April 7, 2021

Innovative / Curryish

 

We never would have imagined that Covid 19 pandemic will change everyone's life both personally and professionally. Every industry started facing lots of struggles because of the lockdown. People started working from home, a few started working for reduced hours and many lost their jobs. Especially, the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on restaurants was huge. Many well-established restaurants got closed permanently because of the massive financial hit. The layoff changed everyone's career. People started changing their field of expertise to survival jobs and started working for low wages. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, French cafes and restaurants were closed by order of the government to prevent the spread of the virus.. [Photograph]. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest.
https://quest.eb.com/search/181_3724418/1/181_3724418/cite

For a few people, this covid changed their life and career in a positive way by turning into entrepreneurs. Personally, this pandemic changed my life in a positive way. The layoff made me think about my future and joined George brown college to pursue my dream of becoming a Chef. One of my friends who worked along with me opened her own Filipino restaurant and also, many of my friends started moving to different industries. 

People started becoming creative in their business. This reminds me of the proverb, "Necessity is the mother of innovation".

                                Innovative lamp. Big idea. [Clip Art]. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest.
                                                         https://quest.eb.com/search/186_1623258/1/186_1623258/cite

Like many industries, the restaurant industry is also facing many challenges and assessing strategies to recover from the impact of the sudden closure. This situation became a moment of innovation. People started becoming creative and innovative by implementing new technologies and business models. Many food restaurants changed their menu according to take away, a few moved their restaurant as a drive-in and a few started selling meal kits, baking kits, pizza kits, etc. This pandemic changed our way of thinking and innovation has become the trend to sustain in the industry during this period. 

Likewise, this pandemic changed the life of Chef Miheer Shete who is the founder of Curryish. 


Burman, D., 2020. Chef Miheer Shete. [image] Available at: <https://toronto.citynews.ca/2020/12/23/small-businesses-innovating-via-instagram-to-stay-afloat-during-covid-19/> [Accessed 23 December 2020].

"Curryish" is a contemporary Indian restaurant that prepares innovative Indian recipes using seasonal local Canadian ingredients without compromising the authentic Indian flavors. The innovator behind Curryish is Chef Miheer Shete, who was born in Mumbai, India, and settled in Toronto. He has over 20 years of kitchen experience and worked in various countries like UK, India, the USA, and now in Toronto. He also worked in a Michelin-starred restaurant in London before moving to Canada in 2009. In Toronto, he worked as a Chef de cuisine at the fine dining restaurant until the pandemic hit. 

After lay off, his positivity made him start his own food business in the name of "Curryish". It is a modern yet home-cooked Indian meal that is prepared and delivered to our doorstep. The menus are unique and delicious which is not available in any Indian restaurant menus. The curries made by Chef Miheer are totally different from the regular heavy Indian curries. Each recipe is made simple, healthy, and delicious. The spices are homemade and many of them belong to his family recipe. His grandfather has been running a successful Spice shop in Mumbai since 1942.

He launched his business entirely on Instagram and running successfully. Social media is used as his promoting page for his business. He reveals his menus every week online and mostly consists of 4-5 course meals. The meals are 90% cooked, vacuum packed, and labeled with detailed instruction on how to finish the dish at home. The meal kits look very simple yet innovative. 

The order is taken during weekdays and then, he delivers on the weekend. The instructions seem to be simple like roasting the meat, cooking rice, and adding prepared curry over it. His cooking is influenced by European Culinary skills using modern-day techniques in traditional Indian cooking. Apart from offering weekly curated meal kits, he also does private dining and catering services. 

If you want to follow his page or place an order, login to www.curryish.ca and his Instagram id - @curryishh.

Sharing a few of his innovative and delicious recipes.. 



I believe Curryish falls under the innovation category. I love the idea of innovative curated meal kits which give a fine dining experience at home. Also, this logic helps the customer to involve their family or friends to finish the cooking and enjoy the meal together. Especially during this pandemic situation, this kind of experience does not make us miss going to restaurants. His recipes showcase Indian food in a very approachable and versatile way. And also, using technology for marketing food is a smart and innovative way to handle things during this crisis. 

The price of the kit is around $95. I feel it is really worth, value for money and reasonable. Ordering for 3-4 people in Uber or Skip the dishes takes almost the same price for a regular Indian meals. But his kit, not only gives a unique experience and also, gives an innovative, healthy and delicious meal. 
 
His idea really made a huge impact on me and changed the ideology of opening a regular type of restaurant in the future. No dine required and importantly, lockdown does not affect the business. Delivering directly to the customers gives a personalized touch and helps businesses too. Also, the idea of using contemporary cooking without comprising the Indian flavor and Indian roots is amazing. Personally, I like his way of cooking because somewhere I see myself in his cooking. I love fusion cooking.

Farmers assignment gave me the inspiration of becoming a farmer one day and this assignment gave me the hope of opening an innovative food business in the future. Maybe I can use my own produce from the farm to create a delicious innovative recipe, farm to the table :) 

References

Chen, P. (2021). Toronto chef Miheer Shete, founder of Curryish, on how to spice up your life. thestar.com. Retrieved 8 April 2021, from https://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2021/03/11/toronto-chef-miheer-shete-founder-of-curryish-on-how-to-spice-up-your-life.html.

Doss, S. (2021). Delivery for Diwali: Suresh's picks for fine dining and gelato at home | CBC News. CBC. Retrieved 8 April 2021, from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/suresh-diwali-food-picks-1.5799021.

Curryish, A. (2020). Taste Indian, inspiration Canadian. Curryish. Retrieved 7 April 2021, from https://curryish.ca/.


April 4, 2021

Nutrition and Special Diet / Gluten-Free Diet



Taub, B., 2019. Gluten-Free Diet 101: A Complete Scientific Guide. [image] Available at: <https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/gluten-free-diet/> [Accessed 4 April 2021].

Gluten-Free Diet 

It is a diet that excludes food that containing gluten. Gluten is a type of protein that is found in wheat, rye, and barley. The main purpose of a gluten-free diet is for people who have celiac disease. It helps to ease digestive symptoms, reduce chronic inflammation, boost energy and promote weight loss. In recent days, it has also become popular among people who haven't been diagnosed with gluten-related medical conditions because of its health benefits. 

Apart from Celiac disease, people follow a gluten-free diet for many reasons like gluten sensitivity, gluten intolerance, etc but need careful attention while selecting food and ingredients. Gluten is present in most foods. Fruits and vegetables, non-processed meat, fish, poultry, eggs, beans, nuts, seeds, and dairy products are naturally gluten-free products. And grains like quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, cornmeal, millet, and rice are safe to consume as long they do not come in boxed with seasoning. There are many gluten-free products available in the market which are usually made with rice and gluten-free flours. But they are not healthy because of their high sugar content and also, they are low in fiber than the foods they replace. Few gluten-free flours are rice, soy, corn, potato, and bean flours. 

Packaged gluten-free foods. [Photography]. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest.
https://quest.eb.com/search/132_1251084/1/132_1251084/cite

Celiac disease is an auto-immune disorder that occurs when you eat gluten foods. It is also known as Celiac sprue, Nontropical sprue, or Gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Gluten is nothing but a protein that is available in wheat, barley, rye, and other grains. Gluten is what makes the dough elastic and gives bread its chewy texture. When People who have celiac disease eat something with gluten, their body reacts to the protein and damages their Villi, small finger-like projections found along with a wall of the small intestine. When villi get damaged, the small intestine cannot absorb nutrients from food which leads to malnourishment, loss of bone density, infertility, and neurological diseases. 

Most people will never know that they have celiac disease. Because the damage of the intestine is very slow and symptoms are so varied that it can take years to get a diagnosis. People with celiac disease often experience stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation, rashes, bloating, anemia, weight loss, depression, etc. Though the person who has gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity shares some same symptoms, they don't show an immune response or damage to the small intestine. If they are allergic to wheat and consume it, symptoms like itchy or watery eyes or breathing difficulties occur. If the celiac disease doesn't get better after a year without gluten, then it is called refractory or non-responsive celiac disease. 

Non-Celiac gluten sensitivity people do not test positive for Celiac disease and wheat allergy. But when they consume gluten-rich foods, will feel uncomfortable and experience stomach-related issues. 


Macmillan, C., 2019. Is a Gluten-Free Diet Right for You?. [image] Available at <https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/gluten-sensitive-or-intolerant> [Accessed 4 April 2021].

There is a myth that a gluten-free diet is healthier but it is not true except for people who experience celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Few problems that occur when switching to a gluten-free diet without any medical symptoms are lack of fiber, essential vitamins, and minerals. The popularity of the gluten-free diet is increasing because of the health benefits, availability of gluten-free products in the stores, and self-diagnosed gluten sensitivity. 

Completely avoiding gluten is challenging. Also, the gluten-free diet is not budget-friendly. Eating in restaurants will become challenging. Though many restaurants provide gluten-free recipes on their menu, there is a chance of food being contaminated with traces of gluten. A person with celiac disease or gluten intolerance should check for the ingredients and talk to the chef before ordering in the restaurant. There is a chance of adding flour in soup and gravies for thickening, meat might have dusted or breaded with flour, breaded foods might have fried in the same oil as other fried foods, etc. 

Common food allergies in Canada: 


    Food allergies. [Photography]. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. https://quest.eb.com/search/132_1252729/1/132_1252729/cite

People often get confused with food allergies and food intolerance. A food allergy is an immune system that reacts to specific foods. The substance that people are allergic to is called an allergen. When the allergen is consumed, it causes an allergic reaction in the digestive or respiratory systems. Common symptoms are wheezing, breathing difficulties, vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes, or hives. When the body cannot properly digest that food that is eaten or that a particular food irritates the digestive system, it is called food intolerance. And the common symptoms are nausea, gas, cramps, diarrhea, headaches, or nervousness. 

According to Food allergy Canada, certain food is listed as a priority food allergens as these lists are associated with 90% of allergic reactions in Canada. Eggs, Milk, Mustard, Peanuts, Seafoods, sesame seeds, soy, sulfites, tree nuts, and wheat are some of the priority allergens. People can be allergic to many foods but these are the common ones. According to Health Canada's food labeling regulations, the food industry should mention the top priority allergens as well as gluten sources and sulfites on the food label. Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that is very severe and may cause death. People who have such allergic reactions should carry an epinephrine auto-injector, e.g Epipen which contains life-saving medication to treat the reaction. 

People who have such types of allergies should be cautious in choosing food.  People are much more aware of food allergies and their risks than before. Many schools have basic guidelines about what students can bring in their lunches. Even in restaurants, allergens are mentioned clearly in the menu card or on food labels. Cross-contamination is one of the reasons cause food allergies in the kitchen.
Cross-contamination can happen by mistake when a small amount of food allergen accidentally gets mixed with the other food. 

In my past work experience, I had no experience in dealing with people with food allergies but we had given the training to prevent food allergens from getting mixed up in the food or while packing food. If ever I have to deal with a client who has one or more allergies, I will follow the following measures.
  • Make sure to clean and sanitize the area after each use to prevent allergen residues. 
  • Make sure to store the allergens in separate places. 
  • Make sure that is proper communication between the front and backend staff. 
  • Make sure to use the ingredients properly. 
For example, if the person has both priority allergy and celiac disease, I will try to spend time with the customer to understand the allergens that trigger and prepare food based on the customer's health condition. 

Preparing a gluten-free diet avoiding the top allergens is not an easy task as most of the recipes contain gluten and the ingredients listed on the priority listing. For this assignment, I decided to take a regular roti and convert it into gluten-free roti without losing its nutritional value. I have replaced the wheat flour using Rice flour. In order to compensate for the loss of fiber, I have included apples in the recipe. The addition of Moong dal gives sufficient protein to the dish. 

Apple & Zucchini Rice Roti is a delicious savory roti prepared using rice flour, moong dal, apple, zucchini, and herbs. This roti is quite easy to prepare and pairs perfectly with chutney and sambhar. 


Ingredients used in the recipe: 

Flour: I have used rice flour in this recipe instead of wheat flour. Millet flour-like little millet, barnyard can also be used. 

Proteins: Moong dal is added as protein in the recipe. It is washed, soaked for 2-3 hours, and then ground coarsely to add to the flour. 

Vegetables & Fruits: Apple and zucchini are added to the recipe. Any vegetables like carrot, green leaves, cabbage can be included. 

Herbs: Coriander leaves and curry leaves are included in the recipe which enhances the flavor of the dish. 

Fat: Oil is used in this recipe to cook roti. Canola or olive oil can be used. 

Spices: Cumin is used in this recipe. Dry red chili flakes are used for spiciness. Adjust the quantity according to taste bud. 

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup Moong dal 
1 Cups Rice flour 
1 Apple, grated 
1 Zucchini, grated 
1 Tsp Cumin seeds 
1/2 Tsp Dry red chili flakes
Few fresh coriander leaves 
Fresh Curry leaves 
Salt to taste 
Oil 
Water as needed 

Method: 

Wash and soak Moong dal for 2-3 hrs. 


Drain the water,  grind it coarsely and add it to a bowl.

  


Add rice flour followed by apple, zucchini, cumin seeds, fresh coriander leaves, curry leaves, and salt. 

         
                                                                        

Add water to the flour and knead it to a soft dough. 




Divide the prepared dough into equal-sized balls. 


Take one dough ball and flatten it to a thin round. 



Heat a tbsp of oil on a griddle pan on medium heat and place the flattened roti on it. 



Cook both sides until it gets cooked. 


Repeat the process for the remaining dough. Serve hot. 


Apple & Zucchini Steamed Rice balls 

The same dough can be steamed and made more healthy. No oil is needed for this recipe. Make small balls out of the prepared dough and steam it for 7-8 mins. 



                                                    


Serving Options: 

Serve hot with Chutney or Sambhar. 

Reflection: 

Preparing a gluten-free recipe avoiding top allergens was a great challenge. During this research, I noticed that I have been using mustard a lot in our regular cooking for tempering. Mustard is one of the allergens. Also, noticed that dairy is used a lot in many forms of cooking. Ghee is used a lot in cooking for tempering and preparing roti/dosa. Peanut is also used in cooking for tempering and chutneys. The above recipe is usually prepared using wheat flour. Since wheat has gluten, I substituted it with rice flour. The addition of vegetables and moong dal increased the nutritious value and also, the taste. The changes I made did not disappoint me. In fact, the change enhanced the flavor and made it more delicious than regular roti. I am planning to prepare this recipe in the future too with the addition of more vegetables like carrot tops(greens), green leaves, grated carrot, grated cabbage, etc. 

Some gluten-free recipes...


References:

Topper, A. (2014, November 21). Non-celiacs drive gluten-free market growth. Retrieved April 08, 2021, from http://www.mintel.com/blog/food-market-news/gluten-free-consumption-trends.

Ratini, M. (2020, July 7). Celiac disease: Symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, risk factors. Retrieved April 08, 2021, from https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/celiac-disease/celiac-disease

Waldbieser, J. (2018, August 31). 12 things that happen to your body when you give up gluten. Retrieved April 08, 2021, from https://www.thehealthy.com/food/how-body-changes-when-gluten-free

Clinic, M. (2021, March 18). The good news is that you don't have to go grain-free. Retrieved April 08, 2021, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/gluten-free-diet/art-20048530

Food Allergy Canada, A. (2020, July 17). Priority food allergens. Retrieved April 08, 2021, from https://foodallergycanada.ca/food-allergy-basics/food-allergies-101/what-are-food-allergies/priority-food-allergens

Food safety, I. (2019, April 09). Preventing allergic reactions in your food business. Retrieved April 08, 2021, from https://www.foodsafety.com.au/blog/preventing-allergic-reactions-your-food-business

Food Allergy Canada, A. (2021, January 15). Avoiding cross-contamination. Retrieved April 08, 2021, from https://foodallergycanada.ca/living-with-allergies/day-to-day-management/avoiding-cross-contamination/
































February 21, 2021

Profile a Farmer - Sundance Harvest Farm

 Bob Weber, A. (2019). Report suggests agriculture needs changes to save climate and Canadian farmers [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/report-suggests-agriculture-needs-changes-to-save-climate-and-canadian-farmers-1.4726376

Introduction to farming and farming methods:

Farmers are the backbone of every country. A farmer is a person who grows crops or keeps animals for people for food and raw materials. I really have massive respect for them as they work very hard inspite of any climatic conditions. We need doctors, lawyers, policemen, and other professionals once in our life but we need farmers every day and in every meal of our life. I still remember my mother's anger and her saying whenever I waste food during my childhood days. She always reminds me to think of people who work on a farm all day long before wasting food. To be honest, it took so long for me to understand, and now I repeat that to my kid. We really have to thank them because they are the major reason to enjoy our food.

Farming is a part of agriculture and there are different types of farming practiced all over the world. A few important types of farming are: 

Arable - This type of farming involves growing crops and particularly in a warm climate. 

Pastoral Farming - This type of farming involves animals and only practiced in cold and wet climates. This farming is not ideal for growing crops. 

Mixed Farming - This type of farming involves both the growing crops and rearing of animals in the same piece of land. This farming type reduces the risk of making losses due to climatic conditions. 

Subsistence Farming - This type of farming involves both crops and animals but purely done for personal use. 

Commercial Farming - The main purpose of this type of farming is to make a profit and involves both crops and animals. 

Extensive and Intensive farming - Intensive farming is a method that uses high inputs and advanced agriculture techniques to increase the overall yield. In extensive farming, more and more land is brought under cultivation to increase the yield.

Nomadic Farming - In this type of farming, the farmers move from one place to another in search of pasture and land. 

Sedentary Farming - In this type of farming, the crops are grown and cultivated in the same land for many years. 

Poultry Farming - This type of farming involves the rearing of poultry animals like chicken and turkey for their meat and eggs. 

Fish Farming - This type of farming is also known as aquaculture. This involves raising fish in large tanks and ponds. 

Every type of farming practices different farming methods according to their climatic and environmental conditions. Since agriculture has a direct impact on the environment, following the proper farming method is essential. Conventional and Organic farming are the two methods followed in most places. The conventional method of farming relies on chemicals to fight against pests and weeds, and to provide nutrition to the plants. This is an unnatural farming method and the pesticides used are dangerous to our health whereas organic farming relies on natural farming methods. Organic farming is done to increase sustainability, biodiversity and it also, encourage good soil and quality air. 

The awareness of sustainable farming has been increased and there are many sustainable farmers around who care about the environment. This is the smarter approach to farming to control soil degradation and environmental pollution etc. Sustainable farming does not have to be only organic. There are many methods and practices involved like permaculture, bio-dynamic farming, hydroponics and aquaponics, urban farming, polycultures and crop rotation, etc.  

Permaculture - This method gives farmers a way to achieve more productivity and yield while doing it in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way than conventional methods. 

Urban Farming - It is a practice of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in and around urban areas. 

Polycultures - It is a form of sustainable farming in which many varieties of crops are grown simultaneously or in a crop rotation. 

Biodynamic farming - This is similar to organic farming but advance than organic. Both organic and biodynamic farming are grown without chemicals and GMOs. But biodynamic follows a holistic practice where all things(plants, animals, and solar systems) are considered living interrelated systems. This method creates healthier plants and helps to restore the soil with nutrients. 

And coming to today's Profile a Farmer assignment, I chose Cheyenne who is the founder of Sundance Harvest Farm. I personally admire her and have huge respect for the work she does. I got to know about her farm through our Theory of Food Professor in the First Semester and since then, I follow her Instagram page. The first thing which really impressed me was her age. Having an average age of farmer as 50 in Canada, she is just 23 years old. This gives motivation and encouragement for the younger generation to succeed in farming. 

About the farmer: 


Cheyenne, A. (2021). Cheyenne Sundance, Founder and Farmer [Image]. Retrieved from Chayenne, A. Sundance Harvest. Retrieved 21 February 2021, from https://www.sundanceharvestfarm.com/

Cheyenne Sundance is a self-taught farmer and, a food and community justice advocate. She is also on the board of Food Secure Canada. She grew up dealing with food insecurity which made her become a farmer to see true equity in agriculture. She shared in one of her interviews that when she thought of starting her own farm, she was told an unpaid internship which made her really upset because according to her, labor is labor and unpaid labor is exploitation.

Cheyenne did not go to school but she gained her agriculture experience while working in Cuba. At the age of 17, she learned organic farming, hunting, and tobacco gardening as well as food justice and socialist ideas. She moved to Toronto in 2018 with the dream of getting a job in Urban agriculture but no one hired her because of the racism. So out of frustration, she started her own farm with a little space and she was able to grow a lot of food for her community.

With her own hard work and struggle, she created an ethical and non-exploitative black femme farm with 240 square feet. She likes growing food because of the independence it brings to her and her community. Also, she offers free education to marginalized youth and her main focus is on food justice. She offers resources and knowledge to the black people community, indigenous people, a person with disabilities, and LGBT people to empower themselves and to start their own food and land sovereignty movement. In addition, recently she launched a community farm fundraiser to expand her business. 

Her philosophy of choosing the farm is to see equity in agriculture. As she faced food insecurity because of racism, she wanted to help her community. She also has launched many programs like growing in the margins, Liberating lawns, etc. which helps mainly BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of color). 

Growing in the Margins:

Growing in the margins is a 12-week free urban agriculture mentorship program that provides education to low-income youth who faces barriers within the food system. This allows participants to gain confidence and be independent to create their own food system. In addition to growing in the margins, she runs her own farm school which is open to gardeners, students, activists, etc. 


Cheyenne, A. Growing in the Margins [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.sundanceharvestfarm.com/gitm

Liberating Lawns: 

Liberating lawns is a yard sharing project which helps BIPOC youth food growers to grow their own food. This a popular way to help people who want to grow fresh and local produce but don't have access to land to grow. In this project, growers and landowners make an agreement and grow organic produce. No money is allowed to charge for the land instead growers shares their produce with landowners. The organic practice is a mandatory rule and must not use pesticides.

If you are interested in following her Instagram page, look for @sundanceharvest 


Cheyenne, A. SundanceHarvest [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/sundanceharvest/

She leases space in Toronto and nurtures her organically grown green-house produce. The type of farming which she practices is Urban farming. As I mentioned above in the definition of Urban farming, she grows and distributes with the community. Starting this April, her grown produce will be available for delivery and pickup through her weekly CSA and in Dufferin Grove Farmers Market. CSA is community-supported agriculture where farmers get a stable income directly from the consumers. 

She grows mainly roots and greens using organic growing methods. Swiss Chard, Kale, Radish, Fennel, Tomatoes, Collards, Spinach, Bok Choy, Cucumbers, Baby beet - vegetables and different varieties of herbs were grown in her farm. 


Cheyenne, A. (2020). Second planting of Salanova [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/CHnuGDLgqWG/

Since cheyenne has taken a break, her ecological grown produce will be available from April. And as mentioned in the above image, for $30, 7 varieties of products are distributed which include herbs, vegetables, and greens. 

In terms of sustainability, Sundance Harvest Farm follows the principles of Urban agriculture. Sustainable urban agriculture is supportive of environmental health since it requires low input of water and no use of pesticides. Also, it supports economic profitability by reducing the transportation cost of shipping between producers to markets. In addition, Urban agriculture also offers a wide range of other functions like nutrient cycling, microclimate control, urban greening, community socialization, preservation of cultural heritage, and education. 

When I compared the above products with Loblaws, I found Cheyenne's product is just 3-4 dollars higher than Loblaws. But considering in terms of sustainability, her farming practices, and principles behind the farm, I feel it is worth the buy. I feel the price is quite reasonable that most of them can afford to buy and also consuming organically grown produce has many nutritional benefits. 

Personally, I love greens leafy vegetables. I really get motivated to buy fresh green vegetables whenever I see her Instagram post. I still remember the post which she posted on November 16, 2020, lovely fresh collard greens which made me buy collard for the first time and try Collard wrap. In one of her interviews, she mentioned that growing kale and swiss chard is easy compared to other greens and also it is healthy. 


Chayenne, A. (2020). My body is heavy but my soul is light [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/CHqknXFgy-K/

In the future, if I get a chance to buy her weekly CSA (produce box), I want to prepare the following recipe. 

Kale bunch - Kale and lentils Curry, Kale and bean soup

Salad Mix - Chicken salad wrap 

Parsley - Gremolata 

Bunch of Beets - Roasted beets with feta salad, Stuffed beet leaves wrap 

Snap peas - Garlic snap peas stir fry

Chard bunch - Swiss chard Quiche 

Pea shoots - Pasta using pea shoots 

I really enjoyed this assignment. I learned that it is essential for everyone to know where our food comes from and how it is grown, what method is used for farming and what impact does it gives on the environment. It was absolutely great learning about farming and Cheyenne's Sandance Harvest Farm. I am aware that farmers work very hard but never knew that they also have a huge responsibility to the environment. My respect for their work grew more after this assignment. This assignment was an eye-opener for me and great learning to understand many sustainable farmers around.  My perspective of Famers changed a lot now and wish in the future, I could become a responsible farmer. And also, wish I could get a chance to work at least for a day on the Sundance harvest farm. 

I really appreciate her philosophy of choosing this farm to run in an ethical way. Since her practice supports the environment and provides equal rights to the employees, I feel this is the right choice for her career. She should continue this and expand her business which eventually helps many people.

Our farmers are dedicated to their work to give the best quality products. So supporting local farmers and buying from them will help to build community and also, ensure that there will be farms in our community in the future. 

References:

Rodale Institute, A. Organic vs Conventional - Rodale Institute. Retrieved 21 February 2021, from https://rodaleinstitute.org/why-organic/organic-basics/organic-vs-conventional/

Green Tumble, A. (2015). 10 Sustainable Farming Methods and Practices | Greentumble. Retrieved 21 February 2021, from https://greentumble.com/10-sustainable-farming-methods-and-practices/

Krishnan S., Nandwani D., Smith G., Kankarta V. (2016) Sustainable Urban Agriculture: A Growing Solution to Urban Food Deserts. In: Nandwani D. (eds) Organic Farming for Sustainable Agriculture. Sustainable Development and Biodiversity, vol 9. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26803-3_15

Bob Weber, A. (2019). Report suggests agriculture needs changes to save climate and Canadian farmers [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/report-suggests-agriculture-needs-changes-to-save-climate-and-canadian-farmers-1.4726376

Cheyenne, A. Sundance Harvest. Retrieved 21 February 2021, from https://www.sundanceharvestfarm.com/

Cheyenne, A. (2021). Cheyenne Sundance, Founder and Farmer [Image]. Retrieved from Chayenne, A. Sundance Harvest. Retrieved 21 February 2021, from https://www.sundanceharvestfarm.com/

Cheyenne, A. Growing in the Margins [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.sundanceharvestfarm.com/gitm

Chayenne, A. (2020). My body is heavy but my soul is light [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/CHqknXFgy-K/

Cheyenne, A. (2020). Second planting of Salanova [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/CHnuGDLgqWG/








February 13, 2021

Nutrition Introduction

Nutrition! Well, we all hear a lot about the word "Nutrition" but there is always a misconception about it. People always think of nutrition as dieting and diet is only for weight loss which is totally wrong. Nutrition is all about eating a healthy and balanced meal. I strongly believe that nutrition is important for everyone to keep their body fit and healthy. Importantly, nutrition plays a significant role in the culinary industry.  Anyone can cook but cooking with the knowledge of nutrition holds a massive advantage. Maintaining a healthy diet majorly helps many ways especially in reducing the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetics, cancer, etc. 

We all know that cooking food will lead to some amount of nutrition loss, so it is the responsibility of the Chef to understand the nutrients of each ingredient in order to cook delicious food without losing its nutritious value. Nutrition in the culinary industry is widely increasing around the world because of two major reasons: Social media and Government. 

Nowadays people are more conscious about their diet and food choices because of the media's influence and it has both positive and negative impacts. Because of the influence, the rise of superfoods in the market is enormous. Superfood is a nutrient-rich food that is beneficial for a healthy body. Chia seeds, avocado, quinoa are some of the examples of superfoods. Many changes are happening currently in the culinary industry because of the influence. Many restaurants started altering their menu by incorporating these superfoods like avocado in the wrap, replacing rice with quinoa, chia seeds in salads, etc. Chia seeds are also used in substitute with eggs. These changes are in trend now and eventually, this trend will increase more in the future.

And also, apart from the media, government plays a major role in increasing nutrition in the culinary field. The government contributes their part in promoting nutrition by introducing the habit of eating healthy food from the elementary school. It is saddening that kids are mostly influenced by food and beverage marketing and according to Food Secure Canada, the organization has taken active steps to control the marketing of food and beverage which is high in salt, fat, and sugar to young children. This action will not only promote positive food choices to children, slowly it will change the eating habits of adults and helps to incorporate nutritious food in everyday lives as well as in the culinary field. 

The recent rise in personal chef jobs shows how nutrition is increasing in the culinary field. People hire personal chefs in order to maintain a healthier lifestyle. With people getting more conscious about health and with all the evidence above, I believe that nutrition is playing a major role in the culinary field and also, will be more important in the future. 


                            Roth, S. (2019). Nutrition FAQs [Image]. Retrieved from https://uwaterloo.ca/campus-wellness/blog/topic/nutrition-faqs

My topic of interest in Nutrition:

The one nutrition topic that interests me is Metabolism. Growing up, I have heard many people talking about metabolism especially when they discuss weight loss. So, I always had a misconception that metabolism is much important only for weight loss until I did a little research on that particular topic. According to Medical News Today, metabolism refers to a biochemical process that occurs in all living organisms to lead and maintain a healthy life.

                Colorado University, A. Metabolism [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.research.colostate.edu/healthyagingcenter/aging-basics/metabolism/

Food consists of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. These substances are broken down in the digestive system by enzymes and carried to the cell where are used as energy. The body either use it immediately or store it for later use. So, the process of converting food into the energy that allows the body to function is called metabolism. There is a myth that people who are slim have high metabolism than people who are fat. Metabolism refers to Catabolism and Anabolism. Catabolism is nothing but the breaking down of compounds to release energy and Anabolism is reverse to Catabolism, which building up compounds to use energy. Our body weight is the result of the amount of energy released minus the amount of energy gained. The excess energy is stored as fat in our body.

There are many factors that affect the rate of metabolism such a medication, age, sex, etc. Breakfast is one of the essential meals of the day as it helps jumpstart the metabolism and burn calories throughout the day. Age can slow down the metabolism. As we get older, our bodies gain fat and lose muscles. Another critical factor is being less active which slows down metabolism. Physical exercise can be done regularly to boost up metabolism. 

Hormonal problems and underlying medical conditions affect metabolism. People who are larger or have more muscles will burn more calories when rest. And coming to gender, men have less body fat and more muscle which helps them to burn calories fat than women. 

People think that gaining or losing bodyweight is only because of metabolism. But there are many factors related to weight gains like hormonal changes, diet, genetic issues, and lifestyle changes like stress, sleep, and physical activity. 

These are the basic information I know about metabolism and I would like to learn more on this topic. 

Comparing Nutrition blog and Websites to find a reliable website:

Personally, I do not follow any particular diet but I always believe that consuming fresh produce, cooking at home, and eating balanced meals helps in leading a healthy lifestyle. Nowadays, people are more reliable on social media and search engines for everything. There are many nutritional blogs/websites in a google platform and to be honest, it is really confusing which one to follow to get the right credentials. When I tried to understand how to identify a reliable nutritional website, I found that there are many points to remember like the domain of the website, author, author qualification, etc to check the credibility. 

The website named "Peasandhoppiness" helped me to understand few facts on how to identify credible nutritional information. To understand the difference between reliable and non-reliable sources,  I have selected a couple of nutritional websites. For a reliable source of website, the link https://uwaterloo.ca/health-services/nutrition-services/right-stuff-reliable-nutrition-and-health-websites helped to find the trustful information. After looking at all the websites, I ended up selecting Dietitians of Canada as my reliable source. And for the comparison, I googled and ended up selecting Nutritionbyamy as my non-reliable source. 



                                                

When I started my comparison I found the following few differences: 

About Section: 

In the About section, the Dietician of Canada website gives a detailed history of when the association started. Also, the details are updated frequently. Whereas on Nutritionbyamy website, I do not find any professional information. 



Author and Author Qualification: 

The Dietician of Canada website does not have a particular author but provides more information on registered dieticians. Also, the page gives details of regulated health professionals. The author of Nutritionbyamy is Amy Conrad and she is a registered, nutritional therapist and emotional eating coach.

Advertisement and Selling: 

Dietician of Canada website does not include any advertisement and no evidence of selling any products whereas Amy's website has a separate tab for shopping and it shows that the website making some profit out of it. 


Contact information:

The dietician of Canada website provides all basic information (contact number, address, and email id) to get connected with the regulated health professionals whereas there is no contact information apart from the social media connect in Amy's webpage. 

Other Information:

The privacy policy is without any ambiguity on the Dietician of Canada website. In addition, the website provides more information on insurance, the board of directors' details, and the Annual report. There is also a search engine available to find the nearest dietician according to your locality. 

Based on the comparison above, I believe that the Dietician of Canada is more reliable and trustworthy. Since there are infinite types of blogs and websites available on diet and nutrition, it is important to follow the right one to get benefited. I hope this comparison helps someone to identify a reliable website. This comparison helped me to understand the major difference between Nutritionist and registered dietician. Though both of them provide nutritional services, the registered dietician is regulated by the college of dieticians and they have a license that is regulated in Ontario. The advice from a registered dietician is thought to be more accurate and safe. I also found that since registered dietician follows an evidence-based approach, it reduces the overall risk of their clients. 

References: 

Mayo Clinic, A. What exactly is metabolism?. Retrieved 13 February 2021, from https://diet.mayoclinic.org/diet/move/what-is-metabolism?xid=nl_MayoClinicDiet_20150910

Calhoun Rice, S. (2018). Nutrition and Metabolism Disorders. Retrieved 13 February 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/nutrition-metabolism-disorders

Mayo Clinic, A. (2020). Can you boost your metabolism?. Retrieved 13 February 2021, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/metabolism/art-20046508

Waterloo, U. Reliable nutrition and health websites | Campus Wellness. Retrieved 13 February 2021, from https://uwaterloo.ca/campus-wellness/health-services/nutrition-services/reliable-nutrition-and-health-websites

Kent, A. (2016). 5 Steps for Identifying Credible Nutrition Information Online — Peas & Hoppiness by Ann Kent. Retrieved 13 February 2021, from https://peasandhoppiness.com/nutrition/2016/12/11/5-steps-for-identifying-credible-nutrition-information

Dieticians of Canada, A. (2020). Dietitians of Canada - About Dietitians of Canada. Retrieved 13 February 2021, from https://www.dietitians.ca/About/About-Dietitians-of-Canada

Amy, N. Retrieved 13 February 2021, from https://www.nutritionbyamy.ca/

Foodsecurecanada, A. About Canada's Healthy Eating Strategy. Retrieved 13 February 2021, from https://foodsecurecanada.org/healthy-eating-strategy-take-action

Nutrition Clinic, M. (2019). What is a Registered Dietitian?. Retrieved 13 February 2021, from https://mintnutritionclinic.com/blogs/nutrition-for-life/what-is-a-registered-dietitian

Roth, S. (2019). Nutrition FAQs [Image]. Retrieved from https://uwaterloo.ca/campus-wellness/blog/topic/nutrition-faqs

Colorado University, A. Metabolism [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.research.colostate.edu/healthyagingcenter/aging-basics/metabolism/