10 healthy foods perfect for chilly Canadian weather

March 23, 2022 CanCulture Magazine

Climate-appropriate foods to boost your immunity and stay healthy

By: Aditi Roy

The Canadian winter is a long season meant for joyful memories of ice skating, hockey, warm fuzzy pajamas and cups of rich hot chocolate. Even as we enter spring, in many places across Canada the weather still remains rather chilly with the occasional snowfall.

This beautiful season is one to cherish, but we must also pay attention to our health during this time. Experts say people are more likely to get sick in the winter season given the cold climate, lack of sunlight and low humidity. As a result, many may experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD), common cold or even the flu.

Here are some foods you can incorporate into your diet to combat such illnesses and enjoy a stress-free time despite the cold.

Blueberries

Blueberries are the national fruit of Canada and for a good reason! They are packed with antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and vitamin C.

Studies have shown that this delicious fruit has similar effects on the brain as valproic acid, a medication meant to stabilize patients with mild epilepsy. In addition to this, the antioxidant flavonoid anthocyanin present within the berries has been shown to help prevent depression.

You can eat them as a snack, blend them in your smoothies, use them for your healthy desserts or throw them into your morning bowl of oatmeal for some extra sweetness.

Sweet potatoes

This versatile root vegetable can be used for both sweet and savoury dishes and has incredible benefits. Sweet potatoes provide you with beta-carotene, vitamin C, manganese and pantothenic acid, all of which aid your immunity and ensure that your body is healthy.

They also contain B6, a water-soluble vitamin essential for brain health. Eating sweet potatoes regularly will help you increase your fibre intake, thus aiding your digestion. And the magnesium in sweet potatoes has been shown to help manage stress and anxiety.

These vibrant orange root vegetables are also harvested in Ontario, so you can get your hands on some fresh sweet potatoes while supporting locally-grown produce.

Brussel sprouts

Brussel sprouts make a quick go-to side dish that is healthy and delicious. These edible buds can be baked, cooked over the stovetop or even boiled, but they remain nutritious either way.

Eating brussel sprouts can help reduce the severity of your common cold, as they can supply around 81 per cent of your daily recommended vitamin C intake. They are also abundant in vitamin K, which will help with your bone health. Brussel sprouts are even known to naturally decrease the body’s level of inflammation.

If you are plant-based, this is also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids that will ensure your body is working properly.

Oats

Oats are a filling cereal rich in fibre, multiple vitamins and minerals. This complex carbohydrate enhances one's health as it possesses beta glucans, a compound that has been studied in medical journals for its abilities to fight and prevent bacterial infections.

It's an incredible food to add to your diet if you suffer from high blood pressure or unstable blood sugar levels.

When purchasing your oats, try to find excellent quality steel-cut oats. This variety contains more good fibre and ranks lower on the glycemic index (meaning they are less likely to spike your blood sugar), compared to rolled oats.

Oats have been a staple in the Canadian diet since European settlement and are still a significant export of the country. In addition, the preparation of this cereal is quick and straightforward. You can find various fun ways to incorporate oats into your diet, like healthy sweet treats or Instagrammable cake-like baked oats, to name a few. Oatmeal is also a breakfast staple in many countries.

Rhubarb

This underrated vegetable is a healthy food with cancer-preventive properties. Rhubarb isn't as sought after because of its bitter taste, but when cooked properly, this vegetable turns sweet and can be used to make jam, chutney, and pies. You can also serve it as a side to your protein or toss it in a salad.

Rhubarb supports bone health due to the vitamin K1 and calcium it has. And did you know it also contains tons of antioxidants, even more than kale? These antioxidants will help prevent you from contracting illnesses and diseases.

If you’re someone with a green thumb, there’s even a local rhubarb variety called Canada Red that is easy to grow and would be a great addition to any garden project.

Buckwheat

This pseudo-cereal isn't considered a staple in most Canadians’ diets, yet it contains several undeniable health benefits.

D-chiro-inositol is a plant compound found in buckwheat that keeps your blood sugar levels in check, avoiding the formation of other diseases. Moreover, the presence of iron will help prevent anemia and boost your immune system. In addition to this, its high fibre content is beneficial to your digestive health.

You can use buckwheat to make baked goods or incorporate it into your daily salads. Perhaps if you try experimenting with this food, it might become the new staple carb in your pantry?

Garbanzo beans

Garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, are a great plant-based source of protein.

This legume is filling and contains choline, which can help humans improve their mood and memory. Chickpeas are also an effective remedy for constipation, as they have tremendous amounts of fibre. The indigestible resistant starch in garbanzo beans also helps develop a healthy gut.

If you are vegan, this is a must-have food in your pantry, as you can get 14.5 grams of protein per cup. The beans are primarily grown in Alberta and Saskatchewan and are readily available in dried and canned forms. You can add them to curries, salads or make hummus out of them.

Salmon

Salmon is an easy-to-cook, nutrient-dense protein that you need to add to your cold season diet plan.

This fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which work to reduce inflammation within the body. This is important as excess inflammation can lead to illnesses like cancer and several heart conditions. It also contains the mineral selenium, which has been shown to fight thyroid antibodies and promote good bone health.

The delicious fish is very versatile and used in several cuisines, ranging from Japanese sushi to Nordic gravlax. If you are ever in the Quebec region, you can even try catching your own Atlantic salmon in one of over a hundred salmon rivers.

Dark chocolate

Canada's rate of sugar consumption can be described as concerning, to say the least, with the average Canadian eating 26 teaspoons of sugar a day. If you have a sweet tooth, try switching from regular milk chocolate to dark chocolate, a guilt-free dessert that is healthy and delicious — this reduces the amount of sugar you consume and curbs your cravings!

Sneaking a few squares of dark chocolate into your diet can prove to be beneficial, as it has calcium, iron, and zinc that support the body and mind. In fact, studies have shown that eating 24 grams of dark chocolate per day can enhance one's mood, having potential antidepressant effects.

To ensure you are reaping the benefits of this food, consume dark chocolate that is 70 per cent or higher in cocoa.

Broccoli

Cooking broccoli takes just two to three minutes; adding this vegetable to your diet is a no-brainer to get in your needed vitamins and minerals.

This cruciferous vegetable contains antioxidants that help fight free radicals and build immunity. The bioactive compound within broccoli also ensures that your brain functions well and remains healthy. Interesting enough, this vegetable has more vitamin C than an orange, which is crucial in enhancing one's health.

Broccoli is grown in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec, and you can grab a fresh bunch at local stores across Canada. Enjoy your broccoli as a side, in your stir-fry or soups to keep you warm every winter.

5 quick and healthy meal ideas for midterm season

February 28, 2022 CanCulture Magazine

Students don't have to eat junk food during crunch time

By: Bashair Ali

It is one of the most stressful and busiest seasons for many Canadian post-secondary students — that's right, midterm week, the time of year when students spend their days cramming and their nights sleepless, trying to get everything done in one go.

Let's face it, post-secondary students can have poor eating habits. Factors like engaging in irregular dietary routines, meal skipping and low intake of fruits, vegetables and dairy come into play when you're a university student. What people my age will be eating or even if they will eat during this hectic time is beyond me. But have no fear! I'm going to share five quick and delicious meals you need to try if you’re low on ideas.

I usually have no clue what I'm doing when it comes to cooking. But a girl has got to eat, so below are a few of the meals I make when my mom hasn't cooked and I've run out of Walmart's pre-packaged "healthy" dishes. These easy recipes are perfect for anyone concerned about their eating habits or perhaps wanting to enhance some of the meals they cook at home. You can prepare them in no time, making them ideal for midterm season.

1. Healthy banana pancakes

One serving of healthy banana pancakes. (Bashair Ali/CanCulture)

Our goal during midterm season is to ensure we feel energized and ready for whatever is thrown at us. Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, what better way to begin the list off than with some nutritious and modified pancakes? This recipe from Tasty that I have been using for years only requires five ingredients and is very simple to make. It is the perfect recipe for people who love pancakes but prefer a healthier alternative. For four servings, you will need:

2 ripe bananas
2 eggs
5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
125 ml (1/2 cup) quick-cook oats
5 ml (1 tsp) cinnamon

Instructions:

Make a smooth banana puree by mashing them in a large bowl. Beat eggs and vanilla until blended, then add oats and cinnamon. The oats will soak up some liquid if you let the batter sit for a few minutes, making it easier to hold together and flip.
Add a scoop of the pancake batter to a skillet that has been coated with almond butter and heated to medium. Spread out evenly. The batter needs to be cooked for about 2 to 3 minutes until bubbles begin to form on top. You will need to flip the pancake and cook it for about 1 to 2 minutes until it is golden brown on each side.
You can top your pancakes with your favourite toppings (fruits, nuts, etc.) or drizzle a bit of honey on top instead of maple syrup!

2. A boiled egg, cottage cheese and cherry tomato sandwich with sriracha sauce

Your tastebuds will be satisfied with this delicious sandwich. (Bashair Ali/CanCulture)

Before you run away, hear me out. Initially, it might sound unusual as you read it aloud, but it isn't as bad as you think. You know when you complain to your parent(s) and say, "there's no food in the house!" Well, there is, and surprise, you're just too lazy to create a full meal. In fact, I created this contraption when my mother was out of town and I was so hungry that my stomach was about to eat itself. Here is what you need for one serving:

Your choice of bread (I used Rudolph bread)
1 egg
15 ml (1 tbsp) cottage cheese
Sriracha sauce (how much you want is up to you)
4 cherry tomatoes

Instructions:

Take a pot, fill it with water and add the egg. Place the temperature dial at 8 and set a timer for 10 minutes. Some people let the water boil first then lower the eggs into the pot, but it will just take longer for the eggs to finish boiling. I personally dislike waiting for my food, so my method is just the faster way. It’s your choice how you do it.
Toast your bread. I like mine golden brown, so I toast it for 4 to 5 minutes.
You can slice your cherry tomatoes in half while you wait.
Afterwards, run the egg under cold water, crack it open and slice it however thick or thin you like.
As soon as your bread is ready, spread the cottage cheese evenly across with a butter knife. On top of the slices of bread, place your boiled egg, cherry tomatoes and sriracha sauce.

3. Veggie tuna bites

Homemade veggie tuna bites. (Bashair Ali/CanCulture)

It's important for me to incorporate protein into my diet but some days — more like most of the time — I don't have time to cook a chicken steak or legumes like beans and lentils. That's where this meal comes in. Tuna comes in cans, which makes my life a lot easier. Here is what you need:

Canned tuna (I used 198g of Unico solid light tuna)
125 ml (1/2 cup) of lettuce
60 ml (1/4 cup) of shredded carrots
30 ml (2 tbsp) of mayonnaise
80 ml (1/3 cup) of green, red, and/or yellow peppers
A pinch of salt
A pinch of pepper
Crackers (I used Selection thin vegetable oven-baked crackers)

Instructions:

Open the can of tuna with a can opener, pour out the liquid content and set it aside.
After you have washed all your vegetables, chop up the lettuce and peppers into a bowl.
Combine the shredded carrots, tuna and mayonnaise into the bowl of vegetables and mix.
While mixing, add a pinch of salt and pepper. When complete, place spoonfuls of the mix on the crackers.

You can save some time by acting as if the tuna is a dip and picking it up with the crackers straight away. No double-dipping! The leftovers are plentiful when you use a whole tuna can.

4. Zucchini pizza bites

Start substituting dough with zucchini for your pizza bites. (Bashair Ali/CanCulture)

Rather than using refined carbs, these pizza bites replace them with nutrient-filled and fibre-rich zucchini. My take on this recipe by DamnDelicious only takes 15 minutes to make and tastes amazing. What you’ll need:

15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
2 zucchini, cut into 6mm thick rounds
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
80 ml (1/3 cup) marinara sauce
125 ml (1/2 cup) finely grated mozzarella
15 ml (1 tbsp) Italian seasoning

Instructions:

Preheat the oven for broiling.
Cook over medium-high heat in a large skillet with olive oil. Using batches, cook the zucchini until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side, remember to flip as needed. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
On a large baking sheet, arrange the zucchini rounds. Top each of them with marinara and mozzarella. You can add your favourite toppings, including mushrooms, pineapples and more (yes, pineapples belong on pizza). I chose to keep it simple and just add mozzarella cheese. Feel free to customize the meal to your liking.
Then, bake for about 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese has melted.
Serve immediately, sprinkled with Italian seasoning if desired.

5. Walnut salad

This salad is fast and easy to prepare. (Bashair Ali/CanCulture)

It's hard to go wrong with a good salad. I've been adding different types of nuts to my salads recently, such as almonds. But I decided to try something I don't normally use for this recipe and I have no regrets. Compared to saturated fats, walnuts contain polyunsaturated fatty acids, providing extra nutrition to the salad. It takes me no more than five minutes to make, so it’s perfect for midterms. You will need:

125 ml (1/2 cup) of lettuce
Half a cucumber
10 cherry tomatoes
1 quarter of a green pepper
60 ml (1/4 cup) of shredded carrots
5 ml (1 tsp) of dry cilantro
A handful of walnuts
Your choice of salad dressing (I used poppyseed)

Instructions:

Wash all your vegetables.
Chop the lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and green pepper.
Add your vegetables and shredded carrots to a plate.
Sprinkle on dry cilantro and walnuts.
Drizzle with salad dressing.

I hope you're inspired to make tasty meals during midterms by some of these recipes.

Here's How to Order Vegan at Your Fave Fast Food Restaurants

March 6, 2018 CanCulture Magazine

By: Natalie Michie

Many vegans might agree that fast food restaurants aren’t their first choice when it comes to getting a proper meal. However, sometimes these pit stops are unavoidable. My shift to a vegan lifestyle has certainly not stepped in the way of my love for junk food, so I can relate first-hand to having moments when you just want to go to your favourite drive-thru, burger joint or sandwich shop and pig out.

If you’re vegan and are at a loss at the fast food counter (because let’s face it - it’s a stereotype that all vegans are healthy), go ahead and try out some, or all, of the items listed below!

Taco Bell

The Crunchwrap Supreme made vegan (PopSugar)

Taco Bell has a wide range of vegan options. If you’re looking for a quick bite, they do a great job of accommodating plant-based diets. Although there aren’t many meals on the Taco Bell menu that are originally made vegan, it is very easy to “veganize” most items.

For any items with beef or chicken, you can easily swap out the meat for hardy black or refried beans. Plus, for any meal that has cheese or a dairy-based sauce, you can ask for it to be made “fresco-style,” and Taco Bell will replace the dairy with guacamole or pico de gallo. Add to this any of their salsas and their vegan seasoned rice, and you’re good to go. This method will allow you to stay ethical without feeling like you are losing out on the substance of the meal.

Along with swapping out animal products for vegan substitutes, Taco Bell also has some delicious items that are accidentally vegan, such as the chips, fries and cinnamon twists! The Mexican restaurant chain also added a “How to eat vegan at Taco Bell” section to their website, so props to you for thinking of us, Taco Bell.

Starbucks

As a frequent consumer of overpriced specialty coffee drinks, the vegan options offered at Starbucks are of great importance to me. Not only do they offer dairy-free milk alternatives like soy, almond and coconut, as well as vegan syrups like vanilla, caramel, hazelnut and mocha,, but if you’re looking to grab a snack or even a quick meal, they’ve got you covered.

Most bagels at Starbucks are vegan, like multigrain, plain and cinnamon raisin. My all-time favourite snack to get when I’m on the go is a multigrain bagel with a packet of the organic jalapeno avocado spread. It’s delicious!

If you’re looking for a hot breakfast to go with your coffee, you can also opt for their whole grain oatmeal with any of the topping choices. One of my favourite treats from the coffee company are Justin’s Peanut Butter Cups. Don’t let the “contains milk” message on the back of the package steer you away - the company added that to their packaging a few years ago because they process their chocolate in a facility that processes products with dairy as well. Although the peanut butter cups are dairy-free, the company included this as a precautionary message to help customers who are severely allergic to dairy.

In August 2017, Starbucks came out with a more substantial meal option for vegans, which was a welcome change. The baby greens and brown rice protein bowl has 15 grams of protein, and I can assure you that it will fill you up.

Tim Hortons

Being that Tim Hortons is the staple fast food restaurant in Canada, they’ve got to have some vegan options, right? Fortunately, the renowned doughnut chain has a vast selection of vegan-friendly items! Although they have not yet hopped on the dairy-free milk bandwagon for their coffee and teas, they do have a pretty good selection of vegan food options if you’re looking for something to eat with your (black) drink.

Similar to Starbucks, Timmies offers some helpful breakfast options for those who follow a plant-based diet. Their menu offers oatmeal with two different flavours to pick from, maple or mixed berry. Plus, most of their bagels are vegan, including plain, blueberry, everything, cinnamon raisin, sesame seed, poppy seed, and pretzel. For spreads, you can opt for jam or peanut butter. I recommend trying the cinnamon raisin bagel with peanut butter, it’s amazing!

If you want to get some in your five a day, the harvest vegetable soup is a warm, hearty option that is perfect for a cold Canadian winter day.day. They also have a vegan garden salad, which you can eat on its own or on a roll for a makeshift sandwich. Just make sure you steer clear of the specialty bagels, 12 grain bagel and any croissants, as they have animal products in them, according to the company’s Ingredient Information guide.

If you’re a carb addict like me, you’ll be pleased to know that both the savoury potato wedges and the hash browns made at Tims are vegan-friendly. This is ideal when paired with a salad or coffee, or even juston their own. And for those who argue that a meal can’t solely consist of potatoes, to that I say, who hurt you?

Subway

Subway is definitely my favourite fast-food restaurant if I’m looking for a satisfying quick meal. With the bread options ranging from hearty Italian bread to wraps and ciabatta, stopping at Subway for a veggie sub is always a good option when you’re on the go.

Go ahead and pile on any of the vegetable toppings, and then top it with your choice of sauces. Options include yellow mustard, oil, vinegar, sweet onion sauce, Italian dressing and Buffalo sauce. You want to avoid any dairy-based sauces, so just keep an eye out for sauces that look creamy. Don’t be afraid to clarify with employees which sauces have dairy and which don’t. You also want to avoid sauces that have animal products other than dairy, such as the honey mustard sauce.

My favourite is a veggie sub on toasted Italian bread with sub sauce and salt and pepper, simple but so tasty!. If you’re a first-time Subway visitor and you don’t know what veggies you want, you can make it easy by ordering the Veggie Delite, which is just an assortment of vegetables with your choice of sauce.

Specific options vary per location, so feel free to visit your favourite fast food restaurant and ask what options they have that suit your diet. Most places have vegan bread and non-dairy spreads that you can order if you’re in a pinch. No matter how meat-based a restaurant seems, there is almost always something you can find to eat, even if it’s just grabbing a salad and some bread and passing it off as a sandwich.

Point is, it’s not as hard as you might think to find vegan options at any food joint. I hope you found this helpful, and I encourage you to go out and try "veganizing" menu items at a fast food franchise near you!

At the end of the day, despite our differences, junk food holds a special place in all of our hearts!

This piece was edited by Sukaina Jamil.