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8 Friday, July 21, 2017 brooklintowncrier.com Plant-Based Eating by Sheree Nicholson Snack time! When you switch to a plant-based diet, you may find you're hungry more frequently. This is normal and is because plant-based foods digest faster than meat-based meals. The tradeoff though is that digestion takes energy. Remember that last big meal you ate and how tired you were after? I've found my energy levels have soared since I switched to a whole food plant-based diet. I solve the problem of hunger between meals by eating whole food snacks that are raw, vegan and made with simple ingredients. I use the the energy balls recipes below as pre/post workout or midday snacks. Packaged snacks can be high in refined sugars and preservatives to increase their shelf lives. Just because there's a vegan or gluten free label on the packaging doesn't mean it's good for you. Marketers love to use trendy food labels to increase sales. As well, when buying vegan or gluten free snacks, you're generally going to pay a premium price. So all in all, making snacks yourself is going to save you money, allow you to control the ingredients, and provide more nutrient dense foods. I have several recipes for energy balls, but here are two favourites. They're so easy you can make them with your children without causing too much stress. There's also a pride of accomplishment when you make them yourself. Raw Coconut Lemon Bombs Ingredients 1 cup cashews 1/3 cup rolled oats (use gluten free) 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut flakes (optional) Zest of 2 lemons, medium-sized Juice of one lemon 7-8 medjool dates, softened/pitted 1/2 cup shredded coconut flakes for rolling Preparation Place cashews and oats in food processor and blend until a medium to fine grind. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until you have a doughy consistency. If you find your dough is a bit too dry, add freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 tablespoon at a time. Chill the dough for 20-30 minutes. This will help stiffen it to make rolling easier. Roll into 1 inch balls then roll in coconut flakes. Makes 12-14 balls Date, Almond and Cacao Balls Ingredients 24 fresh pitted dates ½ cup almonds ¼ cup (25 g) raw cacao powder, plus extra for rolling 2 Tbsp Coconut oil (I use less oil as coconut oil is a saturated fat). Preparation Place the dates, almonds, cacao and coconut oil in a food processor and process for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture comes together. Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls and put in extra cacao to coat. Makes 22. Sheree's Hack: Double the recipe as they freeze well and can be eaten frozen. Local Businesses Receive Façade Grants Six Brooklin businesses have received grants from the Town of Whitby's Grant Improvement Program to help develop the architectural and curb appeal of commercial properties. They are: Brooklin Mill Montessori School, Brooklin Village Spa, Oakridge 1847, Little Orchard Daycare, Tanya Tierney Realtor, and Durham Orthodontic Centre. Under the program, the Town of Whitby will provide a one-time grant of up to 50% of the cost, up to a maximum of $5,000, to help commercial property owners and tenants improve the exterior appearance and/or the structural condition of their buildings. The grant is for eligible street-oriented exterior work and is focused on helping to cover construction costs associated with the improvements.It also offers a Design Assistance Grant that can be applied for in conjunction with a Facade Improvement Grant. The grant is 50% of the professional design fees required for preparation of a beautification/restoration project to a maximum of $1,500 that may be required when applying for a facade grant. In 2016, more than $75,000 was delivered to 16 grant recipient businesses in Downtown Whitby and Downtown Brooklin resulting in approximately $200,000 in investments. Mayor Don Mitchell and Councillor Rhonda Mulcahy pose with staff from Little Orchard Daycare, one of six recipients of the Mayor's facade grants.