The arrival of spring always brings the urge to detoxify the body as an annual ritual and fresh start. Many people take it upon themselves to do juice or water fasts to cleanse their systems, with some adding in colonic irrigations or enemas. This does provide some benefit for enhanced liver detoxification and removing winter’s […]

My goal when I wrote the Vegan Cook’s Bible many years ago was “to design recipes so good that everyone who enjoys food – non-vegan and non-vegetarian cooks included – would scramble to make and taste them.” I wanted to create new vegan recipes that celebrate the very best of organic fruits, herbs and vegetables. […]

(The following is an excerpt from The Boreal Herbal: Wild Food and Medicine Plants of the North; Aroma Borealis Press 2011; adapted for publication in Vitality Magazine) Funnily enough, the word “nettle” made its way into the English language as part of the folk expression, “What the nettle!” probably because that is what you say […]

The Science Behind Ingredients That Curb Our Cravings

Winter in Canada can often leave us wondering who shut off our energy supply and replaced it with the urge to load up on carbs. Up to 35% of Canadians report suffering from dwindling energy levels during the long dark months of snow and ice.

When European settlers came to Canada, out of necessity they often came with very few possessions. They could only bring what was most valuable to them. Once they arrived, most of them had to grow their own food. Knowing that there would be a limited availability of seeds for planting in their new home, they […]

(Originally published in 2019; Updated in 2025) Do you want to live to be 110? You might be surprised by how many people are reluctant to answer that question with enthusiasm. One reason is that they believe their final 10 years will be full of pain. So, a better angle would focus on one’s ‘health’ […]

(Originally published in 2011; Updated in 2025) Peanut butter sandwiches in lunchboxes and “peanuts and Cracker Jacks” at the ball game are things of the past. Whether you’re avoiding allergenic foods to prevent a fatal allergic reaction, or to alleviate skin rashes, itchy throats or gastrointestinal upset, food allergies have a profound affect on the […]

(Originally published in 2017; Updated in 2025) Relax and take cheer; Lemon Balm is here. This refreshingly humble member of the Mint family (Melissa officinalis) is often considered to be a weed. Yet it is a surprisingly hip and helpful herb. Aromatherapists use its essential oil to comfort people such as the terminally ill or […]

(Originally written in 2017; updated in 2025) Grandma used to say that the next best thing to admiring flowers while  strolling through the yard or  summer woodlands was picking a handful to be used for "prettying up the plate". For her, dining on a delectable flower was one of life's simplest pleasures. My grandparents had […]

(Updated April 2025) During the fall and winter months when the days are shorter, we tend to stay indoors and be more sedentary. Our bodies begin to build up layers of insulating fatty tissue to protect us from the cold. When spring arrives, a shift occurs and our natural tendency is to burn off the […]

Ayurveda is a holistic system indigenous to India and practised worldwide. The word Ayurveda is a Sanskrit term meaning "science of life." Ayu means "life" or "daily living", and Veda is "knowing". Ayurveda was first recorded in the Vedas – which are ancient Hindu scriptures. Widely practised in India, this holistic health approach encompasses the […]

(Originally published in 2003; Updated 2025) What better way to herald summer than with a glass of homemade wine made with ingredients gathered from nature in the spring? With a modicum of effort, unique and delicious wines can be made using almost any edible plant material including herbs, fruit, flowers, leaves, roots and even tree […]

Herbalists and other healers have long championed the bitter taste of certain herbs and garden greens. Yet the majority of North Americans still shun these essential foods, preferring salty and sweet over the equally important sour and bitter.

(Editor’s note: The following collection of recipes was originally published in December 2017 and has been updated for re-release this month.) The holidays are a time when friends and family gather around the table to break bread and catch up on news and gossip. Traditional holiday menus tend to be heavy on the meat, but […]

Chile Pepper Medicine Turns Up the Heat

The mighty capsicum (botanical name for pepper) has been named 2016 Herb of the Year by the International Herb Association.

As our local markets bulge with the fall harvest, I feel a growing sense of urgency to capture the amazing variety and freshness that local food has to offer. Whether you’re an organics-obsessed foodie or enjoy hunting for the perfect pumpkin, autumn trips to market are bound to cause a twinge of the winter is-almost-here […]