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What are our Mayors eating this Nutrition Month?

Submitted by Shelly Crack, Community DieticianQC Mayor Carol Kulesha's lunch. apple, cottage cheese, 1 slice Pumpernickel bread, 2 oz tunaMasset Mayor Barry Pages's lunch. Curried chicken (1 breast), brown rice (1 cup cooked), green salad with Asian dressing (1 cup)Wow! Looks like our mayors really know how to eat a balanced meal. Carol has included all 4 food groups, 2 high fibre foods (apple and pumpernickel bread) and a lean protein source (tuna). She is getting at least 7 grams of fibre in one meal, which makes it more likely she'll achieve the recommended intake of 25-30 grams of fibre/day. Carol's bones must be strong, getting over 300 mg of calcium from her cottage cheese and 100 IU of vitamin D from her tuna. What a role model for variety and balance! What could Carol do to improve? She could include a dark green or orange vegetable (carrots, green salad, spinach).Barry has also scored high on balance and variety. Barry has included 2 high fibre foods; brown rice and green salad providing him with at least 5 grams of fibre in one meal. He has included 3 out of 4 food groups, a lean protein source (skinless chicken), a whole grain (brown rice) and a dark green vegetable. He included heart healthy fats in his salad dressing by using olive oil. What could Barry do to improve? He could include a calcium rich food at the meal (milk, fortified soy beverage, cheese, yogurt).The two mayors are eating well-balanced meals with variety. Can you aim to get variety this month by trying a new recipe? Open a heart healthy cookbook or try this: Butter Chicken or Butter Tofu3 tbsptandoori paste2 tbsplemon juice2 tbsp low fat plain yogurt1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch chunks (or cubed tofu)Sauce:¼ cup tomato paste½ cup water1 inch gingerroot grated finely1fresh green chili pepper, seeded and chopped4 tsplemon juice1 tbspchopped cilantro1 tsp eachcumin, garam masala¾ tspsalt¼ tsp eachsugar, chili powder1 tbsp unsalted butter1 cup half and half (10%) creamCombine tandoori paste, lemon juice and yogurt in a bowl. Add chicken or tofu and stir well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Heat oven 350 FLayer chicken in baking pan with marinade and bake for 20-25 minutesPrepare sauce by combining all ingredients except butter and cream in a small bowl.Melt butter over medium heat, stir in sauce and bring to a simmer. Add cooked chicken or tofu. Simmer 10 minutes. Add cream and cook for 3 minutes (do not boil). Serve with basmati rice and steamed green beans or asparagus.March is nutrition month. For more ideas, talk to your community dietician or call 1 800 667-3438 or check out www.dieticians.ca