mental health Archives - Page 2 of 2 - ZestyKits - Regina Meal Kits, Recipes and Meal Prep

6 unexpected reasons you should eat breakfast

Posted on by

Breakfast is the meal most often skipped by Canadians. In a cross Canada study, the most common reason to skip it is the lack of time.

Many under-estimate the value of a balanced breakfast. With the rapid rythm of life and the growing popularity of intermittent fasting, breakfast is often not given the attention it deserves or is completely skipped.

Most health professionals agree: Breakfast is foundational to a healthy lifestyle.

Whole grains, protein, fruits and vegetables, and good fats are all components of a balanced breakfast. No one should face the day without a good balanced breakfast! Here are six reasons to fully enjoy breakfast every morning.

Breakfast is an easy meal that can be prepared and eaten in a few minutes and provide many hours of productivity.

6 unexpected reasons you should eat breakfast

1. Support brain health

Carbohydrates are essential for healthy brain functioning. A number of studies show kids who eat breakfast tend to have improved cognitive skills and perform better at school. Eating a balanced high-fiber breakfast, promotes memory and concentration levels, as well as improve mood and lower stress. Who doesn’t want that? There is no better time than breakfast time to replenish our carbohydrates. High-fiber carbohydrates are found in oats, whole grain bread and fruits.

2. Support Healthy Weight

Sometimes we may be tempted to skip breakfast to avoid extra calories. Skipping breakfast to lose a few pounds is a bad idea. Eating breakfast tells our body that we are not in starvation mode and will eat again during the day. Breakfast gets our metabolism started and helps us burn more calories throughout the day.

Studies have shown that eating a high-fiber, nutrient-sense breakfast greatly decreases hunger and cravings throughout the day.There is a correlation between skipping breakfast and having difficulty maintaining a healthy weight Studies even show this correlation with children. Children who skip breakfast tend to have a higher body Mass Index (BMI) and are up to 200% more likely to be overweight than children who eat breakfast regularly. Eating three balanced meals a day contributes to maintaining a healthy weight.

3. Family time

We often discuss the importance of eating dinner as a family. Breakfast is also a wonderful opportunity to connect as a family around the table. Are you ready for your volley ball game? What are you excited for today? We can enjoy the early morning hours to connect and spend quality time with our family.

Are you thinking you won’t have time? No excuses! Let’s set the alarm a few minutes early and create beautiful memories with our loved ones.

4. Skip that 2 pm feeling

Skipping breakfast has significant impact on the quality of our day. Are you familiar with that 2 pm feeling? There a good chance you can notice a correlation between skipping or eating an unbalanced breakfast and the 2 pm feeling.

Balanced breakfast are filled with fibers which contribute to stabilize blood sugar. Sugar drops cause a number of symptoms: difficulty concentrating, head aches, sugar cravings, and low patience. Test it out! Tomorrow morning, treat yourself to a balanced breakfast and see how you feel throughout the day.

5. Reduce snacking

The 2pm feeling is often associated with cravings. The lack of nutrient provided by a balanced breakfast always catches up with us. By skipping breakfast, it is highly likely that you will have cravings for chips or cake during the afternoon or evening.

To prevent these cravings, ensure to have a balanced breakfast high in fiber and proteins. When you have a hectic morning, plan a super quick breakfast you can eat on your way to work or at your desk. An example of super quick breakfast is overnight oats. You make them a few days ahead to just grab it and go in the morning. You will find a FREE breakfast recipe pdf at the bottom of this blog which includes a number of overnight oat recipes.

6. Develop healthy habits

Most health professional recommend to eat more fruits and vegetables. Breakfast is a good opportunity to add fruits and vegetables to our diet and to support a healthy life style.

When we have time to treat ourselves with a nice breakfast we can spend time with our loved ones preparing a more elaborated breakfast filled with vegetables and fruits. Some examples include: Omelettes, frittatas, blueberry pancakes, and breakfast burritos.

FREE breakfast recipe book

Are you sick and tired of the 2pm feeling?

Do you want to optimize your productivity throughout the day?

We got your back! Here are super easy and quick breakfasts that can be assembled a few days ahead. These breakfasts are so easy and delicious you won’t even want to skip breakfast again. Download this FREE pdf to learn how easy your next breakfast can be.

Happy breakfast!

More Blogs

blog

Cabane à sucre maison

blog

Make the Best Sugar Shack Feast

blog

Butter

blog

Beurre

blog

Truffles

Top 5 wine pairings

Posted on by

Nothing brings people together like good food & wine

We believe that every part food should be appreciated. From cutting vegetables to sitting down and eating, every part makes the experience of living more special. Our senses are a gift, let’s enjoy the aromas, the sounds of vegetables cooking. Wines helps add a little more love in every dish you create. Because every meal is an opportunity to fall in love.

Now for the fun part... Wine picking

Each ZestyKits wine are hand picked based on these principles:

⦁ Availability: Available at most SLGA
⦁ Affordability: priced under $25 at the SLGA
⦁ Flavour profile: Flavour of wine goes well with the dish
⦁ Support local: Include Canadian and Saskatchewan wine

5 characteristics of wine

Wine is defined by 5 characteristic: sweetness, acidity, tannin, alcohol, and body

Sweetness

A wine is sweet when there is more sugar in the grapes than needed for alcohol to ferment. This is called residual sugar. Wine sweetness is measured in a range of bone-dry, the unsweet wine, to very sweet, the sweetest wine you’ll ever have.

Sweetness of wine is also affected by the level of acidity. When wine is less acid, it taste sweeter. The dryer a wine is, the less calories it has.

Acidity

The acidity of wine comes from the grapes and gives it the sour flavor. Grapes loses their acidity as they ripen, and therefore wine that is made in a cooler climate has higher acidity.

Tannin

Tannin is found in the skin of the grapes and in the new wooden barrels. It is only found in red wine because the skin is removed for white wines. Tannin is the texture of the wine. You’ll recognise a wine with high tannin by the dry and pucker sensation it leaves on your tongue. High tannin wines are great to serve with food because it is palate cleansers to rich, fatty meats; cheeses; and pasta dishes.

Alcohol

Wine is made when the yeast converts the sugar of grapes into ethanol. Alcohol plays an important role in the transfer of the wines aroma. You can measure the alcohol in wine in a reach from low, less than 10% alcohol, to high, over 15% alcohol.

Body

The body of wine is shaped by the sweetness, acidity, tannin & alcohol level. When you talk about the body, you are talking about how bold or light the wine is.
A wine is lighter when it is more acid, low alcohol, less tannin and less sweet. A wine that is bold will have less acidity, higher alcohol, more tannin and is sweeter.

ZestyKits Top 5 Wines

1. Living Sky Winery Rhubarb

Wine description

Region: Saskatchewan, Perdue
Colour: White
Price: $23.30
Alcohol: 12.7%

Wine flavour: Fruit Wine

Body: Average
Acidity: Low
Sweetness: Sweet
Alcohol: Medium
Serve: Cold
Description: Mellow earthy rhubarb with a delightfully light, lemony touch.

Pairings

Meats

Herbs & Spices

Sage
Rosemary
Fir
Lavender
Bay leaf
Ginger
Galangal
Green cardamom
Turmeric
Paprika
Vanilla
Fenurgreek
Anise

Fruits & Vegetables

Blueberries
Strawberries
Raspberries
Peach
Apple
Corn
Mushroom
figs

Desserts

Cheeses

Mascarpone
Crème fraiche
Mascarpone
Blue des basques brebis
Blue de sassenage
Cashel blue
Fourme d’amabert

2. Pelee Island Gewurztraminer

Wine description

Region: Ontario, Kingsville
Colour: White
Price: $12.99
Alcohol: 12.5%

Wine flavour: Aromatic White

Body: Average
Acidity: Low
Sweetness: Medium dry
Alcohol: Medium
Serve: Cold
Description: Pale straw/yellow colour; floral, ripe peach, honey and lychee fruit aromas; off-dry, light to medium bodied, softly structured with balanced acidity, flavours of honeysuckle, rose water, pear, citrus and lychee; hints of spice on the finish.

Aromatic white wines include these varieties

Chenin blanc
Gewurztraminer
Muscat blanc
Riesling
Torrontes

Aromatic white wines have highly perfumed and sweet-fruit aromas but can range from dry to sweet in taste. They are ideal pairing with Asian and Indian cuisine because they match so well with sweet-and-sour flavors and quench spicy sauces.

This wine pairs well with: spicy cuisines, Indian, Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine.

Pairings

Meats

Herbs & Spices

Cumin
Coriander
Bay leaf
Lime leaf
Almonds
Sesame
Soy sauce
Turmeric
Allspice
Cinnamon
Clover
Ginger
Cayenne

Fruits & Vegetables

Shallot
Scallion
Onion
Garlic
Bell pepper
Eggplant
Tomato
Butternut
Pumpkin
Turnip
Carrot
Squash
Artichokes
Eggplant
Bell pepper
Red onion
Coconut

Desserts

Cheeses

Boursin
Goat Cheese
Pecorino romano
Swiss Cheese
Wensleydale
Tumalo tome
Robiola
Muenster
Durrus
Alpine shepard
Ardrahan

3. Cono Sur Bicicleta Pinot Noir Rose

Wine description

Region: Chile, Pirque
Colour: Rose
Price: $11.22
Alcohol: 13%

Wine flavour: Rose

Body: Average
Acidity: Average
Sweetness: Sweet
Alcohol: Medium
Serve: Cold
Description: Pale salmon colour; pomegranate and cranberry nose with light floral notes; juicy, sweet cherry flavours followed with a fresh finish.

Rosé wine is produced when red grape skins macerate in their juices for period of time. Rosé is produced in every major country and is made of nearly every grape variety, both red and white. Rosé wines range in taste from dry to sweet.

Meats

Poultry
Game meat
Seafood
Salmon
Shrimp
Lobster
Bacon
Prosciutto
Lamb
Pork
Beef

Herbs & Spices

Truffle
Ancho pepper
Cayenne
Paprika
Bay leaf
Lavender
Fir
Rosemary
Sage
Chervil
Caraway
Cilantro
Mint
Basil

Fruits & Vegetables

Bell pepper
Eggplant
Butternut
Pumpkin
Turnip
Carrot
Squash
Strawberries
Dried fruits
Mushrooms
Onion
Leek
Chive
Shallot
Tomato
garlic

Desserts

creme brulee
white chocolate
shortbread
fruit pudding
chocolate cake
dark chocolate truffle
strawberry cheesecake
fruit tarts
Madeleines

Cheeses

Cheddar
Gruyere
Gouda
Edam
Goat Cheese
Berkswell
Epoisses
Comte
Inverness
Lancashire
Saint andre
Port salut

4. Heritage Road Bloodstone Shiraz

Heritage Road Bloodstone Shiraz is a Saskatchewan favourite wine. Read more about it here.

Wine description

Region: Australia
Colour: Red
Price: $14.49
Alcohol: 12%

Wine flavour: Full-bodied red

Body: Full
Tannin: Light
Acidity: Average
Sweetness: Dry
Alcohol: Medium-high
Serve: Room temperature
Description: A cherry and raspberry fruitiness with a hint of spicy shiraz combined with light tannins.

Full-bodied red wines include these varieties

Aglianico
Bordeaux blend
Cabernet sauvignon
Malbec
Mourvedre
Nebbiolo
Negro d’avola
Petit verdot
Petite sirah
Pinotage
Syrah
Tempranillo
Touriga nacional

Full-bodied red wines typically have high tannin, opaque ruby color from high anthocyanin content, and rich fruit flavors. Wines that are bold such as these can be enjoyed on their own or with equally bold-flavored foods.

This wine pairs well with: South american, Eastern European, German and Mexican cuisine.

Meats

Herbs & Spices

Vanilla
Nutmeg
Allspice
Clove
Cinamon
Cumin
5-spice
Saffron
Ginger
Tumeric
Anise
Chili
Chipotle
Thyme
Sage
Marjoram
Oregano
Lavender
Juniper
Rosemary

Fruits & Vegetables

Currants
Tomato
Beet
Chanterelle
Eggplant
Bell pepper
Onion
Chive
Shallot
garlic

Desserts

Cheeses

5. Buried Hope Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine description

Region: California
Colour: Red
Price: $15.47
Alcohol: 14.5%

Wine flavour: Full-bodied red

Body: Full
Tannin: Astringent
Acidity: Average
Sweetness:Very Dry
Alcohol: Medium-high
Serve: Room temperature
Description:Deep garnet colour; intense aromas and flavours of cassis, blackberry fruit, oak, chocolate and vanilla; ripe, soft and juicy on the palate.

Full-bodied red wines include these varieties

Aglianico
Bordeaux blend
Cabernet sauvignon
Malbec
Mourvedre
Nebbiolo
Negro d’avola
Petit verdot
Petite sirah
Pinotage
Syrah
Tempranillo
Touriga nacional

Meats

Herbs & Spices

Vanilla
Nutmeg
Allspice
Clove
Cinamon
Cumin
5-spice
Saffron
Ginger
Tumeric
Anise
Chili
Chipotle
Thyme
Sage
Marjoram
Oregano
Lavender
Juniper
Rosemary

Fruits & Vegetables

Black cherries
Broccoli
Shallot
Tomato
Crimini
Chanterelle
Bell pepper
Onion
garlic

Desserts

Chocolate chip cookie
Bitter chocolate
Hazelnut cheesecake
dark chocolate & raspberry cake
Blackberry sorbet
Blueberry pie
Chocolate cake

Cheeses

Cheddar
Gouda
Compte
Tome de couserans
San andreas
Reblochon
Ouray
Le moulis
Danish blue
Chalosse
Bra tenero
Abbaye de belloc
Ardrahan

Tips to easily follow the Canada Food Guide 3 Guidelines

Posted on by

Source: Canada Food Guide
Reference: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/

The Canadian food guide outlines 3 guidelines.

– Guideline 1: Foundation for healthy eating
– Guideline 2: Foods and beverages that undermine healthy eating
– Guideline 3: Importance of food skills

We will go over these guidelines and provide some tips to implement these guidelines in daily life.

Guideline 1: Foundation for healthy eating

Nutritious foods are the foundation for healthy eating. Nutritious foods includes, but is not limited to:

– Vegetables
– Fruits
– Whole grains
– Protein foods

Plant-based protein

Plant-based protein positively contributes to health and the environment. The guide recommends consuming plant-based protein more often. Plant-based protein includes: legumes, nuts, seeds, tofu. Other recommended source of protein include: fish, shellfish, eggs, poultry, lean red meat including wild game, lower fat milk, lower fat yogurts, lower fat kefir, and cheeses lower in fat and sodium. Plant-based protein have significant positive impact on health and on the environment. Research suggests that plant-based foods, which in rich in fiber, decrease cardiovascular disease risk, colon cancer and type 2 diabetes.

Tip: When using plant-based protein, meals can be planned around flavour profiles rather than protein. For example, Greek flavours include: lemon, black olives, oregano, tomatoes and cucumber. An easy plant-based Greek dish could be a quinoa bowl with Greek spice marinated chickpeas, spinach, lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumbers and black olives.

Limit saturated fats & increase unsaturated fats

Limit saturated fats and increase unsaturated fats. Saturated fats should be limited and should be replaced by unsaturated fat foods. Examples of foods high in saturated fat includes fatty red meat, processed meats, fired foods and high fat cheeses. Saturated fats are usually present in meat while unsaturated fats are usually present in vegetarian foods. Examples of food high in unsaturated fat “good fats” includes: avocado, nuts, olives and fish. Research suggests unsaturated fats have a positive effect on overall heath as they lower risk of vascular disease, heart disease, and stroke.

Tip: To easily reduce saturated fats from dishes try reducing or eliminating cheese from dishes and replacing it with nuts or avocado. For example, you can replace the cheese in a sandwich or a burger by avocado.

Water is foundational to life

The human body is 75% water! Water is recommended as the beverage of choice. Water supports health and promote hydration without adding calories. Dinking adequate amounts of water is essential for metabolic and digestive processes. Impacts of dehydration are vast and include: constipation, weight gain, high cholesterol, fatigue, head ache, and high blood pressure. Drink up! It can be difficult to drink enough water throughout the day.

Tip: to increase your water intake try adding flavours to your water (e.g. cucumber slices, lemon or lime wedges), carrying a water bottle with you throughout the day and having a cool glass of water as soon as you wake up.

Healthy eating is more than food!

Food is an integral part of all social interactions, celebrations, cultures and family tradition. To make healthy eating a lifestyle, it is essential to enjoy your food. Nutritious foods should reflect your taste and preferences as well as your food traditions. Eating together reinforces these positive eating habits and supports a healthy relationship with food. Cooking and eating together is a fun way to connect with friends, family and to foster connections between generations and cultures.

Tip: Organizing potlucks with friends and family or baking night with kids are fun and easy ways to spend quality time together and sustain a healthy relationship with food.

Guideline 2: Foods and beverages that undermine healthy eating

Processed foods and beverages are likely to negatively impact health as they often result in excess sodium, free sugars and/or saturated fat. It is important to understand that it is the way we eat the majority of the time that has the most impact on our health.

Free sugars

Free sugars are defined as being added to foods and beverages and do not include the naturally occurring sources of sugars found in intact or cut fruits and vegetables. Free sugars are found in a variety of products such as: sugary drinks, condiments, sugary breakfast cereals, confectioneries and other processed foods. The Canadian foods guide recommends consuming less than 10% of total energy intake from free sugars.

High sodium

High sodium intake is associated with higher blood pressure which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High amount of sodium is often found in cheeses, processed meats, dips and condiments. The Canadian foods guide recommends consuming less than 2300 mg of sodium per day.

Saturated fats

Lowering intakes of foods that contain mostly saturated fat, by replacing with foods that contain mostly unsaturated fat, helps lower cardiovascular risk factors.

Saturated fats are found in animal-based foods such as cream, butter, cheeses, and fatty meats as well as some vegetable oils. The Canadian foods guide recommends consuming less than 10% of total energy intake from saturated fats.

Tip: Cooking at home using whole ingredients is a way to reduce intake of free sugars, sodium and saturated fats. You can reduce free sugar, sodium and saturated fats by using fresh herbs, garlic, lemon and lime zest, non-sodium added spice blends and essential oils. For example, instead of frying fish with batter and fries you can garnish fish with lemon zest and garlic, serve with fresh dill, oven roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Guideline 3: Importance of food skills

Highly processed foods have become the easy choice in our food environment. Food skills are essential to navigate the food environment and support healthy eating. Food skills include the ability and knowledge to understand food labels, the ability to assess ripeness of vegetables and fruits, skills to plan meals within budget as well as technical skills to prepare meals.

Food skills can be taught, learned and shared. At ZestyKits we believe food skills are fundamental to a healthy lifestyle. Our meal kits provide pre-measured fresh ingredients, recipes with illustrated instructions and ripe vegetables and fruits. As such, ZestyKits meal kits are a teaching tool, prevent food waste and are a time saver.

Source: Canada Food Guide
Reference: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/

New Canada Food Guide

Posted on by

Source: Canada Food Guide
Reference: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/

A new version of the Canada Food Guide was released in January 2019. This new version of the Food Guide is a significant change from the previous Food Guide. The new Canadian food guide encourages Canadians to eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains foods, to chose protein that comes from plant more often, to cook more and to limit processed foods. Rather than recommending portions of the different food groups, this guide focuses on three food categories:

vegetables & fruits
protein foods
Whole grain

Changing one’s eating habits can be a serious challenge; ZestyKits simplifies cooking at home by planning weekly meals and providing pre-portioned ingredients and hand-made sauces to prepare delicious healthy meals. The new food guide encourages Canadians to increase their food skills and food literacy.

An example of a delicious and easy recipes that follows the recommendations of the Canadian Food Guide is the Green Curry Coconut Bowl. Find the recipe (including the sauce and spice blend) here! 🙂

Healthy eating is more than the foods you eat

Healthy eating is more than the foods you eat. It is also about where, when, why and how you eat.

Be mindful of your eating habits

Benefits of being mindful of eating habits is being aware of a variety of aspects of your eating habits. These include but are not limited to:
– how much you eat
– why you eat
– what you eat

Being aware of your eating habits provides a number of benefits including:
– make healthier choices
– notice when you are hungry and full
– create a sense of awareness around your every day eating decisions

How to be mindful of your eating habits

Create a healthy eating environment by trying to eat in an environment that makes it easy to make healthy choices

Use your senses. Eating uses all your senses. Try to pay attention to the smell, textures and flavours of your food.

Consider your eating habits by asking yourself questions about what you ate. Some questions may include:
– How fast you ate?
– Did you pay attention to what you ate?
– Did you eat with others?
– Where you bored?
– How much did you eat?

Cook more often

There are multiples benefits of cooking. These benefits include but are not limited to:
– eating less processed foods
– lean cooking skills
– opportunity to be creative
– control salt and fat
– choose healthy ingredient

How to cook more often

You can make cooking faster and easier with the following tips:
– You can cook a larger batch so you cook once and have leftovers. You can also make large batch recipes likes: stew, soup, chili, casseroles, lasagna,…
– You can cook extra rice or quinoa to use in other dishes later that week.
– Reinvent your leftovers into new recipes. For example: Chili can become burritos or spaghetti.
– Use time saving tools like slow cookers and pressure cooker.
– Keep healthy ingredients handy by having a ready to cook grains in the pantry, canned beans, frozen pre-portioned fish, frozen vegetables, spices as well as a variety of fruits and vegetables.
– Try healthy and low fat cooking methods like: baking, boiling, steaming, and grilling.

Enjoy your food

There are many benefits of enjoying your food which includes being open to trying new flavours and developing a healthy relationship with food. Knowing that you are making healthy choices and supporting your healthy lifestyle can help you enjoy your food even more.

How to enjoy food

You can enjoying your food in numerous ways including:
– Spending quality time with loved ones at mealtime.
– Shopping in new specialty stores to find new foods and flavours.
– Cooking new recipes.
– Growing your own food.
– Getting to know your farmers and producers.
– choose foods that you like, that fits in your budget, lifestyle and that reflects your culture and beliefs.
– Try new foods to find a sense of wonder and even adventure.
– Take care to create a nice environment to eat. This can include eating with other,listening to music and setting the table nicely.

Eat meals with others

Enjoying healthy foods with family, friends, neighbours or co-workers is a great way to connect. It can provide many benefits and contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Eating with other can help you enjoy food by giving you the opportunity to share food traditions across generations and cultures. Food is usually the main part of celebrations; however, eating as a group can make a regular night a special event.

How to eat with others more often

With our busy schedules, making time to enjoy meals with others requires some planning. You can plan to eat with loved ones by:
– Having a regular family meal.
– Planing an activity nigh that includes games and making dinner together.
– Start a dinner party with friends and everyone takes a turn to host.
– Host a potluck with friends or family.

To really enjoy eating with other try to put away distractions like phones, take your time and use the meal experience as a time to connect.

Kids especially benefit from regular family meals as they are starting to develop their eating habits and behaviours. Eating together as a family can help kids:
– learn cooking skills.
– be creative which helps improve self-esteem.
– explore healthy foods.
– establish healthy eating routines.

Guidelines

Next weeks’ post will discuss the 3 guidelines of the Canadian Food guide:
– Guideline 1: Foundation for healthy eating
– Guideline 2: Foods and beverages that undermine healthy eating
– Guideline 3: Importance of food skills

Source: Canada Food Guide
Reference: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/