Is Beef Bad for your Health?

For many, no. It’s actually a superfood.

When we discuss high fat, cholesterol foods such as beef, eggs, and full fat dairy, we need to understand moderation and their place in your diet.

Too much of a good thing turns bad. If you have heart health issues beef isn’t advised. For others it can benefit your body greatly.

How many times a week can I eat beef?

1-2 times a week.

Why is beef a superfood?

• Rich Source of Iron

• Improve Muscle Growth

• Rich in Zinc. Important for body growth and maintenance

• Vitamin B12

• Contains all of the essential amino acids

• Beef is a complete protein

What are some of the healthiest ways to eat beef?

1. The less processed the better. So skip boxed burgers and steaks.

2. Steak prepared at home. Grilled and seasoned with salt and pepper. *Restaurant steaks are tenderized and can contain a whole days worth of sodium (salt). They often butter baste the steak right before hitting your plate.

3. Use extra lean ground beef in your chili or pasta sauces. Low fat and packed full of protein and iron.

Cheap Healthy Foods

Here are 6 foods that give you your best Nutrition Bang for your Buck

1.Eggs

Eggs are a superfood and packed with nutrients. A great source of protein and healthy fats.

Question: How many eggs a week is healthy?

Answer: Depending on your diet I often say 6 a week. If you are vegetarian 8 or 9. If you have high cholesterol I would recommend 1-2 and egg whites.

Monday - Egg salad sandwich for lunch
Wednesday - 2 egg omelet with grainy toast and salad for dinner
Sunday - 2 eggs with avocado, tomato, grainy breast and an orange

2. Rotisserie Chicken

I don’t know the current price of a rotisserie chicken at Costco but it’s worth it. Even at your local grocery store you are getting tons of value.

The grocery store does the cooking and you get at least 4 meals of protein.

Each 100 grams of cooked chicken breast has 29g of protein

Some meal ideas on rotisserie chicken leftovers:

Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Chicken & Brown Rice Soup
Chicken Curry with Brown Rice

3. Carrots

A half of a cup has almost 75% of your daily recommended Vit A.

Often when I have the oven going for 30 or 40 minutes roasting or baking something I will pop some carrots in the oven. Simply cut them up in to pieces and toss with a bit of olive oil and sea salt.

I then use these roasted carrots over the next couple of days.

Heat in a pan with some soy sauce and serve with a protein and rice

Or

Heat in a pan with some onion/shallot and a bit of balsamic vinegar and OJ. Let it get some colour before serving.

4. Bananas

Rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre and simple sugar. They help aid digestion. They are rich in potassium which helps muscles recover after the gym.

Great on the go snack. Great in smoothies and muffins.

5.  Potatoes

Good source of fibre and is loaded with anti oxidants.

They are considered “A fill me up food”. This is because they have the fibre that keeps you feeling full for longer.

One of my favourite ways to prepare potatoes is to par boil them in some water with garlic. Let them dry for a few minutes on a plate. Then toss with a bit of olive oil and sea salt. Put them on a sheet pan and throw them in the oven until they are crispy.

6. Frozen Fruit

When fruit is out of season it can be quite expensive. Especially berries.  You can usually find a grocery store around you that puts bags of frozen fruit on sale.

Awesome antioxidants and nutrients.

Great for topping oatmeal, yogurt or putting in your smoothie.

Healthy Cheap Foods Honourable Mentions

Oats
Popcorn
Peanuts

Charred Corn Succotash

Up until 2 years ago I had never had Corn Succotash. In fact I didn’t really know what it was. Then someone served it at a party and it is now one of my favourite summer dishes to make. .

It is such an easy and delicious ways to use up corn on the cob.

Charred Corn Succotash

What you will need:

• Leftover corn on the cob

• Red or white onion and Red Pepper

• 2 slices of bacon or some chorizo or other meat

• Any (or all) of these Extras. Cilantro, cherry tomatoes, chives, chili flakes, pickled hot peppers.

Instructions

1. Start the BBQ

2. Put the corn on the cob on the BBQ.  At the same time put some white or red onion slices and Red Pepper on the grill. You want about 25% of the corn to be charred/blackened.

3. Use a knife and cut off kernels and chop the grilled onions and pepper.

4. Put a pan on the stove and pan fry some kind of meat. Usually bacon, or chorizo or another meat. You don’t need a lot. It’s just to add flavour. You could also add in fresh garlic if you like.

5. Clean any grease from pan.

6. Melt some butter or use olive oil. Add all vegetables and chopped meat. Season with Salt, pepper and garlic powder.

7. Add some extra flavour. Chili flakes, pickled peppers, green onions/chives, chopped cherry tomatoes. Fresh Cilantro.

You can serve as a starter with chips or as a side to your favourite grilled meat.

You will love it!

A Complete Smoothie

Base + Protein Booster + Energy Booster + Nutrient Booster

Start with your Base

1/2 to 1 cup Skim Milk or Milk Alternative (Almond, Soy, Oat)

Add one Protein Booster

1/4 to 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or Probiotic Plain Yogurt
1 scoop (15g) Whey protein isolate
1 scoop (15g) Brown rice, hemp, or pea protein

Add one Energy Booster

1/4 Fresh or frozen berries
1/2 Medium banana
1/4 Frozen mixed fruit or mango

Add one Nutrient Booster

1/2-1 cup Spinach or Kale
1 tsp Ground flaxseed
1 tsp Chia or hemp seeds
1 tsp Flaxseed oil or Fish oil

Blend. Mix in a blender and add ice or water for desired consistency.

"The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts" - Aristotle

These combinations are more satisfying than you think. Here are a few of my favourites.

Super Refreshing Summer Drink

Club Soda (I’m partial to Canada Dry - I like how fizzy it is)
Ice Cubes
1 Tbsp of Cranberry Juice
A couple of berries (Raspberries or strawberries)
Slice of Lime

Find a great glass. Load in 4 to 6 ice cubes. Pour 1/2 to 3/4 cups of a can of club soda. Add in cranberry juice, a couple of berries and a squeeze of lime.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

I’ve said it before. This is one of my favourite desserts of all time. I find it more satisfying than a piece of chocolate cake and it’s a healthy dessert option.

I like to use a double boiler method however you can just use a sauce pot.

Simply melt some dark chocolate slowly and tilt the pot to the side and cover the strawberry. I use a toothpick or skewer to hold it. Place 4 or 5 of them on a plate and refrigerate for 10 or so minutes.

Tomato Bocconcini Salad (Caprese)

A truly satisfying salad!

1 medium tomato, sliced thin
6 leaves basil, fresh
2 ball (1 ounce) bocconcini, mozzarella balls, sliced
1 dash salt
1 dash black pepper
3/4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil.

1. Slice tomatoes and bocconcini.
2. Lay tomatoes and bocconcini on a nice plate and top with basil.
3. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over salad.
4. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

My Sunday Coffee

Espresso or coffee
Milk (2%) Foamed with a frother
Pinch of raw sugar
Dark chocolate - grated.

Make your espresso or coffee. Froth milk. Top coffee with milk and add a pinch of raw sugar and a very small amount of dark chocolate.

Energy Tips

Here are a few food and exercise tips to help increase your energy throughout the day:

1. Increase your Magnesium Intake
Eating a balanced diet can help ensure your vitamin and mineral needs are met. But if you still find yourself tired all the time, you could have a slight magnesium deficiency. To make sure you're getting enough magnesium:
• Add almonds, hazelnuts & cashews - grab 10 or 12
• Increase your intake of whole grains, particularly bran cereal (really enjoying Nature’s Path Flax Plus Multigrain flakes lately)
• Eat more fish, especially halibut.

2. Take a walk – even if it’s only 5 minutes
While it may seem as if moving about when you feel exhausted is the quickest route to feeling more exhausted, the opposite is true. Experts say that increasing physical activity -- particularly walking -- increases energy.

3. Don't Skip Breakfast
Studies show that people who eat breakfast report being in a better mood, and have more energy throughout the day.

4. H20
You may already know that it's easy to confuse signals of hunger with thirst but did you know that thirst can also masquerade as fatigue? Sometimes, even slight dehydration can leave you feeling tired and lethargic.
• Keep a glass bottle of water in your fridge. Make it as easy as grabbing a beverage out of the fridge.
• Don’t forget about sparkling water. I’m a big fan of mineral water and club soda.

5. Less Sugar
The key here is keeping blood sugars balanced so energy is constant. When you're eating a sweet food, you get a spike in blood sugar, which gives you an initial burst of energy. But, that's followed by a rapid drop in blood sugar, which in turn can leave you feeling very wiped out. Do that enough times a day, and by evening you're feeling exhausted.

6. Pushups or Squats
If you work on the computer it can feel like your body falls asleep. When I work on the computer I often set a timer for around 15-20 minutes. When it goes off I force myself up to walk around, stretch or do a set of 10 or 12 pushups or squats. Gets your blood flowing and wakes you up.

7. Have a Power Snack
Power snacking is more than just eating between meals. Choose a treat that combines protein, a little fat and some fiber — like peanut butter on a whole-wheat cracker, or some yogurt with a handful of nuts. The carbs offer a quick pick-me-up, the protein keeps your energy up, and the fat makes the energy last.

8. Make It a Latte
Pair a quick caffeine hit with the sustaining power of protein by having a low-fat latte instead of just a cup of coffee. All that milk turns your java into a protein drink. Combine it with an ounce of almonds - the healthy fat will really tide you over.

Putting it into practice: Start by choosing 1 of the 8 tips above and adding it this to your daily routine for a week!

Homemade Citrus Sports Drink

This homemade citrus sports drink is a healthy alternative to Gatorade and other sports drinks. Great for kids camp or a day in the sun!

Homemade Citrus Sports Drink
Makes 2 cups (500ml)

2 Tbsp Sugar
1/8 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Boiling Water
2 Tbsp Orange Juice
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1.75 cup Cold Water

Combine the sugar and salt in a bowl or pitcher. Add boiling water to the sugar and salt mixture and stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Stir in remaining ingredients and chill in the fridge until needed.

Tip: Other unsweetened fruit juices can be used instead of orange juice.

Eating Out Game Plan 2.0

I posted this blog a few years back and it got a lot of interest. Here it is again, with a few extra tips and a game plan for eating out!

1. “I didn’t eat all day” - WRONG APPROACH. This thanksgiving dinner approach doesn’t work for eating out. Don’t “save” calories for your night out. Instead eat a sensible, breakfast, lunch and a snack. If dinner out is at 6:30, eat a snack at 4pm. Why? Because it stops you from ordering those calorie-rich appies.

2. Appetizers & Starters - Skip em. Most are deep-fried or loaded with cheese and fat. Ask them to take bread/buns and butter away from the table. Have a few sips of wine or beer to hold you until entree time. Or if starving, ask for a side salad. 

3. Water - Not every restaurant uses a tonne of salt when seasoning their food, but 95% do! It’s also used as a preservative in most frozen or prepped foods like french fries, canned foods, dressings, etc. It's just part of eating out. So we are going to limit some of the effects of this onslaught of Salt.  Drink more water today at your desk, tonight at dinner, before bed and tomorrow before lunch.

4. Alcohol - Skip the dark beers, tonics and pop mixers. Go with light beer or lighter coloured beers, wine, and use club soda mix in hard alcohol drinks. Don’t mess with the bellini drinks or frozen margaritas. 

5. Entrees - Salads are not always the safe option. Look at the ingredients. Does the salad have cheese, creamy dressing, nuts and avocado with corn or wonton chips. Stay away. Best Bet: A piece of protein (fish, chicken, beef), grain (not fries) and vegetables or side salad. Oil & Vinegar dressing or Balsamic- on the side. 

6. Dessert - Here’s my move. If they have chocolate gelato I get it. If they don’t, I like to go somewhere else that does, and get gelato and wine. Or I have the gelato in my freezer at home. Chocolate or berry gelato packs a big taste punch and can satisfy your need for something sweet. Let me help you with a comparison. Chocolate cheese cake is 500 cals plus per slice with lots of fat. Small Chocolate Gelato is 90 calories. 

7. The Day After -  Drink water. And if you are planning on weighing yourself the day after a night out - skip it. The salt and water will lead to water retention. Wait for a day or two.

The Game plan - Eat during the day. No Saving Calories. More water than usual. No Appie. Lighter drinks with no sugar bombs. Protein based entrees. Chocolate gelato.  Next day drink water and no jumping on the scale.

Tips on How to Save Money as Food Prices Rise

1. Grocery Shopping

   Most likely you have 3 grocery stores within 10 minutes of you. They will all have different sales on each week. Use Flipp.com and plan to buy at sale prices or in bulk. This can save you a substantial amount of money, especially if you’re buying for growing kids.
   

2. Meals & Meal Prep

   Plan your meals for the week, or at least half of them to avoid having to make that last minute decision “what are we having for dinner tonight?”. Less eating out, take out, and less food waste.
   

3. Have 1 or 2 Veg-Based Meals

   Include 1 or 2 vegetarian or vegetable-based meals in the week such as a pasta, chili, stir fry or homemade pizza.
   

4. 1 Egg-Based Dinner

   Eggs are a less expensive protein choice. Make one of your dinners an omelet, scramble or eggless quiche.
   

5. Make Your Own Food

   Making a batch of muffins, cookies, granola or muesli instead of buying store-bought version will save you money. These things freeze really well too.
   

6. Frozen Fruit and Avocado Chunks

   Make use of frozen fruit when fresh is not in season or on sale. You can also find frozen avocado chunks, frozen pomegranate seeds and other things you might like to add to your smoothie.