I spent last weekend at a cottage with friends who don't believe in salads. Seriously. They think salad is for health nuts and that "healthy" and "flavour" are competing ideas. Unbelievably, so many people don't know how different real, fresh food tastes and I think it might be my life's work to let them know. I certainly had my work cut out for me on the weekend and I succeeded. In fact, I think one of the responses was: "Wow, I am actually surprised this is so good!"

The recipe that elicited that statement was a salad made from four local ingredients: green beans, green cabbage, red onions and yellow zucchini – all purchased during my weekly visit to the Brickwork's Farmers' Market in Toronto. My love of farmers' markets stems from a combination of reasons: eating local is the best way to get nutrient-dense food; buying from local farmers supports the local economy; and food that's fresh (in some cases, picked the morning I buy it) tastes better!

Many people don't realize that green beans can be eaten raw. In fact, the crunch of raw green beans adds a delightful freshness to this salad. They are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese making them great for the bones. Just one cup of green beans provides approximately 25 percent of your daily recommended dose of vitamin K. This bone-loving vitamin helps prevent excessive activation of osteoclasts, the cells responsible for breaking down bone.

Health benefits of cabbage and recipe after the jump.

A few weeks ago, one of my clients invited me to join her at a Bonnie Stern cooking class. I was super excited and not just because I remember reading her cookbooks as a teenager, but also because the theme of the class was "superfoods." During the session we learned how to make several different healthy and delicious recipes, but the last one of the evening really caught my attention because it was so easy, crunchy and sweet.

Now, I did make a few modifications (shhh, don't tell her that) to make it a tad healthier because I don't use refined white sugar in my baking. I also added some seeds to increase the minerals and good fats. However, the base of this recipe was certainly inspired by the lovely, spunky, Bonnie Stern.

I used three different nuts and seeds in this recipe: sliced almonds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. These are all health-promoting ingredients that I recommend you add to your diet.

Almonds: They are an excellent source of mono and polyunsaturated oils, in fact , there is up to 60 percent fat content in each almond. Don't let this fool you into thinking they'll make you fat. Nuts are a health food and the fats are essential. They are also loaded with nutrients including potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin E. Almonds are often referred to as an anti-cancer food because they are a source of an important antioxidant flavanoid, called amygdalin.

Sunflower seeds: These are more than just the seed of a beautiful flower, they are a wonderful source of vitamin E, protein, magnesium, selenium, vitamins B1, B5, B6, phosphorus, copper, iron, folic acid and fibre. Deficiency in these vital nutrients is common in the North American diet and has been linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Selenium in particular, has anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic properties making sunflower seeds a bonifide superfood.

Pumpkin seeds: These contain high levels of essential fatty acids, zinc and phytosterols, which makes these seeds great for prostate health. They are also a rich source of minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium, iron, manganese and copper and vitamins including A, B1, B2 and B3, which also elevates these seeds to superfood status.

Recipe after the jump.

Last weekend my boyfriend made me dinner and because he is typically a steak and frites kind of guy, I was quite impressed with his choice of wild and brown rice with tons of veggies made to accompany our grilled fish. While healthy is not usually his first priority when it comes to food, he knows vegetables are a sure way to charm his nutritionist girlfriend. And thus, consider this is my personal guarantee to you that this recipe is both easy and delicious and has my nutritionist seal of approval.

There were three local ingredients in this recipe: garlic, onions and asparagus and the remaining items didn't travel too far across mama earth to get to the kitchen. Fresh onions and garlic in Ontario this time of year are amazing so I implore you to check out your local farmers' market and simply follow your nose to the freshest ingredients.

As anyone who has done even the smallest amount of cooking knows, garlic and onions go into just about every recipe, which is a good thing according to the many experts and nutritionists like myself who consider them superfoods with seemingly endless health benefits.

Health benefits and recipe after the jump

Looking for a healthy form of convenience food? These delicious mushroom and lentil cakes go great with a colourful salad and can be frozen for several weeks. They'll not only satisfy your appetite, but will keep you energized for hours.

Lentils are a kitchen staple because they are relatively quick and easy to cook compared to other dried beans. Lentils might be small, but they're big on nutrition and taste.

Lentils can:

Lower your cholesterol: Of all the legumes, lentils are leaders in fibre content, both soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract that combines with bile to remove cholesterol from the body. Insoluble fibre helps to reduce digestive problems like IBS and diverticulitis and prevents constipation.

One of the best ways to beat the summer heat is by making your own ice pops at home. Not only are they less expensive than store-bought (You can use any fruit ingredients you have on hand), but they're fun to make too. Get your kids involved -- they'll have a blast.

Making your own ice pops also means you can avoid toxic artificial flavours and sweeteners like aspartame. Next time you're in the frozen foods aisle of your local grocery store, check out the ingredients on those popsicles -- they're full of chemicals.

Finally, there's the antioxidant factor. Fruit compounds in homemade ice pops can prevent wrinkles and combat cancer cells, to name just a few benefits.

The beauty of frozen treats? There are no rules. Use whatever fruits you have on hand, whether that be peaches, strawberries or blueberries or all three. Below are two of my favorite recipes -- one with milk and one for those on a dairy-free diet.

Each week, holistic nutritionist Joy McCarthy tells us about a common health problem she's seen in her practice and how she came to a solution.

This Week's Client: Allison, a 28-year-old Public Relations Manager and self-confessed sugar addict.

The Problem: Allison suffers from occasional diarrhea, persistent constipation that lasts for weeks at a time, and severe bouts of abdominal pain and bloating. She was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) three years ago and was prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs. She came to me for a more natural solution.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is one of the most common bowel disorders and affects more women then men. There are many other conditions that mimic IBS -- an imbalance of bacterial microflora, laxative abuse, candida, gluten-intolerance, excessive consumption of caffeine, too many carbonated beverages and food allergies can all cause similar symptoms, so it's important to seek professional guidance to rule them out.

I'm sure you've heard of the raw foods trend, and while I'm not a fan of subscribing to any particular "diet" per se, I do believe that every eating fad has some good takeaway points. In this case, eating raw foods is an excellent way to ensure you are getting the maximum enzymes available in your food.

Enzymes are important for hundreds of processes in your body, particularly digestion. In simple terms, the very food you eat every single day can actually improve your digestion by providing the raw (pun intended) materials for your digestive juices, as long as you chew your food well. There are many proven benefits of eating a mostly raw food diet, including better bowel movements, glowing skin and -- the most common one among my clients -- improved energy and stamina.

I want to emphasize that as a nutritionist I actually do not recommend a diet of 100 percent raw foods -- there are many cookable foods that you shouldn't eat raw for both health and taste reasons. In fact, for some foods like broccoli, cooking actually brings out its health-promoting nutrients.

The inspiration for my seed cookie recipe came not only from wanting to create something raw, but also from not wanting to crank up my oven in the middle of a Toronto heat wave. I recently made these cookies for a brainstorming meeting with three other health-conscious women, and they were a hit. Everyone asked me for this recipe.

I want to share a question I always ask myself before eating: How long did it take for this food to come from the earth to get to my dinner plate? Less time to the table means you're getting the most nutrient-dense, enzyme-rich food possible, which will keep your immune system strong, your energy levels high and your waistline in check.

Unfortunately, many supermarket foods undergo so much processing that they barely resemble food anymore. The items that I avoid at all cost? Sugar and all sugar substitutes, artificial sweeteners, bad fats, chemicals, preservatives and any food with an ingredient on a label that I can't pronounce or don't recognize. This basically eliminates most (but not all) packaged foods and soy-fillers.

Luckily, the summer heat makes many crave lighter, more refreshing whole foods like raw fruits and vegetables. This compulsion means you're likely eating healthier this season without even trying.

However, in the swelter, I can't help but wonder why mayonnaise-rich coleslaw still ends up on most barbecue menus when it's full of unhealthy fats and tastes like it came straight from KFC. No offense KFC.

It's time for a coleslaw recipe that's as high in flavour as it is in nutrients (and doesn't require you to drown your cabbage in calorie and preservative-laden grocery store dressings). Well, here it is! Try this dish at your next barbecue; your guests will love it and won't even suspect how easy it was to make.

Now more than ever, people are searching for gluten-free fare as part of a healthy diet. And it's not just for those with celiac disease -- gluten-free eating is a trend that's here to stay.

The benefits of going gluten-free can include any of the following: increased energy, better bowel movements, glowing skin, increased mental clarity and the most common one – improved digestion. I have seen the benefits with my own body and with numerous clients in my nutrition practice, so it's not surprising many people are seeking out gluten-free recipes.

My newest creation is a gluten-free chickpea and apple slaw sandwich. I've always been more of salad eater than a sandwich eater, but a client of mine had asked me for some sandwich ideas for her two children and I was inspired to create something delicious and nutritious. This recipe tastes as good as it looks.

Recipe after the jump.

Each week, holistic nutritionist Joy McCarthy tells us about a common health problem she's seen in her practice and how she came to a solution.

This Week's Client: Kate, 35-years old, passionate runner, HR manager and a "workaholic"

The Problem: Kate's been suffering from anemia. More specifically, she has low-red blood cell production from low iron levels. She's had extremely low energy levels and overwhelming fatigue which has been affecting not only her training for her first half-marathon but also her ability to stay alert at the office -- she's often unable to function without drinking three cups of coffee.

Anemia is a condition in which the blood is deficient in either the red blood cells (RBCs) or the iron-containing portion of the red blood cells. You RBCs are important because they transport oxygen from the lungs to the tissues of the body in exchange for carbon dioxide. When there's an issue with the RBCs, it's common for people to experience fatigue -- this is because of both the lack of oxygen being delivered to tissues and a build up of carbon dioxide. I see many female clients with this condition, especially in pregnant women.

Anemia occurs for various reasons, and it's important to rule out factors such as blood loss from a slow-bleeding ulcer, hemorrhoids or excessive menstruation, which could be the root cause. According to Dr. Michael Murray, the most common cause of Anemia is nutritional deficiency. People with low levels of iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid can develop Anemia. In Kate's case, we ruled out a B12 and folic acid deficiency by a blood test. Another test revealed that her serum ferritin (iron) was low.

Nutritional considerations after the jump.