That Clean Life

That Clean Life is an awesome meal planner that I have become obsessed with over the last few months. I'm always looking for healthy and easy recipes to try, but sometimes feel overwhelmed by all of the choices that are out there online and have started to get away from using cookbooks. That Clean Life has become a lifesaver to provide super easy and delicious recipes, an awesome meal planner and done-for-you grocery lists.

There's something that I really enjoy about meal planning - it's probably the Type A in me. And because it's something that I enjoy, I didn't think That Clean Life would be valuable for me. And then I found out about its full capabilities and saw it in action, and realized how well it could fit into my life. It's been a total game changer.

That Clean Life Capabilities

That Clean Life is more than just a piece of meal planning software or a collection of recipes. Here's why I've fallen in love and use it each week:

• There are currently more than 800 recipes to choose from and search for, with new, seasonal recipes being added each week
• You can search by ingredient or category, and each recipe has a beautiful photo + comments from those who have made the dish before
• Each recipe can be adjusted for the number of serving sizes, big or small
• Most recipes are gluten and dairy free, with lots of vegetarian, vegan and paleo options
• All of these recipes can be added into a meal planner for the week, where you can also indicate leftovers
• That meal plan is turned into a grocery list with the click of a button, and you can indicate which items you already have on hand. You can even email the grocery list to yourself
• You can add your own recipes into your recipe box, which allows them to be loaded into your meal plan and subsequently included in your grocery list
• There are also a tonne of done-for-you meal plans that you can choose from, with individual focuses like kid-friendly, paleo or a spring tune-up
• Recipes can be saved into Collections, which means that you can easily find recipes you've saved to put them into a meal plan in the future

And have I mentioned that everything is delicious?!

I love that That Clean Life easily fits into my way of eating, and makes it so easy to prep tasty meals and snacks. Like this layered dip I made for us on a Friday night when I didn't really feel like cooking and wanted to enjoy something a bit more snack-y for dinner.

I also love to be a part of the community, as I get to see when new recipes are added and love to creep on the recipes that other members have been making. Each recipe also has a comment section where members share substitutions, questions or comments they have. It's a great way to learn more about other people's experiences with the recipes, and often people's comments have enticed me to try a recipe out if I wasn't sure.

That Clean Life has also done an amazing job of creating healthier versions of treats, classics and comfort food - like this chocolate chip cookie pie.

Each week I get really excited to see the the new recipes that have been added, especially because they seasonal ingredients are enticing and inspiring. I'm so glad that I got over my own idea that this wasn't a service that I would use, because That Clean Life has helped me to discover and enjoy so many amazing recipes. The convenience of the grocery lists has been a game-changer, and we're now in a place where some of the recipes have become absolute favourites in our house. (like this butter chicken!) That Clean Life has taken my enjoyment of meal planning to a new level, and it's become integral in the way I make food each week.

Wanna give That Clean Life a go? You can try a demo membership for free, play around with the meal planner and try out 25 recipes to start.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I'll make a commission if you click a link and purchase something I've recommended, at no extra cost to you.

8 Things I've Learned About Gluten Free Living

It’s been 9 years since I’ve been gluten & dairy free, and I remain symptom free from Crohn’s about 97% of the time (sometimes it creeps up if I have another illness or I'm terribly stressed)

About 2 years before I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, I did a detox with a friend that involved cutting out gluten and dairy. I hated it so much! Afterward, I remember writing on my MSN space (remember those?!) about how gluten free living might be for some people, but I certainly wasn’t one of them! Post-detox I went back to eating just the way I did before.

Fast forward to 2008 when I was diagnosed with Crohn’s after being sick for over a year. I was presented with the options of medication, hardcore medication or surgery, and didn’t love any of those options! I started seeing a naturopath and she encourage me to do a blood test to determine my food sensitivities.

The test showed a number of sensitivities, including gluten and dairy. This time I was ready to make a change. Within 2 weeks of cutting out all the foods on this lengthy list, I wasn’t in pain anymore. I followed this plan for 3 months, and then slowly started to reintroduce many of the foods, except for gluten and dairy. Thus began my gluten free life.

There are lots of different reasons why people decide to go gluten free - some by necessity (like being diagnosed with Celiac or a gluten sensitivity) and some by choice (because they find that eating gluten makes them feel bloated, gassy or just generally terrible) This post isn't to convince you that going gluten free is the way (after all, there's no one diet that's right for every single person on the planet), but more so to offer reassurance and guidance for anyone who is embarking on this lifestyle as a result of a diagnosis, a suspicion, or curiosity of how it could make them feel.

It's going to be scary, but you can totally do it

If you're like me, you probably grew up eating white or whole wheat bread, crackers, pretzels, cookies, cakes, soy sauce, frozen waffles, pancakes and donuts, all filled to the brim with gluten. The prospect of cutting all of those things out and entirely changing the way that you eat can seem daunting, overwhelming, or downright scary. I believe in you! My first experience cutting out gluten wasn't a positive one, but when I reframed my thoughts to see why I needed to do and embraced the foods I could eat, it seemed like a much more manageable change. Change is scary, but not impossible.

There are loads of foods that are naturally gluten free

Many whole foods are naturally gluten free. Lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds are all gluten free, not to mention the variety of gluten free grains like quinoa, rice, buckwheat, amaranth and teff. All of these foods may not don a a gluten free label, but they are amazing options when it comes to adopting a gluten free life.

Gluten is sneaky AF

Once you get a handle on the foods that are naturally gluten free, it's also important to learn where gluten can be hiding because it's sneaky. Soy sauce, coatings, breading, seasoning, fillers - it's not pretty, but gluten lurks in a lot of surprising places. Outside of the foods that you know are naturally gluten free, start to read those nutrition labels! Some packages will say gluten free right on the front, but it's great to get to spot the different names for gluten and also have peace of mind before you eat.

Life is a lot more fun when you focus on the things that you can eat

This was a big shift for me and made a huge difference in my outlook on following a gluten free diet. There are so many incredible things that you can eat, bake, make or get at a restaurant that are all gluten free - focus on those! I remember being at a party and afterward crying because I had just wanted a cupcake. When you focus on the things that you can eat, you'll probably feel a lot happier and more fulfilled. 

Gluten free baking is an art, but not impossible

First rule of gluten free baking is that you're going to have to blend your flours. Most gluten free flours don't have the same elasticity that wheat flour does (that's the gluten!) so to mimic the texture and create baked goods that don't turn out like rocks, it's important to mix your flours. There are lots of great gluten free flours blends out there that you can get pre-made, or you can pick up a variety of your own flours and go to town! My go-tos tend to be brown rice, chickpea and oat flour. You can buy small amounts of these flours at your local bulk or health food store so that you can start experimenting to see which ones you enjoy most. 

Other people will have a lot of opinions about your diet

When it comes to making any sort of change in your life, people are going to have opinions. Some of them are going to be positive and encouraging, while others may be the opposite. I'm not sure what it is about the proclamation of going gluten free that causes people to get nasty, but for some reason it has that potential. Get out your rhino skin and remind yourself that their opinions don't matter. Does eating gluten free make you feel good? Do you feel less bloated / foggy / gassy / terrible because you're no longer eating a food that's not essential to your diet? If the answer is yes, then keep rocking your gluten free life and remind those people that you're not forcing your lifestyle change upon them - they can continue to enjoy all the gluten they want! Not only is change hard for you, but it's hard for other people too. 

Most things can be made gluten free, with a few exceptions

I've yet to have a really good gluten free perogi, and I also miss decadent desserts made with layers of flaky pastry whenever I'm visiting Greektown on the Danforth here in Toronto. That being said, I've made awesome gluten free gnocchi, gone for gluten free dim sum, travelled throughout the world and tried all sorts of great gluten free food. So it's pretty rare that I feel left out. Again, if you can place your energy on the things you can eat you'll feel a lot happier and fulfilled. 

Gluten free living has come a long way

In the 9 years that I've been gluten free, I've gotten to watch the emergence of so many gluten free cookbooks, blogs, books, restaurants, bakeries and more - it's phenomenal! Many traditional restaurants in large cities have a full on gluten free menu, or will designate which items are gluten free or can be made gluten free. Here in Toronto, there are so many awesome options for dining out, plus a wide variety of stores where gluten free products are readily available - including the bigger grocery stores! Whenever I travel, I always look forward to visiting new gluten free restaurants, and seeing what GF products may be available in that place. It's awesome to see that it's become so widespread and I feel thankful to have so many incredible Ashley-friendly options at my fingertips. I always cook gluten free in my home, and my friends and loved ones haven't had any complaints - I think that's a great sign!

I don't know that I had any idea that after that first three months of gluten free living that this huge change would have such a lasting impact in my life. I'm grateful that it's helped me to keep my Crohn's in check, introduced me to so many awesome restaurants, recipes, and people, but most of all, enabled me to thrive. I can tell you that as you transition to a gluten free lifestyle it does get easier and there is so much delicious food for you to enjoy! Be kind to yourself, arm your kitchen with a great cookbook or two, start to learn those sneaky names for gluten and it will become easier and more intuitive day be day.

80 Day Obsession: Day One

Today marks day one of my 80 Day Obsession journey. 80 Day Obsession is a brand new workout program from Autumn Calabrese (creator of 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, Country Heat and Hammer Chisel). The program targets your abs and booty over the course of 80 different workouts spread out over 13 weeks (6 workouts each week), along with a detailed timed-nutrition plan. I have been actively watching the results from coaches who were in the first test group over the last few months, and they've really inspired me. I can't wait to jump into something completely new and challenging to kick start this year.

That being said, I'm pretty nervous! This is completely outside my comfort zone - longer workouts, targeting my most challenging area (my core), 80 different workouts, the longest fitness program I've done, along with the timed nutrition plan. Thankfully there is lots of delicious, nutrient-dense food on the plan, but it does require some time and prep to make it happen.

I was like a little sponge this week, learning everything I could about this program - printing off my materials, reading and highlighting, watching videos and reading blog posts. I'm already obsessed! The workouts use resistance loops, sliders and weights, and thankfully I've gotten a bit of practice with all of the equipment doing 5 days of a prep workout. 80 unique workouts for an online fitness program is unheard of, so it's going to be really cool to see how the workouts progress over time and become more challenging.

The meal plan is a huge part of the program and it's going to take some getting used to. I spent the weekend getting ready by grocery shopping, meal prepping in addition to taking before photos and measurements.

I'm not normally a huge meal prepper. I'm good at planning meals and grocery shopping, but I don't usually set out time in advance to get things ready. That being said, the times I have done some prep, it's been a huge help to my week! So for 80 Day Obsession, meal prep is just going to be a part of my life, and it certainly was this weekend.

Following the advice of the test group participants, I did my best to follow the nutrition plan as written, keep things simple and choose foods I enjoy. I added in a few new recipes to try (including some quinoa egg cups for easy morning meals) but there's really nothing fancy on my plan for the week. To give you an idea of what my meal plan looks like, here's a sample day for my first week.

It feels exciting to be kicking off the year with a brand new program and an amazing group of people doing it with me! I'm part of an epic coach test group with more than 40,000 coaches taking part, and I've got a small and mighty group of gals who are jumping into the program in our own private group. I'm already so inspired by their motivation and commitment to the program - it's going to be an awesome journey with all of them. I'm planning to share my journey with the program here on the blog and through social media. I want to inspire others to feel their very best this year and hope that it will be an additional way for me to be accountable.

I'm ready to see some changes in my body, get stronger and truly go outside my comfort zone with this program. The workouts are going to be tough and they will progress over time. The nutrition plan is going to require some dedication in addition to all the planning (did I mention there's no booze or much sugar happening during this program!?) I'm doing it to prove to myself that I can, and hopefully achieve some awesome things in the process.

Over the course of the next 13 weeks, I'll be documenting my journey, nutrition and things I learn along the way. If this program piques your interest and you're not already working with a coach, please send me an email and we can chat about your health and fitness goals.

It's time to get obsessed!

My Hong Kong Travel Adventure

Before 2017, I can't say that Hong Kong was ever on my must-see travel list. I didn't know a lot about Hong Kong or what to expect from travelling there. After spending two weeks in Hong Kong in October, I can say with certainty that I love it and I'm so thankful that I had the chance to experience it! (And can't wait to go back!)

Looking back, we did so much over the span of 2 weeks in Hong Kong, but these were certainly some of the highlights.

The Flight

When I told people that I was going to Hong Kong, the first thing that they often asked about was the flight. How long would it be? Had I ever taken a flight that long? What would we do?

Before Hong Kong, the longest flight I had been on was 6-7 hours when I went to Europe in 2006. Since then, my travel experiences have been full of shorter flights throughout Canada, the US and Caribbean, so I honestly didn't know what it was going to be like to be on a plane for 14 hours nonstop.

Our flight left Toronto at 2am on a Saturday morning and arrived in Hong Kong around 5am on Sunday morning thanks to the time difference. We flew Cathay Pacific and they were awesome! I found out that I was able to request a gluten free meal, which meant that I was able to enjoy safe food on our lengthy journey, and that I got served first on a huge aircraft - not bad! On the way over I was able to sleep for 6-7 hours, watched TV and movies, chatted and had snacks.

To be honest, neither flight was that bad. 14 hours is a long time to be seated, but I felt well taken care of, took breaks as needed and the reward to arrive in Hong Kong especially was worth it!

The City

I instantly felt very comfortable in Hong Kong.

Even though it is densely populated, I loved how efficient everything was. The subway system is fast, clean, cheap and easy to navigate. They have Octopus cards that you use for transit (and even small purchases) which made it very easy to get on and off the subway. You can grab one at the airport so you can easily take transit into the city. Taxis were also really inexpensive, but traffic in Hong Kong is unlike anything I've ever seen before! I slowly got used to making the conversion from the Hong Kong dollar to Canadian (dividing by 6 based on the conversion). Most signs were in English as well as Cantonese, and as a city gal, I loved the lights along with the hustle and bustle.

Best Eats

I think everything I ate in Hong Kong was delicious, from the yum cha lunches (Cantonese tradition involving tea and dim sum) to random snacks on the street. Some of the highlights included the Dim Sum Library for an awesome yum cha lunch, Green Waffle Diner for gluten free waffles, The Cakery for gluten free vegan cupcakes in unique flavours like black sesame (they also do a gluten free high tea that I really want to try the next time I'm in Hong Kong!), nood for fresh organic juices and raw chocolate, and Zuma for champagne brunch and phenomenal food.

I also got to visit the Hello Kitty Dim Sum restaurant, where everything was Hello Kitty themed from the food to the decor. It was pretty epic!

It has closed since our visit in October, so I'm especially glad that we had the chance to visit while we were there.

We ate delicious meals with Paul's family when we were at home, and I loved picking up some treats at the grocery store when we were there. Marks & Spencer had gluten free crumpets (!!!) and I found an awesome, local, vegan ice cream called Happy Cow with amazing flavours like green tea, salted caramel swirl and chai. I found it very manageable to avoid dairy and gluten in Hong Kong, while still enjoying all sorts of delectable food.

Favourite Sights

As a big city kid, Hong Kong felt like a big playground to me. I felt like I do in Toronto or New York - at ease. The skyline is phenomenal and it's very cool to see it all lit up at night. My favourite view was from OZONE, which is atop the 118th floor of the Ritz Carlton hotel. We enjoyed some cocktails and the spectacular view!

Our days included fun excursions to the tea museum, the botanical garden in Hong Kong Park, great shops, markets and a local artisan market.

Best Adventures

We spent quite a bit of time on Hong Kong island and in the central district, but we did take a couple of day trips as well. The cool thing about Hong Kong is that there are a number of places that are within a short ferry ride.

We went to Lamma Island for a day to have lunch and explore. It's a 30 minute ferry ride from Hong Kong and a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city. It's very laid back, much less crowded and very cute to explore. There are tonnes of little restaurants with great waterfront views, adorable shops with wares from local artisans, shrines and places to hike and explore. We enjoyed a delicious lunch and I picked up some cute, inexpensive souvenirs. It was quite hot outside the day that we went, so it was nice to be on the breezy waterfront.

I had been told that Macau was like the Las Vegas of Asia and it did not disappoint! It was an hour ride to get there, and has a totally different vibe and feel than Hong Kong, as it was a Portuguese territory until 1999. I loved seeing the Portuguese influenced architecture and signage everywhere. When indoors, it really felt like we were in Vegas - the casinos, the vibrant art pieces and vast amount of shopping are very similar.

We had drinks at the Wing Lei Bar in the Wynn Palace which was absolutely stunning and enjoyed an incredible meal at El Gaucho. There's also a really cool cable car ride into the Wynn that made our visit that much more spectacular.

Another glimpse into my Hong Kong (& Macau) travels! With views from the road, the ferry to Macau, the journey into the Wynn hotel, Hong Kong Park and the mid-level escalators. I loved every minute. 🎶: Purple Planet

A post shared by ashley gibson ✨ (@ashleydtl) on Oct 30, 2017 at 5:09pm PDT

Best Shopping

Hong Kong is full of luxury shopping, from watches to handbags and high fashion clothing but you can also find some very inexpensive shopping in the night markets that pop up - it's a really interesting contrast! We had fun exploring the night market and the ladies' market, as well as some of the fancy shops and department stores.

My favourite shop ended up being a stationary store called kikki.k where I spent a lot of time and got a VIP card on my first go. (They don't have a presence in Canada but I just learned that some of their merchandise is available online through Indigo - dangerous!!)

I got a beautiful 2018 day planner, a journal and an amazing purse that has a phone charger built inside. Everything is beautifully designed and many of the items have the option to have your initials embossed on them.

I also enjoyed the stationary options at LOG-ON, fell in love with Brown the bear at Line Friends, and was treated to some fantastic kitten earmuffs from Kate Spade.

I don't even feel like this post begins to cover everything else in Hong Kong - the amazing time we spent with Paul's family, great conversations, fun times swimming and playing tennis, our various ukulele duets, a trip to the Hong Kong cinema complete with sweet popcorn and time spent relaxing and watching Netflix. I felt very spoiled, happy and loved.

I'm grateful that I had the chance to visit Hong Kong, meet Paul's family, and enjoy a tremendous vacation. I had so much fun travelling with Paul and experiencing his hometown. I can't wait to go back and explore even more!

Weekly Adventures 10.20.17

I'm back! And managing jet lag and the post-vacation blues.

My flight home was pretty normal, except for the fact that I experienced my first typhoon. It was a level 8 typhoon and Hong Kong was hit with some pretty intense wind and rain, but the city seemed mostly unfazed by it. Our flight boarded on time and left the tarmac about 40 minutes later than we were scheduled. I made it home in under 15 hours while managing to sleep a bit and plough through season one of The Good Wife. 

This weekend I'll be working on a full post (or two) with the full details of my Hong Kong trip. As I mentioned before, I loved being there and just soaked up everything there was to offer. My last few days were a lot of fun and it's been quite a shock to my system to head back to work and wear layers because autumn has certainly arrived here in Toronto.

I've been fighting the post-vacation blues with lots of sleep, downtime, getting back into daily workouts and catching up with friends. Last night I went to Hello 123 on Queen West for the first time and really enjoyed it. Really tasty vegan menu that's almost entirely gluten free. I enjoyed the Lettuce Wrap Paleo Party and it was an awesome mix of things that was super delicious! It looks like it's already becoming a bit of a hot spot, so try to get there early or maybe stop in for lunch so you don't have to wait for a table.

What I'm reading: the sun and her flowers - rupi kaur 

Oh, it's beautiful and heartbreaking just like her first book.

What I'm listening to: Esther Perel's Where Should We Begin?

I love hearing Esther Perel talk about relationships, so this podcast that gives you an insider perspective to some of her sessions with couples is next level. 

I hope you're all staying cozy as we head into autumn! Any tips for beating the post-vacation blues? Seems to be the most popular one is to start planning the next vacation...

Weekly Adventures 9.8.17

Now that this is my third post in the weekly adventure series, this means it's a trend, right?? It's fun to be banging out these little updates and I'm stoked for other content that is in the works and on its way!

Honestly this week wasn't super exciting, because it's one of the only weeks in September where I'm actually here in Toronto! I have some great travel plans coming up so I think I was hibernating in anticipation of everywhere that I'm off to. The long weekend was pretty relaxed and I allowed myself to lay low, nap, watch Drag Race, get my September group started and be very low key.

I did head down to Harbourfront for an awesome show with Sharron Matthews and Shawn Hitchins. They are two of my very favourite performers (and people!) in Toronto and it was a joy to see them onstage together. Shawn has a new book out called A Brief History of Oversharing and based on the story he shared from the book onstage, I think it's going to be a lot of fun to read. Really glad that I got to see the show and was an awesome night out.

I don't know if I've ever mentioned Impact Kitchen on the blog, but if you follow me on social media you've certainly seen me share my experiences there. It's so good! They use real food ingredients and their meals have a paleo focus. I love that I can go there and it always fits right into my style of eating. I treated myself to the paleo waffles and they were crispy, smothered in cashew cream and fruit and absolutely lovely. I can't wait until they open their location on the west side - even though it's going to be totally dangerous having it so much closer to me!

In other mundane news, I'm working on growing out my hair - so this teeny tiny ponytail made an appearance in my week. After having very short hair for the last two years, I'm ready for a bit of a change so my stylist is helping me to make the transition. This means that the back left side of my hair is longer than the right side and I sort of feel like an awkward teenager. We'll see if I last through actually growing it out into something longer!

I randomly ended up with a bag of puffed quinoa and I'm trying to sort out how to use it. So far it's just gone on top of yogurt, but I may try to recreate some puffed quinoa squares...

What I'm listening to: Everything Todrick Hall

Oh ehm gee -- what rock have I been living under??! Todrick Hall is giving me LIFE. What a phenomenal talent. His 90s mashups are just a small sample of what he does and I absolutely want to see him on broadway ASAP.

Quote of the week: Do something today your future self will thank you for

Next week I'll be coming at you from Wakefield, Quebec where my best friend will be getting married a week from today!! I am over the moon thrilled to see her and be a part of her very special day. Looking forward to a great adventure!

Happy Friday kittens xo