Vitae Nutrition and Doula Services – Saskatoon

Oatmeal is one of those foods everyone has tried. Some people eat it every day; some dislike it with a passion from childhood. I love to eat oatmeal but for many years didn’t eat oatmeal because I thought it took too much effort. I was motivated recently to find some less processed cereal alternatives. This has led to experimentation with oatmeal. I am going to share one of my favorites with you today.

Info: Oatmeal comes in a few different forms: quick cooking, rolled oats, or steel cut oats. Both steel cut oats and rolled oats are a whole grain. Instant or quick cooking oats lose some of the grain through processing and not considered a “whole grain”. Using rolled or steel cut oats will give you more fibre and, in my opinion more flavour. However, quick cooking oats are just that, quick cooking.

Inspiration: I was out of quick cooking oats and decided to try steel cut oats for the first time. The recipe I used is from one of my favorite cook books: Cook Great Food from the Dietitians of Canada. I received a copy when I was in university and it has been a go to cook book ever since.

Ingredients: Oats of your choice, water, milk, salt, raisins, wheat bran, ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Combine 1/2 cup of water and milk with  1/8 tsp salt, 2 tbsp raisins, and 1 tsp wheat bran in a 4 cup microwave safe bowl.

2. Microwave on high for 2 minutes.

3. Stir in oats (the original recipe calls for quick cooking oats) and 1/8 tsp cinnamon.

4. Microwave on high until desired consitency stirring at regular intervals. Quick cooking oats 3-4 minutes, rolled or steel cut 6-8 minutes (or as listed on

package).

5. Serve with a sprinkle of ground flax, or however you would like.

Results: I used Rogers Steel Cut Porridge oats that has a mixutre of steel cut and rolled oats with wheat and oat brean. It turned out really well in the microwave, I was semi surprised. I stirred every 2 minutes and took 6 minutes to cook. I enjoyed the steel cut mixture much better than my usual quick cooking oats. I have been converted!

For many years parents were taught which foods to feed their babies based on a strict schedule. Infant cereals are first, in an order of rice to multi-grains. Mush of vegetables from a jar before sweet fruits. Meat was a dead last in the lineup. Strict schedules like this are hard to follow and also take away the fun of introducing your baby to the wonderful world of food.

I suggest we throw the schedule out the window. Actually, why don`t we skip the processed infant cereals altogether.  If you have a blender or a food processor, you can make all the healthiest baby food at home. One of the reasons infant cereals are suggested as a fist food is they have a nice texture and can be mixed with breast milk, as well as being fortified with iron. Iron is one of the nutrients that need to be supplemented by food at about six months of age.

So, no infant cereal, what do you feed your baby?As a registered dietitian, I think one of the best first foods would be pureed lentils. It is a great source of iron and protein and can be combined with breast milk too! Lentils also provide your baby with B vitamins, and other minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium. Instead of starting your baby on a refined baby cereal, choose whole grains and legumes made at home.

For more information on cooking lentils and other pulses check out Saskatchewan Pulse Growers.

For more advice from a Registered Dietitian on how to start with the best foods for baby check out Vitae Nurition Talks.

I think slow cookers are awesome. You can toss in all the ingredients turn on and forget! You also retain many nutrients because they are not lost with draining or other processing. However, I have never really used them. I now finally have a slow cooker to use and this was my first experiment.

Slow Cooker Squash and Apple Dish

Info: Squash is a great winter veggie, it stays fresh for months in a cellar type environment. It is a good source of fibre and Vitamin C. Squash also provides folate, vitamin A, and calcium. You can also roast the seeds like you would with pumpkin seeds for a kick of nutrition.

Inspiration: The squash I have had in my cupboard since early fall and a recipe from allrecipes.com

Ingredients: 1 3 lb. squash, 4 apples -peeled, cored and chopped, dried cranberries, onion, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg

Instructions:

1. I suggest chopping your squash in half and baking in the oven at 350°F for about 20 minutes before peeling and chopping the squash. I also used my partner to chop the squash in half, this squash was especially difficult.

2. Once semi cooked, peel and chop squash and toss it into the slow cooker.

3. Toss in apples, half chopped onion, 3/4 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg

Note: I adjusted the seasoning to my taste, the recipe suggests 1 Tbsp cinnamon and 1 1/2 tsp nutmeg

4. Cook on high for about two hours.

Note: The original cook time is 4 hours, but your squash is already semi cooked

5. Serve with roast chicken.

Results: I read the recipe wrong and put in 1 1/2 Tablespoons of nutmeg instead of teaspoons. I got a fairly good smelling but not very palatable side dish. I mixed my serving with some cottage cheese with success. I am however, going to turn the rest into soup! Lots of dilution with chicken stock and a bit of cream should be just the thing to save this disastrous dish. This dish didn’t turn out well but my slow cooker days are not over, I will prevail.

Every Friday night at the ‘in-laws’ is Pizza Night. Sometimes it’s delivery, others homemade.  Over the years this event has transformed into many different incarnations but pizza is still the core of Friday night dinners at the Belt house. Part of the tradition is everyone contibutes. Following is one of my most successful pizza night contributions.

Info: Tomatos are a great source of lycopene. Lycopene gives tomatoes a red color and act as an antioxidant in your body. Some studies have shown that a diet higher in lycopene may prevent some types of cancer! Cooking tomatoes can acutally increase the amount of lycopene you eat. Combing cooked tomatoes with a little bit of fat, like on pizza, helps you absorb more.

Inspiration: Popeye Pizza ordered while in Red Deer visiting family and friends.

Ingredients: pizza crust, pizza sauce, oil, spinach, minced garlic, tomatoes, mozzaralla cheese, feta cheese, parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F

2. Spread layer of pizza sauce over pizza crust. I used a frozen pizza crust and a homemade pasta sauce reduced down for pizza sauce.

3. Heat oil in a pan over med-high heat. Throw in 2 cloves minced garlic when oil is hot.

4. Use about 4 cups of rinsed spinach and wilt in the pan with the garlic. Splash some lemon juice on the spinach and stir.

5. Slice one large tomato (or more depending on the size of your crust).

6. When spinach is wilted, spread in an even layer on the pizza sauce. Layer on sliced tomatoes.

7. Sprinkle with shredded mozza, feta and parmesan cheese.

8. Bake for 10 min. Broil to finish.

9. Serve immediately.

Results: So good I didn‘t get a chance to take a picture. This is one of my all time favorite pizzas, even my non foodie friends like this recipe.