Nutritional alternatives for low-income households

Low-income families in the Downsview community have been overwhelmed with the rising costs of fresh fruits and vegetables, and the prices are only expected to get increase.
According to the University of Guelph’s Food Institute, the average Canadian family spent an additional $325, per month, on food in 2015. The prices of food are expected to rise another four per cent, which means families will likely spend an extra $345 on their groceries in 2016.
Since the majority of fresh fruits and vegetables in Canada are imported, the prices are vulnerable to Canada’s devaluing dollar. But there is a solution for low-income households insists Dr. Carol Greenwood, Senior Scientist at Baycrest Health Sciences and Professor of Natural Sciences at the University of Toronto.“People need to feel more comfortable consuming frozen and canned fruits and vegetables because they are actually healthy. They may not have the same taste or texture, but we should move over to these alternatives in the midst of the rising food prices.”
Dr. Greenwood explains that fresh and frozen produce are very close in the amount of nutrients they contain as they both experience loss through processing. Our frozen fruits and vegetables are picked when they are peaked and optimal then frozen and processed right away. Our fresh fruits and vegetables are picked under ripe to be transported and distributed amongst Canadian grocery stores. Both methods experience a loss of nutrients.
When picking out canned food, Dr. Greenwood states, “Do not buy canned fruits with added sugar or canned vegetables with added salt. Make sure you read the labels and go for sugar and sodium free.”She also suggests that we “go back to our roots” when Canadians did not have as many food options in the winter months they consumed storage crops like cabbage, carrots, brussel sprouts and potatoes –which are all reasonably priced year-round.
“We [seniors] need to go back to our youth and use the recipes our moms used to feed us,” she said.Low-income earners, specifically seniors, should not skimp away from consuming all the necessary proteins and nutrients that they need to continue living a healthy life. Dr. Greenwood advocates moving away from expensive meats and poultries and instead getting protein from eggs, beans and lentils –all high-quality items that are inexpensive.“Since this year is the [United Nations] Year of the Pulses [a movement to consume legumes as a primary source of protein] we should really consider incorporating more beans and lentils in our meals instead of meat,” suggested Greenwood.
To keep a budget and still have nutritional meals, Dr. Greenwood emphasizes that families shop the sales, eat foods that are in season, eat locally grown food and reduce our food waste [Canadians throw out more than $1,000 worth of food that goes bad or stale, per year.]
Although the cost of food and living has risen substantially there are many budget-friendly alternatives, like frozen and canned foods, that will keep families and seniors healthy and thriving.

Can you believe?

         When it comes to product labeling, the award for first place goes to Unilever for a product they dubbed, “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!” It isn’t; and to be truthful I’m not quite sure what it is. You know; it’s the white and yellow tub that sits on the margarine shelf in the supermarket; the one that is periodically put on sale for $1.It was the name of the product that induced me to try it and I have to admit that it’s the taste that keeps me using it. Although when I read the ingredients I can’t fully understand why I keep eating it.The package boldly proclaims “Made with Sweet Cream Buttermilk” but on the ingredient list, in tiny letters, says, “Buttermilk powder (milk)”.   Product labeling regulations in both Canada and United States require ingredients on package labels to be listed in the order of their quantity from largest to smallest. They don’t have to give the quantities (ie. reveal their recipe) but they must provide you with the ingredients.   In this product, buttermilk comes after salt so you can infer from this that the entire one pound (454 gram) tub of margarine contains less “sweet cream buttermilk”; err sorry, “buttermilk powder” than it does salt.What happened to the “sweet cream buttermilk”? In fact there is no milk at all. On the original package they did discretely mention, in small letters, that it was “margarine”, sort of in a whisper. Now it has become a “SPREAD” although they call it a “buttery spread” (whatever that means).   It should be re-named; “Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter or Even Margarine Spread!” Wikipedia tells us that the product was developed in 1979 by the J.H. Filbert Company based in Baltimore Maryland before it was bought out by Unilever.   Unilever is a multinational corporation. It owns more than 400 brands.   They brought “almost butter” to Canada back in 1991.I love their commercial. A handsomely masculine bearded guy kneading dough at an outdoor market smiles and says to a couple of attractive women, “I love making the kind of food you really love putting in your body” 100% taste, 0% artificial preservatives, purified water (just like it comes out of your tap), “just a pinch of salt”.   Oops…that pinch of salt is actually 90 milligrams per tablespoon, which is much more than the pinch in the Canadian product which contains 60 mg. of salt per two teaspoons.If the Canadian teaspoons are metric teaspoons and the tablespoon is a U.S. tablespoon the salt content will be even higher, 133 mg, that’s more than double!   I telephoned the company to ask but the consumer representative didn’t know.Oh by the way, the fine print on their web site candidly confesses to unavoidably using some genetically modified oils (just a trace) but not to worry; there may even be less than the “sweet cream buttermilk” in their Canadian Product.   Sorry but the healthier version hasn’t come to Canada yet.   As their website proclaims, “Now that’s something you can feel good about.”The “can’t believe” website boldly avers: “We believe that what we take out is just as important as what we put into our buttery spreads”.Their commercial ends with, “It’s time to believe.”But is it?

Hundreds of people lined up for the famous annual Turkey Giveaway at Downsview Park

Thanksgiving is the time of year when we reflect on our blessings and show gratitude for the little things. It is a great time to get together with friends and family to share food, drinks and laughs. For the ninth year in a row the Downsview Park Merchant’s Market gave away hundreds of frozen turkeys, bags of potatoes, cranberry sauce and/or pasta at their annual event on the thanksgiving long weekend. This event gives families, who normally wouldn’t be able to afford a big turkey dinner, the chance to enjoy this holiday stress free. It builds the community and ensures the inclusion of all during this time of year. The Merchant Market fully funds and oversees all costs associated with the giveaway and vendors from the Farmer’s Market donate hundreds of pounds of potatoes. Thousands of visitors stopped by the market on Sunday, October 11 to participate in the successful event. MPP Judy Sgro and Liberal candidate Michael Levitt participated in the lineups. There was fantastic entertainment by Naomi that sang while people waiting in line for their turkey. “It was truly wonderful to see so many smiles on so many faces as residents picked up their turkeys. We love the opportunity to give back to the community every year.”For more information on this event contact: bobborielly@gmail.com or dpmarket@msn.com.By: Maria Solis

Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Ingredients:Pumpkin Pie Filling1.75 cups of canned pumpkin puree3/4 cup of brown sugar1/4 of white sugar3/4 cup evaporated milk2 eggs1 tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp nutmeg1/2 tsp cardammon1/4 tsp lemon zest1/4 tsp saltPie Crust1 cup all purpose flour1/3 cup butter1/2 tsp salt3 -4 tbs of water1 pie tinWhipped Cream1/4 cup of 35% cream3-4 tbs of confectioner sugarDirectionsPumpkin Pie Filling1. Beat the eggs in a bowl2. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl with the eggs3. Stir in the pumpkin puree, followed by the evaporated milk.4. Stir until everything is combined well. Pie Crust5. Cut the chilled butter into small cubes and break it down in the flour6. Continue to break the butter down in the flour until no cubes remains7. Add salt and water.8. Knead well until pie crust is smooth (add more water as needed)9. Roll your pie crust flat and place it in your pie tin10. Crimp the edges neatly.11. Fill the pie shell with your pumpkin pie mixture and place it in the oven at 425 degrees for 10 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350 for an additional 30 minutes (or the inside is baked)12. Allow pie to cool for 2 hoursWhipped Cream13. Add your cream and confectioner sugar into a bowl.14. Whisk until a hard peak is formed.15. Serve whipped cream on top of the pumpkin pie.By: Vincent Polsinelli

South side Succotash

South side Succotash(Serves 6-8 people)2 cans of whole kernel corn6 strips of bacon ( diced )1/2 of a red onion ( diced )2 cloves of garlic ( minced )Season with Salt and Pepper to tastePreparation:Dice six strips of bacon, and put in a medium sized pot or saucepan and cook until fat is rendered. Add 2 cans of whole kernel corn, half of a diced red onion and 2 cloves of minced garlic to the bacon. Stir continuously until all ingredients have lightly browned.By: Matthew

Celebrate Earth Day with this Delicious Vegetarian Meal

by Vincent Polsinelli

 

Description 

With Earth Day coming up on April 22^nd, this vegetarian meal is an ideal way to celebrate. Not only is this dish nutritious, but also light, and a perfect way to welcome the warm spring weather with bright and vibrant colours.

Ingredients

 Peppers Stuffed with Quinoa3 bell peppers1 cup of quinoa2 cups of water½ cup of frozen peas1 small onion½ cup of tomato sauce2 cloves of garlic¼ of olive oilSalt and pepper to tasteSautéed Asparagus1 bunch of asparagus2 tablespoons of butterSalt and pepper to tasteBeet Salad6 medium beets¼ cup of walnuts¼ cup of goat cheese½ head of Nappa cabbage25 ml of honey50 ml of lemon juice25 ml of rice wine vinegar300 ml of olive oilSalt and pepper to taste

Directions

Beet Salad

1. Lightly wash the beets and place them in a deep tray covering the beets halfway with water seasoned with salt and pepper.
2. Cover the tray with aluminum foil and place it in a 425 C oven for 45-60 minutes, or until a knife can pass through the beets easily.
3. While the beets are cooking, combine honey, lemon juice and rice wine vinegar ina bowl, and slowly add olive oil while whisking to create an emulsification.
4. Season your dressing with salt and pepper, and set aside.
5. Remove the beets from the oven, and allow them to cool down in cold water.
6. Cut off the ends of the beets, and peel the skin off with a knife before cutting the beets into quarters. ***Wearing latex gloves is recommended as preparing beets can leave a temporary stain on your hands.***
7. Toss the beets in the dressing and allow them to marinate for 30-45 minutes.
8. Place the beets on top of a small bed of shredded cabbage, and top it off with crumbled walnuts and crumbled goat cheese before serving.

 Peppers Stuffed with Quinoa

1. Place 1 cup of uncooked quinoa in apot of boiling water (2 cups) with a lid for 15 minutes.
2. When all of the water is gone transfer the quinoa to a bowl and mix it with the tomato sauce, minced garlic, onion, frozen peas, salt and pepper.
3. Cutbell peppers in half horizontally and remove seeds from them.
4. Oil the outer skin of the bell peppers with olive oil, and place them on parchment paper on top of a sheet tray.
5. Stuff the peppers tightly and place them in the oven at 425 C for 15-20 minutes or when you notice that peppers are slightly charred.
6. Remove from oven and allow them to cool for 2-3 minutes before serving.

 Sautéed Asparagus

1. Snap off dry ends of asparagus and blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds.
2. Place asparagus in an ice water bath and dry them off when cool.
3. Melt butter in a pan on medium heat and toss the asparagus in the butter while adding salt and pepper to taste.
4. Continue to toss until preferred doneness is reached and serve.

Perfect, Well Almost Downsview’s Best Kept Secret

by Howard Moscoe

This can of Heinz beans was made in Canada and tastes just the same as the beans that your mother spoon fed you when you were a child. So what’s wrong with them? Well nothing other than the fact that instead of French the backside of the can is printed in Hebrew. I bought them for 79 cents at my all-time favourite store, ALMOST PERFECT. The same beans without the Hebrew label were priced for $1.59 at the nearby No Frills.ALMOST PERFECT is a gem of a discount store tucked away in a plaza on the north side of Sheppard Avenue, about half way between Keele Street and Dufferin Street. (1150 Sheppard Ave. W). It is a food clearance outlet that is the best kept secret in Downsview.This is where you can pick up an endless variety of products that you either won’t, or can’t find in other retail outlets. There you’ll pick up brands that you recognize like Kellogg’s, Betty Crocker, McCain, Hershey, and Lay’s; as well as, brands that you may never have heard of like, Super Slim, Chris Formly, Great Canadian Meat Co., Fairmarket, and Tangy Zangy. How do products end up at ALMOST PERFECT? Often times manufacturers overestimate sales, or launch products that just don’t catch on. For example, have you have heard of Heinz Red Thai Sauce? Fortunately, for ALMOST PERFECT shoppers, the goods end up on their shelves at a discounted price.The best part of the fun of shopping here is that you never know what surprise you can expect to find. What my daughter who lives in New York loves best about the store is she can get a range of organic and vegetarian products at bargain prices. (Yves vegetarian patties, $1.77) In fact, some of the products come up from the US because American manufacturers don’t want their products to appear at discount prices in local markets. Long before TARGET came to Canada ALMOST PERFECT was selling ‘Archer Farms’, TARGET’S private brand products, not only because TARGET didn’t want their discounted products to be sold in the US, but also because they were made in Canada. ALMOST PERFECT also has a huge variety of frozen food products. 50% of the store is filled with freezer cases. Wondering what the story behind Almost Perfect is? The company was founded in Whitby in 1998 by two Sisters, Carolyne Boiani and Pamela McGibney. In 1999 they took over a Sara Lee factory outlet at the Downsview location. From two outlet stores the company has since expanded into the largest ‘food only’ surplus retailer in Canada with ten stores, and an eleventh scheduled to be opened in Cobourg in the Spring of 2015. So why haven’t you heard about ALMOST PERFECT? As Carolyne explained; “We don’t advertise because our manufacturers expect us to be discrete. We don’t want to undercut their retail sales.” That’s probably why ALMOST PERFECT has largely stayed out of the Toronto Market, so we are lucky to have their only Toronto store right here in our community. I learned how to be an almost perfect shopper, and want to share a few tips with you. When you see a new product buy one, take it home and try it. If you like it return to the store and stock up because it might not ever be there again. Also, try visiting the store on a regular basis to get the best selection, and make sure you keep an eye on the product dates. The beans I bought had a January 2015 “best before” date, but I still bought two cases because how often does a can of beans go bad?You’ll love it as much as I do!