Although commonly carved into jack-o-lanterns for Halloween or made into pies emblematic of the fall season, pumpkin is so much more! If its bright orange flesh isn’t enough to give away that it’s a storehouse of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, you might be interested to know that this humble vegetable is also low in calories and carbohydrates. The low glycemic load of pumpkin, combined with its low calorie content, makes pumpkin a great choice for keeping blood sugar stable as you lose weight! Even better is that canned pumpkin is an affordable and excellent substitute for fresh – just make sure to purchase pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling! Try the following delicious recipes and enjoy some fall flavour while discovering one of the best weight loss treats around!

These smoothie recipes were created by Kellie Stajer and served at CHNC 2010.
 Enjoy!

Try this simple amd tasty tofu recipe complimemnts of Rachelle Wood Nutrition.

Try this delicious soup using fermented soybeans, the healthy way to consume soy. Studies have may be beneficial for fermented soybeans for preventing cancer, inhibiting menepause symptoms and preventing blood clots.    

The taste of this soup will be a great combination between little bit salty from fermented soybeans, sour, sweet and also spicy from chile peppers. Adjust for your personal taste. Fermenting your own soybeans will not be salty so adjust the soup with sea salt and pepper, if needed.  

Enjoy this Fall inspired recipe for Minestrone Soup compliments of Rachelle Wood Nutrition, http://www.rachellewood.ca

In this blog post Rachelle shares a recipe for California Chicken Pasta Salad. It is a tasty low fat meal your family will love. Try it for supper this evening!

Thai cuisine is known to be fragrant and flavourful, and often uses fresh ingredients like lime juice, ginger and hot peppers. This dish is easy to prepare and is often a hit among kids and adults. My clients at Positive Change Nutrition, http://www.rachellewood.ca/  love this recipe and make it often.

Enjoy this comforting carrot soup recipe, which combines the tasteful combination of fresh ginger, cilantro and orange juice. This bright orange pureed soup is full of vitamin C and may help to fight off winter colds and flu. Rachelle enjoys eating a small bowl of this soup with grilled fish for supper, or with a 6” whole wheat tuna and veggie wrap for lunch. The soup freezes well and tastes especially great when made with local organic carrots.

Turkey and Brown Rice Chili         serves 4        

1 tbsp olive oil

1 pound lean ground turkey

1 large onion, chopped

2 large cans diced tomatoes, organic

1 can  chili style beans, organic

1 c low sodium V8 juice

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

2 c cooked brown rice, organic

Heat oil in skillet on medium heat. Cook about 5 minutes. Place everything but rice into slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours. Stir in rice. Cover and cook on high for 15 more minutes or until rice is heated. Serve for a healthy lunch or supper with a whole grain roll. Enjoy this quick comforting meal for a stormy winter day. Recipe is compliments of Positive Change Nutrition, www.rachellewood.ca

 

Quinoa was a main sacred food staple of the Inca civilization and had been cultivated for more than 5,000 years  It’s often called the “Mother Grain.”
The United Nations has classified it as a “super-crop.” because it contains contains more protein than any other grain (an average of 16.2%, compared with 7.5% for rice, 9.9% for millet and 14% for wheat). It’s also a good source of dietary fiber and is high in magnesium, potassium and iron and a good source of phosphorous, calcium, vitamin E and several B vitamins. Quinoa is also gluten-free and easy to digest. It contains an almost perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids needed for tissue development in humans.
As a fruit from  of the Chenopodium family, quinoa is related spinach, beets and Swiss chard. Different varieties range in colour from ivory, pink, red, brown and black