By Amanda Laird of Mise En Place

Most of the items in our fridges and pantries come stamped with a best before date.  What exactly do they mean and is it safe to consume products that are past-due?

The Canadian Food and Drug Regulations define durable life dates, commonly known as best before or expiry dates.  There are three types of codes, each with their own specific guidelines for consumption.

Best Before Dates

Packaged foods with a shelf-life of 90 days or less must be stamped with a best before date.  The date is determined by the amount of time, starting on the day a food is packaged, that the unopened food will stay fresh.  Once opened, it is best to use it up as quick as possible.

Packaged On Dates

You may have noticed packaged on dates on meat and other prepared foods available in your grocer.  There may or may not be a use by date on the package as retailers are not required to stamp the product provided there is a chart indicating the shelf-life of the product next to where it is sold.  Check out the meat or deli counters for more information, or ask your butcher.

Expiry Date

While ‘expiry date’ is not a term defined by the Food and Drug Regulations, it is used on fortified foods such as infant formula. 

So can you eat that tub of yogurt that’s best before date was last Tuesday?  The best thing to do is to use your senses – sight and smell – and a little bit of common sense.  When in doubt, it’s always better to throw it out than take your chances.

Still not convinced?  Check out http://www.stilltasty.com/ for information on the shelf life of just about everything!

By Amanda Laird of Mise En Place

The days of thinking of eggs exclusively as breakfast food are long over.  In addition to being low in saturated fat, one large egg has just 70 calories, six grams of fat and a whole host of good for you vitamins and minerals.  As long as you have a carton of eggs in your refrigerator, a delicious, healthy meal is never far away.

Hardboiled – Don’t let the name fool you – hardboiled eggs aren’t actually boiled at.  Throw a couple in a pot and just cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil and then cover, remove from heat and let sit for 14 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking and peel.

Chop hardboiled eggs to top a salad, make a delicious sandwich filling or enjoy them on their own with a sprinkle of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Frittata – Scour your fridge for leftovers or odds and ends to make a quick and easy frittata.  Any combo that sounds good to you will probably taste good!  Here are some ideas to get you started:

Broccoli + bacon + cheddar

Fresh or sun dried tomato + spinach + goat cheese

Italian sausage + sweet peppers + mozzarella

Throw meat and/or veggies into an oven-safe skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté until just cooked.  If using pre-cooked, sauté until heated through.  Depending on the size of your skillet, beat 6-9 eggs with a splash of milk, pour over filling and top with cheese.  When egg mixture is just set, pop in an oven preheated to 400F for 10-12 minutes until cooked through and top is browned. 

Poached – A perfectly poached egg takes skill and artistry.  If you have yet to master the art, the best way to learn the technique is to have someone show you or to watch an online video. Epicurious.com has a wide selection of videos demonstrating cooking techniques.  

Once you have the poached egg down pat the possibilities are endless: top green salads, spears of steamed asparagus or a fresh biscuit!

Any way you like it –Scrambled, sunny-side up, over easy or folded into an omelet, the eggs you’re used to ordering at brunch also make a great dinner at the end of the day.  With a side of mixed greens and whole grain bread and you have a complete meal.

By Amanda Laird of Mise En Place

A friend and I were happily chatting over dinner recently when she asked me whether I rinse my meat.  I had to stop and think about what she said for a second.

“Rinse my meat?”

“Yes,” she said.  “Rinse your meat, before you cook it.”

My answer was a very firm “no” (and so was hers, by the way), but this sparked a conversation about proper food handling and safety in the kitchen.  It seems that everyone has their own ideas about how to properly handle food.

So how do you make sure that you’re keeping your food and your family safe?  Chicken Farmers of Canada offer four simple steps to help fight bacteria and the spread of food borne illness.  And not just from chicken!

CLEAN

Wash hands, utensils and surfaces with hot soapy water before, during and after preparing foods. Sanitize countertops, cutting boards and utensils with a mild bleach and water solution. Wash all produce thoroughly before eating or cooking.

SEPARATE

Keep raw meats and poultry away from other foods during storage and preparation. Keep separate cutting boards for raw meats and vegetables. Always keep foods covered.

COOK

Cook food thoroughly — cooking times and temperatures vary for different meats and poultry. Prepare foods quickly, and serve immediately so foods don’t linger at room temperatures where bacteria can grow.

CHILL

Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food and leftovers within two hours. Make sure the refrigerator is set at a temperature of 4°C (40°F), and keep the freezer at-18°C (0°F).

Have a food safety tip to share? Post Here!

By Dr. Samantha Ristimaki, BSc, ND of Balance Wellness Center

The pill is prescribed for many “non-contraceptive” reasons such as acne, uterine fibroids, PMS, heavy bleeding or cramping with no consideration as to safety from breast cancer and blood clots. With the incidence of hormone induced cancers on the rise, it is important to address the root cause of your health problem before applying a band aid approach.

DID YOU KNOW…

Women taking “low dose” birth control pills are getting more estrogen than what is recommended for post-menopausal women.  “Low dose” just means lower than before, which is still a problem as the research shows.

Hormones are fundamental to health; when a hormone imbalance occurs it often causes health problems. The pill often masks imbalances with estrogen and progesterone.  Too little progesterone relative to estrogen can result in estrogen dominant symptoms like weight gain, breast tenderness, anxiety, fluid retention and fibrocystic breasts.

Uterine fibroids which can cause heavy, painful periods can actually be promoted by taking the pill or hormone replacement therapy.  Increased estrogen intake and xenoestrogen exposure from chemicals in products such as plastics, pesticides, cosmetics, household cleaning products and even the water we drink promotes the growth of uterine fibroids.

Diet and lifestyle are often key factors in many health problems. Foods such as red meat, dairy, shellfish, and peanuts promote inflammation and thickening of the uterine lining which results in pain and heavy bleeding.  Bowel problems caused by stress and poor diet can also promote inflammation and increase menstrual pain.  Heavy bleeding and excess cramps can also be associated with overexertion, chronic illness, food sensitivities and vitamin deficiencies.

It is important not to overlook other physical hormonal imbalances.  A concern such as weight gain may be associated with low thyroid function that could result from elevated estrogen or excess stress hormone production.  Weight loss is also difficult in women with elevated testosterone.

Accessing hormones as well as considering lifestyle and diet are critical to getting to the root of women’s health concerns.  Before using the pill to manage your health concerns, look a little deeper to understand what’s happening in the body to build a healthier you.

By Amanda Laird of Mise En Place

A cutting board is essential to any kitchen.  Next to your chef’s knife, it’s probably one of the kitchen tools you use most often.  To make sure that you keep your cutting boards in tip-top shape, and free from bacteria, it is important that you take good care of them.

Plastic or wood?

It’s your preference whether you want plastic or wood cutting boards.  Plastic are easy to pop into the dishwasher, but wood can be a beautiful addition to a counter top.

The more the merrier

In order to avoid cross contamination, keep at least two cutting boards in your kitchen.; one for raw meat and fish, the other for everything else.  Since garlic and onions can have strong, lingering odours, you may wish to keep a small cutting board strictly for this purpose.

Keep ‘em clean!

It is essential that you keep your cutting boards clean.  Plastic boards are dishwasher safe, but wood boards can crack, split or even start to develop mold if they are run through the dishwasher.  Instead, clean them with hot water and mild dish soap.  Dry them standing up on their sides and allow them to dry completely before using them again.  Every so often, clean them with coarse salt and the cut side of half a lemon to remove odours and stains. 

Prevent slipping

Placing a damp towel underneath your cutting board will help to prevent slipping while you’re chopping away.

Have a tip or question to share? Post here.

By Dr. Samantha Ristimaki, BSc, ND of Balance Wellness Center

We’ve heard for a long time that red meat isn’t good for your health but a new study indicates that red meat and processed meats are linked with premature death.

Cancer and heart disease are the predominant diseases that have been linked to red meat intake.  A new study released this year in the Archives of Internal Medicine followed over half a million people between the ages of 51 to 70 over a 10 year period. 

Red meat eaters were defined as eating steak, beef, pork, bacon, cold cuts, ham, hot dogs, sausage or meats in foods such as pizza, lasagna or stews on a daily basis.  This group was concluded to have died prematurely from all diseases, not only cancer and heart disease.

Among men who ate red meat, the risk of premature death was 31% greater while women experienced a 36% increase in premature death.

So why is too much red meat so bad?

No one has yet to pin point one answer.  Many believe that saturated fat may be the culprit.  Red meat is full of this type of bad fat which is linked to both breast and colon cancer.  Saturated fats also increase rates of rheumatoid arthritis and endometriosis.

Salts and nitrates contained in processed meats are also culprits.  Nitrates are converted to carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds (NOS’s)  in the colon. 

Don’t rush to become a vegetarian just yet…

The same study looked at people who ate predominantly white meat.  Scientists were surprised to find that it actually reduces risk of premature death.  The mechanism is unknown and definitely merits further study.

Keep a balanced diet

Before you swear off steak, keep in mind that a healthy balanced diet that contains lean, unprocessed protein is the best way to go.  If you choose red meat, lean cuts are the way to go and stay away from the deli counter.   Include lean white meat, fish and vegetarian sources of protein such as beans and nuts in your diet.  Balance is the key to longevity!

By Amanda Laird of Mise En Place

Sometimes the thought of walking into your kitchen to prepare a meal, or even a light snack, can be scarier than a gossip magazine’s stars without their makeup issue.  Okay, maybe not that scary, but definitely overwhelming. 

By making an effort to build a few good habits you can make your kitchen a little less frightening and your culinary adventures a little more fun.

 1. Read the recipe the whole way through.  And then read it again.

Reading your recipe the whole way through before you begin can save yourself from any number of kitchen disasters.  The last thing you need is to discover in your recipe that your tomato sauce needs to simmer for another two hours just as your dinner guests arrive at the door.  Always read the recipe the whole way through.  And then read it again, and, if you have time, you might want to read it just once more.

 2. Prepare a mise en place.

“Mise en place” translates to “everything in place.”  Once you’ve read your recipe, take the time to prepare and measure all your ingredients before you begin cooking or baking.  This will help your preparation go much smoother, and will help to reduce mistakes or accidents.

 3. Make YouTube your sous chef.

The first time I made bread I had no idea what the recipe meant by “mix until you have a shaggy dough”.  Not wanting to take my chances I jumped online and found a video instruction of the exact recipe I was making.  Online video sites like YouTube offer up instruction, both amateur and professional, on everything from knife skills, to bread kneading, to how to poach an egg. 

 4. Invest in a good knife.

Notice the singular: knife not knives.  With one quality knife kept sharp and in good condition in your drawer you’ll be able to conquer almost anything in your kitchen.   Chose the best that you can afford, either a chef’s knife or a Japanese Santoku, and be sure to keep it sharp.  There are a few things worse than a dull blade.

By Amanda Laird of Mise En Place

With fancy kitchen supply shops in every shopping mall and new gadgets launching every week it’s hard to decipher what we really need to have on hand to make a great, home-cooked meal.

Now that your pantry is in order, clear out the clutter and make sure you have only the essential equipment on hand in the kitchen.  It will save you space, time and most importantly, a little sanity.  When clearing out kitchen clutter the best advice comes from Laurie Colwin, who said, “there is no point at all in anything that does only one job.”

A good knife

As long as you’ve got at least one good knife you’ll be able to get around in the kitchen.  Keep it sharp and you’ll always be ready to go.  Once you’ve mastered the basic knife skills, you might consider a smaller knife, like a paring knife or perhaps a serrated bread knife (which are great for tomatoes).

Wooden spoons and rubber spatulas

When it comes to every-day tools, you might want to double up so you’ll always have at least one clean when dinnertime arrives.  Wooden spoons are the jack-of-all-trades utensil and are great for stirring, mixing, sautéing, etc.  And rubber can bend when wood cannot.

Pans

A frying pan and a sauté pan are essential.  What’s the difference?  A sauté pan has higher, straight sides and has a lid, whereas frying pans usually do not.  Ensure that your pans have ovenproof handles to increase their versatility.

Pots

One small, one large, with lids.  With these you’ll be ready to make sauces, boil pasta, melt chocolate, you name it.  A stockpot is also a good idea to have on hand for when you double a batch of pasta, chili or stew.

Roasting pan

Perfection in home cooking is a roast chicken.  A medium-sized roasting pan can also double up as a gratin.

A baking sheet

Four words: homemade chocolate chip cookies.  Muffin tins and various-sized and shaped cake pans are also handy to have on hand if you’re inclined to bake.

Mixing and prep bowls

You can usually find a set of 5-10 bowls in varying sizes made of stainless steel, glass or ceramic, for a decent price.  Mixing bowls don’t have to match, but if they nest it makes them easier to store.  Here the rule of them is the more the better.

Instant-read thermometer

Overcooked meat is unappetizing and undercooked meat can be hazardous to your health.  An instant-read thermometer is essential in every kitchen.

Two cutting boards

If you’re really diligent at cleaning your cutting boards well one is enough, but I prefer having two: one for meat and one for everything else.  Try wooden butcher’s blocks.  One that is made of a beautiful end wood can even stay on your counter, if you have room.

That one thing you just can’t live without in the kitchen

Maybe it’s your wok or a spring-form pan or an electric mixer, but we all have that one tool or gadget we just can’t live without.  For me, it’s a pair of tongs; hardly a meal is cooked in our home without them.

What can’t you live without in the kitchen?

By Amanda Laird

Spring has sprung!

Now that the warm weather has returned and I have hung up my coat and scarf for another year, I’m in the mood for lightening up in the kitchen too.  Next to a salad, I always think of fish as a go-to light dish.  This dish is loaded with vegetables, omega-rich salmon and only one tablespoon of olive oil between two people.

This dish is prepared en papillote, which means “in parchment”, en français.  The fish is piled on a bed of leeks and peppers, and then wrapped into a pouch and baked in the oven allowing the moisture inside to cook the fish and steam the vegetables. 

I love making this dish because it is a simple, no-fail recipe that gives the impression that you are an accomplished chef!  Presenting your sweetheart or your dinner guests with a parcel never fails to delight.  And who doesn’t love a dish that can do double duty: quick enough for a weeknight, but with enough chutzpah you can serve it to your dinner guests.

Steamed Salmon with Orange & Tarragon

For two

Ingredients:

2 x 5oz centre cut salmon filets

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

1 tablespoon freshly chopped tarragon

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1/2 leek, white only, julienne

1/4 red pepper, julienne

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and fresh pepper

2 11″ x 18″ sheets of parchment paper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. In a bowl, add shallots, tarragon, zest and orange juice. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Mix well until incorporated and set aside.

3. In a second bowl, mix together sliced leeks, green onions, red peppers, parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season with salt and fresh pepper.

4. Season both sides of salmon with salt and fresh pepper.

5. Place one sheet of parchment paper on your work surface. Fold in half crosswise and open it up like a book. On one half of the sheet, place half of the leek mixture (step #3), about an inch away from the crease. Layer salmon over the leek mixture and top with a dollop of the orange/tarragon mix.

6. Fold the sheet over top of the fish and ingredients. Twist the two edges of the sheets together until completely sealed and oval. If you’re feeling romantic, you can fold it into a heart shape!

7. Place the package on a baking sheet and repeat the process for the second piece of salmon.

8. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until packages puff up and fish is cooked through.

9. Remove from the oven and serve immediately, cutting the paper open from the top. Be careful, the steam is hot and can burn you if you’re not careful!

By Dr. Samantha Ristimaki, BSc, ND

If you are trying to lose weight, increasing your metabolism can help you burn more calories with less work.  You’ll find hundreds of advertisements endorsing products that claim to enhance your metabolism, many holding false promises in a bottle. Here are some research-based suggestions.

Break the fast: Think about a fire as it dies out, the flames grow weaker and burning slows. If you add wood, the flames grow and the fire intensifies -burning at a quicker rate.  Your metabolism is slow ‘burning’, like the fire, while you sleep.  In the morning, the sooner you fuel your metabolism the sooner things start to burn. 

Eat your protein: Protein is harder to break down, so you burn more calories digesting protein than a slice of bread.  Eating protein will also prevent your blood sugar from spiking and causing your body to store calories.

Eat several small meals throughout the day:  Women’s bodies are built to outsmart starvation, so your metabolism shuts down after a few hours without food.  Eating every few hours will keep your metabolism elevated.  Eating well balanced small meals throughout the day that contain protein, carbohydrates and fat will optimize your metabolism.

Fat free isn’t always the answer: Your body needs fat to function properly; without proper dietary intake it will try to hold on to existing fat to stay alive.  Biochemically, you need to be taking in good quality fat in order to burn fat.

Burn more calories with cardio: Challenge yourself to burn a few extra calories every day.  Go for a walk, hop on your bike or hit an aerobics class.  20 minutes a day can go a long way!

Increase your resting metabolism with weight training: Not only will muscle conditioning make you leaner, but the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn at rest.  Muscle requires more energy than fat so consider moderate weight conditioning 2-3 times per week.

Drink your water: Thirst is an inefficient signal in the body.  You are usually dehydrated by the time you feel thirsty.  Your body needs water to function optimally so keep yourself well hydrated throughout the day.

Have a tip, question, comment -post here!