Mark Your Calenders

November 1st at 6:30 pm

New Glasgow Library

Mindful Nutrition is excited to host a screening of FORKS OVER KNIVES at the New Glasgow Library, November 1st at 6:30 pm. This film ”examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods. The major story line in the film traces the personal journeys of a pair of pioneering yet under-appreciated researchers, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.” www.forksoverknives.com The film highlights many of the findings from THE CHINA STUDY, the most comprehensive nutritional study to date, and clinical based research in nutritional healing. It will prove to be very thought provoking and inspiring. 

Annabelle Cameron, RHN will be happy to host a Q&A period after the screening.

Hope to see you there.

Happy Thanksgiving! I don't know about you, but I have so much to be thankful for: family, friends, blossoming business and good health. I wrote these words in the sand during a recent walk on one of the most beautiful beaches around- Melmerby. I am forever thankful to have such an amazing place to bask in the summer sun or walk its shores all year long.

Not all of us are farmers, so are not celebrating the harvest necessarily, but this is a time to stop and give thanks to the harvest of our lives. As we head into what is more like a new year to me than January, it is the perfect time to count our blessings and set our intentions for all that will come.

So what did you plant in this past year? Are you reaping the harvest now? Did you care for the soil, tend to it regularly? Did you savour all the flavours of your harvest, the bitter and the sweet? Are there things that you won't be planting again? These may seem like strange questions coming from a holistic nutrition consultant but I think they are exactly what needs to be asked. Our nutritional profile does not live in a bubble, it part of the fabric and foundation of our lives.

The practice of giving thanks before partaking in a meal is a great analogy here. Giving mindful presence to our lives is a tool for stress reduction. Stress is the underlying cause of most if not all imbalances in the body. Stopping, being present, being thankful lowers your stress response which has positive effects on how you digest and absorb your food. Stress lowers stomach acid significantly. This affects the top end of the digestive chain of events so all that follows is compromised.  Some of the results are heartburn, indigestion, constipation which all can lead to allergies, lowered immunity, weight gain and more. What better time to deploy this tool then as we sit before our next meal.

So give thanks today and everyday and absorb all that this life has to offer, on and off the plate.

Champion Breakfast

With the Olympics now over, many of the medal winners will soon adorn the boxes of breakfast cereal. I find it strange the products that many of the athletes end up supporting. If they actually consumed the “breakfast of champions”, chances are pretty good they wouldn’t be number on in the world.

I find that breakfast is a challenge for many. Poor elimination and low stomach acid can leave some not wanting to eat anything or if they do eat something, feeling a bit squeamish (if this is you, you might want to see me) For others it is a matter of trading in the highly processed sugary boxed cereal for something wholesome and sustaining. It is so important to start your day with your blood sugar balanced otherwise you are spending your entire day playing catch up. This has direct effect on all your hormones in general.

One of the main rationalizations I hear from those struggling with breakfast is the time card. Morning schedules too hectic. Breakfast needs to be quick and convenient. I am sharing a recent breakfast of mine. At the most, it may have taken 7 minutes to put together  

My champion breakfast:

            whole grain millet topped with homemade maple strawberry preserves

            raw pecans

steamed broccoli and cauliflower

I am a big fan of whole grains to start your day. Its nutrient and fibre content are great for balancing blood sugar, sustaining energy and having a positive effect on mood.  I had soaked and cooked the millet before hand so all that was needed was a quick heat up in the toaster oven.  I topped it with some local strawberries I had sweetened with a little maple syrup. You can use any grain and fruit combo that suits your fancy.

It’s important to include some healthy fat in your first meal of the day. I chose pecans today but any nut or an egg or even avocado would do.

So you may be questioning the veggies as a side dish.  Not our normal breakfast but if you look to our neighbours around the world you may see many examples of this.  So, why not? Step outside your cereal box and choose nutrient dense foods over “supposed to” foods.  Steamed brassica family give a little morning love to your liver helping it better process reproductive and thyroid hormones. This makes them a great choice to start you day. I had previously steamed the broccoli and cauliflower, again saving time. 

So take some time to think about breakfast and be your own champion.

Simple tradition on a hot summer's day.

Nova Scotians, Maritmers, we are a sea people. I love this part of our collective character but my house, however, is about as far away from the ocean as you can get in this province. Granted that isn’t very far considering the tell tale salt residue left by the fog on my windows. So it is a farming heritage that flows through my veins; a people who worked the land not the sea. In this tradition the largest meal of the day was dinner time, noon.  Supper was a lighter and easier meal at the end of the day. I would argue this to be a better way to eat though our lives are no longer always organized to allow for this. It is at this time of year that I am reminded of simpler suppers. Growing up it was a given that as soon as the wax beans were ripe and ready to be picked - that was supper. Just a plate full of delicious, fresh harvest dripping in butter to feed the body and the soul. It is a tradition that I have continued. There is nothing more satisfying than a simple pleasure steeped in tradition.  My own beans are not quite ready yet but I have been enjoying the bounty from the farmers market. So the next time you can’t think of what to make on these glorious hot days, keep it simple. Make it tradition. For those who are unable to enjoy the pleasure of butter, try drizzling your beans with cold pressed olive oil and a pinch of celtic sea salt. Thinly sliced local garlic would be divine as well. Enjoy!

If you are going to have some pasta it better pack some punch!

Come on now you lazy leprechauns, time to green up your comfort food. It adds great flavour and turns what is a flour-based potentially fibre less and inflammatory meal into a nutrient dense delight.

Here are two ways:

First, regular tomato based sauce. If you are reaching for the jar, then we need to talk. Pasta sauce is easy and quick and freezes well so no need to buy prepared, processed, sugar loaded versions. I do use organic canned tomatoes, especially since my own tomato plants didn’t produce enough to make a teaspoon of sauce last year. Look for a brand with the least amount of sodium and with tomatoes as the only ingredient. So here it goes:

               1 16oz can of organic tomatoes, crushed or diced

               1 medium onion

               3-5 cloves of garlic

I put these in my food processor but if you don’t have one just dice up small.

Now when it comes to greens, you have choices here. I usually use spinach but have also used swiss chard but let your taste buds guide you. I will very often, especially when making for kids or fussy adults, put the greens in the food processor too but they can be added at any point in this recipe. A big handful per person.

I place all of the above in a sauce pot and add 1 tsp each of basil, oregano, and cayenne. I say this but the truth is, I never measure so go with your taste. A teaspoon of cayenne may be more than you can handle or you may want more! If I have the fresh version of these spices I use them, it adds so much more to the flavour.

This mixture can simmer on the stove until heated through and flavours combine. This is can be used as is on your favourite pasta choice, frozen for days ahead or ramped up with more nutrition! Makes a good pizza sauce too.

Next I take some ghee or stock in a frying pan and sauté up my choice of veggies. Peppers, zuccuni, asparagus, mushrooms, (you can insert greens here if you didn’t add them to be processed) or whatever vegetables suit your fancy.

Pour sauce and veggies over pasta and serve.

Finishing touches: dizzle pasta with some cold pressed olive oil or sprinkle chia or hemp seed over finished dish .

Note that there is no meat in this sauce. That is my preference when it comes to pasta. It could be added first at the sauté stage, cooked through before adding vegetables.

Second. My favourite pesto, arugula pesto. Makes a simple and delicious side dish.

In food processor or blender place a large bunch of arugula, garlic cloves, pine nuts and spin until finely chopped. Add in olive oil until proper consistency. Poor enough over hot pasta to coat and then sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan. YUM! This too can be spruced up with any kind of veggies if desired. The pesto will keep for a while in the fridge and also freezes well. Save the cheese for last minute though.

It is March and it is NUTRITION MONTH! It also the month that is associated with the lucky of the Irish and all things green! What better time to talk about dark leafy greens. Kale, swiss chard, arugula, spinach, dandelion, beet greens, and many more all have so much to add to a healthy meal. Greens add much needed dietary fibre and are loaded with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. They are particularly important for liver health. If you are not having them daily then you are missing out on a necessary element in maintaining and supporting your health and healing.
 

Over the next few weeks I will add some ways of getting greens into your diet beyond salads. Salads are great but especially until the weather warms up more friendly options are needed.

A tip for the timid. If greens are a new element to your meal planning, start small. Treat them like you would a fresh herb and cut them small, just adding a little until you get used to them. Before you know it, you will be up to a hand full per person.

Last night I made a version of Chef Michael Smith’s Sweet Potato Aloo Gobi. I thought I would share it since it is a good recipe to demonstrate how to get some dark leafy greens onto your plate. The original recipe didn’t have any greens but I thought it would be a good and nutritious compliment. I used kale, one of the most nutritious greens. It is loaded with vitamins (i.e. A, K, B’s, folate, manganese, calcium and iron. Not to mention that it tasted great. You could use whatever green you wished.

I paired this dish with brown basmati coconut rice and also once plated sprinkled the final dish with chia seeds to add some extra plant protein, calcium and anti inflammatory omega 3.

Sweet Potato Aloo Gobi

Place in skillet or pan with tight fitting lid.

     1/4c Ghee

Then Add:
     2 white onion
     2 Tbsp curry powder
     2 tsp cumin or 1Tbsp whole cumin seeds
     2 tsp cinnamon

Gently sauté for 1 minute until flavours mix.

Then add and coat with spices:

     2 sweet potato (peeled and diced)
     1 head cauliflower
     4-5 leaves of curly kale (middle stem  removed and leaves chopped fine)

Add a splash of water, or some chicken stock enough to steam cauliflower and sweet potato.

Cover until vegetables are cooked to desired consistency and liquid is evaporated.

Add last minute until heated through:

     1c frozen peas
     1 bunch fresh cilantro to be added last
Note: If I was using a more delicate green like baby spinach I would add it in at this point instead of with the cauliflower and sweet potato.

Serves 4-6.