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