Eat...Faster than Takeout

Like those sunny side up? Yes...eggs on pizza are actually tasty.

There isn't always a picture perfect meal on the table. Sometimes, you just have to get a relatively healthy meal on the table, fast! Today was one of those days. Luckily, I did have some good quality ingredients on hand to whip up a super fast pizza. Now, pizza can be the embodiment of terrible, lifeless food: cheap flour and grease-laden crust, gobs of cheese and way too much processed meat. In this house, pizza is another opportunity to feast on veggies (and a little cheese...). Keep the ingredients for this recipe on hand at all times and the next time you are tempted to call for takeout, save yourself time and money and make this healthier treat instead. The toppings would make a great pasta too with some adjustments. 


This pizza is gluten free and vegetarian; make it vegan using the substitutions provided.


Recipe


Fennel Pesto Pizza
Serves 4 with a side salad (or two really hungry people)


1 pkg (2 shells) Quejos Pizza Crusts (gluten free) - cheese or non-dairy
1/2 cup Sunflower Kitchen Kale and Oregano Pesto (gluten free and vegan)


1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large fennel bulb, greens trimmed, thinly sliced into half moons
1 small head of cauliflower, trimmed and thinly sliced into 1/2 cm "steaks"
1 cup shredded pizza mozzarella (or mozza-style Daiya)


Optional: 4 eggs or 1 cup mashed white beans




Quicker-than-takeout Version


Prep the pizza crusts according to package directions, don't skip the pre-crisp stage! Meanwhile, heat oil in large pan and sauté fennel until tender-crisp. Add salt and pepper to taste, remove and set aside. Add cauliflower to pan and sauté until tender-crisp, season to taste. 


When crust is crisped, spread 1/4 pesto on each shell and if desired, mashed white beans for an extra vegan protein boost.


Top pesto with cauliflower, cheese and fennel. Bake according to package directions.


If desired, gently fry eggs over easy and when pizza is done, top each serving with one egg.


Make it a bit fancier...


Toss the fennel and cauliflower with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste in a medium baking dish and roast until softened, about 30 minutes. Then add to pizza as above.


Note: Both quejos and sunflower kitchen are relatively regional treats. Substitute your best quality gluten free crust and vegan pesto!

Eat, Drink and Be Happy...Finding Yoga on Your Plate, Part Two

Food has changed. Once upon a time, we rarely thought much about what we ate; now there is so much context sitting on the end of our fork that it can be almost too heavy to lift. When we sit down to a meal, any number of questions can appear on our plates. Was the food grown close to home, supporting local farmers and putting less fossil fuels into the atmosphere? Were these fish farmed, spreading disease in our oceans? Should we be eating animal foods at all? What about all this GMO corn, is there some in this breakfast cereal? 


As I mentioned in my previous post, there is new meaning to the practice of ahimsa, or non-harming, where our food choices are concerned. How can we nourish our bodies and our spirits without causing undue harm? Here are some of my thoughts...take from them what you will. I hope they will encourage you to think about what it means to you to tread a little more lightly on the planet.


Eat plant-based meals. Whether this means a meatless Monday each week, a few vegetarian meals a week or transitioning to a completely vegan diet; eating fewer animal foods conserves energy and is good for your health. Consider meat as a condiment at any meal: building your meals around whole grains and vegetables, with meat as feature, is more sustainable from both an economical and an environmental sense.


Choose animal foods wisely. Cheese, one of my favourite treats, is also one of the most resource-intensive animal foods because it requires a great deal of milk from a very energy-intensive animal (the cow). If you eat cheese, choose good quality cheese and savour it. Don't simply cover everything you eat in a fake-orange tinted rubbery substance.  


Give your food animals a happier and healthier life. Buy your meat and dairy from organic sources whenever possible and if you can, from farms that raise their animals ethically. In BC, we have the SPCA certification for farms. If you have a good butcher, they will know exactly how that meat came to be in their counter.


Reconsider "superfoods". So many exotic foods sold as super foods can come with a hefty price tag for the buyer, the planet and the grower. In developed nations, our pocketbooks rule and we can outbid local markets for access to staple foods. A good example is quinoa, which has grown so expensive that many local populations that once relied upon the food have been priced out of the market. In addition, all of these foods have to be transported from far away. If they have travelled by boat, the carbon output is light. But if that pineapple or mangosteen is "jet fresh"...When you do choose super foods, buy fair trade whenever possible.


Eat Fair. As I alluded to above, when purchasing foods grown in developing nations, we should be buying fair trade. Those that toil growing our food, particularly in countries far away, are at risk socially and economically; they rarely earn enough money to raise their families. We often think about fair trade coffee, tea and chocolate. What about quinoa, bananas or sugar? Ask your retailer for fair trade foods and vote with your dollar. 


Eat modestly. We overeat. Period. We do harm to our bodies as we disconnect from true hunger and force our body to process the extra food that it doesn't need; we damage our spirit as we use food  as a substitute for something else that is missing in our lives. All of that excess consumption, whether in food or material goods, causes waste and an increased demand for resources which puts undue strain on our environment. Think of the Japanese tenet, "Hara hachi bu." Eat until you are  80% full. There is plenty of food out there. No need to gorge in preparation for hard times.


Eat real food. Food can be medicine or it can be poison. We honour our bodies when we choose simple, wholesome foods that are prepared with love. When we continuously feed ourselves over-processed, nutrient poor foods such as fast foods and junky snack foods we rob our bodies of nutrients and force them to go into detox mode to clean up the mess we just served.


Savour your food. We eat multiple times daily. Each opportunity can be one for happiness and pleasure when we take the time to focus on eating. Don't just scarf down your food in front of your computer screen or television. Take a quiet moment to eat slowly and truly experience your food. This will help put your body into a relaxed state that will encourage proper digestion, reduce mindless overeating and help you appreciate and enjoy what you are eating. Enjoying your meals is one of the simplest ways to add joy to your day. 

Eat...Healthy Starts Here (a book review)

I love cookbooks. I can't get enough of them, really. It seems that while I am constantly trying to acquire less and rid my life of excess stuff (electrical cords for tech unknown, lidless lunch containers, hole-ridden tights...), cookbooks are exempt from my anti-hoarding aims. This month, while everyone is thinking about eating better, I thought I would share reviews (and recipes!) from some of my latest finds. 


In December, a lovely little gift arrived at my door: my copy of Healthy Starts Here by Mairlyn Smith. Mairlyn is a professional home economist and a Second City alum and she has long been writing on health and creating healthy recipes. I have a very dog-eared (well, no...I take really good care of my books but that doesn't mean they aren't well used!) copy of Ultimate Foods for Ultimate Health, that she co-wrote with Liz Pearson RD. 


Healthy Starts Here is a breath of fresh air where health-focused books are concerned because there are no gimmicks. No low carb, raw-everything or protein overloads here. Mairlyn's recipes are always accessible, healthy and tasty.The recipes are full of fresh produce, whole grains and there are plenty of vegetarian options. The book is organized by ingredient and each section offers information on the health benefits of a variety of foods: from greens to yogurt to berries, there are recipes for each season and appetite. 


Where Mairlyn's background as a home economist and educator really shines through is in the book's opening section where she advises on basic kitchen equipment and stocking a pantry; she also demystifies terms that are commonly used in recipes. With more and more of us spending less and less time in a kitchen, this book is a great crash course in re-introducing yourself to cookery. The recipes come with plenty of helpful tips on, as Mairlyn describes, "how not to wreck them". Mairlyn is encouraging and humorous in her writing and graciously self-effacing in sharing some of her own kitchen mishaps. If nothing else, let the image of Mairlyn in her onion goggles forever be engrained  in your mind as your culinary cheerleader, encouraging as you embark on another meal's prep! 


The recipes all include nutritional information and, even more impressively, Mairlyn enlisted the help of a dietitian to ensure that there are diabetes food choice values for each recipe so that it is easy for diabetics on a meal plan to incorporate these recipes into their daily lives. These are recipes for real life and the book includes treats like cookies and chocolate chip muffins that are family friendly. The quality of ingredients is good and generally whole food focused; Mairlyn does use margarine in some of her recipes and I might argue that butter would be a less processed and better quality choice. 


In choosing a recipe to feature, I thought I would give you something that will keep you warm and healthy this winter and that includes one of my favourite unsung heroes of a grain, barley.


Recipe


Tuscan Supper
From Healthy Starts Here! by Mairlyn Smith, PHEc 
Used with permission from Whitecap Books

Makes 6 cups (1.5 L) | One serving = 1 cup (250 mL)

4 large cloves garlic

1 cup (250 mL) pot barley

1 tbsp (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 cups (1 L) sliced cremini mushrooms (about 24 mushrooms, or one and a half 8 oz / 227 g packages)

1 tbsp (15 mL) dried basil leaves (see below)

1 tsp (5 mL) dried oregano leaves (see below)

¼ tsp (1 mL) cracked black pepper

One 19 oz (540 mL) can diced tomatoes

1 cup (250 mL) lower-sodium vegetable or chicken broth (see page 7)

½ cup (125 mL) lightly packed grated

Asiago cheese or really good

Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

Mince the garlic and set aside.

Place the barley in a wire-mesh colander and rinse it well under cold running water. Set the barley aside to drain.

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil, then the onion, and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. (This extra bit of time browning the onion pays off in the end as it gives the dish a deeper flavour.)

Add the mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes. (I know what you’re thinking: this pot isn’t big enough. Trust me, the principle of shrinkage applies here and in about 3 minutes the mushrooms will have shrunk down.)

Add the basil, oregano, and pepper, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the barley and sauté for 1 minute.

Stir in the tomatoes and broth, making sure you scrape up all the little browned bits stuck to the bottom of the saucepan.

Bring to a boil and stir again. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, until the barley is cooked through and soft but not mushy, 45 to 50 minutes. Stir occasionally and adjust the heat so it doesn’t burn.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir once, and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Spoon into bowls and top each serving with 2 tbsp (30 mL) grated cheese. (Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.)

Per serving: 207 calories, 5 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 309 mg sodium,

33 g carbohydrate, 8 g fibre, 5.5 g sugars, 9 g protein

Diabetes Food Choice Values per serving: 2 Carbohydrate, 1 Meat and Alternatives, ½ Fat

Tips from Mairlyn:

“Can I use fresh herbs?” Yes, you can. Use 3 tbsp (45 mL) chopped fresh basil and 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh oregano, but add them just before serving so the flavour isn’t completely cooked out of the herbs.

Full Disclosure: Whitecap Publishing generously supplied my copy of Healthy Starts Here but they did so because I am already such a fan of Mairlyn's and my views, expressed here, are entirely my own. 

Eat...a few foods to help ward off cold and flu season

I have a toddler, a husband, a full time job and a writing habit, which essentially means that I don't rest nearly enough and my immune system runs at half mast. As a result, I entertain more than my fair share of germs. Hmmm...maybe that is not the ideal introduction to convince you that I can help you strengthen your own immune system but what the heck, honesty at all costs!


Since most of us don't live perfectly restful lives, we can use all the help we can get. So below are a few foods to help you stimulate your immune system. Eat them regularly and, hey, try and relax once in a while! You look tired. 


Foods that Boost your Immune System


Shiitakes
Wild mushrooms are the king of immune boosting foods. Polysaccharides in mushrooms help make white blood cells more active and mushrooms also contain a vitamin D precursor - a known immune booster. Eat shiitakes instead of your basic button and sauté them for a lovely pasta or pizza topper, stir-fry or bake into a casserole.


Garlic 
Long considered a medicinal food, anti-cancer garlic has been shown to fight infection. Allicin, a sulfur-containing compound that is created when the cell walls of garlic cloves are broken via mincing or crushing, is thought responsible for part of this benefit. Eat as much garlic as you can and don't cook the heck out of it (if you can handle it, try some raw!): keep heat low or add gently sautéed garlic at the end of cooking.


Kefir
This fermented milk is akin to a yogurt drink with a kick: in addition to probiotic bacteria, kefir is fermented with yeasts. The resulting kefiran molecules have immune-boosting properties and the probiotics (more than your average yogurt) encourage a healthy digestive flora which is important for maintaining a healthy digestive tract and strong immune system. Drink 1/4 - 1/2 cup daily.


These are some of my favourites...what are yours?

UnDiet...Week 31

Hello UnDieters!


It's hot out there, people! As promised, for another week or two we are going to keep our approach to healthy eating simple lest we anger the blood with too much exertion. So when I was thinking how best to keep my cool during these dog days, I immediately thought of cucumbers. Cucumbers don't get much respect in the nutrition world but they are a deliciously cooling vegetable and at their best right now as the heat produces some gorgeous field cucumbers. 


That gorgeous dark green skin is chock full of anti-oxidant pigments and its high water content is perfect for these dehydrating days. Rich in anti-inflammatory flavonols and a unique source of anti-cancer lignans, cucumbers deserve a regular place in your diet. So this week, try and have some cucumber everyday.


Here are some easy ways to enjoy cukes...


If you juice, add a bit of cucumber to a green juice (goes well with lemon, apple and kale)


Make a tzatziki or raita...the ultimate cooling blend of yogurt and cukes!


Chop cucumbers with tomatoes, olives, red onion and feta for a classic greek salad.


Top cucumbers with hummus for a quick snack.




Stay cool, cucumbers!
Desiree

UnDiet...Week 25

Hello Summer (and UnDieters)!!


I hope you are enjoying the glorious summer sunshine; it has finally graced Vancouver with its presence for 2 consecutive days and I am feeling optimistic that it is here to stay.


So now that summer is here in our Pacific Northwest home, that can only mean one thing...berries. So this week, it is time to celebrate in true UnDiet fashion and commit to eating 1 cup of fresh berries every day. 


Berries are one of the most nutrient dense fruits that nature offers us. Not only are they full of filling fibre and glow restoring antioxidants, their nutrients also help to stave off heart disease, cancer and other chronic disease. Berries are also slow to release their energy, making them a great choice for maintaining stable blood sugars. Did I also mention, they are delicious? Nothing beats the succulent crush of berry juice dribbling down your chin - it is like summer itself. Choose whatever tickles your fancy at the market: strawberries or blueberries, raspberries, cherries or blackberries. Just enjoy a cup full everyday.


What to do with berries? Snack on them instead of something starchy at movie time; swirl them in yogurt for a snack or bake them with an oat topping for a treat. And if you really want to earn bonus points, go find yourself a few flats of berries and either can them or freeze them to enjoy local berries off season. 


Go berry pickin', people!
Desiree

UnDiet...Week 22

Hello UnDieters!

Enjoying summer yet? Warm days have us leaning towards lighter fare and markets are bursting with summer fresh produce. Talk about a match made in heaven: just when the bounty of summer is reaching its peak we stop craving beef stews and start salivating over berries. It is time to take advantage of farm fresh produce and start feasting on fruits and veggies all day long. So this week, I want to challenge you to eat a salad at least twice for your lunch or dinner. Don't just add a side salad to your meal - I want the salad to be the main event. Salads are an amazing way to eat a nutrient dense and low calorie meal and ensure that you get your minimum servings of antioxidant loaded fruits and veggies. Beware, not all salads are created equal: croutons, iceberg and ranch dressing do not a power food make. Follow my five steps to a healthy salad and pick up your favourites at the farmer's market or local grocer. Need more inspiration? Check out some great recipes on the web!

Power Up: 5 Steps to a Nutritious and Filling Salad

1. Punk up your greens. Skip the iceberg and go for greens with attitude. Spinach, baby kale, arugula, mache...whatever you like. Pile on a few big handfuls. They deliver hyper nutritious, practically no calorie filler.

2. Add Super Veggies. The bulk of your salad should be 1 - 11/2 cups of chopped multicoloured veggies. Add whatever floats your boat, from radishes to tomatoes, snap peas to artichoke hearts.

3. Pump up the Protein. Add a full serving of protein with 2 hard boiled eggs, 3/4 cup of beans (a super filling addition thanks to extra fibre) or 3 oz of chicken or fish.

4. Drizzle on the Healthy Oils. Use a tablespoon of a natural salad dressing, preferably made with olive oil or cold pressed canola. The quickest way to dress your salad is 1/2 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice with a hit of salt and pepper. If taking the salad for lunch, carry the dressing in a separate container and dress prior to eating so your salad doesn't wilt.

5. Texture. Add crunch and variety with a tablespoon of raw nuts or seeds, from cashews to flax to pumpkin...you'll add nutrients and healthy fats. If you like, add a tablespoon or two of crumbled feta or chevre or try some dried apricots or cranberries!


Enjoy the sun,
Desiree

Eat...Rhubarb

Rhubarb Compote with a little Greek Yogurt and Nature's Path Hemp Granola

At the Trout Lake Farmer's Market last weekend, I bought four hulking stalks of rhubarb, which I promptly forgot about in the fridge until Wednesday. So how to revive it? Make a super easy compote. It is so delicious and easy to eat. I ate it over yogurt and granola for breakfast, downed it by the spoonful and even made it into popsicles. 

Recipe
Cardamon Scented Rhubarb Compote

4 large stalks (2 lbs) of local rhubarb

1 cup water

1/2 cup sweetener of your choice ( I used good old fashioned sugar)

Ground Cardamon and Cinnamon to taste (start with 1/8 tsp each and work your way up)

Chop rhubarb into 1 inch pieces and combine with water and sweetener in a pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Add spices and then slowly simmer for about 15 minutes for flavours to blend. Stir occasionally and the rhubarb should breakdown and the mixture should be like a loose jam. Let cool and then refrigerate or eat on the spot!

To make into popsicles, simply fill molds and freeze. OR....I mixed about a cup of the mixture with a shot of vodka and then filled the molds. Vodka and rhubarb and popsicles? Most definitely.

Cheers,

Desiree

Eat...Mediterranean Style

The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid. Used with Permission.

Here in Vancouver, it has been a chilly spring but today the sun is blazing. I am reminded that May is the month when the sun warms the earth, we shake off the layers, embrace a lighter style of eating and thoughts turn to spring fresh produce. Which makes May the perfect month to raise awareness of the Traditional Mediterranean Diet. Far from being a fad, the Traditional Mediterranean Diet (let's call it TMD for short!) is a way of eating and living for lifelong health that is based on the traditional foods and eating habits of Mediterranean cultures. When it comes to eating well, I have always believed that a diet of whole, natural foods is the only way to go. The TMD fits this model well.


First introduced in 1993, the diet pyramid was created by Oldways Trust with the Harvard School of Public Health and the World Health Organization. Since its introduction, research has supported the health benefits of the TMD but most importantly, it is a sane way of eating that people can enjoy for life. I recently had the opportunity to ask Georgia Orcutt, program manager for Oldways and the Mediterranean Foods Alliance, a few questions about the Mediterranean Diet and how we can all incorporate this healthy eating plan into our lives.

What makes the Traditional Mediterranean Diet different from the typical North American eating pattern?

It's tricky to identify one typical North American eating pattern, since a number of regional foods and cultures still exist in the US. But undeniably, the North American diet today for many people is one that relies heavily on processed foods that are high in sodium, sugar and unhealthy fats. The Traditional Mediterranean Diet, in contrast, has at its core vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, peanuts, herbs, spices and healthy fats such as those found in olive oil. These are foods to eat daily. The emphasis on healthy fats is a big difference between the two patterns.  While it's typical in North America to eat meat three meals a day, with the Mediterranean eating pattern, if you eat it at all, include small amounts as a garnish, and as a main course limit the portions to 3 ounces or less.  Or plan to enjoy meat as part of a celebration, not as daily fare. The Med Diet also suggests eating seafood twice a week and building vegetarian meals around beans, whole grains and vegetables, heightening the flavor by using herbs and spices.  

There has been an impressive amount of nutrition research on the Traditional Mediterranean Diet. Have a few key foods in the diet been shown to account for many of its health benefits or does the TMD pattern improve health more than any individual food?

While there are some "superfoods" in the Traditional Mediterranean Diet that stand out for their antioxidant properties or nutritional profiles, in promoting the TMD we align our messaging with the latest Dietary Guidelines that place an emphasis on the whole diet.

(I'll add here that the guidelines also, for the first time this year, offer validation for the Mediterranean eating pattern!)  Consumers frequently misunderstand research that highlights nutrient profiles of specific foods. Encouraging people to eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and grains is very important. Think lots of colors and flavors on your plate. 

Given that our current eating habits rely on unsustainable manufacturing and shipping processes, will adopting a Traditional Mediterranean Diet be a more sustainable way of eating? Does the diet lend itself well to a local foods approach?

Sustainability is a very complex issue and we need to all become agents of change in our own lives. Since the Mediterranean Diet places an emphasis on eating lots of vegetables and fruits, eating seasonally and shopping at  farmers markets when possible is an ideal way to support local agriculture.  Growing your own vegetables and fruits is a great goal, too. But not everyone can do this. It's also important to keep an eye on what choices we make in our busy, everyday lives and how this can impact sustainability.  If you stock your pantry with Mediterranean basics such as pasta, rice, tuna, canned tomatoes and spices, and you have seafood, nuts, grated cheese and vegetables in your freezer, you can come home and make a home cooked meal, rather than running out the door and supporting a fast food franchise.  

Habit change can be challenging for many people, especially where diet changes are concerned. What do you think are the most difficult changes to make when adopting the traditional Mediterranean diet and how can they be overcome?

Taking small steps, one a day or one a week, can be the best way to make positive, healthy changes in the way you eat.  (Author's note...UnDiet!!) Because we are all such creatures of habit, it can be very difficult to understand and consistently follow through on portion control and creating a Mediterranean-style lunch or dinner plate that looks different than what we are accustomed to seeing.  (i.e. a variety of vegetables, smaller amounts of meat., 1/2 cup of pasta or rice).   It's important to keep meals simple and easy; aim for making every meal taste great and to eat nourishing foods that promote satiety.  We outline these 8 simple steps to help people learn how to adopt the Mediterranean eating pattern: Eat lots of vegetables; Change the way you think about meat and if you eat it, add small amounts to vegetable sautés or use as a garnish for a dish a pasta; always eat breakfast; eat seafood twice a week; cook a vegetarian meal one night a week, and then aim for two nights a week; use healthy fats in daily meals, especially extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, peanuts, seeds, olives, and avocados. In addition, we encourage consumers to discover the wide variety of delicious Mediterranean foods at the supermarket and learn how to routinely break old habits and make healthy substitutions. For example, buy Greek yogurt and use that instead of sour cream; sample different varieties of hummus, find your favorites, and use that in place of mayonnaise.

What one step can readers take today to bring them closer to a Mediterranean diet?

Go to your local supermarket and spend a few minutes just looking at the fresh produce. Buy one vegetable you've never tried before, take it home, search the web for that vegetable paired with the word "Mediterranean” and find a tasty way to prepare it.  

Learn more about the Mediterranean Diet and download your own diet pyramid at http://www.oldwayspt.org/ and like Eat Drink Be Happy on Facebook for a chance to win a copy of The Oldways Table: Essays & Recipes from the Culinary Think Tank by K. Dun Gifford and Sara Baer-Sinnott.

Salute!
Desiree

UnDiet...Week 20

Hello UnDieters,
No...you didn't miss last week's post. It was, ahem, a week off. Every once in a while, you need a freebie. I will pretend it was premeditated and not a consequence of being blindsided by life. However, the break does nicely illustrate one of the key philosophies of the UnDiet.

One thing to remember when embarking on path of healthy living is that it is a marathon, not a sprint. What makes the UnDiet so special is that it is not about drastic measures. The UnDiet is about permanent change. We don't tend to be good at moderate. We like extremes. Starve yourself by following a hundred and one diet restrictions or go hog wild at a buffet because you already "broke" your diet at breakfast by eating a piece of toast.

This week, I would like to put your commitment to diet sanity to the ultimate test and introduce you to one of dietitians' favourite healthy eating "rules": the 80/20 principle.

This is a rule to live by: 80% of the time, eat beautiful, nutrient dense foods prepared fresh. That means really good food: whole grains, lean protein, tons of fruits and veggies. Muffins, luncheon meat and seasoned side dishes don't count. 20% of the time, indulge in whatever adds excitement and indulgence to your life. Whether indulgence to you is organic ice cream, mac and cheese or fried chicken, you cannot do harm with 20% indulgence when 80% of your diet is nutrient dense. If you tend to live by an all or nothing approach, this philosophy can be dangerous as a little indulgence could trigger a landslide. If this is what happens for you, take a step back to consider what is going on for you. Sometimes, it is worth talking to someone about it. Our relationships with food are complex.

For the rest of us, consider the 80/20 rule a reprieve from the bad/good mentality. Even if you have a generally healthy attitude to food, it can still be difficult to live in the grey area but it will help to reset your attitude to eating. If you need some more solid quantification, try 2 indulgence meals a week. Keep the size moderate; a buffet binge doesn't count as a single meal. Another approach to 20% indulgence could easily net you about 100-200 calories of treat a day depending on your size and activity level. For most moderately active women, keep it to 100 calories. For very active women or men, try up to 200 calories of whatever floats your boat be it triple cream brie or Cheetos.

What is your favourite indulgence? Let me know...mine? A tie between Salt Spring Island truffle chevre and black current tea truffles from Chocolaterie de la Nouvelle France.

Time to get radically moderate,
Desiree

UnDiet...Week 17

Aloha UnDieters!

Blame "island time" for the late post...I am currently feasting on mangosteen, macadamia nuts and other such local delights on the beautiful island of Kauai. I have got a whole handful of posts on the local food scene here that I will post next week, once I am able to upload my photos.

For this week, I want to attack a habit that undermines healthy eating for many of us (including myself), night time noshing. Most of us have heard the myth that eating anything after six makes us fat. That statement actually falls into the "well, sort of..." category. Technically (and scientifically speaking) you can eat whatever you want, whenever you want it and not gain weight and vice versa. However, what is true about eating at night is the following:

When you eat after dinner, it is unlikely that you NEED to eat. Extra, unneccessary food means extra, unneccessary pounds.

When you eat after dinner, it is likely that you will eat less healthful food...providing little nutrition and empty calories.

When you eat after dinner, it is likely in front of the television. When we eat and watch, we are likely to overeat...and pile on the pounds.

So this week, examine your after dinner habits and consider going cold turkey. If you are eating a good dinner, you don't really need to snack. You may find it helpful to keep some "food journal notes" in the evening about what and when you eat if you end up eating and what is going through your mind and what you are doing in the evening for activity.

If you find yourself going mental and craving a snack, consider distraction. If your favourite television show is your trigger to eat, consider turning the TV off (gasp!) and going for a walk or doing some other activity. If your absolute favourite show is on...it is the playoffs after all...try an alternative snack to keep your mouth busy. An evening cocktail can be an invitation to snack (and pack on the pounds themselves) so if you love a night cap, watch the munching.

Here are 5 night time options to keep you munching, without packing it on:

1. Try just drinking something, like water! Won't cut it? Try sparkling water or tea or coffee (easy on the sugar and milk). Go decaf if the caffeine interferes with your rest.
2. Snack on raw plain veggies, like bell pepper, broccoli and carrot. You almost can't eat too many! Loads of nutrition for very few calories.
3. Try plain, airpopped popcorn. It is an unsung, low calorie whole grain snack. Need a microwave alternative? Try an organic, low cal variety.
4. Chew gum, get flavour without the calorie punch. Go for a naturally sweetened variety like xylitol gum and avoid artificial sweeteners.
5. Warm skim milk is a great option, as milk's protein keeps you feeling full.

If you find that nighttime noshing is not just habit or craving but true hunger, have a healthy option as mentioned above and then examine where you are skimping during the day. Some people eat very little during the day and then gorge all night. There are plenty of ways this can happen and knowing your trigger is key to overcoming the pattern...

Scenario A: You are so busy from sun rise to sun down...it isn't until the end of the day that you start thinking about eating. If that is you, set yourself a timer for every 4 hours during the day to ensure that you eat at least a little something. Plan tons of healthy snacks for  your desk drawer, gym bag, pantry so you always have something healthy and on the go.

Scenario B: You aren't hungry until lunch, making it pretty tough to make it up at lunch and dinner....if that is you, it is likely that because of your night time feasting, you really aren't hungry in the morning. Once you cut out the night time eating, your hunger should return.

Scenario C: You watch what you eat pretty closely and restrict yourself during the day (ladies, this is usually you!) and then get so hungry and lose all willpower at night, eating way too much in the way of treats. If this is you, it is time to eat more during the day. We typically have far more willpower during the day, so harness that energy to eat bigger portions of super healthy food so that you will be satisfied enough to resist the junk food party post dinner.

If you are still having trouble busting the habit after this week, consider keeping a detailed diet journal for a week or two. In addition to what and when you eat, writing down your mood and activities may help. If viewing your journal doesn't make your pattern leap off the page, try sharing it with a registered dietitian, who can help you get to the bottom of it. You can find a dietitian in your area on the Dietitians of Canada website.

Good luck this week...and if all else fails, chew celery!
Desiree

Eat...Kale!

Lovely Photo by Melissa Quantz!

To give you a little inspiration for your kale fest this week, enjoy this recipe by my friend Melissa, The Bounty Hunter....Be sure to check out her blog for more great recipes and beautiful photos!

Recipe: Wholegrain Spaghetti with Kale and Turkey Sausage

Chicken or Italian pork sausage work well too, be sure to get the best quality you can.  I like to use the kale stems as well as the leaves, but feel free to remove them and save for soup. 

Note from Desiree...our sausages at Choices Markets are all made in house and feature no added preservatives, MSG or other nasties...give them a try!

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 lb turkey sausage, casings removed 

1 large bunch kale, washed and cut into bit sized pieces (any variety)

3 cloves garlic, minced

Couple pinches dried chili flakes

¾ lb whole grain spaghetti or your preferred shape

2/3 cup chicken stock

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus a little for garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.  Blanch the kale in the hot water for 2-3 minutes, until bright green and tender.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain.  Use this water to cook your pasta.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the sausages and cook, breaking them up into small pieces with a spatula, until browned, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and chili flakes and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, when the reserved cooking water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, see package for cooking time.  Somewhere between 8-12 minutes for wholegrain pasta.  Drain, reserving ½ cup cooking water.

While the pasta cooks, add the kale to the sausage in the skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes.  Add the broth, stirring and scrapping the brown bits from the pan. 

Add the cooked pasta and parmesan cheese and toss until combined.  If a bit dry, add a little of the reserved cooking liquid from the pasta.

Serve with a fresh grinding of pepper and another sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Eat...somewhere special

We are pretty lucky to live in such a foodie city, filled with gorgeous dining experiences. However, sometimes you might crave something truly unique. I wanted to share a few special experiences in the Vancouver area you may have not known about! Have a "secret" spot you want to share? Let us know!


1. Granville Island Market Dinners by Edible BC


Want the market all to yourself? Edible BC hosts regular multi-course, wine paired dinners at about $100. This is for the locavore gourmand!
http://www.edible-britishcolumbia.com/events/public-events/


2. Social Bites
Think your coq au vin is divine? Make a scrumptious cassoulet? Just want to make some new foodie friends? Then give social bites a try. Apply to be a hobby chef host or buy a pass to gain access to hobby chefs' homes for a truly unique dining experience. Check them out!


3. Salt Tasting Room Cellar Events 
I adore Salt but this little jewel box reveals another gem in its tasting room events. Enjoy an intimate experience with BC's best winemakers. http://salttastingroom.com/cellar.html 

Go eat something,
Desiree

UnDiet...Week Eleven

Good Morning UnDieters! 


What did you eat for breakfast this morning? A bowl of Special K? A slice of leftover pizza? A banana? 
What? You didn't eat breakfast? Let's talk...


Your mother was right. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Why? Because you just fasted for a good 6 - 10 hours. Your body is working overtime to ensure a constant stream of glucose for your brain via an increase in stress hormones to help liberate stored energy. You need to help your body out and give it something good first thing in the morning. Within 2 hours of rising is best. If you do, you will be rewarded with more energy, fewer sugar cravings and less of an affinity for weight gain. Seems to good to be true doesn't it?


The reason why this occurs is because when you eat breakfast, you help your body shut of the anti-starvation machinery. It needs protein, fat and slow burning carbohydrates to help shift your hormone balance into neutral. Do this and your hormones will stay balanced, putting less strain on your pancreas and keeping you energized all day long. Run out the door, cup of black coffee in hand, and your body has to kick into high gear to keep things running smoothly (and ensure that you don't run out of steam mid commute) but it will also start sending really strong signals for you to eat as much as you can to store energy for the next fast. And what will your body want? Quick energy. Like donuts. Which will only spike your blood sugar and leave you scrambling for more sugar an hour later. 


So what constitutes a good breakfast? Here it is on a sliding scale from horrible to excellent:


1. Nothing
2. A bowl of Special K or similarly rapidly digested cereal and some black coffee.
3. A donut or "muffin" from a cafe
4. A piece of fruit and a large skim latte
5. A bowl of instant oats and some fruit or a slice of leftover thin crust veggie pizza
6. A bowl of steel cut oats 
7. Any of the following: a big bowl of steel cut oats with hemp seeds, berries and a glass of skim milk; scrambled eggs on sprouted grain toast with a sliced apple; greek yogurt with high fibre cereal, berries and hemp seeds.


Your mission this week? Move yourself at least one notch on the better breakfast scale. Not hungry in the morning? Start small and get your body used to getting nourished. Want to go all the way? You need some combination of protein (plain yogurt, skim milk or soy milk, eggs), slowly digested carbohydrates (sprouted grain bread, steel cut oats, super high fibre cold cereal) and some fruit (your choice). That is the formula for sustained energy. 


Mid morning slump, be gone!
Desiree

Eat...better on a budget

Want cheap healthy food? Grow your own!

After my appearance this morning on CBC Radio One's Early Edition, I thought I would do a follow up post with some easy ways to truly eat well on a limited budget. With so many people either out of work or working at lower paying jobs than they used to before the recession it is important that we not equate eating cheap with eating badly. When I was doing my internship in Edmonton to become a dietitian (completely unpaid!) my husband had to support two households: a mortgage AND rent, 2 sets of utilities and flights to come home so we could see each other. Budget eating was imperative: I ate a LOT of rice and beans. When we are stressed and busy, a trip through the drive thru might seem easier than cooking from scratch. But when we are under stress, we need good food even more to help our bodies cope and defend against the damage stress can inflict. It can be done...here are 5 ways to eat well on the cheap. 




1. Buy staples in bulk. Stock up when items you use all the time are on sale and buy staples in bulk or warehouse size packs. The important thing here is not to buy everything supersized. If you buy a warehouse pack of chicken and you are cooking for one, you will likely bid at least half of that adieu. If you can't use the package before it goes bad you are wasting money, not saving. Good things to buy in bulk are frozen veggies, whole grains like brown rice or quinoa and dried beans. If you have a family, you can probably use up staples like cereal, soups, cheese, olive oil and trail mix pretty quickly too.


2. Trade convenience for cost savings. The more processed (value added, in grocery speak) a food is the more it costs. Whole wheat pasta is about 25 cents a serving; a seasoned and sauced "side dish" style pasta is usually 2 or 3 times that. Pre-shredded cheese costs more than brick cheese and individual yogurts cost more per serving than a family sized tub. "Prewashed" salads cost tons more than a head of lettuce or bunch of spinach. Take 30 seconds to scoop out yogurt into tupperware for lunches and get a family member shredding cheese for you. I hate shredding cheese for some reason. I make my husband do it.


3. Think veggie. Vegetarian proteins are incredibly healthy and way less expensive than animal proteins. Crumble up extra firm tofu in chili or burritos. Bulk up vegetable soups with beans or extend lean ground beef with lentils in your favourite recipes. To save even more (and keep extra sodium at bay), cook beans from scratch instead of buying canned. The trick here is to think ahead. Soak beans overnight and then cook them in the evening while you are watching TV or doing other chores. Then you have a batch in the fridge ready to go when it comes time to make a quick meal.


4. Plan to succeed. When everyone arrives home tired, it can be tricky to figure out what to cook and all too easy to go to MacDohs. Pour yourself a cup of coffee tonight and think of 10 super quick meal ideas, like spaghetti, chili or grilled cheese and spinach salad and post it on the fridge. Make sure you keep your kitchen stocked so you always have the ingredients for your go to meals. Next time you are at a loss for the age old question "what's for dinner?", you can just go to your fridge and get cooking. Wash and prep veggies when you get home from grocery shopping so they are ready to go for snacks and meals. Make lunches the night before so you aren't scrambling come morning. 


5. Rethink snack food. While chips, pop and candy seem like inexpensive options the costs really do add up. Instead of spending $5 on pop a week for your kids, use the cash to buy 100% juice instead. Does your family go through a couple of bags of chips a week? Take that $5 and use it for some healthy unsalted nuts to add to lunches. What to snack on instead? Popcorn! Making popcorn from scratch on the stove takes the same amount of time as putting it in the microwave and is just pennies a serving, even with a bit of butter and salt added to it. Not to mention how much healthier it is.


I would love to hear your favourite money saving tips for eating well....
Desiree

UnDiet...Week Ten

Hello UnDieters....we are into the double digits now! Talk about commitment. Hopefully by now you are starting to feel just a little different. A little more regular and a little less bloated. Perhaps there is a bit more energy coursing through your system. It is time to continue supercharging your body with nutrition and start incorporating more nutrient dense power foods into your life.

Let's start tackling seeds. We talk all the time about the health benefits of nuts but seeds are largely forgotten. Seeds are filled with heart and skin loving unsaturated fats, vital minerals and fibre (yes, more fibre...get used to it!). They are the total package. For our first week of seeds, we are going to try some classics.

Pumpkin seeds boast anti-inflammatory omega 3 ALA and plenty of relaxing magnesium. A natural source of plant sterols for your heart, pumpkin seeds are also rich in immune boosting zinc. Sunflower seeds contain a synergistic blend of vitamin E and selenium in addition to more sterols and magnesium.

For this week, buy either sunflower or pumpkin seeds (or both if you're keen!) and add a couple of tablespoons to a meal or snack a few times this week. Add your seeds to trail mixes, granola or cereal. You can sprinkle them on salads or even over pasta for some crunch. Snack on them on their own or try them stirred into yogurt. Ensure you buy raw, unsalted seeds and store them in the refrigerator to preserve their quality. If they start to smell like paint thinner, it is time to toss them.

To your health,
Desiree

UnDiet...Week Nine

The new Dietitians of Canada Cookbook...featuring a recipe by yours truly! Available in my Amazon store.

Hello UnDieters!

This week, I want to appeal to the adventurer in you...your mission this week is to try a recipe that you have never tried before. Whether you hoard cookbooks that you rarely use (like me) or think that a big cooking day is boiling pasta, it is time to be bold. Make the effort. You can make something elaborate or search for a 30 minute meal that will help you survive the weeknight dinner crush. It is up to you: choose a recipe, shop for the ingredients, make something fantastic and have fun!

Life is busy; the effort involved in planning a meal with multiple ingredients can seem daunting but once you have mastered a recipe it becomes part of your repertoire and effortless to enjoy on a regular basis. Also, when you get stuck in a rut, healthy eating becomes boring. Way more boring than ordering a pizza. Weekends are the perfect time for a culinary adventure. You have got the time to browse recipes over morning coffee, make a shopping list and maybe even check out a farmer's market without the stress of trying to decide on how you are going to get dinner on the table after work.

So crack open one of your dusty cookbooks or browse online for a recipe...I know you are tempted to skip this week because "it isn't as important" as eating blueberries but believe me, I have your best interests at heart. Cooking is a critical skill for eating well and trying something new is important for keeping healthy eating fresh.

I have included a few of my favourite sites for you here so you have literally thousands of free recipes at your fingertips:

http://www.eatingwell.com/

http://www.epicurious.com/

http://www.choicesmarkets.com/

http://www.chatelaine.com/

http://www.canadianliving.com/

Get Cooking...let me know how your culinary adventures went!

Desiree

UnDiet...Week Eight!

Good Morning UnDieters! This one is a wee bit late, so my apologies....
I am going to continue on my one woman mission to increase your fibre intake so this week, I want to introduce you to sprouted grain breads. By now, we have all heard of whole grains and why they are so much better for us: more fibre, more essential fats and naturally occurring vitamins and minerals. However, as is true with much of our modern "food", we also need to think about how those whole grains are processed to complete the health picture.
While whole grain breads are a step up from white breads, have you ever noticed that some of them feel just as soft and squishy as their white counterparts? The healthiest end of the whole grain spectrum is the whole grain itself: a kernel of whole wheat, steel cut oats, whole quinoa or other such goodies. These are grains as nature intended. Chewy. Dense. Full of flavour. Packed with nutrition. The more human beings interfere with the whole grain goodness, the less healthy it becomes.

When whole grain flours are pulverized into flours and baked and expanded into a loaf of bread, you get a little extra fibre but much of the integrity of the original whole grain is gone. The resulting fluffy loaf is digested and broken down into sugars almost as quickly as its white cousin and isn't really that great for you, especially in comparison to the original whole grain. Sprouted grain breads are different. They are made from 100% whole grains which are then sprouted and crushed before being made into bread. They are never pulverized into flour. The result? Sprouted grain breads are denser and heavier, with more fibre and protein. A single slice of sprouted grain bread can have 5 grams of fibre and 5 grams of protein, a stark contrast from the average 2 or 3 grams of fibre of lesser whole grain breads.

So this weekend, buy a 100% sprouted grain bread and swap it in for your usual bread. This is one of those simple swaps that can make a big difference! If you eat 2 pieces of toast for breakfast, switching to sprouted grain can leave you fuller and more satisfied all morning long. In addition, that 10 grams of fibre you just ate will get you more than 1/3 of the way towards your daily fibre goal for a woman and about 1/4 of the way for a man. Add that to the bran buds and beans you are already now enjoying and many of you will be getting all the fibre you need. And feeling more energized for it.

My job is done. (For fibre anyways....44 more weeks of healthy tips coming your way. Looks like January 2012 is going to be filled with smug self satisfaction instead of more resolutions.)

Need help finding sprouted grain breads? Check out my Healthy Grocery List for a couple of good brands.

Desiree