Food Fads Don't Work

Quick, easy and healthy Family Meals

By Sandi Richard

Ok people, let's talk. It's September and you know what that means. We all start reorganizing our lives. It feels like we have a chance to start new. Sometimes we might be tempted to buy the book with the weird food fad that's going to solve all our problems. If you are an average North American, statistically the staying power of your new fad is about two weeks. That's it, folks. No wonder you then feel guilty, horrible, like you have no self-discipline. I know how you feel, though, I used to be addicted to those books I would buy into the science (because we are taught to trust science), get super-keen, only to feel like a failure within weeks. Here's something to ponder--the two top selling food fad books in North America last year went like this: one says you must never combine a carb with a protein and the other says you must always combine a carb with a protein. I rest my case. Join the crowd or be your own person. Here is a sure way to get on a better track:

Eat normal food

That you love which is easy to prepare -- no boxed suppers. Know what you are eating for supper at the beginning of the day. This way you will not eat similar things during the day and that will automatically balance your carbs and fats appropriately.

Exercise

I had a heck of a time with this, which really surprised me because I was very active when I was younger. I wasn't the prize winning athlete, I just liked activity. As I got older and had kids, I felt like someone sucked the life out of me by 8 p.m. okay, okay, 6 p.m. Anyway the fitness experts sure didn't help the situation: "You must exercise for 20 minutes or you won't burn any fat.''

Oh great, thanks a lot. That means it's going to take me 20 minutes to get ready, 20 minutes to exercise and 20 minutes to clean up. I didn't have an hour--that was the problem in the first place. Say to yourself as I did, "I don't care about burning fat, I care about clearing my head. I need a five minute brisk walk to clear my head." You may have to sound like an idiot, like I did, and say it out loud over and over until you actually get out the door. It's amazing what happens once you've gone--all of a sudden the all important things that stood in the way of getting out the door, just aren't that important anymore. You start talking yourself into all the reasons you don't need to go back. You see, it's not the exercise we hate, it's the getting there. Once you're there you feel proud and energized. Therefore the part you need to work on is simply to get yourself out the door for five minutes.

Here's a healthy quick recipe to get you started this fall.

Vegetable Tortellini soup

• 1 onion
• 1 large stalk celery
• 1 large carton chicken broth (30 oz or 900 mL)
• 1 jar Catelli Garden Select pasta sauce Country Mushroom (24.5 oz or 700 mL)
• 2 tsp each prepared garlic and Mrs. Dash Italian seasoning
• 2 cups frozen veggies
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp chili flakes (*if you like food with a little extra kick)
• 4-5 cups fresh cheese tortellini

The night before, chop onion and celery (finely), adding to crockpot as you cut. Add to pot in this order: chicken broth, pasta sauce, garlic, spice, vegetables and water. Stir together and store overnight in the fridge. In the morning, return center pot with cover to the outer crock and set at low heat. When you get home for supper, add tortellini to the pot and set timer for 15 minutes.

Serves 4-6

Does the beginning of a new school year send you running from the kitchen? If you are like most parents, your weekdays are full from the time you wake up, till the time your head hits the pillow. Your schedule is so busy that it seems almost impossible to prepare a meal, much less a healthy one. We have become very dependent on frozen, boxed, and "fast everything. Families are spending less time in the kitchen and a lot less time at the table. Our quest for the quickest and easiest dinners has helped us to grow a size or two, and if you look around you will see that our kids are getting bigger too - it is no secret that childhood obesity is on the rise! So, the next time you rip open a package, drive up to a window, or hear the song of your mircrowave oven calling your name, ask yourself these questions. Is this dinner bringing our family closer together? Is this meal making us healthier? Could I have made something better for us in the same time it took me to get this meal? You may find take-out at home is still giving your family time together - you may even find that your choice is a pretty healthy one, but you will almost always say that you could have prepared something at home - just as quick, if not quicker, and probably much healthier. So, are you still too busy to take a little extra time to make dinner?

Taking the time to prepare meals may seem impossible if you have never been a person who has spent much time in the kitchen. But with a little effort and planning it can be done.