Health & Wellness
Jo Knows Nutrition by Joanne Nijhuis
GRILLED HONEY AND GINGER PEACHES – A SIMPLE SUMMER DESSERT SURE TO SURPRISE AND DELIGHT
Transform your bounty of ripe, juicy peaches from ordinary to extraordinary with this simple, yet sophisticated recipe. Featuring in-season fruit, Grilled Honey and Ginger Peaches are a perfect blend of sweet and spicy that take only minutes to prepare. Topped with ice cream, whipping cream or vanilla Greek yogurt, this no-oven dessert is sure to delight at your next summer cookout.
INGREDIENTS
- 6 peaches, halved and pitted
- 5 Tablespoons (75 ml) honey
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vegetable or coconut oil
- 1 ½ Tablespoons (23 ml) fresh ginger, diced or ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) sea salt
- Vanilla ice cream, whipping cream or vanilla Greek yogurt
- Chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds, optional
- Granola, optional
- Chopped fresh mint, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the grill on high until a temperature of 450-475 degrees Fahrenheit (230-245 degrees Celsius) is reached.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the honey, oil, ginger, cinnamon and salt.
- One by one, dip each peach half in the honey mixture and place on a large plate or baking tray covered in wax or parchment paper.
- Transfer the peach halves, cut side down directly onto the grill for 4-5 minutes or until they are slightly tender and there are grill marks visible.
- Plate and serve one or two peach halves topped with vanilla ice cream, whipping cream or vanilla Greek yogurt. Add a sprinkle of chopped nuts, granola or fresh mint leaves, if desired.
ENJOY!
Joanne Nijhuis MSc, RD is a consulting, media and culinary dietitian in Simcoe Grey Bruce on a mission to entertain and educate through her love of food. In addition to recipe development and writing for several publications, Joanne offers cooking demos/classes and individual counselling – in person and online via Zoom Health. For more information, email Joanne at jo.knows.nutrition@outlook.com
Did You Know?
Peaches promote healthy digestion due to their high fibre content, especially if you eat the skins. Peaches contain vitamin C, important for a healthy immune system and beta-carotene, essential for eye health. Thanks to their potassium content, peaches also support heart health by helping to balance sodium levels in the body.
Charlie’s Journey
By Linda Belcourt, Editor
June 20, 2024 – 1953 was post cold-war and 55,000 Canadians never came back home from the war. Canada had an acute shortage of workers. In those days, a 12-year-old boy was measured the same as a man. A farm boy could drive a tractor, a combine, a car or truck, along with dozens of other farm machinery. A 12-year-old could do home night school so that money could be earned during the day to bring in some precious dollars to feed the family. From a young age Charlie grew up with boundless curiosity about the natural world. Many farms, at that time, made and sold all sorts of things, at the local Saturday morning markets. At the age of 12, Charlie began mixing shampoos and soaps at a young age. He had a scientist brain and was fascinated by the natural world.
Charlie’s first bold move as an adult was in 1970 when he builds up a Hair loss Research Institute. Hair loss, or alopecia, is a common condition affecting millions of people worldwide. It can occur due to a variety of factors including genetics, hormonal changes, medical conditions, or aging. While hair loss can be distressing, numerous treatment options are available. Charlie wanted to find a way to regrow hair. Years of rigorous experimentation and countless setbacks followed, but Charlie’s determination never wavered. Finally, he did it! Charlie sold this formula to a large corporation and is being used by one of the top selling hair loss companies. Charlie remained curious and with the help of other scientists from University of Toronto, he came up with a new formula using stinging nettles and Chaga that is superior to the formula he sold. Charlie again started giving it away to prove its effectiveness. He has testimonials that it does work.
Ok so the hair loss mystery solved and Charlie needs someone to carry on the work. Charlie is struggling with health issues but wants someone to take this over. There is a great opportunity for someone that has vison. Not for money but for legacy.
Charlie’s story is a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and scientific inquiry. His journey from a curious child to a pioneering scientist highlights the profound impact that one person’s dedication can have on the world. Through his tireless efforts, Charlie not only brought hope to those suffering from the impact low self-esteem and mental health but also paved the way for future advancements in the treatment of hair loss.
Annie’s Journal by Annie Warner Donnelly, International Correspondent
Hello everyone. As I write this, it’s almost Canada Day; it has special significance for me this year. Spending almost five months in a rural village in Tanzania has given me a deeper appreciation for life here in Canada. Oh, I know, there are things that aren’t just the way we would like them to be, but when we experience how others live, a new understanding can begin to form in our hearts and minds.
Perhaps you went camping on the long weekend. Perhaps you cooked your meals over an open fire. Imagine having to cook that way every day: no four-burner stove or convection oven; no chicken on the barbecue; needing a backup plan for when it rains.
Imagine not having the luxury of shopping in a large grocery store where there’s fresh produce; frozen foods; a variety of canned and packaged goods; many kinds of fresh breads and buns, cakes, muffins and pies.
Imagine having a hard time finding common foods like onions and carrots. Here’s the story of the picture of the six carrots.
The largest carrot cost 500 TSH (Tanzanian Shillings). The second largest carrot cost 400 TSH. The third largest carrot cost 300 TSH. The smallest three carrots cost 200 TSH each. Now, here’s the context. A labourer, a man who might help a mason for a day, usually receives 10,000 TSH for his hard work. If he buys four of the largest carrots for a family meal, he’s just spent 20% of his day’s wages.
How grateful I am for the farmers and their markets where we live; for the merchants who sometimes stock their shelves with food that comes from different parts of the world. They help us to keep certain foods “in season” when our growing season for them has ended.
This Canada Day, let’s stop and observe and be thankful for the blessings God has provided for us right here in our corner of the world, things like fertile soil; the growing power of irrigation; the ability to maintain our health thanks to our farmers; the training we can access to develop a financially stable career that helps us care for our families; the opportunity to create something that didn’t exist before or to improve something that did; the freedom to worship God.
When we need help to persevere through the challenges we face, let’s seek assistance from the agencies in our community who offer support and good advice. As we recognize how things can be better than they are now, may we be the ones to help things along.
Oh, Canada, our home and our native land … God keep our land glorious and free. May we accept the peace God offers to us so that we can offer it to others. May we exhibit faith instead of fear, joy and laughter instead of anger and hate. May we find in each other love, acceptance, encouragement and safety. May we choose to protect the blessings of living in Canada, and may they be ours now and forever. Amen.
Bearbells by Leslie Noonan
June 28, 2024 – Well I did it, the ultimate hikers challenge. Yes, that’s right, I managed to convince my two older teens to actually go out with me into the wilds of Ontario. Of course, I had to lure them out with promises of cliffs to fall off, caves to stumble into and topped off with a trip to Firehouse Subs. I am not above bribery to get my kids outside for some quality time with me.
The Niagara Escarpment never fails to amaze me, with its limestone caves, rocky bluffs and abundant forests. I have been coming to the Nottawasaga Bluffs with my own family since I was a child and wanted to share this beautiful area with my kids. We came down hwy 124 to Singhampton, to Ewing road then to side road 15 & 16 of Nottawasaga. Parking is abundant and well maintained though there is a day fee which is paid through a QR code.
The trail has two entrances from the parking lot, either down the main crushed gravel trail to the east or the smaller Ian Lang Memorial side trail that meanders through fields full of small butterflies and past groves of tall pines. This short side trail meets the gravel trail in less than a kilometer. You can also choose to do the full loop trail which is around 6.7 km and travels around the 400 acre conservation area. While the entire area is breathtaking, most people make a beeline for the Keyhole blue loop or the scenic south bluffs. As you descend down the rocky trail the temperature begins to drop. Soon the limestone rises up around you, draped in the green of algae and ferns. Kids of all ages, including us greying kids, love exploring the rock formations, side passages and squeezing through the small gap that that this side trail is named for. This is also a great area for those who have the Seek app, as there are fungi and slime molds that are hard to find elsewhere. Yep, slime molds, and they look just like they sound.
Next we headed southwest towards the bluff and travelled through old growth forest until large crevices begin to appear next to the trail. The crevices are dark and deep and cold, and in some of the lower caves the ice still remains and your breath frosts in the air. As you continue along the trail the sky brightens as the trees disappear and you stand on a flat rock that drops away to the valley below. The view is spectacular, that is if you are brave enough to get close. Not me,as ten feet away from the edge seems close enough. The trail continues along the top of the bluff and down to some more caves to explore, then loops back out through fields and forests.
There are other popular spots nearby including the Singhampton caves trail and the Nottawasaga Lookout Provincial Park, both located to the north of Singhampton and featuring more limestone caves and cliffs to explore. All together a great family day exploring this beautiful area, and only for the cost of some subs and a motherly guilt trip.
Being Yourself
“The privilege of a lifetime is to be who you truly are.” — Carl Jung
From the time we are young we are shaped by the world around us. Some young children are surrounded by unconditional love in a warm, accepting environment. They are free to explore their world. They may be exposed to a variety of learning experiences and find the world a friendly place. As they grow, they are not afraid to try new things, and have self-confidence.
The opposite situation would be one in which the child is born into a stressful environment, perhaps neglected, even abused. There is a whole range of possibilities that exist for chil-dren. They may be in an environment where they are frightened, afraid of getting in trou-ble, or are constantly criticized or devalued.
How the child moves into adulthood is affected by the past. Their background can have a powerful influence on how they see themselves, and the world. It is not uncommon to find adults who are worried what others might think, are afraid of taking risks, and perhaps are uncomfortable around others.
Their history has resulted a perception of themselves that is quite different from how oth-ers see them. This can strongly influence their life choices and behaviors. They can create a persona which they feel will make them acceptable.
Often by mid-life there can be a sense of unhappiness or lack of fulfillment. The person may not know what is missing, just that they are not as happy as they would like to be.
I believe this is because there is a disconnect between their true selves, and who they think they should be.
Some clients have shared that they do not know who they are or have no idea of what they might like to do if they could do anything. I often urge them to think of things they enjoyed when younger, or to try something totally new. It is the same way we figure out what we like in childhood. We try things, and if we enjoy them, we do more; if not, we try something different.
Some are afraid to try things because they may not be good at what they try. If we take the focus off performance, and just allow ourselves to simply experience and learn, we may stumble upon something we really enjoy.
What do you yearn for? Is there something you wish you could do? It is never too late to take up a new activity or hobby. In fact, doing so is not only good for the brain but also for the soul.
Being our true selves is being comfortable in our own skin. It is thinking and valuing our own thoughts. It is feeling free to “dance like no one is watching.” It is giving ourselves the free-dom to be authentic, and not be influenced by the judgements or opinions of others.
Gwen Randall-Young is an author and award-winning psychologist. For permission to reprint this article, or to obtain books, CDs or MP3s, visit www.gwen.ca. Follow Gwen on Facebook for inspiration.
