Simply Cook and Enjoy! DIETITIANS OF CANADA NUTRITION MONTH March, 2014

Back to Cooking Basics: Why cook? Make healthy, delicious meals More homemade meals = better food intake Less restaurant and prepared foods Pass on life skills to our children

In a Hurry?

Take a kitchen shortcut with healthier convenience foods. Light canned tuna or canned salmon Pre-cut butternut squash Canned legumes such as chickpeas or lentils Canned diced tomatoes Shredded cheese Eggs Plain frozen fish filets Frozen vegetables and fruit Fresh or frozen whole wheat cheese tortellini Whole grain pizza crusts

Cook good for you meals in less time than take-out! Quesadillas filled with… Shrimp or tofu sauteed with… Whole grain pita pizzas topped with… Sandwiches filled with…

Double Up! Make a double batch of breakfast on the weekend. Whole Grain Pancakes Oatmeal Vegetable-filled frittata

Make it Easy!

Cook once. Eat twice! Grilling chicken or fish? Grill a couple extra pieces for sandwiches. Roasting veggies? Roast extras to toss with pasta or barley or to top a pizza. Serving chili? Make a bigger pot and use extras to make enchiladas. Salad with supper? Make an extra-big salad and put some in the fridge – undressed – for tomorrows lunch.

Cooking dinner is a snap with satisfying one pot meals! Go Quick: simple skillet fajitas Go Slow: satisfying slow-cooker stews

Tools of The Trade Along with quality pots in different sizes, stock your kitchen with these 5 basic tools: Sharp knives Box grater Immersion (hand-held) blender Steamer basket Instant-read thermometer

Budget-Friendly Ideas

Put more plant-based protein in your pot. Stir up minestrone soup with black beans, chickpeas or lentils Make a quick chickpea curry for a totally meatless option Add cooked lentils to ground beef for luscious lasagna Add black beans to ground turkey for tasty tacos

Get saucy! Make your own spaghetti sauce with just a few ingredients and these simple steps: Lightly sauté onions and garlic in a little olive oil Add low-sodium canned tomatoes and simmer Season with freshly ground pepper and herbs such as basil or oregano Try adding mushrooms, zucchini and chopped spinach

Family Affair

Kiss! Keep it Simple Sweetie! Give kids easy tasks, such as stirring, when youre in a hurry. Cook on weekends, when you can take more time to teach skills. Choose easy-to-follow recipes with lots of tasks kids can help with. Prepare some ingredients before you start cooking.

Bring a little fun to your kitchen with a family cooking challenge. Choose a cookbook, food magazine or website. Each family member picks one recipe to try. Each person makes his or her recipe for the family. Kids might need help. When all dishes have been tasted, rate the recipes. You might discover a new family favourite!

Frosty about kids cooking? Smoothies are a super way to introduce kids to the kitchen. The only tool you need is a blender. Let kids create their own frosty combos with frozen fruit, bananas, yogurt and milk. Be adventurous. Add spinach or carrot.

Cooking by Numbers

Cooking for One…or Two Make breakfast for dinner! Switch it up with stir-fries. Get fresh with simple dinner salads for two.

Get social! Host a cooking party. Invite your friends, and instead of cooking for them, cook with them! Have guests bring ingredients and share the tasks. Start simply with trusted favourite recipes. Or experiment with a new cuisine and learn new skills. Once the cooking is done, relax and enjoy a delicious meal together.

Cooking 101

Give healthy cooking a whirl! Think outside the salad spinner. Blend a handful of spinach or kale into a fruit smoothie. Mash cooked cauliflower together with potatoes. Add puréed butternut squash to homemade macaroni and cheese. Shred carrots, zucchini or onions into spaghetti sauce. Stir canned puréed pumpkin into whole grain pancake or muffin batter. Sprinkle berries onto breakfast cereal or yogurt.

Simple Swaps Use This:To Replace: Evaporated milkCream in luscious sauces Lower-fat yogurtMayonnaise in creamy salad dressings Lemon juice, garlic, herbsSome of the salt in savoury dishes Whole grain flourAt least half of the white flour Skim milk powderA quarter of the sugar in baked goods Mashed fruit and vegetables such as unsweetened applesauce or pureed sweet potato Half of the fat in muffins, quick breads and cookies

Taste is king. Add some zing! Red pepper flakes Fresh lime juice Garlic Ginger Cinnamon Cheese Pesto Nuts

Check out recipes, cooking tips and healthy eating information. Watch videos of dietitians serving up cooking tips. Find a dietitian in your area.

Get the Apps! Download for Free Dietitians of Canada Apps for the iPad and iPhone Eatipser at Cookspiration at

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