Nutrition: Facts or Fiction?

What not to eat: The best Gingersnap Cookies on earth - Recipe

2012-01-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Company's Coming's "Most Loved Cookies" - and they don't lie. I truly think the key to these cookies is in the timing. 10 minutes at 350, no more! They come out slightly crispy on the edges, and soft throughout. If you're crazy like me, you might add some leftover dark chocolate chips to the batter. I happen to think chocolate and ginger is a fantastic combination! I also used brown sugar instead of white sugar. Not sure if that made a big difference, but I recommend trying it. I also left out the *sugar for rolling the dough in before baking - I figure cookies are sugary enough, but it does make them prettier.

Ingredients:

3/4 c Butter, softened
1 cup granulated or brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup fancy mild molasses

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp Baking soda
2 tsp Ground ginger
1 tsp Ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 cup Granulated sugar (optional)

Method:

Cream butter and sugar in large bowl. Add egg. Beat well. Add molasses. Beat until smooth.

In a second bowl, combine next 5 ingredients. Add to butter mixture in 2 additions, mixing well after each addition until no dry flour remains. Roll into 1 inch balls.

*Roll each ball in second amount of sugar in small bowl until coated (optional). Arrange about 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. Let stand on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool.

Video: "We're not buying it" - Big Food Marketing to Kids

2012-01-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Interesting video from the Prevention Institute about big food marketing to kids. Worth a watch:

Leftover Holiday Turkey Recipe: Jamie Oliver's Asian Turkey Salad

2012-01-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for something to do with all that leftover brown turkey meat after the holidays, the usual solution is turkey soup. I love me a good turkey, vegetable and barley soup, but it's nice to change things up once in a while. This year we tried Jamie Oliver's Asian Turkey salad. It's a refreshing change to the usual holiday selections of white meat, stuffing, and hot root vegetables. The crisp salad leaves, tangy dressing and Asian flavours will wake up your taste buds!

Ingredients:

• 2 large handfuls of brown turkey meat
• 1 large handful of cashew nuts
• 1 handful of dried cranberries
• 2 teaspoons ground all-spice
• a bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked
• a bunch of fresh coriander, leaves picked
• 4 large handfuls of mixed salad leaves
• 1 tablespoon runny honey
• 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

Dressing

• juice of 1 clementine or orange
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 pomegranate, halved
• ½ red onion, peeled and coarsely grated
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely grated

Method:

Shred the brown turkey meat into thin strips using your fingers and put it into a dry pan on a medium heat. Add the cashew nuts, dried cranberries and all-spice. Stir occasionally, and start to prepare the salad.

Add the mint and most of your coriander leaves to a bowl with your mixed salad leaves. Make your dressing in a separate bowl by mixing the juice from your clementine and lime. Squeeze the juice from one of your pomegranate halves through your hands to catch any seeds, then discard them. Stir in your grated onion. Pour in about equal parts oil to the juice you have. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil. Squeeze in all the juice from the grated ginger, then throw away the pulp.

Stir and taste. If you want more salt, add a splash more soy. If you want more acid, add another squeeze of lime juice. Drizzle over enough dressing to coat the salad leaves, then use your hands to toss and dress them.

Add the honey to the pan with the turkey meat and stir through until coated. Turn the heat up to full whack for the last few seconds to really crisp up the meat mixture. Toss half of your pan-fried ingredients through the salad leaves and transfer to a serving platter. Spoon the remaining nuts, cranberries and crispy meat over the top of the salad and add another drizzle of dressing. Hold the remaining pomegranate half over the salad and knock it on the back with a spoon so the seeds pop onto the salad. Garnish with a nice sprinkling of fresh red chilli, any remaining coriander leaves and serve right away.

What not to eat: Yam bacon pizza recipe

2011-12-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

What happens when you combine sparse leftovers in your cupboards and fridge to make a meal? Sometimes the answer is Yam Bacon Pizza. While we didn't actually have bacon on hand (we rarely have processed meats of any kind in the house - may be a few times a year), we have a flax whole wheat pizza crust, tomato sauce, cheese, onion and yam. I Googled and found this recipe for sweet potato pizza (though I think those are yams in her photo - yes, there is a difference) with prosciutto, onions and rosemary. Perfect! Except, I'm not a fan of prosciutto (something about the texture), and I know B is happy for any occasion to have bacon due to the aforementioned bacon shortage in our house, so we swapped the prosciutto for bacon.

The result - SUPER delicious, slightly healthy (ok "healthy" might be an overstatement but hey, there are vegetables), but definitely easy meal! The combination of the sweetness of the yam, salty, crunchy bacon and tangy onion is better than I expected. A must-try treat!

Ingredients:

Pizza dough (You can make your own or cheat and use store bought)
1/4 - 1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 medium yam thinly sliced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or cheese of choice)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions until soft. Add yam and cook for 5-7 minutes, until yam is soft and a little crispy on both sides.

3. Brush the crust of the pizza with 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Spread dough with pizza sauce. Add the slices of sweet potato and onion. Sprinkle bacon, cheese and rosemary on top. Drizzle toppings with remaining olive oil. Bake for 15-18 min.

Recipe: Creamy Vegetarian Beet Borscht

2011-12-18T11:18:00.000-07:00

I've made a few different borscht recipes before, but this one has been my favourite so far. The great thing about Borscht, is that it is pretty modifiable in terms of what vegetables you use, depending what you have on hand. I was missing the turnip so I added extra potato. You could also add celery, or any other root veggies you have on hand. I'm thinking now it would've been interesting to throw the yam I have in the fridge into the mix. Maybe next time.

As the title suggests, this recipe makes a creamier, thicker soup, which requires a bit of food processing and blending to get the right consistency. With all the processing, blending and transferring of hot liquids going on, and with the deep maroon colour of the soup, my kitchen resembled a murder scene when I was done, but it was worth it. The soup has a pleasant full texture, and a light flavour. I made some cheese biscuits to go with the soup, which make it the perfect meal for a cold winter's day.

Ingredients (makes about 8 servings):

2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil)
1 cup of chopped onion
2 small cloves of garlic, minced
3 - 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 pounds of beets (about 6 medium-sized), peeled and chopped
2 cups tomato, chopped
2 cup of potato, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 bay leaves
juice from one lemon
6 - 7 cups of vegetable stock
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 - 3/4 cups of sour cream
Fresh dill for garnishing (i didn't have on hand so I used dried)

Prep:

1) In a large soup pot, heat the oil or butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft - about 5 minutes.

2) Add the vinegar and cook until most of the vinegar evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add the beets, tomato, potato, carrot, bay leaves, stock, salt and pepper, and half of the lemon juice. Bring to a boil, immediately reduce the heat to low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender (about 30 - 40 minutes). Add the remaining lemon juice. While the soup is cooking, combine the minced dill and cream in a small bowl; set aside.

3) Once the soup has cooled down a bit, process in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and gently heat over low heat.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and garnish with a bit of minced dill.

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The Garden Sleuth

2011-12-10T12:11:00.001-07:00

I realize summer ended long ago (at least here in Calgary), but I'm still pondering over WHY my garden failed miserably this year. Yes, the garden FAILED (you can see the very sad picture of our lone tomato, hanging in defeat on the vine. That was the only one that ever appeared *tear*). There is nothing so heart-breaking to an amateur gardener as slaving over and pampering a garden all spring and summer long, only to be rewarded with wilted, stunted plants and not enough veggies to make but one salad. I have finally come to terms with my lost investment and am ready to delve into what I did wrong. I need to solve this mystery so I can ensure I don't have the same result next year.

This past summer, I made the mistake of trying a number of new growing methods and components at one time, any one of which could have lead to my dismal produce outcome. In addition, our summer was anything but until early July. As far as I can tell, my lack of fresh produce could be the result of any (or all) of the following reasons:

1) I started with seedlings, which seemed to be doing very well. Unfortunately, I failed to "harden off" the seedlings before planting them outdoors (who knew?! Now I know.)

2) Using all organic soil. I don't know why this would be an issue exactly, but the year previous I used conventional soil, and all was well.

4) Using organic compost. Again, not sure if/why this would be an issue, but the year prior I didn't use compost at all and had a better turn out, though, admittedly, also a smaller variety of "crops" (if you can call container gardening "crops").

5) The ratio of compost to soil. Pretty sure there is an ideal ratio of compost to soil, and pre-tay sure I ignored it. My 'throw caution to the wind' gardening approach may have been my downfall.

5) The monsoon we experienced for 10 days immediately after I planted said seedlings. That one weekend of heat was deceptive, and enticed me to move the seedlings outside prematurely. I thought summer had arrived, but I was sorely mistaken. The rains ensued for 10 days straight, like I have never seen before in Cow town. I covered the seedlings with garbage bags to protect them from drowning (though, they were exposed for a while before I covered them). Come to think of it - poor things also went without light for days too! I'm starting to think this garden was DEA summer (dead on arrival of summer).

6) The aforementioned late summer - the season finally appeared sometime after the monsoon stopped, but I fear it was too late.

So which one (or combination) of these items doomed my produce, I ask you expert gardeners? Could there be something I missed, or (better yet) some mysterious virus that caused fatality to my plants that resulted from no fault of my own? I know, unlikely.

See you in 2 weeks! I've gone to...

2011-11-04T10:13:00.002-06:00

I'm gone for a long awaited time of sun, sand and good food, and my "wedding-moon" in Mexico. I'll be back and posting before you (or I) know it!

Recipe: Saucy Pulled Pork

2011-10-29T20:21:00.002-06:00

Pork is one of B's favourite foods, and I'm not big on meat (but especially pork) so it's a rarity in our house. A good pulled pork sandwich though is pretty tasty from time to time, so I decided to treat B with this recipe adapted from Canadian Living - The Slow Cooker Collection cookbook.

Our slow cooker is more of a fast cooker, so what should have taken 8-10 hours on "low" heat, according to the recipe, was done in about 4 hours on "warm". I was going for more of a BBQ-type sauce, but this recipe is heavy on the tomato flavour, which was actually very good and less sweet that some BBQ-style flavours. Unfortunately, we dug in before I reviewed the quality of the photo :s

I purchased our roast from Market 17 here in Calgary, who get their meats locally from Sunworks Farms. Pulled pork is typically served on a bun or role (which we did) and often with coleslaw or a tangy dish. We had some fingerling potatoes kickin around, so we sliced those up and lightly fried them in a bit of canola oil with onion for a very home-style, comfort food type of meal.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder blade roast
3/4 tsp each salt & pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp chili powder (I used paprika, with a dash of cayenne pepper)
2 tsp grounder coriander (I use dried)
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 - 14oz can tomato sauce
2 tbsp each brown sugar and cider vinegar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 green onions (I didn't have any on hand, so these were left out)

Prep:

1) Sprinkle pork with salt & pepper all over. In a frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat, and brown pork all over. Transfer to slow cooker.

2) If there is a lot of fat left in the pan, drain all but 1 tbsp; reduce heat to medium. Fry onions, garlic, chili powder, coriander and bay leaves, stirring often, until onions are softened (about 5 minutes).

3) Add tomato paste; cook, stirring until darkened (about 2 minutes). Add tomato sauce, sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire; bring to a boil. Scrape into slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until tender (8- 10 hours, or less if you have a fast-cooker like me).

4) Shred or pull the pork apart and serve.

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MRU's Body of Knowledge Lecture Series with Dr. Weil - Part 2

2011-10-09T10:36:00.000-06:00

In my last post about Dr. Weil's visit to the MRU Body of Knowledge Series, I summed up the flaws in our health care system, as seen by Weil. Although a very interesting perspective on our past, present and future challenges in health care, I was most looking forward to the nutrition part of the lectures, and Weil didn't disappoint.

Why focus on nutrition?

Nutrition is of primary significance because it is the one aspect we have primary control over. We can't control our genetics, and can only partially control our environment, but we have near total control over what we eat.

Seeing a physician who is so well-versed in nutrition is a treat, but for Weil, most of this education came after med school. Weil shared that in his formal medical education he received only 30 minutes of nutrition education, and says not much has changed since then.

As I mentioned previously, not all physicians or dietitians subscribe to all of Weil’s beliefs and recommendations. Sometimes it seems that physician's can be on total opposite ends of the spectrum, and it seems there is always some research (although usually varying greatly in strength) to support whichever view that may be. But one thing is sure, Weil has certainly done his research. Although Weil has a bit of a reputation for his sometimes unconventional ideas, his talks were based on simple nutrition principles to promote health, and I think very beneficial for the public.

Exploring nutrition as a strategy for treatment of ailment hasn't always been mainstream, but it is becoming more so. I am supportive of medical professionals that look to food, our most basic necessity, first for prevention, and even healing. Dr. Weil appears to take a cautious approach to venturing outside the western medicine box, recommending herbs and remedies that may be unheard of in the average North American physician's or dietitian’s office, but that hold some merit, and are a welcome alternative to costly, pharmaceutical treatments.

Day 2 of the Series began with Dr. Weil's second presentation - "Nutrition 101: Macronutrients and the Anti-Inflammatory Diet".

As the title alludes to, a large portion of Weil’s talk was based around his anti-flammatory diet. I previously discussed the theory and science behind the inflammatory diet. Weil is a strong proponent of the diet, which is essentially a modified version of the traditional Mediterranean diet, and he has even developed an anti-inflammatory food pyramid. The traditional Mediterranean diet (and I stress "traditional", as even this diet has fallen victim to Western influences) has long been linked with lower rates of heart disease, cancer and other chronic and age-related disease.

It is thought that certain foods contribute to inflammation (pro-inflammatory), and can increase our risk for developing these diseases. We also know that other foods decrease that inflammation (anti-inflammatory), and can contribute to better overall health. Diets that are high in sugar, refined starches, saturated and trans fats, low in anti-oxidants, fiber, vegetables and fruit and whole grains may activate the immune system, and induce inflammation. By altering our diet, theoretically, we can reduce the inflammation process and even stop it. Anything that increases inflammation, increases cell division and turnover, and increases the risk for disease process. Weil says most of us go through life in an anti-inflammatory state.

If in fact we are all going through life with this low-grade, potentially hazardous inflammation, one of the biggest contributing factors is our food supply, particularly, industrialized food. Our food supply is flooded with an abundance of omega-6 fats (such as soy bean oil, which is added to many processed and fast foods and is particularly high in omega-6 fats) and low in omega-3 fats.

Weil likes to sum up his food philosophy is one sentence: "stop eating refined, processed and manufactured foods". The more processed foods we eat, Weil says, the higher likelihood that we will see negative health effects. For instance, food industrialization has a tendency to turn carbohydrate foods from slow digesting to fast (turning a whole grain into an easily absorbed form, such as flour). Weil says the spikes in insulin caused by the spikes in blood sugar also increase inflammation. Other causes of inflammation are environmental toxins and stress.

The primary issues with our food system, according to Weil, is based on the reality that unhealthy food is the cheapest. Federal governments in Canada and the U.S. subsidize crops, which artificially drives down the cost of processed food. Although the government encourages the public to eat better with Food Plates and Food Guides, Weil argues that these food subsidies make unhealthy food easier and cheaper to come by, and points out that there are no subsidies for fruits and vegetables. Whether or not there is a wealth of evidence to support the anti-inflammatory diet, the basis of the diet is one that focuses on whole, unprocessed foods, and is heavy in plant-based foods and fish. We know these are all good dietary principles to follow.

Like many health professionals, Weil is also a big proponent of limiting sugar of all types and sources, but particularly fructose.

Weil believes that high fructose corn syrup causes metabolic disturbances and deranges liver function. When it comes to manufactured sugars, like high fructose corn syrup, Weil believes it affects liver function and says all types of sugar, (including table sugar, which is 1/2 fructose) should be limited. Last time I checked, the jury was still out on the fructose debate, but one thing is for sure, limiting sugar intake is always a good health move.

Finally, one of my favourite components of the talk was the "Q & A" portion. Members of the audience, which was made up of public and health care professionals, were able to ask Dr. Weil his take on a number of issues. Some highlights:

Vaccines - Weil believes the benefits far outweigh the risks, and says that in the absence of vaccines, we would really see the benefit.

Genetically Modified foods - Weil suggests there may be unforeseen consequences, and says there isn't enough research. Consumers should exercise caution, he says, and believes GMO's should be labelled to allow consumers to make educated choices.

Blood Type diet - no benefit.

pH or Acid/Alkaline diet - encourages mostly good dietary principles, but there is no evidence to support this diet as a means to improve health.

RAW diet - the premise that RAW diet is based on (that the enzymes in foods are destroyed in cooking, thereby making digestion more difficult) is faulty. The acid in the human stomach would sooner destroy those enzymes than would cooking. Also, some pigments in vegetables are actually increased with cooking (such as lycopene in cooked tomatoes). Some vegetables also have small amounts of toxins in them that are destroyed by the cooking process. Bottom line - eat a variety of cooked and raw veggies.

Organic food - Weil says that agrochemicals can't be good for us, so the only question is "how bad are they for us?". Weil recommends to the Environmental Working Groups' "Clean 15" and the "Dirty Dozen", which highlights the 15 crops that have been shown to have the least chemical and pesticide residue, and the 12 that have been shown to have the most.

Dr. Weil comes to Calgary! MRU Lecture Series on Nutrition, Part 1

2011-09-22T09:00:00.000-06:00

For a nutrition nerd like me, the Mount Royal University's Integrative Health Institute's Body of Knowledge Lecture Series was a very exciting event! The "headliner", if you will, was none other than nutrition rockstar - Dr. Andrew Weil (pronounced "while", not "wheel" as I have said for years!). Dr. Weil is part nutrition guru, part celebrity.

(Excuse the blurry photo - stage lights + iPhone do not make for a clear shot)

Dr. Weil combines an education in Western medicine from Harvard, with years of research and experience in alternative and complementary medicine into a fresh, somewhat unconventional view of health care, nutrition and medicine.

Tuesday evening was the kick off of the lectures with Dr. Weil's presentation on "Why Our Health Matters". Well, that seems like a no-brainer. I think a better title for the talk may have been something like "How we screwed up the health care system and what to do about it".

Weil started by discussing the state of the health care system in both Canada and the U.S. He referred to our health care system as not really a "health care" system at all, but rather a "disease management system". The money, he argues, is in treatment, not prevention - and there lies a huge part of the problem. The cost of health care is climbing which threatens our economic health. The cost to our health care system, Weil says, is largely due to its' structure, particularly:

1) The focus of modern medicine lies with treating illness once it's present, suppressing symptoms, rather than restoring balance. Many of the diseases we're treating are lifestyle-related, and largely preventable.

2) Our methods of treatment are high-tech (including pharmaceuticals) and, although low-tech treatments exist, today's MD's aren't trained in these.

So what to do? Dr. Weil argues that good medicine should begin with promoting our bodies' own healing power and enhancing this. By switching the focus to prevention, we can save major $$ in treatment down the road. Unfortunately, prevention doesn't pay and it's not where we put our money. Lastly, although the government promotes health initiatives, it also hinders progress by subsidizing crops that make unhealthy, processed foods more cheap and available. Wouldn't it be interesting to see what happens if fruits and vegetables were subsidized? Would the population eat better, if healthy choices were cheaper and more readily available, and fast food and junk food was expensive and difficult to find?

Here in Alberta, I know there are some initiatives that are tackling prevention - primarily obesity prevention in schools and adults. Will it make a difference? How long will it take to see a positive effect? We don't know, but it's certainly shifting the focus to the root of the problem and being proactive is always better than reactive.

Stay tuned for part 2, where I'll cover Dr. Weil's take food and nutrition, Q & A's, and his personal regimen.

Food for Thought Event!

2011-09-19T18:06:00.000-06:00

If you're in the Calgary area, here's a must-not-miss event! I'll be there volunteering for LEAF which is a Community Partner for the event.

Food For Thought
Saturday, October 15 from 6-10 pmMcMahon Stadium, East Entrance
(Absolute Baseball Academy kwansit hut next to Viper Stadium)

REAP Business Association is proud to host, with the support of Community Natural Foods, First Calgary Financial, and Calgary Herald, a wonderful event in celebration of local sustainable food and farmers!

The 2nd annual Food For Thought will showcase local sustainable farmers and producers, paired with restaurants and catering companies who already adore and promote their products, and offer tastings to our attendees while giving everyone a chance to talk to our farmers and chefs directly.

After the greeting and eating we will be premiering a documentary called In the Same Boat, which features the stories of an Alberta farming family and a Newfoundland fishing family, both of whom have been impacted by industrialized agriculture. The filmmaker, Rachel Bower, will lead a discussion about the importance of local, sustainable food systems after the film.

Doors open at 6:00 pm
Curtain at 8:30 pm

Tickets are $25 and available at Community Natural Foods locations or on our website.

This event sold out last year, so advance ticket purchase is highly recommended. Any remaining tickets will be available for purchase at the door.

What not to eat: Peach cobbler

2011-09-01T19:47:00.000-06:00

Once in a while, I get the urge to bake some goodness, and this peach cobbler is all summer goodness. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com I had never made a cobbler before, but had dabbled in crisps. I was a little unsure as I started to make the topping - it seemed odd and I was not confident in how it would turn out. I pushed on though, and I'm glad I did. The end results was delicious. The sweet warmth of the peaches, with a light, crisp topping that was reminiscent of a crumbled pie crust.

If you're lucky enough to have access to some local, organic peaches and ice cream, this can be a fairly "green" treat as well!

It was just the two of us, so I halved the recipe. We got what I would consider to be 4 servings out of the recipe, so we had plenty for leftovers. Here is the original recipe for 4 (generous sized) servings:

Ingredients:

8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 cup boiling water

MIX TOGETHER:
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.

Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes.
Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving (according to the recipe): Calories: 512 | Total Fat: 17.6g
Again, if you half the servings, each will only be 256 Cals, and 8.8g fat.

Health washing: Nestle Pure Life water

2011-08-03T18:57:00.000-06:00

After I wrote this post discussing the environmental detriments of bottled water, I didn't think I'd be writing another bottled water post anytime soon. Then, I saw a Nestle Pure Life water commercial and I couldn't contain myself. Like most Nestle water commercials, this ad glamorized bottled water and stretched the truth. It specifically targeted moms, suggesting that bottled water is a necessary component of a healthy diet for kids. While I couldn't find the exact ad, I did find this similar one:

Nestle says "We believe that clean, high quality water is critical to human and environmental health." I absolutely agree with that statement. And as the ad above says, we should be drinking more water and less sugary beverages. But who says that water needs to come from a bottle? There is a place for bottled water, and that is where the local water is unsafe to drink. Here in most parts of North America, we are lucky to have access to free flowing, clean, safe drinking water in our taps. Yet, people are lining up to pay for water that was bottled and trucked in from a small town in the mid-west U.S.

But Nestle's blatant misleading doesn't stop at "health". Upon researching for this post, I stumbled upon Nestle's 'commitment to the environment and sustainability'. The Nestle Canada's President's Message states:

When you walk into your favourite grocer and buy any one of our bottled water products, you should have every confidence that you are doing the right thing from a health perspective as well from an environmental standpoint.

While our packaging (bottles, caps, plastic wrap and cardboard are 100 percent recycle, we are encouraging local and provincial governments across Canada to work with us and our industry partners to find ways to recycle more plastic bottles.

The problem with bottled water is much bigger than the packaging. Even if 100% of bottles were recycled, the simple fact that bottled water is removed from one location, bottled in an energy intensive plant, and shipped thousands of miles away makes it unsustainable and environmentally liable. Not to mention the millions of plastic bottles that are made from non-renewable fossil fuels. No matter what Nestle is doing in terms of 'sustainability', it is more environmentally costly than walking to the sink and pouring a glass of water from the tap.

Back to the health washing for a moment, the message goes on to say:

Bottled water is proving to be very helpful at a time when obesity and diabetes are on the increase amongst all Canadians, but particularly young Canadians born after 2000. Almost 30 percent of them are overweight or obese, are susceptible to diabetes and may be the first generation of Canadians whose life expectancy may be shorter than their parents'.

In no way is bottled water superior to tap water, and to allude that there is any connection between consuming more bottled water and lowering diabetes risk or improving health or nutrition, is false and misleading.

Would you buy bottled air? Seriously, think about it. Why pay for something that is harmful to the environment, has zero health benefit, and is available (for next to FREE) in your own tap? Despite what Nestle would have you believe, the bottom line is that bottled water is not healthier, ultimately, it takes a toll on our environment and that does have a direct negative impact on our health. Bottled water is not only unnecessary, it's an indulgence. Check out the video below to get the "story of bottled water".

For all you water connoisseurs who prefer the taste of filtered water, a simple tap filter or filtered jug will do the trick.

Should parents of obese children lose temporary custody?

2011-07-14T11:33:00.001-06:00

In perhaps the most controversial topic of the day - is childhood obesity a form of abuse? Should morbidly obese children, who are at risk for a myriad of serious but preventable diseases, be put in foster care?

Too extreme? You may be surprised to find out, it's already happening, in the U.K. and here in Canada. Watch the video and tell me, what do you think?

(RSS feed users will have to visit the blog to view)

BBQ'd Bison sliders with Garlic Chilli Mayo and Caramelized Onions

2011-07-04T17:47:00.000-06:00

Inspiration: cute little slider buns that caught my eye in the market. Sliders are a fun take on the typical burger, and making mini burgers allows you to be creative with toppings. We had a selection of different items to choose for each one and we ended up with a delicious, perfect summer meal!

We decided to forego the usual beef burger for leaner, local and organic bison. B added a bit of Worcestershire, soy sauce, garlic, and salt and pepper to the meat, before throwing it on the grill.

For toppings, we went with a selection of Garlic chilli mayo, caramelized onions, micro greens, pickled beets, tomato, and old cheddar. On the side, we served fresh, cold watermelon.

Garlic chilli mayo:

1/4 cup roasted green chillies, skinned

3 cloves garlic, roasted

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 cup mayo (if you're ambitious, you can make your own. We used the light olive oil type).

Honey-Ginger Grilled Salmon Lettuce Wraps

2011-06-24T17:38:00.000-06:00

Wondering what's for dinner? Sometimes a look around your kitchen can provide inspiration. We had some wild salmon, vermicelli noodles, and fresh lettuce from the garden. We marinated the salmon overnight, and threw it on the BBQ in small pieces so the edges got a bit crisp and caramelized.

This is a delicious, easy and fast summer recipe. Get creative with sides - shredded carrot, cucumber, rice noodles and green onion are just some options to dress up these wraps.

Marinade Ingredients:

1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup honey
1 green onion, chopped
1 (1 1/2-pound) salmon fillet

Prep:

Combine ginger, garlic, soy sauce, orange juice, honey, and green onion in a bowl and mix well. Place salmon in the bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil grate.

Remove salmon from marinade, shake off excess, and discard remaining marinade. Grill for 12 to 15 minutes per inch of thickness, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Wrap in large lettuce leaves with toppings of your choice, and enjoy!

*Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Garden update: the survivors

2011-06-06T14:30:00.003-06:00

Here we are, the first week of June, and no veggies ready for harvest yet. It's still early, but this weather isn't helping move things along! Saturday of May long weekend was gorgeous, so I buckled (despite my better judgement) and moved the seedlings outside. The next week, we had a torrential downpour, and not all the seedlings made it out alive. I knew I should wait another week, but patience is not one of my strong suits. As you can see from the pics, Calgary's summer continues to be delayed by these Vancouver-like overcast days.

The green beans are doing quite well...

As are the tomatoes and lettuce...

Unfortunately, the peppers seem to be experiencing some stunted growth. I know they're packed in quite tightly, I don't think they're big enough to feel crowded yet (??).

Unfortunately, the cucumbers and zucchini seem to have suffered the most from the weather. I had to throw quite a few of them in the compost, these are the survivors, and they don't look too perky. :( Apparently they also need a lot of space, which they are obviously not getting in that container... may be time for a relocation...

In happier news - we got the compost all set up! I couldn't find a wealth of information about composting in an urban setting, so it's a bit of an experiment. One of the tricks to successful composting (so I've learnt) is to keep the ratio of "brown" (dried leaves, grass, etc) and "green" materials (vegetable scraps, peelings, etc) fairly even. The one concern is that, since we don't have a yard, we may have trouble finding enough "brown" materials for it to work properly (and keep it from smelling!). So far, we're doing ok and I'm happy to report - no smell! (I may have to hit up a neighbour for a donation of lawn clippings if we run into trouble down the road). Isn't she a beaut??

And since no one wants to take 10 trips to the composter each day, we purchased this lovely ceramic compost container for the counter. It had a charcoal filter to prevent any smell... and again, we've had no issues with this yet.

And to pretty things up (and add some privacy from the neighbours), we've added some flowers to the built-in planters. (We thought about adding a raspberry bush, but were worried large plants may break the planter.) Hopefully these guys get large and bushy soon, to act like a pretty fence.

Finally, I had to include this shot of Sophie, our sweet little rescue kitty who can't go outside (her previous owners had her declawed), so she just sits patiently at the window and watches...

How is your garden fairing this summer? Any tips for the container gardener like me?

Rainbows and pyramids: Should Canada adopt the food plate? Part one.

2011-06-04T00:47:00.001-06:00

The hot topic this week in the nutrition world is the release of the USDA's My Plate and has been met with as much skepticism and analysis as last year's study that suggested saturated fat intake may not be as detrimental to heart health as previously thought. There have been numerous blog posts on the merits and applicability of The Plate so I'm not going in that direction today (if you're interested, I've posted links to a few of my favourites at the end of this post).

Pyramid is out - My Plate is in

The USDA has gotten rid of their nutritional icon "the food pyramid" that served to guide Americans' eating habits for nearly 20 years. Here in Canada, we have the familiar Canada Food Guide rainbow.

Although updated in 2007, many feel the rainbow graphic, charts and subsequent messages are confusing and leave a lot of questions unanswered. There has also been widespread criticism that the CFG fails to provide Canadians with guidelines that are specific enough, and is too heavily influenced by the food industry.

Criticism aside, the switch to a "plate" concept sounds like a great (and very common sense) idea (where we got the idea to attribute food to rainbows and pyramids in the first place is beyond me). The Canadian Diabetes Association has been using the healthy plate image for years. It's simple and it makes sense.

Is My Plate an improvement?

Although the overall dietary recommendations for the food plate as opposed to the pyramid aren't that much different, the plate certainly offers a more relatable graphic. The easier something is to understand, the more people you're going to reach, and the more likely people are to incorporate that message into their own habits.

The "key" messages are extremely simplistic, and there aren't many of them:

Balancing Calories

● Enjoy your food, but eat less.

● Avoid oversized portions.

Foods to Increase

● Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.

● Make at least half your grains whole grains.

● Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

Foods to Reduce

● Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals ― and choose the foods with lower numbers.

● Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

At first I thought "wow, that's it for recommendations??", then I discovered the multitude of information hidden throughout the site. Ok, so it's not really "hidden", but it was such a maze to navigate, it might as well have been. As I just said, the easier something is to understand, the more people you're going to reach, and the more likely people are to incorporate that message into their own habits. However, to see "how much" of each food group I needed, I had to take a cyber joy-ride through the My Plate website.

To see how much I should be eating for grains, this is the path I had to take:

USDA > My Plate > Food Groups > Grains group > How much is needed > click here to see chart > **Click here to see what counts as an ounce-equivalent of grains > click here to see chart. !!!

7 clicks and 2 charts later (!!) I learn that I need 6 "ounce-equivalents" of grains. I then have to get to another chart to do the math to find out what "6 ounce-equivalents" is in real food. Confused yet? Me too. Not only is it difficult to navigate, but we know that charts are a high literacy tool, which means that many people won't be able to understand them.

Another example of confusion: The portions. For instance, "dairy" is measured in cups. According to the Plate, a woman my age needs "3 cups" of dairy per day. So if I have an ounce of cheese, I have to find the appropriate chart, and convert ounces of cheese into "cups" of dairy. Add to that the "serving sizes" on the nutrition facts label, and you've got some confused consumers. I think the CFG's "portions" is a much better system.

I think part of the purpose of this plate was to make things simpler. My original intent for this blog post was to examine the real messages of the Food Plate, and consider whether Canada should adopt something similar. But as I began to cruise the USDA website, the un-userfriendliness of the site and the information it contains was something I couldn't ignore.

The Plate, as with the Food Pyramid and Canada Food Guide, certainly has it's short-comings. But trying to develop nutritional guidelines for an entire population isn't an easy task. However, if you don't have a clear and concise method for getting this information to people, and don't present it in a way that is easy to understand, it's useless. My guess it that many people won't get past the plate image. But hey, my bet is that the Plate image will come into more people's minds when they're filling their plates than the Pyramid ever did.

So to answer the question in the headline "Should Canada adopt the food plate?", my answer is I don't know yet! because I was too consumed with the charts and graphs to analyze it. But I can say this: We should definitely NOT adopt their website!

Stay tuned for Part two of Rainbows and pyramids: Should Canada adopt the food plate? where I will actually get around to exploring the messages of the Plate.

Interesting conversations on The Plate in the blogosphere:

Food Politics

Small Bites

Monica @ Nutrition Over Easy

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What's wrong with this sign?

2011-06-02T11:07:00.000-06:00

Oh, the irony...

Healthy tips for dining out

2011-05-30T15:40:00.000-06:00

Originally written and published for World Health Club magazine

Everyone needs a night out once in a while, and while it might not seem like much, a night out to dinner can be enough to through your weight loss goals off track. Here are some tips to help you make smarter choices while dining out, so you’re not having regret for dessert.

Plan ahead of time. Many restaurants list their menus online. Do your homework and decide what you’re going to order ahead of time. Going in with a plan can help you stay on track, and avoid the temptations of being caught off guard by tasty, but less-healthy options.

Eat a light lunch - but not too light! Eating smaller portions throughout the day is a good way to keep your total Calories for the day within safe limits. But it’s important to make sure you’re still eating enough. Arriving to your dinner date famished will only make you more likely to overeat.

Have an appetizer - as your main meal. Most restaurant entree portions are 2-3 times the portions we really need. Choosing from the appetizer menu can help you keep your portions in check. Not enough food? Order a side salad as well.

Watch the cocktails. Having alcohol with dinner adds extra Calories. Depending on how many you have, it can quickly add up to another meals’ worth: about 120 Calories for a glass of wine, 150 Calories for a beer, 150-200 for a martini, and over 500 Calories for a 12 oz frozen margarita!

Watch for the fat traps. Restaurant meals are notorious for going using lots of fat to add flavour, which can add up in terms of Calories. Ask for sauces and dressings “on the side” and for meats to be grilled, roasted, broiled, poached or baked. Remove poultry skin, and choose leaner cuts of red meat, such as loin or flank. Keep an eye out for delicious, low fat vegetarian options as well.

Get it to go. When you order your meal, ask for half of it to be wrapped up before they bring it to the table. This will help you from going overboard, and you’ll have lunch for the next day!

Avoid buffets. Studies show that when we have more choices, we will eat more. Enough said!

How to practice "Slow Food"

2011-05-13T21:01:00.001-06:00

A while ago I wrote a post about “Slow Food”, an international non-profit organization "founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world".

Slow Food continues to gain momentum, and is helping to bring back the simple notion of being connected with our food that we seem to have lost over the past few decades. In our search for faster, more convenient meals throughout the second half of the last century to accommodate our fast-paced lives, we have compromised nutritional quality of our diets and our basic food knowledge, cooking skills and healthy social practices, like family dinners.

The philosophy of Slow Food endeavors to bring that back. Slow Food is exactly what it sounds like: it is the opposite of fast food in every sense. Slower, more nutritious food with meaning. Incorporating this philosophy into your own life offers many benefits including a healthier diet, supporting environmentally friendly and local agriculture, and improving social connectedness by homemade meals enjoyed with family and friends - all of which lead to a healthier lifestyle and planet.

You can incorporate the Slow Food philosophy in your own life by following this simple tips:

Know where your food comes from and who grew or raised it. Get ting to know your local farmers and suppliers will add more meaning to your food.
Grow a vegetable - learn about the process by being hands on. There’s nothing more rewarding that enjoying a fresh veggie out of your own garden! Small space? Start with a window herb garden or a simple container garden with one vegetable outdoors. (Grow with me!)
Try a new recipe - New flavours and dishes will increase your cooking repertoire!
Try a new ingredient - increase your “food IQ” by trying something different.
Purchase local items, responsibly grown or raised with no chemical pesticides that are harmful to the earth.
Focus on a plant-based diet, making meat the compliment or side dish rather than the focus of meals.
Bike, walk or take public transit to purchase food, whenever possible.
Compost - contribute to putting nutrients back into the earth by starting a compost to grow food for the future and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Share! Have gatherings with friends and family to bring the joy back to cooking and eating.

Follow these tips and you should be eating and feeling healthier in no time! I have joined our local Slow Food “convivium” here in Calgary, and look forward to many great events this summer.

www.slowfood.ca (Canadian site)
www.slowfood.com (International site)

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Composting: Turn trash into treasure

2011-05-08T13:04:00.000-06:00

Good news! The seedlings recovered! I aired them out (ie: took off the lid and opened the window a crack) and the mould is gone! As you can see, all of the seedlings are now doing very well - can't wait to plant them outdoors!

In other exciting news, B and I purchased a composter! It's something I've wanted to do for a long time, but we were limited by our condo-living. Growing up, the only people I knew with a compost lived on a farm but composting is making a come-back and for good reason. The benefits of composting are many, for your garden and the environment. Most of us throw good organic waste (fruit and vegetable scraps, paper towels, coffee grinds, etc) to the landfill with the rest of our garbage. And why not, it will biodegrade, right? Wrong. Contrary to popular belief, organic waste does not biodegrade in the landfill, but is broken down anaerobically in bags (without oxygen). This process produces methane, a greenhouse gas that is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

Composting is a great way to manage organic waste because it reduces greenhouse gas emissions and turns the waste back into nutrient-rich compost, which can then be used to grow more food. Some cities, such as Toronto, offer a green bin program which picks up organic waste, in addition to blue bin recycling programs. For those of us without that service, or with a little backyard space, the better option is to start your own compost.

This is my dream composter, the Roto-cycle:

This baby is compact and user friendly. The downside - the cost. Call me cheap, but since we plan on selling our condo in the next year or so, I didn't want to invest $200 in a composter that may or may not be coming with us. Thankfully, a local organization called Green Calgary is offering a great deal on rain barrels and composters for those who pre-purchase. $35 is a steal of a deal.

The composter we purchased through Green Calgary is the Garden Gourmet. It is quite small - small enough to sit in the corner on our terrance without being an eye sore. This is my pride and joy:

"The Garden Gourmet compost bin holds 11 cubic feet of material and weighs 29 pounds. Parts are easily assembled – no tools – just follow the diagram in the instruction booklet. Finished size is 24L x 24W x 36H inches. It is black plastic that is at least 51% recycled including post consumer waste."

For those of you new to composting, I highly recommend you consider starting.

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There She Sows!

2011-04-27T20:10:00.000-06:00

I was amazed how quickly the seeds started to sprout! There is something about seeing those little green tips pop out of the soil that makes you feel like summer is just around the corner (even though it was snowing when we planted)! We added a few more veggies last weekend, some of which are sprouting already.

After 9 days, this is what we have:

Not bad, right?

Basil is coming up nicely...

And cucumbers (less than a week in the ground!)...

Carrots too!

If I just showed you these pictures you might think I was half-decent at this... but unfortunately, not all seeds escaped with their lives... My seedlings have suffered at the hands of my rookie urban farming hands in more ways than one.

I present to you Exhibit A: Mold

Exhibit B: Damping

Oh the shame! So what went wrong...

I was worried the seedlings wouldn't get enough light or warm in our south-facing window, so I made sure to seal the clear lid tightly to keep in the warmth. This worked well, but unfortunately inhibited air flow, thus allowing the mold to grow and too much moisture to be kept in, leading to the damping.

My first thought was to chuck the moldy seedlings, but internet wisdom says "no", they may just survive. The dampened carrots are, of course, goners. My plan is to wait til the weekend - then get rid of the casualties and start a-new.

Lessons learned

Don't overwater! I had read this, but didn't realize just how EASY it was to overwater. The soil we started with was already quite damp, so it really didn't need the extra water I put in the bottom of the tray on day one.

Put the trays on an even surface. I thought our ottoman-thing was even (to the naked eye it is) but it become apparent after a few days that one end of the trays were getting more hydration than the other.

Air flow is imperative! Don't leave the lid on too long without air circulation. Some even recommend a small fan.

I'm in the mood for growing!

2011-04-18T18:47:00.000-06:00

Last year was my first real year attempting to grow my own vegetables. I started off with just a few select items, so it wouldn't be a total waste if nothing turned out. But last summer went quite well. We had lettuce all summer, and more tomatoes than we knew what to do with, so this year we're expanding our terrance garden. This is also the first year that we will attempt to start most of our veggies from seeds.

I really encourage everyone with access to some containers and sunlight to try this. Growing your own veggies is rewarding and saves money. So much easier than a trip to the grocery store, and you're more likely to eat your veggies if you grow them yourself! I've linked to some helpful videos at the end of this post.

We have a large terrace, but no real garden space, so it's mostly container gardening. I was going to have B build me a box to grow in this year, but the local garden store was having an incredible sale on huge, glazed clay pots, so I picked up a few of those instead (I may still bug him to build me a box, but we'll see how it goes). I also grow veggies in reusable cloth grocery bags and old paint cans... saves money on pots, and keeps them out of the landfill!

I'm starting the seedlings 6-8 weeks prior to the last frost (although, who ever knows when that is in Canada?). These are the trays, catching some rays in our south-facing windows. They're all condensation-y... not sure if that's good or bad.

(Most things I've read say that they'll need artificial light for a few hours a day, but I haven't done that yet.)

I'll be updating the status of my garden over the summer... and we'll all learn from my mistakes (cuz you know there's going to be some mistakes!).

If this has you in the mood for growing - check out this video to help you get started:

Breast cancer and soy: what you should know

2011-04-13T19:47:00.000-06:00

Soy has received mixed reviews in recent years, leading to confusion about it and potential health benefits or risks. The link between soy and breast cancer has been particularly convoluted. Should you eat soy in large amounts to lower your risk? Or avoid it due to the potential estrogenic effects? Are the health benefits backed by research, or is it a result of slick marketing campaigns?

The data about breast cancer in Canadian women is staggering. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Canada. 1 in 9 women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, and 1 in 28 will die from this disease. Interestingly, breast cancer rates are significantly lower in Asian countries. But when Asian women come to North America, their rates increase to near that of Western women, suggesting an environmental issue, rather than race. The most obvious dietary difference between western and Asian lifestyle is soy, which has led to intense research into soy, and whether it does in fact contribute to lower rates of breast cancer in these geographical areas.

What's so good about soy?

As far as whole foods go, soy definitely holds its nutritional weight. Soy contains protein. It is one of the few plant proteins that is a “complete” protein – which means it contains all the building blocks (amino acids) to make a protein in humans who eat it. Since evidence shows people who follow a primarily plant-based diet have a lower risk for some diseases, soy fits the bill as a healthy, protein-rich alternative to animal meats. It also is full of vitamins and minerals, and omega-3 fats (you, the good ones). The other (and arguably most important) component in soy is something called “isoflavones”.

Isoflavones have been toted as one of the components that makes a “superfood” (I term I try to avoid) so super. The controversy surrounding those in soy is due to the fact that they are “phytoestrogens” and structurally similar to the human estrogen hormone. Since estrogen levels have been linked to some cancers in humans, the question is whether these “phytoestrogens” in soy can increase the risk for estrogen-responsive cancers, or reduce the risk by preventing against hormone-dependent cancers.

What the research shows

Some research has shown a reduced risk of breast cancer with moderate intakes of soy (equivalent to about ½ cup of soy milk per day). However, not all studies have found this relation. Some research has shown that dietary patterns that are vegetable, fruit and soy based, appear to reduce the risk of breast cancer by about 30%.

But before you run out to the grocery store to stock up on tofu and soy milk, know this: the age of exposure appears to be very important in that, the earlier you start eating soy products, the greater the protective benefits. Adding soy to your diet later in life may have a much smaller benefit, or none at all. This may help explain some of the differences in findings between different studies.

The bottom line

For healthy women, soy foods are a good addition to any healthy diet that focuses on variety and moderation. If you’ve been eating soy since your early years (prior to age 10), this may have some protective benefit for you. Higher doses of soy may have estrogen-like effects, which may contribute to growth of certain breast cancers. Thus, the recommendations for women with breast cancer, and breast cancer survivors are slightly different.

For women with breast cancer, health professionals are recommending women with breast cancer “take only moderate amounts of soy foods as part of a healthy, plant-based diet. They should not ingest very high levels of soy in their diet or take concentrated sources of soy (such as supplements) containing high amounts of isoflavones” (American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity).

And for the breast cancer survivor, current research suggests that 3 or less servings of soy per day is safe, and does not have any special benefit nor harmful effects “as part of a healthy diet”. It is recommended that breast cancer survivors avoid high doses of soy isoflavones, such as powders and supplements.

Visit the American Cancer Society or Canadian Cancer Society for more information.