Tag: heart healthy

Recipes

Vinaigrette Caesar Salad Recipe

Bonnie Byrne

Vinaigrette Caesar Salad RecipeCaesar salad is a tasty way to get your daily fiber and servings of vegetables, but unfortunately, the dressing can be chock full of calories. I’ve never been a big fan of creamy Caesar dressings anyway. Some of those dressings contain mayonnaise and mayonnaise is just wrong, on so many levels. That’s why I prefer a good vinaigrette Caesar salad.

The best Caesar salad I’ve ever tasted was at a little restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The waiter made the salad in front of me. First, he grilled two large pieces of romaine lettuce, then he added vinegar, lemon juice, garlic and shaved Parmesan cheese. It was light, crispy and delicious and like no other Caesar salad I’d ever tasted before. I raved about it for weeks. A year later, I was back in Puerto Vallarta. I looked for the restaurant but couldn’t find it. I began to wonder if that tasty salad had just been a dream! And I was kicking myself that I hadn’t written the name of the restaurant down.

The recipe below isn’t exactly the same recipe as the restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, as I’m too lazy to grill the romaine. I have tried to come as close to the taste as I could though. And trust me, once you’ve made this vinaigrette Caesar salad from scratch, you’ll never want to go back to your store-bought salad dressing.

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Vinaigrette Caesar Salad

A low-calorie, delicious Caesar Salad that's easy to prepare and much healthier than its creamy mayonnaise-laden counterpart.

Course Salad
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Salad
Prep Time 10 minutes
Lettuce in water 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 150 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
  • 1 head romaine lettuce
  • 1 clove finely chopped garlic
  • 1/3 cup Unico white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup cup lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp Trestella light Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 tbsp President's Choice Lightly Buttered Sourdough Croutons
  • fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/8 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Whisk together white wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese in a large salad bowl. Set aside.

  2. Chop up romaine lettuce, place in salad spinner, pour cold water inside and let it soak.

  3. Pour out water, spin the lettuce to dry it. 

  4. Add medium amount of lettuce to the salad bowl, that already contains the dressing, then toss. Keep adding lettuce until it's lightly coated.

  5. Add croutons and grind some fresh black pepper then toss again.

  6. Lightly sprinkle shredded Parmesan over the top and serve.

Recipe Notes

If you’re looking for a vegan Worcestershire Sauce option, there are many out there to choose from, including Annie’s Naturals Organic Worcestershire Sauce and the less pricey Compliments brand (sold at stores like Sobeys, IGA and FreshCo).

Also, if you're not a fan of raw garlic, roasted garlic also works well in this salad.

Health

How Our Furry Friends Improve Our Health

Bonnie Byrne

Adopting and owning a pet can be a double-edged sword. They can be high maintenance, expensive and a pain in the butt to clean up after, but what we humans get in return is well worth it. Numerous medical studies have cited that pets not only provide their owners with social interaction, companionship and exercise, but they can also help relieve stress and lower blood pressure.

relieve stress and lower blood pressure
Darcy and Tucker: Although I am a die-hard cat person, the occasional dog or two has won me over.

Dogs and cats can vastly improve their human companions’ physical and mental health, but even horses, birds, turtles and fish can make a difference in their owners’ lives.  Here’s how adopting a pet can improve your life:

Daily Exercise

Nebby: Named after Nebula, a Pokemon character.

I do not like dogs – there, I said it. However, my cold, dog-disliking heart has somewhat softened lately towards little dogs.  Maybe it’s because I know a lot of people who own little dogs. Aside from my opinion on dogs, walking one daily can provide heart-healthy physical activity people may not otherwise get. And dog owners often have the chance to interact with other humans on a regular basis, as people walking their dogs typically appear friendly and approachable. One of my friends and her kids recently moved into a new house and adopted a Shih Tzu, from the Animal Hospital of Cambridge. The little dog, her daughter aptly named Nebby, has helped them get to know their neighbours when they take her out for walks.

Another enjoyable, albeit more expensive, animal that can provide its owner with regular exercise is a horse, of course. Horses are beautiful and gentle creatures and anyone who has gone horseback riding knows it is a great work out for your thighs and glutes. When I worked as a reporter, in a time when Breaking News arrived daily on your front stoop in the form of a newspaper, one of my favourite assignments was writing a feature article on the local horseback riding stables.  Continue reading “How Our Furry Friends Improve Our Health” →

Recipes

It’s Not a Party Without a Bean Salad

Bonnie Byrne

Most summers, my sister and her husband have one blow-out bash at their house on a Saturday in July. It’s usually attended by at least 50 people and to feed everyone they barbecue beef, chicken and pork and the rest of the food is provided through a potluck. One of my favourite side dishes to make for any potluck is German Potato Salad (I will post this recipe at a later date) but my brother-in-law’s mom also makes it, and it’s really good. So, at the first summer bash I attended, I left it to his mom to provide her German Potato Salad to the hungry masses. Meanwhile, I needed an alternative, so I brought another favourite of mine, Chickpea Salad.

As guests were mingling at the potluck table and filling their plates, my sister’s friend turned to her and commented: “Who brings a chick pea salad to a party?” She smirked and replied: “My sister.”

It has now become a running joke, with her friends and mine, that their yearly bash is not really a party if there’s no chickpea salad.

Since then, I’ve modified the recipe, using mixed beans instead of just chickpeas – it’s actually tastier and has less calories – but this recipe will work with either. Enjoy.

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Marvelous Mixed Bean Salad

High fiber, low calorie, vegan salad.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 145 kcal
Author Bonnie Byrne

Ingredients

  • 540 ml can Unico Bean Medley
  • 1/4 cup Unico White Wine Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 carrot finely diced
  • 1 stalk celery finely diced
  • 1/2 medium onion finely diced
  • 1 clove garlic finely diced
  • sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Open a can of Unico Bean Medley, pour it into a strainer and rinse beans well with cold tap water. 

  2. Dice all vegetables on a cutting board.

  3. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl, adding the olive oil and white wine vinegar (more or less than 1/4 cup can be used, according to taste) until they are well coated.

  4. While mixing the ingredients, add sea salt and freshly ground pepper, according to taste.

  5. Can be served immediately or refrigerated for later use. Refrigerate any unused portions for up to three days.

Recipe Notes

*If you replace the Mixed Bean Medley with a can of Chick Peas, the calorie count rises by 40 calories per serving.