Fresh Tastes

I was inspired this year to try to grow a few fresh herbs.  My husband and I enjoy a variety of flavours, but since this is my experimenting year, I decided to limit myself to four varieties (5 pots, but 2 are basil!).  We live in an apartment, so I don't have a backyard garden to work with, although I hope to enjoy some garden items from the farmer's market and/or family and friend's gardens.  

I often talk with clients about reducing the amount of salt that they use to flavour foods and trying out different herbs and spices.  We can often get great flavour combinations without the extra sodium - it just might take some practice (and perhaps a taste bud adjustment). 

While, I won't be growing them myself, I do enjoy the local flavours of Spring/Summer/Fall - I look forward to little garden potatoes, a variety of hot peppers, colourful carrots, and one of my favourites - corn on the cob.  Buying seasonal can help support local farmer's, reduce your carbon foot print, give some variety to your meal routine, and possibly help you stick to your food budget (depending on where you shop).

I am always looking for new food ideas and recipes.  When I recently picked up a copy of Sobey's Inspired magazine, I found quite a few ideas to try (such as chickpea burgers).  For each season, they provide information on how to select, prepare, and use seasonal produce items.  I know I've been enjoying fresh berries and asparagus lately.  

What Spring or Summer foods are you looking forward to?

 

Feel free to share what you've planted in your garden, recipes or how you enjoy seasonal items, etc.

 

Get inspired!

Steph Langdon, RD

something nutrishus counselling & coaching

www.nutrishus.com

Do You Have a Plan?

Many individuals are gearing up for the Saskatchewan Marathon on May 26 in Saskatoon (or other events across the province).  Since that's only 12 days away you should already know your nutrition plan or be fine tuning it.  As I've said before, don't experiment or try new foods/beverages on race day.

Depending on which distance you choose to run, you may need to focus on your hydration, carbohydrates, electrolytes or all three.  It's important to remember to taper your training leading up to the event and continue to include wholesome foods such as fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, low fat milk alternatives and of course, everyone's favourite - WATER!

Don't just think about your nutrition when you wake up on race day.  You've put in the training time to work on your pace, your stride, injury prevention, etc.  Make sure you put in the time to get your gut used to taking in water and/or carbohydrate sources while you're on the go and determining what meets your needs and feels comfortable for you. 

Once you get into the longer distances you need to include enough carbohydrates to avoid "hitting the wall" or "bonking".  Your muscles and brain require carbohydrates and the longer and harder you run, the more you require.

Start your day with a carbohydrate rich breakfast (that you've practiced with!).  Then follow your plan during the race.  Burke et. al (2011) recommends no carbohydrate needed for less than 45 minutes, a small amount of carbohydrate (including a mouth rinse) for activities lasting 45-75 minutes and 30-60g of carbohydrate per hour for endurance activities lasting 1-2.5 hours.  You have many choices when it comes to food, beverage, or products in both liquid and solid form.  Go with what you know, what works for you, and what fits with your goal(s).

There are many sport products you may try or choose to use, but you can also rely on food and get the benefits of nutrients as well.  These 'sport foods' are often convenient, but not required.  The main thing is to avoid dehydration and provide your muscles with easily digested energy (carbohydrates) since your body has limited storage for carbohydrates (glycogen).  We all have different sweat rates, so it's important to focus on replacing your own losses, especially if the temperatures stay up.

What's your race day nutrition plan?

I like to start my morning with simple peanut butter and toast with a small piece of fruit or small glass of diluted juice (1/2 juice and 1/2 water).  During the race I focus on regular sips of water which I find very energizing and then I enjoy yogurt with berries or chocolate milk as a recovery (while continuing to sip on water!).

Plan well, run well!

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

MMMarvelous Moms

Since I'm posting a muffin recipe today, I thought I'd add a 'mmmm' throwback to the days of food court mmmarvelous muffins.  I've been playing around with my husband's camera as I learn more about food photography and have also been enjoying some free time to try a few new recipes.  I have a cooking session with athletes coming up and always like to challenge them with unfamiliar foods.  We won't be making this recipe this time, but with Mother's Day on Sunday, I thought it might make a nice addition to your breakfast/brunch.  Rather than showering her with chocolate, shower her with whole grains, a variety of colours of vegetables and fruit and lean proteins (doesn't that sound delicious?!).  I'm thinking greek yogurt, with a variety of fresh berries and homemade muffins, scones, or granola - perhaps served with her favourite cup of coffee or tea.

May is also love your lentils month, so this recipe hits the spot!

Cranberry Lentil Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

2 cups (500ml) whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Dash salt
1/2 cup (125ml) margarine, unsalted, melted
3/4 cup (175ml) sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (250ml) lentil puree
3/4 cup (175ml) orange juice
Zest of whole orange
1 1/4 cups (300ml) whole cranberries, unsweetened, frozen

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Prepare muffin tins with large muffin cup liners or lightly grease sides of tin.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a mixing bowl, blend together margarine, sugar, and eggs.  Add lentil puree, orange juice and zest.
4. Fold in dry ingredients until just blended and add cranberries.
5. Spoon mixture into prepared pan filling cups 3/4s of the way full.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre of muffins comes out clean.

Feel free to share you weekend meal plans and how you're going to celebrate the marvelous moms, mothers, grandmothers, mothers-in-law, etc. in your life...

Happy Mother's Day!

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

Being Stephanie

I received Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project as a birthday gift and have been enjoying reading her goals and personal testaments.  One of her personal commandments is to "Be Gretchen" and that reminded me of a conversation I had years ago with a very inspiring person.  In that chat, we discussed the importance of being every part of who we are.  What does that mean?  For me that means, being:
- a wife/spouse/partner
- a daughter
- a sister
- a daughter-in-law
- a cousin
- a granddaughter
- an aunt (soon!)
- a dietitian
- a food lover
- a runner/active individual
- a yogi
- a cook
- a friend
- a dog lover
- a world traveller
- a craft lover
- a book worm
- an entrepreneur...

There are many roles that we fill each day and the important lesson I learned was that we have to remember to devote time to each role, rather than getting all wrapped up into one.  Spend time each day to fill those roles and be the best version of yourself.  Healthy eating and nutrition are a passion of mine because I try to take care of my well being, but that includes a work-life-balance, being active, attending social events, and curling up with a great book (for me anyways!).  In my upcoming blog posts I hope to help you become the best version of yourself and continue to nourish yourself so that you can do all of the things you love to do and fill all of the roles that make up your life.

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

Run for it!

"If you want to become the best runner you can be, start now.  Don't spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it." ~ Priscilla Welch

Tomorrow is May 1, and for many people that means the start of marathon season.  We may still be getting tricked by mother nature, but soon the snow and ice will be gone and we'll see more people out enjoying the trails and filling the sidewalks.  There are many great events in Saskatchewan for competitive and recreational runners.  Whether you choose to aim for a personal best, enjoy the festivities, cheer on a friend or family member, or leisurely run/walk, the important thing is to stay active.  Healthy eating and activity are often too low on our priority lists.  Below are a variety of events (please let me know if I missed one and I'll gladly add it) with a variety of distances and themes to keep them competitive and fun.  I ran the 5km last year at the Bridge City Boogie and will run the 10km this year to keep things interesting!  I also plan to try out the Color Me Rad 5km event for something fun to do with a group of friends.

I haven't posed a question to you in awhile, but what are you training for or registering for this Spring/Summer/Fall? 

SRRA Trail Race #1 - May 5

SK Marathon - May 26; stop by Prairieland May 25 for the Race Expo and come chat with me at the Craven Sport Services/Something Nutrishus booth!

 

Bridge City Boogie - June 9 

River Run Classic - July 14 (new date, previous years in August)

SRRA Trail Race #2 - July 20

Queen City Marathon - Sept. 8

Color Me Rad - September 14, 2013

Run or Dye Saskatoon - TBD 

SRRA Trail Race #3 - Sept. 21

Outter Limits Fun Run - Sept. 28

 

Mogathon - Sept. 28

Sask 50km Ultra - Oct. 19

If you're interested in joining a running clinic or group, check out:

- Brainsport

- Running/Walking Room

- Saskatoon Road Runners (SRRA)

Let me know if you have an event or training group that you'd like me to share with the locals (and if I feel it's appropriate I'll post it).

Here's to a sunny and warm May!

Steph Langdon, RD

something nutrishus counselling & coaching

www.nutrishus.com

Ready to Grow

It feels like Spring is finally here! Perhaps you're an experienced gardener or maybe you're thinking about planting for the first time. If you're getting ready to spend time outside and aren't sure where to start planning your garden, Allison Babich, a dietetic intern who spent a few days with me, has some advice and tips to get you started... 
 
Summer is just around the corner and there is one strategy that can help you accomplish 3 things:  eat healthy, save money, and get outside more often...Gardening! Gardening doesn't have to be time consuming, can be very relaxing, and it’s hard to match the taste of a vegetable or fruit that you grew with your own hands! The first step is picking a space, and there are 3 things you should look for:

1. Sunshine, choose a spot that gets at least 6 hours of sunshine per day. For first time gardeners, choosing a small space is best so that your garden doesn't become too large and overwhelming. If you don’t have a yard you can even use large plant pots or boxes for container gardening! Container gardens are a convenient alternative to a traditional garden if you don’t have a lot of space, and they can be kept close by on balconies or patios for easy care and harvesting. 2. Water, the closer you are to a source of water the better. Consider keeping a small rain barrel near your garden to help cut down on water waste and save on your water bill! 3. Healthy soil, you can purchase nutrient rich topsoil from your neighbourhood greenhouse to mix in with your soil at home, or have yours tested for quality to ensure your plants will grow their best!

Bucks Country Gardens

The next step is to choose vegetables, fruit, herbs, and flowers that are easy to grow and that you enjoy! Growing these types of plants together creates a beautiful and interesting garden, and some flowers and herbs can help keep insects and pests away from your home and garden! You may find it easier to start off with seedlings for your first garden, just make sure the plants are healthy and insect free. Seeds are just as easy to grow. Check the back of the package of seeds for growing and harvesting information, and there you will find the best time to plant your seeds, how deep to  plant them, how long your plant will take to grow, and how and when to harvest your food.

Here are a few examples of vegetables, fruit, herbs, and flowers that are easy to grow in Saskatchewan and that taste and look amazing: Carrots (seeds) and tomatoes (seedlings) are low maintenance and easy to harvest and enjoy. Strawberries and raspberries grow with almost no tending, and are easy to pick and eat on the spot. Parsley will help keep bugs away from tomatoes and  coriander and chives make delicious additions to meals. Pansies and petunias are pretty and grow well in SK. Another nice flower to try is German Chamomile, it grows well and you can make tea from the dried petals!
Happy Gardening!

Allison Babich, dietetic intern (for Steph Langdon, RD)
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com  

Get Ahead with Good Nutrition

Watch out world - university students are preparing for final exams yet again!  What this means will definitely depend on the individual characteristics of the student.  For some, it will mean free time because lectures are all done.  For others it will mean locking themselves in the library for the next 3 weeks.  Even though it may not seem like a priority, it is important for students (and student-athletes) to stay healthy during this time.  Many university athletes train hard during the off-season and need to ensure that exam stress doesn't affect physical performance, recovery, or healthy food choices.  That means taking time to grocery shop, prep a big batch or two, hydrate, move your body, get fresh air, and allow your brain to rest. 

If you're eating unhealthy snack foods and relying on caffeine at all hours of the day you will likely get run down and not be efficient when you do spend time with your books.  I still struggle with balance in my life, but I know that clearing my head and/or working out and providing my body with water and nutritious foods allows me to be more productive.  When exams end and you're ready to be free for the summer, you don't want to be sick in bed with no energy left.

Focus on a variety of colourful vegetables and fruit to provide important nutrients and fibre.  By including lean proteins and healthy fats you will stay full for longer and be able to make it to the next study break without crashing and wishing you had a bag of chips or candy.  Yes, you may be strapped for time, but buddy up and have a potluck for a mental/social break or take turns cooking to help whoever is cramming at the moment. 

The government of Alberta has a few tips about managing exam time, which includes scheduling snack breaks and eating breakfast the morning of your exam(s).  They also have links about dealing with exam stress and anxiety.

 I know you don't want to forget the class material, but don't forget to take care of your health and wellbeing!

Good luck!

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