As the daylight hours begin to dwindle and the cold weather approaches, I for one gravitate towards more simple recipes that don’t require too much of my energy. You know, the ones where I don’t need to stick something in the oven for about 40 minutes and twiddle my thumbs while I wait for it to cool (😂). Warm Vegetable Chili is just one of those recipes that won’t sacrifice speed for nutrition – this perfect mix of protein, fibre, and veggies is an excellent addition to your autumn repertoire. Bon appétit!
You will need:
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) frozen vegetables
1 ½ tsp of garlic and ginger paste
14 oz (398 ml) red kidney beans
14 oz (398 ml) black beans
5.5 oz (156 ml) tomato paste
28 oz (796 ml) chopped tomatoes
1 tsp (5 ml) turmeric
1/2 tbsp (7 ml) chili powder
1/2 tsp (2 ml) paprika
1/2 tsp (2 ml) vinegar
¼ cup (60 ml) freshly chopped coriander
Grated marble cheddar cheese
Corn chips
Instructions:
Sauté vegetables and garlic paste in a pan with olive oil on medium heat.
Drain and rinse red kidney beans and black turtle beans using a large colander. Add to pan and stir.
Add the rest of your ingredients with the exception of cilantro. Allow for mixture to simmer for 25 minutes.
Remove mixture from heat and allow to slightly cool. Garnish with coriander.
Serve on table with bowls of grated cheese and corn chips. Enjoy!
Ever wanted to have a creamy garlic chicken without all the saturated fat from cream? Well now you can! Try our new recipe where we use 2% milk instead of heavy cream and still manage to get a nice creamy texture!
Ingredients:
1 tbsp canola oil
4 skinless chicken breast
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp black pepper
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
¾ cup 2% milk
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions:
In a large pot, heat canola oil.
In a separate bowl combine spices together and spread it over chicken pieces.
Sear the chicken pieces on each side for 2-3 minutes.
Add minced garlic and saute for a minute.
Add the low sodium broth and stir to incorporate everything together (including any flavours stuck to the bottom of the pot).
Cover with a lid, and cook for around 15-20 minutes until chicken is well done.
In a bowl or cup, whisk the cornstarch into the milk and add it to the cooked chicken.
Saute on a medium to high heat, stirring occasionally, until your desired sauce thickness is reached (~5 mins).
Serve with a side of lightly roasted green beans, broccoli or asparagus.
*Add mushrooms to add both flavour and some fibre.
With autumn finally here and the leaves changing colour, why not cozy up on the couch with a bowl of quinoa that’s as red and orange as the season itself? This recipe is chock full of protein, vitamin C, folate, and fibre. The best part? The balance of protein and healthy carbs makes it a wonderful meal item choice, so be generous and share this goodness with family and friends 😉
You will need:
1 cup of quinoa, uncooked
1 cup of canned black beans, drained and rinsed.
1 cup of red peppers, chopped
1 cup of sweet corn
1 cup of grape tomatoes, halved
½ cup of green onion, chopped
½ tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
Instructions:
Add quinoa and 2 cups of water to a small pot.
Cook quinoa over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil.
Quickly lower heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Drain any excess fluid and place the remaining quinoa in a large bowl.
Add drained and rinsed black beans, red peppers, sweet corn, grape tomatoes, and green onion to quinoa. Stir with large wooden spoon to combine ingredients together well.
Prepare vinaigrette by combining lime juice, olive oil, and salt in a very small bowl. Whisk and add to the other ingredients.
If you plan to eat healthy, you’re more likely to! Make a list of groceries that you need to prepare your meals and snacks, and try to make that trip during the hours you’re not fasting. As they say, never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach!
2. Have each major (“macro”) nutrient at every meal
Having a variety of foods with protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats [1] ensures you are nourishing your body with different nutrients, doing your best to sustain it during your fast, and replenishing it after.
Missing out on even one macronutrient can have negative consequences for your health.
If you skip protein, you may:
get hungry quicker
end up eating more carbs and fats to compensate
not eat enough protein and may lose muscle over time
If you skip healthy fats, you may:
not be eating enough calories
get hungry quicker
end up eating more carbs and proteins to compensate
If you skip carbs, you may:
get low blood sugars (leading to headaches, dizziness, weakness, etc)
be low on energy
harm your body as your brain needs glucose (a carb) as a source of energy [3]
get hungry quicker
For examples of healthy food options that provide these macronutrients, click here [2].
3. Have Suhoor! It’s a blessed Islamic tradition (sunnah) and will help sustain yourself for the long fast
Have Suhoor as close as possibleto the pre-dawn (fajr) prayer. It will help you feel energized for longer.
Suhoor is a chance to nourish yourself during the few hours you can, and breaks up your meal times so you’re not having just one huge iftar.
Suhoor can lower the chance of a low blood sugar and theside effects that come with it (headaches, fatigue, and irritability)
Include foods that have protein, healthy fats, fibre, and more complex carbohydrates that will raise your blood sugar slowly, so you’re sustained for longer.
4. Hydration! Hydration! Hydration!
Water is your best choice of drink. It’s an Islamic tradition (sunnah) to break your fast with water, and that makes sense because healthy adults generally require up to9-12 cups of fluida day (depending on your sex, activity level, and even the weather) [4].
Note: Fluid is not just water, but can be food and drinks that contain water such as milk, soup, etc.
5. Limit the caffeine
Try to limit your caffeine intake to less than 3 cups a day (400mg of caffeine/day) [5]. This is the amount that research has shown that does not cause your body to be dehydrated or make more urine (especially if you drink caffeine regularly).
6. Avoid overeating and have a small iftar
Prepare your iftar in advance and portion it out on your dinner table so you’re ready to make the best choices at the time when you’re most hungry and prone to overeating.
Have a glass or two of water ready (instead of sugary drinks like falooda, juice, or sodas) and some pre-cut fruits and veggies as well! Consider a bean/lentil salad too for a bit of protein, but leave the heavier meal for after maghrib.
7. Find fun ways to keep active without aggressive exercise training
It’s tempting in Ramadan to nap and be sedentary. Keep yourself active instead with light movements during the day and light to moderate exercise during non-fasting hours.
Aggressive training without proper nourishment (like when fasting!) can deplete your glycogen levels. Glycogen is a main source of energy in your body, so this can leave you less energized and can be harmful to your health.
8. Snacking is important!
Suhoor and iftar are only two meals. Would you have only two meals a day if you weren’t fasting? Try and sneak some snacks into your evening to try and give you extra nutrition instead. This will help give you more of those nutrients you missed during the day when fasting.
Consider snacking on your way to night prayers (taraweeh), on your way back, or before bed.
Make sure your snacks include sources of protein and carbohydrate. Consider greek yogurt and fruit!
9.Avoiding fried and sugary foods is hard in Ramadan, but it has to be done!
We all love a treat of fried/sugary goodness after a long fast. I mean, who doesn’t drool at the idea of samosas, pakoras, and baklava?
Fasting is super long, and you definitely do require calories and nutrients to replenish yourself, but fried and sugary foods aren’t it. It’s important to look at whereyou get those calories from, and the nutrientsthat come with it.
Let’s look at an example:
You’ve had a long fast and it’s now time for iftar. This is the time for your body to get the energy and variety of nutrients it needs! Two super tasty options are presented in front of you:
samosa and basbousa
nuts, bean salad, yogurt or fruit
Contains: saturated fat, refined sugar, little vitamins/minerals or fibre
While the first option is tempting, it will provide you with too much saturated fat and not enough healthy nutrients that your fasting body needs. The second option is also tasty but will give you the nutrients you need to stay healthy.
Remember: Ramadan is a time of spiritual growth and cleansing. Your body is an amana too, and it is important to take care of it, by eating beneficial and nutritious foods.
Make healthy eating a habit in Ramadan, and not the exception.
*Please be aware that these are general guidelines. Nutrition and intake varies by age, sex, height, activity, being pregnant or breastfeeding, and medical conditions. For more information or to sit with one of our dietitians for an individualized nutrition counselling session, please contact us at amananutrition@gmail.com or visit our Contact Us page to book your first online appointment.
[3] Mergenthaler, P., Lindauer, U., Dienel, G. A., & Meisel, A. (2013). Sugar for the brain: the role of glucose in physiological and pathological brain function. Trends in neurosciences, 36(10), 587-597.
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