Let them eat soup
(NC) – A warm woolly sweater, a blizzard sweeping the streets, and a good movie. Nothing sets up the atmosphere better for comfort food than that. The definition of comfort food varies from person to person, however. To some, this may mean a steamy bowl of soup, chilli or porridge. To others, this may mean a steamy bowl of poutine.
“There are plenty of options to make your comfort food healthy,” says Carol Dombrow, Heart and Stroke Foundation registered dietitian. “One of the best options is experimenting with different soups. They come in a variety of tastes, colours and textures,” she adds.
Soups are also a perfect opportunity to include a variety of vegetables and get your liquids for the day. Whether it is lentil soup, roasted red pepper soup or low-sodium chicken noodle soup, each brings health benefits in its cup of hot comfort.
For instance, a home-made tomato soup is a great source of vitamin C, while a cup of spinach lentil soup is a powerhouse of nutrients, such as vitamin C, iron and fibre. A roasted red pepper soup is not only delicious, but also provides the body with vitamin A.
But whether soup will become your comfort food of choice or not, Carol stresses that there is always a way of making your bowl a bit healthier.
Follow Carol’s tips to make the most of your comfort foods:
- Try a new soup recipe each week. Recipes can be found at healthcheck.org.
- Lentil soup is a great source of fibre. It is easy to prepare and cooks quickly. Try it out.
- For your next batch of macaroni and cheese, consider lower-fat cheese and whole wheat pasta, and include some veggies for colour and flavour.
- When making a cream-based soup, use a lower-fat alternative, such as lower-fat milk.
- Soups are a great way of incorporating your daily vegetable servings into your diet.
- When making chilli or spaghetti sauce, use lower-sodium tomato sauce or no added salt canned tomatoes and extra lean beef or ground turkey.
- Make sure that you always have your daily serving of fruits or vegetables. This may mean a side salad to your main dish or a low-fat fruit smoothie for a beverage.
More recipe ideas are available online at healthcheck.org. The free Health Check Recipe Helper app – available in English or French – can be downloaded at the Apple, Android, and BlackBerry app stores or at www.heartandstroke.ca/mobileapps
Posted: Jan. 27, 2012 Under: Life Essentials Permanent Link to this Article
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Feb 1 2012 Library Fine Increase
Library fines for the late return of borrowed materials will be increased from .20 cents to .25 cents a day, effective February 1st, 2012. The maximum fine rate for all materials will also be increased from $5.00 to $7.00 per item, effective February 1, 2012.
For your convenience, library return drop slots are available on 24-hour basis at both the Acton and Georgetown branches. In addition, library materials can be easily renewed through the website or over the phone.
For more information on borrowing terms and renewing materials, please visit the library website at www.hhpl.on.ca
Posted: Jan. 26, 2012 Under: Halton Region Permanent Link to this Article
Dinner in a hurry
(NC) – Whether you are arriving home late from work or jetting out to pick the kids up from hockey practice, preparing weeknight meals is often a race against the clock. Cooking quick and easy meals doesn’t have to mean compromising on taste or variety. The key to surviving the dinner hour on busy weeknights is stocking your pantry with a few simple ingredients and frozen entrées that will excite your palate.
For a five ingredient meal that can be prepped, baked and on the table in 20 minutes consider the recipe for steamed cod with gingered tomatoes below. Offering an array of Asian-inspired flavours, this dish looks and tastes complex but takes just five minutes to prep before it’s in the oven.
Steamed Cod with Gingered Tomatoes
Serves: 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
- Pam Original cooking spray
- 4 × 6 oz (175 gr) cod fillets, boneless
- 2 cups (500 mL) grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 1 cup (250 mL) VH Sweet & Sour Sauce
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh cilantro or basil, coarsely chopped
- 4 tsp (20 mL) fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- Preheat oven to 375˚F (190˚F); spray 4 large sheets of foil with cooking spray (foil should be large enough to hold 1 piece of fish).
- On the middle of each piece of foil place 1/2 cup (125 mL) tomatoes, 1 tsp (5 mL) ginger, 1 piece of fish and cover with 1/4 cup (60 mL) of sweet & sour sauce. Sprinkle each fillet with 1 tbsp (15 mL) cilantro.
- Close up foil packages and cook in oven on lowest rack until fish is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Have to be out the door in less than 10 minutes? Forgo the bowl of cereal and reach for one of VH Steamers’ Kung Pao Chicken frozen entrees instead. Jam-packed with crisp vegetables and Asian-inspired flavours, this dish can be prepped in less than five minutes and delivers all the flavour of a home-cooked meal.
Additional recipe ideas are available online at www.vhsauces.ca.
Posted: Jan. 25, 2012 Under: Life Essentials Permanent Link to this Article
