Category: Recipes

Here’s the latest fare from the StoneTree lunchroom. Hope you find some inspiration!

Kendra: 

• Broccoli, asparagus and quinoa over organic mixed greens, with Ontario strawberries and blueberries.
• BBQ Haddock.
• (Gluten free, dairy free, paleo, vegetarian)

Shelby:

• Spinach, arugula and mixed lettuce (grown by Shelby herself at the community garden).  Lamb’s quarters, cucumber, red pepper, sunflower seeds, avocado.
• Topped with NewFarm GOLD salad dressing (sold at Currie’s Market & 100 Mile Store).
• Gluten free, dairy free, vegan

Tara:

• 3 bean curry with cauliflower (Mixed dried beans cooked in crock pot with 1 half cauliflower diced, 1 box organic veggie stock, 2 heaping tablespoons Patak’s Madras curry paste and sautéed onion, garlic and carrot).
• Served over organic spinach and topped with half diced avocado.
• Gluten free, dairy free, vegan.

We have been getting great feedback from our “What We’re Having for Lunch” posts, and we’re so glad you’re enjoying them.

Not only do we need ideas to make healthy eating possible, we also need strategies to fit it in to our busy lives. To make eating a healthy lunch even more possible, we’re going start including tips and tricks to make it happen.

Eating a healthy lunch tip #1: 

Dr. Shelby makes her healthy lunch happen by making it the night before at the same time she’s making dinner.  “I’m already chopping up veggies for the dinner salad so, I often just pull out my lunch container and fill it at the same time.”

Here’s a look inside the StoneTree lunchroom this week. Enjoy!

Kendra:

• Brown rice pasta with goat cheese and pesto, combined with stir-fried onions peppers and broccoli.
• Hard-boiled egg on the side.

Tara:

• Crock-pot curry:  1 onion and 3 cloves garlic sautéed, ½ head of cauliflower diced, 1 can of chick peas, and one package diced tofu.  Blended together with 1 box organic veggie broth, ½ package grape tomatoes and 2 heaping tablespoons of Marsala curry paste. All dropped in the crock-pot and cooked on low overnight.
• Added half a diced avocado, just before eating.

Shelby: 

• Salad with romaine lettuce, red pepper, avocado, sunflower seeds, carrot, cilantro. Topped with homemade salad dressing.

We love getting requests from our patients. Last week you asked you for more ideas on healthy snacks for adults.

To start with, in the wise words of our very own Dr. Shelby, “You want to focus on snacks that don’t mess with your blood sugar.”

To do that, you’ll want to:

• Avoid carbs, sweets, chocolates or dried fruit
• Focus on things high in fiber, water and/or protein

This approach helps stabilize your blood sugar, keep your energy and concentration up, and reduce your hunger and drowsiness.

Here are 11 we came up with:

1. Nuts and seeds of all kinds (unsalted)
2. Hummus and carrots
3. Hard-boiled eggs
4. Unsweetened Greek yogurt with fruit
5. Cottage cheese
6. Celery and nut butter
7. Apple and nut butter
8. Kale chips (recipe)
9. Green smoothies (we love the MacroGreen product as a good cheat – available at the clinic or online here)
10. Protein powder mixed with water or milk alternative (soy milk is high in protein)
11. Edamame pods with sea salt

Some inspiration for your lunch menu next week. 🙂

 – Tara

Kendra:

• Wild Salmon Burger (Costco), quinoa, broccoli and edamame

Shelby:

• Baked beets, Caesar salad with homemade dressing, and cauliflower soup (Suzie’s farm website recipe)

Tara:

• Organic ground chicken, PC butter chicken sauce, peas – poured over 4 cups raw organic spinach

We recently had a Ruben, a fourth year naturopathic student, in the clinic, so we’ve got an extra name on the roster for our behind-the-scenes lunch coverage. 🙂  -Tara

Shelby:

• “Big colourful salad” – kale, spinach, red lettuce, red pepper, broc, sunflower sprouts, sunflower seeds.  Topped with “Gil’s dressing”. (vegan, gluten-free)
• Grilled veggies and azuki beans with sea salt and Indian spices. (vegan, gluten-free)

Kendra:

• Roasted root vegetables, beets and turkey (gluten-free, dairy-free)

Ruben:

• Homemade hummus and carrots.  Roasted potato and leftover roast beef. (gluten-free, dairy-free)

Tara:

• Lentil, feta cheese and sun-dried tomato salad with short grain brown rice. Topped with roasted seeds and avocado.  Served over a bed of greens. (gluten-free, vegetarian)

The “What We’re Having For Lunch” posts have been a big hit, and we’ve been getting requests for healthy lunch ideas for kids, too. Here are a few, including links to recipes from previous posts and our newsletter.

Enjoy – if you’ve got any ideas to add, leave them in the comments!

-Tara

1. Organic blue corn chips – kids love the colour!
2. Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. Plain, salted or in sweet clusters at the Bulk Barn.
3. Sliced apple with cinnamon. (So the apple doesn’t brown.)
4. Kiwi. Cut one in half and let your kids scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
5. Black bean dip.
6. Hummus. (SummerFresh makes individual containers.)
7. Popcorn with nutritional yeast.
8. Quinoa chicken nuggets.
9. Meatballs with dipping sauce.
10. Lentil crackers (or other bean crackers).
11. Black bean corn chips.
12. Stir fried rice or rice and beans (Thermos).
13. Wraps with avocado and other vegetables.
14. Quiche or frittata.
15. Hard boiled eggs.
16. Cold pancakes – especially a protein pancake.
17. Baked beans (homemade or Eden organics canned).
18. Roast your own turkey breast and cut into slices for sandwich, wraps or to eat on its own.
19. Quesadillas (make them with corn tortillas and they’re gluten-free)

A sampling of the naturopathic lunch fare floating around the staff room this week. 🙂

-Tara

Kendra

• Vegetarian Curry Stir-Fry: PC’s Tikka Marsala sauce and all kinds of vegetables and chick-peas. Served with a quinoa and wild rice combo that can be bought at Costco. (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan)

Tara

• Turkey chili:  1 lb ground turkey browned with 1 onion and garlic. Add 2 cans diced tomatoes, 1 can black beans, 1 can mixed beans and 1-2 tbsp chili powder. Cook on low in crock-pot overnight. Served with ½ avocado diced and handful of chopped parsley. (gluten-free, dairy-free)

Shelby

• A visit to the local Café Chartreuse here in Collingwood for the 3-salad combo: Roasted Brussels sprouts, navy bean and artichoke salad and grilled veggies. A truly great place for a homemade, healthy lunch!

One of the most common questions we get from our patients who need to go on gluten-free, dairy-free, or other restricted diets, is “What do you eat for lunch?”

This is particularly common for those on gluten-free diets. As a culture, we eat a lot gluten. Sandwiches, wraps and pitas are built on wheat. Most restaurant and fast-food choices contain gluten in abundance.

When I look around the lunch room at StoneTree Clinic, though, gluten is almost never in evidence.  Most of our meals are not only gluten-free, they are dairy-free, egg-free, yeast-free and sugar-free as well–meals that give us energy, help us maintain a normal body weight, keep our skin looking great, and get rid of those pesky mid-afternoon cravings.

To be clear, though, we didn’t always eat this way. We’ve had a lot of support and practice over the years. We’ve had to learn to see and prepare food differently.

To help you do the same, we’re going to start sharing what were eating for lunch to give you ideas, strategies and tools to help you make change.

We hope you enjoy it!

Yours in good Health,
Tara, Shelby and Kendra

Tara:
(Gluten free, diary free, egg free, yeast free – vegan)

• Brussells Sprouts and Navy Bean Salad – 4 cups roasted Brussels sprouts (with olive oil and salt) – 400F for 20 minutes, 1 cup cooked navy beans (could use one can).  Combine both with diced sun-dried tomatoes, 1 can of artichokes diced and topped with balsamic glaze.
• Eaten over 2 handfuls of mixed greens.

Shelby:
(gluten, dairy, egg, yeast, sugar free – vegan)

• Tofu & veggie curry – you can find the recipe (and many more!) on Shelby’s extensive recipe page here.
• Chopped raw veg – red pepper, celery and carrot.

Kendra:
(gluten, dairy, egg, yeast free – vegan)

• Green Smoothie – vegan protein powder with kale, carrot, celery, apple, berries, chia seeds, hemp hearts, raw cacao.
• Baked Beans