Vegetarian Tom Yum Soup

There are few soups as flavourful and satisfying as vegetarian Tom Yum.
 

This version only takes 10 minutes to assemble.

Vegetarian Tom Yum Soup:

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• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce (I use Lee Kum Kee)
•   1 container low-sodium vegetable stock (900 ml)
• 1 can coconut milk (398 ml)
• 1 large red pepper, sliced   
• 1 block firm tofu (350 grams), diced
• 1 + 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame
• 1 bunch green onion, sliced
• Zest of 1 lime
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tsp red curry paste (or to taste)
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped

In a large saucepan, sauté onion with some olive oil on low heat until translucent (about 3 minutes).  Add chili garlic sauce to pan, mixing well with onion.  

Run edamame under hot water, drain and set aside. 

Add the next 9 ingredients to onion mixture: vegetable stock, coconut milk, red pepper, tofu, edamame, green onion, lime zest, lime juice and curry paste.  Mix together.

Add most of chopped basil and coriander (reserving some for topping) and combine.  Allow soup to warm through before serving with lime wedges and a sprinkle of herbs.

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Photos by Trinity Nutrition

The Healing Power of Meditation

Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back

                                                                                               ~ Buddha

Anyone can Meditate
Saturday April 30th
11:00 –12:30 pm

Joyful Land Buddhist Centre

Buddha taught various simple meditation techniques to make the mind spacious, calm and clear. This class is ideal for beginners, offering guided meditations, down-to-earth teachings, questions and answers.

Joyful Land Buddhist Centre

879 Somerset Street West
Ottawa, ON
613-234-4347

$10

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Photo by Trinity Nutrition

Fresh Fruit Salad

Packed with vitamins, minerals, fibre and disease fighting antioxidants, fruit is not only delicious, it's a health powerhouse.

With the growing range of fresh fruit available at local markets and whole food stores, preparing an enticing fruit salad has never been so easy (or yummy!).  

Gather up some of your favourite fruit and try adding a new variety to your repertoire - you will enjoy the change and benefit from a broader range of nutrients (see ideas below).  As spring and summer unfold, look for local, seasonal fruit at its peak of freshness.

I like to add a 1/2 cup of orange juice to my fruit salad to keep the mixture moist and delay oxidization of the fruit.

A fruit with serious attitude, dragon fruit (or Pitaya) is a family favourite.  Reminiscent of kiwi with its dark crunchy seeds embedded in the pulp, dragon fruit is sweet, fleshy and extremely cool with its fiery red skin and green scales.  This exotic fruit has notable amounts of vitamin C, phosphorus and calcium.  It should give slightly when gently squeezed for ripeness.   

Scoring Dragon Fruit

  

To prepare for salad, cut the dragon fruit in half (notice I'm resisting any 'slay the dragon' terminology :0) and score (cut into cubes using a knife) then simply leverage the cubes out with a spoon or your thumb.

Star Fruit

Star fruit (or Carambola) is another sweet - though sometimes tart - eye catching addition.  This waxy, yellow, vitamin C rich fruit, is easy to work with and creates gorgeous 5 point star shapes when sliced.  Simply wash the exterior of the star fruit and thinly slice to reveal stars.  The ribs of the fruit should have lightly browned edges (as pictured above), indicative of ripeness. 

Ground cherries (or Physalis) are similar to small tomatoes enclosed in a papery husk.  They are gorgeous and reminiscent of strawberries in flavour.  These cherries contain a nice array of vitamins and minerals including magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and vitamin C.  They are often used decoratively on fruit plates but ripe ground cherries are very tasty incorporated directly into the salad.  Simply remove cherries from husk and rinse.

Mixed Fruit including Star Fruit and Dragon Fruit

Fresh fruit salad will keep well in the fridge for 5 days and is wonderful for breakfast; lunch boxes and dessert (nature's candy). 

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Photos by Trinity Nutrition

Fishy Business

Why Fish?

Omega-3 fatty acids found principally in cold water fish have been credited with a number of disease-fighting properties.

Fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, krill, anchovies and rainbow trout contain two essential omega-3 fatty acids known as EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). 

Research reveals that regular consumption of these omega-3 fatty acids help guard against heart attack and stroke by reducing blood stickiness and clotting, inflammation and triglyceride levels. These fats have also been shown to protect against irregular heartbeats that can give rise to sudden cardiac death.


A 2006 report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that eating one to two servings of omega-3 rich fish per week is enough to reduce the risk of dying from heart attack by a stunning 36 %.

Our modern diet is overwhelmed with sources of omega-6 fats (principally from vegetable oils: soybean, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, corn and sesame) found in snack foods, cookies, crackers, and sweets and lacking in sources of omega-3 fats. There is compelling evidence that this imbalance is contributing to inflammatory processes in the body which many experts believe is the underlying cause of heart disease.

DHA may also help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and relieve depression and inflammatory disorders beyond heart disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and a host of gastrointestinal diseases. 

Vegetarian Sources of Omega-3s

For individuals who do not eat fish or are allergic to fish, plant-based Omega-3 fatty acids in the form of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) can be found in flaxseed and flaxseed oil, walnuts and canola oil.  (See March 23 post dedicated to flaxseed for ideas on how to incorporate this fat into the diet). 


ALA is also protective of heart health however the evidence in this connection is less compelling than the evidence in relation to EPA/DHA. 


DHA supplements made from algae are also available.

Enjoy our Oregano chili rubbed salmon

Lemon Yogurt Poppy Seed Loaf

The ingredients in this protein-rich lemon loaf elevate it beyond its cake origins without sacrificing flavour. 


This recipe will make one loaf and six muffins


Lemon Yogurt Poppy Seed Loaf:

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• Grated rind of one lemon
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp poppy seed
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Combine first eight ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well.

In a separate medium sized bowl, combine: flour, sugar, poppy seed, baking soda and baking powder.  Add dry ingredients to wet mixing just until combined.  

Fill six muffin cups 3/4 full with batter and pour remaining batter into a 9 x 5 gently oiled loaf pan.  Place muffins and loaf on upper rack in oven, baking for 30 minutes.  Remove muffins from oven after 30 minutes and loosely tent loaf with aluminum foil (to prevent over-browning).  Return loaf to oven for another 15 minutes.  Turn oven off and allow tented loaf to sit in oven for another 10 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

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Photo by Trinity Nutrition

CHOCOLATE Clusters

These hugely yummy treats are made from health-building nuts, seeds, nutrient-rich fruit and dark chocolate

Chocolate Clusters

To make these little delectables, you will need:

• 350 grams 75% dark chocolate
• About 2 cups (or more) assorted nuts, such as: walnuts, almonds, cashews, macadamia, pecans, hazelnut, etc.
• 1/4 cup assorted seeds, such as: pumpkin, sesame, flaxseed, chia, etc.
• 1/2 cup assorted dried fruit, such as: unsweetened sliced apricot, cherry, cranberry, blueberry, etc.
  

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Break up chocolate into large pieces.  Place chocolate pieces in a small sturdy pot on the stove and set heat to lowest setting.  Allow chocolate to melt slowly and fully stirring to help it along.  Gradually add nuts, seeds and dried fruit to pot reserving about 1/4 portion from each selection for topping.  

Thoroughly mix nuts, seeds and fruit together with chocolate adding more to achieve desired thickness.  Remove pot from heat.

Meanwhile, cover a tray (or two) with plastic wrap.  Using a baking spoon, scoop out chocolate clusters by tablespoon full dropping them onto the waxed sheet

Use remaining nuts, seeds and fruit to sprinkle on top of clusters while they are still warm and sticky.  Repeat with a second tray if needed.

Place trays in fridge for approximately 20 minutes to allow clusters to cool and set.

Store in a sealed container in fridge (or freeze).  These clusters should not be left out at room temperature for long.

Makes about 4 dozen chocolate clusters.

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Tip: Chocolate is finicky.  If it comes into contact with even the smallest amount of water, it will seize.   Make sure that the pot and spoon you are using are fully dry and that you heat at the lowest setting possible. 

Photos by Trinity Nutrition

Royal Ottawa Information Series

Social workers at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre are offering information and support to family and friends of individuals living with mental illness. These sessions are free of charge.

The sessions typically run on consecutive Mondays and deal with topics such as: symptoms; how to offer support; assessing suicidal risk; the Mental Health Act; the hospital system; self care and community resources.

Upcoming Education Series:

Mood Disorders

Start Date: May 2nd, 2011 (Running 4 consecutive Mondays except holidays)

Location: Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre - Room 1200 

Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

To register and for further information, please call: Donna Horner, MSW 722-6521 ext 6421 or Amanda Telford, MSW 722-6521 ext 6442