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Peppermint White Chocolate Popcorn
I love this recipe for it’s simplicity, ease, and the fact that it includes one of my favourite, fibre-rich snacks - popcorn! Indulgent but not heavy; a suitable option for those with a gluten allergy or sensitivity. Ingredients: ~12 cups of air-popped or stovetop popcorn (~ 1/2 to 2/3...
No Bake Energy Bites
One of the key ingredients in these protein balls are chia seeds - an edible seed that originates from a desert plant, salvia hispanica, grown in Mexico. Chia seeds are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, protein, fibre, and calcium. Just 2 tbsp of chia contains the same amount of calcium as 100 grams...
Cabbage Roll Casserole
I just love meaty cabbage rolls, my Polish relatives would call it Bolabki! I enjoy making cabbage rolls and it certainly took a few attempts to get the product I wanted. For many though, cabbage rolls may not be a realistic family supper for those busy weeks. And sometimes we want the...
Fig & Fennel Salad with Toasted Almonds
Fennel is a light, cold and crisp vegetable rich in vitamin C and potassium. It has an anise or licorice-like flavour and goes well with the sweetness of fruit. This makes a great addition to summer salads. Ingredients: 1 fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced 4 dried figs, cut into pieces...
Parmesan Crusted Eggplant
It took me awhile to really appreciate and enjoy eggplant. It's a beautiful colour that is so enticing, but really has the potential to get mushy or soggy during cooking. This recipe is perfect finger food for the family and the eggplant stays pretty crispy! You can use any size of eggplant but...
Ancient Grains & Shiitake Mushroom Pilaf
In my kitchen, shiitake mushrooms are one of our top choices of fungi. Not just for the quality, texture, and versatility of the mushroom, but for potential other health benefits. Nutritionally they are a good source of B vitamins and the antioxidant, selenium. But they may also play a role...
Sesame, Ginger Dressing
One of the key ingredients in this dressing is miso. For those who are unfamiliar with miso, it is a fermented soybean paste that tastes salty like soy sauce. It is used to flavour soup and other foods typical of Japanese cuisine. Fermented foods are a type of probiotic because they...
Cheesy, Baked Cruciferous
I have never been a big fan of the stinky, messy, hard-to-chew white stuff - I'm talking cauliflower. While the cruciferous vegetables bring a host of nutrients and fibre to our dinner tables, their bitter flavours can be a turn-off for some. This family-friendly recipe is a fun and...
Milk Does the Body Good... or Does It? Dairy Industry Confusion
Rumour has it that our milk contains hormones and is dangerous for human consumption, at least this is what the Facebook feed said. Um, what? As a consumer it is important to me to understand our food systems so that I can make informed, healthful, and environmentally sound choices about the food...
Spicy Bean Burgers
It's BBQ season and while many of us enjoy a fresh beef or bison burger, I dare you to try this bean-based alternative! Full of fibre, folate, protein, and other nutrients, these patties are also leaner than their beef counterpart. I like the refried beans because they're already mashed up,...
Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothie
Smoothies offer a quick and convenient way to boost nutritional intake, whether you include them as part of breakfast-to-go, or a sport recovery shake. I'm crazy for pumpkin, but I don't want to settle for the artificial, pumpkin-spiced flavours that so many food chains use. I prefer to indulge...
Baggin' It... Weekday Lunches
Summer is winding down and families are back to the grind of school, work, and extra-curricular activities. Fall is right around the corner and welcoming a new season seems like a good time to start fresh and get back into healthful habits. When life gets hectic and time becomes strapped,...
Mediterranean Pasta Salad
This salad makes a beautiful side dish for any family or pot-luck meal. When it comes to family meals, it is important to get the kids involved in meal preparation. This can help to increase their palate for new foods, build skills in the kitchen, and promote a healthy relationship with food....
Turkey Parmesan Meatballs with Beet Greens
Tonight's dish includes one of my favourite greens - beet greens, which are the young leaves of the beetroot (the beets not yet ready for picking). Beets grow well in Saskatchewan and the greens offer a host of nutrients that can be enjoyed throughout the summer while waiting for the root...
Taking Hemp to Heart
I recently had the pleasure of speaking at the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA) National Conference. I was presenting about the nutritional value of hemp, what we know, and shedding light on where nutritional research needs to take us. During the day I met so many amazing people from...
Weekend Brunch with Blueberry Compote
Now that the snow has fallen, it feels like a perfect weekend for warm, home made pancakes and blueberry compote. Perhaps a couple of poached eggs and a mimosa to boot. Right, compote you ask? It is simply a French word to describe cooked fruit, sugar and spices. Originally considered a...
Savour, Taste and Truly Enjoy... Eating Mindfully
What is Mindful Eating? Mindful eating is paying full attention to the eating experience with all of our senses. It’s being aware of our physical, mental, and emotional responses to eating without judgment. Mindful Eating versus Mindless Eating Mindful eating is: • Eating slowly and...
Omega 3, Naturally...
What do sedentary lifestyles, smoking, saturated animal fat, high sodium diets and binge drinking have in common? You know it, they’re all risk factors for heart disease or stroke and 90% of Canadians have at least one. We know that eating vegetables, fruit, whole grains and legumes have...
Making Vegetable Stock
Reduce waste, save money, optimize nutrition - make your own stock! In my household, one-pot meals are quick and easy for us, hence, we go through a lot of soup stock. Recently, I've been concerned with the ingredients that go into soup bases: monosodium glutamate (MSG), artificial flavours,...
New Year, New Habits - Top 5 Goals to Include on Your List
Happy New Year! There are so many ways to get your New Year off to a healthful start. Food To Fit has 5 nutrition-related goals to help you kick-start a healthful year. Aside from the obvious - cutting out the leftover holiday treats - wake your body up and build new habits for 2013! 1)...
Gluten Free Diet vs Gluten Free Dieting
With celebrities promoting weight loss through a gluten free diet and books like 'Wheat Belly' spouting off weak theories about how wheat and gluten are the root cause of all obesity-related health issues, it's no wonder the general population is confused. Confused about what to eat, what to...
The Egg Debate... Again??
The Research Institute in London, ON recently published a study showing that lifelong consumption of egg yolks is correlated to development of carotid artery plaques (the artery-clogging junk that increases risk for heart attack) and that eggs should be avoided by anyone at risk of...
Water - Essential for Life but Eight Glasses a Day?
We have always been told to drink eight glasses of water a day, but have you ever wondered why this seems to be the magic number? Research tells us that water is important for our bodies because every cell, tissue and organ contain water. It is essential for life and plays many roles in...
Bountiful Berries
For the past week I've been staying with my parents in the Crowsnest Pass Alberta, nestled in the beautiful rocky mountains. Aside from a much needed visit with Mom and Dad, we've kept ourselves busy with fishing, rock climbing, hiking and biking - enjoying the great outdoors! Every...