Rowena Recommends

Asian Pear Slaw

April 23, 2019
Inspired by epicurious.com, I decided to put my chopping skills to work as I was intrigued by a slaw based on the Asian pear.

If you haven’t had an Asian pear before, you are missing out! It’s so juicy yet it’s very crunchy. Asian pears are usually quite large in size; therefore, I recommend sharing a pear between two or three individuals.

Looking for a twist on your traditional slaw? Looking for a lighter option as the warmer weather is upon us? Try this recipe out.

Serves 6 (1 c portion)

Ingredients:

2 Limes (juiced & zested)

2 Tbsp unseasoned rice wine vinegar

1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled & grated

2 stalks celery, cut into 1/4 ” matchsticks

2 Asian pears, cut into 1/4″ matchsticks

2 green onions, finely chopped

1/4 c cilantro, chopped

optional: hot chili flakes

Instructions:
1. Chop Asian pear, celery, green onion and cilantro.
2. Whisk together lime juice, lime zest, vinegar and ginger.
3. Mix seasoning with ingredients.
4. Season with salt & pepper.
5. Marinate for ~15-20 minutes before serving.
Food For Thought: What are you waiting for? Get in the kitchen and start chopping! 🙂 Refreshing crunch awaits you.

Be The Star Of Easter Get Together- You Gotta Try this Cauliflower “Couscous” Salad

April 20, 2019

Happy Easter!!!! As we gather around the table surrounded by family and friends, here’s a healthy & simple dish that is sure to please the crowd.

Some may argue that cauliflower is just a trendy vegetable as of right now as it is considered a low carbohydrate substitute; however, in my opinion, if this carbohydrate substitute allows you to increase your vegetable (i.e. fibre) intake, why don’t you give it a try?

Many individuals don’t like the taste of raw cauliflower; however, I guarantee you won’t be able to resist the taste of this combination. This combination of ingredients provide your skin a ton of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibre. If you feel like you may miss eating some kind of carbohydrate, you could throw in some cooked quinoa (~2 c) or some cooked couscous (~2 c) into the mix. 🙂 A wise individual once told me, ” A recipe is only a guideline. Cooks need to always follow recipes; however, what makes a person a chef is the ability to recognize where he/she can make changes and still come out with a delicious product”.

1 head	Cauliflower, roughly chopped*
2 cups (500mL)	Halved Cherry Tomatoes
1/2 cup (125mL)	Chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/3 (80 mL)	Roughly chopped fresh mint
2	Green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup (80 mL)	Pitted, sliced Kalamata olives
3 oz (85 g)	Feta cheese, diced**
¼ cup (60 mL)	Golden raisins
1/3 cup (80 mL)	Unsalted Pistachios
3 Tbsp (45 mL)	Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ lemon	Juice of a lemon
1	Garlic clove, minced
1 tsp (5mL)	Za’atar spice mix
¼ tsp (1 mL)	Black pepper

*You are able to buy “riced” cauliflower at major retailers throughout Toronto. You can crumbled cauliflower by President’s Choice or organic cauliflower bits by 365 (Whole Foods).

**I like to use Krinos as it is feta made with a blend of Sheep and Goat Milk. It is lower in sodium as many individuals can be worried about the salt content of feta.

In food processor, pulse cauliflower florets until they resemble couscous in size. Do this in batches if necessary and be careful not to process cauliflower to the point where is becomes mushy. If you decide to buy riced cauliflower, you can forego this step.
Place cauliflower in large bowl and toss with tomatoes, parsley, mint, green onions, olives, feta, raisins, pistachios, and capers (if using). In small bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, garlic, za’atar, and pepper. Toss dressing with salad.

Serves 5

Per serving: 258 calories, fat 17 g (Of which, 4 g is saturated), sodium 295 mg, carbohydrate 22 g, fibre 5 g, protein 8 g

Food For Thought: What have you got to lose? You will be missing out if you don’t try this recipe out. It’s very simple, colourful, nutrient dense and relatively quick to make. It’s absolutely delicious. Your taste buds will LOVE you!

Romanesco

April 16, 2019

Many individuals do not get excited when told to increase vegetable consumption. When grocery shopping, most individuals do not get excited about picking up their greens as choices are often limited (in his/her mind) to spinach, broccoli and/or kale. Everyone knows they need to eat dark greens because they are good for you. Typically, many of the dark green vegetables fall under the cruciferous vegetables but cruciferous vegetables do not just include green vegetables.

Cauliflower is just as good as broccoli as it is part of the cruciferous vegetables; however, cauliflower often gets the shaft because it is not dark green. Cauliflower, however, has become somewhat of a trendy vegetable as it is considered a carbohydrate substitute. One can make cauliflower rice, cauflower mashed potatoes and cauliflower pizza crusts.

We are often told we eat with our eyes. With that being said, we are typically more drawn to aesthetically pleasing items. May I present to you, Romanesco, one of the most aesthetically pleasing vegetable I have ever seen and/or tasted.

Romanesco is also part of the cruciferous vegetable family. The appearance of this vegetable would lead individuals to think that romanesco is a cross between broccoli and cauliflower. Although romanesco looks more like cauliflower, the taste is not as strong and there is a trace of nuttiness.

I decided to roast romanesco and boy was it ever delicious!!!! Are you a fan of roasted brussel sprouts because roasted romanesco sure is a treat. It takes less time to roast romanesco; therefore, there is a motivator for you to try this vegetable if you are all about saving time but looking for nutritious options.

Food For Thought: Bored of your current dark green vegetables? Packed with lots of phytochemicals, antioxidants, vitamins & minerals as well as fibre, who wouldn’t want to give this vegetable a try? 🙂
What’s the Difference Between BB Cream & CC Cream?

April 13, 2019

I have done a post earlier on BB cream. As a person who does not need as much coverage as foundation offers, I found BB cream is a wonderful option. What happens if someone needs coverage somewhere between what a foundation can offer and what a BB cream offer? Say hello to CC cream! 🙂

With SPF 30 in the Smashbox CC cream, it is also a multi-purpose product where it can help save time in your morning routine. Who wouldn’t like extra time in the morning to relish and/or savour?

CC cream typically would be more effective in covering dark spots and/or blemishes as well as dark circles. I find CC cream to be more moisturizing than BB cream; therefore, if you feel like your skin during this period of time (i.e. the transition from winter to spring) needs a little bit more moisturize to adjust to the changing conditions, give CC cream. If you consider yourself sleep deprived for whatever reason (i.e. new mom and/or busy of a toddler and/or busy mom of multiple grown children) and has dark circles under your eyes but has no time in the morning to have a beauty routine, consider using CC cream. It can hide them better. 🙂 You will look alot more awake! 🙂 If you are someone who has acne scars and/or blemish marks and/or redness in your skin but want minimal coverage for your skin, try CC cream out! The nice thing about CC cream is that although it provides more coverage than BB cream, it is still less coverage than a foundation which means you still look very natural.

Food For Thought: Have you tried BB and CC creams before? Which do you prefer or are you like me and use both depending on the situation?
Another 100 Kcal Snack Option To Consider…

April 9, 2019

Are you a snacker? As a Registered Dietitian (RD), I don’t always encourage snacking. Snacking depends on your lifestyle. If your 3 meals per day is spaced 4-6 hours apart, there may not be a need for a snack. If you happen to be more of a grazer and don’t really have meals throughout the day, here is a newer 100 calorie (kcal) option on the market.

Again, normally, I would not be recommending a lot of the 100 kcal snacks as you don’t feel satisfied after eating a portion. You often resort to eating 2 or 3 portions of the 100 kcal snack; however, if you look at typical 100 kcal portions, they are mostly carbohydrate. If the carbohydrate content is not used, the excess carbohydrate will turn into fat. This 100 kcal option is different! 😉

Are you a fan of KIND bars? In your mind, you are probably wondering why a Registered Dietitian is recommending a granola bar. As a RD, I strive to make realistic recommendations. I don’t think granola bars are the best option for snack; however, I do see a place and time for KIND bars. KIND bars are great to pack when you are on the go. It’s great to have an option like KIND bars to have as an emergency snack. I like how KIND bars put nuts as the first ingredients. For the amount of calories (200 kcals) per bar, there is a decent amount of fibre (6 g), the sugar content is not very high (certain bars only have 5 grams of sugar/bar) and the protein content is higher than the typical granola bar (~5 g).

I know some individuals are very calorie conscious OR they are craving an afternoon snack just out of habit. Individuals could bring a fruit with a piece of cheese or vegetable sticks with some dip; however, there will be times when you crave something sweet. Say hello to the mini KIND bars. Each mini bar contains 100 kcals but also does contain a good amount of fibre and a good amount of protein with a relatively low amount of sugar.

The Best News? KIND bars are absolutely delicious!!!

Food For Thought: What are you having for snack choices? Is there room to make improvements in your snack choices? Why not give the mini KIND bars a try?
Happy Weekend! Have You Had Your Golden Latte Yet?

April 6, 2019
Are you a fan of curries? You’ll be glad to know that if you are a fan of yellow curries, there is a very good chance you are consuming turmeric. Tumeric is the spice that gives curry its yellow colour.

Are you a fan of turmeric? Do you shy away from using turmeric in fear of the yellow stain afterwards on countertops and/or on other surfaces? As long as clients and/or patients don’t mind all dishes turning a bit yellow, I always encourage individuals to include turmeric in his/her stirfry, smoothies and/or meat dishes. Why not? 🙂

Why should one use turmeric? Turmeric contains the powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound known as curcumin. A compound with such powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties can be an ally to your skin.

Many individuals who come to see me will take curcumin. Did you know if you take a curcumin supplement, you should take some black pepper with it to enhance the absorption by 2000%? When you take curcumin, it is also suggested to take with some fat sources (i.e. nuts/seeds, nut/seed butter, fat from meat and/or fish) to help with absorption as well.

As a Registered Dietitian, I do encourage everyone to eat food first; therefore, why not buy a turmeric root and grate some into your dish? If you are a smoothie fan and/or a yogurt parfait fan, grate some turmeric in!! When you use the whole turmeric root, you do not have to worry about adding black pepper to enhance the absorption of curcumin. Are you scared of the yellow stains that are left on top of the counter? I am too; this is why I bought New Chapter Fermented Turmeric Powder.

Why did I buy fermented turmeric powder? When turmeric goes under the fermentation process, it will become easier to digest. I like the New Chapter brand as they also add strains of probiotics to the supplements as well. Although the probiotics will become inactive once fermentation is finished; there is still evidence that individuals can benefit from inactive probiotics. If you are looking for live probiotics, you will still need to supplement other sources.

How do I use the fermented turmeric powder?

During the evening, there are times when I crave a warm beverage. As much as I love a cup of mint tea or rooibos tea, sometimes, I want something else. Here is what I do:
1. Warm a cup of water in a small pot. Bring to boil. Once it boils, bring down to low heat to prepare for simmering.
2. Once the water is simmering, add the following ingredients: 2 slices of ginger, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 tsp of maple syrup.
3. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
4. Add 1 tsp of fermented turmeric powder in the end.
5. Enjoy!!! 🙂
During the warmer months, there are times when I will make a protein shake. I’ll add the turmeric powder in for the added antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefit. Here is what I do:
1. 1 c unsweetened almond milk and/or milk
2. 1 scoop of protein powder
3. handful of berries
4. 1/2 banana
5. 1 tsp of nut butter (all natural peanut butter or almond butter)
6. 1 tsp of fermented turmeric powder
On the weekends, it is such a luxury to be able to wake up and take your time with breakfast. With the extra time, it is so nice to be able to a golden latte. It is such a treat!!! I have a milk frother at home; I know some individuals love this gadget but I personally don’t find I use the frother all that much. Perhaps I am a bit old school and like to rely on the stove for everything. Here is what I do:
1. Mix equal parts of milk and water together in a pot. Bring to boil. Once it is boiling, bring the pot to a simmer.
2. Add ginger slices, a cinnamon stick and 1 tsp of maple syrup. If you have green cardamom pods at home, don’t be afraid to add some in. If you have star anise at home, don’t be afraid to add this one as well. Why did I specify green cardamom? Black cardomom tends to be alot smokier; therefore, when put in the latte, it can be overpowering.
3. Simmer with all ingredients for 15-20 minutes.
4. Remove the ginger slices, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and star anise.
5. Enjoy your cup of golden milk.
Food For Thought: How will you incorporate turmeric into your diet?
Good Food For the Win

April 2, 2019
My husband and I recently jumped on the bandwagon to try meal kits. After trying out HelloFresh, I decided to try out GoodFood as I had heard good things about this Canadian company.

Goodfood did not disappoint! I was most excited to try the curried haddock with carrot rice pilaf and celery salad. It was so delicious!!!!

Here are some differences I noticed between HelloFresh and GoodFood:
1. The ingredients used by GoodFood seem to be a little bit more adventurous (e.g. instead of using avocado and tomato for salsa, they decided to give tomatillos to make a salsa verde).
2. GoodFood gives a better portion of vegetables.
  1. Half your plate truly can be vegetables. 🙂
3. GoodFood also gives you a nice variety of vegetables.
  1. In a week of 3 meals, HelloFresh would give you 2 sides of green beans. For the other meal, it would be either a choice between potato/sweet potato or butternut squash I have seen HelloFresh use zucchini and tomato; however, the amount given is very minimal.
  2. With GoodFood, you can really eat the colour of the rainbow at each meal given the variety of vegetables.
Food For Thought: Our lives get busy. It’s okay to get some help with meal prep. 😉 Don’t feel guilty. I’m now tempted to try out Chef’s Plate to do a full comparison but so far, my vote goes towards GoodFood. Why not support a fellow Canadian business? 🙂
Life With A Puppy

March 30, 2019

It is Skincare Sunday once again. I’ve mentioned this in previous posts; skin health is a reflection of what you put on the outside and what goes on inside your body. A part of “what goes on inside your body” is your mental health. When your mental state is good (i.e. low levels of stress and/or work life balance is present), your skin health is better as well. Having a puppy is a lot of work; however, I find that having a puppy helps me with my work life balance.

My husband and I have talked about getting puppy for a very long time. Recently, it all started out as a joke as my husband found a litter of mini golden doodles who share the same birthday as me. I’ve always wanted to have a twin; therefore, my husband thought it would be nice if I finally had my birthday twin wish granted. We both realized owning a puppy would require a lot of time and attention; we waited what we consider “the perfect time”.

Here is what I’ve learned:

We brought Millie home at the end of January. When some friends found out that we were getting a puppy at the end of January, they said “Do you not realize that January is the worst month to get a puppy?”

Yes- I now realize that January is not the most ideal time of the year to get an 8 week old puppy; however, because the puppy knows no difference, Millie thoroughly enjoys the outdoors no matter how cold it is outside and/or how much snow is outside. She has learned very quickly that doing her business (i.e. peeing and pooping) is meant for the outdoors. It also forces us (i.e. my husband and I) to get outside more often. Walking outside in the winter for an extended period of time can be quite enjoyable despite the frigid temperatures! 🙂 There is something about that fresh crisp air. 😉

From Day 1 of bringing Millie home, my husband and I were very adamant about socializing Millie properly in all aspects be it with human beings (adults & children), other dogs and all different kinds of environment. We live in a very pet friendly and family friendly neighbourhood. Once we got Millie, we felt even more integrated into the neighbourhood. The tips from fellow neighbours and/or random individuals on the street about how to take care of a young puppy is endless. I let friends and family know I have an open door policy; feel free to drop by anytime. There is a new development with Millie every single day. Does this not sound familiar when someone has a newborn? When an individual has a newborn, many people (acquaintances, friends, good friends, family) will give his/her two cents about how to take care of a newborn. Puppies are very much like newborns but they go through the growth and development stage at a much more accelerated rate. Everyone still wants to give their two cents as to how to raise a puppy! 🙂

My husband and I bought pee pads for Millie; however, we both agreed that pee pads are not the way to have Millie do her business. In the beginning, you really do have to stay on top of the puppy’s bladder; taking Millie out every 2 hours was standard. In the beginning, I would make sure to leash her up and take her out; however, my husband started to let Millie out in the backyard to do her business. Having a backyard is a blessing because for those individuals who live in spaces with no backyards, leashing the puppy and/or dog overtime to go out to pee and/or poo is reality.

Crate training has been relatively easy for us; we have to give credit to the breeder. From day 1 of getting Millie, Millie has loved her crate. After the first night, my husband had to get up at 4:15 AM to take Millie out for a pee; however, afterwards, it progressed to 4:45 AM, 5:15 AM, etc. Now, we generally put Millie in her crate at 11 PM and take her out between 6:30 AM- 7 AM.

As a couple, my husband and I were never known as homebodies; however, it was a natural transition for us as soon as Millie entered our lives. Every weekend has been either spent at home with Millie entertaining visitors or we would go over to a family member’s and/or friend’s house but always include Millie.

It’s brought family even closer. My husband and I both come from close knit family; however, having Millie brings us all even closer. Both sets of parents are not naturally pet lovers; however, from the first sight of Millie, both sets of parents have fallen in love. My parents can’t wait to see how she’s grown and developed every week. My in-laws also look forward to taking care of Millie on a weekly basis. Our teenage nieces tell us that they have “Millie withdrawal” if we can’t make it to our weekly family dinner.

It’s been such a fun and exciting adventure with Millie thus far. We have completed 5 of the 6 obedience school classes. As Millie is a mini golden doodle, the poodle in her makes her extremely intelligent. She picks up commands quite quickly. Millie is quite observant but make no mistake, she is quite stubborn too. Millie will make mistakes; as fur parents, we need to make sure that we are stern with her to let her know when she has done wrong. Millie has been amazing thus far as she knows to only chew on her toys. As a tip, make sure to buy a wide variety of toys as you don’t know which one your puppy will like the best.

Expose your puppy to grooming and the toothbrush as soon as possible. In order to prepare Millie for the groomer, we made sure to touch her paws regularly , the insides of her ears regularly and we brushed her everyday as well. We bathed her twice before taking her to the groomer. We took Millie to the groomer when she was almost 16 weeks and the groomer tells us that Millie was an absolute angel. Brushing Millie’s teeth is more of a struggle; however, get your puppy used to this because the sooner you expose them to the toothbrush and toothpaste, the better it is for your puppy in the long run.

As a Registered Dietitian, you can imagine that pet nutrition has become an interest of mine. Aside from feeding kibble to Millie, we have mixed in cooked plain chicken, beef and/or pork. For treats, we have stuck to liver treats but have also given blueberries, pineapple, carrots, strawberries, orange slices and banana. Millie thoroughly enjoys her bully sticks (i.e. beef sticks) and peanut butter in her kong.

Friends told me that puppies and/or dogs need a minimum of 3 hours per day of physical activity. I now am a firm believer that puppies do need a minimum of 3 hours per day to be properly stimulated and to have good growth and development.

Food For Thought: Are you thinking of getting a puppy? Are you ready for the time commitment? As a first time pet owner, I highly recommend the golden doodle breed. It’s been a wonderful experience thus far and both of our lives have been enriched in an unforgettable way. Both my husband and I cannot imagine life without her now. 🙂 Happy life means better skin health. 😉
Are You A Fan Of Farm Boy?

March 26, 2019

For me, it’s always such a treat to shop at a store that is not part of my usual routine. I know that Farm Boy has arrived in the west end of Toronto for a while but I have not yet had a chance to check it out.

Although we are technically in spring right now, I don’t feel like I can put away my lighter winter jacket just yet. This type of weather still calls for a nice bowl of hot soup from time to time. From my previous post, you know that I am a fan of the Soup’s On line as they are all delicious tasting and are relatively low in sodium.

Have you tried the low sodium broccoli kale soup? For every cup of soup, there is only 250 mg of sodium. Does this level of sodium still sound like a lot to you for every serving? Once you taste this soup, you can really taste the difference. If someone is used to drinking canned soups and/or having soup outside regularly, someone may find this soup quite bland. I find this option to be quite delicious and it’s priced better than a container of Soup’s On.

Food For Thought: For those who are Farm Boy fans, what are your favourite go to Farm Boy products? Farm Boy, you need to open a location closer to midtown Toronto. 🙂
Moisturizing Your Body With Olive Oil

March 24, 2019

Many of us are creatures of habit and stick to a body lotion we trust; however, there are an equal number of individuals who choose to be loyal to no brand and try everything under the sun.

Many individuals are very concerned about ingredients added to moisturizers. Have you considered using olive oil as a moisturizer?

Olive oil is naturally loaded with lots of antioxidants (i.e. Vitamin E and Vitamin K) and lots of good fats. Due to the natural composition of olive oil, olive oil will work in conjunction with your skin to balance out your skin.

The only issue with olive oil (if applied to skin) is the odour. Some individuals love it but others won’t. Have you considered olive oil infused with other oils? During our recent trip to Greece, a salesperson lured me over and started to let me sample moisturizers which were olive oil based but infused with other oils. When I tried the olive oil infused with orange oil, I just couldn’t resist but to bring a bottle home. Because the moisturizer is quite rich, I tend to apply before I go to bed so that the oil can absorb while I sleep. I wake up feeling refreshed!! 🙂 I don’t mind the smell of orange as I go to bed as well. 🙂

Food For Thought: Have you tried any natural oils as a moisturizer for your skin? Would you consider? It doesn’t have to be olive oil, it could be coconut oil as well. 🙂 The smell of coconut oil would make me think that I am somewhere tropical and hot! 😉

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Food For Thought: What are you waiting for? Get in the kitchen and start chopping! 🙂 Refreshing crunch awaits you.

Food For Thought: What have you got to lose? You will be missing out if you don’t try this recipe out. It’s very simple, colourful, nutrient dense and relatively quick to make. It’s absolutely delicious. Your taste buds will LOVE you!

Food For Thought: Bored of your current dark green vegetables? Packed with lots of phytochemicals, antioxidants, vitamins & minerals as well as fibre, who wouldn’t want to give this vegetable a try? 🙂

Food For Thought: Have you tried BB and CC creams before? Which do you prefer or are you like me and use both depending on the situation?

Food For Thought: What are you having for snack choices? Is there room to make improvements in your snack choices? Why not give the mini KIND bars a try?

Food For Thought: How will you incorporate turmeric into your diet?

Food For Thought: Our lives get busy. It’s okay to get some help with meal prep. 😉 Don’t feel guilty. I’m now tempted to try out Chef’s Plate to do a full comparison but so far, my vote goes towards GoodFood. Why not support a fellow Canadian business? 🙂

Food For Thought: For those who are Farm Boy fans, what are your favourite go to Farm Boy products? Farm Boy, you need to open a location closer to midtown Toronto. 🙂

Food For Thought: Have you tried any natural oils as a moisturizer for your skin? Would you consider? It doesn’t have to be olive oil, it could be coconut oil as well. 🙂 The smell of coconut oil would make me think that I am somewhere tropical and hot! 😉