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6 Friday, June 9, 2017 brooklintowncrier.com Plant-Based Eating by Sheree Nicholson What's trending? Smoothie bowls. They're fun, creative and can be loaded with nutritious items like chia or hemp seeds and fresh fruit. I had my first smoothie bowl at the Lil Organic Kitchen in Whitby and fell in love with it. If buying them in local restaurants, add a scoop of plant-based protein powder to keep you full all morning. I like the idea of making smoothie bowls as a family on a weekend morning. You could easily make the base in batches and then allow your children to add whatever toppings they prefer. I always enjoyed any time I could include my children in the preparation of relaxed meals. I buy the organic frozen fruit from Costco since it's affordable. As soon as my bananas start to get soft, I freeze them in large freezer bags. That way I always have some on hand for protein shakes and smoothies bowls. Coconut milk would make a creamier and tastier smoothie bowl than almond milk. If you want to be really healthy, you can make your own cashew milk using the following method: Place raw cashews in a bowl and cover with cold water. Allow to soak for at least one hour up to overnight, then drain and rinse. Combine soaked cashews and filtered water in a blender. For a whole milk texture, I use 3 cups of water to 3/4 cup cashews. The recipe below is from a great blog called minimalistbaker.com. What's cool about it is that the recipes use 10 ingredients or less, which makes things simple. In my busy world, I like uncomplicated recipes. Smoothie Bowl 1 heaping cup (160 g) organic frozen mixed berries 1 (100 g) small ripe banana, sliced and frozen 2-3 Tbsp (30-45 ml) light coconut or almond milk, plus more as needed Optional: 1 scoop plain or vanilla protein powder of choice* Toppings: 1 Tbsp (5 g) shredded unsweetened coconut (desiccated) 1 Tbsp (12 g) chia seeds 1 Tbsp (10 g) hemp seeds Optional: Granola Optional: Fresh fruit Instructions Add frozen berries and banana to a blender and blend on low until small bits remain. Add a bit of coconut or almond milk and protein powder (optional), and blend on low again, scraping down sides as needed until the mixture reaches a soft serve consistency. Scoop into 1-2 serving bowls and add toppings (optional). I prefer chia or hemp seeds and coconut. But strawberries, granola, and a nut or seed butter would be great here, too! Best when fresh, though leftovers keep in the freezer for 1-2 weeks. Let it thaw before enjoying. Sheree's Hack: Frozen bananas can be eaten on their own and taste similar to a banana popsicle but with no sugar. Just break them in half, add a popsicle stick, and freeze. WindReach Farm Celebrates Canada! WindReach Farm, an inclusive, barrier-free organization that offers therapeutic riding lessons, equine therapy, and innovative nature interactions, programs and services to individuals with special needs, is excited to announce our Celebrating Canada event on June 17, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Sponsored by our Annual Program & Event Sponsor, Ontario Power Generation, this event has something for everyone! Dance company, Motus O, will be performing "Fair & Wide, Oh Canada" throughout the day. A fabulous dance routine celebrating Fairs across Canada. Our Horseshoe-For-Hope 2017 Campaign Launch is at 1:00pm, with guest speaker Regional Chair & CEO Roger Anderson who will be joined by The Toronto Police Mounted Unit with their horses! See our Horseshoes-For-Hope Bridge & meet some of the horses participating in this campaign as well as the riders who benefit from our Equine Program. Hy-Hope Farm returns with its fabulous produce and products. Visit our delightful farm animals, which include lambs, goats & pigs! You can enjoy a variety of family friendly activities including our popular accessible hay wagon rides, crafts, face painting and much more! We are also delighted to showcase our musical equine riding performance by WindReach Farm Quadrille Team at 1:30pm! Entrance fee is $20.00 per car. Don't worry about lunch as we have refreshments available for purchase. Please leave your pets at home. About WindReach Farm For 28 years, WindReach Farm has supported individuals of all ages and abilities, including those with physical, psychological and intellectual challenges. As a registered charity, WindReach Farm officially opened its doors on June 16, 1989. Specially designed to meet the needs of individuals with a variety of disabilities, it includes fully wheelchair accessible pathways, trails, buildings, barns and stables. Offering five core programs, WindReach welcomes both the special needs and able-bodied communities. It is the result of Para Olympian Equestrian rider Sandy Mitchell's lifelong interest in working on the land. Born with cerebral palsy, Sandy has been able to integrate his personal passion with providing a similar opportunity for other persons with disabilities. For more information: Kelly Taylor, Acting Executive Direc- tor, k.taylor@windreachfarm.org Line Painting Season in Durham Region The Regional Municipality of Durham, Works Department, would like to advise residents that roadway line painting is now underway, and drivers should exercise caution when approaching these vehicles. When: Line painting season runs until October. Operations are typically underway on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. or overnight. Where: The Region is responsible for pavement markings on more than 2,000 lane kilometres in Durham, including all Regional roads and many municipal roads. Why: Line painting trucks operate at reduced speeds to ensure the proper application of road paint. Drivers are reminded to exercise caution when approaching line marking operations. Please keep a safe distance back, and do not attempt to pass. Follow-up trucks travel behind the line painting trucks to act as a buffer and allow sufficient paint drying time. Drivers are asked to stay behind the follow-up truck, be patient, and seek an alternate route when possible. Because line paint contains glass beads to make it reflective, driving on fresh line paint can cause damage to vehicles or compromise the quality of the reflective road lines. Note: Line markings are used to define lanes and guide traffic on roadways, as well as to provide guidance to drivers and pedestrians about safe practices. For more information about line painting operations in Durham Region, visit durham.ca/linepainting.