My husband Don and I have just returned from Asia. The good news is that we missed some of the blizzards and cold winter, and on our return, the outlook for farming this spring is as positive as it has been for many years.
When we visit other places it makes for interesting discussions when we return home.
On our travels, we ate the food that was grown, raised and cooked in that area.
In our area, we grow pulse crops and cereals. Our acreage of pulse crops has increased over
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the last two decades, but local consumption of these crops may not have increased. They are still a foreign food in the diet of many prairie people. Pulses do take some getting used to in cooking, eating and digesting.
Pulses, also known as legumes, are grown on the Canadian Prairies and include beans, chickpeas, fababeans, lentils and peas.
The word pulse is derived from the Latin word “puls,” meaning thick soup. Some common dishes that include pulse seeds are baked beans, split pea soup, hummus and chili. They can be added to soups, appetizers, spaghetti sauce, salads and desserts.
Pulses fit well into a regular healthy diet, and are excellent for gluten-free, diabetic and vegetarian diets. They are a source of complex carbohydrates and protein, are low in calories, fat and sodium, and high in fibre. This helps lower blood cholesterol levels, control blood sugars so the body needs less insulin, curb hunger and promote regular bowel move-ments and healthy gut bacteria.
Many nutritionists recommend a daily intake of 25 grams of fibre (two tablespoons) each day. One cup of cooked navy beans, peas or lentils contains more fibre than two slices of whole wheat bread or one cup of dry bran flakes. Pulse consumption may assist with weight management by increasing feelings of fullness, which controls appetite.
Here are some suggestions for adding pulses to your meals:
- Add ground lentils to morning porridge.
- Add lentils to brown rice when cooking.
- Add beans, split peas or lentils to soups, stews or spaghetti sauces.
* Use lentil flour to thicken soups, stews
- Use lentil flour to thicken soups, stews
and sauces.
* Top salads with a generous spoonful of
- Top salads with a generous spoonful of
beans or chickpeas.
- Soak and precook beans or lentils to
freeze in small containers to add to the
dishes that you normally make.
* Top a baked potato with vegetarian chili
- Top a baked potato with vegetarian chili
or baked beans.
- Add cooked lentils to homemade
hamburger patties.
Gas from eating pulses can be controlled with these easy steps:
- Add pulses to your diet gradually.
- Eat pulses regularly.
- Drink plenty of water to help your gut handle the extra fibre.
- If soaking beans, pour off the soaking water and use fresh water to cook.
- Use Beano supplemental enzymes (pill or liquid supplement).
Source: Saskatchewan Pulse Growers.
If you have questions or are looking for more information, contact the group at 306-668-5556, pulse@saskpulse.com or www.saskpulse.com. For Alberta Pulse Growers, visit www.pulse.ab.ca.
The following recipe is an example of lentils that can be used in a diabetic diet. Adapt the amount of balsamic vinegar to suit your taste.
Balsamic-lentil soup
2 teaspoons oil 10 mL
1 onion, chopped
2 minced cloves of garlic
3 cups vegetable broth 750 mL
3 cups water 750 mL
1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes 398 mL
1 cup dried lentils, sorted 250 mL
and rinsed
2 cups chopped spinach 500 mL
or leafy greens
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 25 mL
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for five minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the broth, water, tomatoes and lentils. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Stir in the spinach and vinegar. Cook for five minutes to blend the flavours. Makes four servings.
Source: Outsmart Diabetes cookbook, Prevention Magazine.
Stay healthy inside
- Add indoor plants. Winter months are often when we spend time inside. Offices at home or work are typically stuffy, with little fresh or flowing air. Indoor plants can improve air quality by reducing benzene and hexane in the air, which can be toxic over extended periods of time in a closed environment.
- Get outdoors, even if it is only a quick stroll at lunch. This will keep your body from becoming fatigued, give you some vitamin D from the sun and will provide a brief change of scenery.
- Try to have some natural light from a window. If this is not possible, install full-spectrum fluorescent light bulbs, not incandescent. These light bulbs project light that most closely matches natural daylight and contain the full spectrum of colours as well as infrared and the three ultraviolet wavelengths. These lights will help to compensate for the loss of sun on your skin, which can boost your mood and your health, especially on a dreary wintry day.
- Be sure to have a decent chair, and do not cross your legs or slouch. Ideally, your chair should be adjustable for height, back angle, armrest and seat height and angle.
- Using a computer involves frequent repetitive movements that can lead to repetitive stress injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. To minimize this risk, make sure your hands and wrists are in a neutral position at the keyboard and try to keep your wrists straight and your elbows at right angles. Type lightly to reduce strain.
- Protect your eyes by taking frequent breaks from looking at your computer screen and focusing on a distant object for at least 20 seconds. A flat screen monitor is easiest on the eyes. It should be about an arm’s length away, at eye level or slightly below, with no glare that makes you squint.
Source: www.mercola.com.
Parties for kids
Our granddaughter, Taryn, will be two years old this month. I remember that when our three kids were small, the rule of thumb for birthdays of young children was one child guest for every year of the child’s life.
Recently, I bought Children’s Parties, a book that has ideas for successful, stress-free parties. It suggests that although a good idea, sometimes it is not practical to stick to this restriction.
However, young children can be upset at seeing a horde of children descend on their favourite toys, so try to keep the numbers
low. Taryn’s party will be in the morning
to accommodate afternoon nap times.
The book suggests that children up to the age of five will most likely enjoy the party
as an occasion. They love to be in on the
preparation but have short attention spans,
so brief activities are helpful.
As long as you have the basic ingredients
of a few simple games, food and a cake, they will be happy.
Fresh fruit chopped into chunks about one inch (2.5 cm) across and threaded onto a plastic straw makes colourful and tasty kebobs. Fruit smoothies can be made from frozen strawberries or bananas with pineapple juice, adding creamed coconut to improve the texture. Individual jelly moulds with inter-esting shapes, or fruit pizza, can serve as a substitute for cake, depending on the age,
diet and preferences of the child or parents.
Source: Children’s Parties by Sean Callery, published in 2006 by Collins.
Barbara Sanderson is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and one of four columnists comprising Team Resources. Send correspondence in care of this newspaper, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or contact them at team@producer.com.
