Feel Good Guru

As of this week, I no longer have to live with the shame of never having visited New York City. Embarrassing as it is, in all my travels, NYC has just never been number 1 on the list. But then the perfect storm happened: Book Expo America, having a website that reviews books that make the world a better place, and having a brand new book of my own to pitch. I imagined that late May would be the sweetest time to see the city that never sleeps – and I was right. And I actually managed to get some sleep, despite having booked a cheapo apartment on Craigslist which, of course, turned out to be not quite as advertised (lesson learned), but had one thing going for it – silence – and if you’ve been to the clangorous city, you know that quiet is difficult to come by. So I count my blessings. And I give you my whirlwind best of the best of four days in NYC outside of the Javits Center, where I spent the better part of three days. (more…)

I love playing tourist in my own town. Every once in awhile on a Sunday, I pretend I’m on vacation with a couple of good friends, throw on the running shoes and go on an urban walkabout. Toronto’s one of the great walking cities. It also happens to be a global leader in urban greening. With 4.7 million residents from every country you can think of, it’s one of the most ethnically diverse metropolises on the planet. In the course of an afternoon wander in Toronto, you can truly span the globe, from Italian street festivals to dim sum in Chinatown, to Indian religious celebrations, to Portuguese Fado by the lakeshore. It’s a vibrant world-class city worthy of a long, leisurely stroll. Savor it. It’s growing at an almost frightening pace. (more…)

BBQ season is upon us in Toronto, and for every ten or twenty carnivores who show up at the staff picnic with their Gordon Lightfoot Burgers (mushrooms, cheese, onions) from the Healthy Butcher, there are one or two plant-powered peeps who cringe at the idea of firing up a beloved Canadian folk singer and slathering him with mustard.

Whatever your idea of good summertime eats, you’ll discover that these Curried Tempeh Burgers are a hit at any bbq party. They’re delicious, filling, protein-packed, and easy to whip up. Bake them first in the oven, then just warm them on the bbq to give’em a mild smoky aroma. Dressed with a homemade sundried tomato pesto, they’re simply irresistible. (more…)

Chilled buckwheat noodles and greens together make a wonderful salad. Add an ume-apple dressing, a ripe avocado and some toasted seeds, and you have a delish, easy-to-prepare vitamin and protein-filled 5-minute meal you’ll turn to over and over again for lunch or dinner.

Ume plums are powerfully medicinal. Despite their acidity, they have an alkalizing effect on the body, aiding digestion and settling the stomach. (I know someone who swears by umeboshi plums as a hangover cure!) They’re available in the Japanese or macrobiotic section of most health food stores. The sour flavor of the plums is nicely balanced by the sweetness of apple in this light dressing with a hint of sesame. (more…)