Easter on my Mind

I'm not sure if it's because I'm getting older, am more mindful, am a new mom, or what, but it really feels like we're rolling from one festive holiday to the next and next week is already April and Easter! Do any of you feel that way? I know if you go to any stores it's quite obvious, as Valentine's stuff goes on sale we see St. Patrick's Day stuff and Easter stuff already lining the shelves, and I still can't figure out when chocolate became the go-to food for all the holidays?! I do love chocolate, but try to limit myself and lately try to go dark or not at all (I'm also choosing quality, so that I feel it's worth the indulgence!).

Either way, holidays can be a hard time to stay on track with healthy eating. I keep working on my personal development and I think a few terms stand out to me - contentment and now imperfection. I am striving to be who I am and love it (rather than try to be a version of myself that I'll never achieve). So whatever you're working on, make sure you're not being too hard on yourself or expecting perfection - first of all, I've learned that it's impossible to achieve, but we also have to remember that we all likely define 'perfect' very differently. I continue to pin new quotes that inspire me (and hopefully inspire some of you) - feel free to share your favourites in the comment section below!

So, try not to stress about Easter. Enjoy time with family and friends, get outside, relax, do what you need to do for yourself. As my followers know, I tend to enjoy food jokes and having fun with food themes for holidays. I found a few cute snacks on Pinterest that I wanted to share with you. My first thoughts with Easter go to eggs and carrots and what I can do with them - perhaps you have a tradition you'd like to share that is food related or a gift that is not food related.

Bacon and eggs bunny from worthpinning:

Pineapple chick from FamilyFun magazine:

















Cheese and cracker chicks from CanadianFamily:

There are so many ways to get creative and include veggies, fruit, and protein in your holiday celebrations. Happy Spring to you all!

Cheers,
Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus

Not today, not this month, all year...

I had 'dreams' of posting this on St. Patrick's Day, but alas, my little one decided she wanted to be held and needed mommy (so of course I obliged). It gave me lots of time to think about what I wanted to share. Then came Dietitian's Day and I totally agree with what a follower wrote on my facebook page - nutrition month should be all year. {Then I found some time one evening and thought I scheduled this post to go out last week, but now I find it sitting here as a draft...}

I have quite a few people in my life that have been or are going on hot holidays (we stayed home this winter due to the little one) and I know that many people use a holiday, or the fact that summer is coming, or their wedding is approaching, etc. as a goal for getting healthy or losing weight. This brings me back to some of my favourite words - moderation and mindfulness. Why not strive for balance (not perfection) and a lifestyle you can lead/live all year long?

Leafy greens and other green veggies are important to us all year, not just on St. Patty's Day when folk like me think of all kinds of green food. I like to make any holiday into a 'fun with food' type of day, whether that is playing with the actual theme or festive colours.

Since green is on my mind, I wanted to share a few recipes with you. I recently tried these Popeye muffins from the green forks and loved the colour as well as the fact that they taste like banana muffins.

We've also made Alton Brown's guacamole for a variety of potlucks and sporting events. Another favourite that we often come back to is roasted broccoli with shrimp. I also enjoy adding greens to smoothies (I froze some 'pucks' of extra spinach for this purpose), eggs, and soups, such as with my lucky New Year's soup.

At a close friend's (and great cook) house we were treated to Jamie Oliver's Jiggy Jiggy Greens - which I still have yet to try to make at home.

So what's the deal with greens? This time of year I find that more people start turning to salads, so perhaps you just want to change things up a bit or perhaps you're not sure how to store them or use them (ie. recipes). EatRight Ontario has a great collection and a few tips on these nutrient dense veggies.

Let me know if you had any 'fun with food' this week or how you're getting in your greens this year. Don't forget to check out my instagram feed to see what's going on in my life, kitchen, and mind these days!

Easter is coming, what will you come up with?
Cheers,
Steph Langdon, RD
www.mutrishus.com

Egg-cellent Easter

Those who know me, or read my posts, will know that I like to challenge our habits. When it comes to things like holiday weekends, I like to think of new ways to be healthy and still enjoy great food. I know we are fortunate enough to be invited for two family meals this weekend and I'm sure there will be some chocolate around. I'm also counting on some warmer weather, so that we can get outside and enjoy the fresh spring air.

Easter doesn't have to just be a feast and loads of chocolate or jelly beans. It can be a time to celebrate spring vegetables and fruit with new recipes. Or a chance to think of themes, like I do - for me, Easter is eggs and carrots. So today I thought I would share a few egg ideas that may inspire you this long weekend.

Eggs are a great, quick protein to add to any meal or snack. One large egg has 6g of protein, 70 calories, and 14 key nutrients (including iron, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin B12, folate, protein, selenium, and choline). They are also very versatile and can help you get vegetables into your day if you're creating things like omelets or frittatas. I have a few recipes on my Pinterest page that I have tried and enjoyed:
- spinach, mushroom, feta frittata
- mini quiche
- quinoa, egg, avocado, and edamame

With eggs in mind, I recently came across a Canadian Lentil recipe that I tried for lunch today. See below for the recipe and share your favourite Easter food traditions or egg dishes in the comments.

Top of the Mornin' Lentil Frittata

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter
• 2 (whole) shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 (whole) cloves of garlic, minced
• 1½cup (375 mL) chopped kale
• 1 (whole) green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 cup (250 mL) fully cooked lentils or canned lentils, drained and rinsed
• 8 (whole) eggs, whisked
• ¼ cup (60 mL) 2% milk
• dash sea salt and ground black pepper
• ½ cup (125 mL) shredded aged cheddar cheese
• 2 Tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
• to taste salt and ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350˚F. In a 9-inch, deep, oven-proof skillet, sauté the shallot and garlic in butter until golden. Add the kale and green pepper and sauté until rendered. Add the cooked lentils and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and salt and pepper together. Add the egg mixture to the skillet. Gently stir the mixture once. Cover the skillet and cook on low-medium heat until the
sides are slightly golden (the centre will still be runny).

3. Remove the lid, sprinkle the cheese over the frittata and bake in the oven until the centre is no longer runny. Use the broil option if available to add additional browning to the top of the frittata. Set to rest for 5 minutes.

4. Garnish with parsley or cilantro, and season with salt and pepper.

5. Cut into wedges and enjoy!

 

Happy Easter!

Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Eating Eggs

Easter has come and gone along with religious ceremonies and Easter egg hunts. I think most of us think about chocolate and the Easter bunny, but rather than focus on chocolate at this time, I thought I would focus on eggs.

Eggs can play a role in a healthy diet, and like many food should be eaten with variety and moderation in mind. In Canada's Food Guide, 2 eggs count as a serving of Meat and Alternatives. Eggs are an affordable source of quality protein, are quick to cook, and are versatile enough to be eaten at any meal. One standard large egg contains 70 calories, 5 g of fat, 1 g of carbohydrate, and 6 g of protein.

That same egg also provides:
Vitamin A 10%
Calcium 2%
Vitamin D 15%
Riboflavin 15%
Vitamin B12 50%
Iron 6%
Vitamin E 15%
Niacin 8%
Folate 8%
(source: eggs.ca)


Did you know? the colour of the egg is determined by the breed of hen; there is no nutritional difference between white and brown eggs.

There are specialty eggs available that may or may not have different nutrient values.

Steph Wheler
www.nutrishus.com