Outtakes from the cookbook!

Hello again,

Oh dear it's been a few weeks and I've been so absorbed with the cookbook that I've forgotten to keep you all updated!

In a few short weeks, you will be able to get this highly anticipated item but in the meantime, I thought I would share a few gorgeous photos that our very talented photographer took during the recipe creation. Although these shots are amazing, these are actually outtakes and won't be included in the book (I know, I know, they are definately cookbook perfect, aren't they?)

As we wind up the content for the book and get ready to send everything off to the graphic artist in a few short days, I can tell you that the layout is fantastically unique, the cover is a riot and we have all had so much fun putting this together.

Check out this great photo of Oatmeal Cookie Buckwheat Pancakes! If you're wondering what in the world these are, they are part of a fantastic new trio that takes heart-healthy oatmeal and creates amazing cookies, then uses some of the cookie dough to create these hearty pancakes and with the baked cookies, we've also created ice cream sandwiches - voila, a perfect trio for oatmeal!

Stay tuned for more teasers!

Best Health,
Julie

Recipes

Good morning and Happy Friday!

We are so busy constructing Cook Once Produce Twice recipes and I hope our viewers are going on line on a regular basis to look at the new content we are adding. Soon we will have a search engine with more recipe content when we launch our new website in November.

Have you tried Kale? Kale is full of vitamins, the dark leafy green we need in our diets...and our kid's diets. Kale is believed to help aid against cancer which puts it at the top of our list in the mmm test kitchen. Due to popular demand we added this recipe last night instead of waiting for the webisode so look for "Fueled Fit and Fabulous" and you will find an amazing new snack with kale....Gluten-free, all vegetarian and extremely healthy.

What could go wrong.......visit our site www.marlenesmealmakeovers.com and don't forget to enter our contest for the Pampered Chef salad spinner.....your Kale will thank you

Happy and safe weekend

Best Health

mm

mmm National Health Expo

Well I return to the blog.....yes this is Marlene and I am having a wonderful day finally able to stay in my office and enjoy a coffee and speak with all of you!

We have been busy with a new logo, new website and the launch of our new cookbook all in November. I was recently asked to speak at the National Health Show this weekend and am very excited to have this opportunity. If you go to our Facebook site then we have added a $2.00 off coupon as our guest for this weekend.(we are unable to upload any images due to maintenance on Blogger today so please just go to our website and click on our facebook page for the coupon @ www.marlenesmealmakeovers.com)

Health has continued to become a major topic, maybe in some way we are all realising the part that we play and that we are teachers for our children and the next generation. I read a sign yesterday outside of a church that said, "your home is a school.....what are you teaching"? I keep thinking about this as it relates to Dakota and the messages I send each day intentionally or not. I want to do better for her and as much as our kitchen table has done well it is time to work on friendships past and present and decide how I want to improve and make sure Dakota watches my mistakes, yes my mistakes.....but more importantly how I handle them!

So, sorry for anything or anyone in my past, but I am ready and geared for tomorrow......happily making mistakes along the way.

Come join me this weekend, your support is always appreciated and your health will thank you too!

Best Health

mm

Cookbook Layout

Hello Folks!

The creation of the cookbook is well underway and as we write, cook, test recipes, and write some more, we are finetuning our "look" and I can promise it is going to be a feast for the eyes and senses! It's definately a unique book and one I am certain one you will love.

We are creating a seasonal theme with recipes by the month. We are collecting some beautiful photos along the way and we'll start giving you some sneak peeks into what the cookbook will look like.

Each chapter will have an introductory section with three sections (you know how we love to do things in THREES!):
Lifestyle - with ideas and tips on staying healthy and active
Local Fare - information and tips about eating local all year long
Survivor Sanity - stories and thoughts from survivors
Stay tuned for some sneak peek photos of some of our fabulous new dishes, coming soon!

Best health,
Julie

The cookbook is coming!

If you're wondering why the posts have been a little "light" over the past few weeks, don't be dismayed! We have been meeting a lot and working even more on a cookbook to capture this seasonal approach to cooking with Marlene's "Cook Once, Produce Twice" concept!

Teaming up with another cancer survivor, Robin MacMillan, as our food photographer, the project is kicking into high gear and deadlines are being set.

We are looking at a pre-Christmas release of the cookbook so keep visiting the blog as we share our journey with you. As we get closer to a publisher date, we will let you know the title, release date and where you can buy one!

Stay tuned for lots of exciting developments over the coming months!

Best Health,
Julie

CIBC RUN for THE CURE OCTOBER 3rd

Run, walked, laughed and even cried just a little this year.....what a wonderful event. The mmm team soared across the finish line with over $8,000.00 in donations and great team spirit. Dakota happily finished the full 5km's by starting with running in mind then quickly deciding to finish by walking over the finish line.....great job D!!

Our good friend's Chyvonne and Al treated everyone to their famous chilli in a bread bowl and opening up their home with a roaring fire....what a way to warm-up with such a cold start to our day.

Devon from the mmm team did not let us down....with brisk temperatures and students all eager to help, she joined in at the Nipissing location and supported the run from her campus.....nothing like a little satellite run competition. We attached some of Devon's photos to share in the spirit.......looks like the colour pink crossed over to Nipissing....thanks Devon for a great job.

Thank you to all that sponsored our team and made for another successful year for such a great cause

Best Health

Marlene

Give for a future without cancer

While we tend to support events to raise money for hospital equipment or research on how to better fight cancer, what we all need to be thinking about more is how to prevent it ourselves by taking ownership of our own lives.

As a fellow survivor, I know that is what connected Marlene and I right away. Not our need to commiserate about chemo or the horrors of losing a breast... but how to educate people about developing a healthier lifestyle with less toxins, less preservatives and less cancer-causing elements in general. Eat clean, protect the environment and be active. As the moto goes: Good things happen in Threes!

Why do I run? Because I'm still here. Because I am better and because I can. Last year I was too sick to run so I gave generously to a friend doing the run but this year it's my turn to step up again.

This year I will run for myself, for Marlene, for all of the courageous women who have fought cancer but most of all, I will run for my daughter Sydney and her future. I run to set an example to my children about the importance of giving back. And I run with the hope that the next generation will be less than "1 in 9".

Please support our team this weekend and help aid the research to finding a cure.

Thank you and be well,
Julie

CIBC RUN for THE CURE OCTOBER 3rd

Run, walk or just cheer us on..... I am blessed to be surrounded by such great people this weekend as we do our part to help find a cure.

It's not too late to make a donation, just go to our website at www.marlenesmealmakeovers.com and click on our link under charities....thank you in advance.

I want to share this story if you feel you need a little push. I was fortunate this week when Rick and I went back to see the surgeon about a possible return of cancer on my right side and received the news that all was good and it was just a node that they are confident is benign. While I was waiting a young teenage girl was waiting as well with her Mom. I believed the young girl was there to support her Mom on her test results......when they called the women's name I went numb......they had called the teenage daughter's name.....how unfair and how determined I now am to protect Dakota and all young women and men from this disease. My prayer is her outcome was similar to my news and that they did not find the cancer.

Please help us and best health

mm

Another neat way to use Quinoa

Ever heard of Quinoa flakes? They are small, oat-like flakes that are quite light and fluffy and pack all the nutrition punch of quinoa.
You can purchase them at a healthfood store or some grocers may carry it.

I recently started using quinoa flakes in place of bread crumbs in my salmon cakes, turkey meatballs and so on as I've had to cut wheat from my diet (more on that another time). This is a great substitute if you are on a gluten-free or wheat-free diet.

I add it to canned salmon to help hold the patties for a calcium-rich meal:
Add 1/4 cup of quinoa flakes and one egg to a can of salmon. Use entire can, bones and all!
Shape into patties and fry in olive oil for about 3-5 minutes a side.
Serve with hot sauce for a tasty, nutritious meal!

I also add it when I cook oats, granola, in a crumble topping, you name it. It adds a nutritious punch to any recipe where you would normally use oats or bread crumbs.

Give it a try and let us know how it worked for you! Share your discoveries with us!

Best Health,
Julie

What to do with Kale

Hello Folks,

Kale, hmmm, what is it and what the heck do you do with it?
We all know we should eat more "greens" but how do you cook it and make the kids eat it too?

Kale belongs to the Brassica family of vegetables (also called Cruciferous)along with broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage and bok choy. They are among the top cancer-fighting foods, thanks to glucosinolate, an anti-cancer molecule (See pg 65 in the Oct/10 issue of Canadian living for more info on "Fighting Cancer in the Kitchen").
Kale is full of calcium and eating foods from this family at least 3X a week will lower your risk of developing lung, bladder, breast, stomach and colon cancers.

I buy Kale weekly but don't always feel inspired to make a stir-fry so instead, I wash and chop the entire bunch and plop it into a freezer bag and stick the bag in the freezer. Any time I am making a soup or casserole, I grab a handful of frozen kale and crumble it into tiny pieces and add to my soup or casserole. It crumbles easily when frozen which saves time chopping it into tiny pieces and makes it more palatable for kids. My kids won't notice it as much in soup if it's tiny little pieces of "green bits" as opposed to big chunks.

Freezing it ensures that no nutrients are lost with it sitting in the fridge, potentially going bad before you get around to cooking it, and also keeps a great veggie on hand.

For a quick and easy kid's thermos lunch or dinner:
Heat a carton of low sodium chicken or veggie stock to boiling, add 1-2 chopped carrots, a handful of frozen peas and a handful of frozen Kale. Boil for 10-15 minutes until veggies are soft. Add some egg soup noodles which take only 3-4 minutes to cook and you have a healthy meal that still provides the protein your kids need (in the egg noodles).
This is a staple lunch in our house and my daughter (age 6) loves it!

Now there's no excuse not to get those greens!

Best Health,
Julie

Quinoa the new Superfood

Yes it's me, mm!

As Julie mentioned I haven't left but because of all your support our response to the web doubled since last month....so thanks for the support!

You also know that we produced 13 episodes with Rogers TV last month and our first episode, "Back to School" is on the Rogers York Region website under the York Region Living link , and all episodes will be on the mmm site in a week.

The episode airing this week is our new Superfood...Quinoa, and since airing we have been getting a ton of feedback.....why?

If there was only one food you could take to the moon or a desert island then this is it. Quinoa looks like a grain but is actually a seed from a plant, but it cooks and responds like any other grain or rice when cooked or used in foods....which makes it very versatile.

Quinoa is a whole protein, daily calcium replacement and it contains fatty essential acids, complex carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Quinoa was also the most searched food on the internet and a recent book on Quinoa has topped the New York best seller's list........So what are you waiting for???

Visit www.marlenesmealmakeovers.com and get the recipe from our recent episode and stay tuned for the video link or go to rogers and watch today.

Best Health

mm

Scary News about Corn Syrup

Since we’re starting a new school year, which to me is a lot like setting New Year’s resolutions, I vowed to create healthier meals and snacks for my kids and eliminate some refined sugars and preservatives. One of the scariest sweeteners in kids’ foods today is corn syrup (otherwise known as High-fructose corn syrup).
Studies are now linking consistent use of this sweetener to higher rates of diabetes and also cancer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-fructose_corn_syrup
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/08/corn_syrup.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/idAFN0210830520100802

So get shop-savy and start reading labels at the grocery store. You would be amazed to read that even some spaghetti sauces have corn syrup! Avoid products that use corn syrup or HFCS (high-fructose corn syrup) as a sweetener and instead choose products sweetened naturally with fruit juice or honey.
When baking, you can substitute Sucanat (evaporated cane juice) for brown sugar; or try a whole host of other natural sweeteners like brown rice syrup, Agave nectar (a raw product, very much like honey), maple syrup, molasses, date sugar and so on.If you're looking for a calorie-free sweetener, Xylitol and Stevia are natural and safe.

You can find them at most grocery stores and health food stores.

Best Health,
Julie

Hello from Julie

Hello Everyone,
I thought before I posted another message, I should say hello and remind you that I've joined on with Marlene and will be carrying on the posts with a "Cooking through the Seasons" theme. Marlene hasn't gone away so don't worry! On the contrary, she is crazy busy with the show, speaking opportunities and all these wonderful magazine articles! Her business is growing and flourishing.

She will post about her upcoming adventures and I will continue on with the food articles and bring you great information and additional ideas on how to Cook Once and Produce Twice! I'll also keep you posted on how the cookbook is coming! It's an exciting venture for Marlene and I and no doubt will be filled with little adventures along the way.

And of course, keep visiting the website for Marlene's recipes!

To follow my monthly column about eating cleaner and the trials and tribulations of getting my family onto healthier food, please subscribe to the monthly newsletter on Marlene's website!

Stay tuned - there's much more to come!

Best Health,
Julie

Apple picking season is here!

Apple picking season!

One of my favourite outings on a September weekend is apple picking. I used to love it before I had kids but now, it gives me an excuse to get out and "play" at a farm without people looking at me like I'm a nut!

There are a whole host of orchards north of the GTA and it’s a great way to teach the kids about supporting the local farm community while having a lot of fun.

This year, with the hotter summer and better growing season, apples are ready earlier so if you’re planning to go, think about going earlier than usual.

For a list of farms in your area, go to http://ontario.farmvisit.com/ or http://www.pickyourown.org/canadaon.htm

For an easy and healthier apple sauce, peel 10 apples and chop into small pieces. Add approx. 3 cups of water, 1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1/4 cup of honey (depending on sweetness of apples). Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes until apples are tender. For a smooth sauce, pulse with a hand blender. Or just stir well with a wooden spoon for a chunkier apple sauce.

Be sure to save some for my "Mighty Muffins" recipe featured in the October newsletter!

Happy picking!

Julie

Back to School!

While we’ll all miss those carefree, unscheduled days of summer, September always brings with it a sense of a new year for the kids and an opportunity for us grown-ups to get organized once again.

As we all strive to eat better and “Cook once” so we can “Produce twice”, the same applies for kids’ lunches and healthy snacks. In the October newsletter, we tackle the challenge of getting kids onto healthier snacks and ditching the granola bars (yes, I know, groans from the audience but it can be done!)

When making kids’ meals, think about producing more than one meal option...

Cook up a batch of whole grain pasta to add to a homemade soup for an easy lunch (make a batch of soup ahead and freeze in single serving size containers), or heat and sprinkle with parmesean cheese for a quick version of “cheese noodles” they can take to school in a thermos; or have the noodles cooked and ready for a quick spaghetti dinner on one of your busier evenings (use the turkey meatball recipe from our "Triple Threat Turkey" trio for a delicious, protein-packed sauce!

Happy 6th Birthday Dakota!

This is a special Birthday message for my daughter Dakota who turned 6 today! I cannot believe how fast the time has gone.

Love,

Mommy and Daddy xoxo

This month's newsletter sent out

Hi Everyone

I hope you enjoyed reading this month's edition of the mmm monthly. It was filled with kitchen tips, inspirational writing from the mmm team, as well as a kid-friendly page with great ideas for Birthday parties.

If you are not a subscriber of the newsletter and would like to be please visit www.marlenesmealmakeovers.com to subscribe. Happy reading and as always I would love to hear any feedback you may have on the newsletter. Best Health!

Rogers Starts September 7th!

Hi Folks,

Hope you had a great weekend and all is well! September 7th is the beginning the mmm segments on Rogers cable 10. Tune in to cook up a storm with me and test out some terrific recipes.

As always I would love to hear your feedback and how the recipes turned out for you. So tune in for some great laughs and great food.

Just for Kids no parent's allowed!

Hi Everyone!

I had tea with Princess Aurora today and it was so much fun. She was so beautiful!


Love Dakota

Test Kitchen Tips!

Hi Folks,

On this rainy day I thought I would share some test kitchen tips with you as you are probably inside making use of the bad weather and cooking up a storm.

Tips:
1. Season your meat and even marinate before freezing.
2. Meat should freeze quickly, but de-thaw slowly. Always move meat from freezer to fridge preferably a day or two before needed.
3. When ready to cook meat, bring to room temperature first then after meat is cooked, always rest 5 minutes before slicing.


Hope all is well with everyone and keep "cooking once and producing twice!"