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December 2009 – Evolving Appetites
Welcome to Evolving Appetites’ monthly newsletter. Short, informative and hopefully fun to read veggie bits. Let us know if we don’t deliver on this – we always love feedback from our readers. Contact info is at the bottom of the page.
In this issue
- Veg health: Healthy Holidays
- Good Veg News: US airport veggie fare improving
- Recipe(s) of the month: Healthy party pleasers - dips & finger foods
- EVENTS update - FREE cooking demo at Loblaws
Veg Health – Healthy Holidays
The holiday season is upon us, and sticking to our healthy habits can be a challenge when everyone around us is indulging in artery clogging fare. Here are a few tips to help you through the season of over indulgence.
- Fill up on good food before you head out to a party. High-fibre fare consisting of beans, lentils, whole grains and veggies before you go to a party will help you keep the damage to a minimum.
- Accept the fact that you might put something in your mouth that you wouldn’t at other times – don’t beat yourself up over it. As long as it’s not everyday and in huge amounts, your body will forgive you.
- Offer to bring a healthy dish or two to share – the host/ess will appreciate the contribution, and you’ll have something good to eat.
- If it’s a catered affair, or you don’t really have an opportunity to contribute something healthy, then navigate the table carefully. There’s usually a veggie and/or fruit tray. Skip the creamy dip, and see if you can find salsa, guacamole or hummus to dip the veggies in instead. Walk right past the cheese/deli tray and crackers. It’s just salt and fat on a platter. Ditto for the desserts – sugar and fat on a platter. Fruit doesn’t need a dip (or sometimes, there’s dark chocolate fondue – go ahead – it’s the holidays – but don’t overdo it).
- If you imbibe, alternate alcoholic drinks with club soda, juice or plain water. Alcohol is a hormone and sleep disrupter, and only provides empty calories. There’s no nutritional value there whatsoever. Choose wisely.
- Try to have a green smoothie everyday – that way you’ll know you’re at least getting 5 servings of fruits and vegetables (see Jan2008 issue for instructions on how to make a smoothie). It’s a good way to undo potential damage from indulging in holiday goodies.
- If you’re hosting, set the example by providing healthy fare – there are several recipes below to get you started on preparing a fun and healthy holiday party table. Remember to provide a good selection of nonalcoholic beverages. Try exotic flavours like passion fruit juice, guava, mango, lychee, etc. Club soda or sparkling mineral water with lemon and lime wedges is also a good option. Or set up a smoothie station if you have a good blender. Assorted frozen fruit will make fabulous smoothies for your guests.
DISCLAIMER: This site does not provide medical advice. This web site is for information purposes only. The nutritional information on this site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health practitioner with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this web site.
Evolving Appetites and its owner accept no liability for any injury arising out of the use of material contained herein, and make no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the contents of this publication.
Good Veg News - US airport veggie fare improvingA report by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine - winter 2009
As the holiday travel season gets under way, health-conscious passengers are searching airport terminals for nutritious food. To determine the availability of healthful meals, nutrition experts with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) examined restaurant menus at 17 of the nation’s busiest airports.
PCRM’s Airport Food Review, now in its ninth year, found that 79 percent of airport restaurants now offer at least one low-fat, high-fiber, cholesterol-free vegetarian entrée. For the first time since PCRM’s survey began, one airport — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport — received a perfect score. But healthful choices are still difficult to find in some cities, including Las Vegas and Washington, D.C.
Method
From June to November of 2009, PCRM dietitians reviewed eateries at 17 U.S. airports. Each airport’s score was determined by dividing the number of restaurants offering at least one healthful option by the total number of restaurants. Facilities that do not serve entrées, such as snack food kiosks and small coffee shops, were not included in the review.
A restaurant was rated as healthful if it served at least one low-fat, high-fiber, cholesterol-free breakfast, lunch, or dinner entrée. Healthful entrées at airports covered in this report include the Mediterranean platter at La Tapenade Mediterranean Cafe at Chicago O’Hare International Airport and the vegetarian chili at Nature’s Table at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The French Meadow Bakery and Café, operated in cooperation with HMSHost at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, offers a range of healthful options, including the vegan grilled tempeh rueben and the black bean chili.
High-fiber, low-fat vegetarian diets have been shown to reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. A recent study in the journal Circulation found that people in 52 countries who ate a meat-heavy Western diet had a 35 percent greater heart attack risk than those who consumed little or no meat and plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Results
Overall, 79 percent of restaurants at the 17 airports examined for the report offered at least one healthful entrée. Detroit’s 100 percent score highlights its steady improvement since 2003, when it debuted in PCRM’s Airport Food Review with a score of just 70 percent.
Other airports showing significant improvements include Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport — which both gained 10 points from 2008 — and San Francisco International Airport, which rose 17 points this year.
While most airports have seen a steady increase in healthful options, two airports dropped dramatically this year: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport, which lost 18 and 20 points, respectively. Additionally, three of the five lowest-scoring airports are those serving the nation’s capital: Baltimore/Washington International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport were surveyed for the first time this year and scored 71 and 70 points respectively. Although Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport gained 10 points since last year, it still came in at 13th place.
Full article here (shows comparisons to previous years, charting improvements at airports previously rated)
Now, we just need a similar survey of Canadian airports.
Healthy Party Pleasers
All of these recipes are low fat. While the creamy cucumber dip has a modest amount of fibre, when served with veggies, the fibre count is more than respectable. You don’t necessarily have to tell your guests this is healthy - they’ll enjoy the flavours regardless!
Stuffed Mushrooms
36 white mushrooms (about 1 to 1.5 lbs)1 cup of raw walnut pieces
1 tablespoon sunflower or safflower oil
½ onion, fine dice2 cloves of garlic, crushed or minced½ red pepper, fine dice½ bunch fresh spinach, washed, steamed and chopped (or substitute thawed frozen chopped spinach). Squeeze out excess water whether using fresh or frozen (use about ½ cup cooked/squeezed)1 – 1.5 tablespoons tamari, soy sauce or Bragg’sDash fresh ground pepper1 tsp teaspoon dried basil1/2 teaspoon dried thyme2 tablespoons breadcrumbs 1. Clean mushrooms, remove stems and set aside. (Dice stems for use in stuffing mixture.)2. In a dry skillet, lightly toast walnuts until fragrant. Let cool for 5 minutes.3. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions until they start to sweat – 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic, peppers, diced mushroom stems, spinach, soy sauce and seasonings. Continue to cook until mixture is well combined and peppers are soft. Add walnuts and bread crumbs and mix to combine.4. When cool enough to handle, spoon into prepared mushrooms. (Can be prepared in advance up to this point). Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet.5. Pre heat oven to 400 F. Bake stuffed mushrooms for about 15 – 18 minutes – until lightly browned and juices are just starting to run.
Dairy-free spinach dip
1 pumpernickel loaf - cut out center and cut into cubes for dipping - save the hollowed bread as a bowl for the dip
Additional bread of choice and/or veggies - cut for dipping
Filling:
1 pkg medium firm tofuJuice of 1/2 lemon OR 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp sweetener of your choice (e.g. organic sugar)
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed, lightly steamed and chopped - drained and excess water squeezed out. Get it as dry as possible. (Can also used 1 pkg of frozen chopped spinach – thaw, and squeeze out excess water.)
1 pkg vegetable soup mix (check ingredients for whey or other dairy products) – see note below
1/3 of a small onion, finely diced (any variety)
In a large bowl, blend the tofu, lemon and sugar together - either mash with a fork, or blend in a blender or food processor for smoother consistency.
Add the remaining ingredients, and mix well so that spinach is evenly distributed. Let sit at least an hour in the fridge for flavours to meld and soup mix veggies to rehydrate before serving. Can even prepare this a day in advance. At serving time, scoop the dip into the hollowed out bread bowl, and arrange bread cubes and/or veggies on platter around it.Note: I used to use the Knorr brand vegetable soup mix – but they’ve started putting milk ingredients in the soup mix. I now use 2 tsp of vegetable bouillon powder (available at the health food stores), and add about ¼ cup dehydrated vegetable flakes (available at bulk stores).
Tofu fingers (makes 32 “fingers”)
Preheat oven to 375 ºF2 pkgs. extra firm tofu1/3 cup tamari soy sauce (if concerned about sodium, use light soy sauce)1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs1/2 cup nutritional yeast (available at health, bulk and some grocery stores)1/2 tsp. granulated garlic powder1/4 tsp. black pepper1/2 tsp. oregano (or any other herb of choice – thyme, rosemary, etc.) 1. Pour soy sauce into a bowl or deep plate2. In a separate bowl or plate, combine bread crumbs, nutritional yeast and seasonings.3. Cut each packages of tofu into ½. Then ½ again lengthwise. Then into ¼” fingers4. Lightly oil a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.5. Dip tofu finger in soy sauce to completely cover both sides.6. Then dip in bread crumb mixture to coat both sides.7. Place on cookie sheet and repeat with remaining tofu slices.8. Bake for 15 - 18 minutes until lightly browned. Do not over cook or they'll become tough and dry.Serve with favourite dipping sauce(s) – e.g. plum sauce, Szechwan peanut sauce, marinara etc.
Creamy cucumber/dill dip and dressing (Makes 2 cups)
1 pkg (about 400 grams) silken tofu1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar1 tsp salt (or more to taste)1 tsp sweetener of choice (organic sugar, agave, etc.)½ cup shredded cucumber (squeeze out excess water)1 – 2 cloves garlic, crushed2 Tbsp fresh chopped dill Blend first five ingredients in blender or food processor until completely smooth (that’s your basic tofu sour cream). Add the rest of the ingredients until well combined. Serve with crudités (veggie tray). Or can be thinned with water or soy milk and used as a salad dressing.
Roasted red pepper hummus
2 cans (19 oz each) chickpeas (or 3 cups cooked chickpeas), drained and rinsed¼ cup tahini½ cup fresh lemon juice6 scallions (green onions), sliced2 Tbsp chopped garlic (about 3 cloves)2 tsp cumin1 tsp black pepper1 cup roasted red peppers (from a jar – packed in vinegar, not oil) Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. May have to stop once or twice to scrape down sides. Add tablespoon of water at a time if needed to blend and achieve desired consistency. Serve with whole wheat pita wedges and/or veggies.
Events update:
Friday, December 18 - “What’s for dinner?” cooking demo - FREE 1- 2 pm
Forest Hill Loblaws Market396 St. Clair Avenue West (just east of Bathurst)
Toronto, ON
(416) 651-5166
No need to register – just show up!
January 2010 classes - (watch for details on more classes at Whole Foods too!)
Tuesday, Jan. 12 - FREE cooking demo at Aurora RCSS (Real Canadian Superstore) - 1 - 2 pmWednesday, Jan. 13 - Warming Vegetarian Soups - Newmarket RCSS - $30Tuesday, Jan. 19 - FREE cooking demo at Whitby RCSS - 12:30 - 1:30Wednesday, Jan. 20 - Eat More, Weigh Less - Victoria Park Loblaws Market - $30Monday, Jan. 25 - Eat More, Weigh Less - Scarborough RCSS - $30Wednesday, Jan. 27 - Eat More, Weigh Less - Whitby RCSS - $30Thursday, Jan. 28 - Eat More, Weigh Less - Glen Erin Loblaws Market - $30 Next issue: First Week of January, 2010
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