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My Path to Becoming a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner – Months 7 – 9
If you keep up with me on social media you may probably already know that I not only finished the Nutritional Therapy Association Program in June and graduated, but I totally aced my exams and I am now an officially certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. Woohoo!! I have also already begun seeing a small amount of clients. It’s been a whirlwind of a year and I went ahead and just hit the ground running since graduation – then I realized that I never updated and finalized this series. This is the last post chronically my journey to becoming a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner with the Nutritional Therapy Association, speaking to the final 3 months of the program. I plan to, from here, create one final post that is an FAQ of sorts, that I will continue to update as people reach out to me with questions about my experiences, since sadly I don’t always have the time to reply to each and every email, as much as I would love to. If you have any questions in regards to the program or my certification, please feel free to leave a note here in the comments or reach out via email.
My Path to Becoming a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner – Months 7, 8 & 9
This post continues to share my journey of becoming a Nutritional Therapist with the Nutritional Therapy Association, covering Months 7, 8, and 9, April, May and June. To read more about how I came to selecting this program and to read about Month 1 of the program, see my first post. To read about months 2 and 3, month 4 and months 5 & 6 you can read more at those respected links.
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My Path to Becoming a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner – Months 5 & 6
My Path to Becoming a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner – Months 5 & 6
This post continues to share my journey of becoming a Nutritional Therapist with the Nutritional Therapy Association, covering Months 5 and 6, February and March. To read more about how I came to selecting this program and to read about Month 1 of the program, see my first post. To read about months 2 and 3, read my second post and to read about month 4 read my third post.
Month 5
The fifth month of this program was by far the most challenging for me, the content continued to roll in and simultaneously we were preparing for our mid-term examinations, the first weekend of March. Being a self proclaimed perfectionist I wanted to ace the exams, while of course, I also really wanted all of the content to be very clear to me. That meant lots of studying, lots of flash cards, memorizing and generally freaking myself out! It worked! I missed one tiny little thing on my written mid-term examination and had 1/2 point taken off on my functional evaluation practical exam. ACED!
Month 6
The first weekend of month 6 was our second workshop weekend, 4 long days. First we had our exams and then we spent the remainder of the weekend going over the content we had covered since our last meeting as well as continuing to practice the functional evaluations (you can read more about function evaluations here). After the workshop weekend we were on term break for just under 1 month. Read the rest of this entry »
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My Path to Becoming a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner – Month 4
My Path to Becoming a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner – Month 4
This post continues to share my journey of becoming a Nutritional Therapist with the Nutritional Therapy Association, covering Month 4, January. To read more about how I came to selecting this program and to read about Month 1 of the program, see my first post. To read about months 2 and 3, read my second post.
Month 4
After our first workshop weekend and the holiday break, we hit the ground running at the start of January. We dove straight into Mineral Balance and then Hydration, the final two modules focused on the foundations. The foundations being, Digestion, Blood Sugar Regular Regulation, Fatty Acids, Mineral Balance and Hydration and of course, a properly prepared nutrient-dense, whole food diet. It was nice to finish with hydration, really honing in the classic “last but not least” cliché.
As we have continued to submerge ourselves into the content with the Nutritional Therapy Program, especially the foundations, I am continuing to connect deeply with the NTA’s individualistic approach to nutrition. Honoring that we are all bio-chemical individuals, means that there is no one catch-all diet, plan or protocol for every person. We are all very different. There are certainly constants and research that suggests specific nutritional approaches to be ideal, such as the avoidance of refined sugars, processed foods, hydrogenate oils, etc. As my intuition has always directed me to suggesting that people “nourish their own individuality”, this program really supports my personal approach. It feels good to feel validated and to continue to hone my skills in approaching food, nutrition, and overall health and wellness in this manner. I love that this program teaches a very foundational and functional approach to nutrition, not relying solely on on specific diet or slapping supplements on symptoms, especially those associated with the consequences, as a bandaid! This approach is not just how I live my own life, it is what I feel called to encourage others to do as well! I want to help people find their inner guiding voice and couple that with an arsenal of nutritional knowledge, to be able to intuitively navigate their way towards healing.
I am also continuously grateful for the virtual platform that the NTA program is built on. I have discovered, that I learn so much more effectively when I am able to take in the content at my own speed, when it fits best into my life, vs. the structure of a timed class-setting. I also love that in addition to a virtual class setting, with multiple platforms to reach out to each other, there are three times throughout the program where we gather to have in-person workshop weekends, where we can connect with our fellow students, instructors and previous students, which really gives me something to look forward to.
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Pesto Turnip Noodles with Brussels Sprouts
I know I have sung the praises of my spiralizer for sometime now, but today we are taking this love affair to a whole new level! It’s about to get really real as this love affair turns into a slight obsession, bordering on stalking. So let’s just spiralize ALL the things, shall we?
Today’s Foodie Friend Friday post celebrates all things spiralized – so get prepared to be Inspiralized! My girl Ali Maffucci’s debut cookbook Inspiralized: Turn Vegetables into Healthy, Creative, Satisfying Meals will take your love of spiralized noodles to a place you never thought possible. Whether you are low-carb, vegan, gluten-free, paleo or even raw, you don’t have to give up your favorite meals. Learn to create your the classic indulgent recipes you have grown up on and love but recreated and made from over 20 of your favorite fruits and vegetables. We all know about creating spaghetti from zucchini but this book is loaded with tons of unique and revolutionary recipes and ideas featuring spiralized vegetables and fruit.
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How-to Make Chickpea Flour and Socca Pizza
{Have you entered the Blendtec Giveaway yet? It ends this Friday}
I know by now, I really don’t have to tell you guys how much I enjoy making things from scratch! I would say that is quite apparent after over 4 years of blogging. Mostly I choose this way of living because I would always prefer to know what exactly is in everything I am eating. I love knowing that things are safely gluten-free and not processed or filled with weird, scary junk.
Until I received The Homemade Flour Cookbook from Erin Alderson, the thought had never really occurred to me to try making my own flours at home. I know what you are thinking – ‘flour? you are gluten-free, what do you want with a book all about how to make homemade flour?’ (or something along those lines, am I right?) I too honestly thought that there may be a recipe or two for me in here, but there are several chapters filled with wonderful tutorials and tips on making flour from gluten-free grains to legumes, seeds, nuts and so on.
This wonderful book is an in-depth guide to a variety of nutritious flours, milled right in your own kitchen plus a wide range of tasty recipes to create with your homemade flours. The possibilities are endless and the delicious dishes are a testament to the amazing things you can do with homemade flour.
It is no secret I love soccas! I have previously shared recipes here and here. Soccas are just amazing. They are a pancake or crêpe of sorts, made of chickpea flour. Served hot and crispy, this chickpea pancake is a quintessential street food found in Nice, France. Many times it is browned or even blackened around the edges, and it has an almost custard like, soft and tender inside. Serving one as a pizza is quite brilliant and although the texture is slightly different from a traditional dough, it is delicious in it’s own right and it’s a totally unique way to shove pizza toppings into your face!
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How-to Make Dairy-Free Ice Cream
I have to say, I have made and had dairy-free ice cream many times before, but it has never as good as this. I received a copy of Dairy-Free Ice Cream: 75 Recipes Made Without Eggs, Gluten, Soy, or Refined Sugar from Kelly Brozyna of The Spunky Coconut and it has forever changed my dairy-free ice cream eating ways! Not only is this book insanely beautiful, but Kelly has us covered on every ice cream and frozen treat you could ever dream of! This cookbook is loaded with 75 amazing recipes, each and every one totally dairy-free and gluten-free.
For this week’s Tutorial Tuesday post, I am teaming up with Kelly to give you a quick how-to on making the perfect dairy-free ice cream, plus a simple recipe for classic vanilla. In the Dairy-Free Ice Cream cookbook, Kelly uses her fool proof method to dairy-free ice cream – sharing her versions of classic favorite flavors like Vanilla, Chocolate, Rocky Road, Salted Caramel, Strawberry, Butter Pecan and more. But, the real treat is the collection of unique and innovative flavors, like White Chocolate Goji Berry, Gingerbread Cookie Dough, Saffron and Rose and so much more. As if all that wasn’t enough, you’ll also find frozen yogurt, sherbet and sorbet and she even shares incredible recipes for ice cream cakes, sandwiches and popsicles, plus there are grain-free cookie bowls, brownies, sauces and toppings and more! All made without eggs, dairy, gluten, soy or refined sugar. It’s incredible really. A summertime frozen miracle!
Below you will find a brief tutorial to get you started making the best ever vanilla bean ice cream, my version of Kelly’s classic vanilla. I am keeping this tutorial super simple and to the point, but, for more in depth information about the various ingredients, notes and tips on freezing, storing, tools and lots more – check out Dairy-Free Ice Cream.
Read the rest of this entry »
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Summer Berry-Coconut Milk Ice Pops – Vibrant Food Cookbook Giveaway
There are some blogs and cookbooks that I feel like were created just for me, thumbing through the pages or scrolling past the recipes, I feel like every beautiful photo was taken for me, each recipe created with my eating choices in mind. While I am not so arrogant to believe this to be actually true, it is really amazing to know that there are people out there, just like me, eating intuitively – loving and celebrating all of the beautiful, seasonal, healthy whole foods available to us. When I started reading The Year in Food, sometime last year, I instantly felt connected to Kimberley Hasselbrink, the creative mastermind behind all of the recipes and beautiful photos. Like me, Kimberley has a background in design, she, hailing from the world of furniture design, me, from a life of graphic design and it is clear in every recipe she develops. Her creativity shines brightly, as she creates a feast for the eyes by combining colors, textures, and flavors into her gorgeous, dynamic dishes. When I heard of her brand new book, VIBRANT FOOD, I knew right away before ever seeing it, that this was a book that I would absolutely love and would become a resource I turn to often. I was right.
It is clear that Kimberley’s look at food is viewed through the eyes of an artist in search of beauty as well as flavor and that she’s wildly inspired by the vivid hues of produce. In her debut book, Vibrant Food Kimberley captures the radiant colors of each of the seasons with recipes that transform meals into captivating works of art. It is apparent the passion that Kimberley has for cooking, each recipe a celebration of color, flavor and mood. Besides being an inspiration in the kitchen, it is hard not to be inspired visually, as well, as you make your way through the incredible, drool-worthly photographs on each page.
Vibrant Food invites you to look at ingredients differently and let their colors inspire you: the shocking fluorescent pink of a chard stem, the deep reds and purples of baby kale leaves, the bright shades of green that emerge in the spring, and even the calm yellows and whites of so many winter vegetables. As Kimberley mentions at the start of the book, “when we intuitively let the colors guide our choices, we can trust that we are eating well, and taking care of ourselves and celebrating food for its dynamism, its vibrancy, its flavor and its colors, as much as we are for its benefits to our health.”
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George and Juli’s Paleo Cinnamon Chocolate Swirl Banana Bread
Today, I am super excited to be sharing this delicious Paleo Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread recipe from George Bryant of Civilized Caveman Creations and Juli Bauer of PaleOMG, two paleo blogger powerhouses. This recipe comes from their soon-to-be-released collaborative cookbook The Paleo Kitchen.
Whether you are a full blown paleo eater or just a real-food eating gluten-free chick like me who is mindful of the amount of grains she consumes, I am 100% certain that The Paleo Kitchen is going to be an amazing addition to your kitchen. Besides the beautifully created, unique flavor combinations in the over 100 brand new recipes, this book is also chock full of beautiful photography, tips, tricks and other anecdotes to inspire you.
Here are just some of the amazing recipes you will find in The Paleo Kitchen:
· Sage and Shallot Delicata Squash Soup
· Citrus Mint Sugar Salad
· Blackberry Lavender Muffins
· Banana Chip French Toast
· Creamy Seafood Risotto
· Pepper Crusted Prime Rib
· Asian Marinated Bacon-wrapped Asparagus
· Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms
· Blueberry Cheesecake
· Lime Pound Cake with Coconut Lime Frosting
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Fairly Modest Mule Cocktail made with FAIR. Quinoa Vodka – {Gluten-free and Fair-trade}
We are all very aware of the well loved, super-food, quinoa, by now. How could you not be? It could nearly have it’s own section at a Whole Foods now and we certainly can’t eat at a trendy healthy restaurant without seeing it on the menu somewhere, if not in multiple places. I am personally a big fan of quinoa and it appears I am not alone! The United Nations actually declared 2013 the International Year of Quinoa. I love that! Quinoa is the mother of all grains and is an ancient power food used by Incan warriors 5000 years ago. The popularity of the seed, (which is commonly referred to as a grain) has grown exponentially over the past few years, I’ve seen it in everything from savory dishes, cookies, cakes, breads and now VODKA!! I mean really, does it really get any better than this?
Yup, it actually does. FAIR. Quinoa Vodka is an ethically sourced, one-of-a-kind spirit made with unique ingredients that is certified gluten-free and fair-trade, too!! FAIR.’s long list of boast-worthy qualities won me over, before I had ever even tasted it. Then, in a moment just like those in blockbuster chick-flicks, with a slow move in towards my lips, it was love at first sip! OK, who am I kidding, I am not that dainty, it was first a sip, then a good ‘ol fashioned vodka gulp. This stuff is really good, guys. It’s clean, smooth and fresh, no strange aftertaste like many vodkas can have. It’s full flavored while still being delicate with a slightly warm fruity finish. I have been loving it paired with a homemade coffee liqueur on the rocks, but it is also incredible in a simple dirty martini. Read the rest of this entry »
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Salted Dark Chocolate Nut Bites
A true test of how much I love one of the many cookbooks in my collection, is how messy and “used” the book appears. If there are oil stains, melted chocolate fingerprints, bookmarked pages, etc – you know it’s one of my favorites. I haven’t had Kelly from The Spunky Coconut’s new cookbook in my collection for even a month yet and it already has quite a few of those things. If you pulled it off my shelf right now, you’d swear I have had it over a year. It looks that used, already.
The Paleo Chocolate Lover’s Cookbook features 80 gluten-free treats for breakfast and dessert and it will have you drooling just a few pages in. I know you guys know this already, but I don’t go crazy over all sweets and baked goods. I am just not wired that way. But, if you were to set something in front of me that has been dipped in some melted high-quality dark chocolate, it almost doesn’t matter what it is. I will eat every last bit of it. I don’t need heavy rich desserts, I rarely crave sugary, sweetness, but when I do – just a little something chocolatey usually does the trick for me. Sometimes just a small square of cold dark chocolate is all I need. Satisfying and comforting.
Making healthy, gluten-free chocolate treats that aren’t loaded with refined sugars and grains is just so gratifying and you can still enjoy the rich goodness without the guilt. I am so excited to now have a healthy chocolate “bible” of sorts, to refer to for the perfect chocolate treats whenever I want. An entire book filled with recipes, every single one safe for me and my way of eating. There are breakfast options, cakes, cookies, pies, ice cream, candy and so much more. There is even a section of savory recipes including stews, salads and other dinner-time meals. Besides all of the recipe goodness, Kelly explains some basic tips on getting started with a Paleo lifestyle, going in depth about specific ingredients and techniques. Plus she shares the science, history and ethics of chocolate and some of her favorite brands of store-bought chocolate. It is an incredibly comprehensive book about one of the most yummy topics you can think of! Read the rest of this entry »
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Our Anniversary in Toronto. St. Lawrence Market & Splendido
Yesterday, my husband, Mark, and I celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary and the 7 year anniversary of our first date. Normally we are on the beach, alone, on South Padre Island. This year it wasn’t possible, so instead we decided to celebrate the day by spending it in Toronto. We skipped work, closed up the Boutique and took off in the car for the short drive over the border.
We drove up in the early afternoon and headed first to the St. Lawrence Market. I have wanted to go for a long time and we decided this would be the perfect day to check it out. It is located in the center of the historic Old Town Toronto, very close to the current downtown area. It has been named one of the 25 best markets in the world, by Food & Wine magazine. It was spectacular, there are three buildings in the complex that make it up, but the South Market, which we visited, is open Tuesday-Saturday. It had over 50 vendors, selling fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, baked goods, dairy and so much more. I would love to go up on a Saturday for the Farmers’ Market that is held in the North Market, weekly. On Sundays, over 80 antique dealers fill the North Market displaying their wares from dawn until 5pm.
We didn’t buy a whole lot, as I didn’t know what the laws were concerning bringing food over the border, I need to look into that for next time. We did decide to grab lunch while we were at the market, and I am glad we did. It was phenomenal. I found a small takeout cafe called Cruda Cafe, (“cruda” is Spanish for “raw), which specialized in raw and vegan delights. I was so excited to see mentions of gluten-free, and to speak with the owner, Claudia, who assured me there was no gluten in any of their dishes. I ordered the Wild Mushroom Burger. It was a dense and beautiful smoky, wild mushroom and pecan patty served between two thick slices of tomato and topped with shredded carrots, beets and a fresh guacamole (made right in front of me), all on top of a few leafs of the most green Boston Lettuce I have ever seen. This isn’t your typical burger, you cannot pick it up, it is a fork and knife kind of dish. It was fantastic. I couldn’t get over all of the flavors and how wonderfully they went together with each bite. I also ordered a “Clean” juice. It was made completely fresh, while I waited, with apple, carrot, lemon & ginger.
Mark grabbed a Chicken Parmesan sandwich from Mustachio, he was in heaven eating that. Afterwards, he grabbed an Americano from Everyday Gourmet, a cute little cafe and retail store on the lower level, where they roast and sell their fresh coffee beans, daily. And of course, no meal for Mark would be complete without a sweet, so he grabbed a cupcake from Future Bakery on the upper level. I bought a small tasting of chocolate from Aren’t We Sweet, a chocolate and candy shop. The chocolate was a dark chocolate featuring local hemp and topped with sea salt. Unlike anything I have ever tried, earthy and almost a bit spicy. So good.
After our lunch we walked around the market a bit more and then headed over to the Queen St. West neighborhood to window shop. I did buy a couple inexpensive items at H&M to try to outfit my new shape, since all of my clothes are too big now, a great problem to have, but a problem none the less. Ah retail therapy, it always fixes what is ailing.
We had 8:30pm reservations at Splendido on Harbord Street for dinner, so we headed there from Queen St. I read a lot of reviews when I was looking for the perfect restaurant for us to dine at and Splendido continually ranked as one of Toronto’s top fine dining restaurants. The cuisine can be classified as Modern or Eclectic European and they are known for their commitment to fresh, seasonal dishes made with locally sourced foods from family farms. I loved seeing a menu where all of the main dishes had the farm listed where the meat or fish was supplied from. The ambiance in the restaurant was perfect and it was one of the biggest restaurants I have ever been to, in Toronto. The service was great from the minute we walked in.
I started off with a cocktail and since I haven’t been drinking much at all these days I wanted something special. I went with the Anjou Sky, which was Absolut Pear Vodka, Navan Vanilla Cognac, Pear Nectar and Fresh Thyme. Wow, it was completely refreshing and hit the spot. It had a wonderful spring-time aroma and it went down easy. We decided since we hadn’t been out for a nice dinner in a very long time that we would really enjoy ourselves. We started with the Oysters 3 Bays 3 Ways. There were six oysters, two were served with horseradish, two with truffle chili mignonette and the last two with cucumber wasabi. The truffle chili mignonette was far and away our favorite, it had a subtle spice to it and it complimented the oyster perfectly. We also had the Spring Vegetable Salad, which was a mix of Spring greens and vegetables with a spinach puree underneath, a walnut emulsion and a light and tart cider vinaigrette. One of the best salads I have ever had. The perfect size too. Just a few bites.
For our main courses, Mark ordered the Beef Striploin that came with a smoked brisket raviolo and a sweet onion puree. The beef came from George’s Farm in Ontario. That was one of the tastiest and most perfectly cooked cuts of meat I have ever tried. Perfectly tender with a light crust on the outside. I didn’t get to taste the raviolo as that isn’t gluten-free, but the dollop of sweet onion puree was delicious. Mark said the “baby food” was his least favorite part (he is a textural eater), I thought it was great. After a brief description from our server, I went with the Suckling Pig, which came from Nathan’s Farm, in Ontario. It was very slow roasted pork that was so tender and tasty, it had a melt in your mouth, slow cooked taste like no pork I have every eaten. It is served pulled from the bones atop a spiced sweet potato puree, with a roasted shallot and a single spear of white asparagus. The only part I wasn’t crazy about was the two small bites of cracklings on top, that has never been a flavor I enjoy, though Mark loved it. I had a glass of the Pascal Marchand 2006 Bourgogne Rouge ‘Avalon’ Pinot Noir with my meal and it was an impressive, lighter, muted red that had hints of cherry and earth. Perfect with the roast pork. The portions on the entrees were perfectly sized for foods with such rich flavors, we finished them feeling perfectly content and not engorged.
Speaking of not feeling engorged, we opted for dessert, which I almost never do. Mark went with the ice cream sandwich which was Brioche ice cream sandwiched between two Lindt chocolate biscuits. It was a small 3 or 4 bite delight, he loved it. I went with the Rice Pudding which had a white chocolate passion fruit sauce and a tropical fruit salad on top. There were also a couple of bits of caramelized rice cereal on top. Growing up with traditional Greek style rice pudding, this was completely different, but out of this world delicious. A light and fresh finish to the meal. After we finished eating, they brought out an adorable piece of pastry that said “Happy Anniversary” and a card from the chef, Victor Barry, the manager, Carlo Catallo and our server, Steve. A very thoughtful touch and a nice way to finish a fabulous meal.
Overall, this has to be the nicest meal I have ever had at a restaurant, the service was impeccable, the ambiance was welcoming, romantic and perfect for celebrating our special occasion and of course (if you cannot gather) the food was superb. Another thing worth mentioning about Splendido, is that our server Steve, knew the dishes and ingredients well enough to know what had gluten and what did not, they were able to alter my entree and dessert to make sure that it was gluten-free, I love that assurance. I would have liked to take photos of each course, but I left my camera in the car and decided it was far more important to just enjoy the meal. Instead I shot a photo on my iPhone at the start of my meal and at the end. You’ll just have to go to Splendido to experience the rest yourself.
