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Find Your Healthy with Traditional Cuisines – Week 4

Posted on March 22, 2021

*To celebrate National Nutrition Month, we have a 5-week series of guest posts written by Deepanshi Salwan, MPH candidate and a dietetic graduate student at the University of Toronto.**

Welcome back to the Nutrition Month 2021 blog series!

This year Nutrition Month centres on the idea that healthy eating looks different for everyone. It is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and your healthy eating will look different from someone else’s healthy eating based on culture, food traditions, personal circumstances, and nutritional needs.

To honour Nutrition Month, I have teamed up with Registered Dietitians and Dietetic Graduate Students from diverse cultural backgrounds to put together a Nutrition Month 2021 blog series! Each week for the month of March, different dietitians and dietetic students will share their food traditions, cultural recipes, and the importance of culture in healthy eating.

Build a community that appreciates everyone’s food cultures

In Week 1, we talked about how cultural foods should be a part of your healthy meals. Read the post here. In Week 2, we talked about the importance of forming social connections through cultural food. You can find the post here. In week 3, we talked about the importance of instilling cultural food heritage in your children. You can find the post here.

Today we transition a bit from focusing on our culture to exploring food options from other cultures. I believe we grow a little more when we step out of our comfort zone and appreciate something from a different culture. Similarly, rejecting foods from a different culture before tasting them would be a missed opportunity to grow. In Canada, we do not just tolerate other cultures, we celebrate them, and it should be no different when it comes to food.

How do you build a community that appreciates everyone’s food cultures? Let’s hear from my colleagues Atour Odisho and Aleeya Zack-Coneybeare!

Atour Odisho, Dietetic Graduate Studen

Atour Odisho, Dietetic Graduate Student

Instagram: @atour.in.nutrition

What’s your cultural background?

I am Middle Eastern

What is the meaning of food in your culture? / How is food used in celebrations or traditions?

In my culture, food is medicine, and in my upbringing food is emphasized in the role of nutrition and healing. It is also a way to celebrate with family and friends. There is never too much food!

What is your favourite cultural ingredient or food or recipe?

My favourite cultural food is dolma, which is wrapped grape leaves. I love this because every Middle Eastern has a different twist to it. Here is my recipe.

Dolma arranged on a white plate with cut lemons in the backgound

Dolma [Image: Canva]

Ingredients: 4 cups white basmati rice, 8 tomatoes, chopped, 2 bunches of flat parsley, chopped, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 can of tomato paste (or salsa), 1/3 cup pomegranate molasses (or to taste), about 3/4 cup lemon juice, 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp dill (or to taste), 1 tbsp of sumac, salt & pepper to taste, and 18 oz of grape leaves. You can also mix in 1 pound ground beef or lamb.

Instructions: Mix everything together, except the grape leaves. Once everything is mixed, stuff each grape leaf with the mixture. Make sure all sides are closed, so the rice doesn’t escape when cooking. Next, assort the wrapped grapes leaves in a big pot. Add water and some more lemon juice to cover all grape leaves. Add in an appetizer plate and press down to secure the grape leaves together. Set on high-medium heat until water boils, then let it simmer for 30 minutes. ENJOY!

4. What would you like to say to Canadians during National Nutrition Month?

I hope that Canadians continue to explore other cuisines and dishes to diversify their palates. Cook traditional dishes from other cultures, dine-in restaurants from various cultures, explore International food aisles, or just be curious and ask questions!

head shot: a grad photo of leeya Zack-Coneybeare

Aleeya Zack-Coneybeare
Dietetic Graduate Student

Aleeya Zack-Coneybeare, Dietetic Graduate Student

What’s your cultural background?

I am Ojibway which is an Indigenous group here in Canada.

What is the meaning of food in your culture? / How is food used in celebrations or traditions?

Food is ingrained within every aspect of our culture; it represents our way of life. Food connects our people to our traditions, our spirit, and our ancestors. Food plays an important role in our traditional ceremonies, as most usually end in a feast. We also use food to honour our spirits, ancestors, and mother earth by offering a spirit plate before beginning a feast. A spirit plate is filled with samples of all the food items at the feast, we set it outside and offer a prayer.

What is your favourite cultural ingredient or food or recipe?

My favourite cultural ingredient is wild rice, due to its rich nutrients and the variety of recipes and meals it could be added to.

My family makes Turkey and Wild Rice soup very often! Here is the recipe.

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup in a white bowl with a spoon, taken at a birds eye view

Turkey & Wild Rice Soup [Image: Canva]

Ingredients:

Turkey Stock -Turkey carcass (from a roasted bird), 1 carton chicken broth, 1 carton chicken broth, 1 onion, 2 celery sticks, 2 carrots, basil leaf, 1tsp thyme, water to cover

Soup – chicken or vegetable stock, ¾ wild rice, 2 carrots, bite-size, 2 celery sticks, bite-size, 1 tsp chicken bouillon, half yam, chopped, ½ cup corn, 2 cups shredded/chopped turkey meat

Instructions:

Turkey Stock – In a large pot add carcass, chicken broth, onion, celery and carrots. Add enough water. Add salt, pepper, thyme and basil leaf. Bring to boil and simmer on low for 12 hours. Strain and put the stock back into the pot.

Soup – Add a carton of chicken/vegetable broth to the stock (Taste and add chicken bouillon if needed). Bring to a boil and add wild rice (cook for 30 minutes on a low boil). Add freshly chopped celery and carrots (cook for 10-15 minutes). Add chopped yam (cook for 10-15 minutes). Add corn (cook for 5-10 minutes). Add shredded/chopped turkey meat (cook for 10 minutes). Turn off heat and ready to serve!

4. What would you like to say to Canadians during National Nutrition Month?

I would like to say to Canadians, the Indigenous cuisine is beautiful and that I highly recommend exploring our foods and culture and all the other diverse cuisines Canada has to offer!

Bottom Line

Being accepting and wholeheartedly celebrating other traditional cuisines will allow Canadians of colour to enjoy their cultural foods with pride. There will be no guilt around carrying their cultural foods with them to school, work, or anywhere else they go. As we have discussed through this series, enjoying cultural foods is an important aspect of healthy eating. So, help your fellow Canadians to find their healthy by appreciating their cultural foods and practices!

Come back next week to learn more about traditional cuisines and healthy eating in our final post of the Nutrition Month 2021 blog series. Click here to learn more about the Nutrition Month 2021 campaign.

Let’s Talk

Have you ever tried a dish from a different culture and instantly fell in love with it? Let us know in the comments below!

Deepanshi Salwan

Written by: Deepanshi Salwan, MPH candidate – Deepanshi is a dietetic graduate student at the University of Toronto. Her nutrition philosophy embraces moderation without deprivation. She believes that healthy eating does not have to be complicated and hopes to inspire her audience to live more happy and healthy lives! You can find her on Instagram @deeconstructing_nutrition.

Healthy and Sustainable Eating: Leading the Shift – Event Highlights

Posted on December 4, 2019

Sue Mah with Nutrition Connection Forum speakers Dr. Fiona Yeudall and Dr. Cecilia Rocha. Image source: Lucia Weiler

Hosted by Nutrition Connections, this year’s annual forum explored the shifts that will be required in eating habits and food choices in order to benefit the health of current and future generations as well as the health of the planet. Here’s our summary of a few of the presentations.

What is Sustainable Eating? – Dr. Cecilia Rocha

Dr. Rocha is a member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems, a Professor in the School of Nutrition and a researcher at the Centre for Studies in Food Security at Ryerson University.

Sustainable diets, defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations are: those diets with low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutrition security and to healthy life for present and future generations. Sustainable diets are protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems, culturally acceptable, accessible, economically fair and affordable; nutritionally adequate, safe and healthy; while optimizing natural and human resources.

Rocha reminded us of the 17 sustainable goals proposed by the United Nations, in particular, goal #12 which focuses on responsible consumption and production. Consumers have the potential to be agents of change through their healthy and ethical choices of what to eat. Through responsible consumption, ordinary people can effect change by carefully selecting the products they buy. However, price, convenience and brand familiarity are often the most important decision for most consumers, rather than fairness, sustainability and health.

In a world in which food is mostly a commodity, bought and sold through markets, how do we make the transition from unsustainable and unhealthy food systems to sustainable diets? Can consumers, through their choices of what food to buy, lead the way to that transformation? Rocha further posed this thought-provoking question: Is it realistic or reasonable to put this heroic task on the shoulders of consumers?

Rocha acknowledged that alternative food markets such as Community-Supported Agriculture (CDA), famers’ markets and fair-trade may offer consumers a more sustainable, healthy and ethical model of food production and consumption. Her opinion is that these alternative markets are still viewed as niche and alone, aren’t the answer. Rocha suggested that public policy is needed in at least three areas to facilitate responsible consumption:
– taxes and regulation (e.g. on sugar-sweetened beverages, use of chemicals, ultra-processed foods, and advertising)
– subsidies (e.g. for ecologically-friendly processes and alternative markets)
– information, education and nudging (e.g. food-based dietary guidelines).

How Do Our Eating Habits Compare to Canada’s Food Guide? – Dr. Rachel Prowse

Dr. Prowse, Applied Public Health Science Specialist at Public Health Ontario, compared the recommended proportions of food (by weight) in the new Canada’s Food Guide versus Ontario adults’ intakes from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey – Nutrition Public Use Microdata File. Research results are expected to be published next year, however preliminary findings show that we’re not eating according to the recommended proportions of the food guide. Dr. Prowse suggests that non whole grains and “Other foods” (such as cookies, cakes, pastries, ice cream and confectionary) may be displacing nutritious foods on our plates. A consumer shift towards eating a more plant-based diet may help to drive the production of sustainable food options.

A Deep Dive into Food Waste – Dr. Kate Parizeau

As an Associate Professor at the University of Guelph, Dr. Parizeau researches the social context of waste and its management. Parizeau shared some staggering statistics:
– Canada generates 12.6 million tonnes of organic waste per year
– Canada wastes $49.5 billion of food annually – enough to feed every person living in Canada for almost 5 months.

In collaboration with the Guelph Family Health Study, Parizeau looked at food waste both at the household level. Household food waste was defined as either “avoidable” (food that could have been eaten such as whole fruits and vegetables, spoiled food, uneaten leftovers, food past it’s best before date as well as bought but forgotten food) versus “unavoidable” (such as egg shells, banana peels and meat bones).

The study found that about ¾ of the household food waste was avoidable. Most of the avoidable food waste (over 65%) came from fruits and vegetables, 24% from bread and cereals, 6% from meat and fish, and 2% from milk, cheese and eggs. Overall, this amounts to an average of $936 per year, over 175,000 calories thrown out and 1,196 kg of C02 emissions created.

Image source: Kate Parizeau

Food literacy skills can result in reduced food waste. Behaviours such as meal planning, shopping with a list, food preparation, storing food safely and cooking at home are encouraged. A new cookbook Rock What You’ve Got – Recipes for Preventing Food Waste is now available for free download. This cookbook was created by the Guelph Food Waste Research Group in partnership with The Helderleigh Foundation, George Brown College’s Food Innovation and Research Studio (FIRSt).

The Sweet Spot Workshop – with Chef Claire Tansey

Posted on September 22, 2019

Sue cooking with Chef Claire Tansey — Sue with Chef Claire Tansey

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by the Registered Dietitians at the Canadian Sugar Institute, and I have received monetary compensation. As always, my own professional opinions and views are expressed.

I love food! And a big part of my job as a dietitian is to help Canadians love food too! I’m passionate about translating the complex science of nutrition into everyday healthy eating tips that make sense and are easy for people to follow. So when my dietitian colleagues at the Canadian Sugar Institute invited me to a hands-on cooking Sweet Spot Workshop with Chef Claire Tansey, I was excited to learn more!

First, some nutrition background

Recently, Health Canada announced new guidelines for sugars and also some new changes to how sugars will be shown on food labels.

Specifically, for the first time ever, there is a Daily Value for sugars, set at 100 grams. According to Health Canada, 100 grams isn’t meant to be the recommended amount of sugars to consume, but instead it’s an amount of sugars that is consistent with a healthy eating pattern. On food labels, the sugars content of the food will be listed in grams (g) and also as a percent of the Daily Value (% DV) (see below for the “NEW” image of the Nutrition Facts table).

Now remember that 100 grams is the total from all types of sugars:

naturally occurring sugars (like the sugars found in fruit, veggies and unsweetened milk products);
added sugars (like different sugars that are added when cooking or processing food); and
free sugars (these are added sugars plus sugars that are naturally found in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates).

A comparison of the original Nutrition Facts table to the new one. The new one shows a % Daily Value for sugars. — Image source: Health Canada

Now, the food!

So what exactly does 100 grams of sugars look like when it comes to real food? That’s where the Sweet Spot Workshop comes in. Dietitians teamed up at the workshop to make a day’s menu of food – adding up to 100 grams of sugars, staying within the sodium and fat recommendations, and totalling no more than 2,000 calories (the average number of calories needed by an adult). So here’s what we made. All recipes were inspired by Claire’s latest cookbook Uncomplicated.

Breakfast

Instant Bircher Museli – made with oats, unsweetened apple juice, nuts and fresh pears and paired with a single serving of Greek yogurt – 28 g sugars

Lunch

Chilled Cucumber and Sesame Noodles with Tofu – made with soba noodles, maple syrup, sesame oil, cucumbers, tofu and edamame, served with sweet and sour bok choy – 7 g sugars

Snack

Assorted berries and cherries with a fruit / kale Greek yogurt smoothie – 29 g sugars

Dinner

Coconut Chicken Curry – made with chicken, coconut milk, ginger, curry paste, tomatoes and peas, served with steamed broccoli – 7 g sugars

Dessert

Plum-Almond Galette – made with fresh, local plums – 30 g sugars

The bottom line

You can definitely enjoy a variety of healthy meals with a small dessert AND stay within 100 grams of sugars for the day! Enjoy!

Photos by Flora Wang.

5 Recipes to try for Nutrition Month

Posted on March 7, 2019

Asian chicken sesame chopped salad recipe

Most of us, including myself, usually cook the same 5-7 recipes each week. With the launch of the new Canada’s Food Guide earlier this year and March being National Nutrition Month, now is the time to explore new recipes and take your taste buds on an adventure!

Here are 5 recipes that caught my eye from the Dietitians of Canada. Give them a try and let me know what you think!

Layered Top to Bottom Beet Salad

Bruschetta Fish

Greek Salad

Asian Chicken Sesame Chopped Salad

Crispy Chickpeas and Pumpkin Seeds with Lime

Happy Nutrition Month! Eat well, live well – this month and all year long!

Sue

Easy Lunch Ideas for Back to School

Posted on August 23, 2017

Sue Heather beet hummus

A study by researchers at the University of British Columbia found that Canadian children are not eating enough vegetables and fruit during the school day.

The first of its kind, this study looked at 4,827 children across Canada between the ages of six and 17. Using a 24 hour recall, their dietary intakes from 9 am to 2 pm was scored against a School Healthy Eating Index. The Index looks at 11 specific criteria based on Canada’s Food Guide’s recommendations, such as intake of vegetables and fruit, whole grains, milk products and meat and alternatives.

Here are the highlights from the research:
– 1/3 of daily calories (about 750 calories) are consumed at school; almost 25% of these calories came from “other foods” such as candy bars and salty packaged snacks
– Kids are falling short on vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium and protein
– The lowest scores were for green and orange vegetables, whole fruit, whole grains and milk products
– The average score was 53.4 out of a possible 100 points
– Teens’ diets scored worse than that of younger kids aged six to eight

Here are a few of my lunch ideas, as shown on my interview with CBC Morning Live today.

Chickpea Lettuce Wrap – Kids are attracted to colours in their meals! A great protein packed and flavourful recipe! Add a glass of milk or fortified soy beverage to round out the meal.
Chickpea lettue wrap

Chicken Pasta Salad – My daughter won 3rd prize in a recipe contest for this recipe when she was in grade 3. Ask your kids to grate the carrots and chop the cucumbers. Balance the lunch with a serving of yogurt.

Beet Hummus with Veggies – Kids love to dip! A great way to team up protein plus produce in the lunchbox! Add mini pitas with cheese cubes for a nutritious lunch.

Apple Sailboats – It’s as easy as it looks! Slice an apple into wedges and dip in lemon juice to prevent browning. Cut cheese into triangles and attach with a toothpick. Add a handful of whole grain crackers to complete the meal.

Zucchini Waffles – Breakfast for lunch, why not? These waffles are made with grated zucchini. (Sneak in the veggies wherever you can!) Add a hard cooked egg or small piece of cooked meat / poultry for protein. Mix a few extra berries with yogurt for “dessert”.
Zucchini Waffles with Fresh Berries

Barley Butternut Squash Risotto

Posted on October 19, 2016

barley-butternut-squash-risotto-crop
I made this wonderful side dish for Thanksgiving dinner this year! It’s one of my all-time favourite recipes from Lucy Waverman’s cookbook Dinner Tonight.

Barley contains a unique fibre called beta-glucan. This type of fibre has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Butternut squash is filled with beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A, and important for vision and a healthy immune system.

Ingredients
5 cups chicken stock or water (I use lower sodium chicken stock)
2 T olive oil or canola oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups diced butternut squash (about 1/2 small butternut squash)
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
salt and pepper to taste
2 T chopped parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Heat stock in pot until simmering.
2. Heat oil in heavy pot on medium heat. Add onion and cook for 1 minute. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until onion is soft.
3. Add squash and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in barley and sauté for 1 minute or until barley is coated with oil.
4. Add 1 cup stock, bring to boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, until barley absorbs most of stock. Add 2 more cups stock and cook for 20 minutes or until most of stock has been absorbed.
5. Stir in 1 cup more stock and cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until stock is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add remaining stock and cook and stir until barley is tender, about 10 minutes longer. Season well with salt and pepper.
6. Beat in parsley and cheese. Serve immediately. Risotto thickens as it sits, but it can be reheated by beating in more stock or water.

Makes 4 servings.

Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls

Posted on September 6, 2016

Shrimp Rice Rolls

A refreshing light meal or cool summertime appetizer when it’s just too hot to cook! Bonus – you can use fresh mint and basil straight from your garden!

Ingredients
2 ounces rice vermicelli noodles
8 rice wrappers (about 8.5 inches in diameter)
12 cooked, large shrimp – peeled, deveined, and cut in half lengthwise
Fresh basil leaves
Fresh mint leaves
1-2 carrots, julienned about 2 inches long
1/2 cucumber, julienned about 2 inches long

Shrimp Rice Rolls ingreds

Directions
1. Boil water in a kettle. Pour boiling water into a large bowl. Soak rice vermicelli in hot boiling water for about 5 minutes or until noodles are soft. (Or boil rice vermicelli in water for 5 minutes.) Drain.
2. Fill another large bowl with warm water. Carefully dip one rice wrapper into the warm water for 8-10 seconds so that the rice wrapper softens.
3. Place rice wrapper flat on a cutting board. Place 3 shrimp halves in the middle of the rice wrapper. On top of the shrimp, layer on 3 basil leaves, 3 mint leaves, about 1 Tbsp of rice vermicelli noodles, 2 carrot sticks, 2 cucumber sticks. Leave about 2 inches uncovered on each side of the rice wrapper.
4. Fold the short uncovered sides in towards the centre. Tightly roll up the rice wrapper.
5. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. As you are rolling up the remaining rice wrappers, cover the already made spring rolls with a damp towel to prevent the rice wrappers from hardening.
6. Serve with a sweet chili or peanut dipping sauce.
Makes 8 spring rolls.

5 Reasons Why I LOVE Lentils!

Posted on January 18, 2016

1. Lentils are cheap. I paid $2.99 for a big package of dried green lentils which should be enough for at least 10 servings. Costing it out, that’s about 30 cents for a solid serving of protein! Not bad, especially when foods costs are skyrocketing these days.

2. Lentils are nutritious. A 3/4 cup serving of cooked lentils is a substitute for meat, an excellent source of iron and packs in about 25% of my daily quota for fibre.

3. Lentils need no soaking. Unlike many other dried beans, lentils don’t have to be soaked prior to cooking – a real time saver!

4. Lentils are versatile. For week 3 of my Pulse Pledge, I made Easy Lentils and Rice. Last week, I used a can of lentils to make an amazing Lentil Shepherd’s Pie.

5. Lentils are delicious. They add texture and soak up any spices or flavours in your recipe. Give these nutritious gems a try!

Easy Lentils and Rice
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1 tbsp canola oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 red or orange pepper, diced
1 tsp ground cumin
salt to taste
1 cup dried green or brown lentils
2 cups sodium-reduced chicken or vegetable broth

Directions
1. In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Fry onion, garlic, celery and red pepper for a few minutes. Add cumin and salt. Continue cooking until onions are soft.
2. Stir in the lentils.
3. Add broth and bring to boil.
4. Simmer for about 35-40 minutes until the lentils are tender.
5. Serve over cooked rice, whole grain couscous or quinoa.

Get ready for International Year of Pulses!

Posted on December 26, 2015

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!)

Book Review: The Ultimate Hockey Cookbook for Hockey Families – by Erin Phillips and Korey Kealey

Posted on January 7, 2015

Any hockey mom or dad knows the challenges of feeding their athletes for games, practices and tournaments. In this new cookbook by Erin Phillips and Korey Kealey, you’ll find nutrition tips and winning recipes for your hockey star.

Phillips is a nutritionist, mom to three active kids, wife to Ottawa Senators’ defenceman Chris Phillips, and herself plays hockey. Kealey is a well-known recipe developer and mom to three competitive hockey players. Together the dynamic duo asked parents and wives of professional hockey pros to share their favourite recipes. The end product, which took two years in the making, is a beautifully illustrated cookbook with easy-to-make recipes from hockey greats including Daniel Alfredsson’s Power Play Meat Sauce, Jason Spezza’s Shoot-Out Sea Bass, and Nick Folgino’s Five-Hole Salad.

A few of the recipes call for veggie and phytoberry powders (a sponsor of the cookbook). While I’m not full convinced of the need for these supplements, Phillips’ nutrition advice is otherwise solid, highlighting the importance of pre-game fuel, hydration, post-game recovery and sleep. The food photography is mouthwatering and the recipes sport fun, hockey-themed names like Penalty-Kill Parfaits and Off-the-Post Purple Smoothie.

As a dietitian and hockey mom myself, I give thumbs up to The Ultimate Cookbook for Hockey Families. If purchased at Canadian Tire, 100% of the proceeds from book sales will be donated to JumpStart, a charity that offers financial assitance to help kids across Canada play sports.