This is a quick instant pot recipe that is filled with veggies. Throw the ingredients in the pot and cook. Use it on its own to top vegetables, eat with chips or on pasta. You can also add this to other recipes to enhance the flavour- it tastes great mixed with a tomato base pasta sauce also. I have had success with freezing this sauce too. 


Ingredients

2 cups         Water
1/2               Onion
4 cloves.      Garlic
1 cup.          Carrots
1 cup.          Potatoes
1 cup.          Yam
1/2 cup.       Cashews
1/2 cup.       Nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp.        Miso paste
1 tsp.           Smoked paprika 
2 Tbsp.         Lemon juice 
2 Tbsp.         Apple cider vinegar
​2 tsp.           Herbamare

​1. Add everything into the instant pot. No need to soak the cashews first. 
2. Put the lid on the instant pot and put it into the locked position. Press the manual setting, set it to the high pressure setting and set the cook time to 5 minutes. 
3. When the cook time is done, manually release the pressure (please be careful, it's hot!)
4. Blend with an immersion blender. If you don't have an immersion blender, let cool slightly before transferring the sauce into a blender to blend. 

Looking for more easy solutions to serve for lunch and dinner? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com 

I wanted to create some easy scones, but I find that they often taste dry and can be a bit time consuming to shape. This was my attempt to make a drop scone to speed up the process while keeping the overall  texture soft as opposed to dry. I also included a good amount of flax seeds, almond flour and 3 bananas for a nutrition boost. 


Banana Scone

1/2 cup    Brown Rice Flour
1/2 cup.   Sorghum flour
1.5 cup.   Almond Flour
1/4 cup.   Ground Flax seeds
1/2 cup.   Tapioca Starch
1 tsp.        Baking powder
1/2 tsp.    Baking soda
1/4 tsp.    Salt
1 tsp.        Cardamom
1 tsp.        Cinnamon - If you like cinnamon feel free to add another 1/2 tsp
3.               Ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup.     Maple syrup 
1/4 cup.     Cane sugar
1/4 cup.     Coconut Oil


1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl- brown rice flour, sorghum flour, almond flour, ground flax seeds, tapioca starch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom and cinnamon.
3. Mix wet ingredients together in a small bowl- ripe bananas (you can mash them in this bowl first), maple syrup, cane sugar, and coconut oil.
4. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add in the wet ingredients. At this time, if the batter is too dry, add in some oat milk only using enough to make the batter wet overall, but not liquid. At most, this would be 1/4 cup. 
5. Drop batter on silicone or parchment lined cookie sheet to form 3-4 inch circles. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.


Looking for more easy baking ideas to do with the kids? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com 

These are my top 10 packable snacks. They travel well:

1. Berries: raspberries, though delicious, are not the packable choice so I recommend blueberries or strawberries instead.
2. Grapes: refreshing and they pack well, a great adventure snack. 
3. Trail Mix:Trail mix contents will vary and I only stick in chocolate chips if I know I don't have to worry about them melting in the heat. To save some money in the snack department, mix your own trail mix. While nuts are an expensive item, it is far cheaper buying in bulk and mixing your own varieties. 
4. Veggies: I usually go with cucumbers, carrots, snap peas, peppers and cherry/grape tomatoes.
5. Crackers: Choosing some crackers that have some protein can be great if peanut butter/homous is too messy because you're eating in the car. The current favs from Costco are almond crackers, Crunchmaster and Mary's. 
6. Energy bites: This is an easy item for a quick snack. It can be made ahead and doesn't take much prep time. 
7. Cookies: I find these hold up better to a bit of knocking around than most treats like muffins, bars, etc. 
8. Guacamole packages: These can be eaten with the veggies or crackers that you bring along. Even possibly tortilla chips if you feel that those aren't too delicate in your packing application. If you choose the guacamole packages, while pricey, they are convenient for on the go. 
9. Homous: A great way to get some protein and it can be eaten with crackers, veggies or even tortilla chips.
10. Apples and Oranges: I find these fruits are preferable to some of their softer counterparts such as bananas or pears. They hold up much better for an on-the-go snack. 

Many of these can be thrown in a backpack or bag for the car, but if it works, they are also happy being in a cooler bag. When packing snacks, I think of balance.- Protein and Fruits/Vegetables or Protein and Carbohydrates. That is one of the reasons I like the Energy bites - good balance and convenience. Hopefully this will give you a few ideas to pack up so you can spend more time on the adventures and less on the packing.

Happy Summer!

Need more ideas of what to pack? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com 

Have you ever had those cans of Amy's chili? I was wanting to create something similar to those, but that could be cooked in the slow cooker. This recipe got the thumbs up from everyone who tried it, although there still seems to be some ingredient in Amy's chili that I just can't place my finger on. Either way, this is an easy to make yummy chili so I will take it! Don't be put off by the list of ingredients, it comes together quickly. I tend to serve this with tortilla chips which is always a hit with the kids but feel free to serve with what works for you.














Slow Cooker Chili

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Bell Pepper, diced
1 Can Kidney beans*
1 Cup of veggie ground round (you could also use textured vegetable protein that has been rehydrated)
2 Cups  Vegetable Broth
1 Can Tomato Paste**
2 Tbsp.  Braggs
1 Tbsp.  Taco seasoning
1 tsp.     Oregano
1 tsp.      Basil
1/4 Cup  Nutritional Yeast
2 Cups.   Tomatoes (blended)
3/4 Cup.  Corn

1. Put all ingredients in the slow cooker.
2. Cook on high for 4 hours



** I have subbed this with tomato sauce and adjusted the water in a pinch

*I have also subbed this with black beans

On my last trip to the grocery store I definitely noticed the increase in prices as I was shopping. With that in mind, I thought I would give you a few tips in order to help save you money. 

1. Use Frozen Fruit and Vegetables.                                                                                                                                I have taught a lot of people (1000s in fact) about grocery shopping. I always find it interesting to hear what  people have to say when I bring up frozen fruit and veggies. Overall, I find that frozen fruit and veggies have a bad rep. They get looked down on, when, in fact, they are a great way to save money while still eating fruits and vegetables. We need to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, and, especially with the cost lately, that can be very pricey and unrealistic. Even seasonally there can be a change in our fruit and vegetable intake. Using frozen can be a way to still get this very important food group but at a much better price. Using frozen fruit and vegetables can also help us get that nice rainbow of colour all year round. Frozen fruit and vegetables are very healthy and nutritious and are often a much better price than fresh, or when fresh is abundant you can freeze to use them at a later date.
2. Eat More Beans and Lentils.                                                                                                                                          Not only from a health perspective, but also a budget friendly shift, eating more beans and lentils can help.  Beans and lentils are extremely healthy as they are a good source of fibre, they contain protein and iron, as well as B Vitamins such as B6 and folate. From a cost saving perspective, they are very inexpensive and can help lower that grocery bill for you. You can either skip the meat altogether and use beans and/or lentils as the protein source of your meal, or, you can cut down on the amount of meat you are using- for example by adding lentils in to ground beef.
3. Don't Waste Sad Fruit and Vegetables.                                                                                                                     We all are familiar with those sad fruits and vegetables. Those wrinkly tomatoes or peppers, brown bananas, squishy berries, you know what I'm talking about. Instead of putting those in the compost and going to buy more try freezing them and using them for sauces, smoothies, baking, etc. This reduces food waste and helps the money you spent on food go further. There is no need to waste those perfectly good fruits and vegetables and spend money on more, that will likely have some turn to sad fruits so the cycle of food waste continues. 

And for a bonus tip: 

• Try to be more flexible! If a certain item is more expensive than you are used to, or more than you want to spend what could you sub it with? For example, could you use a different type of protein in that dish? What about a different vegetable? Or could you use frozen vegetables instead? It can be hard to branch out and be flexible, but not only does it increase the variety of foods you eat, it also can be a great way to save money. 

I hope you find these tips helpful and that they help you save a bit of money.
         

References:
https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Cooking-Food-Preparation/Cooking-with-Legumes.aspx



Want more tips to help you save money on groceries? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com 

Having dinner ready when I get home from a busy day is the best! Honestly, it takes so much pressure off and makes the evening go so much smoother. This one is similar to a lasagna taste but in a soup form. Warm comfort food that's easy to make. It's full of fibre from the vegetables and lentils. Lots of protein to keep you satisfied from the cashew cream and the lentils. This is vegan and can be gluten free if necessary if you use gluten free lasagna noodles. Throw everything in the slow cooker and with minimal work at the end you have a filling meal to enjoy. 

6 cups     Vegetable broth
1 cup.      Green or brown lentils, rinsed.
1 tsp.       Dried basil
1 tsp.       Dried Oregano
1 tsp.       Chili pepper flakes
1 can       Tomato sauce
1              Carrot, grated
2 cups.     Zucchini, grated
4              Cloves garlic, minced
1              Onion, diced 
salt and pepper to taste

Add after the soup is cooked
12           Lasagna noodles, broken into bite-sized pieces
1 Tbsp.   Lemon
2 cups.    Spinach, chopped

For Cashew Cream
1 cup.      Raw cashews (soaked in boiling water when soup goes in the slow cooker, but to use when soup is done).

 1. Put onion, garlic, zucchini, carrot, vegetable broth, tomato sauce, rinsed lentils, basil, oregano, chili pepper flakes and salt and pepper into the slow cooker and stir. 
2. Set the slow cooker to high and cook for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.
3. Cover cashews with boiling water and let soak while the soup cooks. 
4. Once the soup is cooked, add spinach, noodles and lemon juice and cook on high power 10-15 minutes or until the noodles are tender.
5. Drain cashews and place in a blender. Add 1.5 cups of water. Blend on high speed until a cashew cream forms. 
6. Add cashew cream to slow cooker, add more salt/pepper to taste, stir and enjoy. 


Looking for more slow cooker recipes? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com 

This time of year our family eats a lot of soup. Soup is easy to make, often with minimal time spent actually "cooking" and I can make a large amount so that there is enough for everyone as leftovers for another day. I was looking to make a soup that was loaded with veggies but was a bit different. This is what I ended up coming up with. 

1/2          Onion, diced
3              Garlic cloves, minced
1 inch.     Piece of ginger, minced
6 cups.    Vegetable broth
1 can.      Coconut milk
2              Celery stalks, diced
1 cup.      Cauliflower, cut into florets
2               Potatoes
2               Carrots, diced
​1 cup        Corn
2 Tbsp.     Curry paste (I used Thai red curry)
2 tsp.        Turmeric
3 Tbsp.     Braggs 

1 package Tofu (pressed with a tofu press or heavy book if possible)

1.5 cups.   White or brown rice, cooked. 

1. Cook rice- either in a rice cooker or on the stove.
2. Fry onion in a large pot on medium heat until slightly browned. Add in garlic and ginger for 1 minute. 
3. Add in the rest of the vegetables- celery, cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, and corn. Stir.
4. Mix vegetable broth and curry paste together. Once mixed, add into vegetable mixture. 
5. Add turmeric and braggs and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and add in coconut milk.
6. Dice tofu and fry until browned on all sides.
7. When tofu and rice are ready turn heat off the soup and let cool for a few minutes. Use an immersion blender or carefully transfer soup to a blender and puree. 
8. You can reheat soup if desired. Serve in a bowl with some fried tofu and a scoop of rice. 


​
Looking for more soup ideas? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com 

​As a dietitian, when I talk to people about healthy eating they expect me to only be talking about the food they eat. However, there is a large part of healthy eating which isn’t really about the food so much as “how” we eat.
 
Eat with others
 
Eating with other people is a healthier way to eat. I know this has been challenging over the last (long) while, but when you eat with other people it’s a healthier environment to eat in. When kids eat meals with their parents, they eat more fruits and vegetables, as well as more variety (1, 2). Although research on this topic has limitations, it shows that eating family meals has a positive effect on obesity rates and a reduction in eating disorders as well as increasing academic success in youth (3)
 
Enjoy your food
 
This is a big one. If I had a dime for every time I was asked what are the “good” foods and what are the “bad” foods….
 
You can eat all the foods. I truly mean this. Obviously, if there is medical reason for you to avoid certain foods, please follow that. What I am asking of you, is to please stop feeling like you need “cheat” days or that you have been “bad” because you have eaten certain foods. This line of thinking was actually what inspired this post, as we head from the holiday season where there are treats galore over to the New Year where we are bombarded by diet marketing and propaganda. As I am writing this, I realize that this really could be a blog post all on its own.
 
Cook more often
 
Most people aren’t shocked when I tell them that eating home cooked foods is healthier than eating at restaurants and fast-food places. When you cook at home, it is easier to have a better variety on your plate. I’m looking at you, vegetables – eating out can be hard to get that balance! When kids are involved in the cooking process, they are often more open to trying the foods and research shows that it can help increase their fruit and vegetable intake (4).
 
Avoid distraction
 
For both adults and children, eating while distracted is not a healthy behaviour. Having your phone, computer, tv, etc. around while you are eating interferes with our ability to assess our hunger and fullness cues. If you are distracted by your phone, you may be eating less food than your body is telling you it needs. Although some people may try to tell me this is a good thing, it’s not. If you don’t eat enough at your meals, what happens is you end up making up for it by overeating at other meals in the day, or by filling up on snacks (typically higher fat, sugar and salt foods with less fruits and vegetables). On the other hand, when you are distracted by your phone during a meal, you may end up eating much more than you needed to. This leaves you feeling stuffed and lethargic and, when doing this on a regular basis, is again not a healthy way to eat. By removing distractions when you eat, you are able to check in with your body to see if you should stop eating, or you need to eat more. It also helps you be more present while you are eating and is a great way to help be a role model for your kids. It’s very hard to give your kids a hard time about having phones, etc. at the table when you are doing it yourself (or have been for years before they have a phone, etc.) The bottom line is, removing distractions when you eat is a healthier way to eat (5).
 
 
So, when talking about healthy eating, I do talk about certain foods. Yet, I am always careful to spend some time on the “how” of eating when I am discussing healthy eating as well. All of these topics I touched on above are very important pieces of the healthy eating puzzle. So as people start to think about January resets and resolutions, I would encourage you to take a different approach to those this year. Perhaps just working on the “how” of your healthy eating is all that is needed. Remember to be gentle and kind with yourself as changes take time.
 
Happy New Year!
 
References:
1.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4034448/
2.https://bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12887-021-02591-6
3.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/4/1577/htm
4.https://academic.oup.com/cdn/article/4/4/nzaa028/5775304
5.https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-016-3960-6


Looking for more support around healthy eating? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com 

Some healthy, spooky halloween treats. These are easy, no bake goodies that come together fast and are a fun snack. Serve up some of these on a plate to get quite a reaction. Enjoy! 


​
1/4 cup  Almond Flour
1 Tbsp.  Carob powder
pinch      Cloves
pinch      Cardamom 
1/4 tsp.  Salt
2             Prunes
3             Dates, pits removed
1 Tbsp.   Peanut butter
2 Tbsp.   Unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 Tbsp.   Maple Syrup

Sliced almonds for finger nails

1. Mix almond flour, carob powder, cloves, cardamom and salt together in a bowl .
2. Place prunes, pitted dates and peanut butter in a food processor and mix. 
3. Add maple syrup and almond milk into food processor with date/prune mixture. Process until combined.
4. Add prune/date mixture into flour and stir to combine.
5. Form into finger like shapes. Add line marks for knuckles and sliced almonds for finger nails. Place in fridge to set for about 15 minutes. 

Store in fridge in an airtight container.



Looking for more fun snack ideas? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com