Power Foods Archives - Plattsville Natural Health Clinic

Sneaky Ways to Increase Vegetable Intake

January 17, 2024 by elisha

By: Dr. Elisha Cook ND

Sneaking vegetables into the diet can be tricky for children and adults alike. For some, the texture of vegetables can be off-putting, and for others, frankly a flavour issue. Whatever your obstacle may be, there may be some surprising ways to increase your vegetable intake without altering the flavour of some of your classic dishes you have grown to love.

In this blog, we have provided not only a list of ways to increase your vegetable intake, but also some recipes to consider trying.

5 Sneaky Ways to Increase Vegetables:

Use them as a filler in ground meat recipes: whether it is zucchini, mushrooms, or onions, there are some great vegetables that you can finely chop or grate, and combine with ground meat for such meals as meat balls, meat loaf, or even hamburgers.
Apple sauce type pouches: Many stores carry convenient apple sauce pouches for grab on the go snacks. However, if you go to the baby section of your grocery store, you will see some pouches that have vegetables already incorporated. It may be a bit more costly, but if you need that convenience, it may be worth the investment. You can even consider making your own fruit and vegetable sauce and filling reusable pouches to fit your own flavour profile and reduce potential salt intake.
Smoothies: Smoothies are a classic and easy way to increase vegetable intake. You can consider using a greens powder to do this, or incorporate spinach into your smoothie. Generally, spinach does not alter the flavour of the smoothie, making it very easy to slip in unnoticed.
Oatmeal: A sneaky way to increase vegetable intake with oatmeal is to grate a carrot into it. This may seem strange, but think about it this way, do you enjoy carrot muffins? Likely, the oatmeal will remind you of that by adding in some pairings of apples, cinnamon, and maple syrup to your carrot and oatmeal combination.
Substituting vegetables for noodles: Whether it is spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles, you can consider using these as opposed to your classic wheat based noodles. Though it will not provide the same flavour, it will pack a nutritional punch!

Recipes to Increase Vegetable Intake:

Zucchini-Beef Burgers

These burgers are very moist and can be spiced up by adding cheese or other flavours that make your burger king of the grill.

Ingredients:

2 lbs of ground beef or chicken

½ cup grated zucchini

½ cup finely chopped spinach

1 cup of finely chopped mushrooms

¼ cup finely chopped scallions (approximately 1 large one)

2 tsp of Worschestershire sauce

Optional: ½ tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Shape into hamburger patties whether by hand or using a press, shaping them to your desired size. Throw them on the barbeque and cook until cooked all of the way through. Serve your hamburger patty as per your preference.

Apple-Cucumber Sauce

This recipe is super easy and requires minimal ingredients and supplies.

Ingredients:

6 cups of Apples cored, peeled and diced

2 cups of cucumbers pealed, seeds removed, and diced

¼ cup of water

Combine all ingredients in crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours, stirring half way through cooking. When the cooking time is done, mash well and serve as is. If using in reusable pouches, place in a blender and blend until smooth consistency is reached.

This recipe is completely freezer safe. I generally fill 250ml jars and place in the freezer, pulling them as needed. If filling jars, make sure to leave ½ inch of space at the top to allow for expansion.

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in trying any of our services, working with any of our amazing practitioners, or are simply wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact the Plattsville Natural Health Clinic by calling 226-232-7665 and book your appointment today!

Foods to Boost Male Health

November 8, 2022 by elisha

Written By: Dr. Elisha Cook ND

November is generally known for promoting, encouraging, and discussing men’s health. With this in mind, what better way to celebrate with some foods that benefit male health! These foods are not only great for a balanced, healthy diet, but specifically help with prostate health, fertility, and balancing male hormones.

Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are a great source of fiber, and are high in magnesium and zinc. Specifically, in the research, pumpkin seeds have been linked to reducing the size of the prostate in BPH and reducing the consequences of it (improving erectile function and improving urine outflow) (1).

In the world of fertility, there is limited human research on the effect of pumpkin seeds on sperm characteristics, but in the animal world, it has shown to increase and improve sperm concentration, motility, and viability. With these promising improvements seen in the animal world, and the little to no side effects associated with eating pumpkin seeds, males looking to improve sperm parameters might consider adding pumpkin seeds to their diet (2).

Cooked Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain many great nutrients and are high in an antioxidant lycopene. As tomatoes are cooked, the lycopene content increases. Research shows that males that consumed a diet higher in tomatoes, also had a reduced risk of developing prostate cancer (3).

In regards to lycopene, it may reduce the growth of the prostate leading to reduced likelihood of BPH and cancer (4).

In addition, regular tomato juice consumption has been linked to improved sperm motility in those struggling with infertility (5).

Pomegranate

Pomegranate juice specifically is a great addition to a balanced diet, but when it comes to male health, it can also benefit fertility. Regular pomegranate juice consumption was shown to improve total motile sperm count (6).

Overall, the best way to improve one’s health is through a well balanced diet, but for males, adding these foods more often might produce greater gains in regards to factors concerning male health.

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Resources:

Healthy Freezer Meals

October 23, 2020 by elisha

As we begin to approach colder months, many migrate to “comfort” foods and those foods that are quick to make, because let’s face it, we are all a little tired (am I right?). These comfort foods are not always the healthiest, and can lead to unwanted weight gain. With this in mind, we as a clinic have brain stormed some of our ideas and tricks for making healthy freezer meals to make meal planning easier. Keep in mind that these freezer meals do require a bit of preparing in advance, but it is well worth it.

Stir Fry or Fajita Bags

In our household, we cut up carrots, peppers, onions, bok choy, and broccoli and throw them into a freezer bag for stir fries. Depending on your choice of meat, cook the meat as well (in whatever sauce you desire) and place that in the same freezer bag. When you go to prepare the stir fry, simply empty the content of the bag into a skillet and heat until it is cooked through. Add the desired sauce and heat for 5 minutes more, and then serve! For doing fajita bags, we cook the fajitas in advance, so we cook the vegetables (peppers and onions generally) and chicken or beef with the sauces. When we are done having our fill of it, we freeze it in a bag. When we go to use it again, we simply throw it in a wok and heat it up for that meal. – Dr. Elisha Cook ND

Chilli

We will do a double batch of ground beef (you can always consider using ground turkey or chicken instead) when making tacos or warps for supper. We will eat that for a couple of days – whether it is lunch or supper. Once we are all bored, I turn the ground beef into a quick pot of chilli. We will add all the vegetables in the fridge that need to be used up, a can of kidney beans, a can of chickpeas, a can of black beans and a jar or two of stewed tomatoes or tomato sauce. Add whatever spices you deem necessary for your chilli, and presto you have one big batch of chilli. Eat whatever you want of that, but put the reminder in single packages in the freezer for quick grab and go meals. – Jessica Yates RCRT

Breakfast Sandwiches

Begin by cooking up your choice of meat – either bacon or round sausage – but if you would like to try something healthier, consider turkey bacon, turkey sausage, or ham. Cook a tray full of whisked eggs (consider chopping up spinach and throwing it in the eggs for extra healthy points) and toast all of the buns in the oven. Then assemble with a slice of cheese. Wrap the sandwich in a damp paper towel that has been rung out and then wax paper and put it in the freezer. When you are ready to eat one, just pop it out of the wax paper and put it in the microwave for 1.5-2 minutes to heat it up. This makes for a quick and easy breakfast that can be packed to bring to work and microwave. – Kaitlyn Rowland RMT

Pineapple Chicken

Make pulled chicken, adding whatever sauces you generally would, and place in a freezer bag with some pineapple (for ease we just open a can of pineapple and throw it in with it). Pull the meal, and place in a crockpot in the morning when you are ready to make it for supper. It can be added to a meal with vegetables, rice, potato, or whatever you want to pair with it. – Dee Mosburger (Medical Administrator)

Meat and Vegetable Mixture

I cut up a lot of peppers, celery, mushrooms, and onions approximately 1 to 2cm pieces. Fry them up and add ground beef or ground chicken. When it is all cooked, drain off any grease and mix some barbeque sauce with your mixture. We have that for supper and freeze the rest in supper time quantities. It is great by itself or paired with rice. – Laurie Ransom (Clinic Manager)

Soup

Make your favourite soup and make sure that it is loaded with vegetables! Once you are done making it, have had your share, and are ready to freeze it, place the soup in one of two types of vessels: a freezer bag or a mason jar. For bigger portions, use a freezer bag. The nice thing about the freezer bag, is when you go to heat the soup up in a crockpot while away at work, simply cut the bag off, and place in the crockpot on low for 6 hours. Alternatively, to make a quick grab and go lunch, place the soup in a mason jar so you can grab it from the freezer when you are running out the door. It may not be completely thawed by lunch, but it is nothing that a microwave cannot fix. If you are trying to avoid using a microwave, you can consider pulling the soup from the freezer the night before and heating it before work to place in a thermos. – Sherilee Vorne CMA CPA (Clinic Controller)

Sheppard’s Pie with a twist

This meal is by far one of my favourite comfort meals. A lot of times, Sheppard’s pie is not always the best when it comes to making healthier choices. In our home, we swap beef for ground chicken, and regular potato for sweet potato. Cook your meat, vegetable, and sweet potato as you normally would for this meal. Assemble your Sheppard’s pie (meat, vegetable, sweet potato in order of bottom to top respectively) in a freezer safe container such as a casserole dish and place in the freezer with tinfoil to cover. This meal is best cooked from a thawed state at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, but it can be done from frozen, it just takes longer. – Dr. Elisha Cook ND

Casserole

I cook up a chicken (usually it is left overs), cut it up or shred it, and mix it with 1-2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (consider making your own or using low sodium options for alternatives) with a cup of milk. Combine this with frozen (or cut up) vegetables of your choice, salt, pepper, and whatever spices you desire. Mix it all well and put it in a casserole dish in the freezer. – Dee Mosburger (Medical Administrator).

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in any of the above therapies to help you work through your health concerns and are wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact the Plattsville Natural Health Clinic by calling 226-232-7665 and book your appointment today!

Dairy Alternatives for going Dairy-Free

September 12, 2017 by elisha

One of the most challenging foods to give up for various health reasons is dairy. It is delicious and there is really nothing that can compare to a good piece of cheese or glass of milk. However, as I mentioned, for various health reasons, throwing away the cheese may be more beneficial than some realize. For those who have to endure a diet without dairy, I have provided a list of items that may provide comparable substitutes. This chart is not comprehensive, but it does provide some good insight into options available to explore and try, based on my current knowledge of the industry.

Item to Give Up/ Avoid	Substitution
Cow’s Milk	Most of these options are fortified with at least calcium, and may prove to be just as tasty: · Almond Milk · Cashew Milk · Coconut Milk · Soy Milk · Rice Milk · Hemp Milk
Butter/Margarine	The below options are ideal in different situations: · Olive Oil – when making a substitution in baked goods or other recipes · Avocado – when trying to “butter” a piece of bread or
Cow’s Milk Yogurt	Some alternative dairy product companies such as “Silk” have options available that are dairy-free and taste similar to Greek yogurt: · Coconut Yogurt · Almond Yogurt In addition, many different online recipes exist for making your own yogurt with items such as almonds!
Cow’s Milk Cheese	Cheese is very difficult to replace and substitute for. Unfortunately I have not found a substitute that is as tasty or comparable. Some alternative dairy product companies have options available that are dairy – free that may be worth considering: · Cashew Cheese · Daiya Cheese
Creamer	There are some brands of creamer available that are dairy – free that may work for those who are looking for a comparable addition to their coffee. I often tell patients to try to go for coconut milk as it tends to be thicker than other alternative milks. · Silk Brand coffee whitener · Coconut milk · Almond milk · Other alternative milks Another option is to make a bullet proof coffee by blending coffee with coconut oil – this not only whitens the coffee, but also provides a smooth and creamy taste. For a great recipe, see one of my past blogs: https://www.plattsvilledoctor.ca/bullet-proof-coffee-the-dairy-free-recipe/
Sauces	For making soups, pasta sauces, etc., I will use canned coconut milk, and add in extra garlic or onions to increase the flavour. Canned coconut milk can be used as it, or can have the separated liquid removed from the top to make the sauce thicker. Try it out, you may be surprised as to how good it tastes!
Salad Dressing	For substitutes to some milk – based salad dressings, you can choose to make your own home-made versions with the canned coconut milk. Another option is to go with an oil – based salad dressing that is void of dairy. If you are buying a salad dressing from the store, I would caution you to read all of the labels. You may be surprised at how many salad dressings actually contain milk.

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!