Don't Plan to Fail: Tips for Preparing, Storing and Eating Vegetables

Don't Plan to Fail: Tips for Preparing, Storing and Eating Vegetables

Sarah Shoemaker
Tips and Tricks, Nutrition, A Good Life

Eating a diet low in processed foods and high in whole foods is pretty basic and common knowledge.

Easier said than done, I know. If it was easy 61% of Canadians would not be obese or overweight, 2.3 million people would not have Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease would not effect 1 in 12 adults in Canada.

But, it does. I find that in my own personal life, if I don’t roughly plan what I will be eating throughout the week, I eat badly. Then I feel worse and there goes the cycle!

So here are a few tips that may take some time up front but totally worth it in the long run. You will be less frustrated, less stressed and you will be fuelling your body properly for the day to day stresses.

Beets: Not Just Your Gramma's Vegetable

Beets: Not Just Your Gramma's Vegetable

Sarah Shoemaker
Nutrition, Recipes, Yum

All the vegetables are so delicious now its easy to have a plant based diet!

Eating what is in season is important to not only our bodies, but our carbon foot print and our local farmers. Can’t say this enough: SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FARMERS!!

Beets are one of those vegetables that are so underrated. They just don’t get enough credit.

There are so many different varieties ranging from a run of the mill deep red beet to golden or to a pretty marbled bullseye colour, they are all tasty! And make for an interesting salad when combined together.

When they are small and in the earlier part of their season there is no reason to cook them.

When they are young and tender, eat these guys raw maintaining all of their nutrients.

Shredded Beet and Carrot Salad with Avocado and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Shredded Beet and Carrot Salad with Avocado and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Sarah Shoemaker
Recipes, Raw, Vegetarian, Yum

Here is a non recipe recipe!! For a fantastic raw salad of beets and carrots.

  • Roast your pumpkin seeds. Tip: roast more than you actually need for this dish and save in a jar in the fridge for later use. Having roasted nuts/seeds on hand ready to go will help you when time is tight and you need to throw a meal together. It’s one less step!

  • Depending on how many people you are feeding grate on a box grater 2-4 beets and 2-4 carrots. Yes beets can stain your fingers but it fades quickly not too worry.

  • In a jar add the juice and zest of a lime, season with salt and add enough good quality olive oil to make a 1:3 ratio of lime juice and oil, shake until combined. Option: add a few red pepper flakes for some added heat if you like, the sweetness of the root vegetables and the heat of the pepper flakes go well together.

Gotcha Foods: "Health Foods" that Aren't Healthy!

Gotcha Foods: "Health Foods" that Aren't Healthy!

Sarah Shoemaker
Mis-information, Nutrition, Education

A trip down the “health food” aisle can be unwittingly unhealthy, if not equipped with a bit of knowledge.

All health food is not created equal! Just because the label says so doesn't mean it is.

In 2016 the health food industry was $707.12 Billion dollars and it is predicted to be $811.82 Billion by 2021! That’s a lot of kale chips!!

But not all of the foods sold as health is good for you.

The Elements of a Perfect Salad

The Elements of a Perfect Salad

Sarah Shoemaker
Tips and Tricks, Nutrition, Yum

I truly enjoy a well constructed salad that I didn’t have to make, the reason being is it takes some work and is usually chalked up to “its just a salad.”

But, if you are just a little bit organized you can build a fantastic salad. It can be an entire meal thats satisfying and not boring!!

I see a salad as having two components: Taste and Texture

FYI: USA Dairy is Being Sold In Canadian Markets

FYI: USA Dairy is Being Sold In Canadian Markets

Sarah Shoemaker
Education, Mis-information, Nutrition

I know we are all busy and we can’t be on top of everything all the time. That’s the very business model “health food” companies use to get away with selling crap in the name of health food, a huge pet peeve of mine.

Don’t fear that’s why I am here!

I apologize to those who don’t consume dairy, but this is important to know and its not the most exciting topic but impacts your health.

So the USMCA deal was put into effect July 1, 2020. It’s a trade deal between US, Mexico and US. Why is this important to nutrition?

Well, part of the deal allows US dairy farmers greater access to the Canadian market, about 3.5% off Canada’s domestic dairy market.

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