Walnuts are a good source of protein, fibre and other nutrient dense properties packaged in this brain looking nut! Due to their high content of Omega-3's, they also help with our cognitive functioning. Walnuts are high in good fats such as monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and Omega-3's (as mentioned) which also support heart health. These unsaturated fats help lower LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) and raise the HDL ("good" cholesterol). These healthy fats can help reduce cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes according to The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Also, there have been research studies showing that walnuts have anticancer properties and  can reduce inflammation in certain cancers. 
 
Any type of food should be eaten in moderation, so be mindful of how many walnuts you consume as they are high in fibre and oil which could lead to a loose gut - if you know what I mean! 

You can enjoy walnuts in salads, homemade muffins, breakfast yogurt or as a snack with dried fruit. 
Nutrition on 14 halved walnuts consists of 185 calories, 2g of CHO, 4g of PRO, 19g of Fat, and 2g of Fibre
  

Ingredients:
4 x Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
Marinade:
1/3 cup of Vinegar
1/2 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce (or if using regular Soy Sauce, use 1/4 cup and add 1/4 cup of water - otherwise it will be too salty)
2 1/2 tsp of Minced Garlic
1 small onion, sliced
2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
3 Bay leaves, dry
1/4 tsp of cayenne
salt & ground black pepper for seasoning chicken breasts

Directions:
1. Season chicken breast lightly with salt & pepper. Set Instant Pot to saute mode. When Instant Pot is ready, add olive oil to the bottom of the pot. Add chicken breast and cook until outsides are brown. Remove and transfer chicken to a plate. Turn off the saute mode.

2. In a bowl, add soy sauce, vinegar, onion, cayenne and garlic. Mix ingredients together. Now add the marinade to the Instant Pot and mix throughly. Add the chicken breasts and the bay leaves to the pot. Close pot with lid until it is securely sealed. Set Intant Pot to pressure cook for 10 minutes. Once it is finished, manually release the pressure carefully.

3. Remove lid, set Instant Pot to sauté Mode again and stir sauce occasionally for about 8-10 minutes (or until desired consistency). Serve over your choice of cooked rice and enjoy!
Nutritional: 316 Calories, 43 g of Pro, 3 g of CHO, 13 g of Fat
​Photo by Selina Thomas on Unsplash

Healthy Summer Cooking Tips

As the weather starts to get nice and warm, one of my favourite methods of cooking in the summer is barbecuing or grilling. Every time I go for a walk with my husband and my dog, and we smell someone barbecuing, I always say to my husband, "do you smell that, mmmm, that's the smell of life!" It's so true, isn't it?​

Grilling smaller portions of lean meats, fruits and vegetables are an easy way to enjoy cooking outdoors in the summer. One cooking tip that I try not to do is piercing your meats while barbecuing. When you pierce the meat, the juices from the meat drip onto the coals and can cause flames which increases the possibility of burning your meat. This is something you want to avoid as the charring (or the burn) form cancer causing properties. So, if you do have some larger burnt pieces, just simply remove it. I learnt this from a nutrition information session for cancer patients that I attended years ago and thought, "oh know, that tasty crunchy char is not good for me!" Darn it! Well, best to know now, right!?

Another cooking tip and great way to get your barbecuing in this summer is try grilling fruits and vegetables. Yes, pair fruits and/or veggies with meats. You can make kebobs with cubed salmon and mango or turkey burgers with pineapple. Attempt to get some beautiful colours into your summer meals by adding a variety of fruits & veggies that grill nicely. So, try grilling red & green bell peppers, sweet onions and zucchini. Lightly brush them with oil and place them on the grill. It doesn't take fruits & veggies long to cook as they are so simple to prepare, but yet tasty!
Photo by Felicia Buitenwerf on Unsplash

Ingredients:
1 x bag of Corn Husks (25-30 pieces)
1 & 1/2 cups of Fine Corn Flour (Masa)
1/4 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 cup of Olive oil
1 & 1/2 cups of warm chicken stock
1 lbs of chicken breast or 2 large chicken breast
1 cup of Salsa Verde

Directions:
Filling: Salsa Verde Chicken - Put salsa verde in Instant Pot and add your chicken breast. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Once cooked, shred chicken with 2 forks. Set aside if assembling right away or store in refrigerator covered in a container for the next day to prepare. Clean Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker for steaming the tamales.

Corn Husks - Preparing the corn husks, boil water in pot on stove. Once water has boiled, turn off heat and add your corn husks to the water and cover with a lid. Let them soak for 30 minutes. Drain water and set aside for husks dry.

Masa: Use a stand mixer with the paddle set up. Add your corn flour, baking powder, olive oil and salt. First, mix it slowly while gradually adding in your chicken stock. Mix it on medium speed and continue to add the stock until you see a nice smooth dough forming. You can set this aside or store in refrigerator covered in a container for the next day to prepare.

Preparing the tamales:
1. Take dried corn husk. If not dried, pat dry with paper towel before assembling.
2. Take about 2 Tbsp of Masa and spread in the middle of the corn husk with a spoon.
3. Add about 1/4 cup of the chicken filling on top of the masa in the middle.
4. Fold the sides to close, and fold again at the bottom to close the end. You can tie them with a strip of corn husk.

Steaming in Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker:
1. Depending on size of Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker add 1-2 cups of water or enough water to the amount of tamales you can put in your pot. Ensure water doesn't touch the tamales and tamales don't touch the lid of the pot or the pressure will not work properly. I trimmed the tops to fit accordingly.
2. Place your trivet on the bottom and place tamales standing up around the pressure cooker.
3. Set the timer for 20 minutes on high pressure. Once timer is done, release the pressure & wait for a couple of minutes.
4. Remove the tamales from the pot and check to see if the masa is fully cooked. It will easily remove from the corn husk.
5. Serve with rice, refried beans and chopped tomatoes. Enjoy!
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