picking her up from the airport to bring her home for Christmas.

Oh these poor students!

Is there someone you can help out today by offering your time?

Skechers Winners!

Thanks to the outstanding number of entrants yesterday for Skechers Gorun 2. We have selected our winners (winners are based entirely on random selection):

Sabrina Shields
Shi D

If you are one of these lucky winners please send a message to rcorradetti@rkpubs.com with your full shipping information as well as shoe size.

Congratulations.

Day 6 of Giving: Skechers GOrun 2 Giveaway!

"On the 6th day of giving Tosca gave to me - a new pair of Skechers GOrun 2s!" Like that little ditty? You'll like it even more if you win. Skechers Canada has generally offered to giveaway 1 pair of men's and 1 pair of women's Gorun 2 running shoes. How awesome is that?!? Be entered to win by commenting below on why you (or someone you know) needs a new pair of runners this season. Be sure to check back tomorrow for the winners. Wondering what these shoes are all about read a little message from Skechers including why they are Olympic-worthy footwear...

What a hot shoe!

Skechers GOrun 2 is the next generation of a serious minimal running shoe, designed for speed with innovative performance technologies to promote a midfoot strike. Super lightweight at 6.2 ounces for men and 5.2 ounces for women, the Skechers GOrun 2 works as a great transitional shoe to foster a barefoot running experience. Did we mention it’s also the official shoe of Meb Keflezighi, a world-class marathoner who finished 4th overall in the marathon at the London Games? Performance and style fused together like never before.

For more information on the Skechers Performance Division, Like Skechers Canada on Facebook and follow on us Twitter.

Day 5 of Giving: Act as if the Holidays Last All Year

Today's Give features Eat-Clean Diet Ambassador Theresa Jenn. She is sharing her recipe for Eat-Clean Red Velvet Pancakes as well as a no-fail Tabata-style workout of the day. 

Since I was a child I have always loved celebrating holidays, birthdays, and frankly any reason to get dressed up and throw a party. What I especially love about special occasions is how people glow, feel, and act during these times. My one wish for the world is for people to give the way they do during the holidays all year round. But the giving I’m referring to is lending an extra hand, exchanging smiles and laughter, and going the extra mile to share love.

Audrey Hepburn says it all here:
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”

This holiday season I want to share with you a special holiday recipe and quick sweat dripping workout.

Theresa Jenn’s Clean Red Velvet Pancakes

Day 4 of Giving: Time in a Bottle

I am so excited to have two of the original Eat-Clean Diet Ambassadors, Chelle Stafford & Tracey Weaver, joining us today to share in the holiday giving spirit. Not only are they encouraging us to think outside of the box and save our pennies, but they are also suggesting ways to increase health and wellness for the people we love most. Thanks ladies. What a great idea!

Tis the Season! It’s that time of year when we each strive to get just the right gift for our dearest friends and family.  Many of us spend hours searching the stores for that special something, and never quite find it.  We tend to get caught up in the latest trends, and give things that don’t really represent our true feelings.  And before we know it, the season is over and our loved ones have a sweater instead of a sentiment of how much we actually love and cherish them!

This year we have vowed to do things differently! We aren’t going to say that we won’t be buying gifts; however, we will be giving our loved ones “Time in a Bottle”, too.  This “gift” works for everyone.

For example, Chelle’s grandma loves to go to the bookstore, but has no way to get there.  So Chelle will put slips of paper in a bottle (or mason jar, or other creative vessel!)  that say “An afternoon trip to the bookstore with Chelle.”

Tracey’s friend loves to change her home décor and pick her own fabrics.  Tracey is a handy seamstress, so she will put a slip of paper in a bottle that says “Bring me your fabric & I will sew up a set of custom placemats!”

Here are some ideas for your “Time in a Bottle” gift to get you started.  We especially like “gifts” that can help foster a life of health and fitness by spreading the Eat-Clean Diet word, too!

- Spend an afternoon at a local farmer's market
- Share your talents and help a loved one learn a skill (how about kettlebells?)
- Sign up for a Fun Run to do together
- Be someone’s workout partner or texting support buddy
- Give a pantry makeover – Eat-Clean Diet style!
- Schedule a weekly tea time to stay connected with a friend.
- Start a “health” book club & start with any of Tosca Reno’s books!

You know your loved ones best.  The key is to make the “gift” personal which will evoke feelings of specialness.

Be sure to tell us your great ideas for “Time in a Bottle”  in the comment section below!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Looking for more from Chelle? Join her on Twitter @chellestafford or on Facebook. You can also visit her on her blog - Recipe for Fitness.

Looking for more from Tracey? Find her on The Kitchen Table.

Day 3 of Giving: Thinking Outside of the Box

Eat-Clean Diet Ambassador Jill Holland it hear with us today to share her tips for thinking outside of the box this holiday season. This is an important concept especially when our pocketbooks are feeling a little less than flush. Thanks Jill. 

I remember as a child, the excitement of Christmas. We’d make our lists for Santa, set out the cookies and milk for his trip back up the chimney, and quick snuggle into bed so that he could fill our stockings and leave gifts under the tree. Oh what a sight to wake up to in the morning!

Fast forward the years, and our family settled into a new groove of focusing on family over what was under the tree. This really works for Santa, as it gives him a break, and, well, you know that he would now get fresh cut veggies, a handful of almonds, and a tuna pouch from me! Oh…..and some organic apples for his reindeer.

Fast forward again to today. Christmas can be financially overwhelming for so many. It begs the question of how can we give more with less, or, let’s push that further to zero dollars, or just pennies. What’s the perfect gift, you ask? I think it’s health – and it doesn’t come in a box! You’ve been eating clean with The Eat-Clean Diet and Tosca Reno, and have seen the benefits, and the compliments. Now you can pay that forward and help others – be their mentor.

I’ve come up with some ideas for you!

• Make a Recipe Book: print out your favourite recipes that you have created or used.

• Organize a Pantry or Fridge: help a friend learn what Eating-Clean foods to keep on hand. Throw out those science experiments!

• Be a Grocer Guide: tag along on the next grocery trip to swap in clean foods.

• Host a Clean Meal: invite someone to a new experience of how good ‘good’ tastes.

Now, for just pennies and a little creativity try…

• Bake a clean treat to share, like this Cranberry, Apricot & Walnut Fruitcake. Be sure to include the recipe in your gift!

I wish you and your families a happy, healthy and joyous holiday!

Merry Christmas!

Jill Holland
Eat-Clean Diet Ambassador
Oxygen model
FaceBook: Healthy Physiques

David's Tea Winners

Our first giveaway winners are here!

If you are one of these lucky people please send your full contact information to rcorradetti@rkpubs.com to claim your prize.

Grace
Catherine Michelle
Helen Smith

Stay tuned for more giveaways all month as we continue our 25 Days of Giving.

Day 2 of Giving: David's Tea

Today is definitely going to be one of our most delicious Gives yet. 

Recipe wonder Zain Saraswati Jamal has paired with DAVIDsTEA to create an Eat-Clean verion of Cocomint Creme Brulee just for us. 

It is based on DAVIDsTEA's amazing Cocomint Cream tea - a creamy combo of blackberry, mint, apple and coconut. 

And just for joining us today, you're invited to enter to win a DAVIDsTEA Holiday Countdown Calendar - 1 tea everyday from now until the holidays begin. Simply comment below with your favorite DAVIDsTEA selection and how it helps you stay on track. Winners will be announced on Monday.

Cocomint Creme Brulee

Yield: 2 Servings

25 Days of Giving BEGINS!

Photo Credit: Paul Buceta

Today is the beginning of the most wonderful time of the year here on my blog. It is the start of the 25 Days of Giving.

Throughout the next 25 days we will have amazing giveaways, donations, stories and more from the likes of Bobbi Brown, Skechers, DavidsTea, and Eat-Clean Diet Ambassadors - just to name a few.

Welcome to new readers who are just joining us for the first time, and for those who have gone through the Gives with us in the past.

You can start by telling us What 3 Things You are Grateful For This Week.

And don't forget to enter our Be Generous Contest for a chance to win 2 signed cookbooks.

This is an exciting time so stay with us as we countdown the days until the holidays.

DeStress... Yoga with Angelika Tishler

What better way to end #BeatStress November then with a series of yoga videos from me and my yoga teacher, Angelika Tishler of YogaOne in the beautiful hills of Caledon, Ontario. She has helped shape this muscle-y body into a more flexible and graceful yoga body.

Here are 4 basic moves to try in your home today:

Ojai Breathing

Knee Press Pose & Corpse Pose

Reclined Butterfly Pose

Legs Up the Wall Pose

Eating Clean Despite an Irregular Schedule

Here's an excellent question from Facebook fan Germaine Gill:

"Hi Tosca, 
I just wanted to say what an inspiration you are to myself and everyone that fallows you. I lost my brother over 9 yrs ago in an accident and understand the pain and loss you have felt. Hugs to you and your family! I just started a new job that requires me to work shift work. I'm struggling with a schedule of eating on midnights (630pm-630am) I am also working out in the gym at the office on the night shifts to help me stay awake without drinking too much caffeine. Could you give me some pointers on what types of food and when I should stop eating? Thanks so much! You look amazing!"

I do often hear that an irregular schedule can be an obstacle to sticking to an Eating Clean lifestyle, or for that matter any way of eating.  I believe the only way to approach the Eat-Clean Diet lifestyle on a schedule that is different from say, an 8 to 5 work day, involves adjusting your day according to your own schedule.  If you begin to work at midnight  then eat your breakfast in the hour or two you have before you begin to work.  Then count three hours after that for your next meal and another 3 hours and so on.  It is a matter of thinking it through beforehand.  Then plan for success by filling a cooler with appropriate clean foods so that you will never go hungry.  This works very well if you give it a try and trust the process.

Equipment-Free Workout

So excited to share with you today a message from Dean, the super-fit boyfriend of our Eat-Clean Diet Ambassador Christina. Check out those abs & check out his awesome, equipment-free workout!

Christina & Dean looking fit and fabulous!

Hi everyone!  My name is Dean and like many of you, I am an Eat-Clean Diet enthusiast.  Some of you may have seen me around on my girlfriend Christina’s blog, The Athletarian.  When she told me that there was an opportunity to guest blog for Tosca, I thought it would be great to give a male perspective on Eating Clean.

In university I was an all-star basketball player who practiced every single day and spent my non-practicing hours in the gym lifting weights.  Living on campus, I had access to a lot of unhealthy but convenient food.  Between studying, practicing, and leaving the province for basketball games, food convenience trumped health.  I still looked fit, I was ranked one of the best players in the country, and my performance never suffered.

It wasn’t until both university and basketball days were over that things started to change.  Physically I still looked relatively the same but my energy levels dropped.  I attributed it to the decrease in physical activity at first but when Christina introduced me to a different way of eating, things began to change.

About five years ago she discovered Tosca Reno sitting on a shelf in a bookstore.  She became immersed in the lifestyle almost immediately, eating only foods that were unprocessed and real.  I caught on pretty quickly, mostly because she would cook in batches and I naturally eat food when I see it.  It didn’t take long for me to figure out that not only does this food taste great, but it makes me feel amazing.  My energy levels are where they should be and being a Physical Education teacher, this is 100% necessary.

Here is an equipment-free workout I do with my students:

400m run
25 push ups
30 seconds mountain climbers (active rest)
25 squat jumps
30 seconds jump rope (active rest)
25 burpees
400m run

Repeat 3-5x
Don’t forget to warm up and cool down!

Thank you, Tosca and The Eat-Clean Diet Team for inspiring Christina and helping me get back on track.  There is no going back for us now!

Paleo Gingerbread for the Holidays!

Last night my daughter and I came home from the office completely zonked. We were even too tired to get through a workout. Instead we decided to get creative in the kitchen and bake. We've been experimenting with this delicious paleo bread recipe from one of my favorite newsletters, Goop - yes, Gwyneth Paltrow's newsletter! Last night's experiment was a HUGE success, we crafted a delicious, paleo-friendly, alternative-sugar based gingerbread jam-packed with dried fruits, nuts and spice perfect for your holiday menu. I'm surprising my book team with it today at our meeting.


Here is the recipe - sorry if you felt like you had to jump through some social media hoops! I promise this recipe is entirely worth it :)

Movember!

It's time to rock the Movember love in support of prostate cancer and other male cancers. 

There are only a few days left in this rocking month-long celebration of moustached men, but that doesn't mean it's too late. 

You can still support your local Movember movement or donate directly. 

Don't forget to support the prostate of the man in your life Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, tomatoes and (my favorite) BROCCOLI!