The key to living life to its fullest is to optimize your opportunities for health across the lifespan.

Healthy aging is a lifelong process of optimizing your opportunities for improving and preserving your health. But, with diseases affecting children and seniors and many of these having their origins in early childhood, it’s important to find healthy living strategies that are best for you and your family. In this section, we offer health, nutrition and wellness tips for men, women, and children, as well as for those who are 50+.    

Exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle and achieving or maintaining a healthy weight. 

Exercise can reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, diabetes and hypertension; it can also help alleviate arthritis, improve balance and symptoms of depression, and help you get a good night’s sleep.

Exercise can be as easy as walking, biking or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. We need at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week to build muscle and bone strength and promote psychological well-being. 

It’s never too late to start an exercise routine. Do you prefer structured or unstructured activities? Find out by clicking on What’s Best for You  in the grey tool box. Once you have decided upon a routine, make it easy to prepare your mind and succeed by choosing among the titles in our Getting Motivated  section. Learning to train your heart rate and stay safe is also an important component to your workout. Be sure to click on the Training  section for more tools and tips.

Choosing nutritious food and paying attention to fat, sugar and sodium content will go a long way in protecting your heart health. 

Your heart is the most functional organ in your body. Keeping your heart healthy should be a priority for all Canadians. Heart disease is the number one killer of Canadians but it can be prevented and/or effectively treated by maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly and eating well. In this section you will find articles on how to reduce your cholesterol levels, add fibre to your diet, become salt savvy, lower your blood sugar level, and maintain a healthy heart. Choose your heart health topic by clicking on a title in the grey tool box to the right.

It’s not enough that the food you put on your table is delicious – it needs to be nutritious, too.

What can be more satisfying than food, whether it is enjoying a meal with family and friends, searching for the perfect recipe, or learning about a hot topic on health and nutrition? In this section we have compiled a number of tips and resources and organized them into subtopics to help you search quickly and easily for the nutrition information you desire.

Click on our Nutritional Fact Sheets developed by registered dieticians to find the latest information about healthy snacks, nutrition, exercise, heart health, diabetes and more! You can download a copy of the Fact Sheets or order printed copies free for teaching, counseling or clinical use. 

Go to Nutrition Info to read about the great debate on white meat vs. dark meat, tips for making better food choices, or frequently asked questions about nutrition labels.

Eating for Health is not a diet. It’s a lifestyle. The articles through this link offer tips about how to eat smart and maximize your energy when you are active.

The Shopping for Health link contains information on how to introduce more locally-grown, seasonal food into your diet; read labels and select cuts of chicken best suited for a meal; stock your freezer and pantry to make handy, healthy meals.  

Planning at Home offers tips about essential items to store in your cupboards, how to read a recipe, swapping your favourite snacks to lower fat taste-a-likes, and keeping a food journal to develop healthy eating habits.

Chicken is every cook’s best friend, for one simple reason: versatility. Whether you crave exotic flavours or simply want to experience the smell and taste of home-cooked comfort food, there’s a recipe for you. At the grocery store, we strive to provide as much choice as possible for Canadian consumers, from a whole chicken to make the most of a budget, to boneless, skinless chicken breasts for those who need to get a healthy meal on the table quickly. We also provide a number of choices for consumers, from traditional, to organic to free-range. As with any choice, the most important part is understanding all the options. So let’s talk about a few of the options you’ll see at the grocery store or butcher shop.

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are one of the most popular options at the grocery store because they require little work to prepare, are low in fat, and can be prepared in a variety of ways. They are perfect for a quick dinner, or when you’re adding chicken to a complicated dish. While definitely a timesaver, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are typically the most expensive way to buy chicken.

Bone-in Chicken Breasts

Bone-in chicken breasts are slightly less expensive than the boneless variety but they only take a few minutes to prepare. You can buy bone-in chicken breasts, either with skin on or off, and while getting rid of the skin certainly cuts down on the fat, you can still keep some of the flavour that comes from the skin by removing the skin after cooking. For a simple method of deboning a chicken breast, check out the videos located in our technique section.

Chicken Thighs

White meat is by far the most popular type of chicken sold in the country but because chicken thighs contain much more moisture, they can withstand longer cooking times. This makes them a great option for grilling or stewing. You can buy them bone-in or boneless but because they don’t have the star status of the chicken breast, they’re usually quite a bit less expensive, and can be bought in large packs. If you’ve been avoiding dark meat because of nutritional concerns, take a look at our white meat vs. dark meat nutritional showdown where we compare the two head-to-head - you might be surprised by the results.

Wings

If you’re a connoisseur of wings and are making your own, you’ll have no problem starting with fresh chicken. Since whole chickens only have two, you’d need to go through a dozen or so before you had enough for a pound of extra-hot wings. In this case, buying them cut and in a package is easily the more economical way to go. Want some tips on how to prepare whole wings for the best chicken wings you’ve ever had? Check out our technique section for a video. [this will link to the wings video]

Drumsticks

Kids love drumsticks, and just like wings, if you have a house full of people who love dark meat on the bone, buying your chicken packaged this way is ideal. It’s slightly more expensive than buying a whole bird, but the prep is done for you, and it reduces waste.

Whole Chickens

Bar none, the least expensive way to purchase chicken is to buy it whole. You can either choose to prepare the whole bird by roasting or cooking on a rotisserie, or cut it into pieces and cooking it. You can debone the meat or leave the bone in for presentation. As an added bonus, the leftover carcass and bones can be used to make home-made stock that we guarantee will taste better than anything you can get off the shelves. For more on how to make chicken stock, visit our techniques section for some video tips.

Bacteria are everywhere, and while most are harmless or even beneficial to humans, others can make you sick. All foods, including meat, fruits, and vegetables have the potential to cause food-borne illness. The unfortunate truth is that most North American homes don’t exercise good food safety practices at home and over 80% of all cases of food-borne illness can be prevented by handing food properly. The responsibility for safe food falls on everyone in the food system. We are committed to continually improving our farming and production practices, while continuing to provide Canadians with a stable, safe food supply. At home, safeguarding the health of yourself and your family is easy to do. Just follow these few tips for keeping food-borne illness at bay.

Clean

Proper cleaning practices are the most effective way to keep bacteria out of the kitchen. Follow these rules at home and teach them to your family so that everyone in the house can stay clear of food-borne illness.

• Wash your hands. Always wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before handling food and after handing meat, poultry, eggs and seafood. Always be sure to wash your hands after touching pets or using the washroom.
• Clean your work area. Clean and sanitize counter tops, cutting boards and utensils with a mild bleach solution (5 mL or 1 tsp. of bleach per 750 mL or 3 cups of water), before and after food preparation.
• Wash your produce. Thoroughly wash fresh produce under running water to remove dirt and residue. Some produce tends to retain more dirt than others, so be sure to check it carefully to avoid grit in your food.
• Cut away bruised areas. Bruised areas on produce can give bacteria an environment to thrive. Cut away damaged areas of fruit and vegetables before using.
• Wash out lunchboxes every night. Lunch boxes and bags can incubate bacteria if not kept clean. Wash them out every night to prevent contaminating lunches.

Remember, you can’t see, smell or taste bacteria, so keep your kitchen clean to keep it safe.

Separate

Improper handling of raw meat, poultry, and seafood can result in cross-contamination, causing bacteria to spread from food to food or to other surfaces. That’s why it’s important to separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood both in your cart and in your refrigerator.

• Use two cutting boards. If possible, use one cutting board for produce and one for meat. If you’re cooking more than one protein at a time, keep them separate and wash your cutting board thoroughly in between preparing the two. Plastic cutting boards can be safely sanitized in the dishwasher.
• Seal raw meat. Keep raw meat, poultry, and fish in a sealed container on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator to prevent juices from dripping onto other food.
• Keep your plates clean. Never place cooked food back onto the same plate or cutting board that previously held raw food.
• Discard used marinades. Liquids used to marinade raw meat, poultry, or seafood should not be used on cooked foods. If you want to baste your meat while cooking, or use it as a sauce, reserve some marinade at the beginning and make sure it does not come in contact with raw product.

Chill

Chilling raw food goes without saying but improper thawing or waiting too long to get food into the refrigerator can result in bacteria growth in food. Follow these simple steps in your home to keep bacteria at bay.

• Refrigerate or freeze within two hours. It’s important that raw food, especially meat, poultry, and seafood, is refrigerated promptly. To make sure you get it into the fridge in time, try to make groceries your last stop when you’re running errands if possible and always pick up your meat last. To really preserve raw food, especially on hot days in the car, bring an insulated bag with a freezer pack inside so that you can chill it instantly.
• Never defrost at room temperature. Always defrost food in your fridge, in your microwave, or in cold water to prevent bacteria growth. If you’re thawing in cold water, be sure to replace the water every 30 minutes.
• Separate large leftovers. Store your large leftover batches in small, shallow containers for quicker cooling in the refrigerator, or for quicker thawing if you’re storing them in the freezer.
• Freeze it properly. When you freeze chicken, be sure to take the proper steps to avoid freezer burn. Chill individual pieces in the freezer, then wrap each of them in plastic wrap. Place the individually wrapped pieces in a resealable freezer bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing. This will not only improve the taste of the thawed chicken but will make it easier to thaw individual pieces as needed.
• Keep an eye on the date. It’s important to know when an ingredient went into your fridge or freezer so that you know when it has to come out. Fresh chicken can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 - 3 days, and ground chicken should be used within one day. In the freezer, chicken pieces can be kept frozen for up to six months without sacrificing quality and a whole chicken for up to a year.
• If you’re ever in doubt as to whether an ingredient is good or not, the safest bet is to throw it out.

For easy everyday reference, download our printable reference chart of refrigerating and freezing tips here.

Cook

Cooking times vary for all meat, but chicken should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 165ºF for chicken pieces and patties, and 185ºF for a whole chicken. If you’re stuck without a thermometer, pierce the chicken with a fork. It should go in with ease and the juices should run clear. The chicken should show no pink when cut with a knife.

• Keep it hot. When you’re serving food buffet-style, always be sure to keep it hot (at 60ºC or 140ºF) using a chafing dish, crock pot, or warming tray. Keep all soups, chili, and hot dips piping hot before serving.
• Use a food thermometer. You can’t tell if meat is cooked through simply by looking at it and the most reliable way to avoid under- or over-cooking your chicken is with a digital instant-read thermometer. Insert the thermometer in different spots to ensure even cooking and always be sure to wash your food thermometer with soap and water before using it again.
• Insulate when traveling. If you’re taking a hot dish to a party or to work, be sure to keep it hot until the moment you leave and then ensure that it stays that way by carrying it in an insulated thermal container. Ensure that the dish is not left at room temperature for more than one hour.
• Cook to safe temperatures. Use our cooking times and temperatures chart to find out the right temperature for chicken or visit the Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education website for more cooking times and charts.
• For easy cooking reference, download our printable cooking times and temperatures chart.

Knowing how your food is raised is an important part of being an educated consumer. While all chicken in Canada is raised to a high standard of quality and animal care, you also have choices in how the chicken you buy is raised. Understanding those designations can be tricky, so here are a few pointers to help you along the way. For a more in-depth review of how chicken is raised, visit our “On the Farm” section.

Raised without Antibiotics

Raised without antibiotics on the label means that the chicken was not treated in any way with antibiotics. Chicken without this designation does not necessarily imply that antibiotics were used in raising them but if you’re concerned, the best way to make sure is to opt for the product that specifically states antibiotic-free. For more information on antibiotics, visit our antibiotics in-depth section.

Hormone-free and/or Steroid-free

Though it is rare, some marketers still classify their chicken as “hormone-free.” Again, this is used as a marketing tactic, since all chicken raised in Canada has been raised without added hormones, and in fact the use of hormones in raising poultry has been banned in Canada since the 1960s.

Organic

Chicken that is sold as “organic” is raised to a specific standard as laid out by the Canadian General Standards Board, in addition to the standards set by a reputable organic certification board. Since these boards vary from province to province, there are slight differences in the rules for organic farming in different areas of the country. In general, organic chicken must be raised with certified organic feed that contains no animal by-products or antibiotics and any supplements, such as vitamins, must be approved by a certification body. For more on what organic means, take a look at our “Understanding Organic” section in “On the Farm.”

Free Range

The term “free range” has not been legally defined in either Canada or the U.S. but generally, it refers to poultry that has been permitted to graze or forage outdoors. Since there is no hard and fast definition of this term, we recommend speaking to your butcher or grocer about what exactly is meant by free range, especially when buying chicken in the winter or early spring as chickens cannot be raised outdoors in most Canadian winters.

Free Run

Free run is different than free range in that chickens do not necessarily need to be raised outside but they are required to be able to move around freely within the barn. Though there is no legal definition of this, all chickens raised for meat in Canada are considered free run.

Grain Fed

Since all chicken in Canada is given feed that consists of over 88% grain, this term is typically just used for marketing purposes. Chicken labeled as “grain fed” is stating the obvious, though some brands boast special types of grain, such as vegetarian grain.

Vegetarian Grain Fed

Vegetarian grain fed means that the feed given to the flock contains no animal by-products, which are often added to feed as a protein source. In these cases, the feed contains only vegetable protein such as soy, which can alter the flavour and colour of the meat. While chickens are omnivores, chickens can be raised on vegetarian feed, as long as an appropriate protein level is achieved.

As a founding member of the Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education, a national association of public and private organizations committed to educating Canadians about the ease and importance of food safety in the home, we have a role to play in raising awareness to help you ensure your homes are safe and bacteria-free.

There are some alarming statistics out there with regards to food safety and foodborne illnesses.

For instance, two out of three homes in North America put their families at risk by not exercising good food safety practices at home. There are many simple things you can do to help prevent foodborne illness -- in fact, it’s estimated that over 80% of all cases could have been prevented by following safe food handling guidelines.

Foodborne Illness – The Facts

If food is not handled safely, microbes and pathogens – or bacteria, parasites and viruses – can contaminate foods and make you sick. We call this food poisoning. All foods, including meat, fruits and vegetables have the potential to cause foodborne illness.

You've probably noticed an increase of foodborne illnesses in the news lately.

Many changes in population demographics have affected this situation. How food is produced and consumed has changed and there are more cases of new, drug-resistant disease agents.

Foodborne illness is the largest class of emerging infectious disease. Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada estimate that 11–13 million cases of foodborne illness occur each year, which adds up to an annual cost of $12–15 billion.

Here are the different ways to protect your family against foodborne illness.

• CLEAN: Wash hands and surfaces often
• SEPARATE: Don't cross-contaminate
• COOK: Cook to proper temperatures
• CHILL: Refrigerate promptly

For more information:

Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education 

Government of Canada website on food safety 

Chicken Farmers of Canada 

Once again, children are heading back to school and it’s time to remember the basics for sending them off with safe (and healthy) lunches.

Parents are reminded to follow the Be Food Safe basic practices of Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill to help reduce their family’s risk of foodborne illness.

When packing lunches to take to school – or the office – keep the following food safety tips in mind:

• Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least twenty seconds before you prepare food or after playing outside, touching pets and using the bathroom. Sing “Happy Birthday” twice while washing hands to make sure you are washing long enough to send germs down the drain!
• Work on a clean surface. To prevent cross-contamination, always use a clean cutting board. Use one cutting board for fresh produce or bread and a separate one for meat, poultry and seafood.
• Rinse fruits and vegetables under running tap water, including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten. Dry with a paper towel.
• Rub firm-skin fruits and vegetables under cool running tap water or scrub with a clean vegetable brush while rinsing with running tap water.
• If lunches are made at home the night before, keep them in the refrigerator until it’s time to go. Make sure the refrigerator is at 4°C (40°F) or below at all times and use an appliance thermometer to check the temperature.
• Use an insulated lunch box, with an insulated bottle for hot foods or a frozen gel pack or a frozen juice box to keep perishable foods cold.
• Wash insulated lunch totes or boxes with hot soapy water after each use.

Smart students and parents never leave perishable foods out at room temperature for more than two hours. Toss any perishable food not eaten at lunchtime.

If you follow these tips, your lunches will stay fresh and safe until you eat them (or trade them).

For more information:

Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education 

Government of Canada website on food safety 

Chicken Farmers of Canada

We’ve heard for years that chicken needs to be handled and cooked properly because of the potential for harmful bacteria. Bacteria are everywhere though, and while most are harmless or even beneficial to humans, some can make us sick. All foods, including meat, fruits, and vegetables, have the potential to cause food-borne illness and proper care needs to be taken when handling, cooking, storing or serving all foods. But, what are the proper methods for the safe handling and cooking of chicken?

This article is dedicated to busting up popular food and nutrition myths. In honour of this theme, we have developed some true or false statements about our favourite topic – chicken! Go ahead and take our quiz to see just how chicken smart you are.

Cooking Chicken: True or False?

1. It is safe to defrost and cook chicken labelled “cook from frozen.”

False.

If purchasing a “cook from frozen” chicken, follow the directions on the label carefully as this product must be cooked from the frozen state to ensure food safety.

2. Stuffing prepared and cooked inside a chicken is not safe.

False.

Cooking kills bacteria. Follow this tip. Stuff chicken just before cooking, stuffing loosely – no more than two-thirds full. Always cook chicken to the recommended cooking temperature:

• Whole chicken, unstuffed should be cooked to the recommended internal cooking temperature of 185°F (85°C)
• Stuffing, cooked alone or in chicken should be 165°F (74°C). Use a digital instant-read thermometer to check.
• Leftover stuffing should be stored separately and promptly in a shallow container in the refrigerator at 4°C (40°F) or lower.
• Also, be sure to separate the chicken from the bone and refrigerate any leftovers within 2 hours.

3. Ensuring you follow proper cooking times is not just about food safety.

True.

Most Canadians, in fact, overcook their chicken, which can leave it dry. Use the CFC chart to make sure your chicken is cooked to perfection.

Food Safety at Home: True or False?

1. Do not cook frozen chicken in the microwave or slow cooker.

True.

However, frozen chicken can be cooked in the oven or on the stove although cooking time may be about 50% longer.

2. Chicken may be marinated in the refrigerator up to two days.

True.

Be sure to boil the used marinade before brushing on cooked chicken and discard any uncooked leftover marinade. Or, you can reserve some marinade separately during your initial preparation.

3. It’s always best to rinse chicken before you cook it.

False.

Rinsing your chicken can splatter and spread bacteria around your kitchen and put you or your family at risk of developing a food-borne illness.

For more information:

Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education 

Government of Canada website on food safety 

Chicken Farmers of Canada

When you're shaking off the winter blahs with a good spring cleaning, take the time to target harmful bacteria that can lurk on kitchen surfaces and even in your refrigerator. A clean and dry kitchen helps Fight BAC! and protect you and your family from foodborne illness.

How safe is your kitchen?

Did you know that many cases of foodborne illness results from poor food handling at home? Your kitchen could be a high risk environment. Bacteria can thrive in food that is improperly stored or handled. Reduce the risks by following these tips from Canada's food safety experts. Play it “food safe” in your kitchen!

Get off to a CLEAN start!

• Hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of foodborne illness. Do you wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water before and after handling food? Wash again when you switch from one food to another.
• Are your countertops and utensils clean and sanitized? Sanitizing reduces bacteria and can prevent foodborne illness.
• It's important to thoroughly clean everything that comes in contact with your hands or your food! Don't forget about kitchen cloths . . . faucet handles . . . sink drains . . . garbage disposals . . . can opener blades . . . refrigerator handles . . . small appliances . . . utensils, and so on.
• To tackle bacteria, mold and mildew, clean interior refrigerator surfaces with hot water and soap. Rinse with a damp cloth; dry with a clean cloth.
• Avoid using sponges because they are harder to keep bacteria-free.

Here’s how to make your own bleach sanitizer

• Combine 5 mL (1 tsp) of bleach with 750 mL (3 cups) of water in a labelled spray bottle. 
• After cleaning, spray sanitizer on the surface/utensil and let stand briefly.
• Rinse with lots of clean water, and air dry (or use clean towels).

For more information on handling food safely visit chicken.ca or the Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education or the government of Canada’s food safety website.

A good cutting board is a staple in any kitchen. But with so many kinds of cutting boards, which one is the best one for you? Ultimately, it’s really a question of preference, as all boards have pros and cons. You may also find it useful to have more than one cutting board for versatility. A great tip, no matter what kind of cutting board you have, is to place a damp towel underneath the board to prevent it from moving around your countertop while in use.

Here’s a quick fact sheet on the most popular types of cutting boards to help you decide what’s best in your kitchen:

Plastic

As the most reasonably priced of cutting boards, many people tend to favour plastic. It’s also perceived as non-porous, meaning that bacteria doesn’t get absorbed into the board and can be washed away with a good scrub of soap and sanitizer. It should be noted however, that softer plastic boards can be scored easily by sharp knives allowing bacteria to harbour in those grooves, even after a good wash. But seeing as plastic boards are quite economical, it’s easy for them to be replaced once deep knife scores become more prevalent. They are also user-friendly in terms of being quite lightweight and dishwasher safe.

Wood

Wood cutting boards have several benefits, the most popular being that many will “self-heal.” This means any small scores on the board you might cause with your knife will likely close up on their own as the wood contracts and expands. Wood also has natural antiseptic properties. Many reports refute that wood absorbs and retains bacteria, stating that if anything does get absorbed it will subsequently be trapped in the wood grain and will die off. Wood boards should not be placed in the dishwasher as they can warp. These boards tend to be the most expensive of cutting boards and tend to be heavy. Wood boards however, excel in terms of longevity if used properly.

Glass

Glass boards are quite durable, relatively inexpensive, do not retain any bacteria or germs once washed, are dishwasher safe, and are quite attractive to look at. They can also serve double duty in protecting your countertops from hot pots and pans. The biggest con to a glass board is that your knives have the potential to be damaged as glass is harder than steel. If used incorrectly you have the potential of damaging not only the knife but also the cutting board itself, chipping some of the glass into any food being cut. Whichever cutting board you choose, always remember that sanitation is the key. It’s best to have a separate board for your raw meats, and another for your vegetables and other foods to avoid cross contamination.

Canada’s Members of Parliament, from coast-to-coast, submitted sandwich recipes for a chance to win donations to a food bank in their riding. Those recipes, which each had distinctive touches that made them their own, are gathered here in this digital cookbook to inspire your culinary genius on Canada Day, or any other grilling occasion.

Learning how to cook isn’t just about the food: you’ll need some good basic tools on hand to prepare and serve your culinary creations. Check your kitchen against this list and then add missing items as you can. Here are the top kitchen utensils you’ll need to get you started.

• At least two serving spoons, slotted and non-slotted. The slotted spoon will help you serve food from which you want the cooking liquid drained, such as chicken cooked in broth. The non-slotted spoon lets you serve the liquid along with the food.
• One ladle. This deep, non-slotted spoon is usually used for serving liquid, such as soups and stews.
• At least one spatula. If you’ve got mostly non-stick cookware, choose a plastic spatula; if you’ve got metal cookware, get a metal one. A spatula will help you flip flatter items such as pancakes in the pan; it can also be used to transfer food from the pan to a serving dish.
• One scraper. This flexible plastic item will help you scrape stuck-on food out of pans and can also be used in cooking prep.
• Salad tongs. You’ll be more inclined to eat your veggies if you’ve got a classy way to serve them.
• Knife set in block. Available at most kitchen supply stores, a knife set will contain the main different types of knives you’ll need for most food preparation, such as a paring knife and a chopping knife. The block will help you keep your knives organized and free up space in your kitchen drawers.
• Kitchen scissors. Kitchen scissors are sharper and sturdier than the regular kind. You’ll be surprised at how often you’ll need  them for opening food packaging and snipping herbs.
• Measuring cup. Stick with a dishwasher- and microwave-safe measuring cup that can measure at least two cups is preferable. As you build your kitchen collection, add more measuring cups in different sizes.
• Measuring spoons. Plastic or metal spoons that can measure small amounts such as teaspoons and tablespoons are necessary for recipe preparation. A ring attachment will help you keep them all ready at hand.
• Mixing bowls.
• One-hand mixer. Great for mixing batter, whipping up smoothies, and pureeing sauces and soups with a minimum of mess.
• Whisk. Great for mixing scrambled eggs, baking ingredients, even smoothies!
• Hand-operated can opener. Choose the sturdiest model you can for opening all sizes of cans. Many also have a built-in bottle opener for pesky bottle caps. No need to spend a lot on this.
• One colander. A colander will allow you to safely drain boiled foods such as pasta and vegetables. You can also use it to rinse fruits and vegetables. A plastic colander is fine to start, but upgrade to a sturdier metal model when you can.
• At least two frying pans, one small and one large. (such as a 5 inch and 9 inch) for frying, sautéing, and reheating small  amounts of sauce-based food. Pans with high sides can be used to make/reheat larger amounts of food and to braise meats. Start with non-stick varieties, then add stainless steel and iron models as you build your kitchen.
• At least two sauce pans, one small (1 quart) and one large (2 quart). Choose pans with glass lids whenever possible – they allow you to check on your food without removing the lid.
• One eight- or nine-inch square baking pan for breads, cakes, etc.
• Dutch oven. This large, two-handled pot is heavier and thicker than other large pots, allowing you to heat large amounts of water or stock for pastas, stews, and soups both on the stovetop and in the oven. Not to be confused with a crock pot or slow cooker, which is electrically powered and not heated by stove or oven elements.
• Two baking sheets for bread, cookies, etc.
• One muffin tin for muffins and cupcakes.
• One microwave-safe covered casserole dish for cooking vegetables, casseroles, and re-heating leftovers.
• One steaming basket. Choose a stainless-steel model with a cover that will fit over the top of your large saucepan to make healthy steamed veggies in a snap.

According to the Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education, the best way to prevent foodborne illness is to keep foods – all foods, not just animal products – either hot or cold. Bacteria multiply the fastest at any temperature between 4 and 60°C (40 to 140°F). So one of the best ways to reduce foodborne illness is to make sure you are cooking food to the proper internal temperature. Use a food thermometer, and use it properly. Keep reading for some tips on how to choose and use a thermometer to keep bacteria at bay.

Food Thermometer Basics:
A food thermometer is the best way to make sure that all your foods are cooked to an internal temperature high enough to destroy any harmful bacteria. Not only will using a food thermometer help you know when your food is in the “Danger Zone” (between 4 and 60°C), but it’ll let you know when a food is cooked to the right temperature.
There are several different kinds of food thermometers that are handy and effective for making sure your food is cooked to the proper temperature. Food thermometers are available at most kitchen supply stores for reasonable prices (i.e., under $60). The following are the most common kinds of food thermometers – do your research and then choose the one that’s right for your cooking level and needs.

Dial (oven-safe):
This old-school, oven-safe model works by registering temperatures on a dial after 1-2 minutes. The thermometer must be placed 2-½” deep in the thickest part of the food.

Pros:

• Can be used in roasts, casseroles, and soups
• Can remain in food while it's cooking

Cons:

• Not appropriate for thin foods
• Heat conduction of metal stem can cause false high reading

Digital instant-read:
This kind of thermometer is fast and easy to use, giving readings on a digital screen within 10 seconds. The thermometer must be inserted ½" deep into the food.

Pros:

• Gives fast reading
• Can measure temperature in both thin and thick foods

Cons:

• Not designed to remain in food while it's cooking

Thermocouple:
This high-tech thermometer works by registering the internal temperature on a handset that is attached to the sensor by a cord. This kind of thermometer stays in the food while it is cooking and gives very quick readings (within 2-5 seconds). It needs to be placed ¼" or deeper into the thickest part of the food.

Pros:

• Gives the fastest reading out of all thermometers
• Easy to read
• Good for measuring the temperatures of thick and thin foods

Cons:

• Can be costly and more difficult to find in stores

Disposable temperature indicators (single use):
This disposable single-use thermometer is made of a temperature-sensitive material that changes colour when it reaches the desired temperature. It gives readings within 5-10 seconds and must be placed ½" deep inside the thickest part of the food.

Pros:

• Gives fast reading
• Inexpensive

Cons:

• Only works with specific temperature ranges
• Can only be used with the food for which it is intended
• Designed to be used only once

Pop-up thermometer:
This clever thermometer stays inside a food while its cooking, then “pops up” when the desired internal temperature is reached.

Pros:

• Convenient for roasting poultry

Cons:

• Must be used in combination with a conventional food
• May be set to pop at a temperature that is too high or too low.

Dial instant-read:

• Similar to a digital instant-read thermometer, a dial instant-read thermometer registers the internal temperatures of food within 15-20 seconds on a dial plate. The thermometer must be placed 2-½" deep inside the thickest part of the food.

Pros:

• Can be used in roasts, casseroles and soups
• Fast reading

Cons:

• Cannot measure thin foods unless inserted sideways
• Not designed to remain in food while it is cooking

Fork thermometer:
It looks like a fork and feels like a fork, but it’s actually a powerful thermometer that can read food temperatures within 2-10 seconds. The fork thermometer must be placed at least ¼" deep in the thickest part of the food.

Pros:

• Gives fast reading
• Can be used with most foods
• Convenient for grilling

Cons:

• Not designed to remain in food while it’s cooking
• Danger of false reading if the sensor inside the tines of the fork is not fully inserted

Get a good knife. Use heavy, well-balanced knives with secure handles, and get them sharpened regularly. Many kitchen-supply stores will either provide sharpening services on-site or be able to tell you where to get your knives sharpened.

Know what each knife’s purpose is. For example, smaller “paring” knives are good for peeling vegetables, while serrated knives are good for slicing bread. Don’t try to make a knife do more than it can – such as cutting through bones – the blade may snap. For a guide to the different kinds of knives, visit this link.

• Know how to use your knife.
• Always use a cutting board – never the kitchen counter, plates, or steel surfaces. Choose a cutting board that is large and solid with plenty of space for cutting. Place a damp towel beneath the cutting board to keep it from sliding while you chop.Protect your fingers while you work with a knife. Curl your fingers under and position them on top of the item that you are working on. As you slice, the knife should follow your knuckles. Never try to catch a falling knife or cut anything in your hand.
• Store knives in a knife holder, never loose in a drawer.
• Clean your knives immediately after using them to keep them sharp.
• Know how to treat minor cuts.
• Keep a first aid kit on hand in the kitchen in the case of minor cuts. If you are at all concerned about a cut – if it is deep, very painful or if pieces of the knife are embedded in the cut – visit your local emergency room immediately.

If you promote yourself as the kind of person who burns water, this guide may be for you.  Or, you may be fresh out on your own and unsure what you should have in your kitchen.  Try this on for size – it’s an introduction to your kitchen – the greatest room ever!

Your kitchen is the homiest part of your house – it’s where you prepare, and in many cases, eat most of the meals of the day, but it also contains some major machinery. The tools that keep your kitchen running can be divided into two major categories: major appliances and minor appliances. Check out the list below to get the low-down on the machines that make your kitchen hum.

Major Appliances:
Stove-top
Most modern kitchens have a combined stove-top and oven appliance, although separate stove-top and oven set-ups are becoming increasingly common. “Stove-top”, “range” or “cooktop” refers to the part of the appliance that provides direct heat through coiled burners or smooth top “hidden” burners and are operated by dial temperature controls. Sauces, soups, and frying usually take place on the range, which can be powered through either gas or electric energy. While gas burners heat up more quickly, both options are safe for cooking.

Oven
The oven is the most common kitchen appliance and is used for baking or roasting foods such as breads, desserts, and meat dishes. There are several different kinds of ovens, but the most popular models fall into one of three categories: conventional ovens, convection ovens, and combination ovens.

Conventional Ovens
Unlike the range, the enclosed design of the conventional oven allows you to control not only the temperature, but also the direction of the heat, which is why it is used for both baking and roasting foods (in which the dish is heated from below) but also for broiling (in which the dish is heated at a high temperature from above).
The oven can be heated safely with either gas or electric energy, and is usually operated by a dial temperature control or an electronic keypad. Conventional ovens are versatile and efficient in preparing a wide variety of dishes. Many models that come with built-in special features, such as rotisserie attachments and pre-set temperature panels for “one-touch” cooking, are also becoming more popular.

Convection Ovens
Provide faster and more-even heating than conventional ovens. They work by blowing hot air around the oven interior, a process that “insulates” the food so that it cooks faster. Convection ovens are especially popular in commercial and restaurant kitchens.

Refrigerator
The refrigerator is where you keep all your perishable foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and meats. Separate compartments within the fridge allow you to store different types of items separately. Typically, the temperature of a refrigerator is set by a manual dial or digital keypad at 4°C (37°F) or slightly colder, although newer units feature multiple temperature controls for different areas of the unit. For example, the meat bin could be set at 0°C (32°F), while the vegetable crisper is set at 3°C (37.4°F). Keeping the refrigerator at 4°C (39.2°F) or colder is the ideal temperature for slowing down the growth of bacteria. Just make sure you don’t set it too cold so your food doesn’t freeze and also don’t overstuff your refrigerator since the cold air needs to circulate around your food. Many modern refrigerators feature convenient add-ons such as ice dispensers.

Freezer
A refrigerator usually features a freezer component in the top part of the appliance, although separate fridge and freezer units are common in smaller spaces. In many modern fridges, the freezer is located at the bottom or at the side of the unit for convenience. The deep cold of the freezer, usually set to -18°C (0°F), allows you to store foods for extended periods of time. Modern freezers often come with an ice-maker.

Dishwasher
Unlike manual dishwashing, which requires scrubbing to remove food from plates and utensils, the mechanical dishwasher works by spraying hot water (54-65°C or 130-150°F) to which detergent has been added onto the items. Dishwashers typically have three cycles: wash, rinse and dry. Most plates, cups, and utensils can be washed in a dishwasher, but many pots, knives, and other cooking equipment can be damaged in the dishwashing cycle. For info on which kitchen items are dishwasher-safe, and which should be washed by hand, check the bottom of the item for a label or read the manufacturer’s website.

Minor Appliances:
Microwave
A staple in most kitchens, a microwave oven uses microwave radiation to cook food. Temperature and cooking time is controlled with either a digital keypad or a manual dial. While you can cook many dishes in a microwave, it’s used most often for defrosting and reheating food that’s been cooked on a stovetop or in an oven.

Toaster
There are two main kinds of toasters you might encounter in a kitchen: automatic pop-up toasters (which are used to toast sliced bread you insert in slots) and toaster ovens (small electric ovens that allow you to cook or heat food on a tray).

Crock Pot or Slow Cooker
This countertop electrical cooking appliance is designed to sit on your countertop. It cooks food over low temperatures for many hours and does not need to be attended. Great for roasts and stews. You can place all the ingredients of your stew in the crock pot in the morning before class and come home to a fully cooked meal…very convenient and easy!

Chances are you’ve heard the buzz about eating local: the lifestyle that has you visiting your local food markets and checking out where products are from at your local grocery store. Summer is the perfect time to start thinking about eating local, as there is an abundance of locally grown produce available at your local farmer’s market. To make it even easier, Canadian chicken is always available! According to experts, eating locally can help your community and slow down environmental damage. Sound complicated? It’s not! Here’s the low-down on eating local, and some easy ways you can get started.

Why Eat Local?

Health

It’s common sense: the further away a food is grown or prepared, the longer it has to travel before it gets to your table. When possible, buying and eating local fruits and vegetables means that you have the opportunity to eat food at its nutritional peak. The problem? Processed or prepared foods – think canned fruit or a frozen pasta entree - can be higher in trans-fats, sodium and sugars, and lower in fibre than their “cooked from scratch” counterparts. The fresher the food, the more likely it is more of essential nutrients that keep your weight stable, your body strong, and your mind full of energy.

Sound complicated? It’s not! Many foods, such as fresh chicken, are almost always from local – i.e. Canadian – farms. Once you know which foods are home-grown, shopping will be easy as ever.

Community

Food isn’t just about the person eating it! Before dinner hits your table, there are hundreds of people involved in growing, processing, packaging, shipping, and selling even the simplest-seeming of foods. Purchasing food grown from local farmers allows you to support the farmers and business owners in your own community.

Environment

The area where a local diet can make the biggest difference is the environment. The greater distance a food travels, the more energy is used in transportation and storage. In particular, transporting foods by vehicle produces greenhouse gas emissions (GHEs) that contribute to global warming, which in turn can cause climate changes, the endangering of plant and animal species, and the erosion of human habitats. Choosing locally-grown, seasonal foods helps us reduce the amounts of GHEs in the air, which can help slow down global warming. You can feel good about buying chicken at your local grocery store or butcher, as it is usually from a local farm.

How You Can Get Started:

1. Know your area. Before you can start eating locally grown foods, you’ve got to figure out what “local” means! A good rule of thumb is to consider foods farmed in your home province, and Canadian-grown foods. Whenever possible, choose seasonal foods that are produced in your area, and have not travelled far.

2. Be flexible. Like any lifestyle change, “going local” shouldn’t be an all-or-nothing proposition. The key is to introduce more locally-grown seasonal foods into your diet, not to deprive yourself of your favorite staples or treats. If you can’t get locally-grown produce, choose the next best thing! And if you love chocolate, coffee or mangos – none of which are made from plant species native to Canada - go for it anyway! Use your local-eating plan as a chance to learn more about the environment, your community, and your tastebuds, and not as a hard-and-fast rule. You’ll be more likely to make positive changes if making them is fun.

3. Learn Your Terms. Organic…free-range…”grain-fed”…these terms all sound great, but do you really know what they mean? Learning about nutritional claims can help you make more informed choices at the supermarket or at the butcher. While many terms are defined in different ways by different people, “organic” generally means that food is grown or raised without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Animals that are raised in “free-range” environments have access to the outdoors.

You will sometimes see terms like grain-fed or grass-fed. These terms simply mean that the animal was raised on a diet of mainly grains or grass. If you’re interested in introducing organic, free-range or grain-fed meat into your diet, you should be aware that many “organic” or “free-range” products are readily available at your local supermarket. However, the season for free-range meat products in Canada is short. You can feel good about purchasing conventionally-raised chicken all year round, as chickens are raised in large barns, where they have unlimited access to food and water.

You should also be aware that Canadian chicken is grain-fed and raised without hormones. In fact, the use of hormones or steroids in chicken feed has been illegal since the 1960s.

4. Support local farmers. Show your love for the people behind your meals by supporting a farmers’ association (sometimes called Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA programs). Many programs allow you to share in a specific farm’s products year-round in exchange for a membership fee paid at the beginning of each season. Many programs include delivery services as part of the membership.

5. Get growing! The most local of local foods? The food you grow yourself! Beans, tomatoes and herbs are all easy projects for beginning gardeners. If you don’t have a garden plot, consider getting planters you can stash on your apartment balcony, or look into community garden plots (most cities and many towns have them). Talk to a pal with a green thumb or ask a representative at your local gardening-supply store about how you can get your garden growing.

There are many ways of enhancing the flavour of a whole roasted chicken, and a favourite of ours is brining.

Brining keeps chicken incredibly moist while adding an excellent flavour. It’s a bit more labour intensive than a simple spice rub, but it’s worth the effort for special occasions.

Brining is basically soaking meat in a salt water solution, but the flavour doesn’t stop at just salt. You can add all kinds of aromatics such as juniper berries, garlic, thyme and pepper to the solution to impart a different flavour. There are no rules – just use flavours that go together well. When you’re making the salt solution, aim for approximately 30g of salt per litre of water. That equates to about 5 teaspoons of table salt, but if you’re using a coarser salt such as kosher or sea salt, the conversion won’t be quite the same. In a case like this, you’re better off using a scale if you have one.

Bring the liquid to a simmer and stir to dissolve the salt. Turn off the heat and let the ingredients steep for about 30 minutes. Then, cool the liquid in the fridge or with an ice bath before brining the chicken. It’s very important that the water be cold before brining to avoid helping to develop bacteria.

The rule of thumb is to let a chicken brine for approximately one hour per pound of meat, though you may want to lengthen or shorten that time depending on the strength of your salt solution or the level of salt you want to achieve. Once the chicken is brined, remove it from the solution, rinse off the excess salt, and pat it completely dry, inside and out, with a paper towel. This step is important because it prevents the chicken from steaming in the oven, which results in an unpleasant taste and texture.

There’s nothing better than peas and asparagus in spring, strawberries in June, and corn and peaches in August. Sure, you can get most of these things at the supermarket year-round, but the flavour of any of these foods in January pales in comparison to what they really taste like in their season.  That’s because in-season ingredients are picked during their natural growing season, at their peak of ripeness and usually much closer to home. Eating seasonally lets you enjoy the highest quality food while encouraging you to you eat locally and eat economically.

Shopping at farmers’ markets is a great way to eat both seasonally and locally. It can give you a feel for what is in season and what is no longer at its best, and you can learn more about what you’re eating by asking the grower about things like when the best time to buy is and how long its growing season lasts. As a bonus, most farmers’ markets stalls will let you taste their product before you buy, so that you can be sure you’re getting the level of quality you want from your food.

Many farmers are also becoming involved in Community-Supported Agriculture, or CSAs, which is essentially a product subscription service. For a fixed cost, every week or two a box of farm-selected in-season produce will arrive at a participant’s doorstep. This is a fantastic way to eat seasonally and get exposure to new ingredients.

Eating seasonally can also reduce your grocery bill. When food is easier for vendors to acquire, it’s cheaper for you to buy, and food is never easier to acquire than when it is at its peak ripeness. While talking to growers is extremely helpful, it’s also a good idea to check your supermarket fliers. Produce that is in season will usually be advertised at a lower price.

Eating seasonally through the winter can be tough. In the colder parts of Canada, there are only a few crops that can survive with the frost. Preservation throughout the spring, summer and fall can provide you with quality ingredients that aren’t in season. Freezing and water-bath canning are both great ways to store the bounty of spring, summer and fall. Visit a farmers’ market, stock up, and eat seasonally all year round.

Proper cooking times are not just about safety. In fact, most Canadians overcook their chicken, which can leave it dry. Use the following chart to make sure that your chicken is cooked to perfection.

Internal temperature is measured using an instant-read food thermometer. Insert the thermometer in different spots, making sure to pay special attention to the thickest part of the meat for chicken breasts and thighs and the breast when cooking a whole bird. If you don't have a food thermometer, they are available at most grocery stores in various formats but you don't have to spend a lot to get one that will do the job.

Roasting

Grilling

Skillet

How and how long you store chicken is very important to keeping your food safe. When freezing chicken, always label it so you know how long it’s been in your freezer.

Storing in the refrigerator

• Whole chicken: 2-3 days
• Chicken pieces: 2-3 days
• Cooked chicken : 3-4 days
• Ground chicken: 1-2 days

Storing in the freezer

• Whole chicken: 12 months
• Chicken pieces: 6 months
• Cooked chicken: 3 months
• Ground chicken: 3 months

Thawing methods and times

Never thaw chicken at room temperature or on the counter, as it provides the ideal environment for bacteria growth, and be sure to cook thawed chicken within 48 hours.

Refrigerator Thawing

Thawing in the refrigerator is the safest method of preparing frozen chicken but it also takes the longest. Chicken thawing in the refrigerator should be wrapped and placed on a large plate in the bottom of the fridge to avoid dripping on other food when thawing. For this method, you should plan on approximately 10 hours per kilogram of chicken or 5 hours per pound.

Microwave Thawing

Though it can sometimes dry out the edges of chicken, when you’re in a hurry and you’re preparing chicken pieces, microwave thawing is the best way to go. When defrosting in a microwave, chicken should be loosely covered and the pieces turned, separated and rotated several times during thawing to ensure even penetration.

It’s also important to defrost chicken on a low setting, otherwise the outside may cook while the inside stays frozen. Most microwaves have a poultry defrost setting, so use that if you have it. If not, a general rule to use is about 10 – 15 minutes per kilogram or 5 minutes per pound. Be sure to check your chicken often to ensure that it is thawing evenly and not overcooking or drying out.

Cold Water Thawing

To thaw chicken faster, place it wrapped in a bowl of cold water in the sink. It is important that the water is cold, as warm water can encourage bacteria growth. Additionally, it’s important that the water be changed every 30 minutes to maintain the temperature of the water. This method typically takes 2 hours per kilogram, or 1 hour per pound, but exercise caution when using this method. Make sure that the sink and the surrounding area you are thawing in is cleaned immediately with a mild bleach solution when you’ve finished.

Contributor:  Luke Corey, BA(H), BScAHN, Registered Dietitian

Being a top-level swimmer takes years of practice and hard work. The ability to consistently perform at a high-level, however, takes more than just practice. It involves establishing a healthy routine outside of the pool. Nutritionally speaking, this means preparing for and recovering from training and competition on a consistent basis and in the appropriate manner. Just having a high-carb meal the day before a big competition will not yield the consistent results you are looking for. You need to follow a solid routine of healthy eating practices, each and every day.

To do this, you must first determine how appropriate and effective your current habits are. The best way to do this is to write down your current eating routine, both for a training/competition day, and for an off day. Let these Food and Snack and Beverage journals help you track this.

Read more for some basic tips on preparation and recovery practices for Powering Your Performance in the Pool!

Luke Corey is a Registered Dietitian and new and welcome contributor to CFC’s Health Portal. He is the founder and Chief Operator of Complete Health and Nutrition, a private practice in Halifax, Nova Scotia that is dedicated to providing residents with the most credible, reliable and effective nutrition information, resources and services available. He works with individual clients, provides group presentations, writes articles for magazines and newspapers, develops workplace wellness programs for companies, and appears in the media on a regular basis to discuss the latest nutrition topics.

It's that time folks!

Tell us how you top your chicken burger for a chance to win a food safety cutting board and an apron. You have until Tuesday, June 4th at 5 PM to submit your entries. Good luck! 

Author: Monda Rosenberg

1. While burning chicken on the barbie seems to be a national pastime, there’s no need for it. The usual problem is that the barbecue’s intense heat sears the chicken’s tender surface before it’s cooked through. It can take a long time for the heat to make it to the centre of the piece of chicken, especially when you’re grilling up thick pieces with bones. One solution is to precook the chicken: wrap all the pieces in foil and place on the grill until partially cooked, then take the pieces out of the foil and finish them on the grill. And read on for other ways to achieve a beautifully barbecued bird.
2. Never barbecue chicken (or any tender food) over high heat. If you’re cooking on moderate heat but still find the chicken burning in some areas, either move the grill several inches away from the heat, or reposition chicken to a cooler part of the grill. Never leave the lid open; keeping it closed as much as possible will ensure the chicken will be evenly cooked through.
3. Prevent sticking by oiling the grill or coating it with cooking spray before putting anything on it. Also lightly oil chicken pieces – and vegetables and fruit, for that matter – before placing them on the grill.
4. Adapt your grill method to the cut of chicken you’re using. There is no one-size-fits-all technique. Why grill thin boneless skinless breasts the same way you would thick chicken legs, or bony-fatty wings or chicken quarters? Large bone-in pieces benefit from long and slow grilling over low heat. The smartest way to grill a whole chicken is to use a rotisserie attachment, the beer can method or butterfly the bird. Check this website for recipes for all of these approaches.
5. To maximize barbecue flavour, make sure all parts of the chicken pieces are exposed to the heat. Thread bony wings on a skewer starting at the meaty end and ending at the skinny wing tip, so the wing is stretched out. Position them on the grill with the thickest portion over the hottest part of the barbecue.
6. For even cooking, keep the thickness of chicken pieces as even as possible. Before putting bone-in breasts or thighs on the grill, place them on a cutting board and firmly press down on them with your hands. Boneless thighs have a thin portion at one end. Simply fold this thin portion under itself to even out the overall thickness of the thigh. To flatten a whole bird, cut out the backbone. Flip the chicken breast-side up, then open it like a book. Firmly press down on the breastbone to flatten. 
7. Hold the carbs! Unfortunately, many recipes call for you to lather on the barbecue sauce throughout the grilling. Most sauces are sugar laden, and any high-sugar mixture will burn under intense heat. So hold off on basting and brushing on any sweet sauce or glaze, including bottled barbecue sauces, until the last few minutes of grilling. These sauces aren’t intended to penetrate into the chicken flesh but to form a flavour coating. When you bite into the chicken, the glaze taste hits first – this is true whether you add the sauce at the beginning or for just the last few minutes of grilling. Brushing it on at the start may leave you with a charred coating.
8. Marinating chicken can add flavour and moistness, if you do it right. Research shows that marinades don’t penetrate far into the chicken flesh, so begin by removing the skin from the chicken. (While this may seem like a loss of crisp deliciousness, the skin acts as a barrier for the marinade that’s brimming with aromatics and spices. If you’re a skin lover, however, leave it on but don’t except the flesh to pick up as much marinade flavour. ) Then, make deep slashes in the chicken or poke holes all over it before submerging in the marinade; that gives the marinade mixture a passage deep into the flesh. With legs, for example, after pulling off the skin, use a sharp knife to make two or three deep slashes almost to the bone.
9. For barbecuing a whole chicken, a rotisserie attachment is one secret to a beautiful bird. As the chicken slowly turns above the heat, it bastes itself inside and out, producing amazingly juicy meat and gorgeous crispy brown skin. Before putting the chicken on the spit, remove any fat from the body and neck cavities. Dry the bird by patting with paper towels. Tuck the wings behind the neck and tie the legs together with twine to keep them from flopping around.
10. Don’t desert the bird! Chicken is one food you shouldn’t simply throw on the barbie and then forget about. If the skin is still on the chicken, fat will drip from it as it heats up – creating perfect flare-up conditions. And if the chicken is skinless, you have the worry that the delicate meat will dry out and burn. Either way, you need to stay close, frequently raising the lid to check on the cooking progress, and turning the pieces if the underside is getting too brown or moving them so the well-done areas are over the coolest part of the grill.

Here’s to perfect grilled chicken!

Author: Doug Cook, RD MHSc CDE 

Think thinning bones is only something women need to worry about? Think again. Men need to think about the health of their bones too, maybe more so. Why? Because men are less likely to be tuned into their bodies, or be informed about health issues, like women are, and often miss catching potential problems like osteoporosis early on. The fact of the matter is, one in five men over the age of fifty will break a bone due to osteoporosis, making it a health issue men are more likely to face than prostate cancer. A sobering thought indeed.

Osteoporosis is a progressive disease where bones lose mass over time and deteriorate; bones become thinner and lose strength leading to increased bone fragility and a significant risk for fracture (or broken bones), most commonly the hip, spine, wrist or shoulder. To make matters worse, thirty-seven percent of men will die within one year after breaking a hip compared to twenty-eight percent of women. It’s thought to be because men typically have more comorbidities, or other diseases, at the time of the fracture.

The good news is that it’s never too late to start to reduce the risk for osteoporosis. Read more.

Doug Cook is a new and welcome contributor to CFC’s Health Portal. Doug is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist who works in a hospital setting, private practice and as a nutritional consultant. He practices a holistic and integrative approach providing science-based guidance on food and diet along with nutritional supplements and natural health products where appropriate. He is regularly called upon by the media to help make sense of the latest food and nutrition hot topics. He wrote a popular newspaper column called The Vice Squad for seven years in the Toronto Star and Hamilton Spectator and also co-authored Nutrition for Canadians for Dummies (Wiley 2008).

It’s Winning Wednesday! Tell us which one of our BBQ recipes you like best http://chicken.ca/recipes/category/bbq/ for a chance to win a stainless steel BBQ set. You have until Tuesday, May 21^st at 5 PM to submit your entries. Good cluck!

By: Kelly Atyeo, Guest Health Writer

“I’m so stressed,” “Work is stressing me out,” “I am stuck in traffic… so stressful!”  Sound familiar? It seems as if our society lives in a world of stressful situations – or at least situations that are perceived to be stressful. Stress affects our mental health – a huge aspect of overall well-being.   

The link between food, stress and mental health is a relatively new area of research, but is quite exciting! Although we cannot say a specific food “cures” stress, there is evidence that stress affects food intake and healthy eating is key when you feel stressed. 

Stress and Food

Your food intake can change when you are under stress, but it is very individual – some people eat more and some eat less. Also, what changes is the type of foods people eat.  Research shows that people tend to eat more high-fat, sweet, and processed foods that they would typically avoid. These are often considered “comfort foods.” This is an issue because these food choices may lead to weight gain, affect other conditions one may have (like diabetes), and generally lack nutrients that may be useful in combating symptoms of stress. Make it a priority to eat a healthy balanced diet to cope with stress instead!

Read more about “Stress and Food – An Interesting Relationship” in recognition of Mental Health Week (May 6 – 12).

Kelly Atyeo is a Professional Home Economist with a background in nutrition and nutrition communication. She is Vice President and co-owner of Creative Sampling Solutions Inc., a food marketing company that creates and executes retail programs and consumer shows related to Eating for Wellness. Kelly is also a health writer, nutrition communication consultant, and public speaker. Through her activities she strives to educate people on nutrition and health, while giving people the tools to make healthy foods a part of their lifestyle.

It’s NHL playoff season and you’ve invited all of your friends over for the big game!

At the same time, you’ve also been working steadily on improving your own eating habits and cutting out junk food. What are you going to do??? Your friends are going to expect lots of greasy food and plenty of alcohol! Do you just give up and give in?

The answer is: of course not! Whether it’s the playoffs, or some other major sporting event worth celebrating, these parties are normally synonymous with high-fat foods loaded with salt. But, there are ways to “clean up” your parties and make them both nutritious and delicious. Your friends might even thank you!

First, let’s identify the staple foods normally at these sporting parties: chips, peanuts, chicken wings, chili, hot dogs, hamburgers, and finger foods such as cheese, sausage rolls…..and, of course, beer! Munching on these foods over a two or three hour period can result in a fat intake three to four times higher than the daily recommendations, and, subsequently, a caloric intake likely near 4,000–5,000 (the daily recommendation being 2,000–2,500).The sodium (salt) content of these foods can be very high as well, easily exceeding 5,000 mg (2,300 mg being the daily maximum intake).

Overall, it’s a recipe for a health disaster!

There is some good news, however. Many of the foods listed above can easily be substituted or modified into healthier versions. You can also take into consideration the order the food is offered in, how it is presented, the size of the plates being used, and so on.

Read more from Luke Corey’s article “The Big Game!” for great tips on healthy eating during sporting events.

Luke Corey is a Registered Dietitian and new and welcome contributor to CFC’s Health Portal. He is the founder and Chief Operator of Complete Health and Nutrition, a private practice in Halifax, Nova Scotia that is dedicated to providing residents with the most credible, reliable and effective nutrition information, resources and services available. He works with individual clients, provides group presentations, writes articles for magazines and newspapers, develops workplace wellness programs for companies, and appears in the media on a regular basis to discuss the latest nutrition topics.

Everyone loves to feel their best in the summer and that includes shedding some of those unwanted winter pounds. A great way to lose weight is by following a healthy diet and getting regular exercise.

It can be as simple as eating a healthy meal of protein rich chicken followed by a nice long walk. Check-out these healthy low-fat/low-calorie chicken recipes that will have you looking and feeling great before the hot weather arrives…..if it ever arrives!

Easy Herb Baked Chicken - 220 calories per serving

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/easy-herb-baked-chicken/#

This simple recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal. Serve it with a side of greens like broccoli or kale and quinoa or brown rice for added fibre. Don’t forget that once you add the sides, the calories will go up so keep the portions small.

Salad of Apples, Grapes and Roast Chicken with Korean Dressing - 370 calories per serving

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/salad-of-apples-grapes-roast-chicken-with-korean-dressing/#

This is a great way to eat your fruits and veggies! The Korean-style dressing is oh-so easy to make and you can double it up and keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Spaghetti Squash and Chicken au Gratin - 270 calories per serving

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/spaghetti-squash-and-chicken-au-gratin/#

This dish cuts back on the calories by using spaghetti squash instead of the usual pasta. Spaghetti squash is not only full of vitamin C but high in fibre which helps in maintaining a slim waist!

Baked Eggs and Kale Ramekins - 190 calories per serving

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/baked-egg-chicken-and-kale-ramekins/#

This dish can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner and is surprisingly low in calories yet loaded with flavour!  Not a big fan of kale? Try using spinach, Swiss chard or broccoli instead.

How do you shed those pesky winter pounds?

By: Kelly Atyeo, Guest Health Writer 

A child’s food choices are determined by several factors including: food availability, personal preference, and culture. In today’s fast-paced society, the key word is: convenience. Often, this steers us in the direction of making pre-packaged meals that may not be the most nutritious. Many prepackaged meals are high in saturated fat, sodium, refined sugars, and additives. Not only that, but heating up a pre-packaged meal involves using minimal food skills, such as knowledge of food preparation and ingredients.  

Recent research suggests a relationship between food preparation/cooking skills and healthy eating in children, adolescents and possibly adults. This sparked a number of school and community programs across the country aiming to improve children’s and adults’ foods skills. These programs include: Saskatchewan’s Kids Kitchen, Quebec’s Petits cuistots/Parents en réseaux, and Ontario’s Community Food Advisory Program.

These programs are designed to get kids and adults into the kitchen to learn how to safely cook meals, understand food and nutrition and work as a team. This helps children develop a positive relationship with food. 

You can make your own kitchen a FUN classroom for both yourself and your kids! 

Read more for tips that will help transform your kitchen into a creative classroom full of fun, excitement, and most importantly, nutritious and tasty foods.

Kelly Atyeo is a Professional Home Economist with a background in nutrition and nutrition communication. She is Vice President and co-owner of Creative Sampling Solutions Inc., a food marketing company that creates and executes retail programs and consumer shows related to Eating for Wellness. Kelly is also a health writer, nutrition communication consultant, and public speaker. Through her activities she strives to educate people on nutrition and health, while giving people the tools to make healthy foods a part of their lifestyle.

Caption this photo for a chance to win an insulated cooler seat! This nifty seat will keep your food and drinks cold on those hot summer days. It would be perfect to bring to a picnic or camping! You have until Tuesday, May 7^th at 5 PM to submit your entries. Good luck!

If you read our blog then you already know that during the week of January 22, 2013, I was off-site with the team at In Motion filming our new series of 10 how-to videos.

You’ll be happy to know that they are done but we won’t be releasing the videos all at once. Some of these are seasonal so keep your eyes peeled throughout the year as new ones are released.

Here are two new how-to videos we are releasing this month.

How-To Make Chinese California Fusion Chicken Salad

How-To Make Savoury Asparagus and Chicken Bread Pudding

Still to come:

• How-To Make a Garden Tomato, Basil and Chicken Tart
• How-To Make a Baked Spinach and Chicken Omelet
• How-To Make Fast Five-Spice Roast Chicken
• How-To Make Quick and Easy Sausage Rolls
• How-To Make Easy Chicken Fried Rice
• How-To Make Ricotta Stuffed and Sauced Chicken Over Pasta
• How-To Make Chicken Marrakesh
• How-To Make Chicken Tartlets with Cranberry Sauce

Have you tried making a recipe that you learned from one of our how-to videos? If so, which one and how did it turn out? We’d love to hear from you!

By: Kelly Atyeo, Guest Health Writer

What’s for dinner? Where are we eating dinner? Do we even have time for dinner?

Between afterschool activities and lessons, healthy family dinners often take a back seat. Yet, family meals are so important, offering a time for sharing stories, learning manners and eating nutritious foods. Research shows that the benefits of the family meal for children and adolescents include: improved dietary intake, better weight management, healthier family communication, more balanced mental health and school performance, lowered risk of substance abuse and the prevention of disordered eating.

Despite these benefits, eating a meal as a family can become the last thing on the agenda. However, with proper planning you can make time for family meals throughout the week.

Here are a few simple tips and meal ideas to help you feed your family some healthy options and give everyone more time to enjoy each other’s company. Read more.

Kelly Atyeo is a Professional Home Economist with a background in nutrition and nutrition communication. She is Vice President and co-owner of Creative Sampling Solutions Inc., a food marketing company that creates and executes retail programs and consumer shows related to Eating for Wellness. Kelly is also a health writer, nutrition communication consultant, and public speaker. Through her activities she strives to educate people on nutrition and health, while giving people the tools to make healthy foods a part of their lifestyle.

Author: Monda Rosenberg

It’s the mid-afternoon lull – somewhere between 3 and 4 – and the phone rings. “What’s for dinner, hon?” This scene is repeated across the country every weekday, and it’s not unusual for the answer to be “Let’s pick up a rotisserie chicken at the supermarket.” After all, it’s one of the best-value ready-to-eat dinners you can buy. Besides heating up frozen fries, there are tons of ways to make the meal special.

1. NUTRITIONALLY COMPLETE DINNER

Any dietitian will tell you a nutritionally balanced dinner includes items from the meat, milk, grains, and fruits or veggies categories. With cooked chicken as a jumping-off point, it’s easy to deliciously fill your plate with candidates from the other groups. In about 5 minutes you can stack up delicious sides that will check off all the boxes. Whip up quick-cooking rice in the microwave, or nuke sweet potatoes. Throw frozen peas or corn into a saucepan and onto the stove to boil. For that essential hit of dairy, toss the peas with Parmesan, or use sour cream or yogurt as a chicken dipping sauce. Add a whole-grain pita, and you’ve covered all the categories. When it’s salad weather, create a green toss with cherry tomatoes, sliced peppers, whole-grain croutons or nuts, and crumbled feta. Since lettuce is not high on the nutrient scale, add spinach if you have it. Top with slivers of chicken of course.

If you’re concerned about fat or excess calories, begin by pulling the skin off the barbecued bird. Since that’s where most of the fat is and since many supermarkets add a salty rub, most of the sodium and fat calories will  disappear along with the skin. Also remember that white meat has fewer calories than the tastier dark meat.

2. INSTANT FLAVOUR BOOSTERS

Cranberry always goes well with chicken; if you open a can, you can store the remainder in the fridge for weeks. Other common go-withs that add a wallop of taste are guacamole, chutney, Italian pickled hot vegetables, raita, tzatziki, salsa, even ginger marmalade. Want to bring some international flair to your meal? Open up the spice cupboard and before you warm the bird in the oven, sprinkle it with Chinese five spice powder if you’re craving Asian; sumac or cumin for a Middle Eastern touch; smoked paprika for that Spanish vibe; or Cajun for a loud New Orleans hit.

3. CHICK DIPS

Here’s the easiest way to add zing to a rotisserie chicken: Whip up an easy-make dip! Here are some options:

• Mash blue cheese into sour cream.
• Stir honey and ground ginger into yogurt.
• Mix equal parts mayo or sour cream with chopped cucumber and dill.
• Whisk rice wine vinegar with a drizzle of sesame oil and hot-garlic chili sauce.
• Blend hot pepper sauce into Caesar salad dressing.
• Jazz up sour cream by stirring in a little salsa.

4. CLASSIC DINNER STARTERS

Use a rotisserie chicken as the basis for classic dishes such as chicken pot pie, chicken à la king, chicken Alfredo, chicken noodle soup, chicken lasagna,chicken club sandwich…the list can go on and on.

5. SALAD STRETCHER

When hot days scream for a refreshing dinner salad, pull chicken from the bone and cut it up. Mix with torn romaine, pepper strips, sliced celery and Caesar dressing. Or go the mixed greens, blue cheese dressing and sliced peaches or strawberry route. Try blending curry paste into a bottled vinaigrette dressing or mayo, then tossing with chopped chicken, chopped apple, celery slices, golden raisins and cilantro.

6. FIERY & FAST

Here are some ways to rev up the heat meter for a rotisserie chicken. Blend curry paste into sour cream or yogurt; use it as a dip, or warm it and drizzle over the chicken. Heat up a can of condensed cream of chicken soup and lace it with hot pepper sauce, mashed chipotle pepper, chopped jalapenos or dried red pepper flakes, then use as a gravy on the chicken. Microwave hot red pepper jelly until melted and use as a dipping sauce or glaze for the chicken.

7. ENTERTAINING WAYS

Need to feed a crowd on Friday night at the cottage even though you know you’ll be lucky if you arrive even a few minutes before your guests? No problem. Just pick up a couple of barbecued chickens at the supermarket on your way up, along with an olive focaccia bread, salad greens, herbed feta and corn on the cob. When you arrive, throw the birds into the oven to warm along with the focaccia. Meanwhile, put the corn on to boil and toss the salad with the herbed feta. And if you have jars of vibrant condiments, put out a selection to go with the chicken – chutney, sherried cranberry, hot red pepper jelly and pickled sliced jalapenos are great candidates. Dinner’s done!

8. STAND-IN ROLE

In the mood for a marvelous dish such as pulled pork that usually requires a lot of simmering to be tender? Try subbing rotisserie chicken pieces for the usual hero of the dish. Chicken is already tender, and its mild flavour makes it a blank canvas that quickly soaks up other flavours. If you’re a pulled pork sandwich fan, use 2 forks to pull the chicken meat into tender shreds (dark meat is the best candidate for this). Mix in your favourite barbecue sauce or chipotle-tomato sauce, then pile the meat onto soft buns, and top with coleslaw for a bright crunch. Remember, chicken has about the same amount of protein as a pork shoulder, but less than half the fat (yes, that goes even for the dark thighs, so long as you take off the skin).

9. MONEY SAVER

It’s amazing how a barbecued bird from the supermarket can save big time when making some dishes. It’s an admirable stand-in for fresh tuna in a niçoise salad. And it’s a great way to stretch an expensive seafood stew such as bouillabaisse: Simply add cooked chicken pieces just before serving. Slow-simmered osso bucco is usually made with pricey veal shanks: Use your favourite recipe for this Italian classic, but let chicken legs take the place of the veal and cut the cooking time. When ordering in Chinese for a crowd, order just plain fried rice or stir-fried vegetables or a steamed bok choy and mushroom dish in sauce. Then use meat from the barbecued chicken to plump up the dish and turn it into a main.

10. USE EVERY MORSEL

Make the most of your barbecued chicken by using up any leftovers from the first night’s dinner. If you’re not planning on having chicken for dinner again in the next few days, strip all the meat from the bone, seal in bags and freeze to use down the road in pasta sauces, soups, or any dish that uses small pieces of chicken. You can also stir the pieces into frozen prepared dinners such as General Tao’s Chicken, Butter Chicken, or Sweet and Sour Chicken, boosting these products’ protein count (it’s not uncommon for the protein in some of these dinners to be on the low side). Another option: When you heat up a soup for lunch, throw in some of the chicken pieces. It doesn’t have to be a chicken soup for this to work deliciously; it also works beautifully for corn chowder, black bean or lentil soup, split pea soup, and cream of just about anything – including celery and mushroom.

And if your kids love to eat quick-prep macaroni and cheese from a box or cup-of-soup style noodles, don’t forget that you can give them a nutritional bonus by stirring  in some chicken pieces before heating. 

BBQ season is just around the corner. How would you like to win this awesome stainless steel BBQ set? All you have to do is enter your favourite chicken BBQ seasoning, marinade or BBQ sauce in the comments for a chance to win. The contest closes on Tuesday, April 23 at 5 PM.

Good luck everyone!

Look to the fruit bowl the next time it’s “chicken tonight” and you’ll  be amazed at the big time flavours you can create with little work - beyond a simple slice or chop. Plus you’ll be heaping on essential vitamins and minerals without much fat or sodium.

1. APPLES

• Sliced apples are a fast way to add nutrients to an express dinner.
• Brown boneless breasts or thighs in butter. Add apple wedges, a splash of juice or chicken broth and a heavy sprinkling of cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover and simmer, turning apples occasionally. Yummy over rice or quinoa.
• Simmer large cubes of apples in any chicken curry.
• Add chopped apples to a curried chicken salad along with raisins.
• Finely chop or grate an apple and stir into a chicken salad sandwich filling.
• Add chopped apple to your favorite chicken stuffing recipe whether you’re stuffing the whole bird or just the breasts.

2. PEARS

• Chop or slice pears and add to sautés with a drizzle of white wine and generous pinches of thyme or tarragon.
• Quarter pears and tuck around roasting chicken for the last half hour of cooking. Check out  Roasted Rosemary Chicken With Maple Pears on this website. The pears get a basting of maple syrup and if you bake potatoes and squash alongside, you’ll have a super healthy dinner that needs no baby sitting as it roasts away.
• Chop and add pears to a chicken salad with a sprinkling of thyme.
• Tuck thin slices of pear into a chicken sandwich.

3. MANGOES

• One of our best sources of important antioxidants. When sautéing, after browning the chicken, add thick mango slices and enough orange juice to cover the bottom of the pan. After a good sprinkling of Cajun seasonings, simmer away.
• Toss cubes of mango into a chicken salad with toasted almonds and chopped cilantro.
• Grill big thick slices of mango alongside the chicken on the BBQ - just oil well or coat with butter before throwing on the grill.
• For a summery salsa topper for sautéed or barbecued chicken, mix avocado and mango cubes with lime juice, sliced green onion, and finely chopped jalapenos.

4. GRAPES

• While we seldom think of cooking with grapes, Chicken Veronique - sautéed chicken smothered in a sophisticated creamy wine sauce with green grapes is a classic French recipe. Chicken cutlets or breasts are browned, then shallots, cream, white wine and grapes are added. Finally the cooked chicken is removed and the sauce is reduced. Simple and elegant.
• Toss grape halves into your next chicken salad.
• For a classy appetizer, spread chicken salad sandwich filling over baguette slices, then arrange grape halves on top in a decorative design. 
• Add grapes to a chicken rice pilaf or stir into a rice or quinoa side dish to serve with chicken.

5. PEACHES

• Add sliced peaches to a chicken sauté with a little splash of white wine or orange juice. Tarragon or Herbes de Provence is a good match with the sweet peaches or scatter with lots of fresh mint just before serving. 
• Mix finely chopped sun dried tomatoes with chèvre and mound into peach halves. Bake beside chicken. 
• Thinly slice peaches and toss in a chicken salad with a honey yogurt dressing, arugula and almonds or pistachios.
• Alternate chicken and peach cubes on skewers, then baste with an Italian salad dressing while barbecuing.

6. RHUBARB

• While there’s a lot of debate about rhubarb being a vegetable, most experts see it as fruit for culinary purposes. Cook as you would for a dessert sauce with a little water and lots of stirring. You might want to add some chopped fresh ginger. Spoon the warm sauce over the cooked chicken.
• Rhubarb chutney is outstanding with any chicken cut. There are many recipes for it on line or just mix stewed rhubarb with your favourite chutney. Now that’s easy.

7. CRANBERRIES

• During cranberry harvest in the fall, use fresh cranberries for a raw salsa to spoon atop chicken. Simply pulse fresh cranberries in the food processor with red onion, jalapeno, a spritz of balsamic vinegar and sugar or honey to taste. Chopped apple and grated orange zest are nice additions.
• Add finely chopped fresh cranberries or dried cranberries to chicken stuffings.
• Mix chopped dried cranberries with chèvre and use to stuff chicken breasts.
• After browning chicken pieces, add apple juice to the pan and simmer away. When cooked, place chicken on the plates, then stir cranberry sauce into the pan juices and boil gently to reduce. Pour over chicken.
• Plump dried cranberries in chicken broth and toss into chicken salads.

8. BERRIES

• Next berry season, think chicken. Sliced strawberries can be luscious mixed with cooked chicken, spinach and toasted pecans. Add a honey Dijon or creamy dressing such as Caesar or ranch and if you’re a stilton fan, crumble over top.
• For a healthy appetizer make a chicken salad sandwich filling, mound on slices of baguette, then overlap thin strawberries slices on top of each.
• Ripe raspberries are divine pureed and tweaked with a little lime juice and sugar if needed, then poured over chicken .
• Raspberry chicken was a très popular recipe several years ago when raspberry vinegar was the darling of gourmet cooks. There are a many recipes to be found on line for it - and you can sub balsamic vinegar for the raspberry vinegar. Do finish with a good handful of fresh raspberries and a sprinkling of sage or rosemary.

9. CLEMENTINES

• A great holiday party entrée is chicken breasts cooked in butter, then into the oven to keep warm. Orange juice, sherry and fresh ginger slices go into the pan and simmer until thickened, then clementine sections are added and warmed through.
• Chop clementines or tangerines and toss in a chicken salad with finely chopped celery, green onions and tarragon.
• Add clementine or tangerine wedges to a chicken stir-fry near the end of the cooking. Clementines just need heating. Teriyaki sauce is perfect with this combo.

10. PINEAPPLE

• Many a parent has learned that pineapple paired with chicken sweetens the pot for many kids. This is one time that canned fruit can have as much flavor as fresh and is much easier to use. Simply add drained cubes to any stir-fry.
• When baking chicken pieces, lay pineapple slices on top of the chicken pieces. Baste often with pan juices.
• Skewer big chunks of pineapple with chicken pieces and red pepper squares. Baste with a sweet-and-sour sauce while baking or barbecuing.
• For a sophisticated sauté, brown chicken pieces, then add juice from a can of pineapple. Simmer until chicken is done, then remove. Add ginger marmalade or chutney and pineapple pieces to the pan. Boil, stirring constantly to reduce. Pour over chicken. A scattering of fresh coriander or thyme adds a glamorous touch. 

Author: Doug Cook, RD MHSc CDE

Vitamins and minerals are essential for health. Think of them as members of a sports team; individually each has a critical role to play towards a common goal. If one of the members is missing, or not performing properly, the whole team suffers as does their game. It’s no different with your body. In this case, the team is some fourteen vitamins and seventeen minerals, give or take. If any of them are not showing up as they should be, the goal of optimal health is at risk and the penalty is years of wear and tear leading to an increased risk of degenerative diseases; sadly this is a common reality for a lot of men.

According to the Canadian Community Health Surveys, many men are not meeting the recommended minimum intake of several key nutrients including calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamins A, D and C, and omega-3 fats. Why? Because food today is, in a lot of ways, very different than it was as recently as 60 years ago. The mineral content of the soil is changing, and because we eat more refined, processed and convenience foods, which make up an increasingly larger proportion of our weekly fare. It’s estimated that up to thirty-percent of our calories comes from these foods. It’s no wonder many of us are missing the mark. Fortunately, with some fine-tuning, you can tip the odds in your favour and take advantage of the best that a healthy diet has to offer.

Read Doug Cook’s article “Seven Key Nutrients That Every Man Needs” to learn about the benefits that these nutrients offer as it relates to chronic disease risk reduction. Find out which foods and chicken recipes can help you reach your daily recommended intake.

Doug Cook is a new and welcome contributor to CFC’s Health Portal. Doug is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist who works in a hospital setting, private practice and as a nutritional consultant. He practices a holistic and integrative approach providing science-based guidance on food and diet along with nutritional supplements and natural health products where appropriate. He is regularly called upon by the media to help make sense of the latest food and nutrition hot topics. He wrote a popular newspaper column called The Vice Squad for seven years in the Toronto Star and Hamilton Spectator and also co-authored Nutrition for Canadians for Dummies (Wiley 2008).

Need help planning your Easter menu? Here are some simple yet flavourful breakfast/brunch and dinner menus to get you started.

Breakfast / Brunch

Baked Eggs & Chicken Sausage with Potatoes

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/baked-eggs-chicken-sausage-with-potatoes/

This one pan breakfast recipe will become a regular feature in your home. If you can’t find chicken sausages at your local grocery store, go ahead and use diced chicken breast or ground chicken.

OR

Chicken Breakfast Skillet

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/chicken-breakfast-skillet/

This one-skillet breakfast comes together easily with just eight ingredients. It’s the perfect breakfast to enjoy on the weekend or for Easter brunch!

OR

Savoury Asparagus Chicken Bread Pudding

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/savoury-asparagus-chicken-bread-pudding/

This is the perfect Easter brunch dish. Not only is it easy to make but you can prepare it the night before which means you’ll spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your family.

Drinks:

Mimosas – These drinks are for adults only. Mix chilled champagne with orange juice and there you have it. Feel like being creative? Try other fruit juices like pink grapefruit, passion fruit or pineapple.

Fruit juices like orange, pineapple or grapefruit are always popular. Jazz them up by mixing them with a bit of sparkling water.

Fruit punch is also a favourite and you can find many recipes on line.

Dinner

Butter and Wine Basted Chicken

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/butter-and-wine-basted-chicken/

Who doesn’t love a chicken roasted on a spit, especially when it is basted with herb butter and white wine? Don’t have a rotisserie spit? Go ahead and roast it the conventional way!

OR

Lemon Roasted Chicken

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/lemon-roasted-chicken/

With just four ingredients you can have the perfect roast chicken. How easy is that? This is a recipe that you’ll want to use year-round!

Sides that will compliment either meal:

Roasted or steamed asparagus – Asparagus are in season so take advantage of what Mother Nature has to offer. These tasty spears take little time to cook and are always a crowd pleaser. I enjoy mine roasted with a little olive oil, balsamic, salt & pepper.

Roasted potatoes – Cut and parboil large roasting potatoes then add them to the pan with the chicken. You’ll end up with golden roasted potato with all the flavours of the chicken.

Sweet peas with mint – You can use frozen or fresh. Cook onions or shallots in a frying pan with a little olive oil until they are translucent. Add the peas and salt to taste and cook until peas are warmed through. Pour them into a serving dish and mix in fresh slivers of mint leaves.

Salad – A simple green salad is always a hit. I like to use the spring green mix because it has a variety of different greens. Serve it with your toppings and dressing of choice but keep it light, this is meant to be a light side dish. I like to taste the flavours of the greens so I tend to stick with a very simple dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

Warmed whole wheat rolls with butter – Pressed for time? Pick these up at your local grocery store and warm them up just before dinner is served. Have all the time in the world? There are many great recipes available on line and really, there’s nothing better than the smell of fresh baked bread!

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

Author: Monda Rosenberg

Looking for a stunning, light, summer dinner? Marry crisp cool greens – or more substantial grains if you want something heartier – with moist chicken, whether it’s pulled from a rotisserie bird, hot off the grill or left over from last night’s feast. Here are some awesome combos to get you started.

1. PARTY COBB

A Cobb salad – not tossed and not shaken – is the perfect choice for a party because it’s laid out in rows so people can choose only the things they love. (Don’t like red onion? Don’t take any!) There are no must-haves – but I have never seen one that didn’t include chicken. Other suspects often appearing in the lineup include crisp romaine, julienned peppers, chopped tomatoes, avocado chunks, cucumber slices, crisp bacon and crunchy croutons. Add a current touch with rows of arugula, roasted peppers, shaved fennel, pickled jalapenos and a mix of olives. Offer at least 3 dressing choices: an ultra-creamy Caesar, a classic vinaigrette laced with fresh herbs and a homemade green goddess dressing.

2. ROYAL CURRIED CHICKEN

There’s something about a curried chicken salad that makes me think of the impressive Taj Mahal. Just mix curry powder or curry paste into mayo, and add some ground cumin for extra oomph. Besides chicken, you must have chopped apple, raisins or dried apricots, diced celery and some chopped almonds. Remember, it gets better if it sits in the refrigerator overnight – making it perfect for lunch boxes. Another road to take is to simply add chicken to last night’s curried cauliflower along with fresh coriander.

3. GRILLED CHICKEN CAESAR

Take your fave Caesar salad and ramp up the flavour and protein quotient by adding slices of hot barbecued chicken, garlic bread that’s been grilled on the BBQ and then cut up into chunky croutons;use prosciutto strips in place of bacon. Oh yes, boost the creamy dressing with anchovy paste, capers and fresh lemon juice.

4. SMART FRUIT & NUT TOSS

Since chicken goes with just about everything, it’s a natural to add chicken chunks to a spinach salad with sliced strawberries, nectarines or peaches. Toss with a honeyandcider vinegar dressing. Scatter with spicy sugared almonds for a healthy crunch.

5. THAI MANGO SALAD

Shred chicken and combine with slivers of mango, shredded carrot, strips of red pepper, fresh mint and coriander. The dressing is important: Combine 2 tbsp (30 mL) each of fish sauce, oil and sugar with the juice of 2 limes. Add some softened rice noodles if you like, or serve on greens.

6. GRILLED VEGETABLE SALAD

You’ve probably cooked up a mess of grilled vegetables before to use as a side dish. Well, add cut-up chicken from pieces that you grilled along with the veggies, then toss it all up with zesty Italian dressing and some torn fresh basil leaves…and dinner’s done! Marvelous warm, at room temperature or chilled.

7. SUPER - GRAINS SALAD

Brighten up cooked quinoa, farro or barley with a sherry-vinegar dressing – and besides tossing in shredded chicken, consider add-ins such as olives, cucumbers, marinated artichokes and sliced cherry tomatoes or halved green grapes.

8. ASIAN RICE SALAD

Start with brown or basmati rice. Make an Asian-flavoured dressing with rice vinegar whisked with sesame oil, grated ginger and hot-garlic chili sauce. Add shredded chicken with blanched snow peas, chopped mango or papaya, red peppers and cilantro.

9. SOUVLAKI GREEK SALAD

Take your favourite Greek salad over the top by adding skewers of chicken that you’ve grilled up on the barbecue. Begin by marinating chopped tomatoes and chunks of Greek feta in a garlicky Italian dressing for at least a couple of hours or overnight. Then chop cucumber and add with salad greens and wine-marinated kalamata olives plus lots of fresh mint and fresh oregano. After tossing add the hot barbecued chicken pieces.

10. NOT-SO-CLASSIC NIÇOISE SALAD

Sub chicken for the tuna in a traditional Niçoise salad, and

marinate both the chicken and potatoes in a traditional French vinaigrette livened up with chopped anchovies and lots of capers. Be sure to add tender-crisp green beans. Once you’ve plated the salad, sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves and serve with slices of olive focaccia bread. Yum!

Today is the first day of spring and just saying those words has put me in a better mood. Now I’m not completely unrealistic, I know that we’ll get another dump or two snow, or three of snow. I hope I’m wrong……

But one thing I can be sure of is that grocery stores throughout Canada will be featuring a favourite Spring time vegetable……. Asparagus!

To celebrate the first day of spring, I’ve listed some of our best recipes featuring asparagus.

Asparagus Chicken Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/asparagus-chicken-salad-with-sesame-ginger-dressing/

This Asian salad is loaded with fresh crunchy vegetables. Make double the dressing and store it in you fridge to use one of your favourite salads!

Asparagus Chicken Soup with Asiago Cheese and Lemon

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/asparagus--chicken-soup-with-asiago-cheese-and-lemon/

This refreshing soup can be made with fresh or frozen asparagus. The additions of white wine, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, lemon zest and Asiago cheese make this a unique soup that is both flavourful and easy to prepare.

Asparagus, Pistachio and Chicken Stir Fry over Wehani Rice

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/asparagus-pistachio-and-chicken-stir-fry-over-wehani-rice/

This stir fry is healthy and easy to prepare when you’re short on time. Not sure where to find wehani rice? Go ahead and use any rice in your pantry.

Savoury Asparagus Chicken and Bread Pudding

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/savoury-asparagus-chicken-bread-pudding/

Having guests over for brunch? This healthier version of a traditional savoury bread pudding can be prepared the night before. All you’ll have to do is plop it in the oven before your guests arrive.

Asparagus Chicken Pie with Grated Potato Crust

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/asparagus--chicken-pie-with-grated-potato-crust/

This healthy pie uses grated potato for the pie crust cutting the calories down to 280 calories per slice. So go ahead, enjoy a slice of pie!

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Asparagus

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/chicken-breasts-stuffed-with-asparagus/

Jazz-up your usual Cordon Bleu by stuffing it with nutritious asparagus and serving it with your favourite rice or salad on the side.

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING EVERYONE!!!

Contributor: Luke Corey, BA(H), BScAHN, Registered Dietitian

Has this ever happened to you?

You think to yourself, “I’m hungry. I should make something to eat.”

You look in the cupboards and respond, “There’s nothing here to eat!”

You weigh your options, “I could drive 10 minutes to the grocery store and buy some fresh foods to cook up a nice, healthy meal from scratch…”

You pick up the phone and order a large pizza instead.

If this has happened before, you are probably your average single guy who normally cooks for just one. Without certain priorities, like caring & cooking for a family, single guys will normally purchase foods or cook meals without putting much thought or planning into it. And, what typically happens is evident, as we saw above. 

The practice of impulse purchasing and eating can wreak havoc on our bodies; and, ultimately, our health.

There is a simple solution…Shop once & Eat healthy for the week!

Read more from Luke Corey’s article “Eating for One” to learn how easy it is to plan meals for a week if you’re a single guy.

Luke Corey is a Registered Dietitian and new and welcome contributor to CFC’s Health Portal. He is the founder and Chief Operator of Complete Health and Nutrition, a private practice in Halifax, Nova Scotia that is dedicated to providing residents with the most credible, reliable and effective nutrition information, resources and services available. He works with individual clients, provides group presentations, writes articles for magazines and newspapers, develops workplace wellness programs for companies, and appears in the media on a regular basis to discuss the latest nutrition topics.

How will you be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day this year?  Whether you chose to throw an Irish-style party or head out to your local pub with good friends, make sure that everyone get into the Irish spirit.

I like hosting parties because it brings out my creative side and there’s nothing I love more than seeing my friends having a good time!

The theme of this year’s party will be “Green Beer, Shamrocks and Leprechauns, oh my”!

Everyone has to dress in green from head to toe! Wearing green is a St. Patrick’s Day tradition. It makes you invisible to Leprechauns who pinch anyone they can see. Nobody likes to be pinched….

I always find great decorations at my local dollar store, including gold chocolate coins and lots of green balloons and streamers!

My music selection is usually a mix of traditional songs (all available on youtube.com) and trendier Irish music by The Pogues, U2, Sinead O’Connor and the Cranberries to name a few.

I like to serve a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Green beer is a must! Other ideas are green tea iced tea, limeade, Irish cream liqueur, green apple martinis. You can find a hefty list of St. Patrick’s Day drink ideas on line.

When serving drinks, it’s important to make sure that plenty of food is available. I always put out a big platter with a variety of cheeses, green grapes, sliced baguette (and lots of it). A large platter of vegetables is always a hit. I also put out a variety of other appetizers such as chicken wings, mini quiches and whatever ideas I whip up in my head. Each appetizer or dish is renamed to something that screams of St. Patrick’s Day.

Here are a few ways to switch up the names recipes:

Golden Nuggets - http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/rodeo-chicken-nuggets/

Little Pots of Gold - http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/mini-walnut-spinach-and-chicken-quiches/

Gold Coins - http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/polenta-chicken-pizza-bites-gluten-free/

Leprechaun Limbs - http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/boneless-buffalo-hot-wings-with-vegetable-sticks-and-blue-cheese-dressing/

Shamrock Dip - http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/hot-spinach--chicken-dip-slow-cooker/

Lucky Pockets - http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/spiced-chicken-pitas-with-mango-salsa/

Now that you’ve had a few giggles, what are your big plans for St. Patrick’s Day? We’d love to hear about them in our comments!

Whatever your plans for this Irish celebration, make sure that everyone gets home safely!

Author: Monda Rosenberg

Whether you have a concern about high blood pressure or not, we all know it’s smart to keep our sodium intake as low as we can. We’re told we should keep our consumptions to no more than 1500 mg a day, but eating one bowl of chicken soup from a popular Canadian coffee shop brings us 910 mg. So making your own can be worthwhile. 

In fact, when cooking chicken, there are a zillion ways to boost flavour without reaching for the salt shaker. Here are our top ten tips.

1. CREAMY SOUP SAVVY

Just reaching for the can of condensed cream of chicken soup labeled lowfat or low sodium can save you 200 mg of sodium per cup.

Cut the sodium count further by bulking up the soup with super healthy vegetables. Simmering cut-up fresh veggies in the broth is ideal but you can always throw in a handful or two of frozen green peas or corn. This ups the volume of your soup without touching the sodium count, so a cup now holds much less sodium. Spinach leaves don't need cooking so toss some in before serving - not only for bulk and nutrients but for that elusive garden-fresh taste. 

Then again, you can easily make a soup from scratch. There are many enticing chicken soup recipes to consider on this website including a superb recipe for a classic chicken noodle soup.

2. CRISPY CRUNCHY BAKED CHICKEN

Who doesn't like to tuck into a juicy leg of chicken with a shake-‘n’-bake-style coating. Go with a store-bought one and you add 220 mg of sodium to each piece of chicken. Use your own bread crumbs and, while bread has a fair amount of sodium, you can control the extra salt you add. Plain bread crumbs have 123 mg of sodium in 2 tablespoons.

The trick to getting a crispy coating is after placing coated chicken pieces on a baking sheet, give them a spray with cooking oil or use a brush and lightly dab with oil. For a flavour boost - dip the chicken in a mixture of egg and buttermilk or milk whisked with a dab of Dijon before coating.

3. TACO TACTICS

Chicken taco nights are sure-fire winners on the kid scene, but start with a kit and the seasonings blend may be salt laced.

It’s interesting that both a taco shell and a corn tortilla are listed as under 50 mg of sodium, while a whole wheat tortilla of the same size has 167 mg of sodium - so you know which one to choose.

One of the popular chicken taco kits has salt listed as the third ingredient - and when it’s made up following their directions, it has 300 mg in a serving.

Another well-known brand offers both reduced sodium fajita and taco seasoning mix.

Just keep an eye on the labels.

4. CHICKEN FINGER CHECK

Some children would eat chicken nuggets every night if you let them - and not all chicken nuggets are created equal.

One of the most popular chicken nuggets sold in our supermarket’s frozen food sections has 620 mg in 4

pieces. Those sold in a popular fast food restaurant hold 360 mg in 4 pieces - but add another 150 if they have the sweet ’n’ sour sauce.

Also, frozen nuggets are considerably larger than those sold at the fast food place.

If you chose to make your own and use a shake ’n’ bake -style coating mix,the sodium will be about 220 mg. 

5. ASIAN ALERT

Fish sauce, soya sauce and hot garlic chili sauce - all pillars of Asian cuisine are sodium-laced. Fish sauce, for example, made from the fermentation of fish with sea salt has 1400 mg of salt in a single tablespoon. Some popular brands of soya ring in at 4176 mg per 1/4 cup and hot-garlic chili sauce at 260 mg per teaspoon.

While I have not found a good stand-in for fish sauce that is shyer on sodium, light soya sauce has about 580 mg per tablespoon - about half that of regular soya sauce.

Instead of hot-garlic chili sauce at 780 mg per tablespoon boost the chicken stir-fry flavor with lots of freshly chopped garlic and chili flakes or chopped hot peppers - which have very little sodium.

6. CURRY CUT BACK

Curry paste is the express route to a flavour bursting chicken curry - but it can also come overflowing with sodium, some weighing in at about 420 mg per tablespoon.

Switch it up with your own mix of ground cumin, curry powder and garam masala and you have little sodium. Most curry powders contain about 0.1 percent sodium - very, very little.

7. BUTTER CHICKEN AND BEYOND

There are many excellent tasting frozen chicken dinners to stock in your freezer such as butter chicken or chicken tikka masala. Before buying any entrée, besides checking the protein and fat content, look at the sodium content on the label - they can vary dramatically.

One brand of frozen General Tso Chicken weighs in heavily at 1970 mg of sodium per serving. Fortunately you have the option of choosing from calorie reduced “healthier” brands which ring in at about a 1/3 of that amount. 

If sodium intake is a big concern of yours, spend time on line checking out what is available.

8. SMART SANDWICHES

Chicken sandwiches are near the top of the list of sandwich picks. What better use for leftover cooked chicken or healthier sandwich noshes. But be careful how you spread the bread and what you choose to layer on or you can send the sodium meter soaring.

Add a coating a regular mayonnaise and you add about 100 mg of salt. If you go for an Italian dressing it may have more than double that amount. A couple packaged cheese slices and you add 500 mg. Instead head for slices of tomatoes, spinach leaves or arugula, even roasted red peppers.

9. CHICKEN BROTH AIN’T HARD TO MAKE

When you make your own chicken broth you do not need to add salt. If the stock doesn’t have enough flavour for you - keep reducing until it is tasty.

To make your own broth, save all your chicken bones in a bag in the freezer, then simmer then up with a couple of bay leaves and sliced onions. Simmer at least a couple of hours.

There are lots of broth options out there on the supermarket shelves. One ready to use chicken broth has 950 mg of sodium in a cup while the company’s “Less Sodium” broth has 640 mg of sodium. Look for their latest entry into the market - a no salt added ready-to-use-broth and you’ve slashed that figure to 67 mg

In the bouillon section, a single chicken bouillon cube that yields 2 cups of broth has 2260 mg of sodium. That works out to 1130 mg per cup.

There are lots of brands, both national and private label, of bouillon, condensed and ready-to-use broth on store shelves - so spend time reading labels.

Do consider pulling out the stock pot and remember every time you serve chicken to save those bones in a big freezer bag. Then anytime you are going to be around the kitchen for a few hours you can make stock. Fortunately, it does not need much babysitting.

10. ROAST CHICKEN PREP 

It is a common practice to sprinkle the skin of a whole chicken with salt before roasting, but this step isn’t necessary. While peppering with salt does help the skin crisp, the salt isn’t essential to achieving a crispy skin. One trick is to avoid basting for the last half hour of roasting because the basting has the same effect as pouring water over the skin. So just don't mess with the chicken, roast it at 375 F and you’ll be rewarded with golden crispy skin.

Adding some of the popular seasonings mixtures can send the sodium scale sky high. A mere teaspoon of Montreal Steak Spice, that some like to sprinkle on with abandonment, can add 980 mg.

If you prefer buying your roast chicken, do question the deli manager at the supermarket about what they add before skewering them on the rotisserie.

One well known chicken barbecue restaurant offers a quarter dark with skin on and it holds 220 mg. Remove the skin and you lose 40 mg  - but add their dipping sauce that has a mere 30 calories and the sodium soars by 700 mg. So enjoy the chicken and take a pass on dipping this time. 

By: Kelly Atyeo, Guest Health Writer

March is National Nutrition Month, but really, every month should be Nutrition Month! Approximately 90% of Canadians state that they “try to eat healthier, but would like to do better.” We are a very health-focused nation, but often knowing what foods are healthy doesn’t translate into healthy eating behaviours.

The key is to “eat for wellness,” finding healthy foods that fit your specific needs and lifestyle and making them taste good in simple meal ideas.

Read about 3 simple tips that you can use throughout Nutrition Month to bring focus on healthy eating to your entire family.

Kelly Atyeo is a Professional Home Economist with a background in nutrition and nutrition communication. She is Vice President and co-owner of Creative Sampling Solutions Inc., a food marketing company that creates and executes retail programs and consumer shows related to Eating for Wellness. Kelly is also a health writer, nutrition communication consultant, and public speaker. Through her activities she strives to educate people on nutrition and health, while giving people the tools to make healthy foods a part of their lifestyle.

Author: Monda Rosenberg

When you throw a dinner together without being scripted by a recipe, that allows you the freedom to be truly creative in the kitchen. Yahoo! Use these ideas as a jumping-off point.

1. Dip chicken pieces in creamy Caesar dressing or mayo thinned with lemon juice, then bread crumbs mixed with Parmesan. Bake at 375°F (190°C) on a greased pan along with baby potatoes and colorful peppers.
2. Sauté boneless chicken in butter until almost done. Add a spoonful of hot-garlic chili sauce and a generous drizzle of teriyaki sauce. When richly coated, serve over rice tossed with green peas, snow peas or sliced bok choy.
3. Stuff boneless breasts or thighs with blue cheese or chèvre (goat’s cheese). Rub with oil, and roast. At the same time, bake cherry tomatoes tossed with oil and basil, and potato wedges sprinkled with rosemary.
4. For a fast roast chicken-and-vegetable dinner, scatter equal-size pieces of potatoes, fennel and carrots over a large baking sheet with shallow sides. Toss with oil, sage and salt. Cut a whole chicken into pieces and set them on the veggies. Rub chicken with butter seasoned with thyme or poultry seasonings. Roast at 425°F (210°C) for 45 minutes to an hour. Turn vegetables partway through.
5. Place bone-in chicken thighs in a large baking dish. Rub with a generous amount of butter and sprinkle with herbs de Provence or tarragon. Scatter slices of leeks and cherry tomatoes around chicken and sprinkle with thyme. Bake 30 to 45 minutes. Stir vegetables often.
6. Brown chicken in butter in a frying pan. Pour a can of condensed cream of chicken or mushroom soup overtop. Cover and cook over low for 5 minutes. Turn chicken and throw peas or pieces of asparagus or zucchini in the pan; stir to coat with sauce. Cover and simmer until chicken is done.
7. Want a no-watch, no-mess Italian meal? Place a piece of chicken on a large piece of foil. Generously cover with tomato pasta sauce, turning to coat. Sprinkle with dried or fresh basil, oregano and lots of grated Parmesan. Bring edges of foil together, and seal tightly. Bake 1 hour for bone-in chicken; 30 to 40 minutes for boneless. Serve on pasta tossed with garlic butter.
8. For an oven-barbecued dinner, scatter wedges of potatoes, onions and peppers on a large baking sheet. Add bone-in chicken pieces. Stir together equal amounts of barbecue sauce and beer, and baste over chicken and onions. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 45 minutes to 1 hour, basting occasionally with sauce and turning the potatoes and peppers.
9. Heat a can of coconut milk in a frying pan. Stir in a spoonful or two of curry or tandoori paste. Slip in boneless skinless chicken pieces. Cover and simmer. Near the end of cooking, add small florets of cauliflower, slices of zucchini, green onions and peas. To thicken, blend 1 tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch with 2 tbsp (30 mL) water in a small bowl. Add to the mixture and stir for 3 minutes.
10. Lightly brown chicken pieces in garlic butter, then add a medley of sweet pepper strips, a scattering of capers and a splash of white wine. Cover and simmer, stirring often, until done. Spoon over rice and add green beans. 

Author: Monda Rosenberg.

Canada’s own Monda Rosenberg retired as Food Editor of CHATELAINE, Canada’s largest circulation magazine, in 2009. She was responsible for the magazine’s entire award-winning Food section, including writing and recipe development of over 2,000 recipes a year and overseeing food photography. Before joining CHATELAINE, Monda Rosenberg was Food Editor of the Toronto Star for five years.

Monda has received an impressive number of food writing, styling and publishing awards including the Nabisco Food Writer’s Magazine Food Editor of the Year Award, the New York Art Directors Award for Food Styling and the General Foods Nutrition Writing Award. She has been president of the Ontario Home Economics Association and president of the Toronto Home Economics Association for a double term. 

A frequent guest on national television and radio shows, Monda is the author of The New Chatelaine Cookbook, two Vitality Cookbooks, the Quickies series of 7 cookbooks and Chatelaine’s Wonder Foods.

One of the joys of having a chicken dinner is that you often have leftovers that are just begging to be piled high in a sandwich. Next time you find yourself in this lucky position, remember these ideas and you’ll never go the mayo-salt-and-pepper route again.

1. CURRIED CHICKEN PITA

Blend curry paste or cumin along with curry powder into sour cream, Greek yogurt or mayonnaise. Add cubed chicken, chopped apple or pear, sliced green onion and toasted almonds. Spoon into pitas and tuck in coriander sprigs or wrap in naan bread.

2. PANINI POULET 

Spread 2 thick slices of rustic country bread with Dijon. On 1 piece of bread, place a slice of Asiago cheese, then tomato slices, large basil leaves and chicken pieces. Top  with another slice of cheese, then the second slice of bread. Generously butter the outside of both slices of bread. Heat in a panini press, sandwich grill or frying pan until cheese is gooey.

3. TUSCAN CIABATTA BUN

Slice a ciabatta bun in half and spread both sides with pesto. On one side, layer chicken slices and roasted red peppers. Scatter with sliced olives. Top with arugula. Add the top half of bun and press down.

4. MUFFALETTA SQUARE

Slice a focaccia bread in half. Spread one side with tapenade and add a layer of chicken slices, then prosciutto and salami. Spoon a vegetable antipasto or spicy Italian giardiniera (pickled vegetables sold in jars) overtop, then add the other piece of focaccia. Firmly press together and slice into squares.

5. BISTRO CROISSANT

Slice a croissant or small baguette in half. Spread with honey-Dijon, then cover one half with pear slices and thick slices of brie. Add chicken pieces and press together. Warm in the oven.

6. MOROCCAN SAMMIE

Split a pita bread into two rounds. Spread both rounds with hummus. Sprinkle with ground cumin and coriander. Cover one round with chicken pieces, then sliced olives, chopped clementines and mint leaves. Add the pita round top and press together.

7. VIETNAMESE BANH MI

The sub of Asian sandwiches, banh mi shops are sprouting up in our large cities, and there’s a lot of Twitter action on who makes the best. For your in-house model, begin by slicing a baguette lengthwise. Like submarine sandwiches, there are no “have-to-have” spreads, but you may want to start by lathering on mayo flavoured with soy sauce. Add sliced or shredded chicken, then folded-up cold cuts (ham, head cheese, roast pork roll, etc.). Shredded pickled carrots are a must for me, as are pickled  hot pepper slices and cucumber slices. You’ll like the refreshing crunch. Slices of liver pâté are classic and always seem like a luxury touch.

8. SOUTHWESTERN QUESADILLA

Spread one tortilla with salsa. Scatter with chicken pieces, chopped avocado, thin slivers of green pepper and minced jalapeno. Cover with shredded Monterey Jack cheese or whatever cheese you happen to have. Top with a second tortilla and sauté in butter in a frying pan until golden. Cut into wedges and dig in right away.

9. TROPICAL OPEN FACE WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA

Rub boneless chicken breasts or thighs with oil and sprinkle with cumin and chili powder. Barbecue and when almost done, throw some pineapple slices onto the grill. Chop pineapple and mix with chopped red pepper, avocado, minced garlic and jalapenos, as well as a squeeze or two of lime juice. Spritz chicken with lime juice as well and place on thick slices of bread. Spoon salsa overtop.

10. FAST FAJITA

Brown ground chicken with chopped onion and garlic. Heavily season with chili powder and cumin and stir in tomato salsa until moist and flavourful. Spoon into warm tortillas and top with red pepper strips, shredded lettuce and grated cheese. 

Author: Kelly Atyeo, Professional Home Economist & Guest Health Writer

Ladies, please read this for the love of your heart!

In Canada, heart disease and stroke is the leading cause of death, with these diseases killing 7 times as many women as breast cancer.According to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, the Heart Truth is heart disease is not primarily a man’s disease, as once believed. Women now have a greater risk of dying from stroke and heart disease than men. Research shows that lifestyle factors, including diet and exercise, can reduce the chances of heart disease and strokes. That means you can take steps to reduce your risk! 

Improving Heart Health

Focus on reducing the risk factors of heart disease and strokes that you can control. These include: smoking, high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, physical inactivity and your weight.

Read more from Kelly Atyeo’s article “Give Some Love to Your Heart” for tips on making women’s health and hearts a priority! Check out the recipes that Kelly likes for Heart Month.

Kelly Atyeo is a Professional Home Economist with a background in nutrition and nutrition communication. She is Vice President and co-owner of Creative Sampling Solutions Inc., a food marketing company that creates and executes retail programs and consumer shows related to Eating for Wellness. Kelly is also a health writer, nutrition communication consultant, and public speaker. Through her activities she strives to educate people on nutrition and health, while giving people the tools to make healthy foods a part of their lifestyle.

We’re inviting our social media team to join us in a monthly meet-up on Twitter. On the last Friday of every month, we’ll be chatting about chicken, including industry news, brand communication and collaborating on new and creative ways to make some noise socially about the Chicken Farmers of Canada and the quality and nutrition of Canadian produced poultry.

Bring your ideas and observations to share. How can we foster positive brand messaging and encourage new customers to explore the health and product information resources on our website. If you are passionate about Canadian chicken as a healthy choice for consumers, we want to hear your ideas for bringing that message to more people through social media.

Join us on Twitter @chickenfarmers every month for #ChickenChat.

February is Heart Month, which is a perfect reminder to eat healthy and exercise as much as we can. High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes and being an unhealthy weight are known risk factors for heart disease and strokes. There are many lifestyle changes we can make to beat these odds. One simple change is to pay closer attention to the foods we eat.

Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) is proud to post numerous recipes with detailed nutrient information to help you plan healthier meals. Our recipe categories allow you to choose from options for either regular diets or those that require heart healthier meals which are lower in fat, sugar, and sodium and higher in fibre.

Why search for lower sodium recipes, if my blood pressure is normal?

Most Canadians consume more salt than they need. Choosing foods lower in sodium (salt) can help prevent high blood pressure – a significant risk factor for a stroke, heart attack and heart disease. The amount of sodium recommended as the upper tolerable level for health is no more than 2,300 mg per day. Health Canada’s long range goal for Canadians is to reduce that amount to 1,500 mg per day. 

Try our lower sodium recipe category (500 mg or less per serving) for flavour-bursting taste without the extra sodium. These recipes contain many popular ingredients that have been reduced in sodium, such as low-sodium chicken broth or soy sauce, and call for natural flavour enhancers like lemon juice, garlic, herbs or onions.

Why search for lower sugar recipes, if I do not need to manage a chronic illness, such as diabetes or heart disease?

Sugar is found naturally in many foods including milk, fruits and vegetables. It is also added to foods to enhance our perception of flavour. Although there is no recommended limit of sugar we should consume daily, Health Canada encourages Canadians to consume less foods that are high in sugar – often found in processed foods, desserts and sweetened beverages. These foods can lead to many, extra calories in our diet, and without expending that energy can creep up on us as unwanted weight gain over time. Extra weight, especially around the midsection, can increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Explore our lower sugar category for recipes that contain 10 grams of sugar or less per serving. Many of these dishes get their sweetness from natural sugars found in vegetables, such as beets, carrots or green peas, and from aromatic flavours in rubs, sauces, or marinades containing citrus fruits or herbs like cilantro and ginger. 

Why choose lower fat recipes, if my cholesterol level is normal?

Health Canada recommends avoiding foods containing trans fats, and limiting those that are high in saturated fats to help keep blood cholesterol levels in check and subsequently reduce the risk for heart disease. Trans fats are found in many deep-fried or processed foods made with shortening or partially-hydrogenated vegetable oils. Saturated fats are generally found in fatty meats, higher-fat dairy products, lard, hard margarines and tropical oils, such as coconut.

While it is virtually impossible to remove fat completely from our food, it would actually be unhealthy to do so. Fats play a vital role in helping maintain healthy skin, hair, and body temperature, in promoting the absorption of essential vitamins and nutrients, and serving as a source of energy. Including a small amount of unsaturated fat (30 to 45 mL/day or 2-3 Tbsp) in our diet is a healthy choice. This includes the kind of fat used in oils for cooking, salad dressings, non-hydrogenated margarine and mayonnaise. It also includes the fat found in seeds, nuts such as almonds or cashews, avocados and fatty fish.  

By preparing meals at home we can have better control over limiting the “bad fats,” as well as the amount of fat, in our daily diet. Check out our lower fatcategory for recipes with 15 g or less of total fat per serving. Many of these recipes call for skinless cuts of chicken (including dark meat), healthy cooking oils, or food pairings containing unsaturated fats, such as avocados or pecans.

Why is eating higher fibre food good for my heart?

Fibre is a vital part of a healthy diet, but most of us are getting less than half the recommended amount. Fibre is found in plant foods and there are two important kinds. Soluble fibre is a soft fibre found in foods like oatmeal, oat bran, legumes, and citrus fruits, such as oranges or strawberries. This type of fibre, in combination with a lower fat diet, helps lower our blood cholesterol level, control blood glucose levels, and improve our risk of developing heart disease. Insoluble fibre (the roughage or bulk) is found in wheat bran, whole grains and the skins, leaves and seeds of vegetables and fruit. The fibre in these foods promotes regularity and a healthy digestive system.

The Heart & Stroke Foundation recommends men between 19-50 years of age aim to get 38 g of fibre per day, while women in the same age range should aim to get 25 g of fibre per day. Our higher fibre category features recipes that contain 4 grams or more of fibre per serving. Recipes calling for ingredients such as beans, lentils, whole-wheat pastas, brown rice, or fruits and vegetables will yield the highest fibre results.

Leading a heart healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be boring by making you give up some of the most tasty foods available. Try some of these mouth-watering dishes. They intersect all four of our recipe categories to help you boost fibre and limit your intake of fat, sugar & sodium. A bonus!

Chicken Club Twister

Chicken Mulligatawny Soup

Layered Mexican Chicken Salad

Lemony Pesto Chicken tossed with Quinoa Fusilli (also gluten free)

Lime, Baby Bok Choy & Chicken Curry with Brown Rice (also gluten free)

Nacho Chicken & Bean Dip (also gluten free)

Rosemary Chicken Tapas Platter

Got a suggestion for a new recipe category that could be a wise, healthy choice? Write your comments below. We’d love to hear from you. 

Author: Monda Rosenberg.

Canada’s own Monda Rosenberg retired as Food Editor of CHATELAINE, Canada’s largest circulation magazine, in 2009. She was responsible for the magazine’s entire award-winning Food section, including writing and recipe development of over 2,000 recipes a year and overseeing food photography. Before joining CHATELAINE, Monda Rosenberg was Food Editor of the Toronto Star for five years.

Monda has received an impressive number of food writing, styling and publishing awards including the Nabisco Food Writer’s Magazine Food Editor of the Year Award, the New York Art Directors Award for Food Styling and the General Foods Nutrition Writing Award. She has been president of the Ontario Home Economics Association and president of the Toronto Home Economics Association for a double term. 

A frequent guest on national television and radio shows, Monda is the author of The New Chatelaine Cookbook, two Vitality Cookbooks, the Quickies series of 7 cookbooks and Chatelaine’s Wonder Foods.

1. SNIP AWAY

Check out the chicken pieces before starting to cook. Once skin is removed, there will be visible pockets and strips of creamy white fat. Scissors do the best job for clipping these off. If there is a long strip of fat, grab one end and pull it off.

2. SKIN BE GONE 

Chicken fat is concentrated in the skin. A roasted chicken breast with skin on has 7 grams of fat but remove the skin and you lose 5 grams of fat. That translates to 23 calories.

3.SKIM FROM THE TOP

When you make chicken soup or stew, you can easily skim a portion of the fat from it. Simply refrigerate the entire pot of soup. The fat will rise to the surface and -congeal into a lightcoloured, thin layer - almost like a skin. Use a big shallow spoon or metal spatula to skin it off and discard.

4. GO LIGHTLY 

Many sautéing recipes begin by calling for adding a tablespoon or two of fat to a pan before adding the chicken pieces. Some recipe writers do this automatically without thinking if 2 tablespoons are really necessary;maybe 1 tablespoon would have been enough. Truth is, you usually need only enough oil or melted butter to lightly coat the pan to prevent the chicken from sticking or burning. If you keep the heat moderate and don’t impatiently jack it up high, you can get a desirable golden color on the chicken without using a lot of fat.

If the recipe for a soup starts with cooking onions and garlic in oil, you can add a little water instead and simply simmer until the onions are softened. Then pour off the water.

5. BAKE OR BRAISE

Chicken balls are as easy to make as beef meatballs - even easier because of the sticky nature of ground chicken.

If you don’t want to use an oiled pan to brown them, simply toss into a pasta sauce and simmer away or bake on a lightly oiled or sprayed cookie sheet in the oven.

6. FAUX FRIED HEALTHIER CHICKEN

Instead of frying chicken in 2 or 3 inches of hot oil, you can bake it in the oven and still achieve a very desirable, crispy coating.

Basically, you heat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Dip the chicken in buttermilk whisked with an egg white or brush with a creamy salad dressing such as Caesar. Coat with bread crumbs and place on a rack set on a baking sheet.

The important thing is to use a brush and lightly dab with oil as evenly as possible over the chicken coating or generously spray with cooking oil. Bake 30 to 40 minutes.

7. SWITCH DRUMETTES FOR WINGS

You know those cute little drumettes sold in trays in the supermarket? They’re an ideal stand-in for chicken wings. Not only can you slather them with lots of addictive hot sauce but they’re perfect finger food for a casual party. The difference between the wings and the drumettes is - skin and protein.

Wings have a higher percentage of fatty skin and not as much meat as drumettes. Think of all those pointy parts on wings all covered with skin and the juicy knobs of dark flesh on the drumettes - like mini chicken legs. To cut fat even further, skin drumettes before coating with a barbecue sauce, then bake to sticky yumminess.

8. STIR-FRY SMARTLY

Many chicken stir-fries start by frying chicken strips in oil, sometimes several tablespoons. Instead, consider poaching the chicken in a little water or chicken broth, then 

Removing it from the pan.

Stir-fry all the healthy veggies as you always do and add the sauce. Toss in the chicken at the very end and stir just until hot. Fat savings - 122 calories and 14 grams of fat for every tablespoon you did not use.

9. COMFORTING CREAMY CHICKEN SOUP

Who doesn’t love a bowl of creamy chicken soup? Did you know you can achieve it without opening a carton of cream or a pound of butter or committing caloric hari kari?

Start by making your favorite chicken soup using broth. Then just before serving, stir in sour cream. Two tablespoons of 5 percent sour cream has a mere 35 calories and 1.5 grams of fat while the same amount of whipping cream rings in at 100 calories and 10 grams of fat.

With canned cream of chicken soup, look for the ones labeled fat reduced and you’ll save up to 70 calories and 7 grams of fat per cup of soup when diluted as directed on the label. These soups also make a great start for a chicken pot pie or pasta sauce. 

10. SPREADS ARE NOT ALL CREATED EQUAL

A chicken sandwich is a healthy lunch, no? A lot depends on what goes on the bread. Slather mayonnaise with abandonment and you can easily add over 200 calories and that’s just a tablespoon on each slice of bread.

Consider the low fat version of mayonnaise and cut the fat in half or use calorie reduced creamy Caesar dressing which has a ton more of flavour and less than half the calories of full-fat mayonnaise. Thick yogurt and sour cream also add rich creaminess at about half the calories of a low-fat Caesar dressing.

Better yet, opt for smearing mashed avocado or guacamole on the bread. Avocados are not only powerhouses of nutrients but contain no saturated fat or cholesterol and are the only fruit that provides good-for-you mono-unsaturated fat. Plus they’re at the top of the list of fibre-containing fruits.

Adding slices or pieces of chicken to the sandwich is a much healthier route than making a mayo-laced chicken salad to spread on the bread. It is amazing how much mayonnaise goes into any creamy sandwich mixture. The tuna sandwich, for example, that you might think of as a smart choice at one of our country’s most popular sandwich stops, has more fat than their steak and cheese sandwich.

OTTAWA, JANUARY 31 - Coined Food Freedom Day by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), February 14, 2013, is the calendar date when the average Canadian will have earned enough income to pay his or her grocery bill for the entire year.

"Food Freedom Day is a chance to acknowledge the abundant, safe and secure food supply we enjoy in Canada. It can also serve as a time to consider our individual role and impact we have in the food system, whether that be as a consumer, farmer, processor or retailer," said CFA President Ron Bonnett.

"While Canadian farmers are making continuous efforts to improve productivity, there are several angles to sustainability to consider. The sustainability of our food supply and making our dollar go as far as possible is a concern we all share and a solution we can all be a part of. One way we can have significant impact is in reducing food loss at the production and consumption level," Bonnett added.

In 2009, total Canadian food waste amounted to $27 billion; this equates to $774.07 in food dollars wasted per person, according to a study done by the George Morris Centre. The proportion of food loss along the Canadian Food Value Chain breaks down as follows (see chart below).

Without any food waste along the food value chain, the date for Food Freedom Day would have been February 5 this year.

"From the farm to the dinner table, far too much food is being wasted and the consequences are serious. With an ever increasing global population and depleting natural resources, wasting food makes no sense - ethically, economically or environmentally," Bonnett added. "The good news is that we can do something about it. We can take responsibility as individuals and follow basic tips to save food. To improve industry efficiency along the food chain, government and industry must work together to develop a food strategy for Canada. The industry-driven National Food Stategy® can be a starting point for discussion and includes several key objectives addressing efficiencies in the food system.

"Together we can minimize wasteful practices and make sure our strong agriculture and food heritage is maintained for this generation and generations to come," Bonnett concluded.

-30-  

Everyone knows that the way to your lover’s heart is through the stomach. This Valentine’s Day, impress your sweetie with a delicious, healthy meal by fancying-up your usual chicken dinner. Here are my top picks from our web site.

Oka Stuffed Chicken with Warm Raspberry Vinaigrette

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/oka-stuffed-chicken-with-warm-raspberry-vinaigrette/

Chicken stuffed with Oka cheese? Yes please! The warm raspberry vinaigrette adds a splash of “Valentine” red.

Grilled Chicken with Fig Grape and Walnut Salsa

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/grilled-chicken-with-fig-grape-and-walnut-salsa/

Did you know that figs are considered an aphrodisiac? In fact, the Greeks prized them and associated them with love and fertility. This recipe may soon become a Valentine favourite……..if you catch my drift!

Ricotta Stuffed Sauced Chicken Over Pasta

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/ricotta-stuffed-sauced-chicken-over-pasta/

What says romantic more than a classic Italian meal? These chicken breasts are stuffed with ricotta, fresh shredded Romano, finely sliced green onion and minced parsley and served with pasta. This is the perfect dish to enjoy with a good Italian wine.

Chicken and Seafood in Tomato White Wine Sauce

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/chicken-and-seafood-in-tomato-white-wine-sauce/

Lobster, shellfish, white wine and chicken…..Oh my! This dish is high-end restaurant worthy and will surely impress your sweetie.

HAVE A HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

Do you celebrate Chinese New Year? Whether you do or don’t, everyone loves Chinese food and this is a great time of year to head to your local grocery store and take advantage of their Chinese New Year deals.

The Chinese eat “lucky” foods during this celebration, so it can get a little complicated if you don’t know a lot about them. I found this list on-line and was quite pleased to see that chicken is considered a lucky food!

• CHICKEN represents marriage and happiness
• WHOLE CHICKEN - family reunion
• EGGS - fertility
• EGG ROLL/SPRING ROLLS - wealth
• NOODLES - a long life
• PEANUTS - a long life
• SEEDS - having a large number of kids
• TANGERINES - luck
• ORANGES - wealth
• POMELO - abundance, prosperity, having children
• FISH (served whole) - prosperity
• DRIED BEAN CURD (not fresh) - fresh tofu is white and the colour white represents death and misfortune
• BAMBOO shoots - wealth
• SEAWEED (black moss) - wealth
• LYCHEE ̶ close family ties
• CHINESE GARLIC CHIVES - everlasting, a long life
• DUMPLINGS - good financial tidings
• LETTUCE - rising fortune
• CLAMS - wealth

Chinese New Year celebrations start on January 23^rd and last for 15 days and, if you’re into astrology, this year marks the year of the sssssssssssssnake! So to celebrate, I’ve selected some ssssweet, ssssour, sssspicy and ssssuculent recipes from our recipe database using some of the “lucky” ingredients above.

Chinese California Fusion Chicken Salad Bowl

Chinese-Style Steamed Chicken and Broccoli

Sweet and Sour Chicken Meatballs

Easy Chicken Fried Rice

Chili Orange Flattened Chicken

Chicken and Vegetable Spaghetti with Honey Soy Sauce

Roast Chicken Chop Suey with Mushrooms

Five Spice Chicken Livers with Peppers and Onions

Fast Five Spice Roast Chicken

Orange Chicken Stir Fry on Egg Noodles

Chicken Egg Foo Young

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

Author: Kelly Atyeo, Professional Home Economist

February is the month of love, romance and letting people know you care about them. It’s also Heart Month, so make sure you don’t forget to give some love to your heart!

Did you know every 7 minutes in Canada someone dies of heart disease or a stroke? This makes heart disease and strokes two leading causes of death in our country.

Many of the risk factors associated with heart disease and strokes are things that you can control. These include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes and being an unhealthy weight. These risk factors can be modified through your diet.

Read more from Kelly Atyeo’s health article “Give Some Love to Your Heart” to learn about specific nutrients that impact your heart.  Also, see which healthy chicken recipes Kelly likes for Heart Month.  

Kelly Atyeo is a Professional Home Economist with a background in nutrition and nutrition communication. She is Vice President and co-owner of Creative Sampling Solutions Inc., a food marketing company that creates and executes retail programs and consumer shows related to Eating for Wellness. Kelly is also a health writer, nutrition communication consultant, and public speaker. Through her activities she strives to educate people on nutrition and health, while giving people the tools to make healthy foods a part of their lifestyle.

Super Bowl is this Sunday, February 3 and if you’re hosting a party, you better be ready to feed some rowdy and hungry beer-swilling folks!

The key to planning a super bowl party is planning ahead. Everyone enjoys a good football game, so you don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen while the game’s on.

Here are some tailgate party recipes that will have you scoring a touchdown on game day.

Boneless Buffalo Hot Wings with Vegetable Sticks and Blue Cheese Dressing

Take your traditional spicy wing recipe and go boneless! You’ll get all the flavour, minus the extra clean-up!

Baked Chicken Nachos with Tomatillo Salsa

Nachos are always a hit! Chop up the topping ingredients the night before for a quick and easy crowd pleasing snack.

Fab Fajita Sliders

These healthy sliders are packed full of flavour! Form the chicken patties the night before and bake or BBQ them when it’s time to feed your guests.

Hot Spinach and Chicken Dip

This recipe is made in a slow cooker so all you have to do is toss all the ingredients in the slow cooker and walk away. The dip should be ready by the time your guests arrive and is perfect served with crostini, crackers, pumpernickel bread and a variety of crudités.

CFC has been working closely with registered dietitians to optimize the information needs of their patients and Canadians about managing health issues, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, with a better diet and improved lifestyle. As such, CFC updated its nutrition factsheet series in 2012 with a fresh design and four new factsheets to bring forth new, relevant information based on health trends and drivers, and research in nutrition science.

The all new factsheets are:

Issue 2 – Healthy Living for Women: It’s In Your Hands

Women know that the path to improving their health is not solely based upon medical treatment or the knowledge that they are disease free. Taking steps to be healthy also requires a holistic approach. Finding ways to eat right, become active, sleep well and manage stress help optimize our opportunities to live long and well.

Issue 10 - Men’s Health: Take Action & Make Healthy Choices

Can you guess the top three health issues for men? In Canada, these are cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. The good news is that men can prevent or lower their risk of developing these conditions by making small, positive changes.

Issue 11 - Gluten-Free Eating

We’re hearing more about gluten and gluten-free foods lately. Could a gluten-free diet be healthier for you? Let’s look at the facts.

Issue 12 - The Ama-Zinc Nutrient: Essential for Good Health

A well-balanced diet not only tastes great, but also provides essential vitamins and minerals. Zinc is a mineral that you need in small amounts every day to stay healthy. Find out why zinc is important for good health?

CFC now has 12 nutrition factsheets in its series, as well as a snack and beverage, and weekly food journal. A relevant recipe section with detailed nutrient information accompanies every factsheet, and directs readers to chicken.cafor additional, nutritionally beneficial recipes. Though CFC’s factsheets and journals are most widely used by Canada’s registered dietitians, these are a great tool for all of us. Go to www.chicken.ca/health/and get all of the Facts. 

Well, it was a valiant effort. You dodged your sneezing coworkers, took vitamin C by the handful, and washed your hands until they were dry and chapped, but it’s inevitable. You’ve got a winter cold. The prescription? Bed rest, plenty of liquids, and of course, chicken soup.  It’s comforting, it’s tasty… but can it really cure the common cold?

Well, you might not be seeing it behind the counter at your pharmacy anytime soon, but according to an article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, chicken soup is a remedy that’s been around for over 2000 years, and writings in the Babylonian Talmud indicate that “fowl has virtue in rectifying corrupted humours … and especially the black humours.”  In fact, chicken soup made from various sizes and ages of birds were prescribed for colds, constipation, hemorrhoids, and even leprosy.

It may not be classed as such a wonder drug today, but some studies have even shown that chicken broth can help reduce congestion and some researchers believe it can also alleviate asthma symptoms. So while chicken soup may not be a cure for the common cold, there’s nothing better than a hot, comforting bowl of soup with veggies, like our Chicken Noodle Soup with Acorn Squash and Dill and it may just make you feel a little better.  Even more so if you can get someone to bring it to you in bed.

Got a suggestion to cure what ails you?  Leave a comment and let us know your home remedies.

This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada has introduced 5 new Brand Ambassadors – wonderful bloggers whom we like to feature and who write things about us, too. By expanding our audience this way, we can reach out to new and enthusiastic readers, just like you!

Here’s one of our great Brand Ambassadors, Lynette (@myweeview):

Lynette is married to her high school sweetheart. They’ve been together 14 years and married for 8. In 2008, they gave birth to a very special baby girl. Lynette is a native Nova Scotian, born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada!

We love her recent blog on getting healthy with Canadian chicken.

Get Healthy with Canadian Chicken

by MOMMY on JANUARY 16, 2013

It’s a new year and I am once again going to be brining you chicken recipes by Chicken.ca.  Was one of your New Years resolutions to get healthy?  Chicken is a lean meat that can help you obtain your weight loss and get healthy goals.  I frequently browse the Chicken.ca website to get ideas on easy and tasty meals.  As you are all aware cooking isn’t my forte, so help in the kitchen is greatly appreciated.

A few weeks back, I was on a cooking spree.  I made a few tasty things and was getting some really great feedback from my Mom and husband.  Maybe they were just happy to see that I was back on my feet again or maybe they just didn’t want to cook and so praising my cooking would mean I would cook more (like Pavlov’s conditioning theory).  Either way, it worked.

One of the recipes I tried was the Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken and Vegtables.

Here’s the recipe:

I didn’t have any garlic or tomatoes, so I substituted it with Bruchetta.  I also didn’t have any angel hair pasta, so just used spaghetti.   Despite all my changes, this was easy to make and everyone loved it.  I believe some comments were “Wow, you made this?”.  I wasn’t sure if I should take it as a compliment or not, but the truth was, yes, I did make it and surprisingly, it was delicious.

Salads are also a very good, healthy and easy meal.  If you want to give it a little more substance, just add chicken, like in this Chicken salad with Sauvignon blanc sauce.  

How is your New  Years Resolution going?  It takes 21 days for a routine to develop and we are only on day 16, so you’re almost there!  If you’re looking for more healthy chicken recipes to help you along your journey, make sure to sign up to the Chicken.ca newsletter or check out their blog.

The countdown has happened, the bell has chimed, and the champagne has been poured. Have you broken your New Year’s resolutions yet? If so, you are not alone.It’s time to answer that predictable question that comes after January 1st… “How am I going to stick to my goals?”

It’s no secret that most New Year’s resolutions tend to fail. Often times it’s because they are extremely vague, unrealistic, or something you truly don’t care about. The “smartest” thing to do is use the SMART goal system to guide your New Year’s resolution plan throughout the year.

SMART is an acronym for “specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely”.

Specific: Don’t overcomplicate your New Year’s resolution. If it is too broad or vague, it becomes extremely difficult to know how to maintain your goal.

Measurable: You will need to be able to measure your success. One way is by creating an indicator of your success. If you want to walk more, give yourself some benchmarks of success (i.e. “I will walk 3 km, 4 days a week”).

Attainable: Make sure that you care about the goal you have set. If you have a positive attitude towards your goal, you will be more likely to achieve it. For example, if your New Year’s resolution is to start running and you absolutely HATE running, you should probably find a better goal for yourself. Positivity is one of the greatest keys to success!

Realistic: Simply stating you want something to happen is not always the most realistic approach to goal setting. Your goal must make sense for YOU. Be honest with yourself about what you are able to achieve in a specific time frame.

Timely: Make a set timeframe for yourself to assess whether you have achieved your goal. Is the goal going to be achieved in 6 weeks, 3 months, or by a specific event? If you’re making a long-term goal, choose a set time to check in on how close you are to achieving or maintaining the goal.

Below are some common New Year’s resolutions. Avoid their traps when setting yours! 

Lose Weight: For some people, shedding a few pounds after the holiday season is a primary focus. The key thing to remember when setting this goal is to be realistic.

It’s common for people to focus too much on numbers on a scale. This can lead to weight cycling and feelings of failure if you don’t reach that specific number. By simply trying to eat healthier and being physically active, people can achieve a healthy weight and are more likely to maintain their weight. If you want to lose weight, try to think of your goal as being: “Find My Healthy Weight”. Then focus on building a healthy lifestyle to achieve your healthy weight.

If you need an extra boost to find the mantra that motivates you, read “Managing Your Weight” from Chicken Farmers of Canada’s nutritional factsheet series. Try these tips at your own pace. Keep what works, leave behind what doesn’t and keep going!

Be Happy: Everyone wants to be happy, but how are you going to be happy! This goal is not specific enough. You need to make your goals “action-oriented.” Think about what actions or things you are going to do to make yourself feel happy. Commit to doing these things and you will be well on your way to a happy 2013!

Save Money: This is always a great goal, but it is unlikely to be achieved without motivation and measures of success. What are you saving money for? How much money do you want to save? What amount is realistic when you think of your current expenses?

Happy 2013!

Make it your mission to move into the New Year feeling empowered and motivated to achieve anything you put your mind to. Wishing you much success and happiness in 2013!

This blog was written by Kelly Atyeo for Chicken Farmers of Canada. Kelly is a Professional Home Economist with a background in nutrition and nutrition communication. She is Vice President and co-owner of Creative Sampling Solutions Inc., a food marketing company that creates and executes retail programs and consumer shows related to Eating for Wellness. Kelly is also a health writer, nutrition communication consultant, and public speaker. Through her activities she strives to educate people on nutrition and health, while giving people the tools to make healthy foods a part of their lifestyle.

You can find more health articles from Kelly on our Health Portal under the link Lifetime Health – Age Right. 

Author: Monda Rosenberg.

Canada’s own Monda Rosenberg retired as Food Editor of CHATELAINE, Canada’s largest circulation magazine, in 2009. She was responsible for the magazine’s entire award-winning Food section, including writing and recipe development of over 2,000 recipes a year and overseeing food photography. Before joining CHATELAINE, Monda Rosenberg was Food Editor of the Toronto Star for five years.

Monda has received an impressive number of food writing, styling and publishing awards including the Nabisco Food Writer’s Magazine Food Editor of the Year Award, the New York Art Directors Award for Food Styling and the General Foods Nutrition Writing Award. She has been president of the Ontario Home Economics Association and president of the Toronto Home Economics Association for a double term.

A frequent guest on national television and radio shows, Monda is the author of The New Chatelaine Cookbook, two Vitality Cookbooks, the Quickies series of 7 cookbooks and Chatelaine’s Wonder Foods.

1. BURGER SNACKERS

A “slider” is the trendy name for a tiny burger with big- time appeal to children, even finicky eaters. Make up a big batch of petite burgers, about a quarter the size of  regular burgers, then cook them ahead of time and freeze. When children pile in from school, defrost a single burger or two in the microwave and tuck into a mini pita or slider bun.

On this site, check out my Fab Fajita Sliders recipe. You use 1 lb. (500g) ground chicken to make up 10 mini burgers then bake them all at once, instead of pan flipping. I call for Mexican seasonings, but you don’t have to use any seasonings if your kids like them “plain.” Ditto for the cheese that I’ve included in the recipe - but remember cheese adds a dairy component to their daily intake. As a matter of fact - serve these on a whole grain bun with sliced tomatoes for dinner and you have a nutritionally balanced meal.

2. CHICK’N’DIP

Make-up a batch of chicken fingers, small ones, and freeze them. Heat a few at a time for snacks and offer a bowl of yogurt or hummus for dipping.

Check out my Crispy Wasabi Chicken recipe on this site. If you prefer, skip the wasabi and use 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in place of the sesame oil, or just use your favorite coating mix and throw in some crushed tortilla chips. With these, you’ll need an avocado dip. 

At Halloween, create goblin fingers by cutting the chicken into pieces about the same size as your finger, then coat and bake them. To create a “black fingernail”, press a piece of black olive onto the narrow end of the chicken finger. For a picture, go to Scary Cordon Bleu Fingers on this website. 

3. TINY PIZZA NIBBLERS 

Pizza appeals to any time of the day and to every age. Keep a bag of cooked chicken bits in the freezer and top it up anytime you have leftover chicken. Then, you can whip up snack-sized pizzas lickety-split.

English muffin halves, tiny pitas, and even wedges of tortillas can serve as instant crusts. Spread them with pizza sauce or a thin layer of salsa, then scatter them with protein-rich chicken bits and a good shaking of Italian seasoning. Finish them with whatever cheese you have, from end bits of cheddar to slices or grated Parmesan. It is best to heat them in a conventional oven or toaster oven until cheese is oozy-gooey. Yum!

4. WARM MUG OF COMFORTING SOUP

Now this does not need to be Mom’s homemade soup to be filling, invigorating and soothing. Especially on cold days, a cup of creamy chicken soup is healthier and more energy boosting than a cup of hot chocolate. If you don’t have homemade broth in the freezer - and few of us do, begin with a can of cream of chicken soup and add extra chicken pieces from leftovers you stockpile in the freezer, or even strips of cooked chicken slices from the deli. Some people buy a rotisserie chicken just for this purpose; just remove the meat, chop, and store in the freezer.

5. MINI DRUMSTICKS

A tiny drumstick has less fat and more meat than the incredibly popular wing. Coat the drumettes with your favourite barbecue sauce, or whatever sauce or dress-ups your kids like best - sweet’n’sour, plum sauce, jerk seasonings etc. Then, just bake!.

Spread the extras out on a cookie sheet and pop in the freezer until firm. Once firm, tumble them into freezer bags. They’ll stay separate, making it a snap to prepare afternoon snacks - especially after a chilly game of hockey. All you have to do is defrost them in the microwave.

PS - these are also mighty fine as a healthy hunger satisfier while you’re waiting for dinner to cook.

6. AFTERNOON GRILLED CHEESE’N’CHICKEN

Now I’m not suggesting you grill up an entire sandwich for a snack - but being able to serve up a small, hand-sized cheesy sandwich serves several purposes: First, you’re providing a source of top notch protein, as well as dairy and, if you use whole wheat bread, you're sneaking in whole grains.

Turn on the broiler, unless you’re lucky enough to have a Panini maker on your counter (one of those indoor grills works well, too). Thickly slice a baguette and cover one slice with little chicken pieces. Then, generously top with cheese. Down goes the top slice of bread. Firmly press down.

Warm them in the oven, or quickly press them in a frying pan, like you would a grilled cheese sandwich.

7. MID-DAY MINI MEATBALLS

Make-up your favorite chicken burger mix and form into mini meatballs or check out the Italian Meatball Wraps or Chicken Meatball Appetizer recipes on this website for meatballs to bake in big batches. Add whatever seasoning you love. When baked, freeze on a cookie sheet until firmed up, then into a freezer bag. This makes it a snap to microwave a few for pick-me-up snacks.

For chicken lollipops, spear before freezing on wooden forks or Popsicle sticks.Use a pasta sauce for dipping.

8. COME GET YOUR DOGS  

Cut chicken hot dogs (sold in some supermarkets) into quarters. Microwave and nestle in small pitas. This definitely makes a “small hands” treat.

If your little ones love anything with hot dogs, consider serving mugs of chicken noodle soup with slices of chicken dogs added. It’s a perfect way to warm-up on a snowy day.

When the whole gang is coming over for nibbles, make up pizza dogs in blankets. Most kids love rolling or patting out pizza dough. Cut the rolled-out dough into big rectangles. Spread each triangle with pizza sauce then add a chicken dog and sprinkle with cheese. Wrap the dough around the chicken dog then seal and bake.

The Rachael Ray website variations on this theme include Pigs in Ponchos and Chili Cheese Dogs in Beach Blankets. Check them out. 

9. LET’S WRAP

For hot days, keep lettuce wraps in mind. Open up big lettuce leaves and line them with small pieces of cooked chicken. If you’re taking the chicken from the freezer, moisten it with salsa and warm in the microwave. Or mix chopped chicken with yogurt or mayo and add some grated cheese. Roll and enjoy - and be sure to have lots of paper towels for the bits that squeeze out the ends.

Mini tortillas are also meant for snack-size noshing. Fill them with chicken salad or chicken pieces and add a couple of sliced grape tomatoes. Small-sized anything has appeal.

Or place them on a baking sheet, spread with pasta sauce, scatter with pieces of chicken and smother with grated cheese. Then bake or broil. Check out the Polenta Chicken Pizza Bites recipe on this website.

10. SOUTH OF THE BORDER SANDWICHES

Quesadillas (aka a Mexican grilled cheese sandwich) are basically tortillas stuffed with cheese and other yummy fillings, then warmed or fried until the cheese melts. The good news is that anything goes. Cover half a tortilla with pieces of cooked chicken, then pile on cheese and whatever else your kids adore with chicken - salsa, slices of avocado, chopped tomato, black bean sauce, corn niblets, etc.

No need to keep to the Mexican theme - try chicken with slices of brie and chopped mango or sliced strawberries.

Fold the tortilla over. Fry in a little butter or oil and then cut into wedges.  Just make sure it cools down a little before passing it over to tiny fingers.

Author: Monda Rosenberg.

Canada’s own Monda Rosenberg retired as Food Editor of CHATELAINE, Canada’s largest circulation magazine, in 2009. She was responsible for the magazine’s entire award-winning Food section, including writing and recipe development of over 2,000 recipes a year and overseeing food photography. Before joining CHATELAINE, Monda Rosenberg was Food Editor of the Toronto Star for five years.

Monda has received an impressive number of food writing, styling and publishing awards including the Nabisco Food Writer’s Magazine Food Editor of the Year Award, the New York Art Directors Award for Food Styling and the General Foods Nutrition Writing Award. She has been president of the Ontario Home Economics Association and president of the Toronto Home Economics Association for a double term.

A frequent guest on national television and radio shows, Monda is the author of The New Chatelaine Cookbook, two Vitality Cookbooks, the Quickies series of 7 cookbooks and Chatelaine’s Wonder Foods.

WHAT DO WE NEED 

While we hear a lot about the vitamins and minerals we need daily, the fibre that also comes in fruits and vegetables is not talked about as much. Truth is, fibre is also essential to good health. Just marrying some of the flavour-bursting fruits and vegetables we buy in supermarkets and produce stands brings along a valuable cache of fibre.

Here are suggestions for upping your fibre intake with your chicken dinners, from every day meals to entertaining friends and family.

Health Canada recommends that we consume 25 to 40 grams of fibre a day; at the end of my meal suggestions is a chart of some of our richest fruit and vegetable sources.

1. DON’T ROAST ALONE

Whether you’re roasting a whole chicken or pieces, it takes almost no extra effort to add vegetables and create a one-dish roast dinner. Remember, with potatoes, it’s the skin that harbours the most fibre. So whether you cut regular potatoes in half, or use mini potatoes, leave the skins on. Simply add them to the pan or baking sheet and remember to turn or stir them.

Regular potatoes need about an hour of cooking, mini gems about a half hour. Nestle whole sweet potatoes, skins intact, beside the chicken. Once tender, their skins will easily peel off.

Bake big wedges, slices or halves of squash beside the chicken - all squash types rate well on the fibre scale. A cup of cooked squash holds over 5 grams of fibre.

Other veggies to nestle around a roast are pieces of carrots, wedges of onions, red pepper halves, fennel slices, parsnips and leeks. 

2. NOODLES NEED THEIR VEGGIES TOO  

Peas are near the pinnacle of the high-fibre pile. A cup has more than twice the fibre of a cup of corn niblets and over three times that of a potato with skin on. Keep a bag in the freezer and add a handful or two to your chicken pasta sauces, particularly creamy sauces.

Include snow peas, julienned carrots, broccoli florets and baby carrots in your Asian noodle tosses - all are fibre-rich.

Chicken noodle soups - homemade or straight from a can or box - are one of the easier dishes to be able to boost up the fibre intake. Simply include shredded cabbage and/or green beans, kale, mushrooms, turnip, parsnip, pumpkin, zucchini, tomatoes - just about any vegetable you can think of. 

3. FROZEN DINNER ADD-ONS

There are delicious frozen chicken dinners sold in supermarkets and, while you don’t want to heat up a prepared frozen dinner every night, they can be a godsend when you want dinner in 10 minutes.

It’s amazingly easy to up the fibre count of most frozen meals by simply stirring in frozen peas or your favourite vegetable that needs little cooking for the last few minutes.. This works particularly well for butter chicken, curried chicken, chicken korma, chicken risotto or paella.

Side vegetables can be fibre boosters as well. You can quickly steam up asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, bok choy or green beans and serve beside the frozen dinner. Since many frozen dinners suggest letting them sit for a few minutes after cooking before eating, you can use that time to microwave a vegetable and serve beside the entrée. Bright green baby bok choy or green beans look gorgeous surrounding a shallow bowl of chicken curry. 

4. POT PIE WINNERS

When making your next chicken pot pie, be sure to include lots of high-fibre vegetables such as peas, sliced carrots and chopped peppers.

If you love Brussels sprouts, thinly slice and blanch them before adding to the pie filling. Zucchini, bite-size pieces of asparagus and marinated artichokes add plenty of flavour, character and, of course, fibre.

Corn niblets are always an easy and inexpensive stir-in.

5. SALADS

Chicken salads, whether cool and refreshing from cooked chicken pieces, or in warm strips atop a pile of dressed greens, are the most popular of summer main salads.

While fresh greens alone assure calcium, potassium and folate: a high-fibre profile is easy to achieve because some of the highest-fibre fruits and vegetables are those that add scrumptiousness to chicken salads.

It’s hard to beat a curried creamy chicken salad with raisins and sliced dried apricots. Mangoes, avocado, red pepper, marinated artichoke, grapes, snow peas, red pepper, kiwi and papaya are all fibre-rich and work deliciously in a chicken salad. Better yet, serve the salad in a fibre-high avocado, cantaloupe, honeydew or papaya half, and then sprinkle with fibre-boosting almonds or toasted coconut.

6. BARBECUE DINNERS

Thank goodness it’s a snap now to cook your entire dinner on the barbie and it’s super easy to grill up fibre-rich healthy fruits and vegetables that beautifully complement barbecued chicken.

Take mangoes, for example. Slice large pieces of mango from the stone. Brush with melted butter and grill until marks form and the mango feels warm.

Artichokes are incredibly high in fibre, so prepare as you would for steaming - but sprinkle with water, wrap in foil and cook right on the grill beside the chicken. Halve peppers and grill until blackened, then wrap in foil and the black easily peels off.

Place halved large tomatoes, cut-side down, on the grill and after turning, sprinkle with chèvre or any cheese you like with chicken. Do scatter with a few fresh basil or coriander leaves before serving.

Don’t forget corn-on-the-cob. Wrap in foil and cook beside the chicken.

7. SKIP IN THE PAN SAUTES

Gotta get dinner on the table in 15 minutes? Sautéing up chicken thighs will fit the bill perfectly. But wait, as soon as you get the chicken in the pan, slice up some apples, pears, mangoes or peaches. As soon as the chicken is browned, throw in the fruit and a splash of juice or white wine and you can feel good about the fibre boost you have just created.

Check this site for Four Season Warm Asian Salad using mangoes or peaches and Apple-Sage Chicken Sauté.

8. STIR FRYS

Three cheers for chicken stir-fries. Not only can they be a one-dish wonder, with more mix of fresh produce than any other fried entrée, but depending how fast you can chop - an amazingly quick yet super healthy dinner. Whatever veggies you happen to have can usually go into the toss. Fortunately, some of the highest fibre vegetables are darlings of the stir-fry set, including broccoli, snow peas, carrots, cabbage and zucchini.

Then there are the nuts. Every respectful Chinese menu includes Cashew Chicken.  A cup of cashews has over 4 grams of fibre. Pecans are in the same ball park and much less expensive. Almonds still encased in their skins have over 16 grams of fibre. Use the white ones without skin and you have lost over a gram of fibre.

9. SOUP SAVVY

Homemade chicken soups have always been trusted to cure our ails (even if it wasn’t made by your mother) and improve our moods. So whether your ultimate soup is one created from stock that began as chicken bones lovingly simmered for hours, or one from a can that you have been buying for years, the vegetables you add can turn this ultimate comfort food into an important source for your daily fibre count.

Supplement the usual onions, carrots and celery with fibre-rich shredded cabbage, turnip and parsnip. Sub black beans for the expected noodles. While a cup of egg noodles has about 4 grams of fibre, a cup of canned black beans has over 12 grams. Add corn niblets, cumin and chili powder for a south-of-the-border-rocking soup. Stir in half a bag of fresh spinach just before you ladle into bowls and you’ve added over 10 grams of fibre.

10. SALSA IT UP

Fresh salsas are the fastest way to add flavour-rich fibre to chicken cuts, especially a whole barbecue chicken you picked up at the supermarket deli. This is partly because salsas don’t need cooking and can be stirred up while the chicken is cooking or while you heat up the store bought chicken.

In the Fall, when cranberries are harvested, do include finely chopped fresh cranberries in a salsa or grind them up in a food processor with onions and apples because a mere 1/4 cup chopped cranberries have over 2 grams of fibre.

Check out Chicken Tartlets with Cranberry Salsa - ideal for harvest and holiday entertaining.

For casual dinners or lunches, consider Honey-Salsa Chicken’n Spinach Wraps, Bombay Chicken Sticks with Mango Salsa, Baked Chicken Nachos with Tomatillo Salsa and Chicken and Tomato Salsa Enchiladas.

Remember, any of these salsas could be used to dress up a rotisserie chicken or breaded chicken.

An avocado (the highest-fibre fruit) and ripe tomato salsa is the perfect summer topper for barbecued chicken or a buttery sauté. Just chop all and mix with lime juice, garlic and green onions.

Figs, as you might expect, are fibre heavy. Dried figs contain the highest fibre content of any dried fruit. For a fibre rich chutney check the internet for date chutneys. There are many versions that sound like they would work beautifully with chicken including some containing dried apricots and maple syrup. Yum!

Ever feel like you have to be a superhero to get all the things you need to get done in a day completed? I know many women who feel this way, and I am no exception. By now, the holidays are over. We’re back to work and some of us have kids back to school. Did you take a break this holiday and find time for yourself? If not, you might enjoy our new women’s health article by professional home economist, Kelly Atyeo. In Wonder Woman – She Can Do It All, Kelly offers women essential time management and lifestyle tips, debunking the wonder woman myth, to help us make 2013 a little less hectic.

Here’s a sneak preview:

Recognize that not everything you think NEEDS to get done MUST get done in one day.

Ask for help. If you need help doing something, don’t be afraid to ask. Too many times people feel as if they have to do everything on their own. A supportive network of friends, family, and co-workers can help you achieve great things. Also, if you have kids don’t forget about them! Spending time with your kids, while completing tasks, is a great way to balance your home life.  Read more.

Kelly Atyeo is a Professional Home Economist with a background in nutrition and nutrition communication. She is Vice President and co-owner of Creative Sampling Solutions Inc., a food marketing company that creates and executes retail programs and consumer shows related to Eating for Wellness. Kelly is also a health writer, nutrition communication consultant, and public speaker. Through her activities she strives to educate people on nutrition and health, while giving people the tools to make healthy foods a part of their lifestyle.

We all know New Year’s resolutions are much easier to make than they are to keep, but keeping them doesn’t have to be hard if you have a plan.

Here are 10 ways to get healthy in 2013. If you had to choose a top New Year’s resolution from this list, which one would it be?

In 2013 I resolve to:

1.       Achieve a Healthy Weight. We all know that dieting fails in the long run. Restricting yourself from certain foods or drastically reducing your caloric intake may not satisfy you, leaving you feeling frustrated. Meal balancing is the key to healthy eating and to keeping you on track. You need the right combination of foods: adequate protein, whole grain starch, and colourful fruits & vegetables. If you are looking to shed some pounds to improve your health and feel great, read Managing Your Weight to find tips that could work for you. 

Here are some lower fat recipe suggestions for weight management:

Skillet Chicken with Balsamic Green

Chicken and Cranberry Wild Rice Casserole

2.       Incorporate more fibre into my diet. There are many health benefits to getting more fibre in your diet, including reducing your risk for high cholesterol and certain types of cancer. Fibre will also keep you fuller for longer, so you won’t be as tempted to snack on sugary foods. A great way to incorporate more fibre into your diet is with whole grains. If a recipe calls for white rice, substitute brown. Use whole grain bread instead of white when making sandwiches, and omit the butter and mayonnaise, or use their lighter versions sparingly. Curious to know how much fibre you should be getting daily for health benefits? Click here to read Fibre Up for Heart Health.

Here are some higher fibre recipe suggestions:

Indian Seasoned Roast Chicken with Lentil Brown Rice Pilaf

Cassoulet of Chicken with Mixed Beans

3.       Reduce my sodium intake. Did you know that the average Canadian consumes over 3,000 mg of sodium per day? That’s over double the amount recommended by Health Canada. Too much sodium in our diet can lead to high blood pressure, which is a significant risk factor for stroke, heart attack and kidney disease. Making simple lifestyle changes and reducing your daily intake of sodium can help significantly reduce high blood pressure and related health problems. One tip to reduce sodium in your diet is to read the “Nutrition Facts” panel found on most packaged foods. Try to choose foods with less than 200 mg of sodium. If you choose a food higher in sodium, make sure your total meal contains no more than 800 mg of sodium. If you want to find more tips to reduce your daily intake of sodium, read Protect Your health – Get Salt Savvy!.

Here are some lower sodium recipes suggestions:

Chicken in Apple Mustard Sauce

Chipotle Marmalade Chicken with Quinoa

4.       Become more physically active.  Maintaining an exercise routine helps women reduce their risk profile for a variety of diseases including heart disease, osteoporosis, certain types of cancer, diabetes and hypertension; it can also help alleviate arthritis, improve balance, symptoms of depressions and help you sleep well. It’s never too late to start an exercise routine. Do you prefer structured or unstructured activities? Find out what’s best for you by linking to Chicken Farmers of Canada’s Health Portal. Whatever you decide for 2013, try to achieve at least 30 minutes of physical activity 5 times a week. Walking is an inexpensive and easy way to work out. Get a well-fitting pair of shoes and a pedometer; your goal is 10,000 steps per day.

5.       Manage Stress Better. Women, especially mothers, are often asked to help as volunteers, whether the task is to raise money for a local charity, supervise children on a field trip or organize a community event. While these activities can be fulfilling, they can also tax our schedules and take time away from activities that keep us healthy. Stress reducing tip: Learn to say NO. Keep your daily goals well-focused, task oriented, and REALISTIC. Nothing can help you manage stress better than making time to take care of yourself.

6.       Make more time to enjoy meal time. Between household chores, running errands and looking after our little ones, healthy dinners often take a back seat. Yet, family meals are so important, offering a time for sharing stories, learning manners and eating nutritious foods. For many, the answer to this challenge revolves around their slow cooker – the best invention ever for busy moms. Find out why one Momstown mom simply loves her slow cooker, and try one of Momstown’s  Top 10 Slow Cooker Recipes. These delicious dishes will help get you relaxed during the week and enjoying meal time with your family.

7.       Get more sleep. Ah, sleep. Moms get so little of it. Research suggests, however, that getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis is beneficial to our health. It can help us feel alert, minimize stress, keep our hearts healthy, boost our immunity and reduce our risk for unwanted weight gain. Need a few ideas to get a better night’s rest? Read Healthy Living for Women – It’s In Your Hands.

8.       Keep a food journal to monitor my eating habits. Snacking is on the rise with structured meals on the decline, and eating together as a family is becoming less common. Did you know that our daily snacking habits can add up to 24 % of the day’s calories – as many as a full lunch should be! You can keep track of the foods and beverages you eat to better meet Canada’s Food Guide recommendations for a balanced diet. Download these weekly food and snack and beverage journals to help you get started. If you are looking for healthier snack ideas, read Snack Attack! Keep it Healthy.

9.       Eat a well-balanced diet that is good for my heart and overall well-being. Millions of Canadians are at risk of developing heart disease, which could be prevented by making a few simple lifestyle changes. Read Love That Healthy Heart to find out how you can reduce your cholesterol level to achieve good cardiovascular health.  

10.   Spend more “active” time with the kids. It’s the holidays - thank goodness! What activities have you planned with your kids? It can be tempting to sit back, relax, and watch all of your favourite holiday programs as a family. Sounds like a great idea, right? Sure. However, did you know if children sit in front of a screen during leisure time for more than 21 hours a week, then there is a significant increase in their chance of gaining weight. For health benefits, children and youth should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity on most days. Read Screen or Scream for some ideas on how to balance sedentary time with physical activities this holiday season.

Well, what do you think? Which resolution would you pick, if you could only choose one?

If you already focus on keeping healthy – keep up the good work! The promise of a new year is the perfect time to assess your health habits, and determine what works best for you! Enjoy the season!

Note: This blog was originally created for and posted on momstown.ca. Momstown.ca is a unique blend of early education programming and mama support delivered both online and in-person via 400 events nationally every month. The national sites include Arts & Crafts ideas, Minds product reviews, great Contests, family-friendly Meals, and personal Moments that connect all moms.  Momstown is not just a playgroup. They’re so much more! Join Momstown in your local community!

Welcome back everyone!  2012 was a busy year for us and this year is going to be just as busy.

So what do we have planned?

Fifty five delicious chicken recipes will be added to our web site, including nutritional information. We’ll also be adding 10 more “how-to” videos that will have you cooking like a pro in no time!

On our Facebook page, we’ll continue posting tidbits of industry related information, including some great recipes and don’t forget to “Like” CanadianChicken for your chance to enter our contests to win some awesome prizes!

We’ll also continue tweeting which means we’ll be hosting some fun Twitter parties where you’ll be able to ask us any chicken related questions and win more great prizes.

If you follow our blog, then you already know that we’ll be posting interesting articles as well as recipes.

So this year, get your appetites ready for some healthy and tasty Canadian chicken!

Boxing Day is here and you’re going to need a lot of energy to hit-up all those amazing sales which means you’ll need a big hearty breakfast to keep you going! Eating protein, like chicken and eggs, for breakfast is a great way to fuel-up and will keep you feeling satisfied.

If you’ve never tried chicken for breakfast then you’re missing out! It’s high in protein and low in fat making it the perfect breakfast meat. So try using chicken instead of your usual breakfast meat, you won’t regret it.

Here are some tasty chicken breakfast recipes that will keep you feeling full, energized and ready to hit the shopping mall!

May your shopping trip be a great success!

It’s been a busy year for us at CFC and now it’s time for a break so that we can start fresh in the New Year!

We’ll be back with plenty of great blogs and we’ll be keeping you posted with new tidbits of information and contests via Facebook and Twitter. We’ll also be adding many more scrumptious chicken recipes to our web site so don’t forget to come back and visit us at www.chicken.ca.

WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY AND SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON!

Here’s the thing – I’m busy, you’re busy, we’re all busy. It’s not only the most WONDERFUL time of the year – it’s the most HECTIC.

This is the main reason I rely heavily on rotisserie chicken at this time of year.  Here’s why:

It makes a great meal all on its own.  In a pinch, I can run to the grocery store, pick up a rotisserie chicken, some sauce, some sides and voila – dinner.  If I want to fancy it up, I pick it up, pop in in the oven for a while to keep warm and crisp up the skin while I steam some veggies, mash some potatoes and make gravy.

It is an awesome snack. When Little Man is home with me, I’ll cut up cold rotisserie chicken into strips and serve it with hummus as a snack.  Or, I’ll pop it into some mac and cheese, for an extra protein boost.  I’ve even placed it on a cheese pizza – again, just to amp up the protein.

We have a series of recipes for use with pre-cooked chicken.

Chicken & Bow Tie Stroganoff http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/chicken-bow-tie-stroganoff/

Lettuce Soup (Zuppa Lattuga) http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/lettuce-soup-zuppa-lattuga/

Smoked Salmon & Chicken Wraps http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/smoked-salmon--chicken-wraps/

Chicken and Vegetable Pockets (this one’s fun to make with the kids) http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/chicken-and-vegetable-pockets/

Can you believe it? It feels like winter started a month ago! While a lot of us complain about the cold weather, we should really just embrace it. We can choose to hibernate all winter but that’s not exactly healthy plus we are like flowers and we need sunlight to grow. So get out there and enjoy the winter season!

Whether its skiing, skating, snowshoeing or tobogganing, you’ll need to keep warm and your body will need energy to keep moving.  A great way to achieve this is with a thermos filled with hot chicken soup, chili or hot chocolate.

Mixing protein and healthy carbs is a good way to keep your energy at a peak. Here are some great chicken recipes to fill-up your thermos and keep you warm and energized. Now go enjoy the snow!

Big Batch Chicken, Lentil, Bean and Rice Soup

Chicken and Barley Soup

Chicken Chili

Chicken Chowder with Pancetta Chips

Thai Style Chicken and Rice Soup

Cauliflower, Lentil and Chicken Soup

Click here for more chicken soup and chili recipes

In early December, CFC selected four bloggers to host a Wine with Chicken Party.  Each blogger received wine from Château des Charmes winery, a beautiful Emile Henry roasting pan and a $100 from CFC which was used to purchase the ingredients needed to prepare one of CFCs roasted chicken recipes.

They were also asked to create a special video about the event, including their rating of the recipe and the wine.

Judging by these videos, our Wine With Chicken bloggers had a great time!

Heather Nolan

http://www.mmmisformommy.com/2012/12/the-winewithchicken-dinner-party-scoop.html

Margarita Ibbott

http://www.downshiftingpro.com/2012/12/winewithchickengreat-food-great-wine.html

Lori Godin

http://www.frugaledmontonmama.com/2012/12/our-winewithchicken-party-wrap-up-and.html

Brandi Yee

http://yeewittlethings.blogspot.ca/2012/12/we-wined-and-dined-winewithchicken.html

Ever wonder how top Chefs prepare chicken? Look no further! I’ve rounded up some delicious chicken recipes from some of Canada’s top Chefs.

Here are the recipes I’m going to try!

1.       Chef Michael Smith

Rosemary Vanilla Chicken

Chicken and vanilla paired together? This should be a deliciously unique dish. Would you try this recipe?

Chicken and Mushroom Stew

This earthy stew looks amazing and it only uses seven ingredients plus a dash of salt and pepper. It’s the perfect dish to enjoy on a cold winter day.

2.       Chef Chuck Hughes

Portuguese Chicken with Chorizo and Clams

This traditional Portuguese dish is chock full of flavour and gets a spicy kick from the addition of chorizo.

Balsamic Chicken Wings

Here’s a different take on chicken wings. These would be great to serve as an appetizer at a Christmas party.

3.       Chef Christine Cushing

Roasted Provencal Chicken

This Mediterranean recipe uses one of my favourite French seasonings, Herbes de Provence. Herbes the Provence is a mix of basil, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, savory, and thyme.

4.       Chef Lynn Crawford

Chicken with Polenta and Mustard Greens

This chicken dish is both hearty and healthy making it the perfect comfort food to enjoy all winter.

5.       Chef orbin Tomaszeski

Spiced Chicken and Shrimp Nappa Slaw

This healthy Asian slaw combines  flavours of cilantro, five spice powder , ginger, chili and mint which are complemented by the crunchy textures of sesame seeds and toasted peanuts.

6.       Chef Bob Blumer

Green Chile Chicken Wing Bake

These chicken wings are easy to prepare and use pantry items that your likely to have on hand.

7.       Chef Anna Olson

Curried Chicken with Apples

Give your tired curry dish a sweet kick with apples and a fragrant Jasmine rice.

Potato Wrapped Chicken with Prosciutto and Sage

This recipe uses only five ingredients and will definitely impress your guests.

8.       Roger Mooking

Roast Chicken with Celeriac

Need a roasted chicken recipe for the Holidays? This one is easy to prepare and will wow your guests.

Peanut Butter Chicken Wings

These sweet and spicy Asian flavoured chicken wings can be enjoyed all year round with a nice cold pint of beer to cut the heat.

9.       David Rocco

Lemon Fried Chicken

You know the saying “less is more”. That’s exactly what you’ll find in this recipe. The chicken is marinated in lemon juice and coated with a crunchy tempura batter. Fry each piece until golden.

10.   Laura Calder

Chicken in Vinegar

If you’ve never tried cooking chicken with white wine vinegar, you won’t be disappointed.

11.   David Adjey

Bangkok Chicken with Pineapple Rice and Spicy Peanut Sauce

What a powerhouse of flavour! Double up the peanut sauce recipe and use it as a dip for chicken skewers.

Who's your favourite top Canadian Chef? Let us know in the comments.

Down on the “Rock” we have eight chicken farmers that produce 18 million kilograms of chicken each year with an estimated farm gate value of $33 million.  The eight farms are located on the Avalon Peninsula and produce chicken all year round. Sixty-five percent of its broilers are grown on Country Ribbon Inc’s (CRI) farm with the remaining 35% grown by seven independent contract grower farms. CRI owns and operates a feed mill, a poultry farm and a poultry processing facility in the St. John’s area of Newfoundland and Labrador.  It also operates a grain elevator.  The industry employs in excess of 300 persons and purchases the majority of its goods and services locally to a value of over $25 million.  This supports an additional 60-100 person years of employment. Newfoundland and Labradorians love their chicken and eat approximately 33-34 kilograms of chicken every year; the average Canadian eats approximately 31 kilograms every year. 

The weather on the Avalon Peninsula is good for producing chicken since it does not get too hot or too cold; Newfoundland is an island in the Atlantic Ocean and the temperature tends to remain moderate.  While  grain can be grown in the province, the majority of the grain for livestock production is brought in by boat from various grain producing locations in North America.

The provincial agriculture industry includes 550 farms and 100 manufactures with estimated employment levels at 4000 persons.  In 2011farm cash receipts for the agriculture industry totaled $124.8 million, up 5.8% over 2010.

As part of the promotion activities undertaken each year the Chicken Farmers of Newfoundland and Labrador attends several agricultural trade shows.  One such even being, ‘Farmers Field Day’; every year in August there is a ‘Farmers Field Day’ held in St. John’s for the public to attend.  This event provides the public with an opportunity to learn about agriculture while having some fun; hay rides, a petting zoo, baby chicks hatching, a BBQ chicken dinner and various other locally produced agricultural products are available, cattle judging competitions and local experts in agriculture are all part of the event. Thousands of people attend the event annually and have a great family day of fun.

 Visit www.nlchicken.com to find out more about the chicken industry in NL.

Are you hosting a Christmas party this year?

Christmas season is in full swing and while most of us spend Christmas Eve or Christmas day celebrating with our immediate families, we also spend time catching up with friends or family we don’t see on a regular basis.

This is a great time to host a casual Christmas get together where you can share your stories, laughs and great food. For a casual party, finger foods and appetizers are the way to go.

I’ve selected some great recipes from our web site to help you along. Obviously you can’t only serve chicken but these are suggestions to help you plan your menu.

Insalata Caprese Party Picks

Forget the stress of party preparations with this simple Italian recipe that can be prepared the night before.

Chicken Tartlet with Cranberry Salsa

These little gems are sweet and spicy and are easily prepared by using frozen mini tart shells which are available at your local grocery store.

Chili Cranberry Fusion Meatballs (Slow Cooker)

These Asian/Mexican fusion meatballs can be prepared ahead of time and will keep warm until your guests arrive. Jazz them up by serving them with festive cocktail toothpicks.

Mini Walnut Spinach and Chicken Quiches

Here’s another simple appetizer using convenient frozen mini tart shells. This will become a favourite appetizer to serve at any party.

Hot Spinach Chicken Dip (Slow Cooker)

This fix and forget it dip will be a hit with your guests.  Serve it with crusty baguette, pita bread and crackers. It also pairs well with sliced fruit like apples and pears.

Click here for more appetizer ideas

If you read our blog then you already know that during the week of January 23, 2012, I was off-site with the team at In Motion filming our new series of 15 how-to videos.

The videos are seasonal so we didn’t release them all at once. So far, we’ve released 12 videos. These are:

How-to make chicken breast in parchment

How-to make Thai chicken burgers

How-to make Greek salad with chicken

How-to make chicken Nori rolls

How-to make Louisiana fried chicken

How-to make a simple chicken loaf

How-to make quick chicken paprikash

How-to make chicken pot pie

How-to make chicken curry

How-To make California Chicken Paella

How-to make Butter Chicken

How-to make Chicken Pad Thai

Today, we are releasing our last three videos for this year but don’t worry, we’ll be back at it in 2013!

How-To Make Stuffed Peppers

Not only are these stuffed peppers easy to prepare but they area a healthy yet comforting meal that can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner.

How-To Make Sloppy Joes

This is a leaner version of the traditional Sloppy Joe that still only takes minutes to make. For an even quicker meal, make a batch the night before and reheat it come dinner or lunch time.

How-To Make Jambalaya

Take your taste buds on a Bayou adventure with this spicy Surf and Turf Jambalaya. The mix of chicken, chorizo and shrimp provide different textures and make this dish very high in protein.

Have you tried making a recipe from our how-to videos? If so, which one and how did it turn out? We’d love to hear from you!

Tonight is our #WineWithChicken dinner party!  Our four lucky bloggers will be hosting a dinner party where they’ll be cooking one of our roast chicken recipes in Emile Henry cookware while enjoying a bottle or two of Château des Charmes wine.

They’ll be tweeting and taking video of their special night so you’ll want to join us for the party!

Margarita Ibbot, author of DownShifting is one of the lucky four ladies who will be hosting  this fun dinner party.  Margarita has invited some of her social media friends to join in on the fun! Here’s what she had to say.

I’m Having a Dinner Party & You’re Invited! #winewithchicken

6:29 PM  Chateau Des Charmes, Chicken, Emile Henry, Shes Connected  6 comments

As a blogger you get to do some really fun things sometimes… drive to New York City, test out toys, read great books and then you get to do REALLY fun things like host a dinner party.

Together with Chicken Farmers of Canada, Chateau des Charmes Wines and Emily Henry cookware, I have been offered an opportunity to host a dinner party with three of my friends.  It goes without saying that I am going to invite my closets social media buddies to the table: Paula Schuck is @Inksrblr (writer, vlogger & my #LinkedMoms Chat co-host), Cyn Gagen is @CynGagen (crafter, cook extraordinaire & avid reviewer) and Wanda Lynne Young is @BookaliciousCA (virtual book club hostess & book blogger).

L-R: Wanday Young, Paula Schuck, Cyn Gagen and Margarita Ibbott

Together we will put together a fabulous meal featuring fresh chicken and drink tantalizing wines.  So make sure to follow along if you are around on Friday, December 7th as we tweet about the whole

experience. There are four dinner groups of four that will be blogging, posting and tweeting about our adventures.  Follow the #winewithchicken on twitter.

Please join us for our #WineWithChicken dinner party this Friday! If you don’t already know, we’ve selected four blogger to host a dinner party where they’ll be cooking one of our roast chicken recipes in Emile Henry cookware while enjoying a bottle or two of Château des Charmes wine.

They’ll be tweeting and taking video of their special night so you’ll want to join us for the party!

Brandi Yee, author of Yee Wittle Things is one of the lucky four ladies who will be hosting  this fun dinner party.  Judging by her blog, she’s as excited as we are!

Come Dine With Me! #winewithchicken

I am beyond thrilled to have been chosen as 1 of 4 lucky bloggers who are participating in the Chicken Farmers of Canada #winewithchicken campaign by ShesConnected.   I have always loved how dinners with family and friends naturally engages people in conversation, allowing people to relax, share laughs and even swap recipes!  I watched my parents have guests over for dinner and wine numerous times while growing up and I always remember the fun and laughter everyone shared.  With good food and good wine, people are comfortable and enjoy each other's company.  

As part of this opportunity, on Friday I'll be hosting a #winewithchicken dinner party at my house. I'll be given a recipe, and with the help from Emile Henry cookware, will be preparing a delicious chicken dish, paired with some wine from Chateau des Charmes for my guests.  I'll even be videotaping about our meal and what we think of it so I can share with you!

Want to follow along??

Join me! I can't wait to see how it all turns out and to share with you my experience from start to finish with our dinner party!   On Friday, December 7th, with 3 other guests (which includes my mom, a.k.a. blogger Basset Momma!), we'll enjoy chicken and wine.  You can follow along with us (as well as the 3 other bloggers participating in the campaign) as we all tweet while we dine, using the hashtag #winewithchicken. 

Will you be joining us this Friday for our #WineWithChicken dinner party? If you don’t already know, we’ve selected four blogger to host a dinner party where they’ll be cooking one of our roast chicken recipes in Emile Henry cookware while enjoying a bottle or two of Château des Charmes wine.

They’ll be tweeting and taking video of their special night so you’ll want to join us for the party! We’ll keep you posted.

Lori Godin, author of Frugal Edmonton Mama was one of the lucky four ladies selected to host this fun dinner party. She’s been blogging about it and here’s what she had to say.

We're Getting a Babysitter, I'm Hosting a Dinner Party & You're Invited to Share #Winewithchicken

Guess What?

We are dropping the kiddos off at the grandparents, cooking chicken with Emile Henry cookware and opening a bottle of Chateau des Charmes (or two) and having a few friends over to join Frugal Dad and I for a dinner party. 

Just in time to get together before the craziness of the holiday season starts, I am looking forward to reconnecting with friends and doing something that I enjoy most, cooking. (Well, most days anyway).

It's going to be a fun dinner experience and just this once we are going throw caution to the wind and get rid of the no phones at the dinner table rule because we want you to join us. You can follow on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Join us for the fun on Friday, December 7th. 

Look forward to pictures and video and follow along with the hashtag #winewithchicken between now and then. 

Are you curious about what's for dinner?

I am making, a Roasted chicken with Sage Butter and Maple Walnut Stuffing - Doesn't it look delicious?

We are very excited to announce that our four bloggers have been selected to host the #WineWithChicken dinner party on December 7^th.

http://www.mmmisformommy.com/

http://www.downshiftingpro.com/

http://yeewittlethings.blogspot.ca/

http://www.frugaledmontonmama.com/

These lovely ladies will be roasting up a chicken in a beautiful Emile Henry roasting pan while enjoying two bottles of Château des Charmes wine. They’ll be tweeting and taking video of their special night so you’ll want to join us for the party! We’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, Heather Nolan, author of MmmisforMommy blog shared her excitement of being selected for this special night. Here’s what she had to say!

I'm Hosting a #WinewithChicken Dinner Party!

You wanna bet I was excited to find out that I had been selected as one of the four Canadian bloggers selected to host a #WinewithChicken Dinner Party on Friday December 7th.  Chicken Farmers of Canada, Château des Charmes Winery and Emile Henry have come together to sponsor this Holiday event of the season... yours truly has been provided with a special chicken recipe to prepare and serve and will also be provided with two bottles of Château des Charmes wine that were picked especially to go with said chicken dish.  After dinner, we will all critique the recipe and the wines and let you know what we think.

 

To stay on top of all the shopping, cooking, eating and drinking action this week, be sure to follow the #WinewithChicken hashtag on Twitter (and while you are there, be sure to follow@ChickenFarmers @MBosc @DownshiftingPRO @yeewittlethings @frugalyegmama@shesconnected ).

More to come...

It’s a hectic time of year for many of us! Whether it’s wrapping up final projects at the office or braving the Christmas crowds to find that perfect gift (nobody likes Christmas crowds), their just doesn’t seem to be enough time in a day.  This also means that healthy meals get replaced with fast foods that are often high in fat, sodium and calories. Save these guilty pleasures for Christmas, your thighs will thank you later.

So how do you eat healthy with limited time? It’s all about making the right food choices. If you really do have to eat out, skip the fried foods and instead, look for these healthy options.

Grilled chicken sandwich–Many fast food restaurants will gladly omit any butter, mayonnaise or other calorie-laden sandwich spreads if you just ask. A grilled chicken sandwich is filling but won’t weigh you down. Plus, you’ll have the energy you need to accomplish your tasks, like fighting the Christmas crowds.

Grilled chicken salad– Chicken salads are popular on fast food menus everywhere. Their downfall is the dressing and rich toppings such as croutons which can add a whopping 200 – 400 extra calories! Limit your dressing or ask to have it served on the side that way you have better control over the quantity you are eating.

Need your potato fix?– Go for the baked potato but don’t drown it with rich toppings! A little goes a long way.

Stay away from rich sugary foods such as muffins or donuts – they are high in fat and calories and won’t keep you full for long.

Skip the soda– stick with water! Water keeps your hydrated and contains 0 calories.

You can also take a little time to prepare some meals ahead of time or enjoy a quick dinner at home before you face the madness.

Ground Chicken Salsa Sloppy Joes

This is a healthy take on the traditional sloppy Joe and the recipe only takes 15 minutes to make! You’ll even have extras for lunch the next day.

Chicken and Vegetable Pockets

These chicken and vegetable pockets save you time by using store bought rotisserie chicken and refrigerated crescent rolls.  These are the perfect treat when you need a dinner on the go. 

Here’s a round-up of our top rated recipes. Have you tried any of our recipes? Let us know in the comments!

A Taste of Summer Chicken Sandwich

Indian Seasoned Roast Chicken with Lentil Brown Rice Pilaf

Amazing Orange Chicken

Richard Patten’s Chicken Pad Thai

Chili Cranberry Fusion Meatballs

Cranberry and Chicken Borscht

Creamy Cabbage, Chicken and Egg Noodle Casserole

Quick Burgers

Easy Chicken Stuffed Peppers

Chicken Sandwiches with Lemon-Basil Zucchini and Boursin

Chicken Egg Foo Young

Butter Chicken Makeover

Pan Chicken with Honey, Rasperries And Wehani Rice

Greek Chicken with Baby Potatoes and Lemon Gravy

Mediterranean Chicken and Pasta Frittata

Savoury Asparagus and Chicken Bread Pudding

Velvet Chicken and Corn Soup

Baked Spinach and Chicken Omelet

Cream of Celery and Chicken Soup

Moroccan-style Ground Chicken and Couscous

If you have been following our blogs in recognition of Movember this month, you know that prostate cancer is a leading health concern that will affect 1 in 7 men in Canada this year. Can you guess another top health issue for men? If you guessed cardiovascular disease, then you are correct. Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in Canada, and men are more likely to be diagnosed with it earlier in their lives than women. This Movember, the campaign to raise money for prostate cancer research not only reminds us about this important issue, but also other men’s health issues.

Heart disease and stroke are two common types of cardiovascular disease for men. Some of the main risk factors are: age over 45, family history, smoking, not exercising, unhealthy eating, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, stress and being overweight. If you are Aboriginal or South Asian, you are more likely to have high blood pressure and diabetes, and therefore are at greater risk of heart disease and stroke than the general population.

The risk for developing cardiovascular disease can be reduced by making small, positive choices. If you’re a woman with a special guy in your life, get him started on the road to better health. Ask him (rather convince him) to read these health tips. If you’re a guy, da Man, or a MoBro get hyped with these tips. Do it for the love of your heart!

• Be a non-smoker. This is one of the best things you can do to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as different cancers. If you smoke, look for resources in your community to help you quit.
• Beat stress. Over time, stress may lead to high cholesterol and increased blood pressure. Everyone deals with stress differently. Find healthy ways to manage your stress, whether it’s exercising, painting or going for a massage.
• Keep active. Find different activities that you enjoy and fit them into your everyday routine. For example, walk, run or cycle instead of driving the car whenever you can, or hit the gym during lunch. Regular exercise is a great way to manage stress and can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight. Aim for at least 150 minutes (2½ hours) of activity each week. More is better.
• Maintain a healthy weight! Being at a healthy weight with less body fat is helpful for your heart, as it does not have to work so hard. Having less weight around your midsection will also significantly reduce your risk of high blood pressure, heart problems and diabetes.
• Fill up on fibre. Soluble fibre has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels. Aim for 10-15 grams per day. Foods such as legumes, oats and ground flax seeds are high in soluble fibre.
• Load up on colourful fruits and vegetables; they are loaded with antioxidants.
• Carotenoids are responsible for the red/orange colouring food in some fruits and vegetables, such as tomato products, watermelon and pink grapefruit. Carotenoid-containing foods boost immunity and have cardiovascular benefits.
• Flavonoids are another antioxidant. Flavonoid-containing foods help keep your blood thin and flowing. These include strong-flavoured foods such as garlic, onion, red wines (or red grape juice), green teas and broccoli.
• For heart health benefits it is recommended to eat at least two servings of fatty fish every week. Not getting enough fish? Most health professionals will recommend an omega-3 supplement – 600 to 900 milligrams per day.
• Read nutrition labels. Take a few extra minutes to read nutrition labels. Compare different brands and choose foods that are lower in fat & sodium, and higher in fibre. Look for the following per serving:
• more than 4 grams of fibre
• less than 5 grams of fat (less than 10 g of fat for meat proteins)
• zero trans fats (or very low levels)
• less than 8 grams of sugar
• less than 200 milligrams of sodium (salt)

In support of raising awareness for men’s health and the Movember 2012 initiative, Canada’s poultry and egg farmers have challenged Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, on behalf of Canadian agriculture, to once again shave his moustache. Campaign supporters at the national level include Chicken Farmers of Canada, Canadian Hatching Egg Producers, Egg Farmers of Canada and Turkey Farmers of Canada.

Minister Ritz has found his own way of taking part by keeping his moustache until the fundraising target has been met. So far, he has raised over $16,000.00 for his efforts. This year’s target is $25,000 and donations can be made as individuals or collectively as organizations to Minister Ritz’s Movember Canada campaign online (link here),or you can reference Gerry Ritz and Registration # 2736566 and send it to:

Movember Canada

119 Spadina Avenue

PO Box 65

Toronto, ON M5T 2T2

Please consider changing the face of men’s health. Donate to show your support. Every little bit counts!  

On Tuesday, November 20^th  Chicken Farmers of Canada, Château des Charmes Winery and Emile Henry were all at a Twitter during the #WineWithChicken Twitter party hosted by Shesconnected

http://chicken.ca/blog/contests-promotions/calling-all-bloggers

While Château des Charmes Winery provided everyone with excellent chicken and wine pairings, Emile Henry tweeted about their best cooking vessels for cooking chicken.

We at CFC had a great time tweeting out some of our delicious recipes, along with a few chicken jokes, compliments of Lisa (which side of the chicken has the most feathers? The outside!). Both the recipes and jokes were a hit! So much so that we were asked to include these recipes in a blog.

So here you go folks! Enjoy!

Appetizers

Chicken Insalata Caprese Party Picks

Chicken Tartlets with Cranberry Salsa

Chili Cranberry Fusion Meatballs

Mini Walnut Spinach and Chicken Quiches

Hot Spinach and Chicken Dip

Casseroles

Cassoulet of Chicken with Mixed Beans

Baked Chicken and Rosemary Pasta

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Lasagna

Chicken Lasagna Roll-ups

Chicken Chili Blanco

Whole Chicken

Indian Seasoned Roast Chicken with Lentil Brown Rice Pilaf 

Butter and Wine Basted Chicken

Roast Chicken with Brown Lentil and Winter Squash Stuffing

Whole Roasted Chicken with Sage Butter and Maple Walnut Stuffing

Lemon Roasted Chicken

“Go-to” baking/roasting/cooking

Chicken and Broccoli Divan over Nutty Rice

Baked Chicken Nachos

Chicken Pie with Potato Crust

Express Roast Lemon Chicken

Individual Chicken Pot Pies

Bold Flavoured Recipes

Chicken Tagine with Leeks and Carrots

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Modern Chicken Marbella

Chicken in Anchovy Butter with Basil Tomatoes

Recipes using wine

Chicken with Wild Mushrooms and Capers of Creamy Garlic Grits

Chicken Pot Pie

Classic Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

Sauces/Gravies

Chicken in Apple Mustard Sauce

Tarragon Chicken

Chicken with Marsala Cream Sauce

Roast Chicken, Root Vegetalbe with Balsamic Honey Reduction

Side Dishes for Chicken

Warm Potato Salad

Sweet Potato Mash

Warm Carrot Salad

Winter Squash Stuffing 

Is Your ‘Stache’ Sprouting?

Last week, we learned from the Movember campaign kick-off that prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men. With prostate cancer affecting 1 in 7 men in Canada, it's no wonder that men everywhere are sprouting moustaches to raise money for prostate cancer research and awareness. Part of the campaign is to encourage men to take preventative steps from getting prostate cancer in the first place. And, while early detection and new therapies are offering hope, new studies are also emerging linking lifestyle changes to disease prevention.

One thing which men of all ages can do to reduce their risk for prostate cancer is to eat a healthy, well balanced diet. If you are familiar with Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide, you know that this means eating less processed foods, which are often high in sodium, sugar and fat, and choosing fresh foods more often.

Here are some nutrition tips to help prevent prostate cancer and improve overall health:

• Load up on vegetables and fruits! Yes, mom was right! Men need 7 to 10 servings every day. This may seem like a lot, but it is not as difficult as you might think. A single plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce, red peppers, and mushrooms could easily add up to 3 Food Guide servings toward the recommended requirement. And let’s not forget that tomatoes are rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants, like lycopene and vitamin C, as are fruits, such as grapefruit and watermelon. 
• Boost your fibre! Start your day with a high-fibre cereal that has at least 4 grams of fibre per serving. Leave the skin on fruits and vegetables, or swap a glass of fruit juice for a piece of fruit. Enjoy meals that include fibre-rich foods, such as beans & lentils found in recipes like this (Cowboy Chicken Chili Casserole).
• Cut your sodium! Many processed foods are high in sodium. Avoid these by donning an apron and becoming chef of the house. You can reduce your sodium intake without sacrificing on taste by reclaiming the kitchen and experimenting with natural flavour enhancers like lemon juice, garlic, herbs or onions. And let’s not forget garlic! Garlic has been found to be extremely effective when it comes to lowering the risk of certain cancers, including prostate.
• Love a good BBQ but concerned about saturated fat? Well, you can have your “meat” and eat it too if you choose lean proteins, such as chicken or fish. Chicken is a good choice as it is a high quality protein which helps to fight infection by helping to build antibodies. The amino acids found in chicken protein are also important for the growth, maintenance and repair of body tissues, cells and muscles.  
• Re-think your drink. Water is calorie-free and is the best drink when you’re thirsty. Sugary drinks such as sports drinks, fruit drink, pop, and iced coffees can add extra calories that you don’t need. If you drink alcohol, have no more than three drinks a day, up to a maximum of 15 drinks per week. A drink is either a 5 ounce (142 mL) glass of wine, one bottle (12 ounces or 341 mL) of regular beer, or 1½ ounces (43 mL) of spirits.

In support of the Movember 2012 initiative, Canada’s poultry and egg farmers have challenged Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, on behalf of Canadian agriculture, to once again shave his moustache. Campaign supporters at the national level include Chicken Farmers of Canada, Canadian Hatching Egg Producers, Egg Farmers of Canada and Turkey Farmers of Canada.

Minister Ritz has found his own way of taking part by keeping his moustache until the fundraising target has been met. This year’s target is $25,000 and donations can be made as individuals or collectively as organizations to Minister Ritz’s Movember Canada campaign online (link here),or you can reference Gerry Ritz and Registration # 2736566 and send it to:

Movember Canada

119 Spadina Avenue

PO Box 65

Toronto, ON M5T 2T2

Please consider changing the face of men’s health in support of healthy prostates for all men. Donate to show your support. Every little bit counts!  

Here’s what you need to know.

1. You’ll need to be free on December 7^th to host the party and have a little time a day or two available ahead of time to prepare.
2. You’ll need to invite three other people (preferably who also have Twitter accounts and/or blogs, so that they can share the experience, too).
3. You’ll need to write three blogs about this party of yours – a short one when we announce that you’re one of the four we’re chosen, another really short one in mid-November, when we’re getting ready for the #WineWithChicken party, and a longer, more detailed one after you’ve hosted the party. You’re encouraged to tweet at will, too, throughout the time leading up to your party.
4. You’ll be asked to participate at the #WineWithChicken Twitter Party November 20th, 2012 at 8pm EST
5. Chicken Farmers of Canada will provide you with your chicken recipe (sides of your own choosing), and one $100 gift card for you to buy the ingredients you need, and some amazing chicken stuff to help you prepare for your meal.
6. Château des Charmes will send you two bottles of wine that have been specially chosen to accompany your meal.  You have to try them both.  They’ll also send you some amazing wine-related things to help you with your evening.
7. Both Chicken Farmers of Canada and Château des Charmes will provide you with an extra, special item for you to give to one of your guests – how you decide who gets it is up to you!
8. Emile Henry will provide you with a roasting pan, to help you make the evening a success.
9. You need to have some kind of video recording device – and create a special video about this event, including your rating of the recipe and the wine – as well as those of your guests.  Keep the whole video to 5 minutes or less. You can include it in your final blog – but we should get a copy, too, so we can put it up on our sites.
10. So, on the night of December 7^th, you prepare our chicken dish, serve our wine, tweet during your party, video the special moments, and voila! – A pre-holiday party that you can share! A nice way to unwind before things get really crazy.

If you’re interested in being one of our four Wine With Chicken Party Hosts, please sign up.

Here’s the link for you to apply:

http://shesconnectedblog.com/winewithchicken/

Applications will be accepted until November 23rd.

To get you excited about the program, there’s also going to be a Twitter Party tonight at 8pm EST.  There will be prizes and holiday chat to get you in the spirit.

Please RSVP to the Twitter party here – http://appconnected.com/winewithchicken/

Planning for healthy meals in Canadian kitchens could not be easier when everyone has a copy of CFC’s new recipe booklet, Eat Right with chicken.ca. Chicken Farmers of Canada understands the reality of different dietary needs and the importance consumers place on quality nutrition and detailed nutrition information.  Eat Right with chicken.ca lets consumers know that Canada has strict laws in place to ensure that the Canadian chicken they buy is top quality, safe and a healthy choice. The recipes inside provide reliable nutrient information and allow consumers to choose from healthy options for either regular diets or those that require lower fat, lower sugar, lower sodium, high fibre or gluten free meals. 

The booklet also contains information about CFC’s On-Farm Food Safety and Animal Care Program, and directs consumers to hundreds more recipes, key health information, frequently asked questions, and chicken conversions right here at chicken.ca. Since the release of Eat Right with chicken.ca just one month ago, the booklet has proven to be a popular resource for both health professionals and Canadian shoppers. The demand for the booklet continues to grow.

To print your copy of Eat Right with chicken.ca, visit CFC’s health portal at www.chicken.ca/health or download the pdf here.  Go ahead. Get your copy. Healthy chicken recipes are just a click away. 

Thislilpiglet, Stacey is asking YOU to challenge Minister Ritz for MOVEMBER!

This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada has introduced 3 new Brand Ambassadors – wonderful bloggers whom we like to feature and who write things about us, too. By expanding our audience this way, we can reach out to new and enthusiastic readers, just like you!

Here’s one of our great Brand Ambassadors, Stacey (@thislilpiglet):

City Mom to Farmer Joe, Stacey will keep you on your hooves and give you everything you need to raise barn animals OR kids. Stacey writes the This Lil Piglet blog where she will enlighten you on social media marketing tactics and source bloggers with tutorials to reach their potential. Readers can enjoy the many recipes, DIY projects, consider a product review, win some giveaways and grab a laugh every now and then.

Thank you Stacey for asking your followers to participate in this fun yet important campaign.

Call Minister Ritz on his #Movember Challenge

Hello there! If you are new here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic.

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Last year Minister Ritz, Canadian Agriculture Minister, took the Movember challenge to support mental health and prostate cancer research.  Minister Ritz, known for sporting a quite impressive moustache, helped raised over $15,000 last year in donations.  Since last years campaign was such a huge success in support of the Movember campaign, this year Minister Ritz has been challenged by the Chicken Farmers of Canada, Canadian Hatching Egg Producers, Egg Farmers of Canada and Turkey Farmers of Canada to raise $25,000 in support of Movember.

 Movember is the public awareness campaign held each November to promote prostate cancer awareness and male mental health. According to Prostate Cancer Canada, 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with a form of prostate cancer, making it the most common cancer among Canadian men. One out of five Canadians will experience a mental illness in their lifetime and the remaining four will have a family member or colleague who will.

 “This year we’re hoping to raise $25,000 in support of prostate cancer and mental health research by getting him to remove his moustache. This campaign presents us with the opportunity to show urbanites how rural Canada can step up to the plate in support of a national initiative that affects all Canadians” said Dave Janzen, Chair of Chicken Farmers of Canada.

 If you haven’t been close to a man in your life who has been touched by prostate cancer or mental illness, with these statistics the chances are great that you will at some point in your lifetime.  It doesn’t take much to support such a great cause, donate what you can and help Minister Ritz reach the goal of a $25,000 donation this Movember.

 Please help support Minister Ritz to reach his goal of $25,000 towards mens health and prostate cancer research!

Donations can be made to Minister Ritz’s Movember Canada campaign online
 
or by mail:
Reference: Gerry Ritz and Registration # 2736566 and send to:
Movember Canada,
119 Spadina Avenue, PO Box 65,
Toronto, ON
M5T 2T2
 
To learn more about changing the face of men’s health visit: http://ca.movember.com.

To learn more about Gerry Ritz, visit http://www.gerryritz.ca , follow Minister Ritz on Twitter and join him in conversation on Facebook

If you read our blog then you already know that during the week of January 23, 2012, I was off-site with the team at In Motion filming our new series of 15 how-to videos.

The videos are seasonal so we are not releasing them all at once. So far, we’ve released 9 videos. These are

How-to make chicken breast in parchment

How-to make Thai chicken burgers

How-to make Greek salad with chicken

How-to make chicken Nori rolls

How-to make Louisiana fried chicken

How-to make a simple chicken loaf

How-to make quick chicken paprikash

How-to make chicken pot pie

How-to make chicken curry

Today, we are releasing three more videos featuring recipes that are perfect for this cooler weather.

How-To make California Chicken Paella

Paella is a traditional Spanish dish which usually includes ingredients like rice, shrimp, chorizo and chicken. Our recipe is made simple and lower in fat and uses one key protein, chicken!

How-to make Butter Chicken

Indian cuisine has become a real favourite comfort food all over the world. With Canada’s growing ethnic population, we are always learning new ways of creating ethnic chicken dishes that are easy to prepare like this low-fat version of butter chicken that your whole family will enjoy.

How-to make Chicken Pad Thai

Forget the popular take-out version and go ahead and make this delicious recipe at home. Our video will have you cooking this classic Thai dish like a pro!

Still to come:

How-To Make Stuffed Peppers

How-To Make Sloppy Joes

How-To Make Jambalaya

Have you tried making a recipe from our how-to videos? If so, which one and how did it turn out? We’d love to hear from you!

This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada has introduced 3 new Brand Ambassadors – wonderful bloggers whom we like to feature and who write things about us, too. By expanding our audience this way, we can reach out to new and enthusiastic readers, just like you!

Here’s one of our great Brand Ambassadors, Lynette (@myweeview):

Lynette is married to her high school sweetheart. They’ve been together 14 years and married for 8. In 2008, they gave birth to a very special baby girl. Lynette is a native Nova Scotian, born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada!

We love her recent blog on this very important Movember campaign.

“Movember Challenge Mr. Ritz

by MOMMY on NOVEMBER 2, 2012

Can you believe it, it’s been a whole year since we’ve talked about men… well men’s health issues.  November is here again and men around the world will be sporting caterpillars on their upper lips once again to get everyone talking about things like prostates and prostate cancer.  A very touchy subject, but an important one.  Did you know 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer? That is a scary stat – much scarier than any of the men walking around with peachfuzz moustaches.

Not only does Movember help raise awareness, it’s also a time to support the daring men sporting a moustache by donating to the cause.  Last year, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz raised over $15 000 to shave OFF his moustache.  I love this approach and think more men with year round ‘staches should do the same.  This year, Minister Ritz is upping the anti and is trying to raise $25,000 to be clean shaven. The Chicken Farmers of Canada, Canadian Hatching Egg Producers, Egg Farmers of Canada and Turkey Farmers of Canada are all supporting this extremely worthy cause and want you to get involved too!

Here’s Gerry last year after the campaign.  I think he looks spectacular!

Donations can be made to Minister Ritz’s Movember Canada campaign online

or by mail to:

Gerry Ritz, Registration # 2736566 and send it to:

Movember Canada, 119

Spadina Avenue, PO Box 65, Toronto, ON M5T 2T2.

To learn more about changing the face of men’s health visit: Movember

Keep up with Gerry on Twitter and Facebook to see how his Movember Campaign is going!  And don’t forget what Movember is all about!  Us women have no problem talking about our health issues, where men tend to be a little more averse.  So ladies, have those hard conversations, get your men talking and to a doctor for a check up!  You just never know…. In the meantime, enjoy kissing those tiny caterpillars.”

This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada has introduced 3 new Brand Ambassadors – wonderful bloggers whom we like to feature and who write things about us, too. By expanding our audience this way, we can reach out to new and enthusiastic readers, just like you!

Here’s one of our great Brand Ambassadors, Wendy (@mapsgirl):

Wendy (also known as @mapsgirl) is a mom to two daughters, Rachel (7) and Lauren (5). They are the inspiration of this blog. Her blog, funny things are everywhere,has grown from a personal journal to a family-oriented blog focusing on topics that are of importance to parents and their children. Child passenger safety is a passion of Wendy's. For the last 5 years, Wendy has had the opportunity to work with several Ontario police services and EMS teams, as a car seat technician. Writing her blog and volunteering in the community happens when she's not working full time as a cartographer for a municipality.

Wendy is showing her support for the Movember campaign. Here’s what she has to say!

“Will Minister Ritz shave his stache for #Movember ??

author: Wendy S at 10:43 PM

Movember here!! 
Minister Ritz, Agriculture Minister, has been challenged by Chicken Farmers of Canada (and their Chicken Famers Ambassadors, including me!), Canadian Hatching Egg Producers, Egg Farmers of Canada and Turkey Farmers of Canada. to shave his moustache again in support of prostate cancer awareness and men’s mental health.  And he has one amazing moustache!

Yes, this is a twist on the usual Movember activities.  Usually men shave their mustaches and then compete to have the nicest mustache.  But Minister Ritz is keeping his moustache until $25,000 is raised!

“Last year, Minister Ritz helped raise over $15,000 for prostate cancer research so we decided to up the ante,” said Dave Janzen, Chair of Chicken Farmers of Canada. “This year we’re hoping to raise $25,000 in support of prostate cancer and mental health research by getting him to remove his moustache. This campaign presents us with the opportunity to show urbanites how rural Canada can step up to the plate in support of a national initiative that affects all Canadians.”

Here's Minister Ritz after last year's success!

Will he do it again??  You can help make that happen! 

Movember is the public awareness campaign held each November to promote prostate cancer awareness and male mental health. According to Prostate Cancer Canada, 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with a form of prostate cancer, making it the most common cancer among Canadian men. One out of five Canadians will experience a mental illness in their lifetime and the remaining four will have a family member or colleague who will.

Please support Minister Ritz!

The Chicken Farmers of Canada, Canadian Hatching Egg Producers, Egg Farmers of Canada and Turkey Farmers of Canada would love to see him raise over $25,000 this year!

Donations can be made to Minister Ritz’s Movember Canada campaign online

or by mail:
reference: Gerry Ritz and Registration # 2736566 and send it to:
Movember Canada,
119 Spadina Avenue, PO Box 65,
Toronto, ON
M5T 2T2.

To learn more about changing the face of men’s health visit: http://ca.movember.com.

To learn more about Gerry Ritz, 

visit http://www.gerryritz.ca  

follow Gerry on Twitter and 

like him on Facebook”

During Movember, the month formerly known as November, men everywhere start sporting moustaches with the aim of raising money to support awareness, research and treatment for prostate cancer and men’s mental health. One in seven men will be diagnosed with a form of prostate cancer this year, according to Prostate Cancer Canada, making it the most common cancer among Canadian men. With symptoms of depression and feelings of helplessness often arising from a diagnosis, mental health awareness is also an important part of the Movember campaign. 

Prostate cancer, like men’s mental health, has had a stigma attached to it for decades. One key reason is that men were less likely to talk about their health or seek timely medical screenings that could help detect early health problems. The Movember campaign, however, aims to change men’s established health habits to help increase male survivorship.

On Movember 1^st, thousands of Canadian men will have registered at http://ca.movember.com with initially a clean-shaven face. For the full month of Movember, these brave men, known as Mo Bros, will trim and/or wax their “Mo’s” into the slickest styles which many of us could never have imagined. Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, the Mo Bros will aim to raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo-growing efforts. The power of these moustaches is remarkable and helps to raise public and private conversations about this once taboo health topic.

This is an incredible charity, which once a year, gives men (and a handful of courageous women) the opportunity to support men’s health.  Man or woman, clean-shaven or hairy, we can all support the Movember campaign. Go to the http://ca.movember.com website to find out how you can donate, purchase tickets to attend Gala Partés across Canada, and more! In recognition of Movember, Chicken Farmers of Canada will have several tips on diet and lifestyle changes for men this month. Stay tuned for our blogs all about men’s health.  

Nowadays, there’s a holiday for just about every type of food you can find. I’ve come across a few amusing ones like National Chocolate-Filled Cherry Day, National Turkey Neck Soup Day and National Corned Beef Hash Day, to name a few…..

This Saturday is National Sandwich Day and I can see why sandwiches get their own special day because they are DELISH!!! With so many different varieties, I could eat a sandwich every day and be totally content. So this Saturday, head out and buy yourself a big hearty sandwich or try out a new sandwich recipe and then do it; stuff your face!

Here’s a list of some of our favourite chicken sandwiches.

Vietnamese-Style Chicken Sandwiches

Chicken Bombay Salad in Whole Grain Rolls

Italian Flags Toasted Chicken, Mozzarella, Pesto and Red Pepper Panini

Pesto Chicken Philly Melt

Do you have a favourite chicken sandwich recipe you’d like to share with us? We’d love to hear what it is, so don’t be shy and post it in our comments.

We try to keep up with as many Canadian food bloggers as we can, and these are just a few of the mouth-watering posts we came across this month. Enjoy!

Cookin’ Canuck– Dara Michalski shares inspirational stories of how she lost 30 lbs., tips on training for a marathon and the most delicious recipes like this Mexican Chicken Taco Casserole with Olives, Peppers and Queso Fresco Cheese.You’ll also enjoy the beautiful photography so get cracking and check out her fabulous blog.

Nelly’s Pantry – This Vancouver native is working on a food blog in hopes of releasing a cookbook one day. She’s kept busy with three little ones at home but that doesn’t stop her from heading into the kitchen and creating delicious meals like this Crispy Chicken Sandwich!

Buffy & George – Christina’s blog is named after her two dogs, Buffy & George. Buffy is constantly underfoot while Christina cooks and George likes to steal food off the counter (bad dog!). She originally started to blog about her family and life but food took over in this fun to read blog. Check out her recipe for Chicken Fajitas.

Which Canadian food bloggers do you follow? Let us know in the comments.

This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada has introduced 3 new Brand Ambassadors – wonderful bloggers whom we like to feature and who write things about us, too. By expanding our audience this way, we can reach out to new and enthusiastic readers, just like you!

Here’s one of our great Brand Ambassadors, Stacey (@thislilpiglet):

City Mom to Farmer Joe, Stacey will keep you on your hooves and give you everything you need to raise barn animals OR kids. Stacey writes the This Lil Piglet blog where she will enlighten you on social media marketing tactics and source bloggers with tutorials to reach their potential. Readers can enjoy the many recipes, DIY projects, consider a product review, win some giveaways and grab a laugh every now and then.

Stacey had the opportunity to talk to a Canadian chicken farmer in her province. She has now written a very informative blog http://thislilpiglet.net that should give you a good idea of how the Canadian chicken farming industry works. Enjoy!

“Recently I was put in touch with a chicken farmer, Diane Pastoor, in my province to really get down to the bottom of chicken farming in Canada.  Diane, her husband Mark and 4 daughters started off chicken farming really by chance. They wanted to buy a dairy farm, that’s what they were doing before they moved to Saskatchewan from British Columbia in 2003.  Diane and Mark knew somebody that was selling our farm at the time and thought they would look at it just to check it out. They really liked the area the farm was in, the barns at the time were new, and there was city water which was fantastic!  The life of a chicken farmer is a good one. Diane and her family are able to do what they love, feed their family and friends and know what they do is important.  The long hours are part of a farmer’s life whether you are grain farming, cattle, or any other livestock. This is what they love.

The Pastoor’s have 3 large open floor barns. Each one is 60 feet wide by 370 feet long with numerous fans, heaters, lights and vents to control the temperature and environment in the barns keeping the chickens comfy, warm and dry. Their operation, like all the broiler operations in Canada, are considered free run. The chickens are not confined, in separate pens or housing; they run freely in the barns and have access to food and water whenever they feel hungry or thirsty. All farms in Saskatchewan and throughout Canada have strict bio-security and animal care programs that chicken farmers follow. This includes proper washing and disinfecting of the barns between flocks as well as providing fresh bedding and controlled heat and cooling environments. They also have controlled access zones in their barns where there is no cross contamination allowed by way of outdoor footwear and other people cannot enter unless they are fully suited up with special footwear, hairnets and coveralls.

The process begins when the baby chickens, literally hours old “hatched”, arrive in a warm truck in crates delivered to our barns waiting with food, water and fresh new environment. The chickens are kept for approx 35-40 days, depending on what the processor requirements are which is based on the size of chickens needed. During the chickens stay at the Pastoor’s farm, they are monitored very closely to make sure that they are fed, watered and comfortable.  They have day time and night time in the barns so they get proper rest as well. The Pastoor’s make sure they have no outside disturbances such as rodents or other possible germs entering the barns. Once it is time to go, Mark turns the lights down to encourage them to rest and sit down. A crew of chicken catchers come in to move them from the barns to trucks where they are transported to the processing plant. This process is done quickly in almost full darkness to keep the environment as calm as possible. From the processor, the chickens are distributed to restaurants in Saskatchewan and other parts of Canada.

Diane does her best to educate people about the ways they treat their chickens and what they feed them.  Being in Saskatchewan chicken farmers really have good opportunities to grow healthy, safe food because of the abundance of feed grains and the fact that farms are far enough apart in distance that bio-security levels are maintained. The most satisfaction for Diane, comes from knowing they are contributing the best, healthiest and safest possible product they can raise to herself, her family and Canadian consumers.  The Pastoor’s are proud chicken farmers.

As a consumer, and a farmer, I can appreciate both sides of the process.  To know that Canada has strict laws in place to protect the quality and health of our chicken puts consumers’ minds at ease. Hats off to Diane, her family, and all of the chicken farmers in Canada for making sure the chicken that we consume is only the best.”

Most kids are getting excited at this time of the year for the opportunity to dress up as frightening ghouls or to don humorous costumes that can look like household items, popular fast food, and furry animals. The big theme in our house this Halloween is superheroes due to all the recent blockbuster movies like The Avengers, Spider-Man and Batman.

Next to dressing-up, the best part of Halloween for my kids is trick-or-treating. Sour Patch Kids, Nerds, Reese’s Pieces, Runts, Bottle Caps & Gobstoppers – these goodies are what young dreams are made of and can be my worst nightmare, especially when my youngest wants to eat Halloween candy every day until Christmas. With orange and green sacks filled with sugary treats everywhere, what is a parent to do to keep kids healthy Halloween night and the days following?

Well, there is really no way to convince my children that Halloween candy is off limits, particularly just when they have brought home their loot. Instead, when considering its nutritional value, I find it’s best to focus on the 'treat' part of Halloween and to make sure that I store and ration its contents, so that my kids won’t eat it all at once.

One simple way to ration candy is to fill their bellies with healthy and hearty foods before trick-or-treating. This can prevent them from being overly hungry for candy upon their return. On October 31^st, try some of these wholesome recipes from Chicken Farmers of Canada. The protein will keep your kids feeling fuller, longer, and give them a feeling of warmth before a potentially chilly night out.  

Roast Chicken with Brown Lentil and Winter Squash Stuffing

Chicken in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Chicken Caraway Goulash

Scary Chicken Cordon Blue Fingers (This Halloween theme recipe will surely be a hit!)

Feeding your kids wholesome food can also have the added benefit of reducing their temptation to snack on candy while trick-or-treating. Snacking away from home can be particularly harmful if you, as a parent, have not had the opportunity to inspect the candy. Be sure to talk to your children about food safety this Halloween.

Here are some useful tips from Nestle:

• Children should not consume any treats that are not commercially wrapped, such as homemade candy or baked goods.
• Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discolouration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers.
• Some Halloween treats may trigger allergic reactions. Read the complete label and ingredient list of products before interpreting it is safe for all to eat.
• Remember, when in doubt, throw it out. 

Happy Trick-or-Treating!

This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada has introduced 3 new Brand Ambassadors – wonderful bloggers whom we like to feature and who write things about us, too. By expanding our audience this way, we can reach out to new and enthusiastic readers, just like you!

Here’s one of our great Brand Ambassadors, Lynette (@myweeview):

Lynette is married to her high school sweetheart. They’ve been together 14 years and married for 8. In 2008, they gave birth to a very special baby girl. Lynette is a native Nova Scotian, born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada!

Lynette recently visited a Canadian chicken farm and shared her experience on her blog myweeview.com. Here’s what she had to say.

“Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I may not be able to answer that age old question for you, however I can give you some insight as to where your chicken comes from.  If you’re like me (which I guess most households are), we don’t put too much extra thought into where our food comes from.  Milk comes from the fridge and chicken comes from the store.  Well, there’s quite a process to get food from farm to table.  I recently had the opportunity to visit a Chicken Farmer, Mr. David Fuller of Nova Scotia to get the scoop on the chicken industry.

The Fuller Family Farm, is just that – a chicken farm run completely by the Fuller Family.  The farm was originally started by David’s Dad after he moved from England in the early 50′s.  David has been working on the farm since he can remember enlisting the help of his brother, children and in-laws over the years.  Still to this day, everything from book keeping to barn cleaning is completely taken care of by family members.  You may think it’s quite simple to run a chicken farm and sure if you had a few pens and a few chickens to feed your own family, it could be manageable.  However if you’re one of the hundreds or thousands of chicken farmers licensed to produce chickens for Canadians to consume, there’s a whole lot more to the process.

Chicken farmers are always working a few months ahead to prepare for supply and demand for the future.  While it may only be October, the chicken farmers have already known for a few months what their allotment will be for the Christmas season.   There is a National System with a Board of Directors that decides how many chickens are going to be needed per province and then it’s divided up per Chicken Farmer by the amount of kilograms each farmer can produce.

One thing I was completely surprised by is at David Fuller’s Farm, they don’t also produce baby chicklets.  They are actually purchased from a baby chicken farmer and are received at the Fuller farm when they are 1 day old.  So, the chick farmer has to know their allotment even before the chicken farmers, this is why they are planning months in advance.  Confused yet? I was, for what one would think is fairly simple, there’s a lot more that goes into planning, and I only saw one section of the process.

When I went to visit the farm itself, I was interested in seeing how the chickens lived in the barns.  There are 2 groups of chickens with each round, some are kept for 32 days and will weigh an average of 1.8 KGs while others will stay for 37- 38 days and will weigh  an average of 2.15 KGs.  During their stay at the Fuller Family Farm, the chickens are fed a mixture of grains, corn and soy bean meal.   The barns were surprisingly clean although they smelled fairly strong.  The barns are only cleaned from top to bottom, inside and out once the chickens are taken away to be processed for the next step.  If anyone enters the barn they have to be in full bio gear from head to toe, not to contaminate their living area.

I was curious about a few things, because we’ve all heard rumours about growth hormones and chickens that were so fat they could hardly walk.  David assured me growth hormones have been illegal since the 60′s and when I saw the older chickens, they all seemed healthy and were waddling around in their quarters very nicely.  David also mentioned how aware they are when it comes to sick chickens.  A local veterinarian specializing in chickens would visit the farm at the onset of any sick chicken no matter how old the chick may be.  One ill chicken could take out a flock, so the vet is on speed dial to avoid any out breaks.  The chickens have heat, air, an unlimited supply of water and food and were living in a clean environment.  I was a little sad to think of where these chickens were headed in just a few more days, but they were not maltreated and I am a chicken eater, so the reality is, this is where my food comes from.  And, after the chickens “visit the plant”, it’s in the stores the next day to purchase, it doesn’t get much fresher than that.

David loves his job, he was once the president of the Chicken Farmers for 13 years.  He’s been thinking about a retirement plan, however he’s also started a new plant called Eden Valley Poultry Limited – so he might retire from farming, but will still have his hand in the chicken industry.

It was very insightful to visit a chicken farmer, like I mentioned, we as a society have become so removed from where food comes from. It was great to see first-hand a part of the process. I might also like to see where the eggs come from and then I might be able to give some insight on that old mind teaser - because in this process, the eggs do come before the chicken.”

> When the weather starts to cool down, we start thinking about comfort foods.  There’s something especially comforting about a hot and hearty casserole that makes it the perfect dish to serve during the cooler months. Here are some hearty, yet healthy, cold weather comfort foods that will keep you looking slim this winter.

Creamy Cabbage, Chicken and Egg Noodle Casserole – 380 calories per serving

Here’s a healthy recipe that’ll appease your comfort food craving. This recipe freezes well so go ahead and make a double batch that you can enjoy again this winter.

Mac and Chicken Burger Casserole – 290 calories per serving

You’ll never guess that this pasta dish is high in fibre and is gluten-free so it’s a great way to trick your kids into eating a healthy meal.

Cowboy Chicken Chili Casserole – 280 calories per serving

Who doesn’t love a piping hot bowl of chili during the fall and winter months? It’s the perfect comfort food! This version uses unpeeled potatoes and, if you didn’t already know, potato skins are high in fibre and vitamin C!

Chicken Vegetable Lasagna – 400 calories per serving

This slow cooker recipe is perfect for those busy weekends. Throw all the ingredients into a slow cooker for 6 hours and go run all of your errands. You’ll have one less thing to worry about when you get home!

Five Ingredient Alfredo Fettuccine – 341 calories per serving

Need dinner in a pinch? Get your low-calorie comfort food fix with just five simple ingredients!

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore with Kick – 268 calories per serving

This classic Italian comfort food is easy to prepare! Place all your ingredients in a slow cooker and walk away for 3 hours. This is a great recipe to throw together on a weekend and, as an added bonus, it won’t go straight to your thighs.

There’s nothing like a big bowl of piping hot chili when the weather is cold. Not only is it easy to make but it is a real comfort food.

Chili freezes well so I always make a big batch of it and freeze the rest in one cup portions that I can bring for lunches or just heat up for dinner. I also like to freeze a few containers of chili that I can use to create other meals with.

By being a little creative, you can throw together a quick dinner for your family on any week night.

Here’s what I do with my leftover chili.

Chili baked potatoes– spoon the chili into a baked potato and top it with a sprinkle of grated old aged cheddar cheese, diced green onions, diced cooked bacon and a dollop of light sour cream.

Chili tacos – use the chili as a taco filling and then add your favourite taco condiments. I like the usual, grated cheese, diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce.

Chili nachos– make sure the chili is either cold or at room temperature for this recipe. Hot chili will make the tortilla chips soggy. Top the chips with chili, diced green peppers, green onions and finish it with a good amount of shredded Tex-Mex cheese, then heat it in the oven at 350 F until the chili has warmed through and the cheese has melted. Serve with light sour cream and guacamole.

Chili sloppy Joes– Spoon a generous amount of chili onto a soft and doughy whole wheat bun. Easy peasy and a real kid pleaser!

Taco salad– top your favourite lettuce with chili, crushed corn chips, diced tomatoes, sliced black olives, guacamole or diced avocado, shredded cheese, shredded carrots and serve with a creamy ranch dressing. The chili should be at room temperature to avoid wilting the lettuce.

Using leftover chili is a real time and money saver so get cooking! Here’s a recipe to get you started.

Do you have a favourite recipe using leftover chilli? If so, please share it with us in the comments.

Halloween is fast approaching and now is the time to start planning a costume party.

Planning a party can seem overwhelming at times, but take a load off by reading our tips on how to get started.

1.    If you have toddlers and plan on handing out candy on Halloween, host your party the weekend before or after.

2.    Set a theme and a costume contest to your party. I love seeing my friends decked out in hideous 80s outfits or looking very glam done up as 1950s movie stars.

3.    Make sure you send your invitations well in advance, including what the theme is, etc. You’ll eliminate a lot of stress by knowing how many people you are entertaining. I like to send out email or Facebook invitations but you may prefer the traditional paper invitations. Here’s a link for invitation ideas.

4.    Pick up some fun decorations. Pumpkins are a great inexpensive way to decorate. You can easily pick up Halloween garlands, candles, balloons and other fun decorations like confetti at your local dollar store.

5.    Music. Spooky tunes are a must! Consider songs like these:

Werewolves of London ­ Warren Zevon

Thriller – Michael Jackson

Ghostbuster – Ray Parker, Jr.

The Monster Mash – Bobby Pickett

Superstition – Stevie Wonder

Black Magic Woman – Santana

People Are Strange ­ the Doors

Witchcraft ­ Frank Sinatra

Psycho Killer ­ Talking Heads

Helter Skelter – The Beatles

6.    Make sure that plenty of drinks are available including water, juice, pop and alcoholic beverages, to be consumed in moderation.

7.    Make sure your guests are well fed. Here are some ideas on how to use some of the great recipes from our website and give them a Halloween twist, simply by changing their names to something SPOOKY!

Mini cauldrons http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/mini-walnut-spinach-and-chicken-quiches/

Witches’ fingers http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/scary-chicken-cordon-bleu-fingers/

Demon picks http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/chicken--insalata-caprese-party-picks/

Wontons with vampire blood http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/chicken-wontons-with-raspberry-szechuan-sauce/

Monster Sludge - http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/hot-spinach--chicken-dip-slow-cooker/

Mummified chicken - http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/quick--easy-sausage-rolls/

Bat wings - http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/balsamic-honey-chicken-wings/

You get the idea!

Now go get started on your party arrangements and let us know how your party went in the comments below.

More than 3 million Canadians, including children and youth, live with diabetes, while many more have prediabetes. Diabetes is a serious health issue that not only affects millions across Canada and the U.S., but around the world. The World Health Organization’s September 2012 figures indicate that 340 million people have diabetes and this number is set to grow. Recognizing diabetes as a serious threat to global health and the need to take action, the United Nations designated World Diabetes Day, November 14, as a UN Day to be observed every year.

Chicken Farmers of Canada is helping the fight against diabetes by providing front-line professionals in diabetes care tools to help people live healthy lives. Our factsheet Diabetes: Making the Right Food Choices (free of charge to health professionals in pads of 50) highlights simple steps to help patients manage diabetes through essential lifestyle changes. If you are wondering about which approach to take for your own diabetes care or know someone who is, download the factsheet here to get the steps.     

Recognizing the need to prevent, treat and cure diabetes, CFC is proud to help sponsor three events this fall. These are:

Canadian Diabetes Association Professional Conference, Vancouver, Convention Centre Oct. 10-13

The Canadian Diabetes Association’s annual conference provides continuing education to Canadian clinicians, scientists, diabetes educators, and other healthcare professionals engaged in the care and management of diabetes. This annual forum provides important interaction between clinicians, scientists, diabetes educators and other healthcare professionals to share expertise, ideas and experiences in the fight against diabetes. For more information, please visit http://www.diabetes.ca.

Palliser Primary Care Network “Diabetes Workshop,” Chinook Village, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Nov. 1^st

The primary objective of this workshop is to address education gaps in the prevention and management of diabetes, enhance consistency of care for patients with this chronic disease, improve coordination of patient care and improve patient self-management, so that the Network can improve patient outcomes in each of their 32 clinics.

4^th annual Durham Diabetes Day, November 10, 2012 at the Northview Community Centre in Oshawa, Ontario

In recognition of Diabetes Awareness Month this November, the Durham Region Diabetes Network will host the 4^th annual Durham Diabetes Day on Saturday, November 10^th at the Northview Community Centre in Oshawa, Ontario. This year’s event focuses on diabetes management, navigating the healthcare system with regards to diabetes, and empowering health consumers with diabetes knowledge.

For more information, please visit www.drdn.ca. 

I had my sister over for a visit a few weeks ago and out of the blue she says to me, “Oh, I thought about you the other day! I made this delicious slow cooker chicken recipe just off the top of my head and it was sooooo good!”

Last weekend, I decided to give it a try. Not only was it one of the easiest meals I’ve ever put together but it was absolutely delicious and I’ll be adding this one to my recipe repertoire.

Today I’m sharing her recipe for everyone to enjoy.

Ingredients

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 Tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 small jar store-bought Alfredo sauce (410 mL)
• 1 cup of white wine
• 10 oz. chopped mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 ¼ cup frozen peas
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a non-stick frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat
2. Brown chicken thighs on both
3. Place chicken in a slow cooker
4. Add the Alfredo sauce, wine and mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper
5. Cover the slow cooker and cook chicken on low-heat for 3-4 hours
6. Add the frozen peas in the last 30 minutes
7. Serve with your favourite rice or crusty bread

Thank you, Mary, for sharing this amazing recipe!

If you read our blog then you already know that during the week of January 23, 2012, I was off-site with the team at In Motion filming our new series of 15 how-to videos.

The videos are seasonal so we are not releasing them all at once. So far, we’ve released 6 videos. These are

How-to make chicken breast in parchment

How-to make Thai chicken burgers

How-to make Greek salad with chicken

How-to make chicken Nori rolls

How-to make Louisiana fried chicken

How-to make a simple chicken loaf

Today, we are releasing three more videos just in time for the cooler weather. These videos will have you cooking comfort food like a pro so be sure to check them out!

How-to make quick chicken paprikash

This comforting dish comes together in no time making it the ideal dinner choice for family’s on the go.

How-to make chicken pot pie

This classic comfort food takes half the time to make by using store-bought puff pastry. It also takes a bit of a twist from its original version by using French flavours like Dijon mustard, mushrooms and leeks.

How-to make chicken curry

Looking for a quick curry dish to whip together? Look no further! This versatile recipe allows you to use any vegetables you have on hand, so go ahead and experiment.

Still to come:

How-To Make Chicken Pad Thai

How-To Make Stuffed Peppers

How-To Make Chicken Paella

How-To Make Butter Chicken

How-To Make Sloppy Joes

How-To Make Jambalaya

Have you tried making a recipe that you learned from one of our how-to videos? If so, which one and how did it turn out? We’d love to hear from you!

This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada has introduced 3 new Brand Ambassadors – wonderful bloggers whom we like to feature and who write things about us, too. By expanding our audience this way, we can reach out to new and enthusiastic readers, just like you!

Here’s one of our great Brand Ambassadors, Wendy (@mapsgirl):

Wendy (also known as @mapsgirl) is a mom to two daughters, Rachel (7) and Lauren (5). They are the inspiration of this blog. Her blog, funny things are everywhere,has grown from a personal journal to a family-oriented blog focusing on topics that are of importance to parents and their children. Child passenger safety is a passion of Wendy's. For the last 5 years, Wendy has had the opportunity to work with several Ontario police services and EMS teams, as a car seat technician. Writing her blog and volunteering in the community happens when she's not working full time as a cartographer for a municipality.

Last month, Wendy had the opportunity to talk to a Canadian Chicken Farmer and shared what she learned on her blog. Here’s what she had to say.

Keeping our families safe is a chicken farmer's #1 priority

After his 4th or 5th time out to the barn, but not his last for the day, John Opsteen took time out of his day to talk to me about being a chicken farmer.

John Opsteen and his brother are a 2nd generation chicken farmers. In 1971, John's parents bought their first chicken farm. In 1991, his brother bought his farm and later, in 1999, John got his own farm after graduating from the University of Guelph.

John had grand plans for this first farm which included a new barn and a lot of renovations.  However, due to an unfortunate fire at his parents' farm, 10,000 chickens moved into John's old boiler-heated barn.  What made things a bit more difficult was that the previous farm owners were still living in the farm house until their new home was ready.  John lived in a trailer on the property for many months, sometimes sleeping on the barn steps where it was warmer.

13 years later, John is very proud to talk about his 18,000+ square foot barn with a computer-operated heating and ventilation system and automated feeder that is home to 46,000 chickens.  My jaw dropped to the floor when I heard that number.  That is a lot of chickens!!

The safety of those chickensis John's number one priority.  The chickens are "free run" -- they are free to move about, but stay inside the barn as Canada's weather doesn't always lend itself to the environment that is best for the chickens.  Keeping the chickens in the barn keeps them safe from diseases and they are protected from wild animals.  As John checks the barn, each time taking up to 2 hours, he's monitoring their food, their health, the temperature, the conditions in the barn and so many other things.  Providing a healthy, safe product to Canadians is very important to John.

To ensure that John is providing the best chickens to Canadians, a yearly audit is done.  Everything from the cleanliness of the straw and shavings to where the food comes from and how it's stored is checked to make sure that there is no cross contamination.

There are over 1000 chicken farmers in Ontario and 4 of them are right here in Halton region.  Each farmer has a contract with a processing plant.  The processing plant has specific expectations for the farmer to meet.  This starts by them providing the chicks.

The process starts at the "hatcher" where there are hens and roosters so that the eggs get fertilized.  21 days after incubation, the chicks hatch and are delivered to John's farm.  All 46, 000 of them!

(Oh, in case you were wondering like I was, eggs are produced at "layers" where there aren't any roosters.)

There are two different types of chickens that John raises -- Cockerel (males) and Pullet (females).  It takes 5 weeks for the chickens to be full grown.  The males will get to be 2.0kg and the females 1.7kg.

In the dark of night, when the chickens are most calm,  the processor sends the chicken catchers to collect the chickens.  About 7 hours later, 8 transport trucks roll away with all of the chickens.  John's chickens will end up at Swiss Chalet (the males) and KFC (the females).

Once the chickens are gone, John cleans and disinfects the barn in preparation for the next crop of chickens.  But they don't come right away because allowing time for the barn to sit empty will make sure that nothing is transferred from one crop to the next.  It is a 9 week cycle, so the barn sits empty for 4-5 weeks.

John isn't sitting still during those weeks though. Part way through that month, his brother's chicken barn will be emptied and ready for cleaning.  They work together, especially at cleaning time.

During our conversation, I asked John what happened to his parents farm.  They still own the farm, but without a barn, they don't have any chickens.  What keeps them busy is a huge, charity garage sale that they organize, using one of their garages as storage for the items that people donate.

Also, I found out that John also gives back to his community by educating others about chickens and chicken farming.   He won an awardfor the great work that he has done!

I'm sure that after we got off the phone, John headed back out to the barn to check everything one more time.   Thank you John for the hard work that you do and for caring so much about providing safe, healthy chickens for us to eat!

My husband and I always enjoy a nice hearty meal for Thanksgiving but a whole turkey is just too much for both of us. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE turkey and would happily make it for a large gathering. It just seems like a lot of work when you’re feeding two people.

Instead, I prepare a nice plump roast chicken and switch it up every year for variety. Last year, I served it with the traditional fixings of stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans. This year, I’ve decided to sweeten things up a bit by serving it with cinnamon roasted sweet potatoes, maple glazed Brussels sprouts and harvest rice.

The versatility of chicken makes it the perfect food to serve any time of the year and hubby and I are always looking for new ways of preparing it.

Are you looking for a quick and easy Thanksgiving dinner idea for two? Here are a few traditional Thanksgiving roast chicken recipes.

Roast Chicken with Wild Rice Stuffing

Roasted Chicken with Cranberry Rice Pilaf

Whole Roasted Chicken with Sage Butter and Maple Walnut Stuffing

Here’s giving thanks to our Canadian chicken farmers!

Wishing you all a very happy Thanksgiving!

This is a great time of year to get apples on sale and I tend to load up on them. Every year I whip up a batch of apple sauce, make an apple crumble (which my husband couldn’t live without) and usually make a batch of apple bran or apple oatmeal muffins that I keep in the freezer for a quick breakfast on the go.

But did you know that apples are a perfect pairing with chicken? I you’ve never tried this combination, you are missing out. The proof is in these recipes.

Apple Sage Chicken Sauté

Not only is this recipe quick and easy to prepare but it uses eight simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.

BBQ Chicken Over Apple Maple Baked Beans

This slow cooker meal will be a hit with your kids. It’s a great way to get dinner on the table with not a lot of fuss.

Apple Pie Chicken

If you’re sweet tooth is telling you “apple pie” but your waistline is telling you “no”, you’ll want to try low calorie way to enjoy all the flavours of apple pie without the guilt.

Chicken Sausage Patties with Apples and Sage

You’ll want to double-up this recipe because these patties are great served for breakfast, as a healthy snack or served as a burger with your favourite toppings.

Autumn Chicken and Apple Stew

If you’re craving a fall comfort food dish then this recipe is a must. Don’t forget to pick up a fresh, bakery bread to sop up the flavourful juices.

Today is the perfect day for recognizing a senior in your community. It is National Seniors Day, established by the Government of Canada in 2010 to recognize the significant and continuing contributions seniors make to their families, communities, workplaces and society.

Chicken Farmers of Canada is proud to celebrate Canada’s seniors. Today’s seniors are more active, healthier, living longer and working well into their golden years. They make vast contributions as leaders who strengthen our communities, and for this, we thank them. 

In recognition of Seniors Day, I have planned a dinner for my neighbour who is a retired elementary teacher and avid gardener. I want to give her an evening away from the kitchen and to thank her for making my family feel welcome in our relatively new neighbourhood and for providing me with an endless supply of garden-fresh tomatoes. Her tomatoes have inspired many wonderful dishes in our home.

So what is the special meal I’m preparing? It is a Garden Tomato, Basil and Chicken Tart naturally.  

At this time of the year, I believe people have had their fill of cold pasta salads and back-yard grills, but are still not quite ready for steaming hot dishes with robust gravies and sauces. This tart is easy to put together, as the recipe suggests, and calls for a fresh tomato-basil pairing, which makes this worth preparing again and again. The presentation will give me the opportunity to exhibit my neighbours’ prime, ripe tomatoes, fresh in season. I think she’ll be pleased.

Do you know a senior who makes a difference in your life or the lives of others? No time to plan something really unique? Why not celebrate this special person by inviting them to dinner. Here are some quick-n-easy recipes that will delight, along with your company, the senior in your life.

Chicken Nicoise

Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken and Vegetables

Easy Chicken Fried Rice

If you are looking for more tips to celebrate a senior in your community, visit the Seniors Canada website at this link: http://www.seniors.gc.ca/h.4m.2@.jsp?lang=eng. You can download or print items from the Celebration Tool Kit which contains a poster, mayoral proclamation, certificate of appreciation, a website button, tips for celebrating national Seniors Day and a postcard. This single-windowed, accessible website is designed to help seniors and their families or caregivers locate useful resources and services, including seniors’ organizations and retired groups, legal information, community help lines, health services, home support programs, government benefits, prescription drug programs and more!

Have you paid tribute to the senior in your life today? It’s not too late. Go ahead, and give them a call to say thanks! 

We try to keep up with as many Canadian food bloggers as we can, and these are just a few of the mouth-watering posts we came across this month. Enjoy!

http://www.onceuponacuttingboard.com/ - Natalie is a grad student in Canada, who spends most of her extra time experimenting and learning new things in the kitchen. I’d say she’s doing pretty well! Here’s a delicious recipe for Pasta with Chicken, Broccoli and Mushrooms.

http://www.theblackpeppercorn.com - Steve lives in Toronto with his wife and two children. He is a lover of BBQing and international cuisine. He also involved his children in cooking and has also created a series called Kids in the Kitchen.  I haven’t seen one recipe on this site that I don’t want to try! Drool…..

This recipe for Smoked Chicken Thighs Wrapped in Bacon with Mushroom Stuffing is a perfect example of the tasty recipes you’ll find in this food blog.

http://cookwithandrea.com - Andrea is a cook and cooking instructor who lives in Eastern Ontario. Her knowledge of cooking is very apparent in the recipes that she shares and her step-by-step photos are especially helpful to someone like me, who is much more of a visual person. I can’t wait to try this recipe for Shish Tawook. Thanks, Andrea!

The Canadian Poultry Research Council (CPRC) was established in November 2001 to provide funding and coordination for national research activities for its Members, which include:

• Canadian Hatching Egg Producers
• Canadian Poultry and Egg Processing Council
• Chicken Farmers of Canada
• Egg Farmers of Canada, and
• Turkey Farmers of Canada

CPRC’s mission is to address its Members’ needs through dynamic leadership in the creation and implementation of programs for poultry research in Canada, which may also include societal concerns.  This mission focuses on:

• The coordination and enhancement of a more efficient Canadian poultry research effort.
• Securing additional and matching funding.
• Facilitating the establishment of national poultry research priorities.

CPRC has invested almost $3 million in research over the past decade supporting 53 research projects with a total cost of more than $11 million.  Those projects have been carried out at universities that have strong poultry research programs as well as government research facilities and research centres with a human-health or environmental focus.

Those that benefit from research funded by CPRC and its Members include farmers, input suppliers (feed, equipment, veterinary health services, etc.), farm employees, processors and, of course, the consumer.  While CPRC supports a wide range of research topics, those that have received most attention and support over the last several years include:

• Poultry health and welfare – ensuring a healthy and content animal throughout its productive life.
• Methods to reduce of the use of antibiotics through development of poultry vaccines and management techniques, such as bio-security systems, to reduce the incidence of disease.
• Food safety research designed to ensure that consumers receive the highest quality poultry product.

Summaries of the projects that CPRC has co-funded and other information on CPRC activities can be found at www.cp-rc.ca.

This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada has introduced 3 new Brand Ambassadors – wonderful bloggers whom we like to feature and who write things about us, too. By expanding our audience this way, we can reach out to new and enthusiastic readers, just like you!

Here’s one of our great Brand Ambassadors, Stacey (@thislilpiglet):

City Mom to Farmer Joe, Stacey will keep you on your hooves and give you everything you need to raise barn animals OR kids. Stacey writes the This Lil Piglet blog where she will enlighten you on social media marketing tactics and source bloggers with tutorials to reach their potential. Readers can enjoy the many recipes, DIY projects, consider a product review, win some giveaways and grab a laugh every now and then.

Stacey shared some great ideas on picnicking year round (http://thislilpiglet.net). Here’s what she had to say.

Picnics are a favourite bonding activity for us, whether it’s the whole family or a romantic picnic for Hubs and I.  Food and location create the mood for the picnic; the company and details are what make it memorable.  Picnics do not need to be only planned for the summer months or for certain picnic friendly locations; be creative and you will enjoy picnics throughout the year.  

Year round picnic ideas:

1. Back to school picnic – If your child normally stays at school for lunch or it’s a shorter lunch hour, pack a lunch and enjoy it in the school playground area or a nearby park.
2. Keep active – If your daily routine entails a walk or run, take a long a backpack with a mini picnic and ask a friend to join you for a little re-energizing picnic in the grass afterwards before you go about the rest of your busy day.
3. Go on a date – These days most of us lead busy lives and sometimes our weekly or even monthly date nights dwindle.  A thoughtful picnic for two will add a little peace to your hectic lives and allow for some much needed partner time.
4. Have a rainy day picnic – Whether the power is out or the weather just isn’t cooperating, take advantage of it for a little candle lit picnic for the whole family. Use it as a chance to spark a little more open conversation between family members.

One thing I love about picnics is that you are taking an outing with your family that isn’t going to cost you anything other than the food you already would be feeding your family.  Change up the scenery, the activities and food and you will be sure to enjoy picnics throughout the year, like we do.  For recipe ideas, check out Chicken Farmers of Canada’s recipe section for many deliciously healthy recipes the whole family will love.

This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada has introduced 3 new Brand Ambassadors – wonderful bloggers whom we like to feature and who write things about us, too. By expanding our audience this way, we can reach out to new and enthusiastic readers, just like you!

Here’s one of our great Brand Ambassadors, Lynette (@myweeview):

Lynette is married to her high school sweetheart. They’ve been together 14 years and married for 8. In 2008, they gave birth to a very special baby girl. Lynette is a native Nova Scotian, born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada!

Lynette wrote a blog about one of our delicious chicken and blueberry recipes. Here’s what she had to say.

Blueberry Pecan Glazed Chicken

It’s hard to believe its August 26th already. With this amazing weather we’ve been having it seems that summer is going to last forever and there would be no complaints from me.  The summer has been so amazing we actually haven’t even had enough rain for some of our crops.  Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries usually take over the backlands and ditches of Nova Scotia in the summer months.  Years past, we’ve been able to fill buckets and pails of wild berries, but this year it’s been pretty scarce.

I absolutely love blueberries, snacking on them, in muffins, on cereal or any other way they can be eaten.  They are a kind of super fruit that is excellent for your body in many ways.  I was on the hunt for a way to incorporate my favourite local berries into a dinner meal and found something on chicken.ca that fit the menu.  I was hoping for something very local/Canadian and came across this Blueberry Pecan Glazed Chicken recipe with maple syrup recipe – perfect for this time of year. And you can’t get more Canadian than Maple Syrup (other than having beaver or Moose…. which isn’t exactly appetizing)

Here’s the recipe:

• 4 bone-in, skinless chicken breasts (I used boneless)
• 1 Tbsp onion(s), diced
• 1/4 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 1/2cups blueberries
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp pecans, chopped
• 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
• salt, pinch
• pepper, pinch

 For the incredibly easy “How to” check out Chicken.ca

I am not much of a cook and if I can’t pronounce any of the ingredients I won’t even attempt to make it.  Surprisingly, I actually had everything other than pecans and blueberries on hand.

This was a very easy meal to make, and it was very, very tasty.  The light crunch of the pecans really added to the texture and I was very impressed as to how much sauce the recipe made.  The recipe itself doesn’t call for anything that will make much of a sauce, but the full blueberries “melt” into a sauce and then thicken up.

Hubster “picky eater” even enjoyed the sauce, which is a surprise for something new, it does have a nice sweet taste to it, that must have done it.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t get Princess I take after my Dad (picky eater) to even try it.  But what else is new?

For a quick, easy and yummy summer meal, I highly recommend the Blueberry Pecan Glazed Chicken.  And while you’re at it, eat it on the patio (we did) who knows how many more days we will have like this.

My favourite time of year is fast approaching and I'm eagerly awaiting those wonderful and inspiring fall colours and crisp breezes that inevitably get the culinary juices flowing.  I have always been fond of the earthy smells of fallen leaves and more so of the aromas found in my kitchen. Nothing compares with the smells of a rich hearty stew made with Guiness and loads of onions or the fragrance of exotic spices rising from a pumpkin pie. 

A big hit in our house is also that of a plump chicken roasting on a bed of vegetables and garlic served up with a mound of steaming mashed potatoes and green beans.  We do enjoy a good BBQ, but somehow that doesn't quite hit the heartstrings quite as well as the comforting foods of autumn.

This year, I plan on trying these comforting chicken recipes.

Chicken with Wild Mushrooms, Tomatoes and Capers over Creamy Garlic Grits

What’s more comforting that a piping hot bowl of grits served up with classic Mediterranean flavours? This dish is a great way to treat your guests on a cool fall or winter night with a perfect wine pairing.

Cassoulet of Chicken with Mixed Beans

This classic French comfort dish is made with lean chicken instead of the traditionally used higher fat meats such as sausage, goose, duck, lamb or pork. So go ahead and enjoy it without the guilt.

Chicken with Fall Vegetables and Whole Grain Couscous

This healthy chicken dish uses all of my very favourite fall vegetables and acquires its sweet and spicy flavours from the addition of plump juicy raisins and fresh hot chili peppers. The perfect dish to enjoy when there’s the slightest chill in the air.

Chicken Pot Pie II

Chicken pot pie is a classic comfort food. This chicken pot pie recipe can be whipped up in no time at all with the use of store bought puff pastry. I can’t wait to try it!

What’s your favourite chicken comfort food? Let us know in the comments.

This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada has introduced 3 new Brand Ambassadors – wonderful bloggers whom we like to feature and who write things about us, too. By expanding our audience this way, we can reach out to new and enthusiastic readers, just like you!

Here’s one of our great Brand Ambassadors, Stacey (@thislilpiglet):

City Mom to Farmer Joe, Stacey will keep you on your hooves and give you everything you need to raise barn animals OR kids. Stacey writes the This Lil Piglet blog where she will enlighten you on social media marketing tactics and source bloggers with tutorials to reach their potential. Readers can enjoy the many recipes, DIY projects, consider a product review, win some giveaways and grab a laugh every now and then.

Stacey posted delicious chicken recipe on her blog http://thislilpiglet.net. I can’t wait to try it!

I love cabbage rolls but cannot eat them; the cabbage bothers my stomach.  These Beet Leaf Rolls are a tasty alternative to the traditional cabbage rolls and have ingredients I can grab straight from my garden.  Beets are one of my favourite ingredients to use because they offer so many benefits to your health; they reduce high blood pressure, build cancer fighting cells and are great for improving the complexion.  Add them together with chicken and you have a very tasty meal that is good for you too.  I’ll be making up a bunch of these tasty rolls to freeze for holiday dinners.  If you don’t have your own garden beets, your local grocery store will likely have an abundance of them right now; use the leaves for the rolls, pickle the beet roots and make jelly out of the juice for a zero waste.

Beet Leaf Rolls

Author: Stacey MartinRecipe type: Entree

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

• Boiling water
• Fresh beet leaves (1 for every roll)
• 2 cups rice (cooked as to package instructions; I used Basmati rice because I like the flavour but any sticky rice will do)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill weed
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 lb ground chicken (or 1 lb chicken breast diced small)
• 2 cans of tomato soup

Directions

1. Pour boiling water over beet leaves and let stand for 10 minutes or until wilted; drain.
2. Cook rice as per instructions on package.
3. In a frying pan, fry the onions in butter until transparent, add dill weed and pepper. Mix onion mixture into the cooked rice.
4. Add in the chicken to the rice mixture, mix well. Do not precook the chicken.
5. Place about 1 tbsp of rice mixture into the base of each wilted beet leaf. Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling and roll from bottom to the tip of the leaf for each leaf. Continue until you are done with your beet leaves and rice mixture.
6. Layer rolls in a buttered casserole dish and cover with tomato soup (mix tomato soup with 3/4 of a can of water before covering).
7. Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 hour.

Notes

This recipe yields many rolls; you may want to layer half in a casserole dish for cooking with 1 can of tomato soup and the other half to freeze. If freezing, freeze in groups of rolls you will cook at once because they will be hard to get apart once frozen. Do not pre-cook before freezing and only put the tomato soup on just prior to cooking.

You can easily half this recipe.

For children, the cooler mornings and shorter evenings mean the beginning of the colourful season with leaves to jump through and spooky goblins to dress up as, but for parents across Canada this generally means back-to-school and the busy routine of packing lunches for their kids.

If you’re a parent, does this scenario sound familiar to you?

After putting the last dinner dish in the dishwasher and sending the kids off to finish homework, you open the fridge, yawn, hold yourself up against the door, and wonder what to pack for school lunches. “Is there anything in there that’s quick ’n’ healthy? What do we have that the kids will eat?”

Well, don’t despair! Chicken Farmers of Canada is bringing to you our best tips to help you get those brown-bag lunches packed with nutritious food in minutes.

Step 1 – Get started by thinking about food safety! Remember, those lunches stay in knapsacks for hours.

• Insulated lunch bags with two compartments (preferably zippered) will help keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Freezing small gel packs (even juice boxes and yogurt packets) will help keep meats and other perishable items at a safe temperature. Unless you have a good thermos that will keep food hot for 5 hours, it’s generally better to stick with cold foods, such as chicken wraps or pasta. If you would like to learn how to prepare, store and thaw chicken safely, click on our easy guide.       
• Regularly inspect the temperature of your fridge. The Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education recommends setting the temperature cold enough to maintain an internal food temperature of 4°C (40°F) or below. This will help to discourage the growth of foodborne bacteria and prevent perishables from spoiling fast.
• Have a special area in the refrigerator for pre-made lunch items. This will prevent cross-contamination and keep you from constantly having to dig through your fridge for lunch ideas.

Step 2– Save on packing time with a plan!

• Elicit help! Make it a team effort. If you have a picky eater, talk to your child about which approach he or she would prefer for planning meals. My kids like to keep a list of their favourite lunch foods on the fridge. Create some fun with headings to grab their attention or cut-out and paste pictures of simple foods they recognize and love. Have them order from the “menu”.

Here is my 5 day lunch menu, which I base on the four food groups. You can let Canada’s Food Guide assist you.  

Step 3 – Avoid cooking on weeknights by batch cooking on weekends.

• Find the time to assemble those lunch items neatly stored in your fridge by having one-dish meals ready to thaw and reheat for dinner. Soups, stews & casseroles offer parents a terrific break from preparing dinner on weekdays. Here are a few of my family favourites that freeze well.  

Soup

Big Batch Chicken, Lentil, Bean & Rice Soup

Stew

Gypsy Chicken Stew

Casserole

Chicken & Broccoli Divan over Nutty Rice

Step 4 – Prepare weekday meals with leftovers in mind so that kitchen clean-up only happens once.

• Invest in a large slow cooker, if you don’t already have one. My slow cooker is constantly used for roasting two whole chickens which provide an easy nutritious dinner, as well as the protein needed for lunch sandwiches or pasta.    
• Cut up extra veggies at dinner time and keep them in large reseal bags in the fridge for pre-made snacks (cauliflower, broccoli and carrot sticks stay crunchy the longest).

Final tip!  Use school lunches as a chance to teach your children about making smart food choices. Explain how eating a nutritious lunch will give them (and you) the energy needed to enjoy a full day. 

This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada has introduced 3 new Brand Ambassadors – wonderful bloggers whom we like to feature and who write things about us, too. By expanding our audience this way, we can reach out to new and enthusiastic readers, just like you!

Here’s one of our great Brand Ambassadors, Wendy (@mapsgirl):

Wendy (also known as @mapsgirl) is a mom to two daughters, Rachel (7) and Lauren (5). They are the inspiration of this blog. Her blog, funny things are everywhere,has grown from a personal journal to a family-oriented blog focusing on topics that are of importance to parents and their children. Child passenger safety is a passion of Wendy's. For the last 5 years, Wendy has had the opportunity to work with several Ontario police services and EMS teams, as a car seat technician. Writing her blog and volunteering in the community happens when she's not working full time as a cartographer for a municipality.

Last month, Wendy shared a terrific grilled chicken and asparagus recipe on her blog. Here’s what she had to say!

my favourite ingredients: chicken and asparagus #chickendotca

I'm not one to make things from recipes. I just can't seem to get organized enough to make sure I have all of the ingredients I need.  "Meal planning" has never been my strength.  Very frequently, when it's my turn to cook, I'll choose some main ingredients and see what happens!

One of my "go to" meals is grilled chicken thighs and a vegetable.  Right now, the asparagus is so yummy so that's what I chose.

Start with fresh ingredients! 

Ingredients:

• Asparagus
• 16 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
• BBQ Sauce (Video: How to make BBQ Sauce)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Spices (salt, garlic, your favorites)

Directions:

Preheat the grill to a medium temperature (350 degrees) and preheat oven to 420 degrees.
Wash your hands -- safety is very important when handling chicken
Wash and clean your chicken

1. Spray your grill with extra virgin olive oil or a non-stick spray
2. Open up the thighs to lay flat on the grill.  Cook about 10 minutes each side until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) (See chart at chicken.ca for details)
3. While chicken is on first side, snap the ends off of all the asparagus. Lay them on a cooking sheet
4. Drizzle the olive oil on top, sprinkle on spices to taste. Toss.
5. Flip the chicken after 10 minutes. (Now we're cooking the 2nd side)
6. Put asparagus in the oven for 8 minutes.
7. Test the temperature of the chicken - chicken temperature chart -internal temperature of 165°F (74°C)
8. Remove asparagus from oven, place in serving dish.
9. Pour BBQ sauce in a bowl, then brush it on the thighs. Flip the thighs again, brush on BBQ sauce.
10. Serve.

Enjoy!

Saskatchewan, the Land of Living Skies, reigns over one of the best places to raise chicken.  The Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan (CFS) has 69 registered producers that operate within a quota system. 

Despite popular belief, half of Saskatchewan is covered in forest and home to over a 100,000 lakes.  The southern half of the province provides excellent arable land for the production of feed grains, which supports the production of chicken.  Our knowledgeable farmers take pride in chicken production and continuously give care and attention to the health and welfare of their flocks. 

The CFS is totally funded by its members through a check-off based on live kilograms of chicken marketed.   Producers are governed by a five-member elected board and managed by the C.E.O.

The chicken industry in Saskatchewan accounts for approximately 2,120 jobs and generates $177.3 million in economic value for the Province of Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan has two major processors located in Saskatoon and Wynyard.

Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan believes in supporting agriculture education through a variety of ways.  CFS participates at the Canadian Western Agribition AgriEd Pavillion with a live animal display, supports an annual high school cooking contest “Cooking Up Saskatchewan”, contributes to Ag in the Classroom, Ag Experience, Harvest Showdown, AgriEd Showcase as well as several other community events.  The CFS funds research and development throughout the poultry industry provincially and national through a separate funding committee.

In 2011 Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan and the two major processors in Saskatchewan contributed to the local food bank approximately 2000 whole vacuum-packed chickens for the Christmas Food Hamper Program.

Please visit us at www.saskatchewanchicken.ca

High sodium intake is one of the ingredients responsible for high blood pressure which could lead to stroke, heart attack or kidney failure.

Hypertension Canada recommends that all healthy adult Canadians try to reduce their sodium intake to less than 1500 mg per day. The average Canadian consumes over double this recommended amount.   

Lifestyle changes and diet choices can help prevent and control high blood pressure. Choosing healthier foods, such as fresh vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, fresh lean chicken, and fish can help reduce your blood pressure.

Dietary tip to reduce sodium:

Cook more!  You can control the amount of sodium you eat by cooking with recipes low in sodium, or reducing the amount of salt and salt-containing ingredients in your favourite recipe. Packaged broths, canned tomatoes, sauces and vegetables can now be purchased with lower-sodium options.

Chicken Farmers of Canada has many recipe options that are low in sodium and BIG in flavour. Try these quick-n-easy options and they’ll soon become your low-sodium favourites.

Asian Chicken Meatballs (contains 48 mg of sodium per serving)

Bhutanese Chili Chicken with Red Rice (contains 19 mg of sodium per serving)

Simple Chicken Curry (contains 246 mg of sodium per serving)

Avocado, Beet and Chicken Tostadas (contains 120 mg of sodium per serving)

Health Tip!  Avocados and beets are rich in dietary fibre, vitamins, and minerals known to provide cardiovascular benefits.   

Eating well is easy with chicken. Chicken is quite a healthy food. As a source of protein, it is one of the best, as it contains very little fat compared to other sources of meat. However, the preparation of the chicken should of course be considered. The skin, for example, adds a little more saturated fat to a serving and should be limited by people who need to manage their intake.

Using our Nutritional Comparison Chart compare the fat in a chicken breast (with skin) to the same size skinless breast. Go ahead and give it a try!

Did you get these results?

Although chicken is one of the leanest sources of meat protein, here are some tips to help you keep it that way:

• Whether you remove the skin from chicken parts before or after cooking doesn’t affect the fat content. However, eating it does because about two thirds of the fat is in the skin.
• Barbequing, broiling or roasting chicken allows the fat to drip away. When roasting, be sure to place the chicken on a wire roasting rack.
• For an especially moist and juicy chicken, simmer in a small amount of water or broth. The meat will be low in fat and so will the dish if you discard most of the simmering liquid and replace it with a low-fat sauce. Wine, cranberry juice, lemon and low-fat yogurt are just some of the ingredients you can choose to create a delicious low-fat dish.
• If you are browning chicken pieces, use a non-stick skillet and a vegetable oil spray.
• Season skinless chicken by preparing a low or no-fat marinade of herbs, spices and juices or wine.

Here are some delicious chicken recipes that call for low-fat marinades. Check the nutrition facts and get ready to taste the flavour!

Egyptian Chicken Kabobs with Mint Potato Salad

Miso Chicken with Wehani Brown Rice & Snow Peas

Grilled Tuscan Chicken Breast

Rosemary Chicken Tapas Platter (with Pita, Garlic Yogurt & Dippers)

Last Tip! Marinating chicken is not only a great way to add bursting flavour without the fat; it is a quick-n-easy way to prepare an appetizing meal for a busy workweek or expected dinner guests. Enjoy!

This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada has introduced 3 new Brand Ambassadors – wonderful bloggers whom we like to feature and who write things about us, too. By expanding our audience this way, we can reach out to new and enthusiastic readers, just like you!

Here’s one of our great Brand Ambassadors, Lynette (@myweeview):

Lynette is married to her high school sweetheart. They’ve been together 14 years and married for 8. In 2008, they gave birth to a very special baby girl. Lynette is a native Nova Scotian, born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada!

Lynette blogged about a recent summer adventure with her family. Here’s what she had to say.

“This summer has been absolutely crazy.  Between moving, being sick, our house always full with different family and friends, trips and Birthday parties… there’s been very little time for my little family and I to enjoy ourselves.  So today, we made a point to go out, just the 3 of us for a picnic.

I love taking off for a day trip packing a lunch with us to enjoy somewhere along the way.   For our lunch, we brought:

• Chicken Club Twister (made with left over chicken and complete with bacon bits – yum)
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Cheese
• Crackers
• Juice

As we headed out for a nice drive along the coast line, the clouds started to roll in, and slowly little droplets of rain began to fall, but it didn’t stop my family and I from spending some time at Cleveland Beach.  It’s a beach heading towards Hubbards close to the famous Queensland Beach, but a little more quiet, and the sand is nearly white.  We enjoyed our lunch, played in the sand and didn’t let the weather scare us away…. until it started falling harder and harder and harder.  We eventually took cover, as did the rest of the beach goers.

I love packing a picnic lunch, heading out with no real destination and just landing wherever the day takes us.  It’s a great way to spend a Sunday and I hope we will be able to spend a few more Sunday’s like this, this summer.  Although August looks like it’s going to be more busy than July.

If you’re looking for an easy and yummy Chicken Sandwich here’s the recipe for the Twister:

• 3 strips chicken breasts, grilled
• 1/2 whole wheat pita 
• barbecue sauce
• light mayonnaise / low-fat salad dressing
• simulated bacon bits
• Romaine lettuce
• tomato(es), small, sliced

I mixed all the incidents together and put it into a pita.  It was easy to make (very important for me) and yummy too!

 Where do your perfect days with your family take you?”

To read more of Lynette’s blogs, go to http://myweeview.com/

This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada has introduced 3 new Brand Ambassadors – wonderful bloggers whom we like to feature and who write things about us, too. By expanding our audience this way, we can reach out to new and enthusiastic readers, just like you!

Here’s one of our great Brand Ambassadors, Wendy (@mapsgirl):

Wendy (also known as @mapsgirl) is a mom to two daughters, Rachel (7) and Lauren (5). They are the inspiration of this blog. Her blog, funny things are everywhere,has grown from a personal journal to a family-oriented blog focusing on topics that are of importance to parents and their children. Child passenger safety is a passion of Wendy's. For the last 5 years, Wendy has had the opportunity to work with several Ontario police services and EMS teams, as a car seat technician. Writing her blog and volunteering in the community happens when she's not working full time as a cartographer for a municipality.

Last month, Wendy recommended a great picnic recipe from our web site! Here’s what she had to say.

“This summer the weather has been sunny and hot!  A great time to head out and enjoy a picnic with your family. We have done a lot of camping this summer so easy meals that are fun to prepare are always on the menu.

There is a great Grilled Chicken Pita recipe on chicken.ca that is very yummy.  I have slightly modified the preparation directions to fit into our camping menu.  This would also make this recipe very picnic-friendly!  Instead of preparing the whole recipe from start to finish, part way through, I pack up all the ingredients into separate containers to be packed in the cooler.  When we're ready to eat it, everything is ready to go and all we need to do is assemble all the parts!  Healthy, easy and very yummy!”

For Wendy’s modified version of our recipe, click here

For the original recipe, click here

Canadians LOVE chicken! Because chicken is consumers’ number one choice of meat protein, we here at CFC have compiled the Canadian Chicken Lovers Quiz. Go ahead and give it a try!

1.      How much chicken does the average Canadian eat in a year?

A.     7 kilograms (15 pounds)

B.     14 kilograms (31 pounds)

C.     Just over 30 kilograms (66 pounds)

D.     Equal to their own body weight

ANSWER

C. Per person, Canadians consume on average just over 30 kilograms of chicken in a year. And, why not? Canadians love chicken’s taste, nutritional profile, variety and convenience. Canada has the 15^th largest chicken industry in the world.   

2.      What is the name of the annual event that Chicken Farmers of Canada sponsors every year on Canada Day?

A.     Great Canadian Chicken BBQ

B.     National Chicken Dance

C.     The Kickin’ Chicken Run

D.     Wicked Chicken Cook-Off

ANSWER

A.     As the proud National sponsor of Canada Day in the Capital, Chicken Farmers of Canada has hosted the Great Canadian Chicken BBQ at Major’s Hill Park for 20 years.

3.      Using your best guess, how many grilled chicken sandwiches does CFC serve to the public on Canada Day?

A.     1,000

B.     25,000

C.     10,000

D.     1,000 000

ANSWER

C.     This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada called upon all Members of Parliament to submit their special chicken sandwich recipes for a chance to win a donation to their local food bank. Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, took top prize ($10,000) with his Pesto Chicken Philly Melt submission. This winning chicken take on the classic Philly cheese steak sandwich was served to 10,000 patriotic people at Major’s Hill Park in Ottawa. If you would like to view this recipe, click here. Fifty cents from every chicken item was donated to the Ottawa Food Bank.

4.      How long should you cook a bone-in chicken breast on the BBQ?

A.     Until it’s charred

B.     Until the internal temperature is 165° F (74° C)

C.     Until the juices run clear

D.     Until the fire department shows up (we’re kidding!)

ANSWER

B or C. The best way to tell if chicken is ready is to test its temperature with a good thermometer. Slide the thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken; the chicken is ready to serve if the temperature reads 165° F (74° C). If you are grilling a small piece of chicken (80 grams raw), it will take approximately 14 minutes on each side to reach this internal temperature. For more information on food safety and cooking times, click here.

5.      Which of the following types of food have the least fat?

A.     Chicken breast, no skin, roasted

B.     Beef sirloin steak, trimmed of visible fat, roasted

C.     Pork loin chop, trimmed of visible fat, lean only

D.     Lean ground beef

ANSWER

A.     The skinless chicken breast has less fat than most meat selections. In fact, both the skinless breast AND skinless thigh are considered to be low-fat protein choices. It makes NO difference to the fat content if you remove the skin from the chicken before OR after cooking. In fact, cooking with the skin ON helps retain flavour and moisture.

6.      Where does fresh chicken in Canada come from?

A.     Imported from the United States

B.     Raised in Canada on large corporate farms

C.     Raised on family farms across Canada

D.     From across the road, of course!

ANSWER

C. Over 90 percent of the chicken we buy is raised on family farms all across Canada. In fact, there are chicken farms in every province, which means that fresh chicken is never too far from farm to market.

7.      Are hormones given to chicken being raised in Canada?

A.     Yes

B.     No

C.     Limited use is permitted

ANSWER

B.     No way! Absolutely NO hormones or steroids are given to chickens raised in Canada. Zero. Zip.  In Canada, the use of hormones and steroids in chicken feed has been banned since the 1960s. Tell your friends!

Peach season is upon us and there’s nothing like a fresh, ripe peach; nothing like biting into a peach and having the juice run down your face at every bite. It’s messy business but it’s totally worth it!

Peaches are traditionally used in jams, preserves, pies, crumbles and other desserts but did you know that they can also be used in cooking? These juicy little gems are low in calories and high in vitamin C so you have no reason not to try one of our tasty chicken and peach recipes.

Curried Chicken Salad with Peaches

This fresh and healthy salad is loaded with vegetables and peaches and complimented by a mild curry dressing making it the perfect meal to serve for lunch or dinner. You can also serve it in a pita or a wrap.

Chicken with Peach Sauce

This recipe uses canned peaches, which means it can be enjoyed all year round.

Grilled Chicken with Fresh Peach Ginger Sauce

This savoury sweet dish uses sophisticated ingredients like Merlot and balsamic vinegar and gets its warmth from the notes ginger and cinnamon.

Today’s guest blog is from Amanda Garbutt, Owner & Co-Founder, The Hot Plate.

Twenty-three year old Amanda Garbutt is serious about her love of food. As a child, Amanda was a notoriously picky eater. It was a fateful day when, at age 10, Amanda’s mum handed her an oyster adorned with Tabasco and lemon and it was love at first bite. From there Amanda created one kitchen nightmare after another. Together with the help of her mum, Amanda learned the methodology to a recipe and the romance behind food. At McGill University, Amanda found refuge in her tiny student kitchen. With hungry students always stopping by there was no lack of taste testers and encouragement when April asked her to step behind the camera.

Three years, two business awards and over twenty-five episodes later Amanda is now pursuing her passion to inspire culinary confidence full time. When she is not working on The Hot Plate, Amanda is in the kitchen developing recipes, food styling and photographing for Tier 1 brands like Kraft Canada and Barilla Whole Grain Pasta. There are only three things that can coax Amanda out of the kitchen and they are: a full bodied glass of wine, ping pong or an adrenaline pumping offshore sailing adventure. What do these things all have in common? They all help work up an appetite!

When I first flew the coop, my mother spent years lecturing me about the benefits of the traditional Sunday roast. Turns out, mother was right! It was mystifying to me at first how a Sunday afternoon in the kitchen could save hours over the course of the week.

It may sound weird that a recipe developer and food stylist is trying to avoid the grocery store. Let me tell you that when you are there almost daily for work, you’re happy to have an excuse to skip the checkout line on the way home.

So, I say forget starting dinner from scratch every night. Roasts, like chicken, offer a lot of value for individuals and families looking to conquer mealtime. I’m not just talking about the nutritional value; time and money are what most home cooks worry about.

By starting dinnertime with a pre-roasted chicken you are saving more than 2 ½ hours of cooking time throughout the week. That’s about 30 minutes each day that you could take for you. After all, isn’t it time you picked up that book that’s been calling you from the nightstand?

Let me introduce you to your new best friend, the roast chicken. The perfect dinner “guest” should weigh about 4 lbs to ensure easy and even roasting. One 4lb chicken will yield about 5 cups shredded chicken meat, which breaks down into approximately 1½ cups dark meat and 3½ cups white meat. If you are really in a bind you can also purchase a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.

My secret for effortless and cost-effective weekday meals is in the planning. Before shopping on Sunday morning I think about schedules, meals and cravings. Here are 3 tips for successfully stretching this star ingredient for a week:

1.     Say Goodbye to Skin

For optimal shelf life let the chicken rest until cool enough to handle and remove and discard the skin. The skin attracts may attract additional bacterial and will not keep its delicious texture or flavour when added to other dishes.

2.     Measure Your Portions

We’re all guilty of using too much of a good thing in recipes. Portioning is the first step in cost saving recipes that last a week and taste delicious. Make sure to shred the entire chicken and divide the meat before beginning any recipes.

3.     Freezer Friendly

Casseroles are a terrific midweek break from cooking. Simply prepare them Sunday and freeze until Wednesday night. Use up any freshly made dishes first. Come Wednesday you’ll have a fresh bake and eat dinner that will provide you and your family with leftovers for the rest of the week.

Opt for dishes that allow you to maximize chicken’s endless possibilities. I love dishes like freezer-friendly Chicken Cassoulet, lunchtime favourite Broccoli Pesto Chicken Pasta Salad and flavour packed Chicken Tostadas.

This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada has introduced 3 new Brand Ambassadors – wonderful bloggers whom we like to feature and who write things about us, too. By expanding our audience this way, we can reach out to new and enthusiastic readers, just like you!

Here’s one of our great Brand Ambassadors, Stacey (@thislilpiglet):

City Mom to Farmer Joe, Stacey will keep you on your hooves and give you everything you need to raise barn animals OR kids. Stacey writes the This Lil Piglet blog where she will enlighten you on social media marketing tactics and source bloggers with tutorials to reach their potential. Readers can enjoy the many recipes, DIY projects, consider a product review, win some giveaways and grab a laugh every now and then.

Stacey posted her favourite Chicken Farmers of Canada BBQ recipes on her blog http://thislilpiglet.net including a contest to win one of our stainless steel BBQ sets. Here’s what she had to say.

“Summer is almost here and most of us are already well into grilling season.  Barbecuing has to be my favourite way to cook meals, even in the dead of winter I have been known to grill up a few of my favourites; there’s nothing quite like the mouth watering taste of grilled chicken lathered in home made BBQ Rub, like the one in the video above.  I love a great BBQ recipe but by the end of the season, I start to run out of ideas.  Chicken.ca has a long list of BBQ recipes to keep your momentum strong throughout the grilling season.  I have a few favourites of my own; keep reading for my top 5 BBQ chicken recipes PLUS enter for a chance to win a BBQ tools set!”

Tropical Chicken Kabobs

Molasses BBQ Chicken Drumsticks with Sweet Potato Wedges

Spicy Chicken Lemon Bites

Saucy Mozzarella Chicken Burgers

Grilled Chicken Pitas

Thanks, Stacey, for loving Canadian chicken! We think you’re pretty awesome and we love your blog!

Canada’s chicken farmers are proud to call Canada home and to raise some of the best, tastiest chicken in the world. Our chicken continues to be a popular choice for Canadians because of its flexibility, taste and healthy attributes.

Chicken offers exceptional nutritional benefits. It is high in protein, lower in saturated fat than most other meats, and contains many essential nutrients required for optimal health. These nutrients are:

Protein – an excellent source

•  Important for the growth, maintenance and repair of body tissues, muscles and cells
• Can help control blood sugar levels

B-Vitamins (Niacin, Vitamin B6 & B12)

Chicken is an excellent source of B-Vitamins. Maintaining adequate levels of B-Vitamins is essential for energy production, the normal functioning of the nervous system, muscles and heart, and also in helping the body build healthy red blood cells.

• Niacin – an excellent source
• Vitamin B6 – an excellent source
• Vitamin B12 – a good source
• Zinc – a good source (particularly in dark meat)
• Magnesium and Phosphorus - a good source
• Important for healthy bones and teeth

Would you like to compare the nutrients in the chicken you are serving tonight with other meat proteins?  Go to www.chicken.ca/health and use our interactive nutritional comparison tool to get the facts.

This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada has introduced 3 new Brand Ambassadors – wonderful bloggers whom we like to feature and who write things about us, too. By expanding our audience this way, we can reach out to new and enthusiastic readers, just like you!

Here’s one of our great Brand Ambassadors, Lynette (@myweeview):

Lynette is married to her high school sweetheart. They’ve been together 14 years and married for 8. In 2008, they gave birth to a very special baby girl. Lynette is a native Nova Scotian, born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada!

Lynette posted her favourite Chicken Farmers of Canada BBQ recipes on her blog www.myweeview.comincluding a contest to win one of our stainless steel BBQ sets. Here’s what she had to say.

“Is there anything better than BBQ season? It is my favourite (Well, next to chocolate, but that’s a given).  There is nothing that tastes and smells as nice a BBQ.  While burgers and dogs are generally popular, don’t forget chicken is just as easy and yummy on the grill.  If you are looking for some fun, delish and easy ways to get creative this summer, check out a few of these fab recipes.

My number 1 chicken recipe without a doubt is Beer Can Chicken.  I am not a beer drinker, in fact, I truly dislike beer.  I promise, this mouth watering chicken tastes nothing like beer and actually makes the chicken juicy, moist and tender.   You will be surprised how amazing Beer Can Chicken tastes – try it and let me know.

Here are some other recipes I am hoping to make this summer:”

Butter and Wine Basted Chicken

Tequila Marinated Chicken with Corn, Rice and Black Beans

Gin and Tonic Kabobs with Mint and Tabouleh

Grilled Chicken Pizza Marghertia

Thanks for being a big fan of chicken, Lynette! We are a big fan of yours as well!

Summer is such a great time for this sandwich celebration; No one wants to spend endless hours in the kitchen preparing elaborate meals when they could be outside enjoying the beautiful sunny days of August. Sandwiches are not only fast and easy to prepare, but you can get as creative as you want when building your flavours.

I love the classics, like a club sandwich served on whole grain bread or a hot chicken sandwich served with a side of peas and mash (usually during the winter season). I also enjoy the less traditional sandwiches like tender, juicy chicken served on a ciabata bun with thin slices of apple, brie cheese and a red pepper & cranberry jelly, then pressed on a panini grill to meld all of the flavours and textures together.

At Chicken Farmers of Canada, we have a great selection of chicken sandwich recipes which you can find here but I’ve listed a few of my favourites for you to try.

Vietnamese-Style Chicken Sandwiches (Ba Mi)

This is such a great sandwich. It’s like eating a crunchy Asian chicken salad only served on a delicious whole grain baguette.

Mediterranean Sandwich

This sandwich gets its Mediterranean flavours form the smooth olive oil, sun dried tomatoes and prosciutto. The peppery tones of the baby arugula heighten the taste of these ingredients.

Chicken Sandwiches with Lemon, Basil, Zucchini and Boursin

This is the perfect sandwich to enjoy during the summer when zucchini and peppers are at their peak.

“Sandwiches are wonderful. You don't need a spoon or a plate!”

~ Paul Lynde~

1.      How does it feel to know that you’re one of Canada’s elite athletes?

I feel very fortunate to be able to play high-level sports. I have been able to travel all over the world, meet people from different cultures and develop as an athlete and a person in an extraordinary environment. Volleyball has allowed me to push back my personal limits, to know myself better and to develop personally. For all these reasons, I am very grateful to my coaches who have helped me achieve my full potential, thus allowing me to play at the international level.

2.      Has being an Olympic athlete changed you? If so, how?

I don’t believe it has changed me but I think it has really helped me develop. Throughout the entire process leading up to the Olympic Games, I experienced a lot of emotions, extraordinarily good times as well as more difficult times when things didn’t go the way I would have wanted. Having lived every minute of the process to the full has changed me and helped me see what really counts for me. For example, I know now that the most important thing is not my volleyball results but rather how I practice my sport. I think that practicing my sport in a healthy way, with integrity, respect for my opponents and enthusiasm is more valuable to me than all the games I might have won.

3.      Can you describe a typical day of training or competition?

Let’s take a recent example, the day of our first Olympic match! I got up at about 8 a.m. and went to the cafeteria at the Olympic Village. I ate eggs, fruit and cottage cheese. Then I went to the Canadian Wellness Center. That’s a little room where you can stretch out and relax, meditate and listen to music. That allowed me to revitalize myself and get focussed. While eating a snack, I watched a video for a while to check out the team we were going to play against so the tactical plan would be nice and fresh in my memory. I went to lunch and after that Glen (our therapist) gave me a treatment to make sure that my body would be 100% ready for the game. Then we took the bus to the stadium where the competition was to take place. When we got there, we had something to eat, put on our uniforms and started to warm up. Vincent (our coach) reminded us of the game plan for the last time before passing out balls so we could do a few receptions, passes and attacks before the game started. And finally, we went into the large 15,000-person stadium where we played against Great Britain! Playing in front of that crowd was quite an experience!

4.      How does chicken fit in with your healthy lifestyle?

Chicken is a very good source of protein. I eat chicken regularly and always make sure that it’s of good quality. I like to get my meat directly from my farmer.

5.      If you could only eat one chicken dish for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?

I find that chicken can be prepared in so many different ways. I like to try different recipes with good spices. I regularly do one of Daniel Pinard’s recipes in a slow cooker. I put a whole chicken in the cooker and add coriander and fresh parsley, onions, olives, cumin, saffron and home-made chicken broth.

But, if I could only eat one dish for the rest of my life, I would say without hesitation oven-roasted chicken legs with butter and barbecue spices!

6.      What advice would you give people who are thinking about getting fit (would volleyball be a good way to incorporate activity)?

I think the most important thing is to find an activity you like doing that makes you feel good. If you don’t like the activity you’re doing, it will be hard to do it regularly. So, the activity has to feel natural. Volleyball is a great activity to do, but technically it’s a very difficult sport since there are so many aspects of it to develop. When you first start playing volleyball, you have to be patient and train regularly. It’s perhaps less fun at first because you can’t control the ball very well but the better you get, the more exciting the sport becomes. There’s nothing more satisfying that receiving a great pass and making a power attack!

Also, I think that diet is very important for your physical fitness level. Eating well is surely the first step to good health. 

1.      How does it feel to know that you’re among Canada’s elite athletes?

I feel privileged to have the opportunity to play sports to earn a living and especially to have been able to do so for 12 years at a professional level.  I have had the opportunity to tour the world and to visit countries around the globe and to have come in contact with many different cultures.  It has given me perspective on how good we have it in Canada in terms of quality of life.  It is an honor to be able to represent Canada on the world scene and through it all, the journey has taught me so much about myself and about life that I will always look back on this sporting experience with gratitude.

2.      Has being an Olympian changed you? If so, how?

I feel that being an Olympian has not changed me but it has confirmed that there is a healthy way to do sport and that it is through holding this line throughout the process that has helped our team achieve this childhood dream against all odds.  We have put a strong emphasis on maintaining healthy relationships so as to allow each member to be honest with oneself and the team and to forge an environment so we can all thrive and be our best.

3.      Describe a typical day when you’re in training/competing?

At the Olympics, we have been walking a lot! We walk 700 meters to go to the dining hall and that is done three times a day! Since we play mostly later games, we get up at 8, we go for breakfast, then head to the wellness centre in the Canadian building so we can focus and centre ourselves amidst the buzz of the village. We receive treatment at the village before having lunch and then get on the bus for approximately 45 minutes, train for 1h30, treatment, bus ride, back at the dining hall and then to bed.  It has been our routine for the past 9 days with the hours being interchanged daily but the activities remaining the same!

4.      How does chicken fit into your healthy lifestyle?

We try to rotate regularly our sources of protein and chicken is part of that rotation alongside our abundant fruit and veggies and healthy fats.  We have researched a farmer in our area that grows pasture raised chickens and we feel a strong connection to him and his commitment to raise high quality chickens and that makes us appreciate every meal of chicken we get to eat.

5.      If you could only eat one chicken dish for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Very good question as I thrive on trying out different recipes in my slow cooker, in the oven, in the pan with all kinds of different spices (lemon, butter, Italian spices, coconut milk and curry just to name a few!) and chicken is definitely a favorite for these experiments as it soaks up the flavors!  But to answer the question, the simple rotisserie chicken would be my go-to dish for the rest of my life!

6.      What advice would you give people who are thinking about getting fit (and would volleyball be a good way to incorporate activity?

Volleyball is definitely a good way to keep fit, especially beach volleyball as it works on all systems whether it is the cardio, through stop and go, or on the muscular system through lunging, jumping and diving in the sand. To top it off, it is a sure way to have fun with friends! Above all, I believe that creating balance in one’s life is a sure way to getting fit not only physically but emotionally and spiritually and so exercise should be done in that light and not as an added stress to our western busy lives…

If you read our blog then you already know that during the week of January 23, 2012, I was off-site with the team at In Motion filming our new series of 15 how-to videos.

The videos are seasonal so we are not releasing them all at once. In April, we released two videos and if you missed them, here they are.

How-to make chicken breast in parchment

How-to make Thai chicken burgers

In June we released two more videos where the recipes use ingredients that are perfect for a light summer meal.

How-to make Greek salad with chicken

How-to make chicken Nori rolls

Today, we are releasing two more videos that are perfect if you are looking for ideas on how to use ground chicken or if you’re simply in the mood for some real soul food.

How-To Make Chicken Meatloaf

I often get asked “what can I make with ground chicken”? There are many uses for ground chicken and you can find a wide range of recipes here. My favourite use for ground chicken is when preparing a big batch of chili.

How-To Make Fried Chicken

Fried chicken is a true soul food that can be enjoyed any time of the year and it’s always a hit with both adults and children. I made a batch of fried chicken using this recipe and it was delicious!

Still to come:

• How-To Make Chicken Pad Thai
• How-To Make Stuffed Peppers
• How-To Make Chicken Pot Pie
• How-To Make Chicken Paella
• How-To Make Butter Chicken
• How-To Make Sloppy Joes
• How-To Make Quick Chicken Paprikash
• How-To Chicken Curry
• How-To Make Jambalaya

Have you tried making a recipe that you learned from one of our how-to videos? If so, which one and how did it turn out? We’d love to hear from you!

If you don’t already know, CFC is a proud sponsor of the Canadian women’s volleyball team that will take part in the Olympic Games in London this year. We wanted to learn more about Annie Martin and Marie-Andrée Lessard and their love for this sport, so we did a two-part interview, the first part of which was with Annie Martin.

1. What attracted you to volleyball in the first place?

I started to play volleyball at the age of 12 when I began high school. It was my older sister Geneviève that got me into the sport. She was already playing on a high school team and really loved volleyball. At home, we slept in the same bedroom and I remember she would put up pictures of volleyball players she cut out of magazines and talked to me constantly about volleyball tactics. My mother wasn’t too keen on the idea of me imitating my older sister (again!). So I promised her that I would just try it and would stop if I didn’t like it. Finally I really caught the bug and ever since, I never stopped playing! 

2. Beach volleyball is primarily a summer sport – how do you keep fit during the winter?

In winter, we regularly attend training camps in warmer places! We also have access to an indoor centre in Montreal (the Griffintown Centre). And of course, we also train in a bodybuilding gym all year long.

3. What are the key differences between beach volleyball and volleyball in an indoor setting?

Beach volleyball is obviously played on sand and there are only two team members on an 8 meter by 8 meter area. Indoor volleyball is played in a gym. There are 6 players to cover a 9 meter by 9 meter area. The net is at the same height in both types.

In beach volleyball, the athletes have to be very versatile. That is, they have to be very good in all aspects of the game (reception, passing, attack, etc.) In indoor volleyball, each athlete has a more specific role. For example, the centre players are blocking and attack specialists. They don’t receive and defend in the back zone.

4. What countries have you visited on your road to London 2012?

I have been playing on the world circuit for 10 years now, and during my entire career, I have visited about 80 different cities throughout the world. The last countries I have visited were Austria, Mexico, Italy, Russia, China, Brazil and the United States. 

5. You are clearly committed to a healthy lifestyle – how do you incorporate that into your daily diet?

I have certain eating habits, but I don’t see them as a strict diet. For me, it’s more a way of eating that I have adopted because it helps me feel good in my body and have a good energy level. When my athletic career is over, I’ll keep on eating that way.

At each meal, I balance the amounts of proteins, carbohydrates and fats I eat. I eat mostly meat, vegetables, fruit, yogurt, cheese and eggs. As for the fats (lipids) I eat, there’re mostly in the form of butter and coconut oil.  

In eating, what counts for me is the quality of my food. I eat as many organic and fresh foods as possible. I almost never eat processed foods.

6. What are some of your favorite chicken dishes?

I really like to oven bake whole chickens. The recipe is both very simple and delicious. I put melted butter on the chicken with BBQ spices along with salt and pepper. I just love chicken legs!

For more information on their exciting adventure at the Olympic Games or to express your support, visit their website at www.lessardmartin.com.

If you haven’t already heard, CFC is a proud sponsor of the Canadian Women’s Volleyball team competing in this year’s London Olympic Games. We wanted to know more about Annie Martin and Marie Andrée Lessard and their love of this sport so we’ve put together a two-part interview, starting with Marie-Andrée Lessard.

1. What attracted you to volleyball in the first place?

As weird as this may sound, when I started high school it was the only sport that was available. I was a very high energy kid and I needed to move and exercise to remain sane.  I became addicted from the very beginning and throughout the year I would seek out opportunities to play be it summer camps and playing in as many teams as I could in my club (during grade 10, I played on two high school teams (midget-juvenile) and four teams in my volleyball club (midget, juvenile, junior and senior).

What I love most about volleyball is the diversity in skills from passing to hitting to setting to serving to defense.  There are so many skills to master that it kept me involved and motivated to get better and better and it remained fun throughout. I would have made a terrible long distance runner (not only for my lack of endurance) but I would have gotten very bored, I like “playing”!

2. Beach volleyball is primarily a summer sport – how do you keep fit in the winter?

Believe it or not, we have an indoor facility in Montreal (Espace Griffintown) where we get to train during the winter months. Over the years, we have also travelled often to hot destinations so we could train outside as the conditions are very different (sun, wind, air pressure). 

On top of playing volleyball, we do weight lifting and intervals for our cardio.  We stay away from high-risk activities such as skiing and snowboarding but I love cross-country skiing and hiking.  They certainly kept me in shape this past winter.

3. What are the key differences between beach volleyball and volleyball in an indoor setting?

The beach court is 8 x 8 meters as opposed to 9 x 9 for indoors.  There are 2 players on each side for beach and 6 for indoor.  No substitution allowed for beach and so you “live and die” by your partner’s side. If an injury shows up, then we have to forfeit.  This is one of the main differences in terms of game management because you can’t hide anywhere and it’s basically the opposition that decides who does what by choosing to serve a certain player over another one.  In indoor volleyball, the setter decides who gets the ball.  In beach, if you have a bad two minutes, it can mean you are eliminated from the tournament and then you’re stuck across the world training for the rest of the week.  I find this to be the major difference that has forced me to get to know myself and build a toolbox to manage pressure situations.  While saying this, I know there is pressure for indoor players as well; I just feel it gets spread out more across members of the team.

4. What countries have you visited on your road to London 2012?

It would be too long to name them all. I have played/trained in approximately 90 cities (it was 84 two years ago). Some countries we have gone to every year for the past 12 years such as Switzerland, Brazil and China and some we’ve only been to once such as Dubaï, the Canari Islands or New Zealand.  My all-time favorites are Switzerland, New Zealand, Paris (we played on the Champs Élysées) and playing in front of our home crowd last year in Quebec city.

5. You’re clearly committed to a healthy lifestyle – how do you incorporate that into your daily diet?

I am lucky that as a family, we have healthy eating habits.  We eat whole and fresh ingredients, mostly organic ranging from high quality milk products, meats, fruit and vegetables and fats such as butter, coconut oil and olive oil.  This composes 90% of our diet and if I feel the urge to have something that will make me smile, then I go for it! My all-time favorite is Haagen Dazs Coffee Ice cream.  I strongly believe in having a healthy relationship to food and having gone through different approaches, this is the way that has helped me remain healthy, fit and happy.

6. What are some of your favourite chicken dishes?

I love a rotisserie chicken in the oven topped with butter and delicious spices.  It is probably the simplest recipe but it tastes amazing and the texture is oh so moist!

To learn more about their exciting journey to the games or to show them your support, visit their web site at www.lessardmartin.com

News Release – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

There’s no better way to spend your weekend by firing up the barbeque and spending some good quality time with family and friends.

A BBQ patio party is especially perfect this Saturday August 4, as barbeques will be collectively sizzling all over the country for the annual World’s Longest Barbeque. Anita Stewart, cookbook author and culinary activist, launched the event as part of Canada’s Food Day back in 2004 in order to celebrate all those hard-working Canadian men and women who bring local food to our tables. The event started in 2003 as a way to demonstrate support for Canadian Beef producers.

Now in its ninth year, the World’s Longest Barbeque has become a celebration of Canadian ingredients, with people all across the country raising their tongs to the best of Canada on the grill. There’s no shortage of great Canadian meat and produce available at markets, butcher shops and your grocery store. If you’re thinking of making chicken part of your menu this weekend, we’ve got a few great recipes for you to try.

• For a taste of the classic, check out our Quick Burgers.
• If something lighter is what you’re craving, try our recipe for Bombay Chick Stickswith Mango Salsa as a healthy addition to your barbeque.

To participate, there are no rules or fees – just register at http://fooddaycanada.ca/

This year, Chicken Farmers of Canada has introduced 3 new Brand Ambassadors – wonderful bloggers whom we like to feature and who write things about us, too. By expanding our audience this way, we can reach out to new and enthusiastic readers, just like you!

Here’s one of our great Brand Ambassadors, Wendy (@mapsgirl):

Wendy (also known as mapsgirl) is a mom to two daughters, ages 7 and 5. They are the inspiration of her blog, funny things are everywhere.

funny things are everywhere has grown from a personal journal to a family-oriented blog focusing on topics that are of importance to parents and their children. Child passenger safety is a passion of Wendy's. For the last 5 years, Wendy has had the opportunity to work with several Ontario police services and EMS teams, as a car seat technician. Writing her blog and volunteering in the community happens when she's not working full time as a cartographer for a municipality.

Last month, Wendy shared her top five chicken.ca BBQ recipes with her readers. I must say, she has good taste! http://www.mapsgirl.ca/2012/06/wendys-top-5-bbq-chicken-recipes.html

Thank you, Wendy. We think you’re pretty great!

Stay tuned because this summer, you’ll get to meet all our Brand Ambassadors and they’ll be posting special content for us, too!

Chicken Farmers Support Canada’s Women’s Beach Volleyball Team at the London 2012 Olympic Games

Chicken Farmers of Canada is honoured to support Canada’s Women’s Beach Volleyball team at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Annie Martin and Marie-Andrée Lessard are our Canadian team’s energetic volleyball “chicks” who on July 7^th earned their spots to compete in the London Olympics and we are very excited to see them in action!

“We are tremendously proud of the accomplishments of these women,” said Dave Janzen, Chair of Chicken Farmers of Canada, “Chicken Farmers of Canada is proud to cheer them on as they represent Canada and we’ll be rooting for them loudly as they go for the gold!”

“Canada’s Olympic athletes need our support, both when they’re competing and throughout their training,” Janzen continued, “Not only do they represent our country at a prestigious international level, they show us that, even on a much smaller scale, we can all enjoy a healthy lifestyle and practice good sportsmanship – those are skills that last a lifetime.”

We’ll be closely following the competition and we’ll be featuring a two-part interview with our lovely athletic ladies, which will be featured on our blog so you’ll want to stay tuned!

You can do your part as a Canadian and support our Women’s Beach Volleyball team on its website at www.lessardmartin.com.

Go Canada!

Feel like hosting a pizza party this weekend? Or perhaps you’re just in the mood for a hot slice or two of ‘za tonight? Then why not give your usual pizza a makeover with these healthy and delicious pizza recipes?

Our pizzas are high in protein and use healthy ingredients that will satisfy your craving and keep you feeling fuller for longer, so you can enjoy them without the guilt.

Chicken Cacciatore, Friulano and Goat Cheese Pizza

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/chicken-cacciatore-friulano--goat-cheese-pizza/#

This recipe makes two pizzas on whole grain prepared crusts of your choice. The pizza is loaded with Mediterranean flavours and contains a mere 280 calories per slice. What’s not to like about that?

Chicken Pizza with Gorgonzola

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/chicken-pizza-with-gorgonzola/#

This recipe also makes two pizzas and is made healthy by using low-fat mozzarella and fresh spinach, artichoke hearts, olives and sun dried tomatoes which pair perfectly with the gorgonzola cheese.

*note – for picky eaters, like kids, omit the gorgonzola.

Grilled Chicken Pizza Margherita

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/grilled-chicken-pizza-margherita/

We’ve loaded some juicy chicken onto this classic Italian pizza that is a hit with everyone! We’ve also included a recipe for a healthy whole wheat pizza crust so why not double or triple it up and freeze them until your next pizza day?

Chicken Pesto Pizza

http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/chicken-pesto-pizza/

This pizza takes no time at all to prepare. With only seven ingredients, you can enjoy a warm slice of this Greek inspired ‘za in under 30 minutes! 

Did you know that one chicken leg contains 18% of a woman’s daily recommended intake of zinc?

That’s really good news because zinc is an essential nutrient that boosts our immunity and our mood. Zinc is a trace mineral that is found in every cell of our body and is necessary for growth and reproduction. It also supports wound healing and helps maintain our sense of taste and smell.

Researchers are investigating the role zinc plays in the prevention of osteoporosis, cancer, and heart disease. Oysters are the best source of dietary zinc. Other important food sources include wild game, crab, and poultry dark meat.

Are there health benefits in eating dark meat? 

White meat is by far the most popular type of chicken sold in the country, but if you’ve been avoiding dark meat because of nutritional concerns, here are some nutrition facts:

• Dark meat does not contain as much fat as you might think. A 2.5 ounce serving of skinless chicken thigh, baked or grilled, has only 5 grams of fat compared to 2 grams in the same serving of skinless chicken breast.
• It is recommended that we have 2 servings of protein per day and that each serving be less than 10 grams of fat from meat. Eating one chicken thigh (even two) is well within the recommended range of fat we should consume for a meal. 
• A 100g serving of chicken breast contains 33% of our recommended daily intake of Vitamin B6 and 86% of our recommended daily intake of niacin. As good as this seems, dark meat is richer in nutrients than white meat and contains more iron and zinc.

If you have a houseful of people who love dark meat, don’t hesitate to buy family-size value packs of chicken legs or thighs. Thighs can now be purchased boneless and/or skinless and are often more economical than chicken breasts. These cuts, as opposed to a whole bird, also reduce prep work and waste, freeze well and provide your family with essential nutrients.

If you love dark meat or have children who do, then you will surely appreciate this easy recipe called Chicken Legs with Scrumptious Spicy Sauce.

This recipe is low in saturated fat, and is high in potassium, iron, zinc and vitamins A, C, and B12. Visit www.chicken.ca for hundreds of dark meat recipes like this.

If you are curious to learn more about the dietary benefits of dark meat chicken or would like to compare its nutrients with other meats, visit Chicken Farmers of Canada’s new health portal at www.chicken.ca/health.

As you may know, this past spring, Chicken Farmers of Canada ran the Everyone Wins With Canadian Chicken contest among Members of Parliament, with the help of Maple Leaf Foods, The Hill Times newspaper and Food Banks Canada.

Thanks to all of you for helping this campaign become so successful.  A whopping 72 entries were received. Such delicious recipes to choose from!

On June 12, 2012, Minister Toews’ Pesto Chicken Philly-Melt was awarded 1st place in the Everyone Wins with Canadian Chicken and was able to divide the $10,100 first place prize between the local food banks in Provencher.

On July 11th, Minister Toews presented their cheques to the food banks at a ceremony in New Bothwell.

The prizes have been divided on a per capita basis, based on the size of the area that each of the food banks service. The five food banks located in the riding of Provencher are:

• South East Helping Hands $5050
• Morris Food Bank $1262.50
• Lorette Food Bank $1262.50
• Springfield Food Bank $1262.50
• Lac du Bonnet and area Food Bank $1262.50

“This contest has done a wonderful job of raising the profile of local food banks during what is often a slow time for donations,” said Toews. “I am honoured that my Provencher Pesto Chicken Philly-Melt was judged to be the best of the recipes submitted by Members of Parliament from across Canada and I urge Canadians to consider making a donation to their local food bank.”

Minister Toews’ winning entry includes a home-grown featured ingredient, 2 year old Bothwell cheddar. A local Manitoba success story, Bothwell Cheese has been manufacturing a wide variety of cheeses since 1936 using only the freshest locally-produced milk.

 “While Canada’s economy is on the right track for recovery, there are families that access their local food banks for a helping hand,” said Toews. “I am thrilled to have been able to participate in an event that supports such a good cause.”

Many thanks to Minister Toews and all the MPs who entered the Everyone Wins with Canadian Chicken contest.

Using fresh herbs is one of the best ways to enhance the flavour and add a personal touch to your cooking. I grow fresh herbs in my garden every summer, usually in pots unless I can find a decent spot for them in the soil.

This year, I’m growing basil, dill, cilantro, thyme, oregano and parsley. We do a lot of Mexican-style cooking in my house so we’re always using fresh cilantro. We also eat a lot of tomatoes which are perfectly paired with basil. I rather enjoy them with some freshly sliced basil, a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

The main thing when using fresh herbs is to know how to use them in cooking. For instance, many Italian and Greek dishes make use of oregano. Dill is perfect when cooking salmon or making a simple potato salad.

You can also use fresh herbs to create your own marinades and salad dressings.  Just add them to a mixture of oil and vinegar or find a good recipe on-line.

For a list of popular herbs and how to use them, check out this link to Better Homes and Gardens http://www.bhg.com/gardening/plant-dictionary/herb/

We all know that chicken can take a lot of flavour so why not experiment a little starting with a few of our recipes that use fresh herbs?

Chicken Insalata Caprese Party Picks

Chicken Udon Noodle Salad with Fresh Mint

Rosemary Chicken Tapas Platter with Pita Garlic Yogurt Dippers

 Did you know that beer is the world’s most widely-consumed alcoholic beverage?  There’s good reason for it, too.  Variety abounds – there’s a beer for just about every occasion.  And it’s not just a “guy’s” drink anymore – more and more women are enjoying the incredible selection and flavours available.

We often write about beer during the most popular times – hockey playoffs, football parties, etc., but you know as well as we do, beer is good anytime.

As we raise our mugs to the summer (when beer is most consumed), we’ve come up with a great selection of our own Chicken Farmers of Canada recipes that involve cooking with beer.  Remember, chicken made with beer is always good served with beer. Just enjoy responsibly.

The Classic – Beer Can Chicken

Beer Can Chicken became popular a few years ago, and remained so with good reason. The steam created by the beer transforms the chicken into a juicy, delectable delicacy. Cans of non-alcoholic beer and soft drinks work just as well in this recipe, with different flavour results. Try it with all sorts of beers – or juices, or whatever!

Burgers for Beer-Nuts – Dad’s Favourite Chicken Sandwich

This prizewinning chicken sandwich, which won our Canada Day Chicken Challenge in 2002, uses beer to marinate the chicken. The toppings of the sandwich are all classic complements to beer, such as old cheddar and horseradish. This is a simple but delicious sandwich that’s well worth adding to your repertoire.

The Picnic Specialty - Grilled Beer & Honey Chicken with Barley & Lentil Salad

This is a wonderful dish to take along with you wherever you go this summer.  It’s a nutritious alternative and the salad is divine!

We try to keep up with as many Canadian food bloggers as we can, and these are just a few of the mouth-watering posts we came across this month. Enjoy!

The Tiffin Box – Michelle Peter-Jones is an Edmonton based foodie who whips up mouth-watering East Indian, British and Canadian inspired recipes like this one for Chicken Chettinad. http://www.thetiffinbox.ca/2012/05/indian-classics-chicken-chettinad.html

Mmm…..is for Mommy – Heather is a stay at home Mom who enjoys cooking, writing and photography. Why not fire up the BBQ this weekend and try Heather’s recipe for Grilled Spinach & Feta Chicken Burgers ? They look soooooo good!

http://www.mmmisformommy.com/2011/06/grilled-spinach-feta-chicken-burgers.html

Six Top – This blog provides links to great places to eat in Halifax, Nova Scotia and in Montreal, Quebec. You’ll also find a good assortment of recipes like this one for Chicken with Ham & Onion Stuffing.

http://sixtop.wordpress.com/2011/10/25/chicken-with-the-ham-and-onion-stuffing/

Movita Beaucoup – this Halifax, Nova Scotia based ballerina/foodie has a great sense of humour! You’ll love her recipes like this one for Chicken & Mint Salad and you’ll find plenty of crafty ideas, along with tutorial videos.

http://movitabeaucoup.com/2011/03/01/chicken-and-mint-salad/

According to Canada’s Heart and Stroke Foundation, heart disease, once considered a ‘man’s disease,’ is the leading cause of illness and death in Canadian women. Reducing the amount of saturated fat in our diet and avoiding trans fats can help lower our cholesterol levels and reduce our risk for heart disease.   

BUT, reducing the amount of fat in our diet doesn’t mean we have to give up our favourite foods. Rich, delicious foods like Butter Chicken can have a makeover and still taste great!

Chicken Farmers of Canada’s Butter Chicken Makeover is a lower-fat, lower-calorie version of the ever-popular North Indian Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani) in tomato cream sauce. The butter is reduced, and milk and plain yogurt are used instead of cream. It is delicious and not difficult to prepare. The brown basmati rice boosts the fibre content. To find this delicious AND healthy recipe, click here.

If you are curious to learn more about the dietary benefits of cooking with chicken or would like to compare its nutrients with other meats, visit Chicken Farmers of Canada’s new Health Portal at www.chicken.ca/health/.The Portal is a one-stop-shop for anyone looking to lead a healthier lifestyle. Articles on health, nutrition and exercise provide guidance to those who want an extra bit of help in order to get and stay healthy

As Canadians, we all look forward to BBQ season, the nice weather and spending time outdoors, but when the temperature reaches a sweltering point, the last thing we want to do is BBQ in heat. That’s where a slow cooker comes in handy!

Slow cookers are energy efficient and keep your kitchen cool in the summer, which makes them ideal for cooking on hot days. They’re also great time savers. If you’re on a busy after-work schedule, prepare your ingredients, place them in the slow cooker insert into your fridge the night before. In the morning, take the insert out, set your temperature and you’re on your way to a warm meal from a cool kitchen!

Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken

With only seven ingredients, you can have a tender, flavorful, melt-in-your mouth chicken dish. A quick way to enjoy this is with a ready-made salad, which you can find a great variety of at your local grocery store.

Sweet Coconut Clove Chicken

This easy to prepare dish will become a hit with your kids and also makes a great pot-luck meal.

Gypsy Chicken Stew

This super healthy slow cooker recipe is high in fibre and bursting with flavour making it ideal for the health-conscious family.

For more slow cooker recipes visit us at http://chicken.ca/recipes/category/slow-cooker?c[order_field]=created&c[order_dir]=asc&offset=

Who doesn’t love fried chicken? It is the quintessential southern comfort food and with good reason! Every bite of fried chicken is super moist and juicy and the flaky, crispy golden-brown crust provides the right amount of seasoning and crunch.

Fried chicken is enjoyed all year round and is usually served with a dipping sauce or gravy and a side like mashed potatoes, yams or collard greens. I prefer to serve mine with a healthy salad during the warmer weather.

Here are a few fried chicken recipes from our web site that will have you cooking the perfect fried chicken every time!

Rob’s Original Fried Chicken

Canadian grilling pro, Rob Rainford, shares his recipe and tips for making fried chicken the Rainford way!

Louisiana Fried Chicken

This traditional Louisiana fried chicken recipe includes instructions on how to make an accompanying pepper sauce.

What’s your favourite fried chicken recipe? Let us know in the comments.

We often make reference to letting a piece of meat “rest” once it’s finished cooking. At its simplest, resting simply means letting a piece of meat sit before cutting into it. Any chef will tell you it’s one of the most important steps in cooking meat, but why is it necessary?

When cooking meat, the muscle fibres of the meat contract, forcing out liquid from the spaces between. As the meat cools, the muscle fibres relax and reabsorb the juices within the meat.  Cutting into meat directly out of the oven essentially spills these juices onto a cutting board, taking with it a great deal of the flavour and moisture of the meat.

Secondly, letting meat rest evens out the doneness of the meat as it continues to cook slightly, resulting in a more even temperature. The best way to let meat rest is to place it on a rack or place in a warm (but not hot) place, with a tented piece of vented foil placed over top of it to keep it warm while letting the steam escape.  

For a small piece of meat, 5 – 10 minutes is often sufficient, whereas a larger cut like a roast chicken should rest for at least 10 – 15 minutes.

The Dietitians of Canada’s National Conference held in Toronto June 14 –16 was the ideal forum for Chicken Farmers of Canada to meet face-to-face with over 1,000 registered dietitians from across the country. Dietitians work in all kinds of organizations, in many different settings and are Canadians’ trusted experts for evidence-based food and nutrition information (www.dietitians.ca).

The annual National Conference presents the opportunity for dietitians, other health professionals, and government and industry representatives to stay abreast of nutrition research and to discuss, with colleagues and delegates, issues specific to one’s interest or practice. The Exhibitor Showcase, a full-day event, provides CFC and other representatives from the food and beverage industry the opportunity to showcase their latest products, resources, and services.  

As the science of nutrition is the central focus of the annual Conference, most exhibitors promote the theme of eating for wellness. Chicken Farmers of Canada is no exception. CFC has a vested interest in promoting health and nutrition because, as farmers, we care about what Canadians serve their families. With over 500 nutritious recipes at chicken.ca, many categorized for dietary needs, CFC presented to conference delegates healthy recipe options and information kits about its new Nutrition Factsheet Series.

The Nutrition Factsheet Series, 9 in total, is available on CFC’s new Health Portal. These are useful teaching tools or clinical aids for those looking to change their eating habits and achieve a healthier lifestyle. Registered dietitians and other health professionals have been ordering these patient resources in bulk for nearly a decade. These resources are used in conjunction with professional dietary advice to help patients prevent and/or manage many health conditions, including heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes.

This year, CFC has freshened-up the look of its Factsheets Series. Series 1–9 are now more visually pleasing and easier to read. Series 1–6 were also revised to update old, and bring forth new and relevant, evidence-based health information. Here are descriptive titles of what the Series contains.

#1) Your Health is For Life: Putting It All Together

#2) Healthy Living for Women: It’s in Your Hands

#3) Diabetes: Making the Right Food Choices

#4) Love That Healthy Heart

#5) Protect Your Health – Get Salt Savvy!

#6) Managing Your Weight

#7) Welcome to the era of feeling young and looking younger! Baby Boomers and Zoomers

#8) Screen or Scream – Are Your Kids Spending Too Much Time With the Tube?

#9) Snack Attack! Keep it Healthy!

A Snack and Beverage Journal and a Weekly Food Journal also accompany this Series. These are handy tracking resources for a growing number of Canadians who take their snacks and meals whenever and wherever they can be wedged into their busy day. Dietitians, many who work in weight management, find the journals beneficial in helping their patients monitor their daily nutritional intake, assess how they eat, and modify their eating patterns to make healthier choices.

Though CFC’s factsheets and journals are most widely used by Canada’s registered dietitians, these are a great tool for all of us. Go to www.chicken.ca/health/ and get the Facts. What are you waiting for?

People are always looking for new ideas when it comes to grilling chicken and CFC has some great instructional videos to help you on your way to becoming a BBQ pro.

These easy-to-follow how-to videos are under a minute and a half long and show you how to prepare BBQ sauce, rubs and beer can chicken. It’s time to fire up the grill and impress your friends!

BBQ Sauce

It may seem easier to just pick-up a bottle of BBQ sauce at your local grocery store but this recipe can be doubled and stores well in the freezer.

BBQ Rub

BBQ rubs are simple and add a ton of flavour. Make extra and keep it in a tightly sealed plastic container and you can enjoy delicious chicken all summer long.

Beer Can Chicken

This has become a favourite BBQ recipe in North America. If you prefer, you can substitute the beer with a can apple juice or lemonade infused with herbs.

Are you a BBQ pro? Share your tips in the comments below.

Our goal is to live longer with vitality and avoid as many health problems as possible. Seniors, many of whom are parents and grandparents, understand this message very well. They are a generation of active living people; feeling great and living life with vitality, energy and health.

New census data shows Canada now has a higher proportion of seniors than ever before. This is a result of a growing number of people who are living longer well into their golden years. Today, life expectancy for women is into their late eighties and for men, into their mid-eighties. This is great news for all of us, as there are steps we can take to stay healthier, including getting regular checkups, eating right and making exercise a part of our life.   

Just in time for Seniors Month, CFC has an online resource to help adults over 50 compare their eating and physical activity habits with daily recommended nutrient and exercise requirements. Download “Welcome to the era of feeling young and looking younger: Baby Boomers and Zoomers” on CFC’s new Health Portal. Not 50 plus? Browse the portal for the nutrition and health information you seek to live life to its fullest.

Happy Seniors Month!

1st $10,000 Pesto Chicken Philly melt – Hon. Vic Toews, MB - This winning chicken take on the classic Philly cheese steak sandwich will be served to the thousands of patriotic crowds at Major’s Hill Park on Canada Day. It won’t disappoint!

2nd $5,000 Chow-Style BBQ sandwich – Olivia Chow, ON – Another winner that is a must try! The combination of Indian and Asian flavours are a true representation of Canada’s rich multicultural blend.

3rd $2,500 Poulet BBQ canadien – Sylvain Chicoine, QC – This chicken sandwich is a true original BBQ sandwich that is perfect served with a good Canadian ice cold beer.

Click here to see a list of all of our chicken sandwich recipes.

“The judges have spoken and the Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, has won the 2012 Everyone Wins With Canadian Chicken contest with his "Pesto Chicken Philly Melt" sandwich recipe.

Over the past month, an impressive 72 MPs submitted fantastic, innovative and creative recipes, which all had distinct touches that made them their own. With all the great choices, the deliberations were difficult and came right down to the wire.

Minister Toews won $10,000 for a food bank in his riding. The other finalists, Olivia Chow and Sylvain Chicoine also won $5,000 and $2,500 donations.

Chicken Farmers of Canada is excited about the choice of the winning recipe, which will now be the recipe served to 10,000 hungry people in Major's Hill Park in Ottawa on Canada Day.

Chicken Farmer of Canada thanks fellow sponsor, Maple Leaf Foods, who will be providing the Maple Leaf Prime Chicken for the Canada Day BBQ and for their sizable contribution to the MP prizing.

This campaign resulted in over $25,000 being donated from coast-to-coast-to-coast to help food banks deliver services to those less fortunate - a compelling and necessary task. Chicken Farmers of Canada is a proud partner and supporter of food banks in Canada.

"We would like to thank contest partners Food Banks Canada, and fellow sponsors, Maple Leaf Foods and The Hill Times, along with all 72 MP participants in this campaign, for helping us do our part in the fight against hunger and in raising hunger awareness," said Dave Janzen, Chair of Chicken Farmers of Canada”

The winning recipe will be available on our web site in the upcoming weeks and all 72 MP chicken sandwich recipes will be rolled into a digital cookbook. Click here for a list of the 72 MPs who entered our contest. http://chicken.ca/cooking-tips/tips_techniques/everyone-won-with-canadian-chicken

Here are just a few of the Canada Day sandwiches we served in the past

A Taste of Summer Chicken Sandwich

Spencer’s Favourite Chicken Sandwich

The “So Canadian” Chicken Sandwich

Preston Street Chicken Sandwich

It’s BBQ season and as Canadians, this is a chance to enjoy the outdoors before the next long winter stretch. Most of us will be BBQing a plenty so why not keep it healthy and look lean in that new bathing suit you’ve been meaning to show off?

These diet friendly and healthy BBQ chicken recipes are perfect for the calorie conscious who want to enjoy a lean summer.

Caribbean Chicken - 219 calories per serving

By removing the skin from these chicken legs, you are saving yourself some fat and calories. The accompanying mango salsa provides fibre which is important in maintaining a healthy weight.

Chicken Kefta Kabobs with Salad Greens and Lemon Walnut Yogurt – 310 calories per serving

Lean ground chicken can take on a whole lot of flavour as you’ll find in this recipe. The dipping sauce is made light by using low-fat yogurt.

Grilled Drumstick with Onion Marmalade – 332 calories per serving

Craving something sweet? These drumsticks are paired with a sweet marmalade sauce which should kick that craving into shape and keep your feeling satisfied.

Molasses BBQ Chicken drumsticks with Sweet Potato Wedges – 310 calories per serving

You’ll want to get some wet naps out to enjoy these saucy drumsticks. In this recipe, we’ve shaved back the calories by substituting your usual fries with healthy sweet potato wedges.

Jerk Chicken Quinoa Burgers with Jerk BBQ Sauce – 400 calories per serving

These healthy and easy to prepare chicken burgers pack a ton of protein by combining lean ground chicken and quinoa and are served with a spicy jerk sauce. You’d be a jerk not to try these……

Chicken Yakitori with Warm Carrot Salad – 370 calories per serving

Forget take-out and make this popular Japanese dish at home. You’ll save yourself some money and some added inches to your waist.

BBQed Chicken Thighs au Vin – 240 calories per serving

This classic French recipe can be quite time consuming to prepare. In this much easier version, you’ll save yourself some time and calories.

BBQ Chili Drumsticks with Avocado Tomato Salsa – 278 calories per serving

Craving some Tex-Mex? Try this simple yet flavourful recipe that is packed with the healthy oils of avocado and high vitamin C tomatoes.

Easy BBQ Chicken and Bean Burgers – 280 calories per serving

These juicy burgers are made with lean ground chicken, beans and oats which makes them a great source of fibre.

Garlicky Greek Chicken – 360 calories per serving

This recipe is a crowd pleaser and your guest will be even more impressed when they find out that it’s low in calories!

Grilled Tuscan Chicken Breast – 380 calories per serving

With just nine ingredients, you can create a succulent Tuscan meal that is also kind to your waist.

Ginger Lime Grilled Chicken – 232 calories per serving

With just four easy steps and seven ingredients, you can have a gourmet BBQ meal that is sure to become a family favourite.

Patio season is upon us and as Canadians, we love the great outdoors. The smell of grass, trees, barbecued chicken, fresh lemonade, bug spray and citronella are all smells that can evoke strong and oh so patriotic memories, especially the biggies like Victoria Day, Canada Day and Labour Day. Why wait for a long weekend though? You could plan your patio party for any “normal” weekend. After all, a well-planned and accessorized party will be the talk of your friends and family for the rest of the summer!

Step 1 Pick a theme — make it date specific (such as a festival) or something completely esoteric, it’s your choice. The last day of school, first day of summer (June 21st is on a Sunday this year) and July 4th are all examples of other dates that can help break up your routine.

Step 2 How to serve — once you’ve picked your theme and date start thinking about how to entertain your guests. Do you want everyone to mingle on the lawn? Hover around the BBQ? Lounge around the deck or patio? Pick one and make it your focal point for decor and seating, but don’t expect all your guests to stay in one place. A bunch will eventually make it to the kitchen, so make sure it’s in shape too. Buffet-style food service is the best way to accommodate both small and larger groups and can be effective when you have food items that need to be kept at a specific temperature.

Step 3 Mood and atmosphere — if you’ve chosen a popular theme for your patio party there may already be decorations available for you. Check party supplies stores and dollar stores for innovative ideas or for materials to make your own decorations. If you are doing something a little different – pick some colours and try to carry the theme through to your lighting, napkins, invitations, table cloths, etc. It doesn’t have to be glamorous, just coordinated. At this point you should also consider paper plates that can be recycled to cut down on waste (and dishes).

A fun idea for some ambient lighting in the evening is to put a cup of sand and a tea light in the bottom of paper lunch bags. Place them strategically around your gathering or along the path to guide your guests to the party. If used with a wooden railing, throw a staple or two through the bottom of the bag to keep it stable. Make sure to keep an eye on them so they don’t become a hazard. You can also buy fireproof bags – make sure you’re in compliance with your municipal by-laws, though!

Step 4 The invitation — make a list of friends and family that you’d like invite and create a simple invitation to announce the time and date of your party. If your list is manageable, handmade invites are very classy, but you can also find pre-printed invitations or stationery at most office supplies stores. Keep it on theme by using similar materials, colours or images. You can also try using e-invites!

Step 5 The menu — grilled anything works. After all, people will be standing around (or milling about downwind) while the food is being cooked and what better way to get the digestive juices flowing? Make sure there are some finger foods, potato chips or chopped vegetables handy to keep the hungry mob at bay. There are several great recipes that can be made for parties on the CFC website. For cooking times and temperatures click here. If you decide to pre-cook anything for the event, make sure it is fully cooked – you should never half-cook your food, it’s not safe. Basically, follow the golden rule: Keep Hot Things Hot and Cold Things Cold.

Step 6 Dessert — after working hard in the kitchen and attending to the the grill all day, don’t feel guilty about offering store-bought squares, cakes or pies – that is, unless your family reputation is at stake! Dessert is an ideal time to continue your theme and pick the colours in your décor.

Step 7 The drinks — depending on the size of your gathering, and the temperature outside – you may want to make sure your guests stay hydrated with a big batch of iced drinks. Mojitos, margaritas and sangria can all be made in batches ahead of time and go great with grilled foods like chicken. A large cooler is a good place to keep drinks and any food that needs to be stored cool. Always make sure to offer non-alcoholic drinks like creative lemonades with lavender, cherry, blueberry, mint —and iced teas. Sunstroke or heatstroke are not the memories you want people to take home with them. Also, ensure that there are designated drivers, or that you have enough room for folks to crash.

Step 8 Pest control — last but not least, make sure you have supplies for handling mosquitoes, flies, wasps or ants. Nothing ruins a good outdoor party like being swarmed. If you opt for big citronella torches, make sure they are not too close to the food, as they can be a bit overpowering. Mosquito coils can have a strong chemical smell, but are very effective at ankle protection when placed under a table or bench. Click here to visit the recipe section of the chicken site for great appetizers, grilling or celebration ideas that you can use or adapt to your patio party.

Canadians observe Father’s Day on the third Sunday in June, and it’s an important day in the year when many of us plan something very special to show our appreciation for dads and father figures (grandpas, step-fathers, guardians, family friends, etc.).  

If you haven’t decided what you or the kids are going to do for Father’s Day yet, here are a few suggestions:

Participate in an event, such as a marathon, to raise money for the prevention and treatment of health conditions most common or specific to men (heart health, prostate and colon cancer).

• Donate to a charity in dad’s name. This month, more than two dozen Canadian cities from Newfoundland to British Columbia will be participating in the Motorcycle Ride for Dad. Proceeds for this event will go to The Prostate Cancer Fight Foundation in order to support research and awareness for prostate cancer.  If you would like to find a Motorcycle Ride for Dad event in your region, go to http://www.pcff.ca/events.
• Buying dad a gift? Why not purchase something special from a registered charity? When you purchase a gift from a charitable organization, not only does dad get a present, but you also contribute to a worth-while cause. Common items sold by charities include books, ties, arts & crafts, and funky T-shirts.
• Accessories and gadgets are great gifts dads enjoy. Look for an unusual gift that goes beyond the norm. I found for purchase online a retro LEGO 2x2 tile silver-plated cufflinks – a cute keepsake from a child.
• Make a collage card or poster out of family photos to highlight events from dad’s life. Put dad’s age under each photo with a heart-warming or funny headline about the event. He’ll appreciate this home-made gift.
• If food is the way to dad’s heart, gather up the kids and head to the kitchen with these kid-friendly recipes:

Recipe of the Week – Almond-Crusted Chicken Fingers with Sweet Potato “Plum” Sauce

These chicken fingers are pan-fried and a healthy alternative to processed, frozen chicken fingers. Pair these with dad’s favourite salad and you will have a quick-n-easy lunch.

Easy Chicken Stuffed Peppers

This simple recipe is packed with flavour. Using peppers as a serving vessel makes for fun stuffing and easy cleanup. Be sure to impress dad by arranging on a platter a rainbow of green, red, yellow and orange peppers.

Chicken Pesto Pizza

This pizza is so easy to put together, but contains such gourmet flavours! Basil, feta, olives, and sun-dried tomato pesto make a savoury, Greek-inspired pizza that’s perfect for Father’s Day.

Italian Chicken Burgers

These chicken burgers are delicious and out-of-the-ordinary. Served on crusty garlic bread, the aroma will make his mouth water.

Layered Mexican Chicken Salad

A simple make-ahead recipe that is both attractive and delicious. Let your kids do the layering. Dad will think they spent hours preparing the dish. This hearty and stunning salad is delicious scooped onto baked tortilla chips or served wrapped in a soft tortilla.

Happy Father’s Day to all of our favourite men!

This Father’s Day, instead of buying Dad the same old gift why not give him something he really wants like a hearty “man meal”? Nothing pleases men more than a full belly, especially when it’s full of BBQed meat. In fact, I think Father’s Day is purposely celebrated in June (aka BBQ season).

Dad's Favourite Chicken Sandwich

You’ll find all of Dad’s favourites lumped into one delicious BBQ chicken sandwich. Favourites like beer, hot sauce, cheese, horseradish, mayo and all the fixins’! Don’t forget to serve this one with an ice cold beer.

Cajun Drums

These Cajun Drums are hot, spicy and sticky and can be eaten with your hands. All Dad will need to cool some of the heat down is a nice cold beer (I see a theme happening here). Oh, and lots of napkins!

Saucy Mozzarella Chicken Burgers

Give any man a burger bursting with flavour and gooey melted cheese and he’ll be a happy camper. This one will definitely be a hit with Dad!

For more BBQ chicken recipes, click here http://chicken.ca/recipes/category/bbq/

Happy Father’s Day to all of you rocking Canadian Dads!

As the goal of equality between men and women advances a little with each generation, we should not lose sight of our important differences. None of us would argue the fact that men and women are physically different. Our physical differences are rather obvious; it’s in our size, weight, shape & anatomy. Our psychological differences, on the other hand, are not so obvious and can be difficult to examine or describe, because they are hard-wired into the way we think.

This is particularly true when we consider the way men and women reflect upon the status of their health and what they do to improve it. Almost every woman with a man in her life knows, for example, how difficult it is for her guy to make an annual physical checkup a priority. Many men will simply avoid visiting a doctor, unless they have had a serious injury or feel that their current ailment has become an acute matter.  

While men and women do share the same goal to be healthy, their approach to the challenges for achieving good health can be quite different. Women, for example, tend to have a better understanding of what foods their bodies need in order to boost their energy, manage their weight, and prevent or treat disease. They actively seek nutrition information to better manage their health. Men, on the other hand, tend to be less proactive in seeking health information, particularly about how their daily diet impacts the way they look and feel, and shapes their future.  

With weight-related diseases affecting both men and women, and all ages in between, we should all be concerned about nutrition and the foods we eat.

Men, though, may have an extra reason to be concerned. They tend to gain weight around the waist. Added weight around the waist – the beer belly – can predispose men to diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, sleep apnea, and certain cancers. It can even make your hubby snore!

It’s not just the men folk who need to pay attention here

If you’re a woman with a special guy in her life, get him started on the road to better health. Ask him (rather convince him) to read these weight management tips.

If you’re the man doing the reading, get ready, get hyped! She’ll thank you for it.

Doesn’t matter if you’re a guy or a gal - you may not only shed unwanted pounds, you’ll be taking an effortless path to looking and feeling great.    

1. Remember this golden rule - do not starve thy body. Many diets do not satisfy us, leaving us feeling hungry and frustrated. We need the right combination of foods; adequate protein, whole grain starch, and colorful vegetables and fruits.
2. Get the right amount of protein. Men and women need the same amount of protein (a minimum of 60 grams per day). Studies show that eating adequate protein at all meals will help with weight loss and keep you satisfied longer! Examples of good protein sources:

• Lean chicken (90 g or 3 ounces) = 30 g
• Eggs (2) = 12 g
• Beans, peas, lentils (125 mL or ½ cup) = 10 g
• Nuts (almonds) (36 g or 60 mL) = 8 g
• Low fat milk (250 mL or 1 cup) = 10 g
• Greek yogurt (200 mL or ¾ cup) = 18 g
• Mozzarella cheese, 15-20% milk fat (60 g or 2 ounces) = 16 g

1. Stick to whole wheat, whole-grain ingredients found in breads, pastas, cereal or rice. Be label savvy and choose 4 grams of fibre or more per serving. Eating whole-grain, high fibre foods will help stave off hunger pains.
2. Have breakfast and make it a priority! Research has shown that people who eat breakfast have more success in maintaining their weight. Including a protein with fruit and a whole-grain, whole wheat starch will keep you from craving unhealthy snacks.
3. Having a snack attack? Two to three snacks per day can be good for you, as long as you’re making smart choices. Your snack should ideally combine a protein source with a fruit, vegetable or a grain. Aiming to have your snack within 90 minutes of your next meal will help you be less hungry at meal times, and allow you to choose healthier options throughout the day.
4. Load up on fruits and vegetables. Choose a wide variety of colours to maximize your vitamins. When serving yourself meals, cover half of your plate with vegetables and then move on to the protein. When you get to the starchy, higher calorie foods, you’ll have just enough room for a small portion.
5. Watch your beverages! Remember that alcoholic beverages and speciality coffees are high in calories, while water with a twist of lemon is calorie-free. Try to limit diet sodas, as they are not the healthiest choice and can actually make you hungrier!
6. Get moving! Ask your sweetheart to go for an evening power walk. Try to reach 150 minutes per week. Not enough time during the week? Be a “weekend warrior”! Do one hour on Saturday, one hour on Sunday and leave the remaining 30 minutes for your mid-week lunch break.

If you would like more information to maintain a healthy weight, achieve good cardiovascular health, prevent hypertension or treat diabetes, download our nutrition factsheet series at this link.  

Stay tuned next week when Chicken Farmers of Canada brings to you quick-n-easy/lean-n-mean grilling ideas. You will not want the BBQ King or Queen in your house to miss out on these recipes!

We try to keep up with as many Canadian food bloggers as we can, and these are just a few of the mouth-watering posts we came across this month. Enjoy!

Seven Spoons– Tara O’Brady, a food blogger from Southern Ontario is quite the photographer as you will notice when browsing through her delicious recipes. This recipe for Asian Chicken Corn Soup is simple to make and is the perfect soup if you like a kick of heat. 

Sweet Sugar Bean– Renee Kohlman is a chef from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Her background in Fine Arts shines through in her recipes like this one for Chicken Stuffed with Cherries and Caramelized Onions. Yum!

Family Feed Bag– This self-taught home cook from Victoria, B.C. is a mother of two young boys and found much of her inspiration from cookbooks and chefs like Michael Smith and Jamie Oliver, to name a few. Her recipe index is full of lip-smacking chicken recipes like this one for Sweet Chili BBQ Chicken.

Which Canadian food bloggers do you follow? Let us know in the comments.

CFC has freshened-up the look of its patient resources! The new and more visually pleasing nutrition fact sheets still provide all of the important health and nutrition information to help Canadians lead a healthier lifestyle.

Although our fact sheets are most widely used by Canadian dietitians, they are a great tool that anyone can use. You can track your daily food intake by using our Weekly Food Journals, or learn how to maintain a healthy weight with factsheet #6 Managing Your Weigh. Here’s a brief summary of what each nutrition fact sheet contains.

Factsheet #1) Your Health is For Life: Putting It All Together

Diabetes and heart disease are hot topics today. Their prevention and treatment is in your hands. Learn about the right foods to choose for health and disease management.

Factsheet #2) Healthy Living for Women: It’s in Your Hands

Women know that the path to improving their health is not solely based upon medical treatment or the knowledge that they are disease-free. Looking for a holistic approach to optimize your health? Read these tips to jump start your exercise regime, eat right, sleep well, and manage stress. 

Factsheet #3) Diabetes: Making the Right Food Choices

Are you confused about what approach to take for your own diabetes care and management? Diabetes is a lifelong, manageable disease. Medication, exercise and your food choices have a significant impact on your blood sugar control. If you are looking for ways to manage your health, try these steps along with consultations with a dietitian and your doctor.

Factsheet #4) Love That Healthy Heart

Your heart is the most functional organ in your body. Keeping your heart healthy should be a priority for all Canadians. Learn how to help reduce your cholesterol levels through diet and exercise.

Factsheet #5) Protect Your Health – Get Salt Savvy!

Sodium (salt contains sodium) is the ingredient responsible for increasing blood pressure. One-in-five Canadians has high blood pressure, which is a significant risk factor for stroke, heart attack and kidney disease. Keep your blood pressure in check by learning how to reduce your daily intake of sodium.

Factsheet #6) Managing Your Weight

If you are looking to shed some pounds to improve your health and feel great, get hyped to try these steps. Eating well and being active contribute to long-term health benefits and can lower your risk of many chronic diseases including hypertension, heart disease and diabetes.

Factsheet #7) Baby Boomers and Zoomers

Baby Boomers are a generation of active living people. Today, life expectancy for women is into their late eighties and for men, into their mid-eighties. Your goal is to live longer with vitality. Learn about the health benefits of exercise and getting the proper nutrients at 50 plus.

Factsheet #8) Screen or Scream – Are Your Kids Spending Too Much Time With the Tube?

Recent studies have determined a positive correlation between increased sedentary time (not moving much) with increased obesity in all age groups, including children and youth. Find out what you can do to get your kids moving and eating healthier.

Factsheet #9) Snack Attack! Keep it Healthy!

Snacking is on the rise, with structured meals on the decline. Canadians love their snacking more than Americans. If we’re not careful, snack foods can be calorie-dense and nutrient poor. Learn how to make your snacks healthier. Here are some ideas for work, home and play.

Our fact sheets are free and easily accessible through our Health Portal at http://chicken.ca/health/patient_resources

So what are you waiting for?

If you read our blog then you already know that during the week of January 23, 2012, I was off-site with the team at In Motion filming our new series of 15 how-to videos.

The videos are seasonal so we are not releasing them all at once. In April, we released two videos and if you missed them, here they are.

How-to make chicken breast in parchment

How-to make Thai chicken burgers

Today, we are releasing two more videos that are perfect if you are looking for fresh summer recipes.

Greek Salad and Chicken

The warm weather is here to stay and that means people are on the look-out for some refreshing meals. This Greek salad is perfect served in the summer when tomatoes and produce are at their peak freshness.

Chicken Nori Rolls

If you’re squeamish at the thought of raw fish, try this sushi plate that uses cooked chicken in its place. This easy and flavourful recipe is the perfect light lunch on a hot summer day.

Still to come:

How-To Make Chicken Pad Thai

How-To Make Stuffed Peppers

How-To Make Chicken Pot Pie

How-To Make Chicken Meatloaf

How-To Make Fried Chicken

How-To Make Chicken Paella

How-To Make Butter Chicken

How-To Make Sloppy Joes

How-To Make Quick Chicken Paprikash

How-To Chicken Curry

How-To Make Jambalaya

Have you tried making a recipe that you learned from one of our how-to videos? If so, which one and how did it turn out? We’d love to hear from you!

You don’t have to be a master chef to come up with your own tasty chicken burgers recipes.   By using some of your favourite seasonings and ingredients, you can create a low-fat burger that will have you enjoying our short-lived Canadian BBQ season.

I like to experiment with different toppings and seasonings when I make my burgers, then when I find a favourite, I add it to my recipe repertoire.  This weekend, I’m going to get creative by using seasonings like curry or tarragon, or maybe I’ll create a Hawaiian chicken burger using grilled slices of pineapple.  The possibilities are endless!

Here’s my take on a Mediterranean flavoured burger which is not only delicious but reheats well so make plenty to have for leftovers the next day.

Spinach and Feta Chicken Burgers

• 2 lbs ground chicken
• 1 cup chopped cooked spinach, well drained
• 1 large shallot finely minced
• 1/3 cup feta, crumbled
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained and chopped
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Toppings: Hummus and grilled vegetables like zucchini, red pepper and portabella mushrooms.

Whether you top your burger the classic way or add your own pizzazz, chicken burgers are always a delicious meal choice!

Need more chicken burger ideas?  Here are a few from our recipe database at www.chicken.ca

Saucy Mozzarella Chicken Burgers 

Easy BBQ Chicken and Bean Burgers

What’s your favourite chicken burger recipe?  Let us know in the comments.

Summer is just around the corner and many Canadians are already experiencing the heat. With temperatures soon to approach 30 degrees Celsius and above, it’s time to think about preventing dehydration and heat-related illnesses.

Being outdoors in the sun – mobile and active – and getting Vitamin D from the rays are some of the great benefits of summer. But sadly, the season many of us longed for by mid-March can put us at risk for heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and in rare and extreme cases, death.

Without taking proper precautions, all Canadians are vulnerable to heat-related accidents and illnesses. There are, however, groups within our population who are particularly vulnerable and could be monitored more closely. They are:

• Older adults
• Infants and children
• Outdoor workers
• People who exercise daily,and
• Individuals with chronic illness (such as those with asthma, breathing difficulties or heart disease)

When you’re out this summer – whether you are filling up your basket at a U-Pick, enjoying theatre in the park, or biking with the kids – it’s important to keep an eye on your family and others for the signs and symptoms of dehydration:

• dry lips and tongue
• headache
• weakness, dizziness, or extreme fatigue
• concentrated urine that appears dark
• nausea

Tips to stay cool this summer:

When planning a day out, research locations for cooling facilities. This way, if you are far away from home, you can easily locate air-conditioned libraries, government buildings, shopping malls or splash-parks.

• Make sure your family is dressed in light-coloured, loose fitting clothing.
• Do not forget sunscreen and hats.  
• When out in the sun, avoid drinks containing caffeine or alcohol. These drinks can induce the production of urine and promote dehydration.
• Take regular breaks in the shade and stay hydrated (drink plenty of water). If you plan to be outdoors most of the day, pack a cooler with refreshing snacks, food, and beverages for a picnic. Be sure to freeze water in empty leak-proof containers to chill your lunch and become part of the meal.

Chicken Farmers of Canada has many light and refreshing salad recipes to help you plan your next picnic on a warm day. Try these recipes to feel cool and energized for a day of fun.

Grilled Chicken, Watermelon and Tomato Salad

Watermelon and tomatoes may seem like an unlikely pairing, but the sweetness of the fruit works perfectly with the slight acidity found in the tomatoes. Toss in crisp slices of romaine lettuce, and you’ve got a meal that not only tastes fresh and light, but looks great on your picnic table.

Chicken Crunch Salad

Grapes, water chestnuts and red pepper add lovely texture to this flavourful salad. It’s a great protein-rich lunch to pack in a cooler for a picnic.

Teriyaki Chicken Garden Salad

This light, refreshing salad is full of flavour thanks to a delicious Teriyaki marinade. Tart cranberries and a sweet raspberry vinaigrette provide mouth-watering contrast in this easy recipe.

Do you love to use fresh fruit and crunchy vegetables in your meals during summer? Share your favourite recipe in our comments.

I am a Canadian Farmer.

I am not Old MacDonald or a factory farmer

And I don’t wear coveralls and rubber boots all the time.

I use a computer, a tractor and a shovel on any given day.

And if they farm, I probably do know Barb or Bill or John from Arnprior

And they are really nice people.

I am an active environmentalist.

I have a kitchen table, not a boardroom table.

I can proudly stamp my flag on food shipped around the world.

I believe in producing safe food.

And more of  it on less land.

The best in the world.

If you ate today, thank me.

I am a Canadian Farmer.

Farm and Food Care Ontario

Chicken is such a versatile protein; It gets chopped, sliced, ground-up, barbecued, sautéed, deep fried, marinated (I could go on and on here) but did you know that it can be cooked-up using some of your favourite cocktail ingredients?

Let’s take a look at some of our boozy chicken recipes that’ll have you feeling satisfied without the buzz or hiccups!

Brandy Chicken with Sage

I remember back in the day when “a wee nip of brandy” was the cure for whatever ails you. That’s not the case anymore but it sure works well in this delicious recipe.

Chicken Pasta with Whisky Cream Sauce

Do you like your whiskey neat or on the rocks? How about tossed up with some chicken and pasta? I wouldn’t suggest asking for your whisky this way at your local bar unless you want some strange looks from your bartender.

Curried Rum Chicken Wings with Grilled Pineapple

Rum and pineapple are a great combination and the curry in this recipe just gives it that extra kick. While you’ve got the rum out, why not make yourself a cool Pina Colada?

Tipsy Teriyaki Barbecue Chicken

In this recipe, the chicken gets tipsy for you, so have as much as you want without feeling hung over the next day!

Gin and Tonic Kabobs with Mint Tabouleh

Here’s a fancy way to grill up your kabobs. Gin and Tonic is no longer considered the drink of the “upper crust” but it could become the marinade of the “upper crust”?

Tequila Marinated Chicken with Rice, Corn and Black Beans

Chicken marinated in tequila? Now that’s a Mexican meal! Olé to that, mi amigos!

Do you have a boozy chicken recipe you’d like to share with us in our comments?

What is celiac disease?

More than 20 million Canadians suffer from digestive disorders every year. Many of these Canadians (1 in 133) have a food intolerance or sensitivity to gluten – a family of proteins found in some grains including wheat, barley and rye. For these individuals, including those with celiac disease (CD), the dietary consumption of gluten can have adverse health effects.

The Canadian Celiac Association (CCA) defines celiac disease as “an autoimmune disease where the surface of the small intestine that absorbs nutrients from food is damaged by a substance called gluten.” The only medically accepted treatment for celiac disease is to maintain a gluten-free diet so that the body can absorb essential nutrients.

What is a gluten-free diet?

A gluten-free diet allows for fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and many dairy products, but excludes foods containing the gluten protein found in wheat (including durum wheat or just “durum,” spelt wheat, & kamut), barley, rye, bulgur, malts and in some food additives which are used for flavoring or thickening often labeled “dextrin.” Fortunately several grains and starches are considered safe in a gluten-free diet. The most commonly used are corn, potatoes, rice and tapioca.

There is a lot of confusing information about what (and what not) to eat when following a gluten-free diet. It is important to know that there are many options available, so that you do not avoid foods and lose out on important nutrients. For a list of foods that are safe, you may find this webpage from the CCA helpful:

http://www.celiac.ca/index.php/about-celiac-disease/

The key to living well with celiac disease is to read food labels carefully and become familiar with the products that are safe. Gluten is commonly used in the production of many processed foods including obvious products (breads, pastas, and most common breakfast cereals) and not so obvious products such as seasonings, sauces, soy sauce, marinades, salad dressings, soups, prepared meats, and flavoured coffees.

The next time you are at the grocer, why not take the time to read the label of a new product or an older product that you have not tried? You may find yourself expanding your meal options and adding new nutrients to your diet. Some products that are not marketed as gluten-free may be gluten-free naturally.

If you are like me, and enjoy preparing healthy meals at home, CFC has dozens of nutritious, gluten-free recipes that even your kids will like. Polenta Chicken Pizza Bites found on www.chicken.ca is an easy, flexible recipe that calls for cornmeal and corn flour instead of wheat. You can change the toppings to suit your preferences. This recipe also works well with leftover roast chicken.

Bon appetit!

Cooking for one doesn’t shouldn’t mean picking up a stack of TV dinners for the week. In fact, cooking for one is a great opportunity to experiment with the ingredients you LOVE and not worry about feeding any picky eaters. It’s also a lot better for your health!

Tips to cooking for one:

Food:

• Load up on meats, breads, frozen/fresh vegetables, pantry items like pastas and canned goods when they’re on sale.
• Wrap meats in individual portions using freezer bags or plastic containers and label them with the date you freeze them. Here’s a great chart that will help you figure out how long chicken cuts can be frozen.

http://chicken.ca/cooking-tips/food_safety_at_home/storage_and_thawing_guide/

• Frozen vegetable are a great alternative to fresh because you can use exactly the amount you need, without any waste. If you are using some fresh vegetables, chop, slice or dice what you need for a recipe ahead of time and store them in the fridge air tight containers until you are ready to use them.
• Leftover canned ingredients should always be stored in plastic or glass containers and keep well in the fridge.
• Freeze half a loaf of bread. You’ll probably only go through half a loaf of bread or less over the course of a week, so freeze what you don’t plan on using.
• Whole grain pasta stores well and you can prepare as much or as little as you want.
• Canned beans, tomato sauces and diced tomatoes are a pantry must have. I keep my pantry stocked with these items. Canned beans are high in fibre and can be used in salads, soups and chilis. Tomato sauce makes a really easy dinner of chicken parmesan and you can use the leftover sauce for pasta.

Cooking:

• Think batch cooking - by preparing a large meal in advance, you can freeze the rest or refrigerate some and have meals that you can enjoy later in the week for lunch or dinner. For big batch meals, I suggest using a recipe that freezes well like one of these from www.chicken.ca

Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken and Vegetables

Easy Chicken Stuffed Peppers

Home-Made Low Sodium Chicken Stock

Stacked Tortilla Bake with Chicken Chili

Creamy Cabbage, Chicken and Egg Noodle Casserole

• Invest in a slow cooker, especially if you have a busy schedule or plan on doing some big batch cooking. By preparing a chili or one of your favourite slow cooker recipes on a lazy weekend, you’ll be set for the week.
• An indoor grill is also a great way to enjoy a single serving of chicken, quesadillas or a grilled Panini style sandwich.
• If you’re trying a recipe for the first time, cut the ingredients by half or less than half. Most recipes serve between 6-8 people so wait to see if you actually like it.
• Think about the types of food you prepare and how you can use leftovers. Chicken chili is great served on its own but it’s also great served in a soft tortilla shell, sprinkled with lettuce and cheese, or use it to make a small batch of nachos with some of your favourite toppings.
• By cooking a whole chicken or a few chicken breasts, you’ll have dinner and leftovers to make a sandwich or salad the next day.

See, cooking for one is easy and you’ll save yourself some money!

What can parents do? Become a positive role model in healthy eating and physical activity.

• Teach your kidsabout food and why they need to eat healthy nutritious foods. Protein is a source of building blocks for strong muscles, bones and tissue. Carbohydrates provide energy needed for daily activity, growth and development. Good fats are essential for hormonal function and brain development. Minerals such as calcium keep bones strong and healthy. Zinc helps build your immune system. For more information on nutrients and health, go to www.hc-sc.gc.ca

Suggested resource “Nutrient Value of Some Common Foods”

• Keep mostly healthy, nutritious foods in the house on a regular basis. Only keep a small amount of high sugar/salty snacks at home to be enjoyed as a treat. If your child wants an unhealthy snack such as chips/chocolate, make sure this is balanced out with a nutritious food; sliced oranges are excellent with a small handful of chips. Better yet, offer a fruit first and then, the option of a less nutritious snack. Chances are, the child will not be hungry or will eat significantly less of the salty/sweet starch.
• Keep washed fruit on the counter, ready to go. If it is at eye level they will reach for it first; quick & easy.
• Always have an assortment of bite size veggies on hand in the fridge; place in a clear container so they are visible. Have a low fat dip prepared to accompany these nutritious morsels.
• Serve lean meats such as chicken. To make chicken even leaner, remove the skin before serving.
• Limit consumption of pop and juice. Encourage your kids to drink plenty of water. A 250 ml serving of juice is approximately 120 calories. This will take a child 30 minutes of running to burn it off. Juice is a nutritious beverage choice but one serving size = 125 ml (1/2 cup) only. Buy juices with no added sugar.

Tip: Add water to juice before serving

• Breakfast- Breakfast - Breakfast…It is the most important meal of the day. Parents, be positive role models; sit and enjoy breakfast with your kids.
• Food Game: Tasting different healthy foods, fruits and vegetables as a fun activity. Pick one night a week or month where you all sit down as a family and take turns trying out new healthy foods. Start up a discussion on the flavors, textures; was it good, tasty? Show your kids that foods come in a wide variety.

As if we weren’t excited enough when we launched the Everyone Wins With Canadian Chicken contest on April 23^rd, over the past couple of weeks, the contest has gone gangbusters on Twitter and Facebook.

It just goes to show how important this cause is to Canadians and for good reason. Did you know that 40% of people who use the Food Bank are children?

You can do your part in helping feed Canada’s hungry by getting your local MP to participate in our contest by sharing their favourite chicken breast sandwich recipe here http://contest.chicken.ca and if you need more information on the contest, you can find it here http://appconnected.com/everyonewinswithchicken/

Not sure how to contact your MP? Here’s how:

Email – You can find your MP’s email using this link http://www.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx

Twitter – You can find your MP’s twitter handle using this link.

http://appconnected.com/everyonewinswithchicken/mplisting.php

Facebook – Usually, MPs will have their sites listed on their homepages.  Find their homepage using this link.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx

The first prize sandwich will win a $10,000 donation

The second prize sandwich, a $5,000 donation

The third prize sandwich, a $2,500 donation

That’s a lot of food to go around so don’t forget to spread the word!

The winning sandwich will also be served at our Great Canadian Barbecue on Canada Day, so if you happen to be in Ottawa on July 1^st, come by and see us.

In a world of packaged and fast food, it’s more important than ever that everyone, especially young children, know where their food comes from. That’s why we created an interactive educational tool called Fun Farm, where kids can play games, download projects and learn about how their chicken dinner made it to their plates.

On the Fun Farm, kids can play games like the Matching Mania memory game, test their skills at chicken jig-saw puzzles, or design a virtual T-shirt. There are also interactive games, like Build-a-Barn that gives kids a virtual barn that they have to equip with all the right equipment and supplies necessary to raise healthy chickens.

But fun Farm is about more than just fun – it’s about learning. The site also features a Project Corner with downloadable project ideas and a Teacher's Corner that can be used in the classroom to get kids involved in research projects and tests their skills in science, health, reading, writing, critical thinking, and visual arts.

Teachers can use these lesson plans as part of their curriculum or students can explore them on their own and get their parents involved too. It's a great way to learn and afterwards kids have a better understanding of chickens and farming from the gate to the plate.

Fun Farm is a great virtual place for kids to learn and have fun at the same time. We had a lot of fun building it.

If you’re not sure how to entertain your family this weekend, why not have your closest amigos over for a Cinco de Mayo celebration?  After a long work week, this fun celebration full of vibrantly colored decorations is sure to brighten-up everyone’s week.

Here are some tips on hosting a Cinco de Mayo Party.

Decorations

• Keep things colorful with streamers and balloons. These are an inexpensive way to decorate and you can find them at your local dollar store in a wide range of colors.
• Make paper flowers like these and attach then to the streamers or use them to make an inviting wreath for your front door.
• Place a big glass bowl or vase full of limes as table center piece.
• Decorate with small cacti or succulent plants which will also be used as party favours.

Activities

• Have a guacamole or salsa contest. Have your guests bring a bowl of their favourite homemade guacamole or salsa and have them choose a favourite. You can also do a favourite Mexican recipe exchange.
• You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy hitting a piñata but for today, leave it to the kids. It’ll keep them entertained while the adults sit back and relax. Here’ a great video on how to make a piñata.

Don’t forget to dance to some good salsa and mariachi!

Drinks

This recipe for Frozen Margaritas is sure to please your guests.

You can also make these Frozen Virgin Margaritas for the kids and adults can enjoy.

Mexican Chicken Recipes

Avocado, Beet and Chicken Tostadas

These sophisticated tostadas are the perfect treat to enjoy with a frozen margarita.

Chicken Chili

This chicken chili is perfect served in a soft tortilla. Have guest chose their own toppings of lettuce, tomato, grated cheese, guacamole, green onions and cilantro.

Baked Nachos with Tomatillo Salsa

Who doesn’t love nachos?  They are easy to prepare and ready in minutes and they’ll be gobbled-up in no time so double up on the ingredients!

Fab Fajita Sliders

These little gems can also be made into regular sized burgers. Prepare the patties the night before and either grill them on the BBQ or bake them in the oven.

For more recipe ideas visit us at http://chicken.ca/recipes/

What are your plans for Cinco de Mayo? Let us know in the comments.

It’s that time of year where the weather is warming up and people start thinking about home renovations.

A few years ago, I went through a kitchen renovation that took almost 4 weeks to complete. Although I was very pleased with the end result, living without a kitchen for 4 weeks was pretty tough. For one, my oven stood next to the television in my living room, my fridge in the dining room and pots, pans and dishes were stored in plastic bins which were scattered throughout. My microwave sat on my dining room table and was plugged into the wall.

So for the first few days I was a little discouraged and ordered take-out for lunches and dinners until I realized how much money I was spending. One thing people don’t factor in with the cost of renovations is the cost of how often they’ll be eating out or ordering in because living without a kitchen makes it hard to prepare a decent healthy meal, or so I thought. After those few days of take-out I thought to myself, “there’s got to be a better way”.

Here are some tips on eating healthy while having your kitchen restored.

Cooking equipment:

1. Use your BBQ – if the weather permits, a BBQ can be your best friend during a kitchen renovation.
2. If you have an indoor grill, find a spot where it can be plugged in and use it on those days where it’s just too hot to be outside.
3. A microwave ALWAYS comes in handy.
4. You can keep a few small plates out that can easily be washed in a bathroom sink but ideally, I recommend paper plates. You can buy a large amount of recyclable paper plates at your local grocery store or dollar store for little cost. Same goes for utensils.
5. Get your toaster oven out.
6. Your slow-cooker can also be handy but you’ll need to find a spot to wash it. I suggest the laundry basin if you have one.
7. Your electric kettle.

Food:

1. Your refrigerator will be plugged-in so you can make full use of it. Keep plenty of foods that can be easily prepared on your BBQ or indoor grill, like chicken breasts or chicken sausages.
2. Before the renovations start, I suggest preparing foods that can be frozen that way all you have to do is reheat them in a toaster oven or microwave.
3. Buy a rotisserie chicken and prepared salad at your grocery store. A whole pre-cooked chicken can last you a few days. If you have a large family, buy a few. You’ll save money in the long run. Rip bits off the breast meat or dark meat and place between two slices of your favourite whole grain bread; add mayonnaise or hummus and a handful of prepared salad. Or serve the chicken on top of the salad greens with your favourite bottled salad dressing.
4. Frozen vegetables (get the one’s that can be steamed in the bag) are easily prepared in the microwave.
5. Sweet potatoes or potatoes can be washed clean, wrapped in foil and cooked on the BBQ. You can also prepare them in the microwave, minus the tin foil.
6. Grated cheese is always handy to have around. Try placing a few corn chips topped with salsa and grated cheese in your toaster over for a quick snack.
7. Keep plenty of fresh fruit around. Fruit is great for breakfast or for a snack.
8. Buy a box of instant oatmeal and use your electric kettle to boil the water.

Try some of our easy to prepare recipes at www.chicken.ca

Chicken and Vegetable Pockets

These Chicken and Vegetable Pockets are easy to prepare using only 6 ingredients. Keep them in your fridge or freeze them and cook them in your toaster oven when you need a quick meal.

Thai Style Sweet Chili Chicken

This slow cooker recipe uses only 7 ingredients with no chopping required.

Chicken Chili

Chili freezes well and can be thawed in the microwave.  It’s also perfect served on its own, with corn chips, or wrapped in a flour tortilla sprinkled with grated cheddar cheese.

I hope this has taken some of the stress out of planning your kitchen renovation.

April is Oral Health Month and an important part of this celebration was National Dental Hygienists’ Week. From April 8 – 14^th thousands of dental hygienists from across the country came together to bring awareness to the importance of maintaining good oral health practices. Their theme for this week “Oral Health for Total Health” was a reminder that keeping our teeth free from cavities and our gums free from disease is not only important to our appearance, but our overall health.

To maintain good oral health, we need to do more than brush and floss our teeth daily, or visit the dentist regularly; we need to make sure we are getting enough vitamins, minerals and other nutrients needed for strong, healthy bones. Chicken is a good source of iron, zinc and phosphorus, which are important nutrients for healthy bones and teeth. When we combine chicken with other healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, we are creating delicious and well-balanced meals for overall health. No other meat is so versatile.

Do you have a favourite side dish, and would like to pair it with a nutritious protein to make a complete meal? Watch our video on how to season liquid for perfectly poached chicken, every time.

http://chicken.ca/cooking-tips/videos/poaching/

For oral health month, don’t forget to improve your overall health by reading Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide and SMILE!

Most people shy away from anything that isn’t the norm. Some people may find the thought of preparing chicken livers challenging because they’ve never tried it before. Some may just cringe at the thought of eating offal but did you know that chicken livers are not only a good source of protein but a high source of iron making them the perfect food for those who suffer from anemia (iron deficiency)?

They are also high in amino acids, vitamins A, B6, B12 and C and minerals like copper, zinc, magnese and selenium to name a few.

So why not try them at least once? You may be surprised at how tasty they can be when properly prepared.

Italian Chicken Liver and Pepper Stir Fry

This budget-friendly meal is easy to prepare and you’ll have it on the table in under 20 minutes making it the perfect meal on a busy night.

Chicken Liver Loaf with Garlic Sprouts

This unique take on meat loaf can be prepared the night before then sliced and enjoyed on a sandwich or over your favourite leafy greens.

Note:This recipe is courtesy of Poulet du Québec. Click here for more recipes (available in French only.)

Chicken Liver Pâté in White Wine Sauce

Chicken livers make the perfect pâté which can be served with baguette, a selection of cheeses and grapes at your next party.

You can also learn how to make this chicken liver pâté by watching our How-To Make Chicken Pâté video here.

(*Offal  -the edible internal parts of an animal, such as organ meats, like the heart, liver, and tongue)

Summer is just around the corner and that means BBQ time! Nothing says BBQ season to me like grilling up a batch of flavourful kabobs. Bite-sized pieces of marinated meat threaded onto skewers and grilled to perfection – Mmmmmm, I can hardly wait!

Not only are kabobs the perfect meal to serve up from the grill but they are inexpensive and easy to prepare. Choose seasonal vegetables or stick to the basics like onions, mushrooms and peppers. If you’re feeling adventurous, try using pineapple! It’s perfect when paired with meats like chicken or pork.

Here are some tips for preparing kabobs.

• Meats, fruits and vegetables should be cut into 1” thick cubes. This will allow the ingredients to cook more evenly.
• If you are using ground meat, don't use too much meat or it will fall off the skewers during grilling. By refrigerating the skewers 2 hours before grilling, you’ll not only allow any seasoning to come through but it will help the meat hold together.
• If you are using metal skewers, take caution as they get very, very hot. Use your BBQ tongs to rotate the skewers or invest in a metal kebab basket like this one. 
• If you are using wooden skewers, make sure you soak them at least 30 minutes before cooking time. This will prevent them from scorching.
• For ultimate flavour, try marinating your meat for a minimum of 30 minutes (but preferably overnight). Although you can use any of the leftover sauce to baste the meat, I suggest doubling the marinade recipe and having one batch for basting and one that has not been in touch with raw meat for dipping.

We have six chicken kabob recipes to get you grilling:

Gin and Tonic Kabobs with Mint Tabouleh

If you’re looking to impress your guests at your next BBQ gathering, then these gin and tonic marinated chicken kabobs will have you looking like a star.

Chicken Yakitori with Warm Carrot Salad

Canadian summers are short so why not leave the take-out for those cold winter months and grill up your favourite Asian dish in the great outdoors?

Grilled Chicken Tofu Kabobs with Brown Rice

Grilled tofu? You heard right! These kebabs are not only high in protein but high in fibre. If your best friend is vegetarian, omit the chicken. If tofu isn’t your thing, then double up on the chicken.

Tropical Chicken Kabobs

If your kids are picky eaters, grill up a batch of these sweet kabobs. The caramelized pineapple works perfectly with the colorful sweet potatoes.

Egyptian Kabobs with Mint Potato Salad

Enjoy your favourite curry dish on a stick. How cool is that?

Chicken Kefta Kabob with Salad Greens & Lemon Walnut Yogurt

For something a little different, why not try ground chicken kabobs? These are loaded with flavour and will not disappoint.

Do you have a favourite chicken kabob recipe you’d like to share with us? We’d love to hear it so share it in our comments!

Hunger affects everyone – and over 40% of the people who use food banks in Canada are children. Here’s a chance for you to make a difference. The Everyone Wins With Canadian Chicken campaign wants to get all Members of Parliament to submit their favourite chicken breast sandwich recipe for a chance to win!

First Prize - $10,000 donation

Second Prize - $5,000 donation

Third Prize - $2,500 donation

The winning recipe will also be served to over 10,000 people at the 20th Annual Great Canadian Chicken BBQ in Ottawa on Canada Day.

All MP entries will be included in a downloadable digital cookbook that can download.

Ask your MPs to share their favourite chicken breast sandwich recipe and let them entertain you with tips, techniques and expert advice on what makes their sandwich special. MPs can enter at http://contest.chicken.ca.

Get more info from our website’s front page at www.chicken.ca

Tell your friends!  We need your help!

Many thanks to Maple Leaf Foods, Food Banks Canada and The Hill Times for their support of this great initiative!

Since 1970, Earth Day has been the focus of millions of people who celebrate the environmental event in many different ways in their own part of the globe. It is expected that this year, more than 6 million Canadians will join 1 billion people in over 170 countries by holding events and activities to celebrate Earth Day and to address local environmental issues.

In some cases, communities take on projects to raise awareness or to do something tangible for the environment such as Victoria’s Earth Walk (5,000 participants), Edmonton’s Earth Day Festival at Hawrelak Park (30,000 participants), and Oakville, Ontario’s Waterways Clean-up (2,000 participants).

With chicken farmers in every province, Canadian chicken is the perfect local source of protein in your diet. Through the implementation of sustainable, good production practices, chicken farmers are committed to leaving the smallest possible imprint on the environment.

CFC also supports the development and implementation of environmental farm plans.

We all have a role to play in ensuring that we are buying food closer to the farm and creating less of an imprint on the environment. Buying Canadian chicken is a smart choice; for your health and for the environment!

Most Canadians eat chicken at least once a week, but what do you REALLY know about chicken?  Here are a few things that might surprise you.

They’re secretly dinosaurs.

Like most birds, chickens share a great deal of DNA with their thunder lizard ancestors, however, according to a July 2010 story in the Times & Transcript, recent DNA analysis shows that T-Rex and chickens are such extremely close cousins biologically that “science has no choice but to acknowledge that birds are, in reality, dinosaurs, not just critters evolved from them.” In fact, these genetic ties are so strong that one scientist (who was also the prime science advisor for the movie Jurassic Park) is currently working to get funding to create a brand new dinosaur, starting from a chicken embryo, that he has dubbed a “chickenosaurus.”

They came before the egg.

Sorry, Eggs.  British scientists, who evidently have far too much time on their hands, used a supercomputer and over 5 million core hours of computer simulations to answer the question.  Studying the proteins only found within a chicken’s ovaries and its effect on creating the hard shell of an egg overnight, they determined that only a chicken could produce a chicken egg, and therefore, it had to have come first.

There are hundreds of breeds of chicken.

In North America, there are only a few breeds raised for food, and a few raised for eggs, but across the world there are hundreds of breeds – some that look very much like the iconic chicken we all know, and some that look like vultures, some that are different colours, and even one called a Silkie, that has dark skin and looks oddly like a poodle.  Then again, chickens probably think humans all look the same, too.

Chickens are omnivores

It’s true that chickens raised in Canada are entirely grain-fed, but it’s also true that while they love their veggies, chickens are meat-eaters as well.  In fact, without proper protein in their diet, chickens will look to supplement their diet wherever they can – even if it means attacking one another.  On the farm, chickens get their protein from their feed either in the form of grain or bone meal, while also snacking on the occasional bug wherever they can find it.

Canadian chickens are not raised with hormones.

Hopefully, if there were any facts here that you already knew, this was the one.  Sadly, this is a question that we still find ourselves answering, even though feeding, injecting or otherwise administering hormones to chickens has been illegal in Canada since the 60s.  So, if you see a label on chicken that reads “Hormone Free,” it doesn’t mean that the others are not.  All chicken in Canada has been raised without added hormones.

April is National Stress Awareness Month in the U.S. Is it a coincidence that this important campaign falls on the same month when North Americans are preparing for tax season? Stress is considered the cause of many health problems, including – but not limited to – heart disease, hypertension, and back pain. With deadlines at work, and family and financial responsibilities at home, it can feel like time is never on your side.

It will come as no surprise that one of the major causes of modern day stress is the act of juggling time. Sure, there are many tips out there to get more minutes out of your day, i.e. organize priorities, invest in a smart phone, multi-task, or even hire a part-time housekeeper if your budget allows. All of these are great ideas, but for National Stress Awareness Month why not try something that is truly relaxing?

Make a day off!  

Why not plan one day each week to get a good night’s sleep, slip into fresh, comfy clothes, eat a nutritious meal, and spend quality time at home with your family. Nothing cures a hectic week like sleep, food, and love!

If eating a nutritious meal factors into your day, here are some “quick-n-easy” chicken recipes with broad appeal that not even your spouse will hesitate to make.

A Taste of Summer Chicken Sandwich

Simple Chicken Curry

Broccoli, Potato & Chicken Soup

For more wholesome, convenient recipes like these, click on “quick-n-easy” recipes at www.chicken.ca.

When you're shaking off the winter blahs with a good spring cleaning, take the time to target harmful bacteria that can lurk on kitchen surfaces and even in your refrigerator. A clean and dry kitchen helps Fight BAC! and protect you and your family from foodborne illness.

How safe is your kitchen?

Did you know that many cases of foodborne illness results from poor food handling at home? Your kitchen could be a high risk environment. Bacteria can thrive in food that is improperly stored or handled. Reduce the risks by following these tips from Canada's food safety experts. Play it "food safe" in your kitchen!

Get off to a CLEAN start!

• Hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of foodborne illness. Do you wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water before and after handling food? Wash again when you switch from one food to another.
• Are your countertops and utensils clean and sanitized? Sanitizing reduces bacteria and can prevent foodborne illness.
• It's important to thoroughly clean everything that comes in contact with your hands or your food! Don't forget about kitchen cloths . . . faucet handles . . . sink drains . . . garbage disposals . . . can opener blades . . . refrigerator handles . . . small appliances . . . utensils, and so on.
• To tackle bacteria, mold and mildew, clean interior refrigerator surfaces with hot water and soap. Rinse with a damp cloth; dry with a clean cloth.

Avoid using sponges because they are harder to keep bacteria-free.

Here’s how to make your own bleach sanitizer

• Combine 5 mL (1 tsp) of bleach with 750 mL (3 cups) of water in a labelled spray bottle.
• After cleaning, spray sanitizer on the surface/utensil and let stand briefly.
• Rinse with lots of clean water, and air dry (or use clean towels).

For more information on handling food safely visit chicken.ca or the Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education or the government of Canada’s food safety website.

If I don’t laugh at least once a day (I’m talking a good hearty laugh) then my day isn’t complete. There’s something about the effects of laughter that just lighten up my mood and release tension and stress much like that feeling you get after a good workout, that endorphin release!

Not only does laughing make you feel better but it’s contagious so by making everyone else around you laugh, you are making their day.

Here are my suggestions to get laughing at least once a day:

• It doesn’t have to be April Fool’s day to play a good prank on one of your co-workers
• Find a humorous video on YouTube and share it with friends
• Call up a friend and when they answer the phone cluck like a chicken. By the way, I work for the Chicken Farmers of Canada so I get calls like this from friends and family on a regular basis......
• Get laughing through Facebook. We ran a contest at Canadian Chicken asking people to take their favourite song title and movie title and replace one of the words with chicken. It was hysterical!
• Watch a funny movie with friends and family
• Share one of your most embarrassing moments with friends and they’ll likely do the same

Need more tips on how to laugh out loud? Visit http://www.humormonth.com/

National Humour Month was founded by Larry Wilde, Director of the Carmel Institute of Humour.

“Your sense of humor is one of the most powerful tools you have to make certain that your daily mood and emotional state support good health.”

~ Paul E. McGhee, Ph.D.

If you read our blog then you already know that during the week of January 23, 2012, I was off-site with the team at In Motion filming our new series of 15 how-to videos.

You’ll be happy to know that they are done but we won’t be releasing the videos all at once. Some of these are seasonal so keep your eyes peeled throughout the year as new ones are released.

Here are two new how-to videos we are releasing this month.

How-to make chicken in parchment

This is a great dish you can make to impress your guests. You’ll often see this classic cooking technique used for proteins like chicken and fish. Cooking food in parchment adds loads of flavour with minimum fat so if you’re watching your weight, you’ll really want to check-out this great how-to video!

How-to make Thai chicken burgers

Forget take-out! These burgers will satisfy both your fast food burger and Thai cravings all at once. They’re also lower in calories and fat than your usual take-out foods, which means you can even enjoy them during swimsuit season!

Still to come:

1. How-To Make Chicken Pad Thai
2. How-To Make Stuffed Peppers
3. How-To Make Chicken Pot Pie
4. How-To Make Chicken Meatloaf
5. How-To Make Fried Chicken
6. How-To Make Chicken Paella
7. How-To Make Butter Chicken
8. How-To Make Sloppy Joes
9. How-To Make Quick Chicken Paprikash
10. How-To Chicken Curry
11. How-To Make Jambalaya
12. How-To Make Greek Salad with Chicken
13. How-To Make Chicken Nori Rolls

Have you tried making a recipe that you learned from one of our how-to videos? If so, which one and how did it turn out? We’d love to hear from you!

Are you ready for a Mayan adventure? I hope so because for our last culinary destination, we are heading to Mexico!

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Mexican food is hot and spicy. One of my favourite Mexican foods is salsa because of its versatility. Its mild or spicy tones are used to enhance the flavours of Mexican foods such as tacos and fish, just to name a few. Not only is salsa very low in calories but it is considered to be fat-free which is why it has become a main staple for dieters around the world who often use it as an alternative to high-fat, high-calorie salad dressings.

Traditional salsas are tomato based and use a combination of cilantro, garlic, onions, lime juice and chili peppers which are then pureed into a heavenly mixture. Pico de Gallo, another form of salsa, uses the same ingredients but instead of being pureed, the vegetable are cut into small pieces which gives this salsa more rustic texture. I prefer mine pureed but it’s really all a matter of preference.

Here are a few chicken recipes that get their flavours from SALSA!

Friday Night Nacho Bake

This healthier take on nachos is simple to prepare and uses only 5 ingredients. This is the perfect dinner to enjoy on a Friday night or if you are on a tight budget.

Lime Salsa Chicken

This simple marinade recipe shows the versatility of salsa which is mixed with lime juice and yogurt. It’ll soon become a family favourite.

Ground Chicken and Salsa Sloppy Joes

Are your kids picky eaters? These healthy Sloppy Joes recipe is not only quick to prepare with just 7 ingredients but the whole family will enjoy them.

For more recipes using salsa, visit www.chicken.ca

Do you have a favourite chicken recipe using salsa? We’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Need help planning your Easter brunch this year? Here are some of my ideas to get you started.

Menu

Take advantage of seasonal produce like asparagus. Asparagus spells Easter and springtime to me. When shopping for asparagus, you should select bundles that are rich green in colour, firm and have tightly closed tips.

Here are two brunch recipes that use asparagus.

Savoury Asparagus & Chicken Bread Pudding

This is the perfect Easter brunch dish. Not only is it easy to make but you can prepare it the night before which means you’ll spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your family.

Asparagus & Chicken Pie with Grated Potato Crust

The potato crust used in this pie makes this a great brunch option and it cuts down the calories you would usually get from a traditional pie crust.

If you’re not a big fan of asparagus, then you may want to try one of these two recipes.

Chicken Florentine Strata

This budget friendly meal will not only save you money, it’ll save you some time. By preparing it the night before, you’ll have plenty of time to rest before your guests arrive.

Black Bean Chicken & Egg Enchiladas

By adding eggs to a traditional recipe like this one, you can easily transform your favourite dish into a brunch time meal.

Don’t forget to have a healthy salad option like a spring mix salad and some freshly sliced fruit for any picky eaters.

Drinks like fruit punch are always a hit with adults and kids alike. Or, offer 100% fruit juice with soda water for a healthier option.

Everyone appreciates a sweet treat so have some coffee cake or a favourite dessert recipe to serve at the end of the day with tea and coffee.

Activities

Easter egg hunts are so much fun, but it’s time to grow up and leave this activity for the kids to enjoy.

In the weeks leading up to Easter, many stores carry pastel-coloured plastic eggs which can be filled with chocolates, candies and other trinkets. If these aren’t available in your area, stick with colourfully dyed eggs. It’s the thrill of the hunt that counts!

Decorations

Pastels, pastels, pastels! When it comes to spring, soft pastels are all the rage. Suit up your table with a pastel theme such as yellow and blue or green and pink.

Place abundant bouquets of spring flowers such as daffodils, tulips and hyacinths in glass vases filled with colourful jelly beans.

Fill small baskets with coloured Easter eggs or with your favourite Easter candy treats. You can find a variety of candy coated chocolate eggs in a variety of pastel colours.

I hope you will put these good ideas to use for the ultimate Eater brunch.

HAPPY EASTER!

Ah, the smell of fresh-cut wood and the sound of jubilant voices. Where am I? I’m happily seated under an umbrella on an outdoor patio. The outbreak of summer-like weather in Ontario in March has many people searching for the best restaurant locations with open patios. Whether you are enjoying an early patio season or waiting in anticipation, you will want to plan ahead to find one with a great view and some healthy menu choices.  

Extra, unwanted calories from eating out can add up and some menu items can be loaded with sodium, sugar and fat. Fortunately, trans fats are disappearing from restaurant kitchens as studies suggest that these fats are more dangerous to our health than other kinds of fats. With many restaurants offering healthier menu options, it is still a good idea to know what is in a dish and how it is prepared. 

Here are some tips to help you make healthy choices:

Plan ahead. Cut down on calories and fat by deciding what you will have before embarking to your patio oasis. Research the restaurant’s menu online. 

Restaurants tend to serve large portions. Why not share a meal with your dining companion and save money, or ask the server to box half of your meal “to-go.”  If you are having chicken, meat or fish, remember to eat no more than 3 ounces – the size of a light bulb or tennis ball.      

Appetizers: 

Why not skip the appetizer and ask the server not to bring chips or bread to your table. Or, alternatively, make the appetizer your meal and order a side salad. Try to opt for tomato-based preparations rather than foods that are described as cream-based.

Main Dishes:

Sandwiches, wraps or burgers are another healthy option and are relatively inexpensive. Choose lean grilled chicken with vegetables on a whole-wheat bun. Ask your server for low-fat mayonnaise or dressing on the side.

If you are looking to reduce your salt intake, choose foods that require little preparation. Know that a dish described as “smoked” or “teriyaki” is not going to be low in sodium. 

Side Dishes:

Potatoes, vegetables, and rice are often prepared with butter. Ask for a plain baked potato instead of mashed and ask for your rice and veggies to be prepared in water or oil. Canola, soybean, and olive oil are all healthy choices.  

Beverages:

One can of regular pop contains 8 to 10 tsp of sugar. Try to remember that specialty coffees, teas, alcoholic drinks, soda, fruit punch, energy drinks etc. are high in calories, while water with a twist of lemon is calorie-free.   

Desserts:

Skip the dessert option or share one with your dining companion. Alternatively, ask for a fresh fruit salad. It will help you hydrate on a warm patio.

Final Tip! 

Be sure to choose a patio close to home or the office where you can walk those calories off. We need 150 minutes of exercise per week and walking feels great. 

Enjoy patio season!

Spring is in the air; actually, summer is in the air. The weather has been unseasonably warm but don’t be fooled, there are still some cold, dreary rainy days ahead of us. So now is the time to squeeze in some of your favourite winter dishes until the warm weather finally decides to stay.

The best way to enjoy a great winter meal is by using your slow cooker. It’s a real time saver so you’ll have plenty of time to get some spring cleaning done without worrying about getting dinner on the table.

Here are some great slow cooker recipes from www.chicken.ca

Classic Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

No, it’s not a typo. There are actually 40 cloves of garlic in this classic chicken recipe. Garlic is an inexpensive way to pack a ton of flavour in any dish. In this recipe the garlic is paired with Dijon mustard, white wine and tarragon which are the perfect flavourings for chicken.

Chicken Marrakech

This chicken recipe is loaded with fragrant Moroccan flavours. The salty olives work well with the sweet flavours of honey and orange juice. This recipe is a must try!

Chicken Creole with Rice

This traditional Creole recipe is made healthier by using long grain brown rice and lean chicken breast. If you like your food spicy, go ahead and add a little more hot sauce.

Do you have a favourite go-to slow cooker chicken recipe you’d like to share with us? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Who’s ready for another food adventure? This week we are off to a place that will have you shouting “OPA!” This week we are off to Greece.

Socrates once said “Thou shouldst eat to live; not live to eat.” I don’t know if I agree with that, especially because Greek food is SO healthy and delicious. In Greece, olive trees grow in abundance, which is why olive oil is used in just about every recipe. Other popular ingredients used in Greek cooking are feta cheese, Greek yogurt, tomatoes, artichokes, eggplant, seafood and grilled meats to name of a few. Herbs like, oregano, dill and mint with the addition of ingredients like onions, garlic and lemons are also used to enhance flavour.

The Greeks enjoy sharing food with friends and family and this social affair would not be complete without a good wine and a shot or two of ouzo. So once again, I disagree with Socrates...

Here are a few Greek recipes from www.chicken.ca

Simple Chicken Souvlaki Pitas with Tzatziki

Village Greek Salad with Chicken

Garlicky Greek Chicken

It’s that time of year!  The warm weather is finally here, your flowers are in bloom and it’s time to get your barbecue ready so that you can spend time outside to enjoy it all!  So what do you need to get your barbecue ready?  Here are a few cleaning tips that will start you on your way.

Cleaning your barbecue after each use is important but a thorough cleaning should be done once, even twice a year, preferably before and during barbecue season.

1. Cleaning tips for your propane barbecue:

The first step in cleaning your barbecue is to clean the tubes that connect your propane tank to your barbecue.  Detach the tubes at both ends and wash them out by using a gentle detergent such as soap and warm water.  While the water is running through the tubes, check them for leaks or cracks.  If you find any or see any water leaking out, it’s time to replace your tubes. Once the tubes are cleaned and left to air dry (make sure they are dry), re-attach them securely to your barbecue and propane tank.

You’ll want to check other areas of your barbecue specifically where the tubes of your propane tank meet your barbecue.  Dirt, dust, cob webs and insects may be resting in this area so you’ll need to clean it to avoid any flare ups when lighting your barbecue.  Remember, safety first, grilling and fun in the sun second!

Remove and clean your grates.  Warm soapy water and a scouring pad will remove any crust or grease that has accumulated on the grates.  Do not let them air dry, because they can rust.  If you find any rust on your grates, be sure to replace them, your food shouldn’t come in contact with rust.  Once they are clean, set them aside and check your burners.  To do this, you’ll need to fire up your barbecue and check that the burners are working and that the flames are evenly distributed, otherwise it may be time to replace your burners.

2. Cleaning tips for your Charcoal barbecue:

It’s a new year so start fresh and dump last year’s coals!  Old coals mean grease build up which can cause flames to flare up and burn food.  Before you replace your old coals with new ones, you should thoroughly clean your barbecue by getting rid of any excess grease, crumbs or dust before using it.

You’ll want to use a gentle cleaner, like warm water and dish soap, and a scouring pad is not suggested for this process as you don’t want to damage the base of your barbecue.

So now that you’re barbecue is prepped for the season, why not try out some of our delicious grilled chicken recipes like this beer can chicken or these tropical chicken kebabs.

Here are a few extra tips for keeping you and your family safe during barbecue season.

• Never use a water squirt bottle on a flare-up.
• Keep your barbecue at a safe distance from your walls, windows and especially wooden fences. If your barbecue doesn’t ignite, turn off the gas and wait a few minutes before lighting it again.
• Keep children and pets at a safe distance from your barbecue.
• ALWAYS Make sure your barbeque is turned off, and completely cooled before covering.

For more detailed instructions on how to prepare a new cast iron grill or to “season” an old one once you’ve cleaned it out here are some more tips from Weber:

• To maintain the wonderful searing/grilling performance of your cast iron grates or griddle, as well as their longevity, some special care is required. As with any cast iron cooking tool, proper seasoning is most important.
• First time use: Before using a cast iron grate or griddle, wash it thoroughly with a mild dishwashing liquid to remove the protective wax coating applied for shipping. Rinse with hot water and dry completely with a soft cloth or paper towel. NEVER ALLOW TO DRAIN DRY and NEVER WASH IN A DISHWASHER. Now season the grates/griddle to prevent rust and sticking.
• Seasoning: A solid vegetable shortening is recommended for the initial seasoning. Spread a thin coating of solid vegetable shortening over the entire surface, including all corners, with a paper towel. Do not use salted fats, such as butter or margarine.
• Gas grills: Preheat grill for 15 minutes, place grates/griddle in grill. Turn burners to medium-off-medium with lid closed. Allow grill to heat grates/griddle for 1 to 1½ hours. Turn all burners to OFF, and leave cooking grates/griddle in grill until they are cool.
• Your cast iron cooking grates/griddle are now ready to use. To prevent rusting, they should be re-seasoned frequently, particularly when new. If rusting occurs, clean with a steel brush. Re-apply vegetable shortening and heat as indicated above.
• Maintenance for every time you grill: Don’t do a burn-off after you grill, rather leave the cooking residues on the grates/griddle to keep a protective coating on the cast iron. Then do a burn-off just before you grill. Brush off charred residues with a steel brush rather than a brass brush.

Thanks to Theresa Stahl, Weber-Stephen Products Co., http://weber.com/

Ah, Spring! The weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer, and we are beginning to see the rebirth of flora and fauna. Many of us are even planning summer vacations or at least daydreaming about all the places we could go.

It’s important for our mental health to take time out of our day to dream a little, get outside for some fresh air, or even work on a crossword puzzle. If you are reading this blog today, take a little time to have fun with our trivia challenge. 

1. Who is the national sponsor of the Great Canadian BBQ in the nation’s capital on Canada Day?

Why it is the Chicken Farmers of Canada, of course!  Fifty cents of every dollar raised from the sale of grilled chicken sandwiches go to the Ottawa Food Bank. This will be CFC’s 20^th annual Great Canadian BBQ. If you are in Ottawa on Canada Day be sure to visit us at the “Chicken Corner” of Major’s Hill Park for a delicious chicken sandwich.

2. Perfect cooking is easy. When cooked to perfection chicken boasts unsurpassable taste and tenderness. What is the recommended internal cooking temperature for a whole chicken, unstuffed?

If you followed our myth-busting theme “Food Safety at Home” from last week, then you know the answer is 185 degrees Fahrenheit (85 degrees Celsius). Bravo!

3. What nutrient found in chicken is needed for growth and development and can help control weight, satiety and blood sugar levels? 

The answer is protein. If you are trying to lose a few pounds in time for beach weather one tip for added weight loss is to skip the starch (potato, rice, or bread) and choose a protein with 2-3 vegetables. Try this during dinner.

4. Chicken Farmers of Canada have many mouth-watering recipes to offer everyone’s culinary tastes. With so many to choose from can you guess how many recipes are searchable on the CFC website? To solve the answer to this mystery go to chicken.ca. Hint!  Look for “Browse All.” And remember have fun.

How’d you do?

Spring is here. It’s time to dream a little!

If the thought of fitting into your swimsuit is making you cringe, you may have done a little too much nibbling, hibernating and not enough exercising this winter. But don’t worry; you have time to whittle down your waist before the hot weather arrives. So put away those comfort foods and start thinking lean proteins and fresh, leafy greens like the ones used in these chicken salad recipes.

Chicken BLT Salad with Sour Cream Dressing

A low-cal BLT? Yes, you can enjoy all the flavours of a BLT without the extra calories. Low-fat sour cream and yogurt are used with other ingredients to make a creamy dressing that keeps this salad at 250 calories per serving.

Four Season Warm Asian Salad with Spinach

This warm spinach salad is rich in iron and because it uses seasonal fruits like Clementine, mango, peaches or nectarines, it can be enjoyed all year round. Another bonus; it’s contains a mere 238 calories per serving.

Asparagus Chicken Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing

This salad is perfect to enjoy this spring when asparagus are in season. The salad dressing can be stored in your refrigerator for up to two weeks so you may want to double up on your grocery list. Calorie count - 330 per serving.

For more slimming recipes like these, visit us at www.chicken.ca/recipes/

In recognition of Dietitians’ Day, Chicken Farmers of Canada is pleased to feature a guest blog interview with Hélène Charlebois, Registered Dietitian with HC Nutrition Consulting & Wellness.  Hélène has over 25 years experience in helping patients/clients improve their health and nutrition. She is certified through the American Dietetic Association as an Adult Weight Management Specialist who specializes in helping people lose weight, and keep it off. 

We asked Hélène to write about Dietitians and what they can do for Canadians. This is what she had to say: “Registered Dietitians are nutrition experts in food and nutrition matters for your health needs. They are your ‘go-to experts,’ who can offer dietary counseling on weight management, diabetes care, or any disease state, provide expertise on food chemistry, food components, food safety, and recipes, and answer your nutrition questions.”

On the 3^rd Anniversary of Dietitians’ Day we took the opportunity to ask Hélène some questions about her career:

1.      How did you decide that you wanted to be a Registered Dietitian? 

Food, food, food! When I was a young girl I was fascinated with food, nutrition, and how calories provided fuel for the body. The natural step was to learn about the science of food and become a nutrition expert.

2.      As a Weight Management Specialist, what is the most rewarding part of your job?

I enjoy it when my clients learn that being healthy and enjoying life is more important than losing weight. If you lose weight and feel miserable, you will regain it back. I focus on life, enjoyment, and improved quality of life with my clients. The key to success is being healthy and happy, and eating well.

3.      What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about becoming a dietitian?

I would tell someone who is thinking about becoming a dietitian that it is a wonderful time to be in this profession. The field is always evolving with new and exciting nutrition ventures, especially with the progression and transformation of the World Wide Web.

4.      Nutrition Month 2012 is dedicated to busting up popular food and nutrition myths by bringing truths to Canadians from dietitians. Could you share a popular food or nutrition myth with us?

I would be happy to share a popular misconception based upon my professional experience.  Because of my expertise in weight management, some of my clients hope that I have a ‘magic wand’ or a quick-fix solution to help them lose weight quickly. This is not surprising as there are so many myths about quick and easy weight loss methods.

If I were to correct this myth I would want everyone to know that it is easy to lose weight. Anybody can lose weight by restricting their food intake or following a popular diet. They can also lose weight over a short period of time. The most challenging part of weight loss, however, is keeping the weight off. This is an important message for nutrition month.

5.      Do you have a favourite chicken recipe that you prepare or share with your clients?

Yes, one that’s quick, easy and flavourful.

Place chicken breast or thighs in a non-stick baking pan; mix ½ salsa and ½ peanut sauce (Szechwan sauce); pour over the chicken; and top with fresh cilantro.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Yummm!

Hélène has prepared 9 nutrition fact sheets which highlight the variety of foods we need for health, exercise, and how to plan nutritious meals. These nutrition fact sheets are useful tools for those who are planning activities or events this Nutrition Month, or simply for those looking to change their eating habits and achieve a healthier lifestyle. You can read and print them from: http://chicken.ca/nutrition/nutrition_fact_sheets/nutritional-fact-sheets/.

Hélèneis an Ottawa-based weight management expert. She also travels across Canada to help other healthcare professionals help their clients and patients lose weight and keep it off. The full day workshop that she developed and facilitates is entitled “Waisting Away”. In 2012, she will be in British Columbia (April), Manitoba (September), and Eastern Ontario (October).

For more information aboutHélène’s cross-country workshops, please visit her website www.hcnutrition.com.

On Wednesday, I posted a blog about traditional Irish foods to enjoy this St. Patrick’s Day. But what about throwing a themed party? The Irish love a good party and it doesn’t have to be fussy or complicated. In fact, the merrier, the better! The main thing is to have plenty of food and drinks (including non-alcoholic).

Here are some tips on hosting a successful Irish party.

Go green!

Go nuts with green decorations and add golden touches with chocolate covered gold coins for the full Irish effect.

Music is a must!

You can find some older traditional songs on youtube.com or you can stick with trendier Irish music by The Pogues, U2, Sinead O’Connor or the Cranberries to name a few.

Food

I suggest doing a potluck for two reasons. 1) It’s really fun to see how creative people get when they have to come up with a “themed” food or recipe and 2) It’s a great opportunity for people to exchange recipes.

Keep a fairly good stash of extra food tucked away in case you start running low. If people are having a few drinks, they’ll need to be properly fed! Some good options are a few whole grain baguettes, grapes and cheeses. Keep these aside and bring them out at the end of the night to have with coffee or tea.

If you plan to have traditional Irish fare served at your party, then see Wednesday’s blog post for ideas. You can also use more familiar recipes and “theme” them by changing their names. Here are a few examples of some great potluck recipes that I’ve “themed”.

Chicken Meatball Appetizers (Golden Nuggets)

Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Lasagna (Pot of Gold)

Hot Spinach and Chicken Dip (Shamrock Dip)

Boneless Buffalo Hot Wings (Leprechaun Legs)

You get the idea..... Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!

Are you ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? I hope so because this week we are off to Ireland!

The Irish are known for their hearty meals. From stews, pot pies, soda bread and thick creamy soups a staple in the Irish diet is the potato and you will find it in just about every meal. Even at breakfast potatoes are served in a dish known as bangers and mash (sausages and mashed potatoes). Other traditional Irish foods are homemade cheeses, cabbage, seafood and meats.

Most Irish dishes are easy to prepare and relatively inexpensive so why not try whipping up an Irish meal this St. Patrick’s Day? And don’t forget to make a toast to the Irish with a good Irish ale or whiskey!

Here’s a list of Irish and Irish-like recipes using chicken

Quick Chicken Stew (Gluten Free)

Not only is this stew quick to prepare but it’s also gluten free and you’ll have plenty of leftovers to enjoy the next day.

Broccoli, Potato and Chicken Soup

This rich and creamy soup is made without cream so it won’t go straight to your thighs!

Creamy Cabbage Chicken Egg Noodle Casserole

What says Irish more than a dish that uses both cabbage and potatoes? You can easily double this recipe and freeze any extras.

Chicken Pot Pie II

This chicken pot pie is easily made with store bought puff pastry. It’s sure to become a family favourite comfort food.

May your blessings outnumber

The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
~Irish Blessing

Here we are at week two of our culinary adventure. This week, I suggest you get your chop sticks and soup spoons out because we are heading to Vietnam for a slurping pho adventure!

A piping hot bowl of pho is one of my favourite foods, especially during the cold Canadian winter months. So what is pho? It’s a popular (if not the most popular) classic Vietnamese noodle soup that includes a fragrant broth, rice noodles, meats like chicken, beef, pork and duck and served with a plate of fresh greens such as bean sprouts, Bok Choy, mint and basil. Condiments like fresh lime, fish sauce and Asian hot sauce are also used in pho to kick the flavours up a notch.

The best thing about pho is that the flavour scale is up to your liking. You have control of how many greens or condiments you add so if you like spicy foods, add a little more hot sauce or if you love basil, go crazy and use the entire bunch!

Did you know that a traditional pho broth can take up to two days to make because the broth needs time to build up maximum flavour?  Don’t let that turn you off from making your own at home. We have a recipe for chicken “faux” that you can prepare and enjoy the same day!

We’ve heard for years that chicken needs to be handled and cooked properly because of the potential for harmful bacteria. Bacteria are everywhere though, and while most are harmless or even beneficial to humans, some can make us sick. All foods, including meat, fruits, and vegetables, have the potential to cause food-borne illness and proper care needs to be taken when handling, cooking, storing or serving all foods. But, what are the proper methods for the safe handling and cooking of chicken?   

Nutrition month 2012 is dedicated to busting up popular food and nutrition myths. In honour of this theme, we have developed some true or false statements about our favourite topic – chicken! Go ahead and take our quiz to see just how chicken smart you are.   

Cooking Chicken: True or False?

1. It is safe to defrost and cook chicken labelled “cook from frozen.”   

False. 

If purchasing a “cook from frozen” chicken, follow the directions on the label carefully as this product must be cooked from the frozen state to ensure food safety.  

2. Stuffing prepared and cooked inside a chicken is not safe. 

False.

Cooking kills bacteria. Follow this tip. Stuff chicken just before cooking, stuffing loosely – no more than two-thirds full. Always cook chicken to the recommended cooking temperature:

• Whole chicken, unstuffed should be cooked to the recommended internal cooking temperature of185°F (85°C)
• Stuffing, cooked alone or in chicken should be 165°F (74°C). Use a digital instant-read thermometer to check.  Leftover stuffing should be stored separately and promptly in a shallow container in the refrigerator at 4°C(40°F)or lower. Also, be sure to separate the chicken from the bone and refrigerate any leftovers within 2 hours. 

3. Ensuring you follow proper cooking times is not just about food safety.

True. 

Most Canadians, in fact, overcook their chicken, which can leave it dry. Use the CFC chart at this link to make sure your chicken is cooked to perfection:  http://chicken.ca/cooking-tips/food_safety_at_home/chicken-cooking-times/.

Food Safety at Home:  True or False?

1. Do not cook frozen chicken in the microwave or slow cooker. 

True. 

However, frozen chicken can be cooked in the oven or on the stove although cooking time may be about 50% longer.

2. Chicken may be marinated in the refrigerator up to two days.   

True.   

Be sure to boil the used marinade before brushing on cooked chicken and discard any uncooked leftover marinade.  Or, you can reserve some marinade separately during your initial preparation.

3. It’s always best to rinse chicken before you cook it.      

False. 

Rinsing your chicken can splatter and spread bacteria around your kitchen and put you or your family at risk of developing a food-borne illness.    

For more information:

Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education

www.canfightbac.org

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

www.inspection.gc.ca

Chicken Farmers of Canada

www.chicken.ca

Canada’s own Monda Rosenberg retired as Food Editor of CHATELAINE, Canada’s largest circulation magazine, in 2009. She was responsible for the magazine’s entire award-winning Food section, including writing and recipe development of over 2,000 recipes a year and overseeing food photography. Before joining CHATELAINE, Monda Rosenberg was Food Editor of the Toronto Star for five years.

Monda has received an impressive number of food writing, styling and publishing awards including the Nabisco Food Writer’s Magazine Food Editor of the Year Award, the New York Art Directors Award for Food Styling and the General Foods Nutrition Writing Award. She has been president of the Ontario Home Economics Association and president of the Toronto Home Economics Association for a double term.

A frequent guest on national television and radio shows, Monda is the author of The New Chatelaine Cookbook, two Vitality Cookbooks, the Quickies series of 7 cookbooks and Chatelaine’s Wonder Foods.

1. Where did you learn how to cook?

I learned standing beside my grandmother and what a women she was! Her passion was food. As soon as she finished breakfast she was planning dinner. Coming from a big farming family in Tincap Ontario (close to  Brockville), her life centered around the kitchen making everything from what they grew, raised or preserved. They even made their own pillows from the goose feathers and flour sacks. 

Nan moved to Brockville with her fireman husband and during the war, their door was always open, Many have told me without her they would have gone hungry. After granddad  passed away, fortunately she moved in with us. I was about 2 years old and she was the center of my universe.

Little did I know that the rest of the world did not get up on Saturday morning and make yeast doughnuts and then cake doughnuts, and then pies and cakes for Sunday – because, of course, you could not bake on Sundays. You went to church and then for a Sunday drive.

I was always glued to her apron. She would give me dough scraps to play with which were quickly turned into a big grey blob. She would let me stir the cake batter and I would splatter it all over the floor. The dog loved it.

We had a root cellar and another basement room where her hundreds of preserves were lined up in neat rows. I remember helping to make tomato chili sauce before I learned how to ride a bike. And all of this was much more exciting than playing hop scotch.

She made the world’s lightest dumplings. Her chicken and dumplings were renowned on Pearl Street and somehow the guys in the firehall knew when they were ready and would just happen to pop over with their bowls in hand.

While I know I’ll never come close to recreating the memorable  textures of her dumplings or lard pastry, I am eternally grateful for the rewarding love of cooking she passed on to me. I never ever  tire of trying a new recipe, or new idea or technique. I just hope she is looking down and knows she is still giving me joy.

2. When developing recipes, do you stick with the latest trends or do you find inspiration from foods you’ve tried?

Wow, that is a big question. I get ideas constantly – from something I hear on the radio, see on television, in newspapers, magazines, buy on the street in Shanghai  and on and on. But my vocation has always been to help people gain pure pleasure from their time in the kitchen so the first criteria is – will it be appealing to the average Canadian and will it work in their lifestyle?

While I may get revved up  about slow roasting a pork belly, braising ribs 12 hours, poaching lobster in butter or making a rolled salmon soufflé - these are not the kind of recipes I primarily provide for my readers.

For anyone to enjoy my work beyond reading the copy and liking the look of my pictures, they have to cook the recipe and love it. That means taking the time and money to buy the groceries and then to cook them. 

So the first step in creating a recipe is that it has to have a reason for being. Just publishing another macaroni and cheese  recipe is silly. You have to create a recipe that has something special to draw the reader in or there is no justification for doing it.  That unique bait could be that it has just 50 calories a serving (just kidding) or can be made in 5 minutes, calls for ingredients most Canadians have in their kitchens or perhaps it contains your favourite blue cheese and on and on.

So every recipe has to instantly let the readers know what that appeal is through its title, it’s sell line and it’s photograph. They have to be drawn in.

Titles are important. Call a recipe a Chicken Stir fry and it is not going to jump off the page at you. Call it Cashew Chili Stir fry  and the promise of something hot, crunchy and healthy may be enough to bring some readers in to read the sell lines – that’s the description that goes under the title.

Every recipe has to have a reason for being. The sell line lists the recipes virtues. It may tell you that the recipe is a fast knockoff of one of your favourite dishes. That it only takes 5 ingredients or mere minutes to start cooking so you can then go off and have a glass of wine while it simmers. It may be a complete meal so you don’t have to prepare a ton of other dishes. While the dish looks impressive enough that you would be proud to serve it to company, you learn in the sell line that it only takes a half hour or you can make it ahead or that the ingredients, despite the drop dead looks, are inexpensive.

Photos are critical to the recipe. When most people are deciding if they will buy a magazine, the first thing they do is leaf through the magazine. If there is a yummy looking dish, they may take the time to glance at the story and that can seal the sale.

This web site certainly understands the power of an appealing photo. Unlike some websites, when you google a recipe you are craving on this Chicken Farmer’s site - say chicken pot pie, for example - the picture of the recipe instantly pops up. (Many websites do not have pictures.) Then you instantly know what it is going to look like.

Another smart thing they do on this web site is to not feature chef’s recipes because most chefs present food in a way that can turn off the average cook – stacking food in little towers, piling a cool salad overtop a braised piece of hot chicken, topping the food with hard to find sprouts, etc. That is not the way you do food at home. When you entertain you want your offerings to have a “wow” factor but you do not have a brigade of sous chefs to help cut and stack food and a team is essential to get these mini art creations out to your guests while the food is still hot.

So another challenge in creating a recipe is that it has to look good without requiring a lot of effort. Take chicken livers, for example. We all know, they are not the world’s prettiest food but you can make them look good with a generous sprinkling of any kind of fresh herb, sliced green onion or colorful veggies. 

3. What is the biggest challenge when it comes to creating a new recipe?

There are many many challenges. But the bottom line is that you want to create a recipe that will taste so good that one will want to make it again and again. Ideally it should be easy to make, not take very much time and be super healthy - low in fat, yaddy yaddy. Then if it is a weekday recipe it should call for ingredients you usually have in the house or if it is an entertaining recipe it should be ingredients you don’t have to travel across town to buy.

4. What do you enjoy the most about creating recipes?

The total intrigue of what will it taste like. As you are planning any recipe, you constantly imagine what the taste will be.  You taste it in your mind. The final result, however,  doesn’t always match what your mind told you it would taste like. This is one of the reasons I do recipes multi times before they meet all my criteria for publishing. I still get excited about doing a recipe, especially if I have never done a similar recipe before.

5. What are some of the best chicken recipes you ever have created?

The first recipe that jumps to mind is chicken breasts stuffed with goat’s cheese, sun dried tomatoes and fresh basil. So easy and so good. Then there is piri- piri chicken ( I love fiery), modern chicken pot pie, lime leaf chicken from my fav Thai restaurant that I have been able to duplicate and any curry dish that includes coconut milk. Need I add more?

6. Which do you prefer, white meat or dark meat and why?

Oh boy.  Growing up I only ate white meat – even with the world’s best roast chicken that my grandmother used to make. Now I covet chicken thighs for their super bonus taste. But ask me what I want from a roast chicken and the answer will be white.

Nutrition Month 2012 is dedicated to busting up popular food and nutrition myths. Since there are many myths about the chicken industry that have people sometimes asking if the chicken they consume is safe, stay blogged on during March as we bust up some of the myths. We will also feature an interview with Hélène Charlebois, Registered Dietitian with HC Nutrition Consulting & Wellness, about herwork, some other hot topics, and her career path for Dietitians’ Day - March 21^st.

Are your taste buds ready for a culinary adventure?  Well, they better be, because starting today the Chicken Farmers of Canada will be visiting one country per week over the next five weeks to see what chicken dishes they are serving up! We’ll be heading to five countries that will have you inspired to try new flavours and cooking techniques!  So, if your every day cooking is getting a little lifeless, then follow us on this gastronomic adventure that is guaranteed to spice up your life! Today, we are off to beautiful historic England.

I remember the days when British food had a bad reputation. That was a long time ago and I remember very well the reputation it had because I spent four years of my childhood to early teens in London, England. But surprise, British food is actually pretty darn good! Just like anywhere in the world, it depends on who’s preparing it. I have enjoyed many great tasting British dishes such as fish and chips, bangers and mash and even steak and kidney pie. Prepared properly, these dishes are quite tasty!

Think about it, Chefs like Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson would no doubt produce great British fare and charge a hefty price for it. Count how many pubs throughout Canada serve delicious British pub fare. You get my point!

Another traditional British food is the sausage roll. Here’s a recipe for sausage rolls made healthier by using ground chicken. I’m sure the Royal Family wouldn’t turn their noses up to this recipe.

Do you have a favourite British chicken recipe?

March is Nutrition Month and I, for one, am excited.  What can be more satisfying than food, whether it is enjoying a meal, perusing through colourful recipes, or reading about a hot topic on nutrition and health? Food is a very important part of our health, and chicken is no exception to this rule, particularly in my family. It is one of the healthier foods my entire family will eat.

Chicken is a nutritious choice because it is both low in fat and high in protein. Just a single 100 g serving of the breast contains 33% of our recommended daily intake of Vitamin B6, and 86% of the recommended daily intake of niacin. Nutrition facts like these make me enjoy clicking and scrolling through the hundreds of mouth-watering and visually stunning recipes located right here at www.chicken.ca. This scrolling activity both at home and work makes me feel virtually guilt-free. 

While I could get carried away and write about the many health benefits of chicken, I do not want to take the nutrition spotlight away from other foods that keep us healthy. CFC has developed 9 nutrition fact sheets which highlight the variety of foods we need for health, exercise, and how to plan nutritious meals. These nutrition fact sheets are useful tools for those who are planning activities or events this Nutrition Month, or simply for those looking to change their eating habits and achieve a healthier lifestyle. You can read and print them from: http://chicken.ca/nutrition/nutrition_fact_sheets/nutritional-fact-sheets/.

May we all have, and share in the goal for, good nutrition and health this month!

If you or someone in your family has a food allergy or sensitivity, you likely have come across recipes you can’t make as written. Whether it’s gluten or dairy, soy etc…I’m sure you’ve sometimes wondered how to make something you wanted to eat without the ingredients you need to avoid. Of course, sometimes it just can’t be done, especially when it comes to baking, but often it can. Sometimes it involves changing what you consider to be your staple recipes.

I’ve become sensitive to dairy and while it’s not life threatening it can be extremely uncomfortable. I no longer cook with cheese or milk…although butter is okay. This means no more cream sauces or just adding cheese to add flavour. I can no longer eat one of my go-to comfort foods, macaroni and cheese, but there are still many recipes that I can.

When buying products at the grocery store the best approach is to always read the label and know your ingredients. If you are sensitive or allergic to a spice, for example, you can easily either eliminate it or replace it with spices that do agree with you. If you can’t eat gluten there are now a lot of gluten-free products available at your local grocery store or on-line. Gluten is a little trickier because it’s in so many food products and you have to know what ingredients contain gluten. Get to know them…it will make you feel a lot better if you avoid them.

The easiest route to accommodating sensitivities or allergies is to cook from “scratch” at home. That way you know exactly what is going into each meal. I’ve often eaten at restaurants and have been surprised to find out when the dish was presented to me that it included dairy when it wasn’t listed as an ingredient. When you’re eating out, always ask the waiter before ordering. When cooking at home, the easiest option is to eliminate the ingredient, especially if it’s something that the recipe can do without. You can also replace it depending on what it is and what’s its purpose is. Look at this as your chance to experiment!

It’s easy to replace regular pasta with gluten free like rice or corn. Make sure you read every ingredient of even your most basic staple…you might be surprised. A friend of mine gave me some hot chocolate mix this morning that she can’t use. Her husband bought it at a really good chocolate store in town thinking that it was gluten free, however wheat starch was right there on the label, which of course she can’t have. Who would think that hot chocolate mix has wheat starch?

If you have to replace flour you can usually use gluten free cornstarch, brown rice, potato or even chickpea flour. They are all great for coating and browning meat, making a roux or thickening a sauce. An even easier way to thicken a sauce is simply by reducing the sauce. Depending on the size of the recipe, it could take an extra thirty minutes but it’s worth it because as the sauce reduces it intensifies in flavour. Also, be sure to check out some new websites. There is a lot of information available on substitutions, food allergies and sensitivities and recipes to accommodate them.

One year I made a dairy free chocolate cake for my son’s birthday party because one of his friends attending had a severe allergy to dairy and it turned out better than I could have imagined. The other day I was going through some blogs and found one with a Julia Child recipe which I made for supper that night. The recipe is from the blog Living in the Kitchen with Puppies.  It’s a very simple recipe that is very easily prepared for a week night dinner. It turned out that I didn’t have any regular flour left so I used brown rice flour to make it and it turned out just as well. Here’s the recipe for you to try. Remember I used brown rice flour instead of regular flour.  It is a little more time intensive to clarify the butter but definitely worth it and it makes all the difference in the recipe.

Who hasn’t seen or heard this health alert before? High consumption of trans fats will increase your cholesterol and risk of developing heart disease. Did you know that Canada was the first country in the world to introduce mandatory labelling of trans fats? Mandatory nutrition labelling was part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to provide Canadians with the information they needed to make informed, healthy choices.    

But what are trans fats?

Trans fats are found naturally in small amounts in certain foods such as beef and dairy products; they can also be manufactured by turning liquid oil into a semi-solid form – a process called partial hydrogenation. While the use of hydrogenated oil has declined over recent years, it can still be found in some cookies, crackers and baked goods. This is why it is still a good practice to read nutrition labels. Health Canada advises us to watch for the phrase “partially hydrogenated oil" listed among ingredients.  If these words are on the label, then the product contains trans fats.

Trans fats are bad for us because they increase our cholesterol, a sticky waxy-like substance that can clog our arteries leading to heart disease or even cardiac arrest. Saturated fat found in oils like coconut or palm, animal fats, butter, cheese and other dairy products also tend to raise our blood levels of cholesterol and should be limited. Evidence has shown, however, that trans fats are far more harmful to our health.

But not all fats are bad. We know that including a small amount of unsaturated fat in our diet is healthy. It gives our bodies energy and helps them absorb essential vitamins and nutrients. Unsaturated fats can also enhance the flavour of food and those rich in omega-3 and omega-6 help keep us healthy. “Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide” recommends we include about 2 to 3 tablespoons of unsaturated fat in our daily diet. This includes the kind of fat used in oils for cooking, salad dressings, non-hydrogenated margarine and mayonnaise. It also includes the fat found in seeds, nuts such as almonds and cashews, avocados and fatty fish. 

At CFC we have categorized our fabulous recipes to help you make healthy and convenient meal choices. You may find many of our lower fat recipes, including their nutrition information, at this link http://chicken.ca/recipes/category/lower-fat/.

Or, you may want to try some of these suggested recipes that use low-fat cooking techniques. 

Grill:  Bulgur Chicken Burgers with Yogurt Sauce

These delicious, grilled burgers are made with bulgur, keeping them juicy and healthy. Bulgur wheat adds fibre and nutrients to traditional burgers and is not detectable.

Poach:  Chicken Salad with Sauvignon Blanc 

This flavourful salad is a healthy low-fat alternative to a traditional chicken Caesar salad. 

Broil:  Maple-Glazed Chicken

This simple recipe combines sweet and spicy to create an unforgettably savoury flavour combination and has only 1 gram of saturated fat per serving.

Enjoy!

Sources: 

Health Canada

http://hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/food-aliment/trans-eng.php

Heart and Stroke Foundation

http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.3799313/k.C112/Position_Statements__Trans_fatty_acids_position_statement.htm

You know that old saying “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade?” I say when life hands you lemons, slice, juice or zest them up and cook them with delicious Canadian chicken.

I love cooking with lemons because they are so versatile and they team-up well with chicken. They’re also inexpensive and available year-round from your local grocery store. When shopping for lemons, make sure they are firm, smooth and bright yellow. Also feel their weight; a heavier lemon means it is nice and juicy! 

Because of their bright color, lemons are often kept in decorative bowls and displayed on kitchen countertops. Although they make a lovely display and keep well at room temperature, their shelf life can be extended by storing them in the refrigerator.

Here are my choice lemon and chicken recipes from  www.chicken.ca/recipes

Butterflied Herb and Lemon Grilled Chicken

In this recipe, the chicken is served with a herb and lemon sauce that uses both the zest and the juice of the lemon. The flavour is amplified by the addition of basil, cilantro, chives, parsley, salt and pepper.

Express Roast Lemon Chicken

Need dinner in a hurry? With only six ingredients, this recipe is easy to throw together and is loaded with zesty lemon flavour.

Lemony Pesto Chicken Tossed with Quinoa Fusilli

When making pasta, lemon isn’t the first thing that comes to mind but in this recipe, it is used to maximize the flavour of the pesto and works well with the nutty notes of Asiago cheese. The quinoa pasta can easily be replaced with your favourite whole wheat pasta.

Spicy Lemon Chicken Bites

These little chicken bites are perfect served as an appetizer or use them in a whole wheat pita with lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes to make a healthy sandwich.  Lemon zest and juice are also used in the accompanying dill and mint yogurt sauce found in this recipe.

Do you have a favourite lemon and chicken recipe? Please share it with us in the comments.

Adding more fibre to our diet is a good thing. Fibre not only helps to reduce our cholesterol, risk for heart disease and certain types of cancer, it keeps us regular. Whew! That’s a relief. 

Fibre is found in plant foods only and there are two important kinds: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre is a soft fibre found in foods like oatmeal, oat bran, legumes, broccoli and oranges. These foods help to lower our blood cholesterol levels, control blood glucose levels, and improve our risk of developing heart disease. Insoluble fibre (the roughage or bulk) is found in wheat bran, whole grains and some vegetables. The fibre in these foods promotes regularity and a healthy digestive system.     

The Dietitians of Canada recommend that women from 19 to 50 consume 25 grams of fibre each day while men of the same age should aim to consume 38 grams per day.  Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes (all good sources of fibre) should be part of our diet on a daily basis.  By choosing leaner cuts of meat, fat-reduced dairy products, fish and combining them with foods high in fibre, we can significantly reduce our risk for heart disease. Fibre will also keep you feeling fuller longer so you won’t be tempted to snack on sugary foods.    

Featured High-Fibre Recipe:  Broccoli, Chicken & Pesto Rotini Salad

This delicious pasta salad is low in saturated fat and high in fibre. For additional fibre switch the tri-coloured pasta to whole wheat (still firm).  The Heart and Stroke Foundation (HSF) recommends 3 to 4 servings of whole grains each day. “People who eat more whole grains have 29 percent lower risk of heart disease compared to those who don’t,” states the HSF.

Fibre doesn’t have to be boring. For delicious healthy recipes like this, select high fibre in our recipe categories at this link http://chicken.ca/recipes/category/high-fibre/.

Twenty-three year old Amanda Garbutt is serious about her love of food. As a child, Amanda was a notoriously picky eater. It was a fateful day when, at age 10, Amanda’s mum handed her an oyster adorned with Tabasco and lemon and it was love at first bite. From there Amanda created one kitchen nightmare after another. Together with the help of her mum, Amanda learned the methodology to a recipe and the romance behind food. At McGill University, Amanda found refuge in her tiny student kitchen. With hungry students always stopping by there was no lack of taste testers and encouragement when April asked her to step behind the camera.

Three years, two business awards and over twenty-five episodes later Amanda is now pursuing her passion to inspire culinary confidence full time. When she is not working on The Hot Plate, Amanda is in the kitchen developing recipes, food styling and photographing for Tier 1 brands like Kraft Canada and Barilla Whole Grain Pasta. There are only three things that can coax Amanda out of the kitchen and they are: a full bodied glass of wine, ping pong or an adrenaline pumping offshore sailing adventure. What do these things all have in common? They all help work up an appetite!

1. Where did you learn how to cook?

At first cooking wasn’t something that came naturally to me. Not because I didn’t love flavour and food, but because a key trait of being a “Garbutt” is blatant disregard for directions. As you can imagine, as a 10-year-old kid in the kitchen with no direction I made a few kitchen nightmares of my own. Luckily, I had my mum, probably one of the most methodical cooks I know. She taught me how to follow the flow of a recipe and prep ingredients before starting to cook to make sure I’m set up for success. So the long, and short is my mum - our relationship (especially during the grouchy teen years) was a great way to develop our relationship, and my passion for cooking!

2. When developing recipes, do you stick with the latest trends or do you find inspiration from foods you’ve tried?

It is definitely a combination of latest trends and previous experience. I think that trends help guide my creativity. When it comes to food I’ve already tried, I would say that it is more about the experience and less about the actual food. The smells, the company, the energy around you are all key players in how I interpret them into recipes.

3. What is the biggest challenge when it comes to creating a new recipe?

Without a doubt the biggest challenge is reigning in my “enthusiasm.” When I cook for my friends and family it is all about that moment and using ingredients I have on hand. However, when I create a recipe it is all about helping home cooks and creating a recipe for that their friends and family will love. The goal is to set the framework for a great experience and help cooks build confidence in the kitchen. So creating a recipe for others is all about precision. Funny, it’s more like a science experiment because for a recipe to be “good” it has to be able to be recreated again and again by other cooks.

4. What do you enjoy the most about creating recipes?

Creating recipes has been a passion of mine since I was fourteen-years-old. I love being able to share my recipes and hear about my friends and fellow Food Lovers making them at home. Creating recipes and cooking videos is the reason I started The Hot Plate (www.thehotplate.com) back in 2009! I love inspiring culinary confidence and launching an online Community where Food Lovers can learn and share new recipes. The reward of hearing someone making one of your recipes is worth the hours, days, and sometimes weeks it takes to develop a single recipe.

5. What are some of the best chicken recipes you ever have created?

My top three are:

My signature Goat’s cheese stuffed chicken breasts, which I think is the best starter recipe for new cooks looking to develop confidence in the kitchen.

Fried chicken with my signature rosemary wildflower honey (I don’t think that recipe needs much explanation since well, its fried chicken!)

An Ultra simple roast chicken with little lemon and a little butter is a dish that every cook should know how to make. It is a great Sunday meal and leaves you with delicious leftovers for sandwiches during the week!

6. Which do you prefer, white meat or dark meat and why?

Contrary to many cooks I’m a white meat lady. I love the flavors and richness of dark meat, but when I’m carving a bird it is always white meat. Now, I’m not taking about tough dry chicken breasts. A perfectly cooked chicken breast should be juicy, plump and ultra tender. If you aren’t comfortable cooking by touch then go out and buy a meat thermometer. A thermometer takes the guesswork out of cooking meat and means you don’t have to cut into it to check for doneness.

Family Day is the break we all need to pick up our spirits during the cold winter month of February. It’s also a great time to spend quality time with your family!

So why not start a family tradition by getting your kids in the kitchen to help prepare some of their favourite foods? I have many memories of spending time with my Mom in the kitchen, sometimes helping out, other times just watching her cook and learning. These are some of my favourite memories......

Here are a few recipes that you can prepare with your kids.

Chicken & Caramelized Onion English Muffins

Introduce your kids to pesto with these mini open faced pizzas. By using whole wheat English muffins for the crust, you are also introducing them to healthier options.

Kid Friendly Oven Baked Chicken Nuggets with Sweet Potato Fries

What kid doesn’t like chicken nuggets and fries? Make a big batch of these nuggets and have your kids place the sliced sweet potato on the baking sheet. They’re more likely to eat these healthier fries if they’re involved in the cooking process.

Chicken Quesadillas

Quesadillas are always a winning option when it comes to feeding your kids. Have plenty of chopped or sliced vegetables available and have them chose their favourites to fill the quesadillas with. This is also a great time to introduce them to new ingredients like different types of cheeses or guacamole, to name a few.

Whatever you chose to do on Family Day, I hope you take the time to build special memories with your family.

We’ve all heard these phrases at some point in our lives, “easy on the sodium; it’s bad for your health; salt is the silent killer,” whether it was from a health care provider, the media, or our parents. Today we find ourselves extolling these words to our children, as we keep a careful eye on the salt shaker during mealtime. But, should the salt we add to our meals be the only source of our concern?

A certain amount of sodium is good for us, even essential to our health. Too much sodium, however, is an ingredient responsible for high blood pressure – a contributing factor for strokes and heart disease.   Most Canadian adults consume more sodium than is necessary and our children are no exception. Many dietary surveys indicate that children are increasing their risk of developing high blood pressure, strokes and heart disease through the amount of processed foods they consume. Processed foods can have high sodium content and account for a high percentage of our daily sodium intake.

Not all processed foods are bad choices, though. Some of Canada’s restaurants, retailers and processors are tackling this health issue by offering consumers healthier choices. New easy-to-read labels and icons indicating lower sodium alternatives have become a sign of an emerging corporate-consumer responsibility for health.

But, if you are a busy parent juggling work and family schedules, it can be hard to keep an eye on sodium content. This is particularly true when deciding what to put in those brown-bag lunches. With so many lunches to pack throughout the week, it can be tempting to load them with convenient, pre-packaged food. Planning ahead, and involving our children, can be a fun way to eat healthier and eat more fresh food.  Here are some tips:   

• Use a calendar or weekly menu planner to jot down your ideas.
• Have fun preparing your grocery list by having children identify foods as close to the farm as possible (i.e. fresh vegetables, meats, dairy, etc).    
• Take your children grocery shopping and encourage them to read the labels. Most packaged foods have a “Nutrition Facts” panel which will identify the sodium content. Have children pick out the brands with the lowest sodium content.  
• Get your children involved in making their brown-bag lunches. The more involved they are, the more likely they are to eat it.

One sodium reducing tip is to cook more! Roasting two whole chickens for a Sunday dinner provides extended options for meals the next day, as well as control over their sodium content. Skinless, non-breaded chicken strips with a few tablespoons of home-made hummus are low in sodium and a great source of protein. A yummy choice for a brown-bag lunch! 

For more information on sodium see our Nutrition Fact Sheets, Issue 5:  Protect Your Health – Get Salt Savvy!

For more ideas in planning low sodium meals click on our low sodium recipes here http://chicken.ca/recipes/view/.

You’re probably wondering what chocolate has to do with chicken. Well, not much other than it can be used to add amazing flavour to chicken dishes like chili, chicken mole sauce or even in a rub like the one used in this recipe for Coffee and Cocoa Grilled Chicken.

Whether you enjoy chocolate on its own, dipped into a hot cup of java or used in a sauce served with chicken, chocolate is one of the most amazing foods EVER invented. Ask ANY woman!

 Here are some interesting chocolate facts from the Dietitians of Canada web site.

“Chocolate, particularly dark chocolate and cocoa powder, is a rich source of flavonoids. Flavonoids have antioxidant effects, which means they protect the cells in your body from damage caused by the wear-and-tear of daily life.

Research suggests that chocolate may have a beneficial effect on your heart health, and may also help improve your mood. More research is needed before we have a clear picture of chocolate’s impact on our health.

Although chocolate may offer health benefits, it is also a high source of calories and fat, so should be enjoyed in moderation. Remember that it’s possible to get too much of a good thing, and that the basic principles of healthy eating—balance, variety and moderation—always need to be considered.”

Does the last paragraph about “moderation” apply this month?

On Sunday, February 12, 2012, Canadian farmers will be celebrating Food Freedom Day. We at CFC will be celebrating this important day with our Canadian agriculture partners who work hard to ensure that Canadian consumers are provided with a safe and high quality food supply day in and day out.

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) launched this program in February of 2007 and it is still going strong. Here’s a News Release sent out by CFA on February 6, 2012 which outlines the meaning of this special day.

http://www.cfa-fca.ca/media-centre/news-releases/2012/food-freedom-day-call-secure-future-food-and-farm

Want to do something special for your sweetie this Valentine’s Day (I’m talking to you, boys), then why not cook a special dinner and set the mood with candles and a little bubbly? Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to fancy-up your usual chicken dinner. Here are my top picks from our web site.

Chicken Stuffed with Mango Pistachio and Cilantro

These chicken breasts are stuffed with amazing flavours and textures. This dish gets its “fancy” from the addition of pistachios, mango and cilantro paired with a coconut curry sauce and served with lemon basmati rice.

Ricotta Stuffed Sauced Chicken Over Pasta

What says romantic more than a classic Italian meal? These chicken breasts are stuffed with ricotta, fresh shredded Romano, finely sliced green onion and minced parsley and served with pasta. This is the perfect dish to enjoy with a good Italian white wine.

Christmas Truffle Chicken

You don’t have to wait until next Christmas to enjoy this luxurious roasted chicken. In fact, it’s the perfect dish to serve on Valentine’s Day because truffles are considered to be an aphrodisiac! Their musky scent is said to stimulate and sensitize the skin to touch. Enjoy...

Chicken St.Andre

What’s better than chicken served with a wine and cheese sauce? That’s pretty hard to beat! It’s even better served with a side of asparagus.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

I’m sure you’ve all seen the commercials “Make Death Wait”. If you haven’t, then you must because these commercials are a real eye opener. Did you know that heart disease is the number one killer of women of all ages today?

Whether you’re young or old, you are at risk if you are not taking proper care of your health.

Here are some interesting facts from the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation web site. http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.5889207/k.11DD/Women_and_heart_disease_The_Heart_Truth.htm

• Heart disease and stroke is the leading cause of death among women in Canada. More women die from heart disease and stroke than cancer.
• More women died from heart disease and stroke in 2008 than men.
• Only 13% of Canadian women identify heart disease as the greatest health problem for women. It is because of this lack of awareness that The Heart Truth campaign is so critical.
• Heart disease and stroke kills seven times as many women as breast cancer. Yet 37% of Canadian women perceive breast cancer to be the greatest health problem, compared to 13% for heart disease.
• Women often fail to make the connection between risk factors, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and their own chance of developing heart disease.
• The health system often under treats women for heart disease, which is still perceived to be a man’s disease. For example, after a heart attack, women are less likely to be admitted to intensive care settings, cardiac rehabilitation programs or to receive interventions such as bypass surgery.
• Certain ethnic groups, such as South Asians and members of First Nations communities, are particularly vulnerable to heart disease.
• South Asian Canadians are more likely to die from a heart attack earlier than the general population, even when they appear to be at a healthy weight.
• First Nations members are 1.5 to 2 times more likely to develop heart disease than the general Canadian population. They are also more likely to have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a family history of heart disease.

There are many things you can do to prevent heart disease including eating a healthy diet that is low in cholesterol. Following a proper diet can be difficult if you don’t have the proper information to get you started. If you’re not sure where to start, check out our Nutrition Fact Sheets here but more specifically our nutrition fact sheet on Healthy Eating for Your Heart.

Exercise is also a key component to keeping your heart in check. All you need is 20 – 30 minutes a day. Taking a walk everyday is an easy way to start and can be easily fit into a busy schedule. Why not walk away from your desk during lunch hour and get some fresh air? Your heart will thank you for it!

The Super Bowl is this Sunday, February 5 and that means one thing: tailgate parties! If you’re entertain a crowd of people at your home for Super Bowl then planning ahead is key because you don’t want to be spending all of your time in the kitchen while the game’s on.

Here are some tailgate party recipes that will have you scoring a touchdown on game day.

Hot Spinach Chicken Dip

This recipe is made in a slow cooker so all you have to do is toss all the ingredients in the slow cooker and walk away. The dip should be ready by the time your guests arrive and is perfect served with crostini, crackers, pumpernickel bread and a variety of crudités.

Nacho Chicken and Bean Dip

This healthier version of nacho dip is perfect served with whole wheat tortilla chips. It can be made the night before so all you have to do is pull it out of the fridge and serve.

Chicken Sandwiches with Lemon Basil Zucchini and Boursin

Sandwiches are a great way to go. Pick up a few rotisserie chickens at your local grocery store and have plenty of sandwich fillings available. A good selection of breads such as whole wheat baguette, pita bread, tortilla wraps, sliced sandwich bread will allow everyone to create their favourite sandwiches.

Don’t forget to have vegetables and dip handy and a good variety of non-alcoholic beverages for those non beer drinking fan and most of all, have fun!

One of the things I enjoy doing the most on weekends is preparing and freezing meals for the weeks ahead.  I can usually find time on a Saturday or Sunday morning to enjoy a cup of coffee while I go through some of my favourite recipe books, make my shopping list and head out to the grocery store.

I try to prepare meals that are healthy and that don’t require a ton of work because that’s the last thing you want when you’re cooking in big batches.  I aim for recipes like chilis, stews, casseroles and soups; meals that are great for lunch or dinner and that freeze well. 

I avoid using pasta, cheeses or cream based sauces because they don’t freeze well.  Pasta tends to get mushy when thawed and reheated, the texture of cheese changes when it’s thawed and cream based sauce loses its velvety texture. 

A tip, though, if you are thinking about freezing these items:  Cook pasta to the point where it’s just about to hit the al dente point – just a minute or two before you’d consider it done – and continue from there.  That way, it can cook just a little more when you’re heating it up and it won’t get too mushy.

Also, if you’re using a cream-based sauce or a creamy soup, add less cream or milk than the recipe requires.  This way, you can add fresh cream or milk when you’re reheating it and you won’t necessarily dilute the flavour.

So what do you need to get started?

1.      Buy high quality containers or freezer bags to avoid freezer burn.  Tin pans that come with lids are great for dishes like lasagna.

2.      A permanent marker – You’ll know how long a meal has been sitting in your freezer if it is labelled with a date.

3.      If you don’t own a slow cooker, it’s a great investment for batch cooking, but a good size casserole dish, dutch oven or cooking pot should do the trick.

4.      If you’re going to make a big batch of food, make sure it’s something you and your family REALLY want to eat.

5.      Check your freezer for space.  This may be a good time to get rid of any expired or freezer-burned food.

6.      Make a grocery list and stick to it as much as you possibly can – impulse buys can be a hardship on both your wallet and your waistline.

7.      Thaw your food overnight by placing it in your refrigerator – never defrost anything in your sink or on your countertop.  Also, some meals can quickly be thawed in a microwave.

Preparing meals in advance for you and your family is not only a huge time saver, but a great way to save money.  You’ll be less likely to order take-out, which can get expensive, especially if it becomes a weekly ritual. Plus, preparing meals at home means you know what is going into your food and you have more control over what ingredients you are using, like salt or sugar. 

Here are some great freezer friendly recipes from our website.

Easy BBQ Chicken & Bean Burgers

Chicken Noodle Soup with Acorn Squash and Dill

Big Batch Chicken, Lentil, Bean & Rice Soup

It’s been a while since we’ve posted some great chicken recipes from Canadian food bloggers. So why not try one of them this weekend?

Real Food Made Easy– This Victoria, B.C.-based foodie runs a catering and personal chef business and shares some great recipes like this one for Gluten-Free Hoison Chicken.

Phoenikia– Although this blog doesn’t provide any information on the author, it most certainly contains some delicious recipes like this one for Curry Chicken, Version 2.

Equal Opportunity Kitchen– This Toronto based mother and daughter pair share great stories, fabulous pictures and recipes like this Overnight Chicken Stew with Israeli Couscous.

More than Burnt Toast– This foodie is a member of Food Bloggers Canada and has a great following. I especially liked this blog and the recipe for Dreaming of Summer with Chicken Carne Asado Tacos with Pickled Onions.

Day 3

If you follow our blog then you already know that this week I was off site for the shooting of our 15 new how-to videos. Our current how-to videos have been very popular especially with people who would usually shy away from cooking. In two minutes or less, we show you how to prepare tasty chicken dishes of all kinds, how –to cut a whole chicken and how-to make sauces, marinades and rubs.

On Wednesday (Day 3) we shot these how-to videos!

How-To Make Thai Chicken Burgers

How-To Make Butter Chicken

How-To Make a Surf & Turf Jambalaya

How-To Make a Quick Chicken Paprikash

How-To Make a Simple Chicken Curry

How-To Make Louisiana Fried Chicken

The day went longer than usual but there was a lot to get through. It’s amazing how many different ways chicken can be cooked. I especially enjoyed watching the fried chicken come to a perfect golden color. My mouth was watering! I think everyone was feeling the same way.

Day 4

We finished- off the shoot with two more recipes, California Chicken Paella and Chicken Breasts in Parchment and then it was time to plate the food. It’s amazing how pretty food can look when it is served on a beautiful plate with colorful garnishes. You can take the simplest recipe and make it look like a gourmet meal just by taking that extra little step.

I’m REALLY excited to see the new series of how-to videos but I’m even more excited to be able to share them with you. We won’t be releasing the videos all at once. Some of them are seasonal so keep your eyes peeled throughout the year as new ones are released!

This week I’m off site for the shooting of our 15 new how-to videos. Our current how-to videos have been very popular especially with people who would usually shy away from cooking. In two minutes or less, we show you how to prepare tasty chicken dishes of all kinds, how –to cut a whole chicken and how-to make sauces, marinades and rubs. If you haven’t had a chance to view our how-to’s, here’s a list of the videos that are available on our web site.

How-to make BBQ sauce

How-to blacken chicken

How-to make a wicked nacho dip

How-to make an awesome stir fry

How-to make a decent chicken chili

How-to make BBQ rubs

How-to make tournedos

How-to make chicken pâté

How-to make basic chicken meatballs

How-to spatchcock

How-to make beer can chicken

How-to bake wings

How-to know when chicken is cooked

How-to marinate chicken

How-to make chicken cutlets

How-to carve a whole chicken

How-to section a chicken

How-to poach chicken

How-to stuff a whole chicken

How-to braise chicken

Day 1

Monday was the first day of the filming of our how-to videos. Everyone arrived on site at 8:00 a.m. to set-up the cameras and prepare the set. Once everything was up and ready-to-go, the food preparation and cooking started.

Did it ever smell good! We started with a simple Chicken Meatloaf, Ground Chicken and Salsa Sloppy Joes, Chicken Pot Pie and Greek Salad with Chicken.

While preparing the ingredients for the chicken pot pie, the smell of sautéed carrots, celery, leeks, cremini mushrooms filled the air and it was hard to resist grabbing a spoonful. The filming went very well with very few retakes which was perfect because everyone was able to head home at a reasonable hour. It’s a good thing because the weather man was calling for freezing rain.

Day 2

The filming started bright and early and everyone was raring to go! The first recipe of the day was Chicken Pad Thai then we moved on to Chicken Nori Rolls and then onto the refrigerator shots (shots of placing food in the refrigerator).

While we were on lunch break, I took the time to ask the crew a few questions about what is involved in the shooting of these how-to videos.

Amanda (Talent)

What is the biggest challenge of preparing food, especially chicken, for the how-to videos?

This is the third round of “How To’s” for Chicken Farmers of Canada that we’ve produced, and always being behind the scenes, I never realized what was involved in the cooking process. This year, being in front of the camera, I now know how much precision goes into each shot: The placing, the cutting, the look of each piece.  Everything has a play. Not being much of a cook myself, it’s sometimes a challenge for me to cut the chicken in proper fashion, while maintaining that perfect shot. However, no matter the shot, we make it work, and it always turns out how we want it. These recipes are great, and we look forward to producing more in the future.

Renée (Director)

What do you try to achieve when directing a how-to video?

To illustrate certain procedures that some people might find daunting and simplify them for people who don’t usually cook for themselves. By using classic recipes and making them fun, people are more willing to try them.

Kevin (Chef)

This is your first experience with preparing foods for how-to videos. What have you enjoyed the most about this experience so far and what have been some of the challenges?

It’s always a good thing to have a change of pace. The restaurant industry is always extremely busy. I’ve always been entertained by cooking shows and I was excited to be part of something in that area. It was extremely difficult/different to organize the horde of food and equipment of the insanely random shot orders. Not to mention the tiny space to prepare all of the dishes multiple times on a hot-plate. But it all went fantastically!

Robin (Director of Photography)

What do you enjoy the most about shooting how-to videos and what are some of the challenges you sometimes come across during a shoot?

I enjoy the creative freedom when setting up lights and camera angles. When shooting long hours it gets tricky to adapt to the sun rise and sun sets that change the kitchen’s lighting.

Devin (Second Camera Operator)

What do you enjoy the most about shooting how-to videos and what are some of the challenges you sometimes come across during a shoot?

Most of the time, the how-to’s are very interesting. It’s fun to learn about every step of the process. The challenge is that it’s difficult keeping track of continuity, making sure every little detail stays consistent shot-to-shot.

Jonathan (Third Camera Operator)

What do you enjoy the most about shooting how-to videos and what are some of the challenges you sometimes come across during a shoot?

The best part about filming these how-to videos is that they open my mind to how easy cooking can be if you break it down step-by-step.

The challenges we face are being able to film on schedule to catch every possible amount of daylight we can.

Whether or not you celebrate Chinese New Year, there’s always room for some tasty Chinese food, so why not take advantage of the Chinese New Year deals at your local grocery store and whip up a feast for your friends and family?

Chinese New Year celebrations start on January 23^rd and last for 15 days and, if you’re into astrology, this year marks the year of the fierce and fire-breathing dragon! Pick a night between January 23^rd and February 8^th that will accommodate everyone and set the theme by serving some spicy “dragon” food.

The Chinese eat “lucky” foods during this celebration, so it can get a little complicated if you don’t know a lot about them. By using this list, I was able to find some recipes on our website to help you get started. It wasn’t very hard as chicken is on the list and symbolizes happiness, marriage and family reunion.

• CHICKEN represents marriage and happiness
• WHOLE CHICKEN ̶ family reunion
• EGGS ̶ fertility
• EGG ROLL/SPRING ROLLS ̶ wealth
• NOODLES ̶ a long life
• PEANUTS ̶ a long life
• SEEDS ̶ having a large number of kids
• TANGERINES ̶ luck
• ORANGES ̶ wealth
• POMELO ̶ abundance, prosperity, having children
• FISH (served whole) – prosperity
• DRIED BEAN CURD (not fresh) ̶ fresh tofu is white and the colour white represents death and misfortune
• BAMBOO shoots – wealth
• SEAWEED (black moss) ̶ wealth
• LYCHEE ̶ close family ties
• CHINESE GARLIC CHIVES ̶ everlasting, a long life
• DUMPLINGS ̶ good financial tidings
• LETTUCE ̶ rising fortune
• CLAMS ̶ wealth

Here are the “lucky” recipes for you to enjoy!

Egg Rolls with Sweet Heat Dipping Sauce

Chicken Egg Foo Young

Easy Chicken Fried Rice

Cool Spicy Noodle Salad

Chili Orange Flattened Chicken

Chinese-Style Steamed Chicken Broccoli (rice cooker)

Fast Five Spice Roast Chicken

Roast Chicken Chop Suey with Mushrooms

Sweet and Sour Chicken Meatballs

I will be offsite the week of January 23 working with a team of very talented people who will be filming our next series of 15 how-to videos. I love being onsite when the shoots are taking place!  There’s an incredible amount of work that goes into just one video, yet everyone has a great time working together to get it done.

I was lucky to have the same experience last year, which I blogged about back then.

http://chicken.ca/blog/videos/the-filming-of-our-new-how-to-videos/

http://chicken.ca/blog/cooking_tips/how-to-video-shoot-day-21/

http://chicken.ca/blog/cooking_tips/how-to-video-shot-day-3/

So what how-to videos do we have in store for you this year?

1. Chicken Pad Thai
2. Stuffed Peppers
3. Chicken Pot Pie
4. Chicken in Parchment Paper
5. Chicken Meatloaf
6. Fried Chicken
7. Chicken Paella
8. Thai Chicken Burgers
9. Butter Chicken
10. Sloppy Joes
11. Quick Chicken Paprikash
12. Chicken Curry
13. Jambalaya
14. Greek Salad with Chicken
15. Chicken Nori Rolls

We won’t be releasing the videos all at once. Some of these are seasonal so keep your eyes peeled throughout the year as new ones are released.

Have you tried making a recipe that you learned from one of our how-to videos? If so, which one and how did it turn out? We’d love to hear from you.

Do you pack a healthy brown-bagged lunch for work or are you constantly tempted by the variety of fast-food options available at the cafeteria? Perhaps that chip wagon across the street has you dreaming of poutine the night before?

I know lunch time can be difficult. Our office is downtown and we are surrounded by a multitude of fast-food options, restaurants, cafés and chip wagons, which can make that chicken salad sandwich, seem a bit less appetizing. But eating out every day is not only hard on your wallet; it is hard on your waistline.

There’s nothing wrong with a lunch outing from time-to-time, but when you do it every day, it’s hard to get out of the routine. Why not make it your New Year’s resolution to start bringing a healthy and flavourful lunch to work every day. By packing some flavour into your lunches, you are more likely to stick with a healthy lunch routine.

Healthy doesn’t have to mean bland! Here are some healthy lunch recipes that will tickle your taste buds, save you some money and trim your waistline.

Chicken Bombay Salad in Whole Grain Rolls

This chicken salad is not only super easy to prepare but can also be enjoyed on its own, over a bed of lettuce, or mixed in with your favourite whole-wheat pasta.

Honey Salsa Chicken Spinach Wraps

This healthy and zesty sandwich comes together quickly and uses common kitchen ingredients.

Mediterranean Olive Loaf

By preparing a healthy chicken for dinner, you should have some leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch. Try slicing a piece and making a sandwich with it using whole grain bread, lettuce and sliced tomato.

Budget-friendly cooking doesn’t mean skipping out on the foods you love. There are many inexpensive, healthy and nutritious recipes that are simple to prepare at home. Sometimes it just takes a little guidance to get started.

So, if you’re looking for some great tips on how to make great food without breaking the bank, then look no further!

Tip #1

Take advantage of sales - when your favourite ingredients go on sale, stock up!  Meats, like chicken freeze well and are easy to thaw, as long as you follow the proper thawing techniques (see chicken thawing techniques here).  Sales are also a good time to pick up the more expensive foods that you wouldn’t usually buy.

Tip #2

Plan your meals - make a grocery list and stick with it.  You’re more likely to buy the items you actually need.  It’s easy to be tempted by the wide variety of goodies at the grocery store but if you veer off track, your wallet will pay for it. Also, don’t shop when you’re hungry.

Tip #3

Don’t waste food.  If you have more leftovers than expected, have some for lunch the next day or freeze and enjoy at a later time.

Tip #4 -Keep these basics in your pantry:

Canned tomatoes (whole, diced or crushed) – Many recipes use canned tomatoes.  So I usually keep a few extra in my pantry.

Tomato paste - a trick for tomato paste: you never use the whole can so scoop the rest out in tablespoons, wrap each portion in plastic wrap and freeze them –  having them measured out makes cooking a lot easier.

Tomato sauce – Yes, another canned tomato product, but this is a real time saver when it comes to making pasta sauces and tasty dishes like chicken parmesan! 

Whole wheat bread crumbs – bread crumbs are great for breading meats and binding ground meats.  If you’re breading meat, you can jazz up the bread crumbs with seasonings, such as Italian, or even throw in some sesame seeds for a little crunch and added flavour.

Olive oil – if you don’t like the taste of olive oil then stick with a vegetable or canola oil.

Canned beans, such as chick peas, red kidney or black beans are very inexpensive and make a great addition to chilis.  Toss them in a salad for extra fibre.

Chicken broth – chicken broth can be used in so many ways.  I cook my rice in chicken broth and even add some to my mashed potatoes instead of cream to cut some of the fat out.  

Check out our video on making your own stock at http://chicken.ca/media/videos/slow_comfort/.  Try storing it in ice cube trays – makes those mashed potatoes even easier!

Whole wheat pasta – this is always handy to have when you’re in a rush for dinner.  Toss in some chicken, vegetables and your favourite pasta sauce for a healthy meal.

Brown rice (if you prefer white then aromatic rice, like Jasmine or Basmati are the way to go).  Whole wheat couscous is also a great choice.

All purpose whole wheat flour – flour is used in many recipes as a thickening agent for sauces.  It’s also used to lightly coat meats or to bake your favourite breads or pastries.

Always have your favourite herbs and spices available: oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, salt, peppercorns, etc. – check your favourite recipes, this will help you determine the seasonings you use most often.

Note: make sure that the canned items you purchase are sodium reduced.

Tip #5 - Keep these basics in your freezer:

Frozen vegetables such as green peas (add a splash of color to any dish) – frozen vegetables are inexpensive and most grocery stores carry a wide variety.  Frozen vegetables are flash frozen which helps them hold in their vitamins and nutrient, plus they are simple and quick to prepare.

Nuts like almonds and cashews keep longer when stored in the freezer.  So if these are a must have don’t store them in your pantry.

Tip #5 - Keep these basics in your refrigerator:

Butter – I prefer unsalted butter because it allows me to season my food according to taste.

Onions are great flavour enhancers and don’t spoil easily – white onions are a great choice for cooking.  For a sweeter taste, red onions are the way to go.

Garlic is a must in most recipes – look for garlic that is nicely compact.  Don’t buy garlic that is sprouting green stems; you’ll just be throwing your money away.

Low fat milk – milk is used for so many recipes.  If you’re lactose intolerant then lactose free milk is a good choice, although it is little more expensive.

Eggs are very handy to have around especially if you enjoy baking.  Eggs are also great to make quick meals like frittatas or omelettes.

Salsa – a great choice for hot or cold meals, salsa can be poured over chicken and baked for a quick and easy meal, or even served as a dipping sauce for your favourite dippers, like bread, chicken strips and veggies!

Lemons and limes are a great way to zest up recipes and keep well in the refrigerator.

The rest of your foods, such as meats, are always better when bought fresh and used right away but they also freeze well.  If you prefer fresh vegetables from frozen, then buy these when you’re ready to prepare a recipe.  Fresh vegetables are better than limp or less that healthy looking ones.

Here are a few of my favourite budget friendly recipes from our web site.

Spiced Chicken with Rice and Banana Raita

Polenta Chicken Bake

Garlicky Chicken with Spinach over Pasta

I don’t know about you but during the winter months, I start craving comfort foods like macaroni and cheese, meatloaf with mashed potatoes and especially lasagna! In fact, the meatier and cheesier it is, the better (except when it comes to my waistline).

This year I’ve decided to find new and healthier comfort foods that I can prepare in big batches and enjoy for lunches or dinner. But, that doesn’t mean that I won’t indulge from time-to-time!

So this year, I’ve decided to put my slow cooker to good use and prepare some low-calorie, yet hearty meals that should sustain my comfort food craving.

Here are a few recipes that I’m going to try!

Greek-Style Spinach and Orzo Soup

This lemony and zesty Greek version of minestrone is packed full of healthy ingredients and contains a mere 228 calories per serving.

Moroccan-Style Ground Chicken and Couscous

This Moroccan version of a chili is made healthier by using ground chicken, whole wheat couscous, vitamin packed sweet potatoes and contains 320 calories per serving.

Gypsy Chicken Stew

At 290 calories per serving, you can afford to enjoy a slice of crusty whole wheat bread with this thick and hearty chicken stew.

Chicken Vegetable Lasagna

At 400 calories per serving, you won’t feel guilty while enjoying this  healthy and cheesy vegetable packed lasagna.

Yellow Split Pea Soup with Chicken Meatballs

There’s nothing like a piping hot bowl of pea soup on a cold winter day. This recipe contains meatballs made with extra lean ground chicken in place of ham or bacon and cuts the calories down to 260 calories per serving.

Do you have a healthy chicken comfort food recipe that you’d like to share with us? Let us know in the comments.

Today’s blog is brought to you by Karen Humphrey. Karen is the author of two very well known Canadian food blogs “Notes from the Cookie Jar” and “Chasing Tomatoes”.

“Mom, what are we having for dinner tonight?”  Kevin ran his hand across the lamb’s back, rubbing its wooly coat. The petting zoo had been our choice of activity that cool September day, and I was about to get a first hand experience about connecting kids to the food on their plate.

“Um… lamb.”  The words were out of my mouth before I realized what I had just said.  Kevin’s hand stopped on the lamb’s back and his eyes widened. He looked at the lamb, then at me, back to the lamb. I then did what any mom would do in that situation.

I bleated. He was horrified.

Fortunately, my son loves his food far more than he is squeamish, and that night he downed his lamb pasta sauce, smacking his lips and commenting on the “tasty, tasty little lamb” that he was eating. He’s always been the kind of kid who wants to know where his food comes from, and we’ve been happy to show him. I believe that giving kids this kind of knowledge helps them make healthier food choices. Who wouldn’t rather eat something with ingredients they can recognize over something full of chemicals? How do you connect kids with what’s on their plate, anyway? Well, the trick my friends, is to start when the kids are young.

Go on a safari right in the produce department, or visit a farm!

Your local grocery store or farmers market is just chock full of all kinds of tasty produce, why not introduce the kids to it? Take the kids on a safari in the produce section-go just to look at all the fruits and vegetables, talk about them, where they come from, and allow each child to pick out one thing to take home and try. Serve it up for snack! You may be surprised by what they pick. If you can, visit a local farm and see how things are grown. Farms aren’t just for vegetables-we’ve traveled to honey, oyster, pistachio, and apple farms! Most farmers will happily give you a tour, and to say thanks, make sure to buy some of their products to take home and sample.

Read, Read, Read

There are all kinds of wonderful picture books about produce and where food comes from, from Eric Carle’s The Tiny Seed to Lars Klinting’s Beaver the Gardner. I also love Eating the Alphabet, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and for your picky eater I Will Never, Not Ever, Eat a Tomato. Serve them up with a healthy snack and make story time a picnic!

Grow It Yourself

In the early spring, you can start a container garden and try growing some simple veggies like peas, bush beans, radishes, and green onions, or even strawberries. Kids will love watching them grow, picking, and later eating them-even if they choose not to eat them, lesson learned!  Container gardening is really very easy, even a novice can get a pot of veggies going on a back porch.   

Serve the Veggies Naked

No need to dress up vegetables and fruit with sugary and fatty dips, just let the kids start with them right how they are meant to be enjoyed. They will discover dips soon enough, and when they do you can keep them relatively healthy by sticking to Greek yogurt but until then, introduce those new little tastebuds to veggies in their purest form! You may be surprised that once you are used to naked veggies how delicious they taste without all the added stuff on them.

Kids learn from watching you, and if you shy away from fruit and veggies or think that they are the very last thing you want to be eating, so will they! Find some that you don’t mind eating and share them with the kids. You don’t have to love them all (hey, I can’t stand cantaloupe) but making the effort counts. You never know, by introducing your kids to where their food comes from, you may find som

Today’s blog is brought to you by Karen Humphrey. Karen is the author of two very well known Canadian food blogs “Notes from the Cookie Jar” and “Chasing Tomatoes”.

“The Imp has officially eaten three times as much lamb, potatoes and corn as I have this evening”, my friend Alexis tweeted, “If he keeps this up, we won’t be able to afford lamb in his teenage years. Lentils for all my friends!”

Feeding teenagers, or rather keeping them fed, is a challenge. Perpetually hungry teens can clean out your fridge faster that you can re-fill it, which can cost a small fortune these days.  Besides that, there’s the lure of fast food, so how do you make sure that they are eating healthy as well? 

When Kevin has friends over, I notice that they like food that is fast, requires minimal cooking, and tastes good.  If you make sure that your fridge and pantry is stocked with food that meets these requirements, you should be able to keep them happy and keep them away from too much fast food, which will keep you happy.  So, where to start?

The slow cooker and freezer is your friend