March 2023 Nutrition Notes
Cara Stoller, RD
Registered Dietitian
March is traditionally Nutrition Month in the nutrition world and this year the theme is:
Unlock The Potential Of Food (as per Dietitians of Canada)
As we all are aware, Planet Foods offers many healthy products that provide health benefits and are of high nutritional caliber. The theme of “unlocking the potential of food” is encouraging consumers to seek out beneficial helpful nutrition advice from registered dietitians, who are credible sources of valuable science-based nutrition information.
This month I would like to take the time to offer some facts and/or recipes utilizing Planet Foods products, especially some of the ones that are featured in the Focus Five. These recipes can also utilize other Planet Foods products that are not necessarily featured this month.
The March 2023 Focus Five are:
Sahara (Beans and Legumes)
Lakanto
Wild Country
Frog Friendly
Illy
Sahara
Sahara organic beans and legumes are a healthy way to incorporate many vital nutrients into your diet. Beans and lentils provide many vegan, gluten free and dairy free nutritional benefits such as:
• Protein
• Fiber
• Iron
• Potassium
• Folate
• Magnesium
Please enjoy the following recipe that features black beans but can also be modified to include other high quality Planet Foods products: Zesty Bean Dip and ChipsZesty Bean Dip and Chips This recipe takes dip and chips to a whole new level. Pack the dip and chips separately for an on-the-go snack that is out of this world. 6 small whole wheat flour or corn tortillas (Casa Bonita tortillas) 6
3/4 tsp
chili powder
4 mL 1 can (540 mL/19 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed (Sahara Black Beans) 1
1/2 cup
medium or hot salsa (Casa Bonita salsa)
125 mL 1/4 tsp grated lime rind * 1 mL
2 tbsp
lime juice*
30 mL 1 small shallot, minced 1
1/2 tsp
ground cumin
2 mL pinch fresh ground pepper pinch
3 tbsp
chopped fresh cilantro
45 mL 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil (optional) 30 mL Step 1 Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges and place in a resealable plastic bag. Spray tortillas with cooking spray and sprinkle with chili powder; seal and shake bag to coat tortilla wedges. Place on large baking sheet and bake in preheated 200°C (400°F) oven for about 8 minutes or until golden and crisp. Let cool completely before using. Step 2 In a food processor bowl, puree beans, salsa, lime rind and juice, shallot, cumin and pepper until smooth. Scrape into bowl and stir in cilantro and basil, if using. Step 3 Serve with tortilla chips (Use Casa Bonita or La Cocina chips)
*Tru Citrus Lime can be used for any/all of the lime flavoring-especially in the winter months when limes can be quite costly
Recipe modified from original recipe by Emily Richards, P.H. Ec. (As provided by Dietitians of Canada, courtesy of Health Canada, Heart and
Stroke Foundation of Canada and Minister of Health, 2014)
Lakanto
Lakanto is an all-natural zero calorie sweetener made from monkfruit. It can be easily swapped for sugar on a 1:1 basis (although you may want to experiment with as individual preferences differ). The sweetness in monkfruit comes from unique antioxidants called mogrosides, which are separated from the naturally occurring glucose and fructose (types of sugar) in monkfruit. The absence of these sugars results in very little or no effect on blood glucose levels and needless to say, can drastically reduce the caloric contents of foods that it is used in.
Here is a recipe that I developed that is a hit in my house!
Oatmeal Flax Banana Bread
Preheat oven to 325 F.
Spray and line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper to be able to lift out easily.
3 ripe bananas
½ C egg whites
½ C plain Greek yogurt
2 T Phoeapolis olive oil
½ C Golden Lakanto
¾ C Only Oats Oat Flour
¾ C ground flax meal
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
Optional:1/2 C Galerie Au Chocolat Dark Chocolate Baking Chips, chopped
Combine wet ingredients in food processor. Add in dry ingredients and combine. Fold in chocolate if using. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for approximately 1 hour at 325 F. Check with toothpick after 50 minutes.
Allow to sit in pan approximately 5 minutes once removed from oven. Lift out onto cooling rack and gently roll out of parchment paper. Allow to cool prior to cutting.
Recipe developed by Cara Stoller, RD
Wild Country
Wild Country bee pollen and raw honey provide many nutritional benefits. As these products are unpasteurized most of the nutritional benefits are retained. The antioxidants found in bee pollen and
raw honey can:
• Decrease cell damage
• Reduce chronic inflammation
• Fight infection
• Reduce risk of cancer and heart disease
Important note: Honey and/or products containing honey pasteurized or unpasteurized should not be given to children under the age of one year as there is a risk of botulism, an illness caused from the ingestion of Clostridium botulinum, a bacteria that can cause serious illness.
Coffee
While coffee isn’t food per se, there are still benefits and pleasure to be derived from it and remember we have to enjoy our foods and beverages!
Frog Friendly
This single origin organic coffee features a low PH level. This in turn reduces the possible gastric irritation for individuals that find coffee harsh on the stomach. This is good news for those that want to drink coffee but cannot due to discomfort.
Illy
This premium Italian coffee is highly sought after and for those that enjoy coffee is a real treat! How about a cup of Illy with a slice of the Oatmeal Banana Loaf above!
As we can see from the above information, Planet Foods products provide us with the ability to Unlock the Potential of Food in many healthy and delicious ways.
Happy Nutrition Month!