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Get ready for International Year of Pulses!

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The United Nations has declared 2016 as International Year of Pulses!

Dried peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas are examples of pulses. Packed with nutrition, pulses are are a super sources of fibre, iron and protein.

Research from the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that eating 1 serving (3/4 cup) of pulses three times a week lowered the “bad” LDL cholesterol by 5%. Because pulses are a low Glycemic Index food, they cause a slower rise in blood sugar – that’s good news for people with diabetes or anyone watching their blood sugar levels.

Here are some of my favourite pulse recipes which I’ve collected over the years! Enjoy!

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie (made with lentils)

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Red Lentil & Vegetable Dal

Chickpea Chocolate Cake (you’ve got to try this!)

Does eating turkey make you sleepy?

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Feeling sleepy after your Thanksgiving meal? Don’t blame it all on the turkey.

Like all protein-containing foods, turkey is made up of amino acids. The amino acid of particular interest in turkey is called tryptophan. Tryptophan is a component of serotonin which is a neurotransmitter that helps us feel calm and relaxed. Serotonin is also used to make the sleep-inducing hormone called melatonin.

As we digest foods containing protein, the amino acids enter the bloodstream and make their way over to the brain. The problem is that tryptophan is a big, bulky amino acid. So it has to compete with other amino acids to get into the brain. Imagine this as a long lineup of people waiting to get into a concert.

Enter carbs. The carbs you eat from the stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and other typical Thanksgiving fare stuffing actually triggers the release of insulin. This action removes most of the amino acids from our bloodstream, but not the tryptophan. It’s as if all of the people in line for that concert have been pulled away, except for tryptophan. This of course makes it easier for tryptophan to enter the brain and start it’s effect on serotonin and melatonin to create that sleepy effect.

So if you’d like to avoid the ZZZ’s after your Thanksgiving meal, try to ease up on the servings of carbs on your dinner plate. It doesn’t hurt to go easy on the alcohol too. Otherwise, grab a pillow for a Thanksgiving ticket to nap land!

“Eat Less, Eat Better”…is it that simple? Rethinking our message about healthy eating and obesity

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Will we solve the obesity crisis by simply telling people to “eat less and eat better”? A one-day health professional forum was held in Toronto to rethink our messages about food and obesity. The event featured key leaders in obesity research/treatment and health communications: Dr. Ayra Sharma, Ted Kyle and me! Here’s what the experts were saying.


Dr. Ayra Sharma – Chair for Obesity Research and Management, University of Alberta
• Obesity is a complex chronic disease.
• Simplistic messages about obesity are misleading, can promote unhealthy weight obsession and promote bias and discrimination.
• Prevention and intervention strategies should focus on improving health behaviours rather than on just changing body weight.


Ted Kyle – Founder, ConscienHealth
• Use respectful, people-first language that is free of bias and stigma – e.g. “unhealthy weight” or “high BMI” instead of “fat” or “morbidly obese”.
• “Obese” is a harmful label. “Obesity” is a disease.
• Shift the conversation from “being obese” towards health.


Sue Mah – President, Nutrition Solutions
• “Eating better” means cooking, eating together and enjoying food.
• Consumers are bombarded with food/nutrition messages that simply don’t “have the scientific muster to present as fact” (quoting Dr. Oz here!)
• Health and nutrition communications needs to be creative to capture consumers’ attention.
• From celebrities and chefs to dietitians and politicians, everyone has a role in being a champion for change.

It’s time to teach our kids how to cook – sign the petition now

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Kudos to the Ontario Home Economics Association (OHEA)! The association is spearheading a petition to mandate at least one food and nutrition course in high school.

According to Mary Carver, Professional Home Economist and member of OHEA, “all children need to have the basics of nutrition and some cooking skills so that they know how to make food from scratch and don’t reach out so often for fast food or prepared entrées that are readily available.”

I couldn’t agree more. As a dietitian and chef’s daughter, I know first hand the benefits of eating a wholesome, home cooked meal. Teaching kids to cook not only gives them confidence in the kitchen, but also a life skill that boosts their food literacy.

Food literacy, the latest buzzword, is defined as the knowledge and skills (planning, budgeting, shopping and cooking) that help people make healthy, tasty and affordable meals for themselves and their families. It’s about getting involved with food – at the grocery store choosing locally grown foods, in the kitchen trying a new recipe, or even going on a family outing to an apple orchard.

Please take a minute to sign the OHEA petition asking for at least one mandatory food and nutrition course in Ontario schools. The goal is to attain 2,000 signatures by October 31st. You’ll be glad you did.

Happy Food Revolution Day!

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Today marks the third annual Food Revolution Day. This year’s focus is on inspiring kids to get excited about food and cooking from scratch.

As a chef’s daughter, I saw firsthand how much my dad loved to cook from scratch. I’d walk with him to the grocery store every week, and he’d teach me how to pick out the sweetest oranges, the freshest fish, and the leanest cuts of meat. Today in his mid-70’s, Dad still walks to the grocery store, almost daily now, to find the perfect ingredients for a delicious homemade dinner.

Learning about food and how to cook from scratch is an essential life skill for everyone. With my mom and dietitian hats on, I half-jokingly tell my kids that they can only leave home once they’re able to plan and cook at least five meals from scratch all on their own. This includes making a grocery list and shopping for all of the ingredients too.

So in honour of Food Revolution Day, the kids and I are making some of our favourite recipes – chicken fajitas, bean salad, sushi and smoothies. What’s your favourite recipe to make with the kids?

What’s in store for 2014?

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Happy New Year! Here’s a line-up of some top food and nutrition trends for the coming year.

Cauliflower. 2013 was the Year of the Vegetable, and the trend continues with cauliflower surpassing kale as this year’s most wanted veggie. What I love about cauliflower is its versatility – you can mash it boil it, roast it and even grill it. My fave recipe these days is quinoa salad with roasted cauliflower, sunflower seeds, diced avocado and avocado oil.

Foraging. Last summer, I was on a wilderness hike where the guide showed us how to identify and pick edible berries and leaves. It was an introduction to foraging! Our country’s backyard is a natural bounty for foraging. Think berries, fiddleheads, wild leeks, dandelion leaves and mushrooms (just make sure you know your mushrooms since some can be poisonous!)

Kañiwa. Say hello to quinoa’s cousin – kañiwa (pronounced “kah-nyee’wah). Also known as “baby quinoa”, kañiwa is a tinier grain than quinoa (ok, technically both are seeds), offers protein and grows in the Andes Mountains too. Cook kañiwa the same way you would quinoa. One difference is that kañiwa doesn’t contain saponins, so you don’t have to rinse it before cooking.

Mashups. It all started with the cronut – the hybrid croissant and donut. What’s next? Reportedly, we can look forward to ramen burgers (buns made from fried ramen noodles), macaroon ice-cream sandwiches and kale coladas!

Spices. On the radar is a range of spices inspired by Asian cuisines. First off is a Japanese “salt and pepper” spice called shichimi togarashi. It’s a blend of seven spices. Another biggie is gochujangi, a Korean condiment made from hot chili paste and fermented soybeans. I can taste the heat already!

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