Moisture Removal {Recipe ReDux}

It's been a busy week here with presentations, renovations, and travel. Unfortunately, being out of my kitchen for renovationss means that I don't have a new recipe to share for this month's theme. I still wanted to share the links so you can see what my fellow dietitians are up to and figured I would mention some of my favourite ways to use dehydrated or dried foods. I must admit, because I often work with athletes, I think about fluid needs when I hear the word 'dehydration'.

This month's theme is:
Get Your Dehydrator On
Whether it’s extra garden bounty or a sale at the supermarket – dehydrating food is a budget-friendly way to stock up for later. You can use a food dehydrator, a low slow oven, or natural sunshine to preserve natural healthfulness. Show us how you like to dehydrate, or a healthy recipe for how you enjoy using dehydrated fruits, veggies or other bounty.

A food dehydrator is a kitchen appliance that I don't have, but I have used a low slow oven (for my dried ginger and orange slices) for past ReDux posts and often have dried fruit around for use in energy bites, muffins, bars, granola, etc. Food preservation (ie. canning) is something I haven't really ventured into (yet); so perhaps that will be a goal for next year! Summer is also coming to an end here in Saskatchewan, so I will have to get myself organized and try using sunshine to preserve veggies and fruit next July/August. I do like the idea of being able to enjoy summer's bounty all year round though!

I haven't fully explored the world of dehydrated food, or spent a lot of time in nature requiring compact, long lasting food. However, I have purchased sundried tomatoes a few times for use in egg dishes, pasta, etc. and the flavour is great. Last summer, our foodie group had a night themed "Everything Rolled" and one member made veggie roll ups/jerky - it was very tasty and packed with flavour. My husband also likes to occasionally treat himself to some beef jerky and I have athletes that need shelf stable items to leave in their gym bag or locker. Thus, whether it's a taste or texture you're looking for, an alternative to store-bought fruit snacks, or an emergency stash, there are many times when dehydrated foods can help you out. Since the water is removed, the sugar and calories are concentrated, so remember to practice portion control with dehydrated/dried food. You can read more about the nutritional value, storing, and uses for dried fruit on EatRight Ontario.

One kitchen tool I've been waiting for cool weather to use is the tagine I received for my birthday. Many of the recipes call for dried fruit, so this will be a new way for me to try using these sweet ingredients - I'll keep you posted on my tagine experiments!

Have you dehydrated fruit or veggies? What do you like to do with them?

Check out the great ideas below.
Cheers,
Steph

An InLinkz Link-up

Nurture Yourself

We eat to feel good in a variety of ways. Feeling good may mean getting rid of hunger, feeling energized, providing our body with nutrients, or in some cases providing comfort. Food is a part of many situations and we are often surrounded by choices and opportunities to nibble on something. Many emotions are also tied to food, whether it is a happy memory, a celebratory event, or a way to console ourselves. When we seek food for more than nourishment and sustenance, we may never feel satisfied/fulfilled.

With mindfulness, moderation, and minimalism in mind, it's good to create awareness and start to consider why you're eating. I feel it's good to reflect before and after as I know many clients feel "bad" or guilty after eating a large portion or a less healthy item. This can then lead to more problems as we try to deal with these negative emotions after the fact.

I also think it's important to reflect on how we treat ourselves. We're often our own worst critic and would be more compassionate to someone else in the same situation. For mindfulness, think about how you fuel your body, how you treat yourself. For moderation, don't expect perfection - change takes time, but each step or each pause helps us create new habits. Try to minimize your negative self talk and find new ways (non-food ways) to nurture yourself.

There are many ways to eat healthy, but adherence, lifestyle change, and behaviour modification are the ways to long term success, not drastic fad diets (huffington post).  Start doing something today that you're willing to keep doing and to challenge yourself with.
Here's to a healthier tomorrow!

How do you nurture yourself?

Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching

www.nutrishus.com

Using Your Garden Goods

I enjoy situations that cause me to be creative and find new ways to use ingredients. This year that inspiration has come from our CSA PayDirt farms. We have received 4 deliveries of locally grown, organic produce so far this year and I have whipped up a variety of new dishes in the kitchen to enjoy the fresh ingredients. We split a share with my brother-in-law and his fiance since we both only have 2 mouths to feed and want to make sure we're able to use everything up. These situations challenge me, because like most people I have my go to items from the grocery store. I do try to combine them in different ways, but this year I've had more chard and mustard greens than I knew what to do with!

As summer sadly comes to an end and gardens are emptied I also like to enjoy the flavours of the changing seasons. Seeing different items at the market or store can also serve as an inspiration; I know I've been enjoying as many peaches and nectarines as I can before they're gone. Earlier this summer that also included cherries and berries, and now corn on the cob is out in abundance.

I also use social settings to test out new recipes and will cook in big batches to get us through a busy work week. Needless to say, there are lots of outside influences when it comes to what is created in my kitchen. We do have our standard favourites, but I like to think that we get a good amount of variety as well.

A few recipes that I've used lately and wanted to share include breaded green beans and a new take on potato salad.

The green beans were adapted from for the love of cooking as they were baked and most recipes involved frying.  I brought them to a potluck and they disappeared; I will definitely make them again. I posted the picture below on my instagram feed and someone asked for the recipe, so here it is...

Baked Breaded Green Beans
Ingredients
1-2 lbs of green beans, washed and ends trimmed
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
1 cup bread crumbs
spices (I used a smoked paprika, garlic, chili, and chives blend that I had)
2-3 Tbsp vegetable oil
salt and pepper
4 Tbsp mayo
2 tsp soya sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp sriracha sauce

Directions
1. Combine  2 Tbsp mayo with soya sauce and garlic - set aside. Combine remaining 2 Tbsp mayo with sriracha - set aside.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil. Preheat oven to 425F.
3. In a small bowl make a milk bath with your egg and milk. In a separate bowl combine bread crumbs, spices, and salt and pepper.
4. Dip beans in egg bath and crumb mixture; place in a single layer on baking sheet.
5. Drizzle remaining oil over beans and bake for 13-15 minutes.
6. Serve immediately with dipping sauces.

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The Creamy Cucumber and Grilled Potato Salad recipe comes from Food & Wine and was the dish I took to my August foodie group evening. Our theme was grilled food and I picked up my ingredients from our local farmer's market. It was a hit and is also a recipe I will make again.

What have you been inspired to try or create this summer?

Enjoy your garden goods while they last!
Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

PB & B Balls {Recipe ReDux}

We're already more than half way through August and for some people that means the start of packing lunches again. For others, lunches are packed all year round and you might just need a change or something fun and exciting.

This month's Recipe ReDux theme is:
Bars & Bites for Brown Bags
Whether you pack your lunch in a bento box, a brown bag or a retro cartoon character lunch box, don’t forget the bars and bites. Small squares or round bites can pack nutrition into a sweet or savory taste. Show us your favorite way to jazz up any type of lunch box.

Since I work from home most days, I don't really pack a lunch box. I do however like to keep things around for my husband to pack and for when I need to grab a quick snack. I prefer to make things from scratch so that I know the ingredients and I also love spending time in my kitchen.

You may have noticed or made various 'energy bites' or 'power balls' over the last few years as these bite size treats have gained popularity. They are something I've made in cooking sessions with athletes and at home. I don't tend to make bars as often, but have recently tried two different hemp based bars which were great to add some variety. These little bites can pack a nutritional punch depending on the nuts, seeds, fruit, dried fruit, and other add-ins you choose to try. They can also be calorie dense, but I find the protein, fat, and fibre are great to help fill the gap between meals.

Feeling a bit nostalgic, I wanted to combine two of my favourite childhood favourites: peanut butter and banana. For whatever reason, we used to call pb and banana sandwiches, 'peanut butter and sardine sandwiches' - I don't think I even knew what sardines were at the time, but it was a fun nickname for a quick and basic snack/lunch. Depending on where you're sending these snacks, you may have to swap the peanut butter for a seed butter.

PB & B Balls
Ingredients
1 ripe banana, peeled
1/2 cup dates (about 12)
1/4 cup natural peanut butter (or almond butter or seed butter)
3-4 Tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup + 1 cup rolled oats
1/8 cup hemp hearts

Directions 
1. Combine banana, dates, peanut butter, 1 Tbsp coconut, 1/2 cup oats, and hemp hearts in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
2. Place remaining 1 cup of oats in a medium bowl and add the processed ingredients. Gently mix (with a spatula or your hands) to combine and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
3. Place 2-3 Tbsp of coconut on a plate. Remove mixture from refrigerator. Form mixture into 16-18 balls and roll in coconut. Return to fridge for storage and enjoy!

What are you packing to keep your lunch box interesting? Check out other ReDuxer ideas below.

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

An InLinkz Link-up

Simply Enjoying the Weekend

Continuing with the theme of mindfulness, minimalism, and moderation, I wanted to share a few things I do to simplify my life. This simplification helps me enjoy each moment more and be able to spend more time doing the things I want to be doing. I am a list maker, and I hope that with a continued focus on these goals I will be able to reduce the size of my 'to do list' and spend more time on my passions. My own challenge is to not spend all my time ticking items off my list, but to get back to living each moment :)

If minimalism is something you're interested in, there are lots of blogs about it. A few that I've been reading (or trying to find time to read; hence why I need to minimize things!) include:

• The Minimalists
• Becoming Minimalist
• Zen Habits

One thing I like about the minimalist movement is that there is no one definition of a minimalist person. We can all be minimal in our own way, just as moderation and mindfulness apply differently to our unique lifestyles. 

We only have so many second, minutes, hours, and days. I want to spend mine doing the things I love and with the people I care about. I want to continue to enjoy moments, experiences, good books, and great food, so I need to make that a priority in my life.

In my last post I talked about comparing ourselves to others, but at times we also try to live up to other people's standards. I want to live my life, not the life someone thinks I should live. So here are a few things I've already done or already do to simplify my life:

• Donate items (such as clothes, books, etc.) to organizations (such as Community Living, the Opportunity Shop, etc.) - if I'm not using it, someone else should
• Set things aside to see how often I use them - last winter I cleaned out the kitchen and put a box of items in storage, a few months later when I hadn't needed them I donated them or gave them to friends who had uses for them since I obviously didn't
• Change gift giving traditions - my husband and I often try to purchase experiences or save up for a trip in lieu of gifts and on one side of our family we either only purchase a Christmas gift for one individual or all chip in and donate to a specific cause/charity rather than buying more stuff
• Go through my closet every few months to see what I haven't worn in awhile and decide whether to start wearing it, alter it, or donate it
• Clear papers out of my office and attempt to do more things on my computer
• Go through drawers and get rid of pens that don't even work anymore
• Make extra at supper so that we can enjoy leftovers for lunches
• Plan out my weekly groceries so that I get what I need and will use
• Prep for a few meals when I do get a chance to be in the kitchen

I'm sure there are more things, but this is also just the start of my journey into being mindful of being minimal. I am an organized person and I like things to have a place, so I think that helps me get started. What do you do to simplify your life?

Since it's Friday, I encourage you to enjoy your weekend and actually be in the moment. I know I have lots to look forward to (even if it's just a few ticks on the to do list) and I'm grateful for that.

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

Mmmy Journey Begins (and continues...)

I wanted to take some time today for reflection. As my business has grown, I've had time to think about the areas I am most passionate about and thus, where I want to take things in the future. This is both exciting and overwhelming and one of the many 'joys' of being an entrepreneur! As you will see in future posts, I am trying to declutter or minimize things in my life to reduce stress and create more time to pursue my passions.

I know many people in their 20s or 30s (or 40s, 50s, etc.) who aren't sure what they want to do with their life. I sometimes feel this way, although, I think it's more about the journey, because we might never have a clear answer to that question. I'm told that as I young child I asked my mom "what do you want to be when you grow up?" I always thought that was a strange story, because of course, she was my mom and a 'grown-up'. Although, I know many 'grown-ups' who don't know, so perhaps it was a very legitimate question!

 I have met people who have found their 'passion' and seem to be doing exactly what they should be doing for a career; although this is definitely the exception, not the rule. The more time I spend pondering my own passions and goals, the more I learn about myself and the more learning I do in general. As far as I can remember, I've been a competitive, driven person. As with any personality trait, it has its pros and cons. This drive pushes me to be the best me and live the best life I can. My struggle is when I compare my life to other people's lives, or have an unclear definition of what 'best' means for me.

I see comparison all the time in my practice, whether it is about weight, willpower, the media, money, time, etc. With social media, I feel that we also often see people's highlight reels and make assumptions about the people and their lives, when in fact we really don't know their situation. The idea of focusing on our own struggles really came out when I attended the Landmark forum years ago as a Lululemon employee. Many people were overcoming traumatic pasts, but we realized that we all have our own troubles, and if it's a big deal to you, then it's a big deal (again, we can't compare). My big take away was to focus on contentment. Not that I want to be complaisant, but to be in the moment and appreciate all that I have.

I am inspired by quotes, various books, my husband, my family and friends, my clients, and by setting small goals for myself. I will likely always be a work in progress. I will never be perfect, but I will always be me.

I continue to be passionate about mindfulness, moderation, and recently minimalism (hence the mmms). I'll continue to share thoughts and tips relating to those topics, so feel free to comment and join in! For now, enjoy a few of my current favourite quotes and feel free to reflect back!

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

Smart Summer Snacking

As we start August today and celebrate a summer long weekend, I thought I'd put down a few snacking tips. In my experience, people eat differently on weekends compared to during the work week (and that could mean they eat more OR less healthy). The summer can add another challenge as people may head away from home on road trips or to a cabin/cottage or campsite. Each location can have an impact on what and when you're eating and drinking. It's also common for people to have a reduced appetite when the weather gets warmer and of course, even more important that you remember to hydrate yourself.

Yes, summer may mean barbeques and happy hours, but it doesn't have to be all hot dogs, chips, and beer, especially if you're being mindful, enjoying a variety of foods in moderation, and working on new goals/habits. As usual, it starts with a little preparation:

• pack healthy road trip snacks and water bottles
• chop fruit and veggies at home to reduce prep time at the cabin/cottage
• pick up healthy groceries so you have options when you look in the fridge/pantry
• bring snacks to people's homes/lakes so that you know there will at least be one thing healthy to choose from

Timing of intake can also change when you're away from home. Perhaps you stay up later, sleep in longer, and start the day with a large breakfast or brunch. You may not feel like you need a mid-day meal ('lunch'), but you also don't want to be starving and reaching for cheesies before supper.

Snacks can help us get from meal to meal, but they don't have to keep us full all day (I prefer if we avoid fullness and learn to achieve satisfaction anyway); they're meant to help us get important nutrients, hydrate us, keep our energy up, and fill the gaps when meals are far apart. Homemade bars, energy bites/balls, smoothies, muffins, and of course vegetables and fruit are both tasty and can be made/prepped ahead of time.

Lately I've baked a few snack items and have frozen them so that we have lots of variety available and I don't have to turn on the oven when it's really hot and humid out. I try to enjoy seasonal flavours (peaches, nectarines, berries, etc.) which means that the snacks in our house change all year round.

A few that I've tried recently or have been in our routine include:

•  peanut butter banana roll ups (an easy staple)
• strawberry, mango, sorrel smoothie (with sorrel from our CSA: PayDirt Farms)
• saskatoon berry, red river cereal muffins (adapted from Canadian Family; with berries I picked with a friend at our local Berry Barn)
• hemp bars (from my new roots; thanks to a sample box I received from Rocky Mountain Grain Products)
• frozen grapes (great on a hot day)
• chocolate cranberry balls (from elana's pantry; used in an athlete session; great to curb a sweet craving)
• carrots and celery with hummus
• spring rolls with vegetables and chicken or shrimp

 What have you been snacking on this summer?

Enjoy your weekend and make mindful snack choices!

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