Image source: fatsmack.org

It’s that time of year when sunshine and warm weather beckons.  But for students, the thrill of summer vacation comes only after the hurdle of final exams has been cleared. If you’re like most, then studying usually means long hours, late nights, and a bunch of sugary junk foods and “energy” drinks to get you through the crunch. Don’t do it. – It turns out that all that sugar just might make you stupid! That’s the last thing you need as you head into those exams.

Some interesting research that was published this week gave new evidence of what happens to your brain after only six weeks on a steady diet of sugary drinks. In summarizing their findings, the researchers said:

“Our findings illustrate that what you eat affects how you think.”

“Eating a high-fructose diet over the long term alters your brain’s ability to learn and remember information.”

Sorry, but undoing your brain’s ability to learn by feeding it sugar just isn’t a smart academic strategy!

High-fructose corn syrup is an inexpensive sweetener that has been referred to as a “hallmark of low quality food.”  It’s what you find most often in sugary drinks, processed foods and condiments; added as a sweetener and preservative. If you read the labels you’ll find it lurking in all the items in those vending machines up there!

So, what’s a better strategy for keeping those neurons firing to retain all that calculus and world history you’re cramming? When it comes to snack breaks, stick to real food! If you’re pulling a study marathon, fuel your body and your mind with nutrient rich snacks that will keep your brain sharp and your waistline in check too!

Here are a few easy and healthy snack tips:

• Steer clear of pop, juice and “energy” drinks.  Drink water to stay hydrated! This is also a huge boost to brain power and a tip to avoid fatigue. Flavour it with a squeeze of fresh orange or lemon and a bit of honey if you just can’t handle it plain
• Brew your own tea or coffee, and make your own iced tea to take along.  Even if you sweeten it yourself, there’s no way you’re likely to add the 14 teaspoons you might find in a bottle of the commercial stuff!
• Apples make great portable snacks.  Pair them up with a handful of nuts or a piece of cheese for some staying power. Walnuts contain valuable omega-3 fatty acids, which were found to help reverse some of that sugar-induced haze in the research!
• Pack a bag of trail mix by combining dried fruit, nuts and whole grain cereal bits.  You can even throw in a bit of dark chocolate for a boost.
• If you’re studying at home, mix up a parfait at break time using greek yogurt and fresh or frozen berries.
• If it’s crunch you’re craving, pop up some popcorn yourself – just go easy on the butter topping and salt.
• Make up a rainbow platter of cut up veggies and fresh fruit.  If you’re the type that needs to munch nonstop as you work, at least you can feel good about crunching through all those healthy foods!!

Study hard and snack smart.  Summer’s just around the corner!

If you’d like to book Janet as a speaker for an entertaining interactive workshop with your group or organization,  click here. 

Are you trying to eat more fresh, local organic produce?  Last week I wrote about being part of a CSA as a fabulous way to support a local farmer.  Well if that doesn’t work for you, another idea is is to sign up for weekly box of fresh, local organic food delivered right to your door!

I had a wonderful visit last week with Ran Goel, the co-founder of Fresh City Farms.  Fresh City operates as an urban organic farm. They have a plot of land and a large greenhouse at Downsview Park, and their member farmers also farm in a variety of locations around the Greater Toronto Area. Their mission is to “create and perfect new ways to connect food makers and eaters.”

In addition to growing fresh organic food right in the city, Fresh City also partners with a number of local artisans and food producers and offers their products in the weekly boxes, markets and through their online store.  I love the fact that their mission also includes education. In their weekly Vegitales they provide information and recipes to help solve the mystery of “what is that and what should I do with it?”  They also provide hands-on workshops to encourage people to get growing on their own. How healthy is that?

I was thrilled to be asked to write a short piece for Fresh City’s weekly newsletter. Of course I called it “There’s A Rainbow In Your Fresh City Box!”  I shared a bit of my philosophy about eating a rainbow, and gave my perspective on how you can use your weekly box to help you and your family really connect with healthy food.

Take a look at Fresh City and to consider getting a weekly box if you think this model will work for you. The bottom line is that we are working towards the same goal: helping you and your family to eat fabulous real food, and making our world a healthier place.  Now isn’t that a fresh idea!

If you’d like to book Janet as a speaker for an entertaining interactive workshop with your group or organization,  click here.

Now that’s what I call a Rainbow Plate!   That gorgeous rainbow chard was cultivated by the caring and talented hands of my friend Daniel Hoffman.  He and his team grew it organically on his local farm, The Cutting Veg.

If you’ve made a commitment to make healthier choices for yourself, your family and our lovely planet, one of the easiest ways to act on that commitment is to get involved in a CSA program. Daniel’s is one of many in the Greater Toronto Area, and it happens to be the one I know best through personal experience. If you’re not familiar with it, CSA stands for “Community Supported Agriculture.” It’s a way to provide your family with fresh, locally-grown organic produce every week, while supporting a local farm and your community.

When you sign up for a CSA you’re essentially “buying a piece of the farm!” You pay the farmer at the beginning of the growing season and then get a share of the harvest every week, from May until October. You choose your share size based on the needs of your family and then pick up your lovely fresh, organic produce every week at a designated location. It’s simple, its a way to support the local economy and a sustainable food system, and most of all. . . it’s a way to guarantee you’ll be eating beautiful, delicious veggies every week!

An added bonus of being part of a CSA is the chance to connect with others who care about their health and care about our earth. Each week when you pick up your share you’ll get to chat with people who helped to grow those lovely veggies and you’ll meet other like-minded folks who are participating just like you. It’s a wonderful way to help your kids to connect with healthy food as well. I remember the first time I picked up my share from Daniel, there was a woman greeting all the members dressed up like a carrot!

There are similarities and differences among the many CSA programs available in and around Toronto, and I encourage you to pick the program that best fits your needs. One thing that stood out for me about The Cutting Veg was their commitment to giving back to the community. Each week they donate remaining food to those in the community who are in need of nutritious food. That’s healthy too!

For more information on The Cutting Veg and their CSA program click on this link or contact Daniel Hoffman at daniel@thecuttingveg.com

Be sure to say hi from me!

As Daniel always says, “keep livin’ on the veg!”

If you’d like to book Janet as a speaker for an entertaining interactive workshop with your group or organization,  click here. 

I’m sure you heard that phrase over and over while you were growing up. There are many variations on that theme: You might have been told to eat something because: “…it will make you big and strong” “…it will give you lots of energy” or even, “…it has lots of vitamins and minerals.” Can you think of any more?

Ok, confession time. Have you ever caught yourself repeating those age-old phrases to your own kids? I remember the first time I heard myself echoing lines that I’d heard from my parents. It was a real eye-opener!

Next question: How many times has hearing that something is good for you really motivated you to eat it??  Be honest.  My point is that, when you really think about it, the health properties of a particular food are not what truly drives most of us to choose what we eat. Do you really care how much folate or fibre there is in that spinach salad? We eat foods because they look appealing and taste delicious! News flash: this is the strategy you should focus on with your children!

Stop telling your kids all the reasons why they should eat their broccoli or carrots, and just make food that is simple, tasty and appealing. If food looks and tastes good, everyone will be likely to eat it because they want to! To seal the deal, get your kids involved in the process. Encourage them to come with you to pick out some lovely, fresh vegetables at the market. Focus on their vibrant colours, interesting shapes, or crazy textures. Then spend a few minutes together turning those veggies into a simple colourful salad. When things look and taste that good, there won’t be any sales pitch required!  Give it a try and let me know how it turns out!

Here’s a simple salad that is a staple in our house:

Simple Spring Salad

• Use whatever fresh and colourful vegetables you have on hand! I used a cucumber, a tomato, a kohlrabi, and a few fresh radishes
• Dice all veggies into roughly equal sized pieces and place in a large bowl.
• Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over everything (I never measure – about a tablespoon or two.)
• Drizzle with good quality extra virgin olive oil. (about a tablespoon or two)
• Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.
• Finish with chopped fresh herbs (I used Italian parsley) and toss everything together.
• Enjoy!

We eat this salad in some form or other several times a week.  It has a fresh taste, vibrant colour and lots of crunch! Just use whatever vegetables look lovely at the market, or whatever you have on hand. The more you mix things up, the greater variety of tastes you will expose your kids to, and that’s healthy too!

If you’d like to book Janet as a speaker for an entertaining interactive workshop with your group or organization,  click here. 

Image source: Raising Arizona Kids

Many parents tell me that getting their children to eat vegetables is their biggest challenge when it comes to raising healthy eaters.  It doesn’t have to be!

With the best of intentions, parents often resort to tactics that can backfire and turn mealtime into battle time.  I’ve written before about why “pushing” your kids to eat veggies or other foods isn’t a good idea.  Going on and on about how healthy vegetables are doesn’t work either.  Think about it: does hearing that something is “good for you” really make you want to eat it?  Kids can smell a “sales pitch” a mile away, and we all tend to be wary of overbearing advertising campaigns!

Bribing kids with dessert if they eat their broccoli isn’t a good strategy either.  Research shows that it tends to decrease the desirability of that broccoli over time, and it increases the value of dessert in your children’s eyes.  Do you really want that?

So what does work when it comes to getting those veggies into your kids?  I was lucky enough to participate in a wonderful Twitter party last week. It was sponsored by Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, and hosted by Kia Robertson. The focus was on getting your kids to try veggies, and a lot of the great tips are summarized here on Nour’s wonderful website.  If you ask me, it all comes down to one word: EXPOSURE!

It’s kind of a “chicken and egg” thing.  Kids eat what they like, and they like what they know!  If you list the foods your kids like best, those are probably the foods that they eat the most frequently.  But, which came first??  Are your kids eating chicken nuggets 5 times a week because that’s all they like, or have you resorted to serving them over and over because you know you won’t get a struggle? Think about it!

The best way to make a whole variety of vegetables popular is to expose your kids to them often! The earlier you start the better, but just pick up wherever you’re currently at and it will happen.  Don’t limit veggies to dinner time.  Offer them as part of every snack, lunch and even breakfast too!  The more times they are on offer, the more chances they have to get eaten.  The research says that it takes 15 tries for most kids to accept a new food, and it can take as many as 20 or even 30 tries for some children.  You’ve got to stick with it!

The key is for those exposures to be neutral!  Don’t get emotional if your child says they don’t like a particular food.  Ask that refusals are done politely, and say “ok.”  Just keep exposing your child to that food over and over again. You’ll be amazed at how patience and perseverance will pay off in the long run.  Your child’s curiosity will eventually kick in, especially if everyone else at the table is eating that vegetable.

As with most parenting challenges, keep focused on your long term goal. You don’t just want your kids to eat those veggies, you want them to like them! There’s a big difference!

Here are a few other tips for making those veggies more popular:

• Vary the way you prepare and serve them to provide variety in taste and texture: veggies can be eaten whole, sliced, diced, shredded, raw, steamed, baked, roasted, pureed, stir-fried… the possibilities are endless!
• Throw a little fun into the mix -let your kids “paint” with a raw asparagus spear and some dip, make veggie “pictures” on the plate, or create a rainbow plate of colourful kabobs.
• Make those vegetables appealing to look at and to eat! Some of us still have nightmares from mushy, brownish-green tasteless stuff we had to eat when we were kids!
• Let your kids help pick out veggies at the grocery store or farmer’s market, and they’ll be more likely to try them.
• Get growing! Plant a veggie garden or start with one small plant to help your kids connect with their food. Kids will eat what they’ve helped to grow!
• Smile when you eat your vegetables! Research shows that your response to food is a huge influence on your children!

If you’d like to book Janet as a speaker for an entertaining interactive workshop with your group or organization,  click here. 

I know what you’re thinking:  The secret weapon is a dog??  Those of you who know me will recognize my sweet dog Gus in the photo above.  And while there’s a ton of evidence that says that dog owners are healthier in so many ways, that isn’t the point I’m making here.  No, your secret weapon in the battle of the bulge is . . . sleep!!

Losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight can be a struggle, so it’s good to do whatever you can to stack the deck in your favour.  Without getting into all of the obvious points about watching how much you eat and getting moving, it turns out that curling up and regularly getting enough sleep can really make a difference to your efforts.  It’s kind of like a bonus to think that getting all cozy and snoozing, like Gus up there, can be just as important as all those healthy foods and exercise!

A recent study has added to the evidence in favour of getting enough shut eye.  The researchers stated that:

“…changes associated with reduced sleep apparently affect brain regions known to be linked to motivation and desire and may indicate an increased propensity to seek food in individuals who are not getting enough sleep.”

In other words, being sleep-deprived can make you more likely to give in to cravings, and more likely to overeat.  If you’ve ever found yourself snacking all day and craving carbs after a sleepless night, you weren’t imagining it.  The study showed a direct link between sleep and brain activity that fuels appetite and our response to food signals.

Resisting that piece of chocolate cake is hard enough.  Knowing that you can do something to help your brain respond in a way that supports your efforts is simply good news. The research suggests aiming for at least 8 hours of sleep every night. If that’s a big leap from your current routine then start with where you’re at and try to increase it from there.  Every bit helps.

So, tonight as the clock ticks, try to wind up your activities and head off to bed a bit earlier. You’ll be doing your body good.

Sweet dreams!

If you’d like to book Janet as a speaker for an entertaining interactive workshop with your group or organization,  click here. 

Yes, I said beg!!

Let’s face it, aren’t you tired of being the one begging the kids to eat their veggies? (And you know why you shouldn’t be doing that -right?)

When it comes right down to it, there’s a big difference between getting the gang to eat vegetables, and getting them to like vegetables! You can resort to all kinds of tricks that will result in those veggies being choked down (rewards, bribes, coercion… even enlisting the family dog!), but in the long term you have to remember what you’re working towards.

Healthy eating will happen if those healthy foods are readily available, lovely to look at, and delicious to eat. It’s really that simple!

So, rather than scheming and plotting how you’re going to entice the gang at dinner time, spend a few minutes throwing together this incredibly simple, healthy and delicious dish and let the veggies take care of the rest. Honestly, whenever I make this it rarely makes it to the table. Everyone hovers over the pan as it comes out of the oven and devours it as soon as it’s cool enough to eat! If you don’t believe me, make it tonight and see for yourself!  It’s so easy, it almost doesn’t even qualify as a recipe.

Roasted Cauliflower

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Wash 1 head of cauliflower, trim and chop or break into bite-sized florets or pieces of equal size.

Dump the cauliflower in a large bowl.

Drizzle with olive oil (a few good glugs) and toss until it’s all coated lightly.

Sprinkle liberally with curry powder and toss together.

Season with a bit of salt and pepper, to taste.

Place the cauliflower in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake for about 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned, then turn and bake for about the same amount of time again.  Watch to see that it doesn’t burn – you just want it toasty!

See how long it lasts!

P.S. Don’t be afraid to try this with other veggies. Roasting is a simple way to make just about any vegetable pure heaven.  Just be sure to watch the temperature and roasting time, because softer veggies will need less time and  a lower temp.)

Let me know what you think!

If you’d like to book Janet as a speaker for an entertaining interactive workshop with your group or organization,  click here. 

Even better than spending a ton of cash on some store-bought processed treats, why not impress your sweetheart by spending a bit of your time to make something special yourself?  I’m making this dish as a first course for tonight’s dinner.  It’s sweet, red, heart-shaped, delicious, and simple to make.  As a bonus, it doesn’t cost much and it’s healthy too!!

Beets are low in calories and they pack a lot of nutrients into those sweet red packages! They contain fibre, folate (essential for forming new cells), and  compounds called betanins which are believed to help keep your immune system functioning well.  They can be eaten raw, boiled, pickled, steamed or any way you like.  I’ve always loved roasting beets because it’s super easy, and it really brings out their sweet, earthy flavour.  I chose red beets for this recipe because it’s Valentine’s Day, but be sure to try the different varieties you can find at your local market.  They come in a whole rainbow of hues, including candy-cane striped!

Heart Beet Salad For Valentine’s Day

3 large or 4 medium beets, stems trimmed and scrubbed
extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon orange juice concentrate
1 teaspoon good quality balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

fresh goat cheese
walnut pieces (toast them for even more flavour!)
fresh mint (or whatever herbs you have on hand – basil works well)

• Pierce each beet with a knife, place on tinfoil and drizzle with olive oil.
• Wrap in foil to make a package, and roast in preheated oven at 375 degrees for about one hour.  (Check at about 45 minutes – if they are tender when you poke them, they’re done!)
• Let beets cool in foil.  Slice off remaining root and stem ends and peel.  (The skin should slip off easily).
• If you want to be fancy, carve each beet to resemble a heart, then slice.  If not, then just slice them into rounds – they’ll look just fine!
• Arrange beet slices on serving dish.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice concentrate, balsamic and mustard.  Whisk in approximately 2 tablespoons of olive oil, until well blended.
• Crumble the goat cheese and scatter the walnut pieces over the beets.  Drizzle with the dressing and top with torn herbs.
• Finish with a salt and pepper to taste.

Now won’t that make your loved one’s heart beet a little faster?

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Janet

If you’d like to book Janet as a speaker for an entertaining interactive workshop with your group or organization,  click here. 

Pushing your kids to eat even “just one more bite” isn’t a good idea; even though your intentions are good.  If your goal is to raise a healthy eater then one of the most important things you can do is to help your child recognize and respond to his body’s cues for hunger and fullness.  When you push your child to eat more you’re essentially telling him to override the signals from his body. That sends a message that he should look to outside cues to decide how much to eat and when to stop eating.

A recent study added some evidence to this argument.  It found that toddlers whose parents were bossy at the table were more likely to be overweight.  There’s still a lot more research to be done in this area, but these findings do reinforce an important message. Parents need to back off and let kids decide for themselves when they are hungry and when they’ve had enough.  If you structure your family’s eating around a predictable schedule of regular meals and snacks then your child knows he can come to the table to eat again soon.  Perhaps he’ll be hungry then.

So, the next time your child says “I’ve had enough!”  respect his decision.  You’ll be taking one more step towards raising a healthy eater and you’ll find that meal and snack time will be more pleasant for both of you!

If you’d like to book Janet as a speaker for an entertaining interactive workshop with your group or organization,  click here. 

Make sure you pop over here to get the full details about those healthy snacks.  That 7 minutes flew by so quickly, we didn’t have time to talk about all of it!

If you did catch the segment, you noticed that we chatted about my favourite dish to make for a Super Bowl party: chili!  It’s hearty enough to please all those football fans, perfect for making ahead of time, and it won’t break your party budget.  Even better, if you play it right, you can make it “super” healthy if you go easy on the meat and load it up with a ton of fibre-rich beans and colourful veggies!  If you really want your end zone to thank you, then go lightly on the sour cream and cheese toppings. Sub in lower fat versions or even greek yogurt and some chopped cilantro!  Tons of flavour, and much less fat!

Here’s my recipe:

Super Bowl Rainbow Chili

2 T olive or canola oil
1 lb extra lean ground beef or ground turkey (omit for a vegetarian chili!)
1-2 onions, chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 medium sweet potato, diced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped

2 T chili powder
1 T ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
pinch of cinnamon

1 large can diced tomatoes (no salt added)
1 large can ground tomatoes (no salt added)
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can whole kernel corn or 1 cup frozen corn

Heat oil in a large heavy pan on medium heat.
Sauté onions & garlic in oil for 2-3 minutes, then add ground beef and sauté until browned.  Drain off all fat from pan.
Add peppers , celery and sweet potato to pan and cook for a few minutes, then add chili powder, cumin and oregano.  Stir until everything is combined and fragrant; about 2 minutes.

Add the ground tomatoes and diced tomatoes with their juice
Add the drained and rinsed beans.

Cover pan and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Add a bit of water if it is too dry.

Add the corn.

Simmer for a few more minutes or as long as you have (longer is better!) and taste.
Adjust seasonings:  add more spices, a pinch of sugar, hot pepper sauce or whatever you like.

Finish by adding 1-2 oz dark chocolate – melt and stir into sauce.

Enjoy!

 If you’d like to book Janet as a speaker for an entertaining interactive workshop with your group or organization,  click here.