Support My Journey
I was born with a neuromuscular disorder called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA Type 2). SMA is caused by a faulty gene called SMN1. Type 2 is the severity that the disorder affects my muscles. Over my life, my muscles have atrophied to the point that I cannot move my body and I repeatedly get lung infections and pneumonia due to extreme weakness in my lungs. Despite these limitations, I have been able to maintain an independent and full life. Many of my friends are affected with neuromuscular disorders as well. Like myself, they have chosen to live life to the fullest.

I am participating in the Muscular Dystrophy Walk to raise money for a great cause. This year, I represent Hamilton Ontario as the Muscular Dystrophy Canada Ambassador for my city. I am honoured to accept this role and it is my hope to share my journey and inspire others who are on a similar path. 

I am team captain for the team Movin' On Up (a throw back to growing up in the '70s and watching the Jefferson's). I am looking for individuals to walk, roll or run with me on Sunday June 12th at Confederation Park. Please join my team or sponsor me and help make a difference. 

Together, with your support, we can reach our fundraising goal.

 

Chickpea (Chana) Curry and Basmati Rice

Curried chickpeas with perfectly prepared Basmati rice is a deliciously satisfying meal. An excellent source of protein, the beautiful nutty flavor of chickpeas is enjoyed as whole peas or slightly mashed to create this creamy curry.

You will need the following ingredients:

• Either 1 can of chickpeas or 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and slow-cooked until tender and the skins splitting open
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil or butter
• 1 small cooking onion, diced
• 1 and ½ inch piece of ginger root, peeled and grated
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, pressed through a garlic press or grated
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon dried coriander
• 2 whole fresh chilies or ½ teaspoon spicy chili powder
• 1 Tablespoon Garam Masala curry paste or powder
• 1 cup coconut milk or cream
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ lime squeezed fresh when done
• ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves, or flat-leaf parsley

 Directions:

1. Using a potato masher, break up the chickpeas.
2. Heat up a skillet on medium-high heat. When good and hot, melt the coconut oil or butter.
3. Sauté the diced onion, grated ginger and garlic together until the onion softens. You should reduce the heat at this point to prevent burning the ginger and garlic.
4. Stir in the tomato paste. You may add more coconut oil or butter if needed.
5. Add all the spices over the sautéed onion, ginger and garlic once the onion is soft.
6. Then add the slightly mashed chickpeas, coconut milk and salt.
7. Stir everything well. Cover the skillet with a lid and simmer on low-medium heat for about 10 to 20 minutes. Stir once or twice to avoid sticking.
8. Finally, turn off the heat and remove the skillet from the burner. Taste the curry for saltiness. Add more salt if you desire.
9. Squeeze the ¼ lime into the curry and garnish with finely chopped cilantro or parsley leaves.

To Make Perfect Basmati Rice:

• Soak about 1 cup of Basmati in a lot of warm water for about 15 minutes to 1 hr.
• Rinse the rice several times by pouring the water through a sieve, adding more water to the rice and straining through a sieve – about 4 to 8 times.

 ᵻ Removing as much starch as possible will make your Basmati soft and fluffy.

• Place your rinsed Basmati in a pot of water (usually just a little less than double the rice amount – so for 1 cup of rice, use almost 2 cups of water)
• Add 1 full tsp of butter and stir only once. After this, do not stir again (very important!)
• Cover with a lid and bring to a very light boil.
• Reduce heat to low-medium for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• You know your Basmati is done when 1 or 2 holes appear at the top of your rice.
• Turn the heat off and leave it covered for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Then take a fork and fluff up the Basmati by lightly running it along the top of the rice. Your Basmati will instantly fluff up and the rice grains will separate.

Enjoy!

The Power of Food is really Spiritual.
It not only brings the whole family together on the same table, but also brings the whole world together.

~ Vikas Khanna

Spanish el banquete

For a hearty and well-rounded vegetarian meal, create a Spanish el banquete or el festín. The dishes we included are quite economical and healthy. If you have a palate for spicier fare, these delights can be enjoyed with your favourite hot sauce. A bit of planning and preparation turns this combo into the perfect food display. A great idea for entertaining or Sunday dinner.

Refried beans, Spanish rice, fried mushrooms and bean burritos are on the menu for today.

Refried Beans

For these refried beans you must use dried beans, soaked overnight. Romano, pinto or kidney beans are all good choices. Canned beans don’t work.

The beans are best cooked in a slow cooker the next day for several hours until the skin on the beans begin to split open. This result is essential for mashing.

Once the beans are cooked using this method, the rest is simple and very quick.

Use a potato masher to mash the beans with some of the reserved water from the slow cooker.

Heat a skillet on medium high and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil. Add the mashed beans. Then to the beans, add the following ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and pressed through a garlic press or 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 lime, juiced

Heat through, stirring everything together and it’s done. The cooking time, once the beans are in the skillet, should be less than 5 minutes.

Spanish Rice

• Cook 1 cup of rice and allow to cool.
• In a heated skillet coated with olive oil, sauté 1 cup corn niblets and 2 green chilies cut in half for about 3 minutes.
• Fluff the cooked rice and pour it into the skillet.
• Drizzle more olive oil onto the rice. Then drizzle your favorite hot sauce. If you don’t want any spice at all then simply don’t add it. Alternatively, you may add some tomato juice or sauce to give the rice a reddish tinge.
• Add 1 teaspoon each: chili powder, cumin and garlic powder.
• Gently fold the ingredients together until moderately blended. You don’t want to break the rice up too much.
• Remove to a platter.

Sauté whole mushrooms – with garlic butter

Leave the mushrooms whole. Only wipe the mushrooms with a paper towel. Do not wash them or get water on them or the taste will be affected. When they are nicely seared, place the mushrooms around the rice on the platter.

Make Bean Burritos

We used whole wheat tortilla wraps. To assemble the buritto, lay the wrap on a piece of foil or wax paper. Add about 2 or 3 tablespoons of the Spanish rice into the middle of the wrap. Then place about 1 and ½ tablespoons of the refried beans on the rice. Top the beans with fresh chopped tomato and shredded cheddar. Fold the shorter ends up first. Then roll the longer ends over the shorter folded ends. You may want to use the foil or wax paper to help with the rolling.

Lay the burrito flat on the seam onto a hot skillet to sear the bottom shut. This should only take about 1 minute, or less.

For a nice presentation, cut the seared burrito in half on a diagonal and place around the rice on the platter.

Side dishes you may wish to add around the platter:

• A bowl of tomato or spicy marinara sauce
• Sour cream
• Shredded lettuce
• Shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
• Fresh chilies, chopped
• Fresh tomato chunks

comer feliz

(English translation – happy eating)

Green Vegetables Can Save Your Life

You have probably heard the saying, ‘your body is a temple’? When we consider the dramatic incidence of chronic disease these days, this phrase takes on new meaning. Chronic disease like cancer, diabetes, immune-deficiency disorders and heart disease to name a few. And these ailments are not just a cautionary pay attention to our health. Often times, these diseases are killers. So what does this have to do with food?

“We all eat, and it would be a sad waste of opportunity to eat badly.” – Anna Thomas

Most of us fuel our body all day long with food. Food energizes us. But what food has the best value? The best bang for our buck? Nutritional experts worldwide look at this question seriously. Their job is to investigate and give us conclusive scientific data that we can literallychew on. I know… corny, right? It’s okay, read on.

According to culinary educator and author of The Veggie Queen, Jill Nussinow, MS, RD, “Greens are the No. 1 food you can eat regularly to help improve your health”. Leafyvegetables are exceptionally high in fiber, vitamins and minerals that help you remain free of disease.

Right now, you may be thinking, “I eat salad everyday”.

Great!

Salad made with lettuce is good … and green. It’s a good start. But you need to go a bit further to achieve the most benefit from eating green. The best place to start is to become familiar with the powerhouses stored in superfoods.

Green leafy vegetables, beets, purple Asian yams, tomatoes, blueberries, black beans, broccoli, salmon, oats and pomegranates among many are classified as nutrient-rich food, packed with antioxidants and polyphenols. The value in superfoods has anticipated health benefits.

An in-depth study of these amazing foods would be lengthy at this point – and I’d probably lose your attention before too long. For now, let us examine a couple of these heroes:

Green Leafy Vegetables

Let’s begin with kale.               

By the way, Nussinow gives this leafy green a first place ranking.

A single serving gives you 199% vitamin A, 200% vitamin C, 15% calcium, 8% iron, 15% vitamin B-6, 11% magnesium and 14% potassium of your percentage daily value. You even get 8% protein in this small 100g serving. No wonder they call kale a superfood.

Collard greens are comparable to kale in nutrition. Chewier than kale and much like cabbage, collard greens are hearty enough to survive the winter frost. There is evidence that these greens have been cultivated for food for at least 2000 years. They work well in stews and soup.

Turnip greens, swiss chard, spinach, mustard greens, broccoli, red and green leaf lettuce and cabbage are loaded with vitamins A and C, calcium and iron among other minerals. Even romaine and the water-dense iceberg lettuce contain these powerful vitamins and minerals.

The American Institute for Cancer Research says dark green leafy vegetables are excellent sources of fiber, folate and a wide range of carotenoids. Cancer researchers are finding evidence that carotenoids seem to prevent cancer by acting as antioxidants.

Another favourite to foodies worldwide …

Green Chili Peppers

Did you know green chillies strengthen your immune system? And they are great for weight loss? These spicy little jewels regulate your blood sugar levels and manage insulin. True fact.

In addition to being a rich source of antioxidants, the green chili contains an anti-ageing property. Capsaicin, found in all peppers, triggers UV light blockers. Could this be a natural sun block?

For today, we leave you with these findings on eating a green diet.

Consider adding at least 2 varieties of leafy greens and some chilies to your menu this month. Note the health benefits we discussed, and be sure to send us a comment.

Love your food. Love your health.

Article Resources:

JILL NUSSINOW, MD, RD, CULINARY EDUCATOR; AUTHOR,THE VEGGIE QUEEN — VEGGIES GET THE ROYAL TREATMENT.

AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH

NUTRAINGREDIENTS.COM