Sandra enjoys sharing her practical knowledge, healthy eating strategies and tasty food ideas -
"Nutrition for the Best of Health!"
Longo's is pleased to have Sandra Saville, RD, registered Dietitian and Nutrition Consultant, offering her expertise on the nutrition issues important to you. Sandra brings her practical healthy eating strategies and tasty food ideas directly to Longo's customers through in-store seminars, flyer tips and monthly web advice.

Download and print from Sandra's Download Centre helpful healthy living templates.

Can you share any healthy grilling tips and suggestions?

Answer:

Warm weather – bring out the grill! Why cook indoors and heat up the house? Enjoy the convenience of cooking meals on the barbecue.

A barbecue is an outdoor grill and oven, which opens us up to many meal ideas to cook on the grill!

Meats like beef, pork and chicken are the most popular items to grill. Why not enjoy lamb, turkey and veal on the grill? Choose lean meats like loin and round beef cuts, lean and extra lean ground beef, pork tenderloin and skinless chicken. Seafood can be cooked on the grill, including fish fillets or steaks like salmon, trout, even grilled scallops and shrimp.

Marinade meats to tenderize, add flavour and impart health benefits.

Barbecue marinades typically include a mixture of oil and a type of acid like lemon juice, lime juice, various vinegars, wine, tomato based sauces, fruit juices, and herbs and spices. My family enjoys a super easy marinade shortcut, and uses Western Family Italian salad dressing – a tasty, ready made marinade!

The acids in the marinades may help to counteract the formation of advanced glycation end products (ACE) chemicals that are released upon grilling and are linked with certain diseases.

Vegetarian grilling options include: soy, veggie and bean burgers, grilled tofu and Portobello mushrooms.

To prevent items from sticking to the grill, brush the grill lightly with Longo’s oil.

Add extra flavour to grilled meats with Longo’s grilling oils and rubs along with various spices, including oregano, basil, cayenne, celery seed, cumin, thyme, tarragon, parsley, mustard powder, curry, garlic, nutmeg, onion, oregano, cinnamon, ginger, cilantro, sage and red pepper flakes.

Avoid charring food. Smoke and flare-ups can form polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Reduce the temperature and marinade food to protect against the formation of these potential carcinogens.

Cook the entire meal on the barbecue, from appetizers of grilled artichokes, bruschetta, sweet potato coins, meat, roasted vegetables, potatoes, to fruit for dessert.


Vegetables to Cook on the Grill:

Asparagus

Beets

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage wedges

Carrots

Corn

Daikon radish

Eggplant

Fennel

Garlic (roasted)

Mushrooms

Onions

Peppers

Potato

Pumpkin

Squash

Sugar peas

Tomatoes

Yam

Zucchini


Fruits to Cook on the Grill

Apricot

Apple

Banana

Cherries

Clementine

Grapefruit

Kiwi fruit

Lemon

Lime

Mango

Melons

Oranges

Peaches

Pears

Pineapple

Papaya

Strawberry

Watermelon


Grilling offers endless options for healthy and flavourful summer meals!


Leafy Greens and Summer Salads


Summer is the perfect time to enjoy leafy greens in salads, and to create main course salad meals.

Salad greens are healthy and low calorie for those watching their summer bathing suit figures. A two cup serving of loose leaf lettuce contains 15 calories!

Add a variety of salad greens to your meals. Enjoy romaine, boston , bib, and various salad mixes that Longo’s has to offer. Add other greens to salads, like chicory, endive, escarole, spinach, radicchio, cos, dandelion, and dutch and savoy cabbages.

Typically the more intense the green color of the salad greens, the more nutrients they contain.

Most salad greens are a good source of beta carotene, calcium, fibre, folic acid and iron.

Mesclun mix is high in calcium, iron, fibre and very rich in vitamins A and C.

Spinach is rich in the phytonutrients lutein and zeaxanthin, which are health promoting plant chemicals.

Health Canada recommends we eat at least one dark green vegetable each day.

Wash salad greens and dry well. Store the greens in a container or bag with two paper towels. The towels absorb moisture, and keep the greens dry, so they will not rust or spoil as quickly. When salad greens are washed and ready to eat, get into a healthy habit, and enjoy as a salad, in sandwiches and wraps.

While the weather is warm, why not enjoy a main course salad as a meal?


Mix and Match Ingredients to Add to Your Salad:

Chopped boiled egg

Longo’s pumpkin seeds

Western Family canned tuna

shrimp

Sliced chicken breast

Longo’s “Hold the salt” Nuts, assorted varieties

Western Family canned beans (assorted varieties)

surimi

Leftover cooked steak or pork chop  shaved or cut in strips

Longo’s grilled tuna

Longo’s assorted cheese, grated, shaved, cubed

Vegetarian soy products

Longo’s sunflower seeds

Western Family canned salmon

Thawed edamame beans

Tofu, cubed

Add color, flavour and more nutrients to your salad, with extra vegetables and fruits: carrot, peppers, celery, radishes, mushrooms, onions, artichokes, turnip, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, mango slices, peach slices, pear wedges and cubed watermelon, melons and more.

Salad dressings – add your favourite Western Family Salad Dressing, or create your own salad dressings with Longo’s olive oil or the variety of oils Longo’s offers, various vinegars, crushed garlic, and assorted fresh herbs or seasonings.

Enjoy healthy summer salads!

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