Canned fruits and vegetables can help boost their consumption and
the numbers prove that.

Can it

Canned goods can help you meet your daily fruit and vegetable requirements

We don’t need any more canned green beans,” my husband announced from the kitchen. I was sitting on the couch in the living room writing a grocery list for a holiday meal. I was wondering what had inspired his comment, so I walked into the kitchen. He had lined up 10 cans of green beans

Onions come in all sizes, shapes and colours and with different flavour profiles. 
They’re all tasty and are underrated for their nutritional value.

Enjoy an onion

They’re tasty with flavours that run from spicy to sweet and surprisingly nutritious

Raw, sautéed, grilled, caramelized, fried or boiled, onions can be used in many different ways in an endless variety of dishes. In fact, onions are the most commonly used vegetable across the globe. We enjoy them for the crisp, spicy bite they provide when raw and the sweet, savoury depth they add when cooked. And


Take a bite out of food waste by making sure you use fruits and vegetables before they spoil.

Be a superhero by trimming food waste

Small steps can make a big impact in the 1.3 billion tons of food that’s wasted every year

On a recent flight, I was pleasantly surprised by the built-in video screens with free movies in the seat backs. I settled in and decided on entertainment for my 2-1/2-hour flight. I tuned into an animated movie, “The Incredibles 2,” which tells the story of a superhero family. The supermom (Elastigirl) has the ability to

Squash provides health benefits and can be used in a variety of menus.

Let’s play ‘name that squash’

Squash is a nutrition all-star in all its many varied forms

When I was growing up, we usually had two types of vegetables served for our evening meal. We usually had potatoes boiled or baked in their skins and a brightly coloured side vegetable. In the winter, our favourite was squash grown in our garden. It was mashed and served with a bit of butter, salt


Can an apple a day really keep the doctor away?

Can an apple a day really keep the doctor away?

Nobody knows for sure, but there’s no doubt that apples are truly good for our health

Last year, I was very disappointed because our apple tree had no apples. Our tree had never been completely fruitless. I kept staring up at the tree, walking around it and looking for even one apple. I couldn’t find an apple on the tree, even at the very top. At first, I thought the squirrels

Pumpkins are delicious as well as decorative and shouldn’t be confined to a single holiday.

Put pumpkin on your fall menu

This autumn favourite is low in calories and high in fibre

What’s your favourite dessert?” I asked my daughter. She was a preschooler at the time. “Pumpkin pie!” she exclaimed. Her answer surprised me. I was expecting to hear brownies or chocolate ice cream. “Really, pumpkin pie?” I asked. “Yes, but we can’t have pumpkin pie now,” she said. “It’s only for Thanksgiving.” I guess our


Vegetables such as eggplant can be grilled, roasted, fried, steamed and sautéed.

I’m keeping my day job

I learned there’s a lot to being a chef, and it’s mostly in the details

“Zucchini are easier to slice if you cut them from top to bottom,” the student chef said to me. I cut the zucchini as described. I was enjoying a culinary workshop on Spanish and Mediterranean-inspired foods one afternoon at a conference out of state. “You were supposed to cut the zucchini on the bias,” the

Put a lid on food waste to help the environment and your bank account.

Food waste in Canada and our role at home

Just how much food is thrown away in Canada? Probably far more than you think

In Canada, as much as 40 per cent of our food is wasted. This waste happens at every step of the food chain, from fields to processing plants, to retail outlets to our homes. A study by Gooch et al in 2010 for Value Chain Management Report, showed consumers are the worst contributors of all,


Pulse foods are healthy, economical and readily available from local producers.

Do you include pulse foods on your menu?

You should, these foods are high in both protein and fibre

Mom, I made lentil soup and it’s pretty good,” read the text message from my son. I smiled as I read the message from my formerly finicky 23-year-old son. “I made a ton by accident, though,” he added. I chuckled as I visualized my tall son stirring a giant pot of soup with a huge

Beans of any type are a healthy dietary choice and they can be used in many versatile recipes.

Spilling the beans

Dry edible beans are nutritious and have several health benefits

Have you ever been to a food festival? Every state has at least one food festival, and they often showcase the foods grown or caught in the region. Sometimes festivals also highlight the ethnic heritage of people in the area. Supporting your community and everything that makes it unique is a memorable way to connect.