Posts Tagged ‘a new leaf’

Healthy Granola Recipe

Posted on: March 3rd, 2015 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

Amy’s Best Ever Granola

This is easily one of my most favourite recipes! It is quick, easy and nutritious. Store bought varieties are often laden with a few different sugars. This doesn’t make them such a healthy choice after all. It takes only minutes to put this recipe together, and it should last you a few weeks.

3 cups rolled oats, not instant or quick
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds
6 tbsp. sunflower seeds
6 tbsp. sesame seeds
3 tbsp. flax seeds
½ cup unsweetened coconut
½ tsp. cinnamon 3 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
6 tbsp. maple syrup or honey

Preheat oven to 225º F. Mix ingredients and spread out on a cookie sheet.  Bake for about 40 minutes stirring 4 times. You can add ½ cup dried fruit (apricots, cranberries, raisins or candied ginger) after granola has baked. Store in glass jars once cooled. Enjoy as a yogurt topping, with milk of your choice (cow, almond, rice) or nibble on as a snack. This also makes a lovely gift to share with others. Enjoy!

It’s never too late to make healthier choices!



What’s New for February 2015

Posted on: February 27th, 2015 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

Events and News


What’s Happening?
Click Here for important 2015 tax dates!


Healthy Eating Starts With a Healthy Kitchen!

Posted on: February 24th, 2015 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

Get Checking...

 

Do your kitchen cupboards need to be cleaned out in order to eat healthier? Check out our blog post Organizing Your Kitchen.

Check out these important tax deadlines.



Associate Scoop: Eat Better, LIVE Better!

Posted on: February 19th, 2015 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

amysonnenberg (175 x 207).jpgLet me introduce myself. I’m Amy Sonnenberg–a mom, nutritionist and small business owner. When Cathy asked
me to contribute to her newsletter, I was thrilled to be able
to chat with you. I love any occasion when I’m able to talk about nutrition, and this is no exception!

Cathy is all about inspiring and empowering you to live your ideal life. In many ways our vision for our clients is exactly the same. We want to see YOU live your best life yet. For Cathy, that may mean helping you find order and a sense of calm in your surroundings. For me, it often means helping people eat healthier in a way that is enjoyable, delicious and easy to do. Nutrition advice can be confusing and sometimes conflicting. I believe that we are all individuals, and our nutrition needs are as unique as we are. My mission is to help you figure out what works best for you and your lifestyle right now.

What are some of my top tips for healthier eating?

  • Keep it simple. We aren’t all intended to be culinary celebrities with our own TV shows. There is beauty and freedom in simplicity. What are your favourite foods? Learn to cook them well in a way that is supportive to your overall long term health.
  • Plan your meals. I plan for 5 supper meals per week, so that I can still be spontaneous. I don’t usually plan breakfasts because I tend to keep those types of foods in stock. Lunches are often leftovers of some sort.
  • Make a grocery list. Check the cupboards before you leave home to make sure you actually have what you think you have. How many times have you gone to the cupboard to get an onion only to realize you are all out or they have spoiled?
  • Most of your grocery dollars should be spent on fresh foods such as local produce, meats and cheeses.
  • Avoid impulse purchases while at the store. Just because there is caramel sauce beside the apples doesn’t mean that it is a good idea to buy it.
  • Drink water! For many of us, most of our day is spent in a dehydrated state. Caffeine is dehydrating. For every one cup of coffee or tea, drink 2 cups of water.

With these tips in mind, you will be well on your way to eating better and making the most of your time in 2015!

Amy Sonnenberg is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist located in the Clock Tower Wellness Centre in Elmira, ON. Life can be complicated. Healthy eating shouldn’t be! Some of the services she provides are personalized nutrition assessments, grocery store tours, wellness seminars and home cooking lessons. You can contact Amy at DesignedForYouNutrition, or call 519-503-7926519-503-7926 for more information.

 



Countdown to Tax Time!

Posted on: February 17th, 2015 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

 

Get Productive...…Whether you’re a small business owner or not, that dreaded
…time of the year is closing in–TAX TIME. Clients tell me that
…tax time is one of the most stressful times of the year. Don’t
…get caught scrambling to complete your taxes.
…Schedule time in your calendar or planner, and start
…gathering up your paperwork.

There are simple ways to keep your paperwork organized. Yes–even a shoebox is OK–especially if all of your tax papers are contained in that shoebox. And I’m serious when I say that. If your papers are scattered everywhere, it becomes difficult to complete your taxes and ensure that you have all of the receipts required for your deductions.

Nothing is more overwhelming than getting behind in filing your tax returns. Don’t wait for Canada Revenue to come knocking on your door. If you need assistance, start now. A New Leaf would be happy to provide assistance if needed.

On a completely different note, staying healthy is necessary in order to be productive. When was the last time you cleaned your phone or your keyboard? You probably don’t want to know how many germs are on those surfaces. David Caolo shares his tips for Keeping your tech gadgets clean.



Words of Motivation from Brian Tracy

Posted on: February 12th, 2015 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

Brian-TRACY (200 x 250)..“Set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organize
…..your life around it.” 

                                                  -Brian Tracy

               Get motivated to organize your life!

 



How Long Should I Keep THAT in My Fridge?

Posted on: February 12th, 2015 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

foodland-ontario-logo-primaryDuring the cold days of winter, a warm cup of soup is always nice. Check out this Foodland Ontario recipe for Mighty Minestrone.

Winter is a good time to clean out your freezer and refrigerator. Check out:
“How Long You Can Keep (Almost) Anything In The Fridge, Freezer, & Pantry.”

                                      It’s never too late to make healthier choices!



Planning Ahead for Healthier Meals

Posted on: February 11th, 2015 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

Cathy Mendler  It’s February!

  Although it’s still winter, the daylight is lasting a bit longer
//every day. On Groundhog Day in southern Ontario,  
..Wiarton Willie told us we would have an early spring.
 ..Only time will tell if his prediction comes true!

Did you make a New Year’s resolution to eat less and exercise more? Have you given up on that resolution already? Would it be better if you resolve to eat healthier instead? It’s easier to do if your kitchen is stocked with healthy food choices. Planning your meals in advance can help.

So let’s get started and turn over another leaf!

MEAL PLANNING

An important aspect of running a household is planning meals.

Two friends of mine cook for one or two days every month and freeze meals to enjoy during the month. It’s a big undertaking to make a whole month’s worth of meals. Perhaps you’re not ready for a massive cooking session. Start small; double a recipe and freeze one batch to use later. Having a healthy meal ready can make a busy night less hectic.

Meal planning may initially seem like a lot of work, but it will become easier once you’ve done it a few times.

  • Make a list of meals for the next week.
  • What ingredients are required in order to make these meals?
  • Check your cupboards/pantry, refrigerator and freezer to see what ingredients you already have on hand.
  • Create a grocery list.
  • Check grocery store flyers for the week’s sale items.

Plan a variety of meals, so you don’t get bored. An added benefit is that you’ll be able to reuse your meal plan again in the future.

Scheduling

Once you’ve stocked up on groceries, get ready to cook.

If you undertake cooking a large quantity of food at one time, you will need to:

  • estimate how much time you need for cooking.
  • schedule cooking time as well as clean-up time.
  • decide how you will freeze the food–in single, double or larger serving sizes?

Rewards

Some of the rewards of meal planning are:

  • healthier meals
  • making fewer trips to the grocery store–saving you time and money.
  • wasting less food because you’ll use the ingredients that week.
  • less time worrying about what you’re having for dinner and not trying to figure it out at the last minute.


Don’t forget to take advantage of the cold weather and clean out your freezer!



Get the News: Tax Deadlines and More!

Posted on: February 10th, 2015 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

What’s Happening? 

To get all the news, Click Here 2 leaves



How to Organize Your Apartment ONCE in 2015 and Never Again!

Posted on: February 5th, 2015 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

Get Checking...

 For a different perspective on organizing, check out the “KonMari” method. Marie Kondo is “a highly-sought-after organization consultant/celebrity” from Japan. She “encourages you to shift your mindset to the feelings your items evoke by adopting a minimalist, category-by-category technique where you only keep the items that make you happy.”


Check out How To Organize Your Apartment Once in 2015 (And Never Again).