Author Archives: Tammy Lomond

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What Is Your Child Eating at School?

Children spend a large portion of their day at school. Therefore, they consume a large portion of their total daily food intake during school hours. But what are they eating?

The food your child eats during school hours should provide a major portion of essential nutrients that your child needs to grow and develop. It also affects his or her energy and ability to focus and concentrate during class.

Help your child perform at his or her best at school by providing a nutritious and energizing lunch.

Plan your child’s lunch around the four food groups. Include at least three of the four food groups – focusing on fruits and vegetables, whole grains and dairy products. The following are just a few easy healthy lunch ideas.

  • Tuna salad sandwich + tomato & cucumber slices + milk
  • Leftover chicken, shredded cheese, red pepper slices and ranch salad dressing wrapped in a tortilla + fruit cup + milk
  • Egg salad pita pockets + carrot sticks + yogurt
  • Individually portion leftovers (e.g., chili, lasagna, homemade mac & cheese, homemade pizza) + fresh or canned fruit + milk
  • Homemade soup + whole-grain crackers + fresh or canned fruit + milk

And don’t forget about nutritious snacks. Include at least two of the four food groups for each snack. The following are some simple nutritious snack ideas.

  • Whole grain crackers + cheese
  • Fresh fruit + yogurt or cottage cheese
  • Raw veggies + hummus or yogurt dip
  • Homemade muffin + cheese stick

Keep the following foods on hand to make healthy lunch and snack prep a breeze.

Pantry:

  • Whole grain breads, pitas, tortillas and crackers
  • Canned fruit, fruit cups and dried fruit
  • Canned tuna and salmon
  • Canned legumes (e.g., chick peas, black beans)

Fridge:

  • Yogurt
  • Cheese (hard cheese, cheese sticks, cream cheese, cottage cheese)
  • Milk
  • Eggs
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables

Freezer:

  • Individually portioned leftovers
  • Frozen fruit
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Kitchen Gadgets: A Good Investment or A Waste of Money?

Banana slicer, electric egg cooker, salad spinner… There seems to be a gadget for everything.

I recently came across an article (see link below) that listed several household gadgets that are a complete waste of money.

The following are some of the kitchen gadgets that may – or may not – be needlessly taking up space in your kitchen.

Banana Slicer. I completely agree that this is a complete waste of money. Bananas are so easy to slice, I don’t think this tool would make it any easier or convenient. Not to mention the fact that cleaning a banana slicer would probably be more work than simply slicing a banana with a knife.

Electric Can Opener. I don’t necessarily agree with this one. While a handheld opener can do just fine (and takes up less space), for anyone with hand or wrist pain, an electric can opener can be a valuable kitchen gadget.

Electric Egg Cooker. I have to agree – boiling an egg does not require a specialty appliance. Even though poached eggs can be a little trickier, I still agree that it’s not worth the money or counter space.

Garlic Press. I don’t use garlic (due to allergy), but I do agree with this one as well. Mainly because, like the banana slicer, cleaning the garlic press would be more work than simply chopping or mincing garlic with a knife. Besides, as the writer points out, most recipes call for chopped or minced garlic, not pressed – and even if a recipe does call for pressed, minced will do just fine.

Pizza Cutter. While I agree that a knife or kitchen shears would do just fine, I still think a pizza cutter makes pizza cutting easier. Not a big deal if you eat pizza only occasionally – but if pizza is a regular part of your weekly menu, a pizza cutter may be a reasonable investment.

Salad Spinner. Yes, it can be fairly expensive, and it does take up a fair amount of space, but I love my salad spinner. I like to eat salads, but I really dislike washing and drying lettuce. My salad spinner makes this job much less of a hassle – I think I eat salad more often since I bought it! Plus, the salad spinner is a great way to store washed lettuce in the fridge so that it’s ready to go the next day. So, if owning a salad spinner means you’ll eat more salads, I say it is a valuable kitchen gadget.

Bottom line: Many gadgets are completely unnecessary and a waste of money. But if a gadget truly does make your life a little easier, then it just may be a good investment for you!

http://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/savingandinvesting/16-household-products-that-are-a-complete-waste-of-money/ss-AAs80bO?li=AAggNb9&ocid=AARDHP

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Starchy and Non-Starchy Vegetables

You’ve probably heard the terms starchy and non-starchy vegetables? But which vegetables are starchy and which are non-starchy? And what is the difference?

Non-Starchy Vegetables

Non-starchy vegetables are those that have very small amounts of carbohydrates (and calories) – such as lettuce and leafy greens, sweet peppers, mushrooms, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, green and yellow beans, Brussel sprouts, etc.

Generally, these types of vegetables can be eaten in large amounts without having a significant effect on blood sugar levels. They are an excellent option to help fill you up – without adding many calories – for those who are trying to manage their weight.

Non-starch vegetables are also loaded with vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants.

Starchy Vegetables

Starchy vegetables are those that have higher amounts of carbohydrates – these include potatoes, corn, green peas, parsnips, winter squash (butternut and acorn) and yams.

Carbohydrates provide us with calories (energy). Carbohydrates are made up of three parts – starches (complex carbohydrates), sugars (simple carbohydrates) and fibre.

Starchy vegetables contain the complex form of carbohydrates. This means that they will cause a rise in blood sugar levels, but the effect will be smaller than that of simple sugars.

Starchy vegetables are also loaded with important vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants.

Starchy vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. There is no reason to avoid them – even if you have diabetes or are trying to lose weight. The key is portion size.

One serving of starchy vegetables is about ½ cup cooked. This provides about the same amount of calories (approximately 80 calories) and carbohydrates (approximately 15 g) as ½ cup cooked pasta or rice, or 1 slice of bread.

If you use the plate method to control portion sizes, fill one quarter of your plate with grains OR starchy vegetables, one quarter with protein, and one half with non-starchy vegetables.

Avoid adding additional sugar, fat and calories to starchy vegetables by preparing them using healthy cooking methods such as boiling, steaming, baking or roasting.

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Confused about Low-Fat Diets and Low-Carb Diets?

During the Early 90s, you were told to cut fat from your diet – low-fat and reduced fat foods became very popular. But wait… there are different types of fat and we do need a certain amount of healthier fats in our diet.

In the later 90s and 2000’s, low-carb diets became the craze. Many were shunning bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, and just about any food containing carbohydrates – even fruits and vegetables. But wait… There are different types of carbohydrates, and healthier carbohydrates are an important part of our diet.

Today, low-fat diets seem to have lost some steam; however, there are numerous versions of low-carb diets that are still going strong.

Confusing, right?

Part of the problem is that often these ideas are taken to the extreme.

While it is advisable to limit your intake of unhealthy fats by limiting fried foods, deep fried foods and fatty cuts of meat, there is no reason to eliminate the healthy fats found in olive oil, lean meats, fatty fish, nuts and seeds.

The same idea applies to carbohydrates. You should limit your intake of simple sugars and highly refined carbohydrates such as candy and sweets, white breads, muffins and pastries; however, there is no reason to eliminate whole grains, or any fruits or vegetables.

It is also important to remember that eliminating a food or macronutrient does not automatically equate a healthier diet. If you eliminate fats by loading up on refined carbohydrates – or eliminate carbohydrates by loading up on saturated and trans fats – you’re definitely not following a “healthy” diet.

So what should you do?

Follow a balanced diet including plenty of healthy fats and healthy carbohydrates.

Choose healthy fats including lean cuts of meat, fatty fish, nuts and seeds, lower fat dairy products, olive oil, non-creamy salad dressings; and limit your intake of fried and deep-fried foods, breaded and battered foods, pastries, donuts and other store bought baked goods.

Choose healthy carbohydrates including whole grain breads and cereals, brown rice and pasta, and plenty of fruits and vegetables; and limit your intake of white breads, candy, sweets, donuts, pastries, cookies, and other sugary desserts.

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Favourite Fall Foods

I don’t know about you, but I’m always sad to see summer come to an end.

Fortunately, there are many things to look forward to during the fall season – including delicious and nutritious seasonal fall foods.

The following are just a few of my favourites.

Apples. Apples are a good source of vitamin C. They are also high in fibre, including pectin – a type of fibre that helps with bowel regulation and lowering blood cholesterol levels. There are many different varieties of apples – with the most popular being Macintosh, Red Delicious and Empire. There are even more ways to enjoy apples – on their own, paired with a nut butter, baked, or made into a sauce, pie, crisp or cobbler.

Cranberries. Cranberries are a source of Vitamin C, and they may help prevent urinary tract infections. Enjoy the health benefits of cranberries by making a jelly or relish – or make your own cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving dinner. If you prefer something sweet, make cranberry muffins or a cranberry-apple crisp or pie.

Beets. Beets are high in fibre, a good source of folacin, and a source of Vitamin C and potassium. Roast them, boil them or pickle them – use any leftovers as a salad topping.

Winter Squash. Squash is an excellent source of beta carotene and potassium. It is also a source of B vitamins, Vitamin C, folacin and fibre (including pectin). There are several varieties of winter squash including butternut, buttercup and acorn squash. Cut squash in half – or peel and dice it – and cook it in the oven. Squash can also be cooked in the microwave – pierce a whole squash with several holes and cook it on high for about 10 minutes.  Enjoy cooked squash as a side vegetable, or make a creamy squash soup.

Pumpkin. The pumpkin is a close relative to the squash. Pumpkin is an excellent source of Vitamin A, thiamine and riboflavin. It is also a good source of Vitamin C and fibre. Smaller pumpkins are best for cooking and baking. Peel and dice it, then bake or boil it. Like squash, small pumpkins can also be cooked in the microwave using the same method. Enjoy pumpkin as a side vegetable, or use cooked pumpkin to make a pumpkin pie.

https://www.ontario.ca/foodland/foodland-ontario

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Halloween Treats

Looking for some fun, healthy Halloween snacks and treats?

Halloween doesn’t have to be a complete sugar overload. There are plenty of fun – yet healthy – Halloween snacks and treats to choose from.

The following are just two simple recipes I found at allrecipes.com.

Have fun finding more creative Halloween recipes – or create your own!

Halloween Apple Teeth (Recipe Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/219206/halloween-fruit-apple-teeth-treats/)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 apples – cored and quartered
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
  • 1 (2.25 ounce) package blanched slivered almonds

Directions

With a small, sharp paring knife, cut a lengthwise wedge from the skin side of each apple quarter, leaving the peel around the wedge for lips. If desired, rub the cut portions of the apple quarters with lemon juice to prevent browning. Poke 5 or 6 slivered almonds into the top and bottom of the cut-out area to make snaggly teeth.

Note: I’ve also seen these made with mini marshmallows for the teeth. Use peanut butter to hold the teeth in place. If you can’t use peanut butter (due to allergies or intolerance), try using cream cheese or a thick frosting.

Severed Fingers (Recipe Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/239784/severed-finger-cheese-sticks/

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 string cheese sticks
  • 12 almond slices
  • 2 tbsp. of hot pepper sauce

Directions

Round off the ends of each cheese stick with a paring knife to resemble a fingertip. Roughly tear each cheese stick in half to form two torn-off “fingers”.

Shave off a piece of each cheese “fingertip” to form a nail bed; place an almond slice on the “nail bed” to form a “fingernail”.

Cut a few shallow lines in center of each “finger” to form knuckle marks.

Pour several drops of hot sauce into small pools of “blood” on a serving plate. Dip torn ends of the cheese fingers into “blood” to resemble bloody fingers. Lay each “finger” in its own pool of “blood”.

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Cauliflower Chocolate Cake

A while ago, I wrote about cauliflower. I ended the blog with a link to a recipe for Cauliflower Chocolate Cake – I decided it was time to give it a try.

Due to intolerances, I follow a gluten-free and dairy-free diet, which can make baking a little challenging. So I love finding recipes like this one – that are somewhat healthy, and gluten- and dairy-free, or easy enough to make that way.

Another great thing about the recipe is that it gives a few options when it comes to the flour, sweetener and type of milk.

Don’t let the cauliflower scare you off – this recipe is definitely worth making! It makes a delicious chocolate cake that doesn’t taste anything like cauliflower. Mine was very moist, and maybe a little more like a Brownie, but delicious nonetheless.

Below is the recipe as I made it.

Cauliflower Chocolate Cake (find the original recipe at http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/06/18/cauliflower-chocolate-cake/)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup GF flour mix – see recipe below
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tbsp. ground flax
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 loosely-packed cups frozen cauliflower, thawed
  • ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 3 tbsp. canola oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8×8 square baking dish. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl, and mix well. Combine all liquid ingredients and cauliflower in a food processor or blender; blend until completely smooth. Pour into the dry mixture, and mix until just combined. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake 30 minutes.

Gluten-Free Flour Mix

Ingredients

  • 200 g sorghum flour
  • 200 g millet flour
  • 300 g potato flour
  • 300 g tapioca flour

Directions

Add all ingredients to a large container with a lid. Shake until mixed well (mixture should be uniform in colour).

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Chili

This past weekend I made a big pot of chili. What’s not to love about chili!

Chili can be very healthy – packed full of nutrients including fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. And it also helps fill you up!

Chili can help warm you up on a cold day.

Chili is easy to make and requires very little prep time.

Chili is a perfect option if you want plenty of leftovers – and it tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had a chance to meld.

Chili freezes well – freeze individual portions for a quick meal on busy days.

Another great thing about chili is that it doesn’t require following an exact recipe. Below is the recipe I’ve been using as a guideline for several years – but I’ve never followed it exactly!

Chili (recipe source http://allrecipes.com/recipe/14985/its-chili-by-george/)

Prep Time: 10 m/ Cook Time: 1 h 45 m/ Total Time: 1 h 55 m

Makes 10 servings 

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds lean ground beef (I sometimes use ground turkey, or leave the meat out altogether and make a vegetarian chili)
  • 1 (46 fluid ounce) can tomato juice (I use canned diced tomatoes instead)
  • 1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce (I also add a can of tomato paste to thicken it up)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (I usually use black beans instead)
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (I omit the onion)   
  • 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper (I also add a can of corn, and sometimes diced carrots)
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup chili powder (I add more – I don’t have a measurement, I go by taste)

Directions

Place ground beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and crumble.

Combine all ingredients in a large pot, over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours. If using a slow cooker (as I do), cook on low for about 8 to 10 hours.

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Tuna Salad

I’m not a big fan of celery – it’s something I never buy. But on a recent trip to the grocery store, I decided to buy a whole bundle of celery – mainly because it was on sale, and I occasionally make a point of buying something that I don’t eat often.

What does this have to do with tuna salad? While I don’t enjoy celery on its own, I do like chopped celery in tuna salad – but it’s not something I normally do at home since I don’t buy celery.

So the next day, I decided to make a simple tuna pasta salad using whatever ingredients I had on hand – pasta (about 1 cup uncooked), 1 can of tuna, 1 celery stalk (finely chopped), mayonnaise (about 3 heaping tbsp.) and a dash of pepper. It was simple, yet delicious – and even tastier the second day.

In fact, I enjoyed it so much, just a few days later I decided to make tuna salad again. This time I added a teaspoon of prepared mustard, and made a tuna sandwich rather than pasta. Again, it was even better the next day.

If you’d like an exact recipe to follow, here’s an easy tuna salad recipe similar to my tuna salad – use it as is, or use it as a guideline to create your own version of tuna salad.

Tuna Salad (www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/tuna-salad-recipe)

 

Total prep time: 15 min.

Yield: 3 to 4 servings.

Ingredients

Two 6-ounce cans white meat tuna packed in water, drained

2 tablespoons minced celery

2 tablespoons minced red onion, soaked in cold water

1 teaspoon minced flat-leaf parsley

1/3 cup prepared mayonnaise

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

Freshly ground black pepper

Freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)

Directions

In a small mixing bowl break up the tuna with a fork. Toss with the celery, onion, and parsley. Add the mayonnaise, mustard and season with pepper, to taste. Stir to combine. Add lemon juice, to taste, if using.

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Black Bean Brownies

Once in a while, I feel like doing a little baking. A couple of weeks ago, I became a little obsessed with black bean brownies – and comparing two different recipes.

In less than two weeks, I made both recipes – twice!

These recipes are very versatile! I made a few adjustments and substitutions each time – and they all worked out fine.

Overall, they are both great recipes that don’t taste like black beans at all. Recipe 1 was sweeter and lighter in texture, and Recipe 2 was less sweet and made a heavier, more filling brownie. Below are the recipes as I made them (follow the links to find the original recipes).

Recipe 1. Black Bean Brownies (find the original recipe at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/161701/black-bean-brownies/)

Prep Time: 10 m/ Cook Time: 30 m/Total Time: 40m

Makes about 16 servings

Ingredients – Version 1 Ingredients – Version 2
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained   1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained  
2 eggs + ¼ cup applesauce 3 flax eggs (1 = 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp warm water)

+ ~ 2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp vegetable oil 3 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup (heaping) cocoa powder   1/4 cup (heaping) cocoa powder  
1 pinch salt 1 pinch salt
2 tsp vanilla extract 2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup white sugar ½ cup white sugar
1 ½ tsp instant coffee 1 ½ tsp instant coffee
½ cup walnut pieces ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8×8 square baking dish.

Combine all ingredients except walnuts or chocolate chips in a food processor or blender; blend until smooth; pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle walnuts or chocolate chips over top of the mixture. (For Version 2, I made individual brownies by using a muffin tin).

Bake in preheated oven until the top is dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes.

Recipe 2. Black Bean Brownies (find the original recipe at http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/09/06/no-flour-black-bean-brownies/)

Total Time: 15m 

Makes 9-12 brownies

Ingredients – Version 1 Ingredients – Version 2
1 1/2 cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed 1 1/2 cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed)
3 tbsp cocoa powder 4 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup quick oats 1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup light pancake syrup 1/3 cup light pancake syrup
2 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup canola oil 1/4 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract 2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking powder
¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips + ¼ cup walnut pieces ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips + ¼ cup walnut pieces

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips (and walnuts, if using) in a food processor or blender, and blend until completely smooth. (I used a blender, which worked fine).

Stir in the chocolate chips (and walnuts, if using), then pour into a greased 8×8 pan (I made individual brownies by using a muffin tin).

Cook for 15-18 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.