Shavone Doherty

Soaking and sprouting pulses at home doesn’t sound like a festive time, but the 68th United Nations (UN) General Assembly actually declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses. Is that a celebration of your racing heart at the thought of sprouting at home? No! In this case, pulses are something else entirely—but you might still feel some excitement about them!

Back to school is officially on! The start of the school year is a great time to increase essential fatty acids (EFAs) in the diet. Why?

EFAs are core building blocks that allow your body to function. Your body cannot synthesize essential fats and need to be a part of the daily diet. EFAs produce hormones and regulate the nervous system. Help your kids get the most out of school by supporting their mind, memory, and mood. One great (and easy) way to get essential fats into your kids is nut/seed butters! 

With the last few weeks of summer upon us, we have to take full final advantage of camping season! We love camping here at EcoParent and we hope you do too! Do you ever find yourself stuck trying to think up new and fun recipes to make over your lovely open fire? Remeber, camp food can be fun! After all, it's not every day you get to cook a meal over an open wood fire. Try this recipe for your next camping trip! 

The Canadian growing season is short and sweet. Berries are a beloved part of its bountiful harvest with over 200 species of berries that range in taste, colour, and nutritional value.

Take advantage of the fresh selection of berries available this summer! They make a great addition to the diet, being low in sugar and high in antioxidant properties that help support the immune system, vessel health, and more!

Summer is finally here! June 21st marks the summer solstice and it looks like the nice weather is here to stay. Kids are officially finished school and are craving cooling snacks in the heat of the summer.

Are you a self proclaimed pesto lover? Are you tired of spending a pretty penny on a small container of shelf-stable pesto?

If you haven’t made pesto before fear not, it couldn’t be simpler to prepare.

Pesto is an amazingly nutritious and versatile way to elevate any dish you make. Traditionally pesto is made up of a few different ingredients: basil, pine nuts, oil, garlic, salt, and Parmesan cheese. It is a staple that will help you out in the kitchen time and time again. Prepare in advance for quick and simple meals.

Spring is a time of renewal and rebirth. Traditionally it is seen as a time to clean up, re-organize and start fresh. As the re-growth of bulbs and perennial plants start to revive, so should you. Take this time to clean out your pantry and prepare for the growing season.

Take stock of your pantry

Fermentation is a process involving a group of microorganisms, primarily bacteria, known as lacto bacilli. These bacteria live in anaerobic environments and go through a metabolic process that converts sugars to lactic acid or alcohol. They are everywhere and humans have a symbiotic relationship with these bacteria. They make it possible to grow food, assist us to digest food and we in turn act as an incubator for these bacteria.

A recipe is a set of instructions that describes how to prepare or make something. It can serve as a guide, a reference point or simply a chance to get inspired. With hundreds of different cuisines and thousands of ingredients there are endless possibilities to work with, or as I like to say, play with. Some people will not cook without them and others could not be bothered to use them! 

Here are 10 tips to discover your inner chef and have you writing your own recipes in no time:

Since the early 1900’s the chemical industry has developed and released roughly 78,000 substances into the environment. The list includes but is not limited to pollution, pesticides, household items like non-stick pots, shower curtains, cosmetics, personal care products, dental amalgams, furniture laden with flame retardant chemicals, and cleaning compounds.

Herbs come by the hundreds and are extremely versatile for their culinary and medicinal application. Today I will highlight five of my favourite culinary herbs that you absolutely must start using this winter if you haven't already!

Vitamin D is a bit of a misnomer because it is actually a hormone. Our bodies produce it when exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet light. We can also get it from certain food. If you live in the northern hemisphere, you are probably familiar with the long dark winter months. As the days get shorter, vitamin D deficiencies are more common. Understanding that vitamin D is a hormone and not a vitamin can bridge the connection between deficiencies and mental health issues and depression.