Quinoa has a nutty flavor, cooks quicker than rice and can be used to make pilafs, risottos, salads, soups and even desserts.  You can locate quinoa in the rice aisle or health-food section of your grocery store.  Cook up a big batch and store it in your refridgerator.  To prepare:

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa

Bring to a boil, cover, cook over medium heat for 12 minutes or until Quinoa has absorbed all the water.  Remove from heat, fluff, cover and let stand for 15 minutes.  Yields – 4 cups. 

Nutrition Facts:  serving size 1/4 cup

• Calories – 160 g 
• Total Fat – 2.5 g
• Sat. Fat – 0
• Trans Fat – 0
• Cholest. – 0
• Sodium – 0
• Total Carbs – 28 g
• Fibre – 6.5 g
• Sugars – 0
• Protein – 6 g
• Calcium – 2%
• Iron – 18%

For a salad:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa (cooled)
• chopped red pepper
• chopped green pepper
• chopped green onion
• chopped tomatoes
• any other vegetables  you have on hand

Toss with your favorite salad dressing (poppyseed) or drizzle with 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar) and 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil.

Per 20 ml:

• Calories 40
• Fat 0.5 g
• Sodium 95 mg
• Carbohydrate 9 g
• Sugars 3 g
• Protein 0.3 g

This is a great coating for chicken, pork or fish or as a crunchy topping for casseroles, or crunch in a salad. Apparently you can only find it at Sobeys in the health food section. This is a Japanese crumb type coating that comes in 3 varieties. The large word on the package reads IAN’s, in smaller letters in blue and white are the words panko breadcrumbs. To use it as a coating – try using a rolling pin between two pieces of wax paper to make the panko finer.

• per 30 g
• calories 110
• Fat 1 g
• sodium 35 mg
• carbohydrate 21 g
• fibre 3 g
• sugar 1 g
• protein 5 g

You can find this in the regular baking section, you just have to look through the sugared varieties, but the unsweetened brand is usually there somewhere.

Per 2 Tablespoons

• Calories 100
• Fat 9 g
• Sodium 5 mg
• Carbohydrate 5 g
• fibre 2 g
• Sugars 1 g
• protein 1 g

Soy products may help some women with PMS or menopausal symtoms. Soy products are also good for men. If you haven’t tried tofu – give it a try – you won’t be able to taste the difference if you use this type.

• Per 1/3 package (100g)
• Calories 60
• Fat 3
• Omega 6 – 1.5 g
• Omega 3 – .2 g
• Sodium 20 g
• Carbohydrates 2 g
• Sugars 1
• Protein 5 g

• Calories 120
• fat 6 g (1 Sat. Fat)
• Sodium 30 mg
• Carbohydrates 8 g
• Fibre 7 g
• sugars 1 g
• Protein 11 g

Organically Grown - Eden Black Soy Beans are a great source of protein and fiber. You can use them in soups and salads (we use them in our spicy mexican rice – added protein and fiber) They also taste great. No salt added.

We get them at Sobeys in the health food section.

If you want an alternative to alcohol/wine, this is great. It tastes wonderful, in a wine glass you would almost believe that it is wine. It doesn’t give you the contents guide, on the label, but would be the same as apple juice. It is great to use for special occasions and even children can drink this beverage.

You can usually find it in the produce section of large supermarkets.

Stevia is said to be 100 times sweeter than sugar, but contains NO sugar.  You can buy it powdered or in liquid form.  1/2 tsp = 1 cup sugar.  Found in the health food section of most large grocery stores.

1 tsp. is the recommended daily intake.  Per 1 tsp. Calories 1, Total fat 0, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 2 mg, Carbohydrates 2 g, Figre 2 g, Sugars 0 g, Protein 0 g, Iron 2 %.

This kind of fibre binds to the liquid in your stomache so you may need to drink a bit more water daily.  It may promote weight loss in some people.

You can find it in the health food section of most large grocery stores.  Look for a container like this in the bulk section.   You can also find it in the vitamin section, but will be a lot more expensive.  This container costs approximately $4.99.

TVP can be used 1/2 and 1/2 with any kind of meat, or all by itself as a vegetable sauce, you just may need more spices.  Great for turkey burgers, hamburgers, pasta sauces, etc.

Per 1/4 cup serving: 0 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 mg sodium, Total Carbs 7 g, fibre 4 g, sugars, 3 g, protein 12 g.  Also contains iron, magnesium, phosphorus, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and calcium.

You can find it in the health food sections of large grocery stores.  The product pictured really has no taste, you need to add spices to make any flavor. 

This is a really good product – if you are looking for a quick meal (microwave or boil-in-bag for10 minutes) or easy meal (bake in oven for 40 minutes) GREAT Tasting, so easy to prepare. The cost was $9.99 and made about 10 – 1/4 inch slices about 6 inches long with a wonderful apple sauce. Make sure to squeeze all of the sauce out of the bag and cook with the meat.

You can find this product at Wallmart, or superstore. I’m not sure about Sobeys.

The only place that I’ve been able to find these bars is at the superstore.