The Power Behind Food Cravings

Yesterday my mom and I were walking around the farmers market spending some time together and as we walked though one of the sections filled with fresh produce she grabbed a huge bag of beets and explained that she has been craving them for days. I told her it was probably a big indication that it was exactly what her body was needing at that time. Our society has developed such a negative attachment to the concept of food cravings. We assume these are always our bodies craving some form of processed, unhealthy snack that we would ram-sack a 7-11 at 3 am just to get ahold of. But in reality, our cravings for certain foods are typically our body’s means of expressing it’s basic needs for certain nutrients and healing, so listen up!

There are few key tastes that our body tends to crave such as salty and sweet. The junk food industry has capitalized on these tastes, so the key is being able to listen to your body’s needs and fulfill these cravings with healthier options. Did you know Dorito chips contain iron? Very small amounts of course, not the most bio-available but iron none the less. Our bodies are aware of this and it can be directly tied to the cravings. North America has the highest rates of iron deficiency anemia in the world, so it’s no wonder Dorito sales have done so well.

Our bodies are incredibly aware of their needs and we can have some ideas of what healthy options are, but at the end of the day your most valuable tool is to just trust your instincts. Next time you walk through your grocery store forget your list at home, walk through the fruits and vegetables and choose whatever foods are appealing to you in that moment. Don’t worry about meal planning or cooking, all of that will come together. Just shop from your heart and listen to your cravings. That’s the best way to ensure you are giving your body exactly what it is asking for. I guarantee it will thank you.

I Love Supporting Local

Walking through the Calgary Farmer’s Market in Calgary is one of my favorite things to do on the weekend. It is a way to connect me back to the community I live in. When things get busy in life it is easy to forget how food gets from the farm to the grocery store. I could wander down the aisles of the market for hours, taking in all of the fresh fruits and vegetables, many of which come from local farms here in Alberta. It is a great way to build a relationship with the people who grow the food you eat.

Walk over to the many vendors who provide Alberta raised meat products. There is something great about talking with the person who helped raise or grow the product you are purchasing. I have had many conversations about recipes; they seem to know the best way to prepare their products.

There are many vendors with Alberta and B.C. grown vegetables, some organic and some not. Local artists have beautiful pieces on display that make for a unique gift for someone special. There are wonderful jewelry shops with handmade products for sale, and there is always some form of entertainment to enjoy while you shop.

Some of vendors that I shop at regularly are:
Grazin Acres - Eggs, poultry & grass fed beef

Hoven Farms Organic Foods - Organic meat

Sunworks Farm - Organic meat

Lund's Organic Farm - AB Organic produce

Alf's Greenhouses - AB greenhouse produce

BlushLane - AB & BC produce

The Calgary Farmer’s Market allows us to eat seasonally; vendors will provide foods that are in tune with the season you are shopping in. I love shopping at the Farmer’s Market because I will often discover a food that I have never heard of before. I also get many ideas for lunches and dinners from the different vendors.

Check out the website for directions. It is open for the fall and winter months on Friday and Saturday from 9-5, and Sunday from 9-4. If you have never checked it out you are missing out on a great adventure! Bring many reusable shopping bags…. you’ll fill them up fast!

Food and Family

Last night I realized how important family is when it comes to eating healthy. I went over to my parent’s house for dinner last night for a wonderful home-cooked birthday meal for my brother. My family is very close, and we love getting together and sharing cooking ideas with one another. Great food, great company, and a little bit of wine makes for a very enjoyable evening!

What I realized last night is that my parents have had a crucial role in influencing me towards healthy eating. They have done this in a very subtle but effective way: by stressing the importance of vegetables to us. At every meal we would have at least 2 vegetable dishes as part of our meal. Take last night as an example. Not only did we have a wonderful, bright-coloured salad to enjoy, but we also had steamed asparagus to add to our plates. Vegetables have always been a large focus of our meals, and I realized that I took those values with me when I moved out. I love having a variety of vegetables to choose from, especially when munching throughout the day, or sitting down to dinner in the evening.

My parents make the best salads, although there is always a dispute on whether a salad should contain more lettuce and finely chopped vegetables, or whether it should contain very little lettuce and large chunks of veggies! What do you think?!

By having so many vegetables at each meal we learned early on that they were vital for our health. And the best part is that we didn’t even know that was what they were doing! Vegetables are so important, and I know that I have learned their value by example from my parents. Having these wonderful, nutritious foods at meal times shows kids that vegetables play an important role.

My family has influenced the way I eat in other ways. My parents love to act like chefs, and they get very excited when someone is at home to cook for. They love throwing things together (sometimes things that I am not too sure of!), and coming up with something new. I guess I know where I get my sense of adventure when wanting to try new combinations of things.

I also like to think that I have made an influence on the rest of my family. I always smile when I see brown rice in the cupboard instead of white rice. I feel a sense of pride when I see that they have supported a local farmer by buying free-range chicken from the Calgary Farmer’s Market. It feels good when they enjoy eating one of my “strange” meals! It is nice to know that I can help my family continue to eat healthy and open them up to some new things.

How have the people in your life opened you up to healthy eating, and how have you passed on your knowledge of food to others?

Thank-You Slow-Cooker!

Have you ever had those days when you get home from a busy day at work and you are craving something warm and wholesome? I have them all of the time, especially during the winter months. I get home, unbundle myself, and stare into the fridge, pondering what I can cook up to keep me warm. Those are the days when I wish that I could snap my fingers and have a nice homemade soup on my table. The slow-cooker may not be magic, but it is something wonderful.

I love cooking whole chickens in my slow-cooker. I pick up a fresh organic free-range chicken from the Calgary Farmer’s Market and throw it in into the pot along with some water and a touch of drizzled olive oil. I add basil, thyme and oregano and freshly cut garlic. I chop green onions and sprinkle them in. You can’t forget the carrots, cut in long slices. Dinner that has simmered for hours creates a lovely aroma in my house, and when I get home I can’t wait to start eating. For me, chicken is a food that gives me strength and energy for the next few days.

Soups are fantastic to make in the slow-cooker. I soak one cup of a dry bean mix over night, and the next morning I add the beans to 1L of low sodium vegetable broth. I put in all my favorite vegetables and simmer for the entire day along with bay leaves, thyme, parsley, cumin, fresh basil, and some dill. Soup is my comfort food: a nice warm bowl makes all my problems seem far away. For a great bean soup try Bob's Red Mill 13 bean soup mix.

I would love to hear your favorite slow-cooker meals!