I recently attended a cooking class sponsored by Cypres 55+ in Caledonia. It was an excellent class based on fibre and getting more of it in our daily food choices. The dietician, Sydney Brennan from Zehrs, shared that we should have at least 25 grams of fibre each day. We were given a couple of recipes and we all assisted in making an 8 bean salad, which was very tasty.
Sydney recommended that when we purchase breads, they should have 2 to 4 grams of fibre per serving. Whole wheat pasta and brown rice contain more fibre than white pasta and rice. Whole vegetables and fruit contain more fibre than their juices. Sidney suggested adding fresh or dried fruit to your favourite yogurt or cereal.
Legumes are also a great source of fibre and can be added to soups, casseroles, and salads. Try spreading some hummus on whole grain bread for a tasty alternative to other spreads.
Nuts and seeds are a great source of fibre and you could add ground flaxseed to cereal. Mix almonds, sunflower seeds, and pine nuts together for a healthy snack. Sydney also suggested adding dried coconut and nuts when baking muffins.
Increase your fibre intake slowly so your body can adjust to the change. Keep yourself well hydrated by getting at least 9 cups of fluids each day. When breading chicken, you can substitute ground All-Bran Buds for some of the breadcrumbs. I recently did this when baking chicken breasts and found it was delicious.
Cypres is continuing to offer cooking classes and they are well worth attending. The next one is February 23 and it is Cooking for One or Two. The cost is just $5 and you can sign up by calling 905-765-4408. You will be glad you did. Cypres also offers Cardio Fit, Tai Chi, Yoga, Chair Zumba, Pottery and Tech Savvy classes. They have a Knitting and Crocheting group, Grab and Go lunches for $5 on Tuesdays, Bingo, and game days.
Several months ago I shared the turkey meatball recipe that I use, but the one Sydney gave us is different so I am also sharing it.
8 Bean Salad
- 1 – 14.5 oz. can green beans
- 1 -14.5 oz. can wax beans
- 1- 19 oz. can six bean medley
- 1/3 cup chopped green pepper
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 1/3 cup chopped celery
Dressing –
- 1/3 cup canola or olive oil
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
- Dash of pepper
Drain and rinse the beans well to decrease the salt level. Combine all the beans, green pepper, onion, and celery in a large bowl and gently stir with a spoon until they are mixed together well. In a separate medium sized bowl whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the dressing over the beans, stirring until well combined.
Turkey Meatballs
- ¾ cup All-Bran Buds cereal
- 1 Tbsp. milk
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ½ cup cooked and chopped spinach
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme or ½ tsp. dried thyme
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350. Stir the Bran Buds with the milk and let sit for 5 minutes.
In a separate bowl combine cereal mixture, turkey, egg, spinach, onion, garlic, cheese, salt, pepper, and thyme. Mix just until combined but avoid over mixing or the meatballs will be tough.
Form mixture into 1 ½ inch balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush meatballs with the oil and bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
Serve them on their own or with your favourite dipping sauce.
You could also press the mixture into a loaf pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes until cooked through. Slice to serve.
HINT: Freeze any leftover gravy in an ice cube tray and simply microwave two or three cubes for 30 seconds or so to use.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: from Joanne Woods – You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.
