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The Spirit Plate – an Indigenous Food Tradition

Chef Wolfman with Sue, Lucia and others standing in a kitchen with plated food.

Chef Wolfman (first on left) with Sue, Lucia, USA Consulate General Susan Crystal (third from right) and others, preparing foods using Indigenous ingredients.

Disclosure: This post reflects my learnings after attending a sponsored event, hosted by Taste USA and the Ontario Produce Marketing Association. All opinions are my own.

Have you heard of a Spirit Plate?  I hadn’t until I met Chef David Wolfman.

Chef Wolfman is an internationally recognized expert in traditional Indigenous cuisine, member of the Xaxli’p First Nation in BC and a Culinary Arts Professor at George Brown College in Toronto. At a culinary master class sponsored and hosted by Taste USA and the Ontario Produce Marketing Association, I had the wonderful opportunity to cook and learn from the Chef.  Along with dozens of other participants, we prepared dishes using traditional ingredients such as Wild Rice Jambalaya and Shawnee Cake, and Barbecued Pork Tenderloin with Strawberry Sauce served with Salad and Chokecherry Drizzle.

Before we sat down to eat together, Chef Wolfman assembled a Spirit Plate with samples from each of the cooked dishes. The plate is then left outside to honour both the ancestors and children who are no longer here with us.  🧡

This simple yet meaningful gesture allows us to remember those who have come before us and those who have left us. It’s a reminder that food is love and connection.

Chef Wolfman wearing his Indigenous chef's wardrobe and explaining the meaning of a Spirit Plate

 

 

In this video, Chef Wolfman describes the Spirit Plate.

Thank you Chef for sharing your wisdom and knowledge with us!

 

 

Good Things Grow in Ontario!

Sue smiling and holding two strawberries as earrings in strawberry field

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This post reflects my learnings after attending a sponsored event, hosted by Farm and Food Care OntarioGreenBeltMore than a Migrant WorkerOntario Apple GrowersOntario Berries and the Ontario Produce Marketing Association. All opinions are my own.

When I was a kid, I remember singing the tune ‘Good things grow in Ontario!’ And that lyric still holds true today.

I was recently invited to a farm tour in beautiful Norfolk County, sponsored by Farm Food Care Ontario where we had the chance to learn more about food and agriculture!

First stop: Strawberry Tyme Farms

Dalton and John Cooper standing in a high tunnel strawberry field

Meet Dalton Cooper, a 4th generation berry farmer and his dad John. Originally an apple farm since 1939, the family now grows berries using innovative varieties and growing techniques. Traditionally, strawberries harvest in June but a new ‘day-neutral’ strawberry fruits for 5-6 months, extending the typical strawberry season from June / July well into October.

John gave us a little strawberry physiology lesson to understand how this works. ‘June strawberries’ are named as such because they fruit in June. These berries are planted in the Fall when the days are short, and bear fruit in June when the days are long. On the other hand, ‘day-neutral’ strawberries are an annual variety planted in the spring with berries ready to pick about 12 weeks later. The berries continue fruiting regardless of the length of the day, which is why they’re called ‘day-neutral’!

The strawberries are grown on table tops in high tunnels which protect the berries from damaging heavy rains and maintains a moderate temperature. Not to mention, it’s much easier to pick these berries! The Cooper family also grows long cane raspberries, a growing technique where the berries are grown in pots and produce fruit in their second year.

Fun facts: There are 675 farms across Ontario which grow strawberries. Ontario growers produce between 6,000-7,000 tonnes of strawberries each year!

 

Next stop: Suncrest Orchards

Farmers Amanda and Hayden with their family of Jamaican workers

Image: Facebook Suncrest Orchards

Farmers Amanda and Hayden Dooney have owned the Suncrest Orchards since 2019 and work with a wonderful Jamaican family of eight employees including Raymond and George.  They’re seasonal agricultural workers who come up to the farm as early as March and stay until the end of October or longer. The farm grows and harvests seven different varieties of apples: Paula Red, Ginger Gold, Sunrise, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Royal Gala and Ambrosia.

Red gala apples growing on a bush

At lunch, we had the wonderful opportunity to chat with some of the workers. Amanda says, “We have huge respect and appreciation for the sacrifice they make to come up and help with our orchard.”  Livian, (pictured front left below), for example, has worked seasonally on farms for 25 years and is proud to have supported his four kids through university. Indeed, let’s all give our thanks to the amazing farmers and seasonal agricultural workers who work so hard to grow delicious and nutritious food!

Are you hosting an educational tour? Contact me to cover the event and share highlights!

 

 

Apple Pie Overnight Oats

 

4 jars of apple pie overnight oats with apples and flowers in the background

Apple Pie Overnight Oats

This delicious breakfast features nutritious oats and the cozy flavours of apple pie. It's all made ahead of time so you can go ahead and hit that snooze button!
Course Breakfast
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 apple, diced
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup oats
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • In a microwave-safe bowl, toss apples with maple syrup and cinnamon. Cook in the microwave for 45-60 seconds.
  • In a container or jar, add oats, milk, yogurt, maple syrup and cinnamon. Stir well to combine.
  • Spoon cooked apple on top of the oat mixture.
  • Cover and refrigerate overnight. Stir before eating.
Keyword apple pie overnight oats, apples, breakfast, breakfast ideas, breakfast recipes, easy breakfast recipe, oats, overnight oats

How much caffeine is too much?

A person holding a the handle of a coffee mug. An image of Sue's face in the overlay.

Health Canada has set recommended maximum daily amounts of caffeine depending on your age. For children and teens under the age of 18, the recommended caffeine intake depends on their body weight. Consuming too much caffeine can lead to insomnia, irritability, nervousness and headaches. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, consider having less.

chart with caffeine recommendations for age groups

Caffeine is found naturally in coffee, tea, chocolate and certain flavourings such as guarana and yerba mate. Check out the caffeine content of some common foods and beverages to see where you’re at with your caffeine intake for the day. Keep in mind that many mugs and store bought drinks are larger than a standard cup.

chart with caffeine intake of foods and beverages

Do you have a food or nutrition question?  Ask me and I’ll feature the answer in one of my next newsletters.

New Front-of-Package Nutrition Labels are Coming to Canada

A magnifying glass with the words "High in sat fat, sugars, sodium"

 

 

 

 

 

This article originally appeared on Canadian Food Focus, and I received monetary compensation from them to research and write this information. My articles represent my personal and professional views. I am one of many dietitian writers for Canadian Food Focus, which is a source for Canadian food and farming stories that provide advice to help you make confident food choices.

 

You’re probably already familiar with the Nutrition Facts information found on the back of food packages. Health Canada is now introducing a new nutrition symbol that will appear on the front of food packages. This new front-of-package (FOP) nutrition symbol will help consumers quickly identify foods which are high in saturated fats, sugars and / or sodium. Here’s what you need to know.

Watch my national TV interview about Front of Package labelling.

Background

According to Heart and Stroke, 60% of the food we buy is prepackaged and processed, and many of these foods may be high in saturated fats, sugars and / or sodium. Eating a diet that’s high in these nutrients of concern is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and some types of cancer. At the same time, 8 out of 10 Canadians say that nutrition is important when choosing foods.

To help Canadians make informed choices, Health Canada is introducing a new front-of-package (FOP) nutrition symbol to identify packaged foods which are high in saturated fats, sugars and / or sodium. The regulations came into effect on July 20, 2022 and food companies have until January 1, 2026 to update their packaging their labels. Over 40 countries including Chile, Argentina, Mexico and New Zealand, currently have a front-of-package nutrition labelling system.

 

What does the new front-of-package (FOP) symbol look like?

French only front-of-package symbol

Horizontal front-of-package label with magnifying glass and words

 

 

 

 

The new FOP symbol is a black and white image of a magnifying glass along with the name(s) of the nutrient(s) of concern – saturated fat, sugars and / or sodium – that are deemed high in the packaged food or beverage. It may appear either as a horizontal or vertical symbol. The FOP symbol may appear on the food package as one bilingual symbol or as two separate symbols in both official languages.

English only front-of-package symbol

French only front-of-package symbol

 

 

 

 

The FOP symbol will always appear on the upper right half of the food package. In the sample chocolate bar below, the symbol indicates that the food is high in saturated fat and sugars.Sample chocolate bar with the front-of-package symbol for high saturated fat and sugars

 

 

 

 

 

Which foods will need to show the FOP symbol?

For most packaged products, the definition of “high” means that the food or beverage contains 15% or more of the Daily Value for saturated fat or sugars and / or sodium per serving.

For example, take a look at the nutrition facts information below for a can of soup. The saturated fat is at 5% DV, the sugars is at 2% DV but the sodium is at 36% DV. So this soup would need to show the front-of-package nutrition symbol with the word sodium to let consumers know that this product is high in sodium.

Nutrition facts table for a can of soup

 

 

Front-of-package symbol for high sodium

Front-of-package symbol needed for the sample can of soup by January 1, 2026

For foods with a small serving size such as salad dressings or pickles, the criteria is 10% DV instead of 15% DV for saturated fat, sugars and sodium. And for pre-packaged main dishes that have a larger serving size, such as a frozen pizza or frozen lasagna, the criteria is 30% DV for those nutrients.

Which foods are exempted from the FOP symbol?

This is a list of some foods which are exempted either because of a recognized health benefit, technical or practical reasons. 

  • Plain fruits and vegetables
  • Plain, unsweetened 2% milk & whole milk
  • Plain cheese and yogurt*
  • Plain nuts / seeds & nut / seed butter
  • Eggs
  • Raw, plain single ingredient meat, poultry & fish, including ground meat
  • Butter, margarine, ghee; Vegetable oils; Sugar, honey, molasses, maple syrup; Salt (e.g. table salt, sea salt, Kosher salt, garlic salt, onion salt, celery salt, etc.) – It would simply be redundant and impractical to put a FOP symbol on these foods.

Any of the foods noted above are no longer exempt if they’re made with an ingredient that contains saturated fat, sugars and / or sodium. For example, a bag of plain salad is exempt from the FOP regulations. But is the bag of salad contains bacon bits and salad dressing, the FOP symbol may apply. Similarly, if salt is added to plain nuts, the FOP symbol may apply.

*Cheese and yogurt made from dairy these foods naturally contain saturated fat, sugars (lactose) and sodium (needed in the cheese-making process). However, these foods contain calcium which is considered a “shortfall nutrient” since many Canadians may not be getting enough and calcium. Any plain cheese or yogurt is only exempt from the FOP symbol if a serving of the food contains at least 15% DV for calcium (or at least 10% DV for calcium in foods with a serving size of 30 grams / 30 mL or less). The ongoing need for this exemption will be reassessed after 10 years.

Other exemptions include:

  • Foods that are only sold at a farmer’s market, flea market, craft show, road-side stand or sugar bush by the person who prepared and processed the product
  • Packaged individual portions of foods that are only intended to be served by a restaurant to accompany a meal or snack, such as coffee creamers or individually packaged crackers often served with soups at restaurants
  • Foods sold in very small packages or with limited display space, such as milk, cream and goat’s milk which are sold in refillable glass containers since there available labelling space is limited to the lid

Pros and Cons

Pros: The FOP symbol will help consumers make informed food choices. In Chile, where a similar FOP labelling system has been in effect since 2016, 92% of consumers said that the FOP label influenced their food purchase. And overall household food purchases in Chile contained 37% less sodium and 27% less sugars.

Another pro is that this new nutrition labelling policy will inspire food companies to reformulate their products. In the next four years, expect to see new and improved products containing less saturated fat, sugars and sodium.

Cons: The FOP symbol could promote a “good food vs bad food” mentality which supports diet culture. Remember that we eat food for more than just nutrition. We eat food for celebration, comfort and connection.

Sue’s advice

Use the new FOP symbol as another tool to help you make informed choices. Read the Nutrition Facts table on the back of the package to see what other nutrients are offered in the food. Look at the ingredients list to determine whether any fat, sugars or sodium have been added to the product. If you happen to occasionally eat a food / beverage that has a FOP symbol, don’t feel guilty or ashamed. All foods can be enjoyed in moderation and fit into a healthy, balanced diet.

 

 

Does diet affect erectile function?

A man in a blue shirt sitting on a sofa and speaking to a health professional.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s the question you may have always wondered, but were too shy to ask!

June is Men’s Health Month, so let’s take a look at some of the research on this topic.

A study published in the Journal of the American Association Network Open journal suggests that a healthy dietary pattern may play a role in maintaining erectile function in men. Researchers from the University of California and Harvard University looked at the food and nutrient data from over 21,000 healthy men aged 40 to 75 who had no previous diagnosis of erectile dysfunction or diabetes or heart disease. The men were part of the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The researchers found that men at all ages who followed a Mediterranean-style diet had the lowest risk of erectile dysfunction. A Mediterranean-style diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and fish.

Fruits and vegetables contain special plant nutrients called flavonoids.  Researchers in Greece found that eating fruits and vegetables lowered the risk for erectile dysfunction by 32% in men aged 18 to 40 years.

Another study from researchers in Spain looked at 83 healthy men aged 18-35. For 14 weeks, these men were asked to follow their usual diet and were divided into 2 groups – one group also ate 60 grams (about ½ cup) of nuts a day such as walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts; the other group of men did not eat nuts. The study found that a healthy diet supplemented with mixed nuts may help to improve erectile and sexual desire.

Bottom line: Fruits, vegetables and nuts are the foundation of an overall healthy diet that can benefit not only your heart health but also your sexual health.

 

Garlic Shrimp Linguine

A plate of shrimp linguine with broccoli florets.

Garlic Shrimp Linguine

Calling all pasta lovers! This fast and easy dish is perfect for dinner on a busy weeknight or lazy weekend!
Course Dinner

Ingredients
  

  • 1 package (454 g) uncooked linguine
  • 2 cups broccoli florets
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 400 g frozen shrimp (thawed, peeled and deveined)
  • 2 T olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta ccording to package directions. Add broccoli florets during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta and broccoli, and set aside.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, toss shrimp with minced garlic.
  • Heat oil over medium heat in a frying pan. Add shrimp and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt. Cook for about 2-3 minutes on one side, flip and cook for another 2 mnutes or until shrimp beginsto turn pink.
  • Add cooked pasta and broccol. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Pour in lemon juice. Toss until pasta is well coated.
  • Garnish with chopped parsley. Sprinkle on parmesan cheese just before serving.
Keyword Garlic Shrimp Linguine, Linguine, Pasta, shrimp, Shrimp Linguine

Best Shrimp Fried Rice

 

2 bowls of shrimp fried rice

Best Shrimp Fried Rice

The secret to making the best fried rice is to use cold, leftover cooked rice. The grains are drier, giving you just the right texture. (Using freshly cooked rice results in a soggier fried rice!)
Course Dinner, Lunch
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tsp canola oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1 cup frozen green peas, rinsed
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 3 cups cold, leftover cooked white or brown rice
  • 2 Tbsp sodium reduced soy sauce
  • 1 cup cooked shriimp

Instructions
 

  • In a large fry pan, heat 2 tsp oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add onions and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes.
  • Add peas and cook all of these veggies for another minute.
  • Place veggies aside in a bowl while you cook the eggs.
  • Add 2 tsp oil to the pan. Pour in the eggs and scramble to cook. Place cooked eggs aside in the bowl with the veggies.
  • Crumble the leftover rice with your hands and add to the pan. (Add a bit more oil if needed.) Mix until thoroughly heated. Add soy sauce and mix well.
  • Stir in the cooked onions, mushrooms, peas, eggs and shrimp.
Keyword Fried rice, Shrimp fried rice

Watermelon Salad

 

Watermelon Salad

Watermelon Salad

You can't have a picnic without watermelon! This Watermelon Salad is so flavourful and refreshing - enjoy!
Course Salad

Ingredients
  

Salad

  • 1/2 small watermelon, peeled and cut into cubes
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (or more if you'd like)
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

Dressing

  • 2 Tbsp lime juice
  • 1-2 Tbsp honey
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Add watermelon pieces to a large bowl. Sprinkle in feta cheese and mint.
  • In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
  • Drizzle dressing over salad and gently toss.
Keyword Picnic, Picnic recipes, Picnic salads, Salads, summer recipes, Watermelon, Watermelon Salad

What are pink strawberries?

A cluster of pink strawberries with an overlay of Sue's headshot and the words "What are pink strawberries?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you seen these little pink strawberries at Costco or your local grocery store?

They look like underripe strawberries, but they’re not. These little gems are actually pineberries – which is a fusion of the words “pineapple” and “strawberry” although there isn’t any pineapple in them. In fact, the pineberry belongs to the strawberry family and is a cross between the strawberries native to North America (Fragaria virginiana) and strawberries native to Chile (Fragaria chiloensis). Inside, the flesh is white. You may also see these cute little berries called pineberry strawberries or hula pineberries.

What do pineberries taste like?

Pineberries have a softer and creamier texture than a red strawberry. There are subtle aromas and flavours of pineapple (thus the name pineberry), pear and apricot.

What about nutrition?

Both pineberries and strawberries contain vitamin C, folate, fibre and potassium. Strawberries will have higher levels of “anthocyanins” – which are the healthy plant compounds that give strawberries their beautiful red colour. Since they’re more rare than red strawberries, pineberries tend to be more expensive.

How to eat pineberries?

Ripe pineberries will have a blush pink colour and bright red seeds. Eat pineberries the same way you would strawberries! Add them to your yogurt bowl, toss into a salad or add a handful to a snack board.

Will you try them? Have you tried them? Tell me what you think in the comments!

 

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