Thanksgiving Moments

We celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving this past weekend. Here are some funny moments during the weekend:

Attempting to rotisserie 2 giant turkeys on the BBQ. This mission was an epic fail for me! I wound up cooking the turkeys in the oven. It wasn't my finest cooking day, but we all make mistakes and it turned out just fine in the end... just a few hours later than I would have liked.


Davidson and Maggie kept themselves busy on Thanksgiving Day by burrowing a giant hole into the lawn. If they weren't so cute with giant burs on their noses they would have been in big trouble!


Kelsey-Lynn has made 2 new friends in her attempts to put away leftover turkey. I've never seen Davidson and Maggie sit that still!

Check It Out!

Here's a vid from yesterday's Your Best Body Now TV blitz that covered the country from California to New York and many states in between.

And here are two links to the latest spots in the Toronto Star...

Tosca Reno's 30-Minute Workout Schedule

9 Easy Steps for Starting a Fitness Program

Heading home from NYC today. It's been a blast, but time to prepare for a little R&R with the family over Canadian Thanksgiving. I'm totally behind this year what with the book promotion falling at this time, but we'll make it special.

What are you Thanksgiving plans Canada?

My Lovely Mother's Day

After a lot of traveling these last few months it feels good to have my feet planted in one spot! This Mother's Day my family and I kept things nice and simple by staying in and preparing all of our meals instead of heading to a restaurant.

I got some wonderful gifts this year - I was allowed to sleep in later than usual, my family prepared a lovely brunch for me and we spent lots of quality time together, a true rarity in our house.

The girls filled the table with yogurt and berries, coffee cake muffins, turkey bacon, bread cups with egg and spinach, cinnamon espressos and mocktail mimosas (made with orange juice, pomegranate juice and perrier).















My Mother's Day brunch spread!




A close up of the yummy coffee cake muffins. I wish you could smell them. Mmm!




The breakfast table was filled with beautiful flowers.



My day was wonderful and I hope yours was too!

Before I go, I want to let my Toronto fans that Global TV's 6pm News Hour will air a piece on me tonight, Tuesday, May 11th.

Have a Great Day Everyone!
Tosca

Holiday Pictures

Here are some VERY belated Holiday Pictures...

Christmas moments with my brother, sister-in-law, sister, brother-in-law, nieces & nephews, including an intense run with my sister-in-law, Tammy, in preparation for our triathlon.



Skating with the kids and dogs on the pond on Christmas Eve! My skates are at least 20 years old. Yikes!

Present time! Bob and I are unwrapping a very unusual gift from our kids... A lovely crane for the garden from my favorite home decor store.


Here we are at the wedding in Austin, TX on New Year's Eve. What a party in pink!

And finally, my attempt at golf!! This should be good for a laugh...

Back from a Busy Weekend

The days have been flying by for me as I am certain they have been for all of you as well. There is something about this time of year that in the days before the holidays one day races into another and there is never enough time to complete the tasks at hand.

On Friday I had the absolute honor of meeting two of my biggest fans, Linda and her friend Joanne. Linda's husband, Gilles, organized the meeting. We couldn't resist the urge to hit the gym. We had a full body workout and followed it up with a pleasant lunch of grilled chicken, brown rice and steamed veg. It was a lovely afternoon.

Then on Friday evening we had our work Christmas party. We did something I've NEVER done before.... bowling!! The entire Eat-Clean Diet team took part initiating Bob and me into this sport. In the first game, I not only fell down, but I guttered nearly every ball. The 2nd game, however, Bob and I practiced and did pretty good. Overall, everyone was pretty bad at the game, but no one cared that much. It was such a fun way to celebrate the holiday and our team taking the focus off food (like most holiday parties) and putting it onto a fun activity. Love it!

My tree had been up in the family room for a week before a single ornament was place on it. Last night after having created a delicious Sunday feast of mashed celeriac, steamed broccoli and carrots, parchment baked chicken and grilled beef tenderloin, I suggested to my daughters, Rachel and Chelsea that since I had cooked the dinner they could clean up and then each of them could help finish decorating the tree by placing 10 ornaments on it each. Would you know it? In no time at all the tree was completely decorated and it turned out to be a pleasant experience topped off with Christmas music playing in the background.

Now it is Monday morning and my list is still long (minus one decorated tree). I considered not doing my run this morning because I was so strapped for time but I resisted that temptation and did it anyway. I figured I would just have to run faster and get it done in a shorter amount of time. So I logged my 3 miles in about half an hour and then did the Tosca Eat Clean Cooler #1 Breakfast – oatmeal, flax, salba and 4 egg whites.

My day will be full of To Do’s but at least I will attack it knowing I have not skimped on exercise or nutrition. It occurred to me that food choices are made by virtue of what is available in your cupboards, cooler or fridge. I have already cooked my hardboiled eggs for today and have a green salad ready to go. There is also the parchment baked chicken left over from last night as well as the steamed veggies. That is why I always do Planned Leftovers. It is so easy to pack up leftovers into my cooler and run for the rest of the day.

I am thinking of all of you as you dash about in the madness of the holiday season. I struggle too and I want you to know it is the smallest of actions – like packing a cooler or doing your cardio despite the time squeeze – that is a sign to yourself that you care... you care about you. And I do too.

Love and hugs.
Tosca

Happy Thanksgiving American Clean Eaters!

I'm a little jealous you get to celebrate Thanksgiving today. It's a work day at home in Canada. Since it is my favorite holiday I wish I could join in on the fun! You can never have too much turkey and stuffing.... well, in moderation, that is. However, I've decided I'm going to honor the American tradition anyway because I've purchased a turkey and I will do the works this weekend. I guess I'm not missing out after all. We don't get Black Friday though... I will miss out on that!

We still have reason to celebrate today in our house because my oldest daughter is turning 25 tomorrow. We are going to celebrate with dinner out in Orangeville, sharing surprises, and catching the latest in the Twilight trilogy, New Moon. This is partly for her and partly for me since I would like to see these abs on Taylor Lautner that everyone is talking about. Have you seen the new movie (and the abs)??

I know it's holiday time, but try to squeeze in some exercise. A walk or cycle (bring the family along, too) or even a little Wii fit will make you worry less about the extra helping of pumpkin pie you had.

Hopefully it's not too late in the day for a Thanksgiving recipe. It's a classic and can be used again and again and again and again!! Oh and when you pair it with veggies and clean crackers you have an excellent clean treat! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Hummus from the Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook

Ingredients
2 Tbsp/30 mL tahini
2 Tbsp/30 mL fresh lemon juice
1 tsp/5 mL ground cumin
1 tsp/5 mL pumpkin oil
3/4 tsp/~4 mL sea salt
1/8 tsp/~0.5 mL ground pepper
15 oz/420 g pumpkin, baked or canned
4 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press
2 Tbsp/30 mL cilantro (fresh)

Preparation
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth.
2. Spoon into a decorative stoneware serving bowl and serve chilled.

YUMMY!

Easter Pics

Taking a walk with the fam down to the pool which is currently under mega construction.

The kids IN the pool...

Kelsey, me & Kiersten

Kiersten & Kelsey in a post-Easter dinner, sugar-induced tackle

Me doing the repair to my daughter's ear after the brawl. Her sister's hair got caught in her earring and tore it! Ouch & yuck!

The kids climbing on the diggers (as my little nephew calls them). He was in heaven!

Enjoying some Easter sweets.... strawberries & chocolate. Delicious.

Easter Moments

My daughter made her first Easter turkey using my recipe from the Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook across the continent in Portland, OR. Here is what she feasted on with a few of her friends.

Here is what we feasted on at my house this Easter menu:

Breakfast -
Hard boiled Easter colored eggs done with red cabbage (pinks,
purples and reds), blueberries for blue eggs and onion skins for yellow
eggs,
Huge bowl of fresh mixed berries
Irish oatmeal
Cornmeal and raspberry muffins
Vegetable egg strata
Pancakes with fresh maple syrup (someone had given us some that was only 2
days old)
Hot coffee lattes
Toast with apple or almond butter

Lunch:
Spring vegetable soup with loads of hearty breads

Dinner:
Arugula, romaine heart and mixed beet salad with goat cheese, toasted
pepitas and walnut/avocado oil dressing
Roast stuffed turkey breast, grilled bison and venison sausages and grilled
marinated lamb
Steamed green beans
Garlic roasted asparagus
Roasted garlic heads
Buttermilk mashed potatoes
Cilantro/yogurt hummus
Unsweetened applesauce
Cranberry sauce
Red and white wine (naturally)

Dessert:
Strawberry shortcake (only I failed the shortcake part! I made three
batches on Saturday and they all came out like gluey hockey pucks. So I gave
up and made a sponge cake recipe which I baked in a cookie sheet and then
sliced into fingers). This was served with loads of fresh strawberries and
a bit of fresh whipped cream (oh yum!!)
Almond biscotti (this recipe was a cinch)
Fresh mixed berries
Coffee and tea

I have to get some pics off my camera. I'll post them soon.

Thanks for sharing your Easter moments with me, too.

Hugs,
Tosca

Easter Weekend Prep Begins

(Here is me and Kiersten after a haircut in T.O. on Friday before my Virgin Radio session)

It's Easter and I feel a little strange. Like any momma duck I like to have all my little ducklings in a row during the holidays, and this year my daughter, Rachel, is not here to celebrate with us. She is working hard on her studies in Portland. I miss her.

I remember how she always liked to do the Easter Egg Hunt. Once when she was doing her undergrad at Western she told me she wouldn't be able to make it home for Easter because she had too much studying to do. All the nieces,

nephews, aunts, uncles, and sisters were running around the big lawn searching for eggs and the next thing you know I saw her walking towards me in her pink coat. I was so happy to see her - I couldn't believe she had come home. This time I know she won't be surprising us - but will be with us in spirit and I will Skype her on Sunday when we are all gathered at the dinner table.

Kiersten and Kelsey are at their dad's house for the first part of the weekend, but will be joining us on Sunday with Chelsea to help with the dinner... both preppind and eating! My mom came up yesterday and my sister and her family will be joining us today.

I am looking forward to have the family ALL together on Sunday.

Today I have loads of prep to do... shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc. I made my menu yesterday while sipping my coffee and watching CNN. My usual morning routine before a workout. Speaking of which, I managed through a workout of my calves (my fave body part... NOT!), abs, and chest. My glutes still need a little more time to heal. It felt great to sweat it out in the gym.

Last night I watched Rachel Getting Married with my mom and Bob. Wow! Total tear jerker! I am still sniffling and feeling sad. Things happen in families, don't they? I thought Ann Hathaway was brilliant. No wonder the called her up for an Oscar nomination for that role.

Okay, now the work begins.

Hugs,

Tosca