Healthy Living - Nutrition....Energy Packed Snacks

Pick up your energy level between meals with heart healthy alternatives to higher-fat, higher calorie snack foods. When you're craving.....

Get Physical!

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, only 35% of Canadian women get enough regular physical activity. Most women say they just don't have the time. But the fact is, you don't need to work out in a gym every day to be fit. The trick is to make physical activity a part of your daily routine - at home, at work, at play, and even along the way!

• Start slowly with light activity and build up to more vigorous activity
• Add up your activities in periods of 10 minutes each
• Ain to be physically active for 30 minutes or more every day of the week

Activity "To Do" List

Recipes

Caramelized Fruit Crisp

The caramel adds another layer of flavour to this favourite dessert. If you like, try serving it with sherbet.

Makes 12 servings.

• 1/2 cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) cold water
• 4 pears, peeled, cored, cut in large pieces
• 4 apples, peeled, cored, cut in large pieces
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) dried apricots, cut in half
• 1/3 cup (75 ml) dried cherries
• 1/4 cup (50 ml) thinly sliced candied ginger

Topping:

• 1 cup (250 ml) all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup (150 ml) brown or maple sugar
• 1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
• 1/3 cup (75 ml) soft margarine, cold
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) rolled oats

1. Place sugar in a large, deep non-stick skillet. Stir in cold water. Heat on medium-high until sugar dissolves. Stop stirring and cook until sugar turns a golden caramel colour, about 5 to 10 minutes. Do not allow mixture to burn.

2. Add pears, apples, apricots, cherries and ginger to skillet all at once. Stir just until coated with caramel. Heat gently for 1 minute.

3. Place fruit in 13 x 9 inch (3.5L) lightly oiled casserole or baking dish.

4. For topping, in large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in margarine until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in rolled oats.

5. Sprinkle topping over fruit. Bake in preheated 375 °F (190 °C) oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until fruit is very tender.

Nutritional Information (per serving)

Energy		268 Calories		Fibre		3 g
Protein		2		Cholesterol		0 mg
Total Fat		1 g		Sodium		75 mg
Saturated Fat		1 g		Potassium		390 mg
Carbohydrate		55 mg		(Good source of iron)

(Recipe from More Heart Smart^TM Cooking by Bonnie Stern with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada)

The following recipe, created by Dietition Stephanie Buckle of Corner Brook, appears in Great Food Fast, a cookbook published by Dietitians of Canada. The book was promoted during March, Nutrition Month. Stephanie saves time by using bouillon cubes and water to make chicken stock. For less salt, try using a sodium-reduced type of bouillon cube.

Chinese Almond Chicken With Noodles

Sauce:

1 1/2 cups		chicken stock		375 ml
1/4 cup		sodium-reduced soya sauce		50 ml
1 tbsp		cornstarch		15 ml
1 tsp		minced garlic		5 ml
1 tsp		Granulated sugar		5 ml

Stir-Fry:

1 tsp		vegetable oil		5 ml
12 oz		boneless skinless chicken breast cubed		375 ml
1 cup		sliced onions		250 ml
1 cup		thinly sliced carrots		250 ml
1		can (6 oz (175 g)) bamboo shoots, drained (optional)		1
1/2 cup		toasted sliced almonds (see tip)		125 ml
8 oz		thin egg noodles		250 g

1. Sauce: In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup (250 mL) of the stock, soya sauce, cornstarch, garlic and sugar. Set aside.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and stir-fry for 6 to 8 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside.

3. Add onions to skillet along with carrots, celery and remaining chicken stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes or until thickened.

4. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles until tender but firm; drain. Serve chicken mixture over noodles.

Nutritional Information (per serving)

Calories		465		Carbohydrates		54.7 g
Protein		33.5 g		Dietary Fibre		5.1 g
Fat		12.5 g		Sodium		985 mg

Excellent source of zinc, vitamin A, vitamin B₁₂. Very high in dietary fibre.