Bear with me on this ingredients list. I don’t measure for salad dressings. I add ingredients, taste, adjust and go. You should do the same with the list below. When it comes to salad dressings, there’s no wrong way to make them as long as the result is something you’ll enjoy eating!

Ingredients
½ c buttermilk
¼ c light mayonnaise
1 small clove garlic, chopped (you can use garlic powder for a more gentle garlic flavour)
salt
pepper
dill (fresh or dried)

Directions
Combine all ingredients thoroughly. I use my blender and a Mason Jar* and usually make enough to last a few days (doubling or tripling above ingredients accordingly).

*Did you know that Mason Jars fit onto most blender blade attachments?! They totally do! I use this trick all the time to make salad dressings, smoothies and so on without having to dirty the blender jar. WARNING: If you try this, please remember to use the lowest setting on your blender to start and go up gradually. Using this method requires a lot less power to get the job done and you don’t want to risk breaking the jar!

The recipe does call for 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil or melted butter/margarine but will work with as little as four tablespoons of same. If you choose to reduce the amount of oil/fats in the recipe you might opt for adding some yogurt or mashed banana to add moisture to the recipe. Please note that a drier batter will require less cooking time while a batter with a lot of moisture will need more time on the waffle iron.

Organic ingredients are recommended where according to availability and cost.

Ingredients
1¾ c whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

2 eggs
1¼ c milk
6 tbsp vegetable oil or melted butter/margarine

Directions
Combine all dry ingredients in one bowl.

Combine all wet ingredients in another bowl (or, as I do, in a large measuring cup).

Add wet ingredients to dry and mix into batter. Cook on hot waffle iron.

We make extra batches at one time to have some for freezing. They’re perfect for quick breakfasts and are far healthier than store bought frozen waffles. Reheat either in the microwave or in a toaster, depending on whether you want them crispy or soft.

The easiest way to consistently eat healthy is to do as much of the work ahead of time as possible. Each Sunday I wash and cut my lettuce – a job I sincerely detest – and while it air dries a little I chop all of the vegetables we will be having in salads that week.

Next step is to decide how many salads you’re making for the week and fill as many glass jars with the amount of veggies and lettuce to make one salad. It’s important to keep anything that might make the mixture soggy out of the equation. I start each jar with veggies at the bottom, then lettuce.

Special tips:
1. I put green onions on the top just to ensure they don’t suck up the moisture from the other veggies in the jar.
2. I put tomatoes in their own container at the top because they are far too wet and will soggify your salad before you have a change to eat it.
3. Nuts and cheese should be added later but, as with the tomatoes, can be prepared ahead in serving appropriate containers and tossed in seconds before your meal.

I usually make four of these on Sunday for the week ahead. I also have additional lettuce washed and cut for use in caesar salads. All of my salad supplies go on one shelf of the fridge – including nuts, toasted quinoa, our favorite cheeses and all of our made ahead homemade dressings. This makes eating a healthy salad every day easy and delicious!

Tightness in the hips, lower back and oblique abdominals can lead to many postural issues and, therefore, a trickle down raft of aches and pains. Trikonasana targets these areas and encourages proper movement and better blood flow.

Triangle Pose also contributes to improving the appearance of your midsection by encouraging good digestive health (and therefore decreased bloating and abdominal swelling) and by elongating the oblique abdominals. If you’re working toward a flat stomach, Trikonasana should be a part of your fitness routine.

You can view an excellent animated video of how to properly execute Trikonasana at abc-of-yoga.com.

Remember that any fitness routine deserves excellent nutrition and proper hydration to support it. Make sure you’re getting the necessary nutrients for optimum health and well being while also drinking plenty of water. These are the first steps to optimum health. Exercise alone is not enough.

My kids love french onion soup. They go crazy when they come home from school and I’m chopping a thousand onions. It impresses the hell out of me that they’ll eat so many foods I wouldn’t go near as a child. They love the sweet flavour of the onions paired with the ooey gooey melted cheese and french bread on top. This is a definite family favourite.

This recipe can be vegetarian or not. French onion soup traditionally uses beef stock as its base but we use vegetable broth for this and all of our soups because half of the people in our little family are vegetarians. You can also use chicken stock if that’s what you prefer or happen to have on hand. We’re not building rocket ships or, in the same highly technical vein, baking pies from scratch. Soup is forgiving, easy and satisfying.

You can download the printable PDF of this recipe by Clicking Here.

Ingredients
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
3 red onions
2 white onions
2 leeks
3-5 shallots (depending on size)
6-8 c broth
fresh or dried sage
salt and pepper

french bread (a bit stale is preferred here), lightly toasted
grated cheddar

Directions

Get the garlic minced and chop all of your onions to the size you prefer.

Melt butter with olive oil in your best soup pot. Add garlic and warm until fragrant, being careful as heck not to brown. Add onions and stir until everything is coated in the butter and oil. Season with a bit of S&P and sage (freshly chopped – about a tbsp and for dry – about 2 tbsp).

Cook covered on medium heat for about 45 minutes. Take the lid off half way through. The onions will be soft and slightly golden but should not be brown. Stir every few minutes during this process to make sure nothing sticks.

Add the stock and simmer for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to broil and toast your bread bits until golden. Pour soup into oven safe onion soup bowls, cover with toast and grated cheddar cheese. Put soup bowls on a sturdy baking sheet and Broil on high until cheese bubbles. This won’t take long – keep an eye on the oven and remove before cheese is overdone.

Remove baking sheet from the oven carefully and remember that the soup bowl handles will be very hot. We use a cloth soaked in ice water to cool the handles before serving so that the children don’t burn themselves. The handles will still be warm but are far cooler than straight from the oven.

Enjoy!

To download the printable PDF of this recipe Click Here.

I have had lordosis of the spine all of my life and have, over time, developed a method of treating it that works very well for me. I believe there are several areas of focus necessary for the treatment and prevention of swayback. I will discuss each of them here and hope it will be of some use to you.

yoga
Tight muscles are a major factor in the development of swayback. Obvious areas such as the hip flexors and lower back muscles are definite culprits but other muscles can also contribute to a tipping of the pelvis and result in lordosis of the spine. Tight hamstrings, for example, can pull you out of alignment and, if your body is so inclined, result in swayback issues. Therefore, people with lordosis are encouraged to follow a regular routine of yoga at least three times a week with a focus on the following areas in addition to a general practice:

hip flexors
lower back
hip adductor and abductors
oblique abdominals (sides of torso)
hamstrings
quadraceps
calves

core strength
If you have lordosis of the spine you have no doubt been told a hundred times to do your crunches. I was about seven the first time this was prescribed as a solution to my swayback issues. I’ve no doubt done enough crunches in my lifetime to fill a million Sundays and still, not real change to my swayback issues. I think I have discovered why this is.

People with swayback do not have strong enough transverse abdominal muscles. These are the innermost layer of abdominal muscles and they are responsible for pulling your midsection inward toward your spine. These are the muscles which, when trained, produce a flat stomach – far more so than working on the rectus abdominus which is the section of abdominal muscles trained when doing regular crunches on your back. It is possible to engage the transverse abdominal muscles while doing regular crunches but there are far better exercises suited to targeting the transverse abdominal area.

The yoga Plank Position is one way to work the transverse abdominal muscles.

The problem with this exercise is that it requires a preexisting level of abdominal strength in order to be done properly and for best effect. For people with lordosis of the spine, this strength is not yet developed and doing a full plank position can actually cause more problems by way of increased lower back and pelvic strain. Instead, I recommend doing a modified plank position:

In this position you can actively engage the transverse abdominals without also having to support your entire body with the muscles in your arms, back and legs. Here’s what to do:

While on all fours, breath in and release your abdominal muscles. Breath out and pull your tummy toward your spine. Hold for ten seconds and release. Repeat this ten times, several times a day.

One of the absolute best core strengthening suggestions I can offer for the treatment and prevention of swayback is to do the following two videos every day (or as often as possible). They have had a real and lasting impact for me. Be sure to do the videos in the order shown for best effect.

digestion
I’m not sure which came first here, the chicken or the egg, but digestion seems to play a substantial role in swayback issues. Is it that your back sways and your digestion goes off or the other way around? I honestly don’t know but I see a definite connection and believe that eating well and making sure to keep the digestive juices flowing can have a positive impact on lordosis of the spine. Therefore, be sure to eat plenty of high fiber fruits and veggies, drink plenty of water and resist eating foods that are difficult for you to digest. If you do find that your digestion has become sluggish, take a few days to correct that. Following the suggestions made previously while at the same time righting your diet you’ll find that everything will fall back into proper alignment.

I hope these suggestions for treating lordosis of the spine have been helpful. In my experience they have been the best answer in dealing with my swayback issues. For lasting effect it’s best to follow these recommendations over the long term. If you stop, the benefit stops as well.

This bread is low in fat and uses whole wheat for better taste and food value.

Organic ingredients are recommended where availability and cost permit.

Ingredients
3 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1 c raisins

1 egg, beaten
1/4 c plus 1 tbsp melted butter or margarine
1 c milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl.

Beat egg in a small bowl until frothy and combine with milk and melted butter.

Combine wet and dry ingredients, stirring just enough to moisten.

Scrape into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 45-60 minutes, checking center with a knife or toothpick and removing from oven when it comes out clean.

Time to eat!

Download the printable version of this recipe here.

Stay Hydrated. Ah yes, that old chestnut: stay hydrated We’ve heard it so many times that it comes off as blah blah blah but it’s still so important. Winter weather is dry and it’s more important than ever to give yourself the fluids necessary to live a healthy and happy life. In winter, though, it’s important to remember that your skin needs you to drink water for its benefit too. Winter air is drying and damaging to our skin but by staying hydrated we can help our skin weather the…weather.

I read the other day that we should drink 2 large glasses of water an hour before outdoor winter activities. I recommend that staying generally hydrated is the better option unless you plan on sneaking behind someone’s blow-up santa to relieve yourself. If you’re careful to drink plenty of water throughout your day, loading up before activity shouldn’t be necessary unless you’re running a marathon.

Protect your skin. Drinking enough water for healthy living is one way to protect your skin from the elements. Another is to apply a gentle lotion with sunscreen. Do this with your normal skin care routine but also shortly before going out to exercise or play outside in winter. A layer of lotion will create a slight barrier to the wind and cold and protect your skin. Be sure to give the lotion time to soak in before piling on the clothing layers so that you’re not glued to your outerwear.

Bring Your Phone! A few years ago I was out walking one evening with a friend. The sidewalks were incredibly icy and although we were being careful, I did fall. I wasn’t seriously injured but might have been. I always carry my cell phone when we go walking in the winter just in case something comes up and we need husbandly rescue.

Stay Warm Obviously, you’re going to want to dress warmly but more to the point, you want to dress warmly and comfortably. Nothing limits outdoor winter activities more than being either underdressed or overdressed. It’s important to find equipment that works best for you. Here are a few suggestions you may not have considered:

Earbags are light and keep your ears not only warm but also protected from the wind. They are often preferential to a bulky hat or head band.
Neck warmers are a great alternative to long bulky scarves. They keep your neck and face hidden from the elements but are small enough to stuff in a pocket if you stop for coffee along the way.
Winter Tights can be a great alternative to long underwear. They come with feeties attached and thicker varieties fit nicely under ski pants or sweat pants or whatever suits your purpose.
Ice/Snow Cleats can make the difference between getting there and needing someone to come and get you. Slip and fall accidents aren’t limited to seniors and it’s a great idea to pick up some sort of winter cleat for your outdoor distance walking. The fall I mentioned previously happened before I purchased my cleats.

Winter can be tough and it might seem easier to just stay indoors and wait it out. You could buy a treadmill or take an indoor fitness class – which would be great – but it’s also important to get out into nature. It’s good for the soul to be out in the fresh air and to be a part of the world that surrounds you. Going to the trouble of bundling up to go walking in a winter wonderland is definitely worth it.

As we get further into our yoga practice some of us start to think that the more basic poses and postures become obsolete. I disagree with this wholeheartedly. As simple as Cat Pose is, it has many benefits to our health and well being.

benefits from cat pose
1. Massaging of entire spine which promotes overall spine health and flexibility.
2. Increases blood flow to internal organs.
3. Increases lower back flexibility and promotes lower back health.
4. Encourages neck and shoulder health which can help decreases frequency and intensity of stress and tension headaches.

It may not be a technically challenging pose but as you can see, the benefits make Cat Pose worth keeping in your yoga practice. Sometimes simple is best and in this case, simple certainly has significant effects.

I use Uncle Ben’s Wholegrain Brown rice. White rice can also be used for this recipe but brown is preferred for it’s health benefits. The amounts listed here will feed 2 adults and 2 small children as a side dish and can be adjusted according to the amount of rice you need to make.

Ingredients
1/2 c brown rice
1 tbsp butte or margarine
1/2 c chopped hazelnuts
1 clove garlic (optional, see below)
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt
pepper

directions
Cook the rice according to package instructions.

When rice is about 5 minutes from being ready, melt butter in frying pan and add hazelnuts. Cook over medium heat to lightly brown the hazelnuts while being careful not to burn.

If you are adding garlic, now is the time. Sauteing the garlic before browning the nuts will result in the garlic being overcooked at this temperature with so little else in the pan. Add the garlic once the nuts have browned and saute until fragrant – about 1 minute. The garlic may brown quickly, depending on the temperature of your pan so stay close!

Add lemon juice and stir, coating nuts. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove rice to serving bowl and add hazelnuts. Stir and serve.