All recipes from Healthy Starts Here – THE book you need to buy this year! Ask for it at Chapters or other large bookstores or order online, its the best gift to give yourself this year!
Two Breakfast ideas:
Breakfast Grab and Go aka Bum Blasters!
Dry Ingredients:
1½ cups (375 mL) oat bran
1 ½ cups (375 mL) large flake oats
1 cup (250 mL) whole wheat flour
¾ cup (175 mL) ground flaxseed
½ cup (125 mL) Scottish, Irish or steel cut oats
2 tbsp (30 mL) wheat germ
2 tbsp (30 mL) cinnamon
1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
1 cup (250 mL) dried cranberries or dried blueberries
¼ cup (60 mL) at least 60% cocoa mass chocolate chips
½ cup (125 mL) walnuts, chopped coarsely
Wet Ingredients:
2 – omega-3 eggs
¼ cup (60 mL) canola oil – measure accurately
¾ cup (175 mL) dark brown sugar, packed
One – 4.5 oz. (128 mL) jar baby food strained prunes – food in the baby food aisle
1 tbsp (15 mL) pure vanilla extract
- Make sure the oven rack is in the middle of your oven.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, two if you have them.
- In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients: oat bran, oat flakes, whole wheat flour, flaxseed, steel cut oats, wheat germ, cinnamon, and baking soda using a rubber spatula or a large spoon.
- Add dried cranberries or blueberries, chocolate chips, and walnuts and stir well.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the wet ingredients: eggs, oil, brown sugar, baby food prunes and pure vanilla extract until well blended.
- Add this to the dry ingredients and stir until it’s really well combined. You can use a stand mixer if you like or a large spoon. I like to mix it with my hands, but the dough is sticky.
- You want to make eighteen Grab and Goes, so eyeball an amount that’s bigger than a golf ball and smaller than a tennis ball. Scoop out the batter and then press down so they are ¾ -inch (2 cm) thick and about 3.5-inches (9 cm) wide. If you have a ¼ cup (60 mL) ice cream scoop that has a release button, this is a perfect time to get it out of your junk drawer.
- The batter is sticky; either lightly press down with the back of a metal tablespoon or dampen hands and then lightly press down. I use my hands.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and let sit on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes to set. Gently remove to a cooling rack. Let cool completely and then store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 3 months. I freeze them in individual bags and pop one into my purse the night before I know I’m going to have a grab and go kind of morning.
Makes 18 Each Grab and Go contains: 256 Calories, 10.4 g Total Fat, 1.7 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 81 mg Sodium, 37.8 g Carbs, 5 g Fibre, 1.3 g Soluble Fibre, 14.7 g Sugar, 7 g Protein.
Diabetes Food Choice Values Per Serving: 2 Carbohydrates, 2 Fats
Overnight Blueberry Irish Oatmeal for Two
Fall/Winter
If you don’t think that you have time to make oatmeal from scratch every morning this is the answer for you; the nutty chewy goodness of cooked steel cut oats in about 10 minutes.
You can double, triple, or quadruple this recipe, just get a bigger pot.
1¼ cups (310 mL) cold water
¼ cup (60 mL) Scottish, Irish or steel cut oats
¼ cup (60 mL) oat bran
¼ cup (60 mL) dried blueberries or you favourite dried fruit
½ cup (125 mL) skim milk or fortified organic soy beverage
Generous sprinkle of cinnamon
- A couple of hours before you get ready for bed, bring the water to the boil in a medium microwave safe container, when the water has boiled, stir in oats, cover, and let sit for 30 minutes. (If you don’t have a microwave, just boil the water and add the oats.)
- Put into the fridge. I wrote to Health Canada about the safety of leaving this out all night on the counter and the Coles notes version to that question was – ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? NO!
- As soon as you get up the next morning, get the oatmeal out of the fridge, stir and pour it into a small pot on the stove, if it looks really thick add a little more water.
- Heat over medium. Bring back to the boil, add oat bran and dried blueberries, stir well, and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat, stir, divide in half, add milk, sprinkle with cinnamon, and sweetener of choice if desired, and enjoy.
Makes approx. 1 ½ cups (375 mL) Each serving is equal to ¾ cup (175 mL)
One serving contains: 188 Calories, 2.4 g Total fat, 0.4 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 36 mg Sodium, 37.8 g Carbs, 5 g Fibre, 1.75 g Soluble Fibre, 13.9 g Sugars, 8 g Protein
Diabetes Food Choice Values Per Serving: 2 Carbohydrates, ½ Meat and Alternatives, ½ Fat
Winter Salads
Brussels Sprouts and Broccoli Slaw
1 lb (500 g) broccoli = one large bunch
1 cup (250 mL) Brussels sprouts
½ medium red onion
1 large red pepper
1 large orange pepper
2 large carrots, scrubbed well, unpeeled
Dressing:
½ cup (125 mL) apple cider vinegar – pure apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp (30 mL) extra virgin oil
1 tsp (5 mL) grainy Dijon mustard
1 tsp (5 mL) honey
- To make your life easier you really need to make this with a food processor. If you don’t own one, either thinly slice or grate the veggies, ask for a food processor as a gift, or run out and buy one today. It’s one of my favourite toys in the kitchen.
- Let’s assume you own a food processor – using the thinnest slicing attachment, slice the broccoli, Brussels sprouts, red onion and the peppers. Place the sliced veggies into a large bowl.
- Change to the large grater attachment and grate carrots. Add to the other veggies.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients: apple cider vinegar, oil, Dijon, and honey pour over the veggies and toss well.
- Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Makes – 8 cups (2 L) One serving = 1 cup (250 mL) which contains: 83 Calories, 4 g Total Fat, 0.5 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 52 mg Sodium, 11.3 g Carbs, 3 g Fibre, 4.2 g Sugar, 3 g Protein
Diabetes Food Choice Values Per Serving: ½ Carbohydrate, ½ Meat and Alternative, ½ Fat
Basic Cole Slaw Master Recipe
Master Cole Slaw
Salad Dressing
¼ cup (60 mL) apple cider vinegar
2 tsp (10 mL) canola oil
1 tsp (5 mL) honey
¼ medium sized red (it looks purple but it’s called red) or green cabbage thinly sliced to make 4 cups (1 L)
¼ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- In a large bowl whisk together the vinegar, oil, and honey. Set aside.
- Add the cabbage and onion and toss.
- Serve it as is, or make Version 1 or 2.
Makes approx. 4 cups (1 L) One serving = ½ cup (125 mL) One serving contains: 27 Calories, 1.2 g Total Fat, 0 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 9 mg Sodium, 4.1 g Carbs, 1 g Fiber, 2.6 g Sugar, 1 g Protein
Diabetes Food Choice Values Per Serving: 1 Extra
Version #1 Apple Cole Slaw
Add 2 apples, scrubbed well, cut into quarters, cored, and sliced thinly + ¼ cup (60 mL) dried cranberries. Toss and serve.
Makes approx. 6 cups (1.5 L) One serving = ½ cup (125 mL) One serving contains: 38 Calories, 0.9 g Total Fat, 0 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 6 mg Sodium, 8.1 g Carbs, 1 g Fiber, 5.8 g Sugar, 1 g Protein
Diabetes Food Choice Values Per Serving: ½ Carbohydrate
Version #2 Citrus Cole Slaw
Add 2 oranges, peeled and coarsely chopped
+ ¼ cup (60 mL) dried cranberries. Toss and serve.
Makes approx. 6 cups (1.5 L) One serving = ½ cup (125 mL) One serving contains: 37 Calories, 0.9 g Total Fat, 0 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 6 mg Sodium, 7.5 g Carbs, 1 g Fiber, 5.5 g Sugar, 1 g Protein
Diabetes Food Choice Values Per Serving: ½ Carbohydrate





Mairlyn,
I found everything you discussed on Cityline very useful and interesting, sadly I didn’t think to write it down and have forgotten some of what you talked about. Would you perhaps, be able to put the key points of your discussion onto this site?
Thank you,
Megan
Question for you….why leave the carrots unpeeled? Is there goodness in the peel that I was unaware of?!
I made this recipe today (well, a modified version) from the recommendation of my Mom who diligently watches CityLine and it was really yummy. I’m shocked that I ate brusell sprouts and enjoyed them! Do I have your permission to post this one too? Email me please.
My week #2 of Getting Healthy Together post is up: http://www.multitestingmommy.com/2012/01/lets-get-healthy-together-week-2-with.html