Apple Yogurt Smoothie

APPLE YOGURT SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

  • 1 apple
  • 1¼ cup (300 g) plain yogurt
  • 4 to 6 tbsp (60 to 90 ml) Canadian maple syrup (extra light)

Instructions:

1. Peel apple and slice into 4 to 8 pieces.

2. Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

3. Pour into a glass and serve.

Bon appétit!

Many thanks to our partner Pommes Qualité Québec for this delicious recipe!

Swiss Muesli

SWISS MUESLI

Ingredients:

  • 250 ml or 1 cup of All-Bran* Buds cereal
  • 250 ml or 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt
  • 250 ml or 1 cup of milk or almond milk
  • 60 ml or 1/4 cup, each sliced almonds and chopped pecans
  • 125 ml or 1/2 cup of dried fruit
  • 5 ml or 1 tsp of grated orange zest
  • 1tart apple, shredded
  • maple syrup or honey (if desired)

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine All-Bran Buds* cereal, yogurt, milk, nuts, fruit and orange zest with a large spoon. Cover and refrigerate for one hour or up to one day.

2. Before serving, stir in grated apple and drizzle with some maple syrup or honey if desired.

Tip: This recipe can easily be doubled.

Bon appétit!

Many thanks to our partner  for this delicious recipe!

 

Hearty Oatmeal Breakfast Bowl

Hearty Oatmeal Breakfast Bowl

Ingredients:

  • 1 single serving Oatbox apple & cinnamon oatmeal pouch
  • 3/4 cup of milk or soy milk
  • 2 tbsp of natural peanut butter
  • Strawberries, blueberries and apples, in pieces
  • 1/4 tsp of cinnamon

 

Instructions:

  1. In a microwave-safe bowl, mix the oatmeal with the milk, and microwave for 1 minute.
  2. Mix again and add the peanut butter and the fruits. Top with cinnamon, and eat right away.

 

Bon appétit!

 

Many thanks to our partner  for this delicious recipe!

Vanilla-flavoured Apple, Pear & Whole Dried Cranberry Compote

VANILLA-FLAVOURED APPLE, PEAR & WHOLE DRIED CRANBERRY COMPOTE

Ingredients:

  • ½ vanilla bean
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) water
  • 60 ml (1/4 cup) maple syrup
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) whole dried sweetened cranberries
  • 3 apples
  • 3 ripe pears

Instructions:

1. Slit the ½ vanilla bean in two lengthwise and scratch the inside with the tip of a knife to remove seeds. Place vanilla bean and seeds in a saucepan. Add water, Gourmet Maple Syrup & Cranberry and dried cranberries. Put aside.

2. Peel and cut apples into pieces and immediately place in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Let simmer until apples start to soften, about 10 minutes depending on variety. In the meantime, peel and cut pears. Add them to saucepan and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, until all fruit is tender.

3. Remove vanilla bean. Pour into blender and purée to desired consistency. Add maple syrup to taste.

Bon appétit!

Many thanks to our partner Maple Delights for this delicious recipe!

Muffin Pan Poached Eggs

Muffin pan poached eggs

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup (180 ml) water
  • 12 eggs
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

 

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Pour 1 tbsp (15 mL) water to each cup in 12-cup muffin pan. One at a time, crack eggs into each cup. Season eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  2. Bake until egg whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 9 minutes. Let stand for 1 or 2 minutes. Scoop out with slotted spoon, gently patting dry with paper towel.

 

Option: Add a pinch of smoked paprika to each egg for extra flavour.

 

Bon appétit!

 

Many thanks to our partner  for this delicious recipe!

Oatmeal Breakfast Bites

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (250 mL) of Mott’s Fruitsations Unsweetened Apple Sauce
  • 2 cups (500 mL) of large flake rolled oats, divided
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) of canola oil
  • 2 tsp (10 mL) of vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) of ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp (2 mL) of salt
  • ½ cup (125 mL) of chopped pitted dates (about 15 to 20)
  • ½ cup (125 mL) of dried cranberries

Instructions:

  1. Measure 1 cup (250 mL) oats into a food processor; process into oat flour.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Whisk apple sauce with egg, oil, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Add oat flour, whole oats, dates and cranberries; stir until evenly moistened.
  3. Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop rounded portions of batter onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Flatten tops slightly with the back of the scoop. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.

 

Makes about 18 cookies.

 

Tip: Stir in up to 1/4 cup (50 mL) nutritious, high-fibre additions such as flax, hemp hearts or chia seeds.

 

Bon appétit!

Many thanks to  for this delicious recipe!

Gluten-free Waffle Breakfast Sandwich

2 waffle sandwhiches

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (125g) Lulubelle & Co waffle mix (organic and gluten-free)
  • ¾ cup (170 ml) milk or plant-based alternative
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 slice of Swiss cheese
  • 1 large tomato
  • Leaves of lettuce
  • Salt, pepper and mayonnaise to taste

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk the waffle mix together with the milk, egg and oil.

2. Preheat the waffle maker, pour the mixture in and cook for approximately 4 minutes. Makes 4 waffles.

3. Remove the waffles from the maker and place 2 on a serving platter (or 1 each on regular plates). Layer on the cheese, sliced tomato and lettuce, then salt and pepper to taste. Add mayo if desired. Top with the two remaining waffles.

Bon appétit!

Many thanks to our partner  for this delicious recipe!

Chicken Salsa Breakfast Quesadillas

 

Ingredients

  • 2-1/2 cups (625 ml) shredded cooked chicken
  • 2/3 cup (160 ml) salsa
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) sliced green onions (optional)
  • 6 whole wheat flour tortillas (8 inches)
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) butter, melted
  • 2 cups (500 ml) shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

 

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, combine the first 3 ingredients. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until heated through, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Brush 1 side of tortillas with butter; place buttered side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. Spoon 1/3 cup chicken mixture over half of each tortilla; sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese.
  3. Fold plain side of tortilla over cheese. Bake at 375° until crisp and golden brown, 9-11 minutes. Cut into wedges & enjoy!

Introducing New-tricious Foods : Deninu School

Green smoothy in a glass with kiwi garnish o

(Photo: Alexander Mils on Unsplash)

 

Advice from the On-the-Ground Experts at Deninu School, Northwest Territories

 

Oftentimes we hear that school breakfast coordinators want to introduce new nutritious foods to their menu, but they fear doing so because students are sometimes reluctant to trying out new foods. That being said, there are ways around these obstacles, and we wanted to showcase a program who took on the challenge of introducing new foods in their program this year. The secret? Nutritious food can also be delicious food!

 

Meet Deninu School in Fort Resolution, Northwest Territories. Here, an inspired volunteer wanted to teach students that homemade foods made with simple ingredients and less sugar foods can taste just as good (or better) than processed foods. Some of the new foods introduced were egg frittatas, home-made granola, whole-wheat baking and bannock, baked potato wedges, veggies with home-made dips, and pancakes with pureed, frozen vegetables added to them. The school admits that in the beginning, the students were more reluctant to eat less sweet foods at breakfast, but in very little time, their taste buds seemed to adjust and the kids quickly began enjoying them – especially when they saw older students or their peers enjoying them! In fact, the veggies and homemade dip are now a program favourite at Deninu School!

 

So you are probably hoping for some tips on how to go about doing this in your program. Well, go no further! We asked Deninu School to help us out here seeing as they are the pros in this area:

  1. Serve and cut new foods into smaller portions for students to try. This way they fit into small hands, are less intimidating, and help to reduce waste.
  2. Make the names more interesting. When Deninu School introduced whole wheat French toast, they creatively called it ‘Quebec Pancakes’ which peaked student interest.
  3. Puree fruits and vegetables and add them to things like baking, pancakes, smoothies etc. If access to fresh produce is hard to come by, use frozen or canned fruits and veggies (ideally without added sugar or salt)!
  4. Accept that students need time to familiarize themselves with new foods. Some will need to be exposed several times to them before enjoying them. Persevere!
  5. Be flexible – sometimes the school will put out maple syrup, but they are starting to notice that the students are not using it much anymore. Sugary items, eaten occasionally, also have a place in a healthy diet!

 

Thanks to Deninu School for sharing! We hope this story has inspired you to spice things up in the kitchen and introduce new-tricious and varied foods on the menu!

 

As always, please reach out to your Club Coordinator if you are looking to ntroduce new foods into your program but are not quite sure how to start. We are always thrilled to hear from you!

Juice It Up With Whole Fruits!

slices from various fruits

Choosing the best nutritional options for your breakfast program can be tricky so that’s why we’re here to help! This month we are focusing on consuming whole fruits and vegetables rather than juice since they offer many more nutritional benefits than its counterpart, often containing added sugar.

On top of this, juiced fruit is:

  • Not a whole food: in juice, the fruit structure has changed and chewing is not needed. Chewing is an important part of the digestive process leading to feeling full.
  • Higher Consumption and Increased Sugar Intake: Did you know a cup of juice contains the same amount of sugar as a cup of soda?! Because juice is so concentrated you end up with a surprising high amount of both natural and typically sugars. Without the fibre of the whole fruit to help us feel full and help our body to balance blood sugar levels, we are left with a huge energy crash not long after drinking juice. Blood sugar spikes and crashes can negatively impact our body’s natural ability to know when it is truly hungry or full, which can often lead to overeating.
  • Reduced Fibre: The skin and pulp of a whole fruit are viable sources of daily fibre, which are often removed during the juicing process. This reduces the nutritional value of the juice significantly, compared to whole fruit.

So while serving juice at your morning breakfast program is sometimes tempting, we encourage you to consider whole fruits as the more viable option! If fresh fruit is not as easy to access in your community, then frozen fruit is a great alternative and goes great in a morning smoothie! Canned fruit packed in water is another good option for when fresh fruit is not available (careful of added sugars here).

And as always, we are here to help if you have any nutrition questions or would like to brainstorm how to spice up your morning menu!