IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN!

I am just back from my trip to Poland and this is my first weekend at home. Since I was eager for a visit  (my very first this season) to the Ottawa Farmers' Market and the weather was lovely, Tony and I headed out this morning to the Brewer Park location. As anticipated it is great, filled with awesome people and amazing local produce. 

If you have not done so yet check out their website here for info on vendors and hours and for some great recipes.

I hope the farmers' market movement keeps growing and we will get to experience more and more of wonderful locally and organically grown food.  

Make sure to eat lots of fresh veggies and fruit this season, support your local growers and keep healthy. 

...and remember HEALTHY BODY= HEALTHY SKIN

Here are few of today's pics. 

 

GLOW AN URBAN RETREAT FOR WOMEN

It is coming up at the end of this month!

Join Donna Davis, Alexa Spas and myself for this fun educational and inspirational Sunday afternoon retreat. We will eat good food, drink amazing freshly pressed juices, play with raw skin care and do some yoga.

Lots of good learning and great goodies to bring home:)

REGISTER HERE

Need more info? Contact me at info@womandivine.ca or call at 613 2167676

REGISTRATION CLOSED. Thank you:)

Tired of looking for a perfect skin care product? Make your own and have fun doing it!

Last Saturday I was in Almonte, hanging out with an amazing group of women from the Rising Sun Yoga Studio.  As Pure As It Can Be Workshop in action... we were playing in a lovely kitchen making our very own, all pure, healthy and natural beauty products. 

It feels very good, getting together with a group of women sharing wisdom, interests and a good laugh.   

We made some cool products to take home. Hopefully this is just the beginning and everyone is inspired to create more. 

This is what some of the women said about their experience.

I really enjoyed your presentation and what you do is of great interest to me also. It's funny, you reminded me of when I was a little girl and I used to go into the kitchen, the garden and my mother's cosmetics and experiment with making my own lotions and potions...

I love all of the products we made. I believe it is so important for women to share and support each other as you are with your business! 

Leigh

Amazing and simple.

Angelina

Loved every minute!

Jennifer

Everything was so well organized and presented beautifully.

Mary

Thank you Almonte Rising Sun Yoga I had an amazing time with you!

Magdalena

If you are interested in hosting one of my workshops or would like to join the next available one or simply would like more info, contact me at info@womandivine.ca or by phone: 613 2167676

Crudessence, Tiramisu and French Lesson #1.

My version of raw Tiramisu from Crudessence.

I discovered CRUDESSENCE, the Montreal based raw food restaurant about two years ago; love at first sight... I have discovered their amazing Tiramisu a couple of months ago... I will be sharing the recipe with you so read on.  Crudessence Academy (yes, there is an academy as well) offers interesting courses and I will be taking some in the near future. Yep, that's wright! I love everything about them.
If you are my client you already know that I wholeheartedly believe beauty does not come from a tube of the latest skin care product. In my opinion food we eat forms the base for a healthy body and healthy skin. I am always eager to broaden my nutritional knowledge for my own good but also so I can be a better support to you...
Now, back to Tiramisu; a lot of people expressed they would like the recipe and I myself wanted it badly. This is what happened...
Crudessence has a 'cookbook' and the Tiramisu recipe is in it. Naturally I got the book. Here is the trick, the book is in French and I do not know how to speak the 'language of love'. So with this book I am not only learning how to make Tiramisu but also I am getting a French lesson.
I have learned English by listening to the lyrics of songs. It looks like I will be learning French from a 'cookbook'. I am totally up for it... Thus French lesson #1...
A little note about the book; it is beautiful with lots of delicious recipes and wonderful photography.
It is a fresh and vibrant invitation to raw food exploration:)) Just as a book about live food ought to be. If you can, get it!

 

 

The famous Tiramisu by Crudessence.

OK, lets get to work...

 

You will need:

Almonds, cashews, espresso coffee, dates, agave nectar, cocoa powder, coconut oil, soy lecithin, vanilla extract(without alcohol), agar, sea salt, water.

The recipe is given in stages and in each stage the amount of ingredients is specified.

I have used my food processor for all the mixing. It worked great.

Tiramisu by Crudessence - the recipe.

Night before

Soak ½ cup of almonds for 8 hours.

In another container, infuse 1tsp ground espresso in ¼ cup of water for 8 hours.

The day of

Soak ½ cup of cashews in a fridge for 4 hours.

Rinse the cashews and almonds very well and pour out the water from the soak.

Filter the coffee / keep the infusion and discard the grinds.

Make almond milk with the soaked almonds and 2 cups of water.

How to make almond milk for this recipe?

Place the 1/2 cup of soaked and drained almonds and 2 cups of purified water in a blender. Blend for couple of minutes. Strain through nut milk bag or cheesecloth.

The cake

In a bowl mix: 1 ¼ cup of ground almonds, 1/3 cup of date paste, 1tsp of vanilla extract (without alcohol),  1/8tsp of sea salt, 2Tbsp of coconut oil and 2Tbsp of almond milk. Mix well. Distribute the mixture at the bottom of a cake pan (8 inch in diameter).  Put in the freezer while you are preparing the Mocha layer.

How to make a date paste?

2 ½ cups of dates and 1½ cups of water.  Make sure dates are covered with water and soak for 2 hours. Put the dates and water in a food processor and blend.

*This is way too much for our recipe, you will need only a bit. However it will keep good in the fridge for a long time so you may use the rest in other recipes.

Mocha layer

Mix the following ingredients with a mixer: 1 1/2Tbsp of date paste, 2Tbsp of agave nectar, 1½ Tbsp of cacao powder, 2¼ tsp vanilla extract (without alcohol), 1/8tsp sea salt, 2Tbsp of coconut oil, 1 ½ tsp of soya lecithin.

Next add coffee and ½ cup of almond milk to these ingredients and mix well.

In a pan mix 2Tbsp of water with ¾tsp Agar. Bring to simmer stirring frequently. In the meantime take the cake out of the fridge. Once agar/water is brought to simmer remove from the stove and wait 2 min. After 2 min. blend the agar/water mixture with the mocha layer (turn few times). Immediately pour the mocha layer onto the cake and place it back in the freezer.

Top layer

Rinse the cashews and pour out the water.

With a mixer blend the following: ½ cup of cashews, 1/3 cup of coconut oil, ½ cup of water, 2Tbsp agave nectar, ½tsp vanilla extract (without alcohol), 1/8tsp of sea salt, 2 ¼tsp soy lecithin add 1 cup of almond milk and mix until creamy.

Take the cake out of the freezer and make sure that the mocha layer has solidified before putting the icing on top. 

Place back in the freezer for 2 more hours.

Dust with cacao powder before serving.

Voila, enjoy:))


Dessert does not have to be a guilt ridden pleasure. This one is delicious and full of precious nutrients. Do not eat the whole thing in one sitting though. I know, it is going to be very tempting... .


Tiramisu will keep in a fridge for 10 days and for 4 months in your freezer in a sealed container.

The recipe is easy to make but requires good organizing like it is with many raw food dishes. Definitely worth your time...

Thank you CRUDESSENCE! I can not wait to try more of your awesome recipes. My family and I will keep on translating your beautiful book but I do hope one day you will come out with an English version:)) Merci Beaucoup,

Magdalena

 

Papaya Coffee body scrub.

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My friend Mary, a yoga teacher, has introduced me to a wonderful Papaya Coffee body scrub.

Mary has experienced some amazing treatments while vacationing in Costa Rica and this one was her favorite. After trying it myself I totally see why…

Ingredients:

All you will need is:  

a cup of fresh papaya meat (no seeds please)

1/2 banana 

1 Tbsp. of ground coffee.

How to prepare:

In a small bowl mush the papaya and banana.

Add the coffee.

How to apply:

Hop in the shower and start applying the mixture from the feet, working your way up. Work in a circular motion, always moving toward your heart.

Rinse off.

Moisturize your skin with an oil like almond, apricot, coconut...

This scrub smells wonderful, if you love coffee that is.  I can never drink coffee because it gives me jitters but this scrub I can definitely do. It will leave your skin smooth and your body invigorated. 

Why to use the papaya coffee scrub?

Besides smelling and feeling great this stuff actually does a very good job on your skin.

Use it in the morning; it will wake you up.

Native to Central America, papaya removes dead skin cells and is very effective for overall skin dryness; it nourishes the skin, lightens freckles and is used for healing wounds. It is rich in Vitamin A, C, E and beta-carotene as well as calcium, phosphorus and iron.

Coffee in this blend does much more than scrub your skin or wake you up.  Caffeine and coffee berries have the power to improve a number of common skin issues.

The caffeic acid found in coffee grounds can significantly affect anti-inflammatory activity and skin wound healing. The main chemical in coffee is caffeine, a natural antioxidant. Antioxidants neutralize the effects of free radicals, which can damage the inner layer of skin.

The scent of coffee acts to clear a person's mind of excessive thoughts and as an anti-depressant. 

Caffeine has a diuretic effect, which helps speed fluid on its way, reducing the appearance of cellulite.

If you have sensitive skin, coffee scrub may help soothe it by tightening your blood vessels.

Banana softens, nourishes and soothes sensitive and dry skin.

Enjoy your scrub!

Since you have used only a little part of your papaya fruit for this scrub you may as well splash some lime juice on the rest and have it for breakfast.

Papaya is high in digestive enzymes and has a tonic effect on the stomach. It also has a high mucus solvent action.

When consumed regularly papaya will improve the health of your skin, hair nails and eyes.

Let me know how you like it.

Magdalena

Crudessence - my favorite raw food restaurant in Montreal.

I love Montreal because it is beautiful and fun but also because I always get to eat amazing food whenever I visit. Next time you are there make sure to stop by Crudessence, my favorite place for a raw, healthy and delicious meal. Even if you are not a raw foodie it is going to be a nice experience for your taste buds.
The place is slick, food is delicious, service very nice and their location is easy to access. Crudessence is located right downtown at 2157 Mackay and Sherbrooke. I never have any problems finding a close-by parking spot. They also have another location, their original tiny space at 105 rue Rachel West but the downtown one is definitely my first pick.

 

 

'Hippocrate' juice alkalizing, very green and very delicious.

My personal favorite 'Crape Florentine'. The crape is made with Brasilia nuts, chia seeds and linseeds. How do they do it? Very filling and tasty.

 Chocolate cake, lime pie and pistachio ice cream, yummm!

Crudessence is very busy on the weekends, especially at lunch and dinner time. Make sure to call for a reservation. 514 6645188
Let me know how you like it:))

The lovely strawberry.

Lately, the sweet taste and beautiful scent of strawberries have been my indulgence.  Locally grown strawberries taste way different from the imported, oddly large and totally lacking aroma fruit we buy in the cold months of the year. Now is the time to truly enjoy them.

Native to North and South America, strawberries are a good source of vitamin C. They are also very good for the intestinal tract and improve elimination. They alkalize your body, are high in sodium and have a good amount of potassium.

Strawberries are delicious juiced, in fruit salads or on their own.
Try frozen banana, a handful of strawberries and almond milk in your smoothie. Very tasty!  

You can infuse their leaves to make an astringent face spray for oily and combo skin types. Prepare like an herb tea, cool and transport into a little spray bottle. It keeps for a day.

Fresh strawberry pulp will brighten the teeth and freshen the breath.

Use strawberries in a mask for oily and combination skin and to calm blemishes.

They will tighten the pores, lighten uneven complexion, eliminate dead skin cells and leave you glowing and refreshed.

Strawberry mask:

2-4 well washed organic strawberries 

1tsp of honey ( you can eat the leftovers:)) )

optional: 1tsp of green clay and a good drizzle of jojoba oil 

strawberry mask

Blend all of the ingredients, apply for 10 minutes, relax and expect the loveliness of the strawberry to rub off on you:))

Simply Raw Express

Simply Raw Express has just opened its door at 989 Wellington street in Ottawa's up-and-coming neighbourhood of Hintonburg.

Congratulations to the owners Natasha Kyssa and Mark Faul who for many years, have been promoting the raw vegan way of life. Special acknowledgement to Natasha for her perseverance. She has been on the raw food path for twenty some years. I am certain it was not always easy going against the current. 

Natasha has been offering her services assisting people through her detox program, teaching about the raw vegan diet and she is also an author of the Simply Raw Detox Manual - a book definitely worth having.

A few years back, I personally had the pleasure to experience Natasha's 28-day detox program. I loved it! I believe it to be the best way to detox. Results are awesome and the process itself becomes a great reminder of what pure food tastes like. Finally you get to experience food as medicine!  Next time you feel like you need to clean out your body and want to see a healthy glow to your skin, sign up for Natasha's cleanse at www.simplyraw.ca

The famous Norwalk juicer; I have been fantasizing about it since the 80's. It is the Rolls-Royce of  juicers. Now, I can drink great, fresh juices pressed by this awesome contraption! Finally my fantasy has been fulfilled.

At Simply Raw Express you will find a selection of super-foods, very tasty raw vegan sushi, salads, smoothies and soups for those who like it hot. Treat yourself to Natasha's raw cheesecake; it is a must!
 

Simply Raw (Norwalk juicer expressed) fresh organic juices. I have tasted energizing carrot/apple and green alkalizing blend. Both delicious!

Good luck Simply Raw Express! I wish you great success:)))