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Many curries are known for their complex, spiced flavour profiles. However, making restaurant-quality curry at home is quite simple. Try this recipe for chana masala, a spicy and tangy chickpea curry dish that’s perfect for beginners.

Chana Masala

Makes 4- 6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 65 minutes

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil, coconut oil or ghee
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
One 28-oz can of whole, peeled tomatoes such as San Marzanos
Two 15-oz cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Directions

1. Add cumin and coriander seeds to a skillet over medium-low heat and lightly toast, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about three minutes. Remove skillet from heat, transfer seeds to a mortar and pestle and lightly crush. Alternatively, you can transfer the seeds to a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin.

2. Preheat oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until translucent and softened, 10 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Add spices and cook, stirring frequently, for one to two minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices to the pot, using a wooden spoon or spatula to break them down. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook, 10 minutes.

3. Add drained chickpeas, 1/2 cup water and salt to pot. Bring to a simmer again, then reduce heat to low, and cook until thickened and bubbling, 15 minutes more. Taste and season with more salt, if needed. Divide between bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro, a dollop of plain yogurt and lime wedges. Serve with rice or naan.

Tip: If whole spices aren’t accessible, you can substitute 1 tsp of ground coriander for the whole coriander seeds and 1 ½ tsp of ground cumin for the cumin seeds

Next: This Recipe for Butter Chickpeas Is Better Than Takeout

Turning the corner into a new season means shifts in your wardrobe, weekend hobbies and food cravings. Curry, a comfort food for many, is the perfect way to warm up and is as filling as it is satisfying.

Curries are a true melting pot of flavours from multiple continents. While curries originated in India, many of their distinct tastes come from ingredients, like chilies and black pepper, that were introduced by Portuguese and British settlers. Eventually, these dishes evolved into the curries we know today. Most curries start with the same base of onions, garlic and ginger, but the blend of spices is what makes each curry unique.

The health benefits of curry

The health benefits of curries are touted in Ayurveda, the ancient medicine system that aligns living practices and eating habits with the seasons. During the winter, rituals are centred on warm food and beverages and sour, salty and sweet flavours. According to Ayurvedic medicine, “hot” foods can include tomatoes, ginger, onions, mustard, pepper and ghee, which are thought to improve digestion and circulation. While Western medicine doesn’t align with this seasonal eating strategy, there are some proven health benefits to eating warm (and warming) foods.

Cooking fruit and vegetables breaks down some of the food, which gives the digestive process a head start. Heat can also make the vitamins and minerals from the cooked foods easier to absorb because your body doesn’t have to work as hard to break them down to release their nutrients. For some vegetables, cooking can also increase the amount of health-boosting compounds in them. For example, cooked tomatoes contain higher levels of lycopene, a compound with anti-inflammatory benefits.

Taste starts with scent, and because heat encourages food to release its aromatic compounds, we often perceive cooked foods to have more flavour and feel more satisfying. We are also forced to eat hot food more slowly, which aids digestion and helps prevent overeating.

The best spices for curry

The spices you choose for your curry can also lend additional benefits. Curcumin, the primary compound in turmeric, is a potent antioxidant. It’s enhanced when paired with black pepper and a fat source, which help your body absorb it more efficiently so you can take full advantage of its effects.

For a flavourful curry, the ground coriander that’s been sitting in your spice cupboard for the past two years isn’t going to cut it. Whole spices have a longer shelf life than ground spices, as a spice’s flavour begins to evaporate immediately after the grinding process. To keep your curries punchy, lightly toast and crush whole spices and use heat to make them shine. Always gently heat spices for a minute or two along with your curry base at the beginning of cooking. Blooming the spices in hot oil or another fat before adding in liquid ingredients further enhances the flavour, so they’re powerful enough to perfume the entire sauce. Masalas (aka spice blends) can also be turned into a paste by blending with water or vinegars to create a savoury, freezeable base for soups and stews, or even a marinade for meats and seafood.

How to cook curry like your favourite restaurants

Curries can be simple dishes, but there’s plenty of ways to jazz them up with toppings. Some of my go-tos are a dollop of Greek yogurt, a smattering of fried shallots and a handful of chopped cilantro. I’ll even borrow a condiment from Chinese cuisine and drizzle on some chili crisp for a sweet-hot crunch. Curries are best when there’s a bit of sourness to balance their richness. In India, cooks will sometimes add amchoor, a tart spice made from green, under-ripe mangos. For the same effect, I like to add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice right before serving for the perfect endnote.

Ready to give it a go? Try this spicy and tangy chana masala recipe.

Wendy Norman is a professor in the Department of Family Practice, and an associate member in both the School of Population and Public Health, and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

She founded and leads Canada’s Contraception and Abortion Research Team (CART), whose impactful research, starting in 2017, laid the groundwork for free contraception in B.C. “We’ve been immensely honored as university-based researchers and with a consortium of healthcare providers to help the government understand what people need to be able to have children when they want, and to be able to best support their own desires for when they’d like to have children,” she says.

A big piece of CART’s research has been looking at when it’s hard for people to be able to prevent an unplanned pregnancy, says Norman, so that they don’t have to make choices around unplanned pregnancies that are difficult for them.

“We conducted a survey across B.C. to find out what people needed, and they said, We need contraception to be free. We also showed that [the government] can save more than $5 per person for every person in British Columbia each year, by the third or fourth year of a program that’s providing the prevention for unintended pregnancy, rather than paying to manage unintended pregnancies.”

How much do unintended pregnancies cost the government?

“The government—not only in BC, but all across Canada—is currently spending hundreds of millions of dollars every year to manage unintended pregnancies. The cost to provide people with whatever contraceptive method they want to help prevent that is always less than the cost to be able to manage unintended pregnancies, which is between 40 and 60 percent of pregnancies, depending on which province and territory you’re in.

As of April 1, 2023, all prescription contraception is free for all people who are residents of British Columbia. And we’ve received invitations from our Federal Minister of Health, the Ministry of Finance and the Prime Minister’s Office to present the evidence for a policy that would work across Canada.”

Certain groups face more hardships and barriers when accessing health care. What part does equity play in the journey to free contraception for all Canadians?

“Around the introduction of free contraception, the government said, Listen, we can’t bring this out until we understand how we’re best able to support the people who have the most difficulty [accessing health care]. And so a lot of work went in to understand how to reach the specific groups that have historically chronic, persistent barriers to be able to achieve their own equitable health. Canada has a long way to go to adequately support and equitably offer opportunities for Indigenous populations. But in this case, also very young people need support. Often recent immigrants need support, and those who’ve experienced racialized or adverse childhood events. People who were raised in families where substance use or mental health was a problem may be carrying forward barriers to accessing their ideal health. We can help address those barriers by making contraception free across Canada.”

How important is it to offer people their choice of free contraception?

“When we were modeling various costs and cost savings for contraception for the B.C. government, they were meticulous to understand how they could spend the least public money to get the best health outcomes. So we looked at, What if you only provide coverage for one group of contraceptives? Or what if you only let people have one contraceptive, or one contraceptive for a period of time? What if you only make it available for people under a certain age or over a certain age or in a certain subgroup of the population? And every single time we introduced a model with any restriction on those contraceptives, on the range of choices for people, the government costs to manage unintended pregnancy went way up.

The best and most effective policy is always to provide free choice among any contraceptive without restrictions on what you can get or how many. One of the really interesting things is that if you look at contraceptive methods that people can access when they don’t have money, or the ones that cost the least, we have almost 50 percent of people who currently are in a situation where they could become pregnant, but do not want to be pregnant. Almost one in seven of that group will say that they are not using a contraceptive because they can’t access one and almost always that access is cost.

Then you look at condoms. And you see that about 25 percent of people using condoms as their method of contraception when they don’t want to be pregnant, will become pregnant each year. You look at the birth control pill, patch, ring… about six to nine percent of people every year get pregnant. With IUDs, it’s one percent or less.

And the very best is the new method that came in as of September 2020—a contraceptive subdermal implant. That’s a little device about the size of a match in your arm, and with this method, you have a lower chance of getting pregnant than if we sterilized you. It sits there for three years. Whenever you want to become pregnant, it comes out, and the next month, you could be pregnant. It’s immediately reversible as soon as it’s out of your body. And it’s one of the methods the government is providing free now. Very few people know that because it came out during COVID.

The most effective methods—the implants, the IUDs—are the methods that are $300-400 up front, so they’re the hardest for people to access. And yet if you look at it from the health system perspective, because they’re the best at preventing pregnancies, the government is happy to provide all of these methods free because the more effective methods save more money in unintended pregnancies.”

Where are we at in the push for free birth control coverage in Canada?

“Right now, the federal government and all of the MPs are considering what will go in the next federal budget. And whatever party your MP is in, I urge people to write to your MP and contact your government representative to let them know that you believe that the federal government should provide contraception free for all people. Today, if you have a postal code in B.C., you have the best chance to avoid unintended pregnancy. And that devastating event in a person’s life shouldn’t depend on your postal code.

One of the most important things for family health is to support people to plan the times that they would like to have children, and to allow people to choose the contraceptive method that makes the most sense in their context. This means making contraception free for all, not just for some.”

Next: Will Pap Tests Soon Be a Thing of the Past?

In the quest for a smooth and eternally youthful, line-free face, many consumers will try it all. Wrinkle stickers and facial patches are a low-cost, non-invasive option that have been around in various iterations since the late 1800s, believe it or not. They’re often marketed with slightly infantilizing or patronizing brand names (case in point: Frownies or Wrinkles Schminkles), claiming to minimize our wrinkles while also, perhaps, minimizing or trivializing our skin-care concerns—the product of an ageist world rife with unrealistic beauty standards.

At $25 to $45 per box, these stickers and facial patches are considerably cheaper than procedures involving needles and injections. It’s a low-risk, at-home DIY approach not unlike wearing a sheet mask: Just stick them on your forehead, cleavage or “elevens” (lines between your eyebrows) while you Netflix at home, or overnight while you sleep. There are reusable silicone patches that contain moisturizers and hydrating ingredients to “reduce wrinkles” and “tighten fine lines,” and there are orangey-peach stickers you cut into geometric shapes yourself and then adhere to your forehead, like puzzle pieces.

Frownies Pics

However, in order for wrinkle stickers to work, you have to wear the patches for at least six hours. And depending on your confidence levels, it could be a little demoralizing to walk around your house, or climb into bed next to your partner, with a face plastered in stickers. Instead of embracing a hard-earned laugh line with pride, you’re almost calling more attention to it. Botoxing your wrinkles away addresses the same signs of aging and lasts much longer, but it costs a lot more. It’s also a fairly quick procedure that happens in the relative privacy of a medical office or cosmetic clinic.

We asked two experts—dermatologist Geeta Yadav, the founder of FACET Dermatology, and Neha Goyal, the co-medical director of MD Beauty Clinic—to explain how wrinkle patches claim to work and whether they’re worth trying.

OK, let’s get this out of the way first: Are wrinkle stickers complete quackery, or legit skincare science?

Yadav: I wouldn’t call it quackery, but I wouldn’t call it particularly scientific, either. These patches simply help to inhibit facial movement that causes wrinkles—nothing more complicated than that, unless they’re silicone.

Goyal: They may work temporarily for some individuals, especially for preventing “sleep lines,” but it’s not a truly effective solution. We also don’t have literature to support the claims.

Are wrinkle stickers kind of an old-fashioned idea, repackaged and marketed as something new and trendy?

Yadav: Yes, it’s a pretty dated idea. Though it’s not as popular now as it was during the Old Hollywood era, a lot of makeup artists would tape a celebrity’s face to help the skin appear more taut. This is similar in concept, just without the pulling-and-lifting aspect. It’s holding skin in place.

Goyal: There was a real explosion in beauty products and trends like this in the late 19th century, but we’ve come a long way since then. They did the best they could with what they had, and it was a smart idea at the time! But now we have the single most effective beauty invention in the history of time at our disposal: Botox. There’s just no comparison.

Are there any risks to these stickers?

Goyal: There’s a real risk of an allergic reaction to the glue or adhesive. A facial tape that I do find intriguing is the “face lift” tapes. For someone without allergies to adhesives, this has the potential to provide a temporary, but effective, lift when hidden under the right hair style for a big event.

Is it just tension from stretching the skin before applying the sticker, or is there an ingredient in the patches, the same way there’s hydrating ingredients in typical sheet masks?

Yadav: It depends on the product. Most paper patches use an adhesive to stay in place and help limit facial movements where they’re placed, which helps to temporarily fade the appearance of wrinkles. Silicone patches work similarly, but also help plump the skin beneath it to smooth the look of wrinkles for a slightly longer period of time than paper patches can.

Goyal: Ingredients like silicone or hyaluronic acid in certain facial tapes can increase hydration in a targeted area which might provide temporarily improvement in wrinkling as well. This benefit is short-lived, but it might be good right before an event. Personally, I would prefer a consistent (and effective) skin care regimen and a face mask to achieve the same effect.

How long do you have to wear wrinkle stickers and facial patches to see results?

Yadav: They’re not treatments that are effective long-term, so you won’t see compounding benefits. To see temporary results, you’ll need to wear them for at least six hours. They can look goofy and can be hard to commit to during the daytime, so many people choose to wear them while they sleep.

Are there certain types of wrinkles that are more easily addressed with a patch, like the “elevens,” versus other kinds of fine lines around your eyes, or forehead wrinkles?

Yadav: I would say forehead and glabella wrinkles are easier to treat with patches. The most challenging types of wrinkles to address are neck and chest wrinkles, as these are not caused by dynamic movements.

Goyal: This will depend on your anatomy, muscle patterning and muscle strength, so the effect will vary for individuals. I would think targeting crow’s feet would be a lot more challenging than the “elevens,” since crow’s feet are the result of years and years of smiling and laughing. It’s hard not to smile when you feel happy—and why would you want to stop yourself from laughing when something is funny? When we target crow’s feet with neuromodulators like Botox or Dysport, we can customize how deeply you’d like to express your smile. But the way these patches work is by tricking you into not smiling or frowning.

Some of these companies make the patches “flesh-toned,” but of course they are not geared at different skin tones (much like most bandages are typically a non-inclusive peachy colour). Do any companies do a better job of reflecting and serving a more diverse range of skin tones?

Goyal: Not that I’ve seen. There’s so much work to be done in the medical aesthetics space when it comes to diversity, representation and inclusion. And it’s more than just a representation problem—many of the technologies that come to market don’t equally address the concerns of all skin types. It has improved in the past few years, but it’s still a real problem.

Yadav: I would just use silicone wrinkle patches—they’re clear.

OK, so tell us about treatments that are more effective than wrinkle patches. How do the results compare?

Yadav: Hands down, Botox and other neurotoxin injections are far more effective than any topical treatment you’d use to combat wrinkles, especially wrinkle patches.

Goyal: The reason why neurotoxin treatment (Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, etc.) works so well is because it inhibits the muscle’s ability to contract for 3 to 4 months—creating a long-lasting effect.

Neurotoxins can sound scary—how do they work?

Yadav: Neurotoxins work by limiting the nerve signals that trigger muscle contractions, reducing your facial movements. Because the treatment lasts for several months rather than the several hours you’d wear a wrinkle patch, the skin is able to smooth out and wrinkles will fade, especially if they are not very deep. The only way wrinkle patches can help you—beyond the period of time in which you use them—is to help you train yourself to limit your facial movements, which is very hard for most people. The less you move your face, the less you’ll wrinkle, but for most people, that’s not a realistic way to live life.

Not everyone feels comfortable with injecting something that sounds like a toxic chemical, though.

Goyal: Neuromodulators are the single greatest beauty invention the world has ever seen. And the way we administer them has really improved in the last 20 years—many patients are surprised that they can soften their “elevens” or “wifi” lines while still maintaining movement and expression. I really avoid creating that “frozen” look for my patients. And if neurotoxin treatment is not your cup of tea, there are other modalities that can improve your skin quality and diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles: a really solid skincare regime and a mix of in-clinic treatments. We can get a lot done with peels, daily sunscreen use, micro-needling and laser treatments. But I always caution that nothing will be as effective as neurotoxin treatment for fine lines and wrinkles.

Next: Does Dry Brushing Really Make Your Skin Healthier?

In the UK, coffee cake is literally a cake with coffee in it. When I was thinking of my favourite cakes to include in this cookbook, I found out that in North America coffee cake is a cake that you can eat with a cup of coffee— rather like how English tea cake does not actually contain tea but does pair well with tea. Coffee was first cultivated in or around Ethiopia and gained popularity on the Arabian Peninsula in the sixteenth century, spreading into Europe a century or two later. The Dutch and Germans are credited with bringing the concept of drinking coffee with various cakes (such as streusel-topped cakes and Bundt cakes) to North America, a time-honoured favourite ever since. Some coffee cake recipes from the late 1800s onwards contain coffee, but not many are vegan like this one!

(Another Recipe from BRed: 6-Ingredient Vegan Scottish Shortbread Recipe)

Espresso Coffee Cake

Serves 10 to 12

Ingredients

Coffee Frosting

½ cup cold vegan butter
1½ cups + 3 Tbsps vegan icing sugar
1 cup vegan cream cheese
2 Tbsps dark rum or coffee liqueur 30mL
2 Tbsps brewed espresso, cooled
1¼ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Sponge

3 tablespoons + ¾ teaspoon ground flaxseed
1½ cups unsweetened soy milk
1 cup + 3 Tbsps organic canola oil
1 cup coconut sugar
2 shots brewed espresso, cooled
2 Tbsps pure vanilla extract
1½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cup stone-ground whole-grain spelt flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground espresso beans
2¼ teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

For decorating (optional)

Cocoa powder
Shaved dairy-free dark chocolate
Toasted whole or sliced natural almonds

Directions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the butter on medium-high speed until soft, one to two minutes. Add the icing sugar and beat on medium-high speed until smooth.
2. Add the cream cheese and beat on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the rum, brewed espresso, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Scrape the frosting into an airtight container and place in the fridge to set up for a couple of hours. Clean the bowl so there is no residue of coffee frosting.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat two 9-inch springform pans with canola oil spray, then line the bottoms with parchment paper.
4. To make your flax egg, whisk together the flaxseed and soy milk in the bowl of a stand mixer until a smooth paste forms. If there are any lumps, push a small rubber spatula against the side of the bowl to break them up. Let sit for 10 minutes to bloom and thicken.
5. Whisk in the canola oil, coconut sugar, flax egg, brewed espresso, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar.
6. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, spelt flour, cinnamon, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
7. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Using the paddle, beat on medium speed until a smooth batter forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Stop the mixer halfway through and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure there are no lumps or dry patches.
8. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, about 700g per pan. Bake until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the cakes cool in their pans on a cooling rack for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the ring from the pan and let the cake layers cool completely before frosting, about 60 minutes.
9. Remove the coffee frosting from the fridge. Transfer one cake layer to a serving plate. Using a piping bag fitted with a plain tip or an offset spatula, pipe or spread a third of the chilled coffee frosting over the cake layer. Place the other cake layer on top and lightly press it down. Pipe or spread a third of the frosting around the sides and then the remaining frosting over the top. Pipe some decorative droplets. Decorate by sifting cocoa powder or sprinkling shaved chocolate or toasted nuts over the top, if using. Place the finished cake back in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the frosting set.
10. Store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

Bred Cover High Res

Excerpted from BReD, by Edward Tatton and Natasha Tatton. Copyright © 2023 Edward Tatton and Natasha Tatton. Photography by Janis Nicolay. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Ltd. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

Next: Try Our Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

Until recently, when I thought of Jamaica, I imagined skimpy bikinis, rum punch and reggae music—not yoga, meditation and hikes. These things aren’t mutually exclusive, of course, but this Caribbean Island never screamed health hub to me. That is until I spent five days on the West Coast, in and around Negril, immersed in a wellness vacation. (And, for the record, I did in fact do some meditative journaling in my swimsuit.)

I stayed at The Cliff Hotel, which boasts a trendy “quiet luxury” aesthetic. From the sleek open-air lobby to the dark wood minimalist furniture and tonal colour palette throughout the rooms, the property is understatedly chic. But still warm and exuding Jamaican hospitality. I highly recommend early morning swims in the natural saltwater pool nestled in the cliffs.

Jtb Nature Negril Seven Mile Beach 1

Mind

My first full day in Jamaica started with a calming yoga and meditation session at my hotel’s outdoor Yoga Pavillion (where you can practice solo anytime, or book personal or small group instruction). The feel of the salty breeze on my skin and the sounds of the lapping water beat the overhead fans and nature soundtrack piped into the nicest studio I’ve ever practiced at. It was the perfect way to feel grounded and set some intentions for my wellness escape.

Next up, candle-making. Hear me out: If you’re in the right mindset, almost any type of craft can be meditative. And making a candle to take home with you (hello, unique souvenir!) fits the bill. From watching the wax slowly melt, to selecting your scent, it’s a chance to unwind. Classes are led by CandleMakingCourses, and held adjacent to (and booked via) the Rockhouse Hotel.

Body

Tucked in the lush, green outskirts of Westmoreland, Benta River Falls is a unique nature hike that’s off the beaten path in the best ways: there’s no touristy outbuilding or gift shop. Guides walked me down to the base of the river, nestled under the tall bamboo trees, then ushered me along an hour-long hike through the water, and around seven small waterfalls. At the end, I rewarded myself with a mud bath, followed by a soak in the blue lagoon to allow the pounding current to work out my kinks. (It’s nature’s jacuzzi!)

Sure, I could’ve had a wellness getaway without indulging in a spa experience, but the treatments at the KiYara Spa at The Cliff Hotel were worth checking out—they’re relaxation with a unique island twist. KiYara is a local word meaning “sacred place of the earth’s spirit,” and there was something grounding about the open ocean-facing treatment rooms that allowed me to feel the sea breeze while receiving a body massage featuring local ingredients like coconut oil and papaya extract.

Soul

A psilocybin sound bath could be the ultimate wellness class. This two-hour experience leans on the healing powers of psychedelic mushrooms (Jamaica is one of the only countries in the world where psilocybin is legal) to enhance a guided energy and breathwork session. The class is co-hosted by Patoo Chocolate, a local brand made with both indigenous mushrooms and cacao. Just one square (containing a quarter of a gram, which is considered a micro dose) took me on what I can only describe as a spiritually rejuvenating journey. Near the end, I opened my eyes as tears streamed down my face, and smiled as I watched a butterfly flutter overhead. I felt touched by magic.

Jtb Cuisine Fresh Seafood

And taste buds, too

The sisters who run Just Natural Veggie and Seafood Restaurant treated me to the most delicious morning meals. Delightfully mismatched tables are tucked away in the garden, surrounded by orange trees and lush greenery. “Come and relax,” is the motto, and I certainly felt chill, and full, following one of their green smoothies and Jamaican breakfast plates. Try the scrambled ackee! Ackee is Jamaica’s national fruit and it’s often accompanied by breadfruit, saltfish and dumplings.

When I had my fill of zen and was ready for some rum punch and reggae music (because wellness is about balance, after all) Rick’s Cafe was my go-to spot. The Jerk chicken and Red Stripe beer battered shrimp are obvious choices that didn’t disappoint, and pair perfectly with the vibe. I arrived at sunset for the most spectacular view. (Really. Even locals rave about the peach and gold sunsets beyond the Negril Cliffs at Rick’s.)

After several days of self-care in Jamaica my mind became clear, the running to-do list that plagues working parents somehow silent. The seemingly permanent knots in my shoulders (thanks to so many hours hunched over a computer in my regular life) came unbound, and my mood was unyieldingly buoyant. I breezed through my front door and excitedly greeted my family bearing a few more freckles, fewer worries, and just feeling, well, truly well.

Next: Osoyoos—A Beautiful BC Hotspot with Breathtaking Wineries

From DIM supplements to fascia massages, TikTok has become a popular platform for discovering the latest beauty and skin-care trends. The next big thing? Rosemary water—its hashtag has over 1.2 billion views on the social app.

In one video that’s been saved over 148,000 times, TikTok creator @mizna documents her experience using rosemary water for 30 days. Before washing her hair every day, she sprayed rosemary water on her scalp and hair, and applied rosemary oil every three to four days like a mask, and massaged her scalp. After a couple of weeks, she said she had “a lot less hair falling out” when she combed it. After thirty days, she saw “baby hair growing in every direction.” Of course, it’s essential to be skeptical and take any TikTok trend with a grain of salt until proven otherwise. But one reason rosemary water is so alluring is that it’s an all-natural home remedy, meaning influencers aren’t benefiting from brand deals to plug the trend. Could it really work?

It’s simple enough to make: Just grab some rosemary leaves, rinse them and boil them in a pot of water. Remove the leaves and allow the infused water to cool down. Once it’s cooled to room temperature, pour it into a spray bottle and spritz it onto your hair. You can spray it on and let it soak in for a few minutes before washing your hair in the shower or leave it on until your next hair wash.

So, is there any real science behind this home remedy for hair growth? To find out, we asked hair transplant surgeon Quinton Chivers and dermatologist Renita Ahluwalia, the founders of the Canadian Dermatology and Plastic Surgery Centre in Toronto.

Can rosemary help with hair growth?

The short answer is yes. “Its minimal side effects make it a safe option for those looking for a natural approach to enhance hair growth,” says Ahluwalia.
Breaking down the science behind it, rosemary oil and rosemary water boast components like caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, camphor, and 12-methoxyxarnosic acid. Ahluwalia says these ingredients reduce inflammation, contributing to the overall health of the scalp and promoting healthy hair. Ahluwalia says it’s not uncommon for patients in her practice to incorporate rosemary water into their routines. Many patients prefer nightly application and keep a spray bottle by their bed, while some like to apply it and then rinse it out before washing their hair or spray it on as a leave-on treatment.

“Compared to other natural products and many commercial hair products advertised to promote hair growth, the evidence for rosemary is substantial,” says Chivers. He shares that a 2015 study with a randomized control trial of 100 patients compared those who used rosemary oil with those who used 2 percent minoxidil (a medication used to treat hair loss). Both groups experienced a significant increase in hair count, with less irritation for those in the rosemary group.

Should I use rosemary water or oil for my hair?

If you’re considering trying rosemary oil or water for your hair, it’s best to experiment to find what works best for your hair type and gives you your desired results. Rosemary oil can be more effective for those with thicker hair because it won’t weigh it down or make it appear greasy, says Ahluwalia. Those with thinner hair should stick with rosemary water.

Does rosemary help with all hair loss?

Struggling with hair loss can be distressing. Before turning to rosemary oil or water, it’s best to talk to your doctor to find the most effective solution for you. Since not all hair loss is the same, Ahluwalia says that the benefit of consulting with a medical professional is to receive an individualized plan tailored to your needs, supported by blood test results. Blood tests reveal factors that can contribute to hair loss, including thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), ferritin and B12 levels, she says.

Ahluwalia and Quintin agree that using rosemary is a reasonable option for patients who want a natural approach. In fact, “many patients are irritated from minoxidil, do not want oral medications or do not want the cost of in-office procedures,” Ahluwalia says. So it’s a great option—even Chivers uses rosemary-infused shampoo every day.

Next: 5 Reasons to Stop Washing Your Hair

When I enrolled in my first adult ballet class, I was nervous. At age 41, would I be flexible enough? Graceful enough? Would I survive the scrutiny of the wall-to-wall mirrors?

The first thing that shocked me when I entered the studio was that our teacher addressed us as “dancers.” Never mind that the students—our bodies variously shaped and decidedly un-balletic—ranged in age from our early 20s to 60-plus, or that we couldn’t hold our balance for longer than two seconds. In this space we had a new identity, and it made us all stand straighter.

Seven years later, I’ve become something of a proselytizer for adult ballet. I don’t wear a tutu and my pirouettes are lopsided at best, but ballet class is the best hour and a half of my week.

Earlier this year, I took the leap and signed up for more: a week-long summer ballet intensive at the National Ballet School of Canada in Toronto. It was a physical adventure my body had never experienced: three hours of activity a day, which included conditioning for dancers and ballet class, with time to hone our technique at the barre. The last hour was reserved for learning choreography—in our case, the harvest dance from Giselle. But most daunting was the fact that the week culminated in a performance for family and friends.

I have long been accustomed to public speaking and lecturing to large audiences, but performing in a ballet recital as a 40-something adult was a new one for me. I invited my parents and husband somewhat reluctantly. I’d never stood in front of people while wearing a body-hugging outfit, postural deficiencies and flabby abs on full display. But once the pianist played our opening and we assumed our positions, then began to move in formation as a real corps de ballet, I stopped thinking about how I might be perceived. Instead, I smiled, breathed in, imagined the top of my head reaching toward the ceiling and let my body present the movements it had been perfecting all week. I stopped judging my every bodily infelicity, quieted any fears and just danced, suspended in time.

Though the French terminology might sound intimidating at first—plié, tendu, rond de jambe—I can assure you that the movements quickly become familiar, and the warm-up sequence of barre exercises turns into a meditative practice. This 45-minute barre that begins each class is a full-body workout that fires up every muscle, joint and tendon—including ones you didn’t know you had!—while focusing on alignment and the plumbline of the body, which runs from the top of your head right down to your feet.

Physician Kate Reilly, a family and sports doctor in Toronto, explains that in addition to building flexibility, core strength and balance, ballet class is also a mental workout: memorizing the sequence of steps and coordinating precise leg movements with fluid arms, while keeping time with the music and remembering to breathe. As we negotiate these complex combinations, says Reilly, it activates multiple parts of our brain, with our “motor cortex, visual and auditory centres working simultaneously.”

The time spent at the barre sets the body up for the more challenging, unsupported movements in the centre of the studio, which combine graceful arm gestures (ports-de-bras) with leg extensions and jumps that feel like an intense cardio workout. By the time we’re dancing choreographed sequences along the room’s diagonal, most of us are beaming, not because we’ve mastered the steps, but because we have the confidence to travel through space in a wholly new way.

Reilly began ballet lessons two years ago to better understand her patients—many of whom are high-performance athletes—but also as a way to “work on the insecurity of just not being immediately great at something,” she explains. She also loves the mindfulness of ballet.

The adult studio is a place of inclusion and deep care for the body: Every exercise is modified to adapt to the students in the room. Unlike pre-professional training for young dancers, which has highly specific body requirements, the definition of an adult ballet body is simple—one that moves, no matter its proportions. Along with that comes strength, grace and awareness.

It’s no coincidence that the class ends in a reverence—a gesture of thanks to the teacher, the pianist, our peers and, most of all, our own bodies, for the magic they are (still) capable of.

Adult Ballet Photoshoot 012 B

3 Health Benefits of Ballet

1. Improved balance

As we age, our balance declines, especially after our mid-50s. But ballet requires dancers to spend time on one leg while moving their arms, hands, neck and head, as well as rising on tippy-toes and conducting single leg lifts that transfer weight from one leg to the other. Sometimes these movements are done with eyes closed to improve proprioception, a neuromuscular sense of the body’s position in space (which dulls with age if we don’t exercise it). Balance work can improve longevity and help prevent falls—there are even studies connecting a reduction in mortality with the ability to balance on one leg for 10 seconds.

2. Better body alignment

Because we spend so much time at our desks or glued to devices, our posture can often suffer. Ballet increases body awareness and emphasizes lengthening your body by creating space between your vertebrae; as you dance, you can imagine your tailbone reaching toward the floor and your torso stretching so tall that you can almost feel confetti erupting from the crown of your head.

3. Mental health and perfectionism

Ballet helps us become more comfortable with failure. It’s also about the joy of doing something without having an end goal in mind. Kate Reilly, the sports doctor in Toronto who started ballet classes as an adult, explains it this way: “As a very type-A person who is used to succeeding, I often have the mindset of, ‘If I’m not good at it right away, why bother?’ And ballet challenges that mindset.”

Next: 9 Ballet Stretches to Do for 10 Minutes a Day to Improve Your Flexibility

What exactly is a blondie, you might ask? Imagine a brownie, except it is not brown as there is no cocoa powder. It is blond in colour, in this case from the peanut butter. If you have a craving for a Snickers bar, this is a healthier and cruelty-free treat that will satisfy you whether you are gluten-free or not. You can use chickpea flour instead of millet flour, as well as different nut butters such as almond, cashew, or hazelnut and then top with your chosen chopped nut.

(Another Recipe from BRed: 6-Ingredient Vegan Scottish Shortbread Recipe)

Millet, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Blondies

Makes 10 slices

Ingredients

⅓ cupground flaxseed
⅔ cup unsweetened oat milk
½ cup cold vegan butter
1 ⅓ cups raw cane sugar
1½ cups crunchy peanut butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup millet flour
1½ cups dairy-free dark chocolate chips
⅔ cup chopped natural peanuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch square cake or brownie pan with canola oil spray, then line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, leaving extra hanging over the sides.
2. To make your flax egg, whisk together the flaxseed and oat milk in a small bowl until a smooth paste forms. If there are any lumps, push a small rubber spatula against the side of the bowl to break them up. Let sit for 10 minutes to bloom and thicken.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the sugar on medium speed until smooth and paler, 5 minutes. Add the peanut butter, vanilla, and flax egg and beat until everything is well incorporated, 2 minutes.
4. Add the baking powder, salt, and millet flour and beat on medium speed until no dry patches remain, 1 minute.
5. Add the chocolate chips and gently incorporate until just mixed.
6. Scrape the batter into the lined pan and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula. Lightly compress the batter. Sprinkle evenly with the peanuts. Bake until the blondie is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the blondie cool in the pan on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour or overnight before cutting.
7. Store the blondies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. The blondies are best eaten at room temperature.

Bred Cover High Res

Excerpted from BReD, by Edward Tatton and Natasha Tatton. Copyright © 2023 Edward Tatton and Natasha Tatton. Photography by Janis Nicolay. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Ltd. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

Next: 13 Holiday Cookie Recipes to Get in the Festive Spirit

My grandparents were from Scotland, where shortbread is traditionally given at weddings and to the “first footers” of New Year. My grandfather passed on while I was writing this book, and shortbread was the last Christmas gift I ever gave him. Shortbread itself goes back at least to the time of Mary, Queen of Scots, who liked it with caraway seeds in, apparently.

Shortbread is butter-heavy by nature, and it is rare to find plant-based shortbread anywhere, though good-quality vegan butter makes for an excellent cruelty-free version of this classic biscuit. We opt for Earth Balance, as they source from Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil organizations, and it is easily available in BC, but there are other palm-free vegan butters out there that you could use instead, such as Naturli’ or Miyoko’s. The goal is a buttery texture that melts in your mouth but is soft and crumbly at the same time.

This shortbread is best the day it is baked, so I like to cut and bake only as many as I need at one time, and keep the remaining dough refrigerated.

Vegan Shortbread Cookies

Makes 12 cookies

Ingredients

2¼ cups) cold vegan butter
1½ cups vegan icing sugar
2 cups + 1 tablespoon cornstarch 250g
2 cups red spring wheat flour or whole wheat flour
1½ cups + 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons fine sea salt

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, cream together the butter and icing sugar on medium speed until smooth and paler, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure the butter is fully incorporated with the sugar.
Add the cornstarch and any flavour additions and beat until combined, for one minute.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the red spring wheat flour, sifted all-purpose flour, and salt. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the remaining dry ingredients and stir just until a smooth paste forms. Avoid over- mixing, which will develop the gluten in the flour and result in tough shortbread.
Shape the dough and chill
Place the cookie dough in the centre of a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Fold one end of the parchment towards you over the dough. Holding a bench knife nearly parallel to the work surface and angled slightly downward, push towards the dough, forcing it into a log in the parchment. The log should be 8cm in diameter.
Place the log in the fridge for at least 8 hours or up to 5 days. If there is space in the fridge, it is best to hang the log to prevent any flat sides. I find this is more achievable if the log is wrapped in plastic rather than
parchment paper. Otherwise, roll a kitchen towel around the wrapped log to provide some padding, then lay the log on a shelf.
About 45 minutes before you plan to bake the cookies, arrange the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line
two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Remove the shortbread log from the fridge and unwrap it. Cut the log crosswise on a cutting board into slices about
½ inch thick. Arrange the cookies on the lined baking sheets, leaving 5cm between them to allow for even baking. (Typically, these cookies don’t spread.)
Bake the cookies until lightly golden brown on top, 10 to 12 minutes. If you are not using a convection oven, you may need to rotate the cookies halfway through. If they have spread a little, while they are still hot, use a cookie cutter to trim the edges. This step isn’t necessary but will make the biscuits uniform and tidy.
Allow the shortbread to cool on the baking sheet for one hour.
Store the shortbread in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to three days.

Vegan Shortbread Cookie Flavours

Ingredients

Lemon and Thyme

Zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
Add the ingredients to the creamed butter and sugar along with the cornstarch

Orange and Poppy Seed

Zest of two oranges
Juice of one orange
¼ cup poppy seeds
Add the ingredients to the creamed butter and sugar along with the cornstarch

Cardamom and Rose

Zest and juice of one lime
1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon rose water
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Add the ingredients to the creamed butter and sugar along with the cornstarch

Mint, Matcha, and Chocolate

2 teaspoons mint extract
5 teaspoons matcha powder (the best quality available)
¾ cup chopped dairy-free dark chocolate, melted

Directions

In step one, add the mint extract when creaming the butter and sugar together. Whisk the matcha powder into the dry ingredients in step 3. After the dough is fully mixed at the end of step 3, slowly pour in the melted dark chocolate and very gently incorporate on low speed for 5 to 10 seconds to create a ripple effect. Although this will make the dough slightly messy to roll, it looks beautiful and tastes even better.

Bred Cover High Res

Next: 13 Holiday Cookie Recipes to Get in the Festive Spirit