Foodie Friday 3: Protein in the Morning

Last week I reviewed some gluten-free cereal options, but I started the cereal ranking by saying that of all the cereals, hot cereal (oatmeal, quinoa porridge, rice porridge, etc) are the best. Why? Because they are the cleanest (no added anything), they are full of fiber, and they have protein. 

It is very important to eat protein in the morning.  It keeps you full for longer and helps set the tone of your appetite for the rest of the day. 

However, most people don't eat enough protein in the morning. Take cereal, the most popular breakfast food: as reviewed last week, most cereals available at grocery stores do not contain near enough protein. They are mainly made of carbohydrates; most of which are simple, refined carbs that don't contribute to satiety (fullness and meal satisfaction) and throw blood sugar out of whack. Even when paired with a glass of cow or goat milk*, the cereal plus milk meal will still likely fall short on the protein and will contain too many carbohydrates. *If you use almond mylk in your cereal, then the protein content will be even lower!

Nothing says good morning like (buckwheat) pancakes

Ten higher protein alternatives to milk & cereal for breakfast:

(in no particular order)

1) Hot cereals, like oatmeal, quinoa, or amaranth porridge

2) Hearty grain* toast with nut butter

3) A smoothie with fruit, greens, and protein powder 

4) Scrambled eggs (or tofu) with veggies 

5) Poached or boiled eggs (if you eat eggs)

6) Cottage cheese, greek yogurt, or hard cheeses (if you eat dairy)

7) Leftovers (rice dishes, bean dishes, stir-fry, chili, stew, etc)

8) Protein bars (opt for lower sugar ones)

9) Hearty grain* waffles, pancakes, crepes, or muffins

10) Nuts, trail mix, museli, or granola with milk of choice

*Whole wheat, multi-grain, kamut, spelt, buckwheat, amaranth, teff, sorghum, almond flour, etc

Medical Monday 1: Mind and Mood

Today we're chatting about mind and mood.

Lately, I've received lots of questions about mind and mood, and what are some things that could be done to improve it naturopathically. This obviously isn't an exhaustive list and you should of course consult your own naturopathic doctor or health care provider to discuss an individual treatment plan, but here are a five mind and mood 'boosters'. 

1) Dietary Additions, like egg yolks. According to this article, titled "Eat Your Egg Yolks", the choline found in egg yolks helps healthy brain development (so eggs are very beneficial for pregnant moms). There are many other foods that help the mind and mood. Talk to your healthcare provider, dietitian, or naturopathic intern (find one here!) for more dietary support. 

2) Mood Gym. This website features exercises to help people who experience anxiety and depression. It's free, but you have to sign-up/create an account to start using the exercises. 

How about a life-size game of chess to boost your mind?

3) Mindfulness. Interested in learning more about mindfulness? I learned about mindfulness in school, but also with the help of this book.

4) Fatty Acids. The standard north american diet is heavy in omega 6 fatty acids and low in omega 3 fatty acids. The healthy ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 should be about 2:1, but research says the ratio is now more like 15:1. Yikes! Thankfully omega 3s are found in some yummy foods, like fish, walnuts, flaxseeds, and even grass-fed beef.

Salmon has omega 3 fatty acids

5) Herbal Support. This Summer, second-year students will be writing NPLEx 1 and new graduates will be writing NPLEx 2. In preparation for this major exams, many herbal supplement companies were offering deals to students on herbal mind support. Herbs like Gingko and Bocoba were selling like crazy! There are lots of herbs to help balance mood or boost memory. Talk to your naturopathic intern to find the herb support for you. 

Flax Flat Bread

Easy peasy recipe for you today. This recipe contains two ingredients and takes 20 minutes flat to make. It is super versatile too: if you are looking for a simple, healthy, and quick flat bread, crust, chip, or cracker recipe, this is it. Oh, and it's gluten-free and grain-free! I've made this bread four times in the past month and it never ceases to amaze me! 

Flax Flat Bread

3/4 cup ground flaxseed* 

1 egg, whisked

Two individual pizza crusts made from flax! I flipped the top one to show you what the underside looks like. 

Combine two ingredients until a thick, sticky paste/dough forms. Spread using the back of a spoon, onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Place until piece of parchment paper on top and using a rolling pin or your hands, flatten the dough out as much as you can (to about 2-3 millimeter in thickness). Carefully peel back the second piece of parchment paper and discard it. Bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes. The more you cook it, the crispier the bread you'll get (so it will be more like a cracker or a crunchy crust). By baking it on the shorter side, it will be more pliable and chewier. Just make sure that it is no longer wet! You want that egg to be fully cooked. When done, slice the resulting bread into slices, pieces (if making crackers), or leave whole as a pizza crust. Or you could have separated the dough from the beginning to make two individual pizza crusts (which is what I did in the picture above). 

Now, use the resulting product like you would crackers, top with nut butter like toast, spread with marinara and other pizza toppings and use as pizza crust, or cut into triangles and use as corn chips/tortilla chips for guacamole and salsa!

*I ground 1/2 cup whole (golden) flax in my coffee grinder, though you can purchase pre-ground flax at the grocery store or bulk food store. Be sure to store pre-ground flax in the fridge. 

Enjoy!

DIY Jams and Fruit Spreads

Homemade Raspberry "Jam"

Tony and I got into a bad habit a couple of months ago: we started needing to put something sweet on our normally sugar-free oatmeal. Commercial jams chocolate chips, honey, and maple syrup were being added to our daily bowl of oats. But excessive sugar intake is not healthy especially, when eaten in the morning. So, in attempt to break our breakfast sweet tooth, I've started making homemade jams and fruit spreads to give us some sweetness without any added sugar. The chia seeds are key in fresh fruit spreads as they give the jam thickness like pectin does in commercial/regular jams.

Here are four varieties I have recently made.  They are awesome on top of oats when paired with some nut butter like almond, peanut, sunflower or pumpkin seed butter. Other add ins: sea salt, flaxseeds, vanilla, cinnamon, or a touch of honey. All recipes make about 1 cup. Store in a jar in the fridge. Use within 1 week.

Date paste: blend 1 cup dried dates with half of a cup of water.

Fig paste: blend 1 cup dried figs with half of a cup of water.

Raspberry lime jam: blend 1 cup raspberries with half a lime, juiced, 4 dates, and 1 teaspoon chia seeds.

Blueberry jam: blend 1 cup blueberries with 1 teaspoon chia seeds, 2 tablespoons water, and 4 dates.

Silly Shamrock Shake

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

McDonald's has been serving its famous "Shamrock Shake" all month-long. If you take a peek at the ingredients, which are presented in this article, you'll see that it has 30+ ingredients and most are complete junk. So silly. Instead of indulging in this toxic treat, I've chosenhi to drink my healthier and cleaner shamrock shake, which happens to be made with only 5 ingredients!

(My Super-Healthy Version of the) Shamrock Shake

1 ripe banana, chopped and frozen

1 cup almond mylk

1/2 cup packed mint leaves

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons raw honey

Blend all ingredients until smooth.  Serve immediately or the mint will oxidize and turn the smoothie brown. Serves 2. Alternatively you can use spinach instead of mint.

May the Luck of the Irish Be With You Today!

Why Juice, Pop, Coffee, and Beer Don't Hydrate

When we are thirsty or dehydrated, it is tempting to reach for a refreshing glass of orange juice, soda pop, or a can of beer. However, these beverages do not help hydrate the body and can even increase thirst and decrease overall hydration.

When someone suffers from diarrhea, especially a small child, it can also be tempting to serve them a glass of juice to keep them hydrated. But the sugars in fruit juice (and in pop) have an osmotic effect, requiring water (H2O) for their utilization in the body. These sugars (carbohydrates) are not all absorbed (because juice contains sooo much sugar/carbs), thus the excess sugars/carbs enter the large intestine. Once in the large intestine, they are excreted through feces, but for every sugar molecule that needs to leave the body, so does a water molecule, which leads to diarrhea or excessively soft/watery stool. Read more about this phenomenon, and why recommending juice to kids can be troublesome, here.

As for beer (or any type of alcohol), it reduces the body's level of anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), i.e. the hormone that in normal quantities, prevents us from peeing too much. But since beer decreases this hormone, we have to pee more than usual, resulting in more fluid loss and thus decreasing hydration.

I promise this beer was preceded and proceeded by glasses of water!

As for for coffee, it is a diuretic, meaning it increases your urination. But when you pee more, you become more dehydrated! So coffee is also a no-go when it comes to increasing hydration.

So, when you are thirsty and dehydrated, drink a glass of plain old water. If you still want some juice, pop, or alcohol, then at least make it a one-for-one deal (one glass of water for everyone one of these beverages).

Sensitivity vs Intolerance vs Allergy

Some foods we love, others we hate. Image source here. 

The difference between a food sensitivity, food intolerance, and a food allergy: 

Food Sensitivity

1) Timing: delayed reaction occurs most often

2) Symptoms:
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Bloating, gas, flatulence, cramps
- Acid reflux (GERD)
- Headaches
- Fatigue, sleepiness
- Mental disturbances
- Brain fog or hyperactivity
- Skin reactions
3) Types of sensitivities: you can be sensitive to anything! But the most common ones are gluten, wheat, dairy, nightshades, soy, and corn.
4) Immune response: IgA or IgG (meaning delayed immune reactions)
5) Tested: with blood work against 96 common foods or an Elimination Diet. Not identifiable using a skin prick test!
6) Other notes: some food sensitivities can resolve if avoided for a consistent period of time, can develop at any time and at any age

Food Intolerance

1) Timing: slow onset. Eat the food, feel fine, hours later feel yuck.
2) Symptoms:
- Diarrhea
- Bloating, gas, flatulence, cramping
- Nausea, vomiting
3) Types of intolerance: lactose intolerance against lactose (in dairy), food additives (food dyes, sulphites, additives, etc), food poisoning (intolerance to the bacteria or toxin), etc
4) Immune response: body lacks the enzyme to break down this food/substance.
5) Tested: breath test for lactose intolerance, trial-and-error (symptoms improve with the offending agent is removed or avoided)
6) Other notes: some people can take the enzyme that they are lacking in order to eat the offending food, e.g. Lactaid, but I don't recommend this, especially not long-term.

Food Allergy

1) Timing: immediate onset of symptoms. Only a tiny bit of the allergen is needed to set-off the immune system. Often a medical emergency. Sometimes carry Epi-pens.
2) Symptoms:
- Skin reactions
- Eye itchy and redness
- Chest pain and shortness of breath
- Lose consciousness, go into shock
- Swelling
3) Types of allergies: this can be anything! But common ones are peanuts, other nuts, eggs, and dairy.
4) Immune response: IgE reactions (meaning an immediate immune response to the allergen)
5) Tested: this type of allergy is often determined using the skin prick test
6) Other notes: often have food allergies for life, often diagnosed/determined in childhood

Others Food Reactions

Celiac Disease - an autoimmune disease in which the body reacts to its own enzyme that digests gluten (gliadin), causing a inflammatory, cross-reaction with the gut lining.

Diabetes - no, diabetics are not allergic to sugar! They just don't have insulin (or don't respond to insulin in type 2) to get the glucose into their cells; therefore they have to monitor their glucose/sugar levels carefully to not consume more than the level of insulin they have or can handle. 

The Month of Green

'Tis March, the month of all things green! 

I talk a lot about diet, food, nutrition, health, and healthy eating on this blog a lot. I know, I know, most of you must be sick of it. But I'm a foodie and a (future) naturopathic doctor, so food is always going to play a big part of my life and career. 

Mmm, green veggie overload!

Nevertheless, as an outsider, healthy eating can seem overwhelming. Chia seeds, paleo, buckwheat, avocados, veganism, pomegranates? What diet is best, what foods to eat, how about supplements? There's a lot ...but where to begin!

This month, if you are interested in improving your health through diet and nutrition, the one-and-only recommendation I can give is to EAT MORE GREENS!

Honestly, out of all of the dietary changes you could make and new foods you could start eating, adding more GREENS to your diet is by far the most important and easiest thing you can do. If you choose to do one healthy thing during the month of March, make it eating more green veggies (though especially leafy green ones). Yesterday, I kicked off the month with a leafy green, kale salad recipe. You can expect more green-veggie coming up this month. 

Green Veg Examples: kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, arugula, micro greens, sprouts, bok choy, broccoli, green peas, herbs (cilantro, parsley, mint, basil, etc), rapini, swiss chard, beet greens, collard greens, mustard greens, zuchinni, asparagus, savory cabbage, green pepper, leeks, green onions, green beans, cucumber, celery, lettuce, artichoke, turnip greens, jalapenos, edamame, etc...

It's March. It's time to get our green on!

Beware of Red Velvet

Red velvet cake and cupcakes seem to be all the rage these days. These goodies are basically chocolate cake, but have a reddish (or red velvet if you will) colored hue. Flavor-wise, they don't taste very different than chocolate cake (despite the tricky coloring, there isn't any strawberry or raspberry flavoring added to the cake batter). So what gives red velvet baked goods their color? Nothing more than a whole whack of red food dye. You need roughly a whole tablespoon in order to achieve a true red velvet cake batter color. That's a ton of dye!

Those who are concerned with healthy eating should be wary of red velvet cake. Red food dye (also known as FD&C #40 (this dye can be used in food, drugs and cosmetics, hence the name FD&C)) has been linked to hyperactivity in children, can cause rashes, liver and kidney damage, cancer, and are generally considered to be toxic. Evidently, the consumption of red dyes should be limited, especially in children.

But red velvet cakes are pretty! What's a baker to do when they want red velvet cake but don't want any artificial food coloring? Make the cake batter with beets, strawberries, pomegranate juice, or raspberries of course (as discussed in my post on natural food dyes). Fruit juices and purees make great natural food dyes. I recently came across this blog post on red velvet pancakes that are made with beets.

Look at how beautiful a naturally colored, red velvet (pan)cake can be!

Image source: The Edible Perspective

My Favorite Blogs

One of the reasons I started blogging was because I was obsessed with reading blogs myself. When you read them daily for four years (throughout my entire undergrad), one day you'll wake up and suddenly get the urge the create one yourself! Starting at CCNM also gave me something to blog about, so I launched my wee blog at the start of my ND program (September 2010).

While there are thousands (millions?) of blogs out there, I've come to love only a handful. Most of these blogs I read everyday; never missing a post! Obviously the ones listed below are tailored to my interests, so you may not find them as addictive as I do. Nevertheless, check them out! It's hard to tell which blogs will "stick" with you. I didn't think I'd be reading some of these blogs as long as I have been, but there is evidently something special about them that keeps me coming back for more. Maybe you'll find that "something" in one of these blogs too!

Healthy Eating, Creative Cooking & Baking, Nutrition

Oh She Glows - awesome vegan recipes and adorable writing

Healthful Pursuit - specializing in allergen friendly receipes

Nourishing Meals - heavily focused on nutrition

Edible Perspective - lots of creative gluten-free recipes

Elana's Pantry - paleo-focused recipes

Lifestyle (and Healthy Eating)

Kath Eats Real Food - there is a little of everything on this blog, my favorite

Comedy (and Creative Cooking & Baking)

How Sweet It Is - hilarious writing and gourmet recipes

Naturopathic Medicine (and Healthy Eating)

Healthy Green Kitchen - a naturopathic doctor turned food blogger

Art and Practice - fellow CCNMer

Rhythm and Harmony - fellow CCNMer

Whole Life Health - fellow CCNMer

80twenty - fellow CCNMer

Comedy and Philosophy

XKCD - not really a blog, but nerdy comics

My Anxiety - not really a blog, but a tumbler account of comics devoted to tackling anxiety

Friend for the Ride - I rarely read this blog, but I will recommend it to all my menopausal patients!

House Renovations and Crafts 

Young House Love - I don't read this one very often, but it is great when I want some home/craft/DIY inspiration.

For the Writing (and Creative Cooking & Baking)

Gluten-Free Goddess - the writing on this blog is unreal, super poetic, plus gluten-free delights

Hmm, now which ones am I forgetting?

The Naturopathic First Aid Kit/Pantry

I've been tallying up (in my head) all of the naturopathic medicines we keep naturally in our household. Products that you probably already have in your cupboard, but maybe didn't know that they could be used medicinally. While seeing a naturopathic doctor isn't cheap (unless you have private health insurance), a lot of the things that an ND will recommend are very inexpensive and are even free if you already keep a well-stocked pantry. It's what I love most about naturopathic medicine: finding natural ways to take care of ourselves. It reminds us that food (and other household goods) is medicine!

Below is my running list* of things that should be kept on hand as part of the Naturopathic First Aid Kit (also known as the Naturopathic Pantry). Most of these items are likely already kept in your the kitchen!

*This list a work in progress. I will continue to update this list as items come to mind. Feel free to add items to the comments of this post if you think of others.

Naturopathic First Aid Kit/Pantry

Coconut oil - great for skin as a moisturizer, use to make deodorant
Oats - for itchy skin add to baths, eat to relieve constipation, use in homemade face masks
Rice - use to make for congee (especially when experiencing gut troubles), part of the BRAT diet
Socks (thick, wool socks and a pair of thin, regular socks) - perform "wet socks" when getting sick
Ginger chews - for nausea, helps digestion after a big meal, carry on plane trips for motion sickness, warming after eating something cold/cooling. I like this brand.
Unsweetened cranberry juice - for urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Peppermint tea - to combat colds, helps digestion (don't forget to cover it)
Chamomile tea - to sooth tummy aches, helps babies teeth
Black tea - stops bleeding
Epsom salts - add to baths to relax muscles, great for injuries
Raw honey - dab onto acne (antimicrobial), make homemade cough syrup, mix with hot water and lemon when sick, soothes sore throats
Sea salt - gargle when sick, use as a natural exfoiliant when mixed with coconut oil (rub the mixture onto the body in the shower then wash off)
Apple sauce - part of the BRAT diet, replacement for eggs
Flax seeds - helps regulate hormones (part of the seed protocol too) good during PMS and menopause, replacement for eggs, 10 ways to eat more flax here.
Cayenne pepper - sprinkle on cold toes, a natural decongestant when eaten or inhaled
Olive oil - use to dilute essential oils, heart protective
Oranges/tangerines - dry the peels, then steep in tea to help digestion (dampness in TCM), eat when getting sick for the vitamin C and flavinoids
Onions - apply to ear during an ear ache, make homemade cough syrup, eat lots when sick in soups
Garlic - eat when sick in soups, lowers blood pressure, is anti-microbial
Lemon - in water it has many uses: acts as digestion stimulant, it helps the liver detox, flavors water, and drink hot when sick with honey
Kettle, bowl, and a towel - use for steam inhalation (place boiling water from the kettle into the bowl, place your face above the bowl, and wrap your head with the towel, trapping yourself into a little tent full of steam), add essential oils to this (~5-10 drops) if you have them

More: check out my post on culinary spices as medicine and one on herbal teas. 

10 Ways to Eat More Flax

A special post for anyone looking to add more ground flaxseed to their diet! Ground flax is an awesome source of phytoestrogens; molecules that help the body better regulate (and protect against the harmful effects of) their own hormones. Taking 2 tablespoons (~10 grams) of ground flax a day has been thought to help pre-menopausal women lessen their menopausal symptoms and to protect post-menopausal women from endogenous estrogens (meaning it may be protective against hormonal-induced cancers, such as breast and prostate cancer). Even if you aren't a woman, you can still benefit from eating flax on a regular basis due to its omega-3 fatty acid content (healthy fats), it's fiber (helps lower cholesterol), and it's protein (keeps you fuller for longer)! 

10 ways to get more flax in your diet:

1) Eat whole grain, seedy breads that contain flaxseeds. Like this one or this Canadian one.  

2) Eat Mary's Crackers (gluten-free crackers made mainly out of flax seeds. 

3) If you love chips (and must eat them no matter how bad they are for you :P), make your chips contain some flax, like these ones (can be purchased at bulk food stores):

Source

4) Stir into yogurt.
5) Stir into oatmeal.
6) Add to smoothies. 
7) Sprinkle on plated pasta, chili, or soups. 
8) Eat a cereal containing flaxseed, like a hearty, seedy granola or this gluten-free cereal.
9) Add to homemade granola bars, muffins, or cookies like these delicious ones.  
10) Make bread out of flaxseeds, recipe here. 

Beware of Food Marketing

Thanks for sending this to me, Momma M! How appropriate given yesterday's food rant :P

Also on the topic of food, a new nutritional label has been proposed. Read about it here.

A Better Bagel

Unfortunately, people often associate naturopathic doctors with crazy, restrictive diets. No gluten, no dairy, no fun! Don't tell your ND that you eat a granola bar and coffee for breakfast, because he or she will take those away and make you eat chicken and mushroom brown rice congee with lemon water instead. Lemon water as a replacement for coffee? What a joke. Gahhh, I hope there aren't NDs out there like that (but unfortunately I do know that they exist).  Um, what happened to baby steps? If the patient's breakfast does need work, can't we start by suggesting a good quality granola bar and maybe some raw honey in their coffee instead of refined white sugar?  Baby steps!

We had an exercise in class this week where we did talk about modifying patients' diets. Here is an example of a bagel makeover: 

Say the patient eats a bagel and cream cheese for breakfast everyday. How can we gently improve their breakfast to make it higher in protein, less allergenic, and overall nutrition? By suggesting that he or she instead eat a bagel with soft goats cheese and smoked salmon/lox on top. This substitution has made the bagel much higher in protein, calcium, is less allergenic (goats cheese is more easily digestible than cow dairy), and is actually a bit fancier than regular cream cheese.

Image source here. 

Note: While some NDs may protest the inclusion of a glutinous bagel, unless the patient has a known wheat allergy/sensitivity, a regular 'ol bagel is a heck of a lot better than those gluten-free ones sold frozen. Those ones are practically nutritionally void as they are often made of corn, starches, and other fillers.

Three New Eats

I've been in a total food rut these past couple of weeks.  Nothing sounds good anymore and I'm tired of my go-to food staples. So, this past weekend I took action to find me some new eats to add to my regular meal rotation! 

1) Almond-Hazelnut Nut Butter: I don't know if I've ever had plain hazelnut butter before, but this combination is really good. Such a nice alternative to regular peanut or almond butter for that matter (I am almond-buttered out, but now that I have a hint of hazelnut, things are different).

2) Leeks: I had never cooked with them before. I love, love, love sulfur veggies (cabbage, onions, garlic, Brussels sprouts, etc) so it is no surprised that I feel in love with the leeks.  I'd describe them as a cross between green onions and celery.

Image source here. 

3) Carob Powder: I hadn't cooked or baked with carob powder in forever, so I welcome the change up to my regular cocoa powder. Carob tastes slightly malty and is naturally sweet (so you can eat it with minimal sweetener unlike bitter cocoa powder).

Any suggestions for new foods that I should be trying to shake things up?

Potato Chip Hierarchy

With Halloween on the horizon, junk food can be found all around. I had been thinking about doing a post about potato chips for awhile now, and what better time to finally write it with the junkiest of all holidays less than a week away.

Potato chips are without a doubt one of the most popular junk foods in North America. What is it about that crunch, grease, and salt that makes them so appealing to the public? Grocery stores have whole aisles devoted to them, they are always served at parties, and they've wedged their way into being the perfect side dish for otherwise healthy sandwiches and subs.

But as much as society loves chips, they are just no good for the body. They are too high in salt, fried, and contain empty calories. Nevertheless, for so many people, giving up potato chips 'cold turkey' is simply not going to happen. They are a comfort food, a social food, and a commonly craved food.

Since I know that late-night snacks aren't going anywhere (society loves them too much), I have created this list to highlight some of the best and worst chip options.  Next time you are buying chips, please consider my hierarchy when selecting a variety.  Where are you on this list?  Is there a chance you would consider moving down a level?

In order of worst to best:

Party mixes --> seasoned chips --> plain chips (+ 'baked' chips) --> organic tortilla chips --> organic plain --> root veggie chips --> lentil or bean chips --> salted nuts or seeds --> rice crackers --> organic popcorn --> kale chips

In order of worst to best (plus the reasons behind their rankings): 

10. Party mixes - the worst snack food because of the gluten in the pretzels  the fake 'cheeses', the heavy seasonings full of monosodium glutamate (MSG), and all sorts of other mystery ingredients.
9. Seasoned chips - BBQ, All-Dressed, Ketchup, etc are big no-nos because of their artificial flavorings, food dyes, and especially their chemicals like MSG.
8. Plain chips - If you want chips, plain or salt & vinegar are the cleanest varieties. They usually contain only three ingredients: salt, oil, and potatoes (and vinegar). Plain and simple, no hidden chemicals. Also clumped into spot #8 are any sort of 'baked' potato chip because even they often don't even contain potatoes (instead are made of potato 'flour' and a bunch of other fillers).
7. Organic tortilla chips - corn chips/tortillas are slightly worse than potato chips because corn is a common allergen. Lots of people are sensitive to corn without even knowing it. Since the majority of corn today is genetically modified, be sure to buy organic because that ensures that it is GMO-free (in Canada, organic means GMO-free).
6. Organic chips - potatoes are on the dirty dozen list, so technically any time you buy potatoes, they should be organic; same goes when buying potato chips.
5. Root veggie chips - you can buy all kinds of nifty root veggie chips like beet, sweet potato, and taro root chips. These will give you slightly more vitamins, but remember  they are still junk food and don't count towards your five-to-ten fruits and vegetable servings a day!
4. Lentil or bean chips - you can buy chips made out of lentil and bean flours which give you a bit of protein during your munching. Some chips pack in a lot of seeds too, like flax and sesame, which is an added plus.
3. Nuts or seeds - how about snacking on (lightly) salted nuts or seeds instead? This snack will give you some protein and a good dose of healthy oils. However, portion control is super important when snacking on nuts and seeds. Aim for no more than a 1/4 cup when snacking.
2. Plan rice crackers - now while rice crackers are nutritionally empty (they just contain rice...), the reason why I placed them so high on the list is because rarely do people eat rice crackers alone. They are usually paired with either hummus, cheese, salsa, or guacamole... making this snack a source of protein and/or vegetables!
1. Organic popcorn - popcorn is awesome because it satisfies the salty craving and the crunch, but it won't break your caloric bank, which is important to consider because most times snacking is out of boredom or sociallness and not hunger. Organic is important to keep it GMO-free.
0. Kale chips - and the ultimate winner of the chip countdown is the kale chip. Kale chips are tasty, chip-like, and super nutritious (kale is one of the healthiest foods ever). I would eat kale chips everyday if I had access to them. Unfortunately, they are expense to buy...but thankfully they are extremely easy to make. Recipe coming soon!

Prescription Sushi

Blob of wasabi, paired with pickled ginger: typical sushi adornments. Image source here. 

It is unfortunately cold, flu, and asthma season (...and still allergy season for some).  If you are finding yourself at all congested, you might want to get yourself some sushi!  Sushi for congestion? Yes! But not because of the rice, nori, or soy sauce, but because of the wasabi. Wasabi is that little green blob of goo that comes with sushi; it typically is nestled beside the pink pickled ginger. Wasabi is good to eat when sick because it is an excellent decongestant, meaning it helps open up nasal passages and decreases mucous production. Wasabi is a member of the cabbage family (Brassica). You may also know its spicy cousin, horseradish.

The wasabi root is often ground into a paste and it is this paste that is paired with sushi. However, the wasabi plant is actually hard to grow and very expensive, so most "wasabi paste" sold in grocery stores and served at sushi restaurants is actually horseradish root in disguise.  That's not OK for sushi connoisseurs who want the real stuff, but it is OK for those looking for some congestion relief because as I said above, horseradish and wasabi are cousins and have the same decongesting effects!

...and if sushi isn't your thing, then how about some beef with horseradish sauce instead? It has similar decongesting properties.

Summer Scenes 7.

Last one in the Summer Scenes series.  Hope you enjoyed looking at snapshots of my Summer! 

Edible Jewels.

Mmm, Summer. It's the time of year when markets are bountiful and fruit is at its finest. While I am sad to leave behind the fruits of Summer (peaches, berries, cherries, melons... so much goodness!), I welcome Fall fruits with open arms too. It is good to embrace the edible treasures of each seasons for health, taste, and environmental reasons.

Other related topics: I talked about my love of Farm Markets in this post and I rambled about the berries in this one. Here is a post about the craziness involved when we don't eat seasonal fruits.

Meals Made of Oats.

Any oatmeal lovers out there?  

I love oats for their versatility, nutrition, and flavor.  Ways in which I incorporate oats into my diet: cold oats, hot oats, oat bread, as a binder in homemade burgers or 'meat'balls (need to post recipes for these!), fruit crisps, and cookies. 

Now, if only I were traveling to New York city in the near future, because if so, I was make-sure to visit Oat Meals, a new restaurant entirely dedicated to oats!  Check out this picture slide show to dream about NYC & Oats... and for ideas on how to spruce up your next batch of oatmeal.

Beautiful Berries.

This bowl of berry beauties was a delicious snack after spending a sunny afternoon outdoors.

Every week I've been stocking up on fresh, Summer-time fruits, from my local Farmers' Market. They are truly nature's candy. Fruit evolved to satisfy our palate, with the hope that if the sweet, fleshy fruit was eaten, then the inner seeds will be too, transporting the plant to some new location to grow and flourish.

After my market visit each week, I keep thinking that I have bought enough to freeze some for the winter or have enough on hand to bake some into a berry crisp or tart...but no.  Even though I've been buying between $20-30 worth of berries alone each week, they somehow end-up completely devoured without any adornment whatsoever.  Yep, plain and simple berries in a bowl; there's no treat like it.

Nutrition and esthetic-wise, berries are gems.  Their deep red/blue/purple pigments are full of antioxidants. Their peak season is Summer, which is perfect because we need more antioxidants in our diet during this bright season due to all the free-radical-producing sun rays we are exposed to daily.  Don't forget that you can apply sunscreen internally too by eating lots of antioxidant-rich berries post-sunshine.

Soak up the berry goodness while you still can: black berries, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, red currants, and strawberries. They are all beautiful and bountiful right now.