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Colder temperatures are slowly making their way into Toronto. This week, our nights will be chilly and our mornings frosty. At times like these, our bodies crave warm, starchy foods with lots of carbs and calories. It is nature’s way of preparing for the winter and keeping you warm.

Now, you could give in to the cravings and snack on warm croissants and cookies. Or you could reach for healthier snacks, and keep that weight off until the holidays. What healthy snack will satisfy your cravings? A handful of almonds!! They are a delicious, warm fruit (yup! Almonds are the seeds of the Almond fruit!) filled with nutrients and goodness, and they keep you warm! Here is a list of some of the wonderful nutrients found in almonds:

• Almonds contain very little carbohydrates. That makes them an excellent choice in gluten free desserts (almond flour cookies, yum!).
• Almonds contain fibre, which keeps your digestive system happy.
• Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats: the good fats that lower your cholesterol and risk of heart disease.
• Almonds are also high in Vitamin E, and its related antioxidants.
• Almonds contain magnesium, which helps channel blood, nutrients and oxygen through your veins and arteries.

To summarize, almonds are great for your heart. You may be wondering how you can include almonds in your diet without having to carry around a bag full of them. Here are a few meal ideas using almonds:

• Almond butter on toast. This contains less sodium than peanut butter and tastes incredible.
• Almond flour in cakes, cookies and breads. Almonds have a warm, slightly sweet taste which is great in breads.
• Crushed almonds (in a food processor) in your milk or latte.
• Crushed almonds (again, in a food processor) are a great topping for fruit, yogurt or ice cream.
• Toasted almonds sprinkled on your salads, chicken dishes, and even pasta.
• Sliced almonds on iced cakes and cupcakes.
• Or a handful of almonds, plain and simple.

What ever way you choose to eat them, they are an excellent healthy snack.

Until next time, stay nutritious!

Does this sound familiar?

It is two weeks to Christmas. Your Christmas shopping has yet to begin. The lineups are now bordering on insane, and everything seems to be sold out. The quest for the perfect, unique-but-affordable gift is slowly dying. You are considering running away to Bora Bora for the holidays.

Christmas can be overwhelming. But only if you let it become overwhelming.

Your gift shopping does not have to be so hard….read on for a list of “unique yet affordable” presents which make you go yumm.

1- Chef’s Hats: These puffy white hats with your name embroidered on them are available online…just do a quick Google search. They may not be too useful but you know mom will feel like a queen when she wears her hat to bake a special batch of cookies for you. It’s a win-win type of present.

2- Subscription to delicious magazine: This glossy magazine is so pretty. The pictures should be enough to make anybody go yumm. The recipes are easy to follow, there are many low fat, healthy options, and the finished products turn out yummy. This is a great gift for mom, dad, or anybody else who enjoys cooking up a storm. You can buy the magazine at any bookstore, and the subscription can be mailed in or purchased online.

3- Peppercorn and Sea Salt Mills: Once you have used pepperballs and saltballs, you will never use a pepper shaker again. The flavor of peppercorn and sea salt is a big plus point. Other pluses include the adorable shapes they come in. These are available at most kitchen stores, as well as online.

4- Batch of cookies: This makes a great present for friends you are not too close to, and in Secret Santa situations where you don’t know who will get your gift. Pick out your favorite cookie recipe, or use one of ours, bake a BIG batch, put them in cookie tins and give them out. Of course, feel free to eat some yourself. J

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5- Purdy’s Hedgehogs: We dare you to buy these for presents and not eat them until Christmas morning. These Hazelnut-flavored Hedgehog-shaped truffles are arguably the most delightful treat to come out of Canada. Yup, they’re up there with Cow’s icecream, beavertails and poutine. Purdy’s is a Canadian company which began in Vancouver 102 years ago…so in a way, you’re buying local when you buy these hedgehogs.

You can buy and have them gift wrapped for free at their retail locations (Erin Mills Town Center, Vaughan Mills and Fairview Mall) or order them from their website.

Anybody have any other yummy ideas they’d like to share?

Adding to the last post, U of T’s Water Initiative is also underway. Campus partners encourage the use of refillable water canteens or bottles. There are filtered water stations in cafeterias, and water fountains in almost every building on campus. You can fill your canteen at any of these locations for free: save yourself some money and keep plastic bottles out of the landfills.

If you are almost convinced to switch to stainless steel canteens, check out The Good Human to be fully convinced.

Cheers!

Dear UeaTers,

Have you ever pondered over whether it is really possible to be a 100% locavore? Ever wondered if local trumps organic? What about culturally symbolic foods that can’t be grown in Ontario soil? Is the 100-mile diet just a trend?

To help you with your ponderings, we would like to introduce you to Eat Local!, a student run initiative on campus to promote eating local, sustainable foods. This group of students has worked very hard to put together an annual Eat Local! Day on campus which features information tables, guest speeches, a local farmer’s market and….A FREE VEGAN LUNCH!