Will You Fill Out This Paleo Diet Survey?

This week, I received an e-mail from a graduate student at Humboldt State University named May Pati�o.  She asked me to share her online research survey targeted to Paleo dieters.  Here are the goals of her research, in her words:

The main objective of my study is exploring how the Paleo diet is being implemented in practice.  I would like to assess the health outcomes of these practices, as well evaluate how closely they conform to, or deviate from ways this diet is being described in theoretical literature, and implemented in controlled diet trials. I also want to be able to use the data collected to help explain what is driving the popularity of the ancestral health movement. Ultimately, I would like this information to be used to better inform protocols for controlled diet trails.

The survey took me about 40 minutes to complete.  You're welcome to participate whether or not you're on the Paleo diet.  Please consider taking the survey, for the love of science!

Research Survey: The Paleo Diet in the US

Fall Pasta

When Carson isn't around for dinner, I typically eat what the kids eat.  Mac & cheese with a side of peas?  Sounds delicious, I'll take it.  I usually feel way too lazy for any type of real effort.  However, the other night my son requested ravioli with a side of crispy broccoli and cauliflower.  (In case you're wondering, my daughter requested chewing gum and peanut butter on a spoon.)  I realized this was something I could work with, and by adding some shaved brussel sprouts that I saut�ed in browned butter, it became a very adult and very delicious meal...  

Fall Pasta

(Serves 2)

Printable Recipe

1 pkg. cheese ravioli

2 cups broccoli florets

2 cups cauliflower florets

2 T olive oil

1 cup shaved brussel sprouts

2 T unsalted butter

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450.  On a baking sheet, add broccoli and cauliflower florets.  Toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast in oven for 20 minutes, shaking pan halfway to make sure everything is cooking evenly.  In the meantime, prepare ravioli as directed on package (until al dente).  While pasta is boiling, heat butter over medium heat in a medium skillet until it begins to brown.  Add brussel sprouts and saut� for about 10 minutes, until golden, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Once pasta is cooked and drained, place back in pot.  Add brussel sprouts, roasted broccoli and cauliflower, and toss with pine nuts and Parmesan cheese.

Spaghetti Squash Veggie Bowl

I was away last weekend in Wisconsin, indulging in amazing food and drink with even more amazing friends.  After eating whatever I pleased for 3 days straight, I felt the need to make something light and comforting last night.  A "Meatless Monday" meal, if you will.  (Wait.  Was yesterday Monday?  I don't even know these things anymore.)  I was perusing the squash, gourd and pumpkin display at Trader Joe's, and I got the idea to make a bowl with spaghetti squash as the base (instead of rice or noodles).  It was delicious, and I will make it again and again...

I halved the squash, scooped out the seeds and roasted it on a baking sheet for 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Then, I scraped out the "noodles" with a fork, drizzled them with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.  I topped my bowl with saut�ed brussel sprouts (chopped) and shiitake mushrooms (always weirds me out that word has two 'i's'), boiled sweet corn, avocado and sriracha.   

By the way, this also would have been perfect with a soft-boiled egg on top, but for whatever reason I've lost my ability to properly execute that culinary technique.  And that is a fancy way of me saying, WTF... why can't I soft boil an egg anymore??!??  I keep trying, and trying, but it won't peel, and it's like EXTREMELY raw inside.  What am I doing wrong, people, what, what??  

Are you there, God?  It's me, Margaret.    

That Time I Ate Most of a Large Pizza in One Sitting

Two weeks ago, I had a brush with Extreme Eating. My experience illustrates some important principles of how the brain regulates appetite and body fatness-- and how it reacts to calorie-dense, highly rewarding foods.


Read more �

Food (Security) for Thought: What's Mental Health Got to Do With It?

October 4 to 10, 2015 is Mental Health Awareness Week!



Held on the first week of October, this campaign focuses attention on mental disorders: signs and symptoms, stigma, how to get help, hope and recovery, and the impact of mental illness on lives, families, workplaces, and society (Source: Canadian Mental Health Association).



Did you know? October 10 is World Mental Health Day!



Some of you may have experienced or know someone who has experienced mental illness. Maybe it was depression, anxiety, Alzheimer's, anorexia, or dementia. Bipolar disorder? Schizophrenia?



Mental illness is more common than many of us might think, but the stigma surrounding it often keeps the conversations silent and can make it difficult to know where to go for help.



What does this have to do with food security?



Food insecurity can be both an outcome and a cause of poor mental health and mental illness. Members of food insecure households tend to have poorer self-rated health, greater stress, and poorer mental and physical health.



Mental illness can impact a person's ability to provide enough food for themselves and their households by making it more difficult to work, maintain relationships with family and friends, and keep a supportive network. Without steady income or social support, food insecurity is more likely to occur.


This relationship between food security and mental illness, however, is not just one way.



A 2012 study found that adolescents who were food insecure in the past year were more likely to experience mental disorders compared to those whose families had reliable access to food. Lack of reliable access to enough food was linked to an increased risk for adolescent mental disorders, even after factoring for the effects of poverty.



People who live in low-income households and poverty conditions are more
likely to experience depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts and have
poorer mental health outcomes. As food security worsens, so does mental
health.



So, Let's Talk



Talking is the best way to start breaking down barriers, halt misconceptions, and end the stigma surrounding mental illness. Learn the facts, help educate others, and take the first step to a better understanding of mental health.



If you are in crisis, please go to your local hospital or call 911 immediately. If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, call one of the networks below for support or guidance on seeking help in your area.



Kids Help Phone 1(800) 668-6868



Canadian Mental Health Association (604) 688-3236 (BC Division) or Find your local CMHA



Links



Billingsley, M. (2012). Food insecurity predicts mental health problems in adolescents. (Article)



Canadian Mental Health Association. (n.d.). Awareness Weeks. https://www.cmha.bc.ca/get-informed/events/awareness-weeks



Leung, C. W., Epel, E. S., Willett, W. C., Rimm, E. B., & Laraia, B. A. (2015). Household food insecurity is positively associated with depression among low-income Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants and income-eligible nonparticipants. American Society for Nutrition, 145(3), 622-627. (Link)



McLaughlin, K. A., Green,
J. G., Alegr�a, M., Costello, E. J., Gruber, M. J., Sampson, N. A.,
& Kessler, R. C. (2012). Food insecurity and mental disorders in a
national sample of US adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(12), 1293-1303. (Link)

 

PROOF. (n.d.). Health, nutrition and food insecurity. (Article)

World Federation for Mental Health. http://www.wfmh.org/

Gluten free and fabulous on CBC's Weekend Morning Show!

 On Saturday, I'll be presenting these recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show, with host Terry MacLeod.  The Gluten Free tart shells are made with unsweetened Almonds by Piccola Cucina and can be found at the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market. 

Two Tarts Today (Gluten Free)
Piccola Cucina Tart or pie shells, made in Manitoba, are gluten free, dairy free and vegan.  They come in a variety of sizes from pie to tartlet and are available at the St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market.

Pre-bake the shells at 350�F for 12-15 minutes.  Cool before filling with the following recipes.  You can cover the edges with foil to prevent over browning. 

1. Caramelized Shallot Tarts

Shallots
port or wine
rosemary or thyme
drizzle olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Take the skins and ends off of the shallots and place them in a shallow baking dish. Add remaining ingredients and bake at 350�F oven for up to one hour or until the shallots are soft. Enjoy in a number of options or as a garnish to meats and vegetables or, combine with Okanagan Cherry reduction in tarts:

Dried Okanagan Cherry reduction
1 cup tart dried Okanagan cherries *
1 cup port
1 tbs chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbs butter
1 cup dry red wine or port
Soak cherries in port over night or for several hours.
In a sauce pan, heat soaked cherries and add wine or port and rosemary. Bring to a boil and add butter. Remove from heat and pur�e. Use on tarts or as a drizzle for meats or poultry.  Add ch�vre to each tart shell and top with shallot/cherry mixture.  Bake until hot throughout.

2. Quiche Lorraine (with Beef Bacon!)
Beef bacon can be purchased at Wildfire Farms, at St. Norbert�s Market on Saturdays and the Downtown Hydro Building on Thursdays.  Nature�s Farm eggs can be found at St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market and well as a number of grocery stores.

for 6 medium tart shells

1 tbs butter
6 eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 pound beef bacon (or Berkshire, another local bacon), chopped
1 finely chopped leek whites
1 cup shredded Swiss or Gruyere cheese
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium high heat.  Add leek and bacon until starting to soften and brown.  In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs and cream together.  Add the leek and bacon with the cheese and seasonings.  Pour into crust and bake until the centre of the quiches are just set, ~ 20 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins with Coconut & Almond Meal

Happy first Friday in October! One of my favorite months� the air is a little a crisper and the trees are all shades of red and orange. And of course October is all about Halloween and everything pumpkin! It�s also the month Evan and I got married! We�re headed up to Vancouver, BC for the weekend to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary, but I wanted to leave you with a pumpkiny fall treat!

These muffins are from the blog Dishing up the Dirt. The blogger, Andrea, runs a vegetable farm near-ish my hometown, and I actually heard about her blog awhile back from my mom. I recently came across her blog again, and aside from all the beautiful farm photography, these pumpkin muffins really caught my eye! I made a few tweaks to suit my tastes and use the ingredients I had on hand, and I love the way they came out. Moist and dense, perfect for a fall weekend breakfast or afternoon snack!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins with Coconut & Almond Meal
Makes 12 muffins
Slightly adapted from this recipe

2 eggs
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (I used canned�just make sure you find one without added sugar and spices!)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
4 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1.5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
2 cups almond flour/ almond meal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup desiccated (dried shredded, unsweetened) coconut

Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners, and preheat oven to 325.

In a large, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla, until well combined. Add spice, flours, baking soda, and salt, and stir to combine. Mix in chocolate chips and coconut.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

*I had a nearly full jar of pumpkin pie spice on hand, but Andrea has a breakout of individual spices in her recipe, if you want to go that route.