Healthier Pick-Me-Ups From the Coffeeshop

Been to the UofR campus lately? If you're like me, you may have noticed the wide variety of food and beverage offerings ... from pizza and coke to a fresh salad bar, sushi, and more. 

Today, let me show you what I'd pick for a healthier snack from one of my favourite spots on campus, Common Ground coffee house. Located in the Riddell Centre, the Common Ground coffee house is located next to several other food service options, including Tim Horton's. But their selections are significantly more varied that what you'll find at Tim's. 

Instead of just breakfast sandwiches and parfaits, Common Ground offers a variety of whole and cut fresh fruit, as well as tarts, granola bars, and muffins. 

Whole fresh fruit is great for rounding out breakfast, or as a cheap and easy snack. 

And if you're willing to pay a little more, these on the go containers pack a variety of flavours in bite-sized pieces. 

Of course, baking is also on display. For some reason, whoever made or ordered these think we need two tarts at a time. Um, pass! These little sugar bombs might taste good every once in a while, but won't give you the energy needed to get trough a morning or afternoon. 

Sorry about the dark photos, by the way.  

Below, brownies about 4x the size of normal. Typical for a coffeeshop, and not a healthy pick (usually). 

Now here's an interesting option. Banana bread must be healthier than a brownie, right? Well, sure, a little. But it's basically cake. You're allowed to have cake for breakfast if you'd like, but I wouldn't call it healthy. And again, the portions are quite large for a sweet dessert.

Missed packing a lunch? No problem. Like many other venues on campus, Common Ground has sandwiches and meal kits. Sandwiches are basic, but some do come with whole grain bread. Recommended, especially if you pair with veggies. 

These roll-ups are a bit of a nutritional disaster, with a large number of highly-processed products (processed red meat, white flour tortilla, packaged Oreo cookies) paired with a little fresh vegetables to try to balance it out a little. Not recommended. 

Here's two of my favourite grab and go containers for lunch, because these healthy & tasty foods can be hard to find. Below on the left, a standard little raw vegetable collections is slightly more interesting with the inclusion of red and green peppers. More variety means you're more likely to try a bite of each food, and therefore end up eating more veggies by the end of the meal. 

And on the right, a cup or so of marinated chickpeas, a cheap and healthy vegetarian protein source which also provides slow-digesting carbohydrates to fuel your brain. Super easy to make yourself, but I do recommend trying this version the next time you've forgotten to bring something. 

 Thirsty? Sure. This is a coffee shop after all. Coffee and sweetened drinks are available, including several versions of iced tea (sweetened, unfortunately). My favourite pick for taste AND good health is one of the many kinds of Tazo tea, served hot. Have a different one each weekday, and it would be more than 2 weeks before you've tried them all.  

Bottom line: Healthier foods and beverages are often available at restaurants and coffeeshops. Look for the whole, minimally-processed foods, and experiment to see which taste best to you. And if nothing appeals to you? Pack a lunch next time! 

Product Review: FlapJacked Protein Pancake Mix ... and a homemade, whole food alternative

So, I was wandering my local Superstore's Natural Foods section recently, and came across this product: FlapJacked Protein Pancake Mix. There's some big claims: "made with the finest ingredients", 17g protein and 6g of fiber per serving, all with the ease of "just add water". 

Two key questions come to mind: 

1. Is it actually good for you? 

2. Does it taste good? 

Question #1: Is it actually good for you?

Fast answer: Mostly. 

Some of the ingredients are impressively similar to what you might combine at home, such as whole oat flour, baking powder and baking soda. They've also jumped on the bandwagon of some so-called superfoods, including quinoa flour and coconut flour in the ingredient list. 

Where they lose me a little is in including Whey Protein Isolate, and Dried Peaches. I'm not against the use of protein powders. In fact, I may have shared with you a recipe or two that includes them as a convenient way to boost protein in a recipe. I'm just not convinced that it's required here. 

The Dried Peaches seem like a high-quality ingredient. What nutritionist wouldn't praise adding produce to a recipe? But here, it's not included for a peach flavour. So I have to guess that they're using it as a way to add sugar without seeming to. Dried fruit becomes quite concentrated, and can be a way to sneakily add sweetness. There's 8g (2 tsp) of sugar per serving. 

Last point on nutrition: Like many quick breads & other bakery products, it's surprisingly salty. 16% of your recommended daily limit in one serving. Have two, and you're about 1/3 of your way into your limit for the day. Again, not terrible, but not great either. 

See the chart below. Nutrition compares well with a similar serving of a typical pancake mix. 

 Question #2: Does it Taste Good? 

Fast answer: Not bad at all. 

These protein pancakes do a pretty good job of replicating the experience of eating buttermilk pancakes, but with the filling power of protein. Some might notice a little more graininess to the texture, or that it's especially important to follow the directions to cook on low heat - mine got a bit burned fairly quickly. But for a commercial mix, sure, I'd give it a passing grade. I mean, who eats their pancakes plain, anyway? 

Suggested topping: This may not be your favourite, but inspired by the dried peach ingredient, I chose to blend a cup or so of peaches with some plain Islandic yogurt. 

And here, the final result. 

Bottom Line: 

Will I buy it again? Probably not. But for those looking for an alternative to another protein smoothie, this could work perfectly. For me, the easy homemade recipe below is my preference. 

Alternative: Whole Food Protein Pancakes

Mash one small ripe banana with two large eggs. Scoop this 'batter' onto a skillet over medium heat. Flip when beginning to dry on edges. Enjoy as-is, top with yogurt, or place in fridge to eat later (hot or cold). 

Typical Pancakes Vs. Protein Pancakes Vs. Homemade Recipe

Don't forget to consider the topping! With Aunt Jemima, you're likely to get another large dose of low-quality carbs with the syrup. With FlapJacked's Protein Pancakes, you have choices including syrup, peanut butter, and yogurt... or nothing. With my recipe, I suggest greek yogurt. But I've also eaten them cold and plain. They're sweet enough already from the natural sugars in the banana. 

What would be your pick?

Asian Lettuce Wraps

I've been to Original Joe's in Regina a couple times this year, and the item that most appeals to me on their menu is their Dragon Boat Lettuce Wraps. They're on the "Start & Share" menu, described as consisting of chicken, vegetables, chow mein noodles, cashews, cilantro & lime in a hoisin peanut sauce. All that savoury, crunchy yumminess is served with lettuce leaves, of course. And I find that it's more than enough to fill me up. 

So while I loved the flavour and some of the ingredients, when I wanted to make a homemade version, some things had to go. 

First, the cilantro. Ugh, soapiness! This is a personal thing that I share with a certain percentage of the population. While I'll tolerate cilantro that's well-mixed into a dish (servers told me it couldn't be taken out of Original Joe's version), I refuse to buy it. So cilantro is out of my version. But if you love the flavour, all the more power to you if you want to add it in. 

Second, no need for any salty, high-fat noodles in my dish. I give the option of brown rice if you need some filling starch, but also bulk up the recipe with lentils and more vegetables. Lentils soak up the flavours beautifully, as well as give great nutrition in the form of fiber, protein, iron, and folate. 

Your meal-sized dose of vegetables in this meal includes the lettuce, which you clearly see, plus carrots, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and green onion in the filling. Adding lentils and veggies to the filling helps stretch just a pound of meat to cover 4-6 servings, instead of 2-4. And with all that plant power, you also get a good dose of potassium, which helps balance out the sodium in the sauce. 

Hosin sauce, although salty, is worth buying if you like this type of Asian dish. I developed this recipe with inspiration from related recipes at thekitchn.com and lentils.ca. 

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients
1 cup dry Brown Rice (optional)

Sauce:
1/4 cup Hoisin Sauce
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce (Low Sodium)
2 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Sesame Oil
2 tsp Cornstarch
1/4 cup Cold Water

1 lb (~500g) Lean ground turkey

1 tsp Canola Oil
200 g Mushrooms
3 medium Carrots (and/or onions, bell peppers)

1 can Water Chestnuts
3 cloves Garlic
1 Tbsp Ginger Root
1 bunch Green Onions

1 cup Lentils, drained and rinsed

1 head Romaine Lettuce
1/4 cup  Peanuts

Directions

1. Start rice, if using. 
2. Mix sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. 
3. Prepare ingredients: 
1. Carrot: Peel & grate 
2. Mushrooms: wipe off and soil, and chop small
3. Water chestnuts: Drain & chop small
4. Garlic & Ginger: Mince 
5. Green onions: Slice into small pieces, and save half for garnish
6. Lettuce: Wash, if needed
7. Peanuts: Chop
4. Heat skillet over medium heat, and cook ground turkey. Be sure to break it up as you cook. When it's finished, transfer the cooked meat to a small clean bowl. 
5. Add oil to the pan, and cook mushrooms and carrots until tender, about 5 minutes. 
6. Add water chestnuts, garlic, ginger, and half the green onions. Cook for just a minute. 
7. Add cooked meat, sauce, and lentils. Stir until thoroughly combined and heated through. 
8. Taste, adjust seasoning if needed, then serve. 
9. To assemble: Choose a lettuce leaf, spoon in a little brown rice (or not), add a scoop or two of the filling. Top with chopped peanuts and green onions, if desired.  

Cooked filling and fresh lettuce leaves will keep in fridge for a few days. Just reheat filling in the microwave with a few drops of water to enjoy again later.

Nutrition Information, per serving (One of Six Servings)

• Calories 257
• Total Fat 8 g
• Saturated Fat 2 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9 g
• Monounsaturated Fat 0.9 g
• Cholesterol 60 mg
• Sodium 459 mg
• Potassium 585 mg
• Total Carbohydrate 25 g
• Dietary Fiber 6 g
• Sugars 4 g
• Protein 23 g

• Vitamin A 87%
• Vitamin B-12 0 %
• Vitamin B-6 13 %
• Vitamin C 22 %
• Vitamin D 6 %
• Vitamin E 4 %
• Calcium 5 %
• Copper 16 %
• Folate 29 %
• Iron 19 %

One of Four Servings, with Rice

• Calories536
• Total Fat 17 g
• Saturated Fat 4 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat 2 g
• Monounsaturated Fat 3 g
• Cholesterol 90 mg
• Sodium 689 mg
• Potassium 1,002 mg
• Total Carbohydrate 61 g
• Dietary Fiber 11 g
• Sugars 7 g
• Protein 37 g

• Vitamin A 131 %
• Vitamin B-12 0 %
• Vitamin B-6 20 %
• Vitamin C 32 %
• Vitamin D 10 %
• Vitamin E 8 %
• Calcium 7 %
• Copper 26 %
• Folate 46 %
• Iron 30 %

Five healthy snack finds that make me happy

Lately, I've been spending more time exploring the things in this world that make me happy. 

For example, I'm reading the book "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up", which suggests keeping around only those things which "spark joy" when you hold them. I've already set aside a box of old clothes I want to get rid of, and bought a few new outfits to wear to my newest fun activity, hot yoga.  

And of course food is something we encounter several times a day. Sometimes I eat just because I'm hungry, other times I'm quite happy to re-discover a special purchase or really enjoy making a beautiful meal. 

So on a recent trip to a Walmart Supercentre (of all places!), I decided to pick out a few foods that made me happy. 

1. Cheap, fresh Blackberries

For less than $2, today I could have a perfect little container of fresh and flavourful blackberries. They're ready to eat right out of the package, and have a wonderful 'bursting' quality when squished in your mouth. I'll get these every time they're a good price, and eat them up within a day or two. Nutrition: High in fiber, some natural sweetness, and the deep color promises lots of healthy plant compounds for anti-aging, anti-cancer, etc. 

2. Multicolored mini tomatoes 

These smell great. Almost like the fresh tomatoes you might grow on your patio in the summer. I also love the variety of color, just for the visual interest. Like the blackberries, they're perfectly snackable as-is. Other options: toss these gems into a fresh green salad or roast them with mushrooms and other summer vegetables. A little salad dressing, pesto, or oregano-olive oil blend goes a long way, too. 

Nutrition Value: It's a vegetable! What's not to like ... low calorie, source of potassium, fiber, Vitamins A & C. Tomatoes are also a common source of lycopene, a plant compound thought to help prevent cancer and heart disease. 

3. Porridge Oats & Ancient Grains

You know how I love the nutrition of whole foods? Well, while this looks like ordinary oats, which are awesome on their own, there's actually many other grains and seeds included. But it still cooks in just a few minutes. When the weather's cold, I suggest making a pot of oats early in the week, divide into individual servings and top in various tasty ways (nuts, seeds, berries, other fruit, etc). Reheat when needed, and top with greek yogurt. Yum! A whole and hearty breakfast to start the day. 

4. Pickled Beets

Naturally deep red, beets might stain your fingers. But that color, from pigments called betacyanins, also brings along the wonderful health properties of an anti-oxidant. These beets are ready to eat, and pickling rather than boiling or roasting will preserve the betacyanins better. Unlike most pickels, this version also happens to be low in sodium. 

5. Flavoured Nuts

In this group, I couldn't choose just one. Three exciting picks are Wasabi-flavored almonds, lime and chili peanuts, and black pepper cashews. Because why not try a new and exciting flavor option? Nuts are linked to better heart health, lower waist circumference, and are a super-easy snack. The only problem? They're so tiny and concentrated in energy (calories) that they're best enjoyed one small handful at a time, maybe paired with a fruit or vegetable to help your stomach feel full and satisfied. 

Other great stuff found in the store: 

• Super-cheap, large packages of dried beans, lentils and split peas

• Refried beans with mild green chilis, for super-easy bean-based meal of quesadillas and sweet peppers

• A huge variety of spices in resealable bags, for about $2 each

• Lemon & pepper flavored tuna snack kit, which is much more filling than other processed snack foods

• Frozen, dark sweet pitted cherries. They're so full of natural sweetness that at fridge-freezer temperatures, they don't freeze solid, but will squish slightly then melt in your mouth. A wonderful frozen treat. 

• Frozen chopped spinach, to make Green Eggs and Ham. 

Now your challenge: What healthy foods can you find in your store that would make a tasty snack? 

Green eggs and ham ...for breakfast, brunch, or a quick dinner

Green Eggs and Ham... For Breakfast, Brunch, or a Quick Dinner

Ever wondered how to enjoy eating greens at breakfast? You could do a green smoothie and cover the green taste with fruit, or try eating last night's leftover stir-fry, but really? If you're like me, you want breakfast to be a little more classically... breakfast-y. There's a better way. My solution is to mix greens with that classic breakfast food, eggs. And here's my current favourite way: Green Eggs and Ham. 

Yes, I'm tickled that I get to reference Dr. Seuss. Despite the vibrant green hue, this dish tastes just like any other frittata you may have had. But it's so easy! With just three essential ingredients (and three more highly recommended), this dish comes together quickly and is pretty hard to mess up.

It's not so fast that I'd make for breakfast on a rushed weekday, but cooked servings do keep well, so you can grab a piece or two and go, even if there's no time to warm it up first. 

Green Eggs and Ham

Essential ingredients:

• 300g spinach, chopped (1 bag fresh, or 1 block frozen)
• 6 large eggs
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated or shredded

Optional, but highly recommended ingredients: 

• A pinch of nutmeg
• A splash of water or milk
• 2-3 ounces (50-75g) black forest ham, chopped finely

Directions: 

1. Get your mixture ready. 
• Steam and chop fresh spinach, or microwave frozen spinach according to package directions. Squeeze out some of the extra liquid. 
• Mix all ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl. 
2. Cook. You have options. Choose one of...
• Preheat oven to about 350 to 400F. Spray muffin tins or a pie plate with non-stick spray. Add your egg mixture, and bake until the eggs are set, about 5-10 minutes for muffins and 10-15 minutes for pie. Allow to cool slightly before releasing from the bakeware. 
• Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add non-stick spray if needed. Pour in the egg mixture, and cover. Allow to cook gently for a few minutes, then allow steam to escape and begin to lift edges to allow uncooked egg to flow under. If you've exhausted the lifting technique and the eggs at the bottom are threatening to burn while the top is not quite done, finish by placing the uncovered skillet under the broiler (cover any handles that aren't oven-safe with aluminum foil). 
• Microwave. Divide mixture into 3-6 coffee mugs, and zap for 1-2 minutes at a time until done. I'll admit I haven't done it this way personally, but eggs do cook just fine in the microwave - as long as they're out of their shell. 

Baked typically turns out prettiest for serving as little mini-quiches to guests, but if you don't care how it looks, scrambled in a pan is fine, too. 

Nutrition Notes: In 1/6th of the basic recipe (one egg, a serving of spinach, and a little parmesan cheese), you get about 100 calories, 6g fat, almost no carbs (but a little fiber), nearly 10g protein, and double the potassium than sodium. You might also be surprised to know that your full day's worth of Vitamin A is in one of these small servings, and you'll meet 10-25% of your needs for iron, folate, and calcium. 

Adding the ham boosts the calories and protein a little, and evens out the sodium and potassium. Consuming more potassium than sodium is better for blood pressure, so leaving the ham out would be healthier. So, if you don't want to use ham, try mixing in some home-cooked chopped chicken and sliced green onions for a healthier protein boost and great flavour. 

Easy weekend meals: Friday's healthier nachos leftovers turn into hamburger vegetable soup!

So last week, I asked my husband what he'd like to eat for supper. I had a few ideas, but our preferences are a little different. For example, I could easily live without red meat most of the time, while he likes to include it at least once a week. This time, his idea was to have nachos. 

I thought: Ok, I can work with this. The nachos you get at a pub are greasy, salty, and heavy. But with a variety of topping options, I bet I can create a healthier version that tastes great and is satisfying. 

Please note I'm claiming healthier not healthy. 

I chose to use white corn tortilla chips as the base. They are salty but whole grain. After laying down a single layer of chips, I then loaded them up with a mix of vegetable and high-protein toppings to try to balance out the meal. This also makes it less heavy, and more satisfying. Black beans are one featured ingredient I think isn't used enough. You could add additional vegetables that I didn't have on hand. For example, sliced olives and jalapeño would work well. 

Recipe #1: Healthier Nachos

Serves 3-4

Vegetables
~10 fresh white mushrooms, sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, or 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 small yellow onion, or 1 tsp onion powder
1/2 to 1 red pepper, finely sliced or diced
1/2 to 1 green pepper, finely sliced or diced
1-2 fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced

Whole grains
1/2 a family-sized bag of white corn tortilla chips

Protein foods
1 cup (1/2 can) black beans, drained & rinsed
~400g raw ground meat (beef, turkey, or chicken)
A few ounces of old cheddar cheese, grated

Optional topping
Prepared salsa, or salsa & plain greek yogurt mix

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven using the Broil setting. (500F)
2. Arrange chips in a single layer on a baking sheet. 
3. Cook ground meat, mushrooms, onion and garlic (if using) in a large skillet over medium-high heat until meat is cooked through, onion is translucent, and mushrooms are soft. 
4. Sprinkle a light layer of cheese over the chips, then about 1/2 the meat mixture, and the beans. Repeat a light layer of cheese, then add as much of the peppers and tomato as will reasonably stick. Try to have an approximately even amount of cheese, meat, and vegetables on each chip. 
5. Place in hot oven for about 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted, and some browning has occurred. 
6. Serve individual portions on their own plates, so you have a better sense of what you've personally eaten. Sauce dishes of fresh salsa are welcome additions, and feel free to mix in plain greek yogurt if you'd like extra creaminess. 

 So after making one baking tray of nachos, you likely have some ingredients left over, including some cooked meat/veg mixture, 1/2 can of black beans, and some chopped vegetables. You could make more nachos. Or, after satisfying that want, switch to something lighter. Soup, for example. 

Recipe #2: Hamburger & Vegetable Soup

This is super simple. Take all your leftovers from making nachos (except the chips), add cabbage or carrots, broth, and more tomatoes, and you have a whole new meal. 

Ingredients: 
Cooked ground meat, seasoned with onion & garlic
1 cup canned beans
Leftover vegetables
Extra vegetables: 2 cups cabbage, or carrots
2 cups diced tomatoes (canned)
3-6 cups vegetable broth

Directions: Toss all ingredients into a soup pot. Make sure that broth is covering any uncooked ingredients. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until vegetables are tender. 

Makes up to 6 servings. Tasty with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top.