Shavone Doherty

New Year’s resolutions are acts of self-improvement, many of which are geared towards diet, health, and weight loss. Unfortunately, the failure to follow through usually stems from setting unrealistic goals. This year, avoid this pitfall and stay accountable to yourself by following these healthy weight loss tips.

Bone broth is a traditional meat stock that is gaining popularity as a method of food preparation – and for good reason, too! Our current broth alternatives are laden with flavour enhancers, sodium, sugar, and genetically modified foods.

Most commercially available products are dehydrated bouillon powder, cubes, and shelf-stable broths. Hundreds of products line our grocery store shelves and the only way to decipher them is to read the labels.

Here are the ingredients from an unnamed brand of bouillon cube:

Soaking and sprouting pulses at home doesn’t sound like a festive time, but the 68th United Nations (UN) General Assembly actually declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses. Is that a celebration of your racing heart at the thought of sprouting at home? No! In this case, pulses are something else entirely—but you might still feel some excitement about them!

Back to school is officially on! The start of the school year is a great time to increase essential fatty acids (EFAs) in the diet. Why?

EFAs are core building blocks that allow your body to function. Your body cannot synthesize essential fats and need to be a part of the daily diet. EFAs produce hormones and regulate the nervous system. Help your kids get the most out of school by supporting their mind, memory, and mood. One great (and easy) way to get essential fats into your kids is nut/seed butters! 

The Canadian growing season is short and sweet. Berries are a beloved part of its bountiful harvest with over 200 species of berries that range in taste, colour, and nutritional value.

Take advantage of the fresh selection of berries available this summer! They make a great addition to the diet, being low in sugar and high in antioxidant properties that help support the immune system, vessel health, and more!

Summer is finally here! June 21st marks the summer solstice and it looks like the nice weather is here to stay. Kids are officially finished school and are craving cooling snacks in the heat of the summer.

Are you a self proclaimed pesto lover? Are you tired of spending a pretty penny on a small container of shelf-stable pesto?

If you haven’t made pesto before fear not, it couldn’t be simpler to prepare.

Pesto is an amazingly nutritious and versatile way to elevate any dish you make. Traditionally pesto is made up of a few different ingredients: basil, pine nuts, oil, garlic, salt, and Parmesan cheese. It is a staple that will help you out in the kitchen time and time again. Prepare in advance for quick and simple meals.

Spring is a time of renewal and rebirth. Traditionally it is seen as a time to clean up, re-organize and start fresh. As the re-growth of bulbs and perennial plants start to revive, so should you. Take this time to clean out your pantry and prepare for the growing season.

Take stock of your pantry

Very soon, locally grown and harvested spring vegetables will be available for purchase. Two of my favourite vegetables are asparagus and garlic scapes. They are delicious, extremely nutritious and can star in any dish in a variety of ways. Begin by rinsing and chopping off the woody ends then sautéing in a hot skillet with butter and seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper. For a quick snack, garnish with toasted almonds or incorporate them into a more elaborate dish. 

Rhubarb is an edible herbaceous perennial plant. Although it is considered a vegetable it is often prepared like fruit. It produces large leaves that appear triangular with long fleshy stalks, often very easy to spot in the yard or garden. Be warned! The ingestion of rhubarb leaves can cause oxalic acid poisoning.

Rhubarb is one of the first crops to harvest during the growing season. Its tart-like qualities make it very versatile to cook with and often stars in both sweet and savory dishes. Below are two recipes to satisfy both! Enjoy some of the first tastes of spring! 

Weeds can have a negative connotation in nature, considered to be invasive, over-run and under valued. Despite the quantity of wild weeds that can be cultivated each year, it is not commonly practiced.

There is a social stigma associated with them and in recent years the basic understanding of their benefits, uses, and applications have been lost. Even for those who recognize the importance of them often purchase them as bulk dried herbs not realizing they can be found in their back yard!