It's strawberry season (yay)! Strawberries always feel like summer to me. I couldn't be more excited to be partnered with California Strawberries to create a recipe. I like loaded muffin recipes and decided to create one that includes the goodness of strawberries. (AD) #Snackon8 #CaliforniaStrawberries

First, let's talk about strawberries. When it comes to Vitamin C, people usually picture an orange - did you know that a serving of strawberries (~8 whole strawberries) are an excellent source of Vitamin C, and contain more Vitamin C than an orange? They’re also a source of fibre and contain only 50 calories per serving – so they’re great for snacking! Plus they’re convenient and easy to eat, and hold up well in a lunch bag. Zero complaints from my kids when I pack them fresh California strawberries in their lunch. 

These muffins are both gluten free and vegan.


1 cup               Fresh California strawberries (Pureed)
1 1/3 cup         Gluten Free flour- I like this one here
1/2 cup            Cocoa powder (you can also sub this for carob powder)
1/2 cup.           Cane sugar
1/4 cup.           Almond flour
1/4 cup.           Hemp seeds
1 tsp.               Baking powder
1/2 tsp.            Baking soda
1/2 tsp.            Sea Salt
3/4 cup.           Unsweetened Vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup.           Apple sauce
1/3 cup            Avocado oil
1/4 cup            Maple syrup
1 tsp                Apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup            Chocolate or carob chips


1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix flour, cocoa or carob powder, sugar, almond flour, hemp seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Mix almond milk, apple sauce, avocado oil, maple syrup and apple cider vinegar in a separate bowl.
4. Blend strawberries and add to liquid mixture. It's okay if there are some strawberry lumps.
5. Add liquid mixture to flour mix.
6. Stir in chocolate or carob chips.
7. Fill muffin cups (I like to use a silicone muffin pan) and bake for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 


*Inspired by Sarah Bakes Gluten Free
Want more ideas of how to snack on strawberries? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com 

Food has the potential to fuel us. Putting some effort into choosing food that will actually give you some good, lasting energy can really make all the difference. I often get asked about some good snack ideas. For my own kids' lunches and snacks at school I enjoy baking cookies, muffins, bars or energy bites that have some ingredients in them to help fuel those little tummies. It can be a great family activity when you involve your kids. Fair warning though- this will add mess and time!

I often choose ingredients that have protein- nuts, seeds, nut and seed butters and even lentils. I am a fan of recipes that I can keep frozen so that I can pop them into lunches, or grab and go for activities.

Another favourite of mine is homous and veggies. I also like corn thins with nut and seed butters on them. I find I often go to a home-mixed trail mix too. This way you can vary what's in the mix and control how many sugary/salty ingredients you use. Adding cereal, pretzels, dried chickpeas, chocolate or carob chips, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, seaweed pieces, little fruit bar pieces are all things I have used - to name a few.

A final go-to snack I use is guacamole and tortilla chips. Quick, easy and delicious- need I say more? Crackers and smoked tofu are another not overly messy snack that's quick to throw together.

Do you have go to snacks that you use?

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

As March comes to a close I wanted to squeeze in a post about this years nutrition month. The theme this year is about how, as an RD, I support people to unlock the potential of food.

I think it's safe to say that most of us know food is nourishment, but it really is so much more than that. 

Food touches my life in so many ways, and I love bringing that to my profession and sharing it with my clients too. For me personally, food:

-Enhances lives- growing food in my garden.
-Improves health- I eat for both enjoyment and health and choose my foods accordingly.
-Inspires kids- having my kids involved in growing food, choosing their meals/snacks and prepping them is so much
                          fun. Baking together is something I hope we enjoy together for years to come. 
-Fuels activities- I am a breakfast person- without eating a filling breakfast I would not make through the day.                                            Breakfast and snacks are my go-to. 
-Brings people together- Family meals are a time to connect with my family, and give me a chance to slow down
                                               from my busy days.

How does food touch your life? I would love to hear.

Looking for more info on the potential of food for you? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com  

Do you ever get stuck in a breakfast rut? I have my typical breakfasts that I offer the kids during the week and I thought I would share one of them here. This is easy to make and keeps if you want to have it a couple days in row. You can cook the lentils ahead of time too and add them in straight from the fridge. But if you don't have any made up, you can also cook them at the same time as the oats. For serving I let the kids stir in some type of nut/seed butter. This has lots of fibre and protein which helps this meal last until the kids are able to eat their snacks a few hours later. This has the option of being a gluten free and vegan recipe if needed. 

1/2 cup        Lentils (either cooked ahead of time or rinsed and added) Not sure how to cook lentils? Read more here.
1 cup            Water
2 cups          Milk (or milk alternative- be sure to use unsweetened)
2 cups          Oats- use gluten free if necessary
1 cup            Frozen blueberries
1 tsp             Cinnamon

1. If you are cooking lentils first add rinsed lentils to pot and cook. Once the lentils have absorbed most of the water move onto the next step and add other ingredients to the same pot. If you are using pre-cooked lentils, move straight onto the next step.
2. Add oats, water, milk, cinnamon, frozen blueberries and lentils (if using pre-cooked) and stir.
3. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until mixture begins to thicken.
4. Remove from heat and enjoy. Stir in nut/seed butter to serve.

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

Happy New Year! The New Year is always a time for people to think about healthy habits- be it exercise, eating, mindfulness, etc.
 
As many people overindulge during the holidays they are looking for recipes to start the New Year that contain healthy ingredients.
 
With that in mind, I have partnered with California Prune Board to create a recipe to help you start your day in a healthy, filling, and nourishing way.
 
Some of the ingredients I’ve included are:
 

• Walnuts- protein and omega 3
• Almonds- protein and calcium
• Oats- fibre
• Prunes- fibre and potassium
• Molasses- calcium
• Hemp seeds- omega 3 and protein

 
This is a protein and fibre rich granola to help carry you through until the next time you eat- keeping you feeling full and satisfied and avoiding grazing throughout the day. Grazing throughout the day can lead both adults and kids to not eat their meals, in addition, the foods that people often chose to graze on are typically packaged, processed foods.
 
This granola also includes bone-building ingredients such as prunes! Did you know that prunes aren’t only a source of fibre, but they also help slow bone loss when you include one daily serving of 5 prunes (1). The prunes are a great way to add some natural sweetness as well.
 
So, with that I wish you all a very happy, healthy 2019. Hope you enjoy the recipe.
 
 
Prune Granola
 
2 cups                        Oats (I use Rolled Oats)
1.5 cups                     Walnuts/Pecans
½ cup                         Sliced Almonds
½ Tbsp                       Cinnamon
1 tsp                           Cardamom
1 cup                          Prunes
¾ cup                         Water
3 Tbsp                        Almond Butter
¼ tsp                          Salt
¼ cup                         Hemp Seeds
¼ cup                         Shredded Coconut
1 Tbsp                       Molasses
 
 

1. Process walnuts and pecans in a bowl until ground but not powdery.
2. Mix ground nuts, oats, sliced almonds, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, hemp seeds, and shredded coconut together in a large bowl.
3. Blend prunes and water together in a food processor until a paste forms.
4. Add in Almond butter and Molasses and continue to blend until combined.
5. Add prune mixture into oat mixture and stir to combine.
6. Press down the mixture on a silicone baking sheet.
7. Bake at 325F for 20 minutes.
8. Break apart into bite-sized pieces and store in an airtight container.

 
Looking for more recipes to start the New Year with? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com
 
 
Resources:
 
1- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5409740/
 

I am really enjoying one pot recipes lately. It is so convenient. This is one of my go to meals and it uses things that I always have around. This is such a quick and easy dish and also kid approved. If you enjoy heat add in a hot pepper or two. This recipe is adapted from the Oh My Veggies One Pot Curry Noodles.

2 Tbsp                Olive oil
1 Tbsp                Ginger, minced
4                         Garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp                Red Curry Paste
51/2  Cup           Vegetable Broth
1 can                   Coconut milk 
2 Tbsp                 Tamari or Braggs
1 package           Tofu
1                          Bell pepper, cut into strips 
2                          Carrots, cut into ribbons using a
                             vegetable peeler
1/2 cup               Green beans, chopped into bite
                            sized pieces
1/2 cup              Broccoli, cut into small bite sized
                            pieces
1 package           Rice noodles
1/2 cup               Cashews 
1                          Hot pepper, diced (optional)
1/4 cup               Cilantro (optional, to serve)


1. Add 1 Tbsp oil to pot. Cut tofu into cubes and fry. Set aside.
2. Add 1 Tbsp oil to pot, fry ginger until starting brown. Add in garlic and red curry paste and allow to brown. 
3. Add in vegetables and broth. Bring to a boil.
4. Turn down heat to low, add in coconut milk and tamari. 
5. Add in rice noodles and stir to soften. 
6. Add tofu and lemon juice. Turn off heat and let sit until noodles are softened. 
7. Top with cashews and cilantro and serve. 

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

I’m a big fan of energy bites and wanted to create a bone builder bite that includes ingredients to help keep bones healthy, since November in Canada is Osteoporosis Month.
 
Here are a few of the reasons that I like energy bites:

• Easy part of a packed lunch for work or school
• Quick and easy to make
• Can be stored in the freezer
• Grab and go snack
• No packaging
• So many variations to choose from

 
For these bites I wanted to include some key ingredients:

• Prunes
• Almond butter
• Almond flour
• Blackstrap molasses

 
I think prunes are a great option to include in your diet, however, I find they are often forgotten about. Prunes help support digestive health, which is how most people think of them – but they are now starting to be considered a power food!
 
I was happy to collaborate with the California Prune Board to help highlight all of the nutritional and versatility benefits. They are a source of dietary fibre and are naturally sweet – always a bonus in my criteria for bite ingredients. In terms of bone health- eating just one daily serving of about 5 California prunes helps slow bone loss (2).
 
I chose almond ingredients because they are a good source of calcium (1).
 
As for the blackstrap molasses – this is a common food that I mention to my clients as a source of calcium, - 175mg per Tbsp (1). However, it’s not exactly something that is a common ingredient in most of our dishes. I was excited to include this ingredient in a recipe.
 
Pairing these bone-building ingredients made me arrive at this bite. I hope you enjoy….
 

Bone Builder Bites:
 
 
1 cup     Prunes 
 
1 cup     Oats
 
½ tsp     Cinnamon
 
½ tsp     Ginger
 
¼ tsp     Salt
 
2 Tbsp   Almond Butter
 
2 Tbsp   Blackstrap Molasses
 
½ cup    Almond Flour

1. In a food processor, process prunes until a ball forms.
2. Add in oats and spices and pulse for 30 seconds.
3. Add in almond butter, molasses and almond flour and process until combined –mixture will be crumbly but that is okay.
4. With wet hands, form balls and place on silicone baking sheet in freezer for 15 minutes.
5. Store in airtight container in the freezer.

 
 
Looking for more ways to add healthy snacks into your day? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com
 
 
References:
1 http://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Bone-Health/Food-Sources-of-Calcium.aspx
2 https://www.californiadriedplums.org/nutrition/health-professionals/research/bone-health

This year I have taken gardening to a whole new level. Because harvest season has been in full force, I have been freezing herbs, fruits and vegetable. The hope is that I can make it through until next harvest season. I was very excited to try this recipe, but of course I have a hard time using a recipe without adding something to it. So I guess really this should be Grandma Cayo's Tomato Sauce with a twist. It's very easy to make, tastes delicious, and I have been using it in everything: a chip and dip sauce I make, over pasta, in curry dishes, etc. I freeze this in 2 cup portions in freezer bags so that I can lay it flat and not use up too much valuable freezer space. Anything that can make dinners easier is a win for me.







1 cup               Zucchini, grated
1                      Onion, chopped
6                      Tomatoes, Large, chopped
2                      Carrots, Large, chopped
4                      Garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 Tbsp          Sugar
1/2- 1 Tbsp    Salt (I used spicy Herbamare). 
1 tsp                Pepper
1 handful        Parsley, chopped


1. Add to large pot, bring to a low simmer.
2. Simmer until tomatoes are breaking down and carrot is soft.
3. Let cool, blend with blender (I use a hand blender).
4. Freeze in small portions, ready for use.

Have a family recipe you would like to have help putting a healthier twist on? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future's Registered Dietitian at nf.nutrition@gmail.com