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Simply Tina | Tina Gravalos

Simply Tina | Tina Gravalos

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About

hello! i’m tina

Food photographer & blogger

I’m a holistic nutritionist, recipe developer and food photographer based out of Ontario, Canada. I’d love to tell you a little bit about how I got here! 

My journey into holistic nutrition was definitely not a straight line. It had several twists and turns along the way. What would life be without that? I went to the University of Toronto to study criminology and sociology because I was determined to like those agents on the Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) shows. That dream began to crumble when I got suspended because I couldn’t keep my grades up (oops). Long story short, I went back after a year, finished my program and came out with an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Criminology and Socio-Legal Studies. But…there is always a “but”. I had a major “a ha” moment.

So when I got suspended, I was off for a year and had a whole lot of time to think about what I truly wanted to do. It didn’t really click right away but when it clicked, ohhh did it ever click! You know those magazines you find at the check-out lanes at the grocery store? Cosmopolitan, hello, Canada!, etc.? I started browsing through Women’s Health as I waited in line with my mom. It quickly piqued my interest and I bought the magazine (well, my mom did. Thanks mom!). I ended up signing up to receive the magazine monthly through one of those offers that always seem to fall out of those magazines. I didn’t think too much of it, but when I went back to school, I found myself reading the magazines while I was supposed to be writing an essay or reading the giant stack of textbooks beside me.

After I graduated, I came across the Joyous Health blog and saw that Joy went to The Institute of Holistic Nutrition. The curious cat that I am, I looked them up, booked a tour, enrolled, boom. It all happened so quickly! I walked into my first class and instantly knew that this was where I was meant to be.

Fast forward to the present day, I had a wonderful  private practice for five years and loved every second of it. I helped many people create a life they love without restrictions. Healthy, happy and living their best lives (this includes donuts, by the way)! This wouldn’t have been possible with my own health struggles. Through those struggles, I learned to whole-heartedly trust the process and surrender to finding my way back to the Tina I once knew (she’s even better now!). 

The universe works in mysterious ways, well I don’t believe it was mysterious. It was all unfolding how it was supposed to. I landed a cookbook deal with a big publisher and I was going to take my own photos for it. I had never used a professional DSLR camera before so I basically threw myself into it. I taught myself how to use it (that was fun, ha!). I created over 60 recipes and took thousands of photos. A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this project. Due to creative differences and me standing up for my brand and my vision, the deal fell through. At the time I was devastated but wow, it was a blessing! It led me to exactly where I’m meant to be. 

I am now a full-time recipe developer and food photographer. Like, what? I never would have thought this was the path I was meant to be on! While I no longer have a private practice, I still get to use my nutritionist hat in the work I do now. I get to create recipes for health and wellness brands that align with my values and of course, creating content for all of you!

Always trust the process. It will lead you to where you’re supposed to be.

xoxo,

Tina

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I can’t wait to work with you!

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Fun Facts

  1. I’m Greek 🇬🇷
  2. Favourite Sport: Soccer ⚽ (I played for over 20 years)
  3. Favourite Things: Donuts, Cappuccinos, Pizza, Fries, Wine, Walks by the water
  4. Quote I Live by: What is yours will find you
  5. Love Languages: Words of Affirmation and Acts of Service

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@simplytinag

Let’s talk sleep (it’s sleep month!) 😴 My Let’s talk sleep (it’s sleep month!) 😴 

My sleep has been off since the time change. 🙃 I also caught a cold which seems to happen around this time of year for me. 🤧 Anyone else struggling with sleep?

Sleep can be a tricky one because there can be a lot of reasons why you can’t fall asleep, you wake up often, etc. I’m usually a food first kind of gal but when it comes to sleep, I’ll turn to some supplements for a little support. My issue lately is an overactive mind. I think of everything I need to do the next day. 😂

I love that my pals @naturescanada have a huge supplements department and there is a section for sleep! From homeopathics to herbs and everything in-between. There’s something for everyone! I will say though, one thing might work for one person but not so much for someone else so sometimes it’s trial an error. And always talk to your healthcare provider before taking anything. 

Here are some of my picks:

Magnesium bisglycinate - one of my favourite all around supplements! Magnesium plays a key role in hundreds of chemical reactions in the body. It truly is a star mineral! I like it for relaxing muscles and just helping to feel more calm.

Pascoflair - a herbal sleep aid that can help with restlessness, stress, falling asleep faster, etc.

Sleep by Orange Naturals - homeopathics for restlessness and sleeplessness

Coffee Cruda by Boiron - another homeopathic for sleeplessness

L-Theanine with magnesium - one of my faves! I love this combo because l-theanine (found in green tea) is like a natural stress reliever. Paired with magnesium it’s like the ultimate relaxation combo

Ortho Sleep - this supplement help increase total sleep time, reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, and help to re-set the body’s sleep-wake cycle

Mental Calmness - this is l-theanine on its own - I used to take this one when I was in nutrition school before tests to help me relax and get focused. 

Nighty Night tea - a blend of herbs like chamomile, passionflower & spearmint

If you’re not sure where to start, the team of nutritionists @naturescanada are super knowledgeable and can help you in the right direction!

#sleepmonth #sleephabits #sleephealth
CARROT CAKE BREAKFAST COOKIES 🥕 Did a little CARROT CAKE BREAKFAST COOKIES 🥕 

Did a little edit on these from last year! I added some dried cranberries and swapped the almond flour for 1:1 gluten-free flour. 👌🏻

Here’s the how to:

(Makes 12-13 cookies)

Dry ingredients:

1 cup 1:1 gluten-free baking flour (I used @bobsredmill)
1 1/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup crushed walnut pieces
1/3 cup dried cranberries 
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Wet ingredients:

1/4 cup melted coconut oil
2 eggs, whisked
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup shredded carrot

Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Melt coconut oil and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients and mix to combine. 

In a small bowl, add the wet ingredients, except for the carrots, and mix to combine.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until everything is combined.

Fold in the carrots.

Using a cookie scooper (or ice cream scooper) or a 1/4 cup measuring spoon, drop cookies onto baking the sheet and flatten them to about 1 inch thickness. Make sure to space them out.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden.

Let cool for 10 minutes.

Enjoy! 🧡
SIMPLE 5 INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE CASHEW BUTTER BITES SIMPLE 5 INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE CASHEW BUTTER BITES 🤩⁠⁠
⁠⁠
These are great for meal prep or if you’re looking for something a little sweet but with no added sugar (dates are naturally sweet!). 

Makes 8⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Ingredients:⁠⁠
⁠⁠
❃ 1 cup walnuts halves⁠⁠
❃ 3 medjool dates, pitted⁠⁠
❃ 2 tablespoons cacao powder⁠⁠
❃ 2 heaping tablespoons cashew butter⁠⁠
❃ 1/4 teaspoon sea salt⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Directions:⁠⁠
⁠⁠
1. Add walnuts to food processor and pulse until they are broken down into crumbs.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
2. Add the dates and pulse until they are mixed in with the walnut crumbs.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
3. Add the cacao powder, sea salt and yes, pulse again! ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
4. Add the cashew butter and pulse again until the mixture is all combined.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
5. Shape the mixture into bite sized balls (about 1-2 tablespoons per ball) and put them on a plate.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
6. Refrigerate for about 20-30 minutes before eating.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
7. Top with flaky salt, if desired (highly recommend! 🤤). ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Enjoy! ♥️⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Notes:⁠⁠
⁠⁠
No cashew butter - use almond butter, sunflower butter or tahini⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Protein - add a scoop of chocolate protein powder⁠⁠
⁠⁠
My fav way to meal prep 👇🏻 If you’ve been My fav way to meal prep 👇🏻

If you’ve been around here since the beginning, I loved talking about meal prep! 

1. Utilize flyer deals! This is a great way to save a few bucks each week. @naturescanada has the ground beef I use on special + whole chickens to roast (plus other great protein options), which can be used for several meals! With protein like this, you can make different meal out of them to switch it up. Wraps, tacos, salads, etc. I also picked up some clementines, cheese, rice crackers, coconut milk and sometimes they have some flash deals for berries (and other fruits + veggies) that are great finds!

2. Batch cook/prep foods separately. This means batch cooking/prepping things like protein, rice, lettuce and other vegetables and fruits separately so that you can toss them together to make a meal. Maybe one day you want a taco salad and the other you want a taco wrap! This also keeps things fun and different so you don’t get bored of repetition. 

3. Similar to number 2, I like to have fruits and veggies washed, chopped and ready to grab for a snack. Usually with some cheese and crackers. ☺️

4. Grab and go. I like to make chia pudding or overnight oats sometimes. I can make a batch and get 2 to 3 portions out of it. For protein, you can add collagen or protein powder. Adding fruit on top + some granola (there’s some in the flyer too) is good too! 

5. Have some fun! Sometimes I’ll have some snack packs on hand! 🤭 I don’t have them all the time but I won’t lie, they make me happy. 😋

What are your favourite things to meal prep!? Let me know! 

PS. I have a link in my bio where you can check out the @naturescanada flyer. ☺️💚

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