Tips for Healthy Eating this Holiday Season - CAFP

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 I ss ue 4featured in this issuemy summer job in the foodservice industry 3holiday family food traditions 4meet a professional member: Noelle Martin 6a delectable gingerbread crepe recipe 10Tips for Healthy Eating this Holiday SeasonBy Bailey Rafferty“Mise en Place” is a French phraseused to describe the organizationand preparation of ingredients thattakes place before a meal is cooked.It symbolizes our education atBrescia as preparation for theprofessional world.Have you started hearing those familiar carols at the mall yet? Christmas is just aroundthe corner. For students, it is a time to relax, spend time with family, and enjoy delicioushome-cooked meals. However, all those seasonal goodies and rich feasts on the way havesome worried for their health. CAFP brings to you ideas on how to enjoy your holiday season,in moderation.Have small portions of the foods that pique your interest. Trytaking one cookie, and ask if you can have half of the portionbeing offered.Offer to bring a dish to the party. This way you can be certainthat there is at least one healthy option, and as a bonus,you appear courteous.Look for healthier options. Fruit and vegetable plattersare often offered alongside the cheese platters, and wholewheat crackers are a better alternative to the regular kind.Try to skip the dip, because they often are high in calories and saturatedfats.Ignore the pressure. You should stop eating when you are full, and eat only when you arehungry. If someone offers you something that you do not want, do not feel obligated to eat it.Drink water. Filling yourself with water not only keeps you hydrated, but you will be lesstempted to go for less healthy options. Alcohol is surprisingly high in calories, so if you indulge,try to keep it to one drink.UPCOMING EVENTS2 Holiday Bake Sale9 VON Christmas DinnerAllow yourself some treats. Think of the 80/20 rule: choose healthy options eighty percentof the time, and treat yourself for the other twenty.Yardwork, and lots of it! Shovelling snow is excellent exercise, so surprise your parents byoffering to clear the driveway. Exercise is not only good for you, but it can help preventweight gain.Spread out your meals. It may be tempting to ‘save up’ your calories for a big meal later,but you might be eating foods that are less healthy as a result. Instead, eat small frequentmeals before the event, and choose to eat smaller amounts while you are at the party.While this list is by no means exhaustive, it should give you a good head start on how tobe healthier during the holidays. Remember to be realistic and upbeat about the season.Holidays should be a time to relax, not to stress over that piece of fruitcake.

P a g e 2 M i s e e n P l a c e C AF P B r e s c i a N e w s l e t t e r I s s u e 42010/2011 CAFP BresciaExecutive TeamPresidentAnna ShierPast PresidentJaclyn NairnPresident-ElectKathryn MorganVP MembershipBecky PangCommunity DirectorsChristabella Yat Nam SoNicole BurkePrograms DirectorsNatalie HuangCharlotte ChristieFundraising DirectorsLisa MaselliSabrina JanesNewsletter DirectorsLisa MannikRyan StallardSecretary/4th Year RepShannon SmithTreasurerKaitlin Cobean3rd Year RepTheresa Couto2nd Year RepJulie Hutter1st Year RepsJayme-Lynn JensenJoyce HoCONTACTbrescianews@gmail.comAs we wrap up the fall semester,we still have a few moreevents that we would like toshare with you. Wishing you thebest as you wrap up remainingassignments and start thinkingabout final exams.Take a break from studying andjoin us on December 2nd for ourWinter Bake sale being held from10am to 3pm in the auditoriumfoyer.At the Career Panel that tookplace on October 27th we sawsome very exciting alternativesto the Dietetic route.The first presenter wasDonna Sunter. Donna’s backgroundis in Home Economics,which has allowed her to take onmany roles throughout her life.She has worked with food processorssuch as Maple Leaf andFrito-Lay where she was requiredto become familiar with all levelsof government and the mostrecent legislation and policiesthat wouldaffect businesses.Shehelped thesefood processorsbecomek n o w l e d g e -A Message from the PresidentOn December 9th we are supportingthe Christmas dinner forVON at the London HousingBuilding located on 241 SimcoeStreet. We are looking for volunteersto serve and donate foodat the annual Christmas dinner.Check out our CAFP bulletinable about policy and make necessarychanges. She has alsoworked on the domestic marketingteam for campaigns such asthe well known Foodland Ontario.Her story definitely presentedan alternative and veryinteresting route to dietetics.The second panelist wasCarol Christie. She blew us awaywith her dynamic personalityand extremely interesting personalstory. She was a HomeEconomics teacher that got involvedwith the London HomeEconomics Association, whichtook her all the way to Africa.The group that she got involvedwith wrote a Canadian InternationalDevelopment Agency(CIDA) proposal to travel to Gambiato help women figure outboard for more details or contactNicole Burke atnburke2@uwo.ca.For more information on any ofthe upcoming events, check theCAFP board, our Facebook group(CAFP Brescia Student Branch) ore-mail cafpexec@gmail.com.The CAFP Brescia Executive teamwould like to wish you a happyand safe holiday season. Wehope you enjoy the time off andspend it with family and friends.HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!Anna ShierCAFP President 2010/2011“What to do with a Food and Nutrition Degree?”Thank you to this month’s contributors!By Kathryn Morganwhat theywanted to doto make theircommunitiesbetter. Sheworked with agroup ofwomen to find out what theyneeded and used her skills as aHome Economist to build capacity.The panelists demonstratedthat there are many careers andopportunities that can comefrom Food and Nutrition. All youneed to do is take every opportunityyou can to learn and developskills. Getting involved canopen up many opportunities thatyou would never expect.Alison Antonette Charlotte Christie Jayme-Lynn Jensen Kathryn Morgan Sindhu SaravanaAnna Shier Christabella So Joyce Ho Lisa Maselli Shannon SmithBailey Rafferty Deb Sloan Julie Hutter Monica Szeliga Valerie PyraBecky Pang Heidi Los Kaitlin Cobean Sabrina Janes

M i s e e n P l a c e C AF P B r e s c i a N e w s l e t t e r I s s u e 4P a g e 3?????????????????????????????????Guess the GadgetSubmitted by Joyce HoTake a guess, then check Page 7to see if you’re right!Culinary Term of the Month:Buche de Noel (n.) - French for ‘Yule log’and used to describe a Christmascake made with genoise (spongecake) and buttercream, shaped anddecorated to resemble a logFun Holiday Fact: Cinnamon, allspice, and clove all contain very high concentrations of antioxidants.One teaspoon is thought to contain more antioxidants than half a cup of blueberries! This comes as goodnews for those of us who will be consuming our fair share of spiced beverages and desserts this holidayseason.My Summer Job in the Foodservice Industry:Food Service AideBy Valerie PyraThis past summer I had the opportunityto work as a Food Service Aide at a long termcare home. In addition to gaining valuablefood service training, I was able to experiencethe benefits of being part of an interdisciplinaryhealth care team. Not only did this positionprovide me with knowledge, but it wasalso very rewarding. I was able to see howmy contributions enhanced the quality of lifeof the residents. Below I have outlined someof the responsibilities of a Food Service Aideand the knowledge and experience one couldexpect to gain.Application Requirements:This position required the successful completionof an Accredited Food Handler CertificationCourse. One day courses are availableto teach you about safe food handling practicesand how to prevent food-borne illnesses.After successfully completing anexam, a Food Handler Certificate is awardedthat is valid for 5 years.In London this course is offered at theLondon Training Center. For more informationcheck out the following link:h t t p : / / w w w . l o n d o n t r a i n i n g . o n . c a /safe_food_handling.htmResponsibilities:• Help the Head Chef with preparation ofmeals• Set up the dining room• Prepare and serve food and beveragesaccording to each resident’s assessedneeds• Provide residents with necessary assistanceat mealtimes• Wash and store dishes• Operate a retherm (commercial oven) andmechanical dishwasher• Follow safe food handling techniques at alltimes• Ensure refrigerators, freezers and dishcleaning machines are operating at thecorrect temperatures• Ensure food reaches and is held at theappropriate temperature prior and duringservice timeExperience and Benefits• Worked on an interdisciplinary healthteam• Networked with other health care professionals• Volunteer opportunities assisting RegisteredDietitians• Hands on experience with textured andtherapeutic diets• Completed a self-directed workshop tobecome a Certified Feeder• Received education on dysphagia andproper feeding techniques• Put learned food safety knowledge intopractice• Experienced working with seniors andthose with disabilities in a caring atmosphere• Rewarding interactions with individualswho had many life experiences to share• Learned to be prepared for unusual incidentsof all sorts!My summer job provided me with wonderfulexperiences that will assist me in mygoal of becoming a Registered Dietitian.Whether you’re specifically looking for foodservice experience or just want a fun summerjob, I highly recommend becoming a FoodService Aide.

P a g e 4 M i s e e n P l a c e C AF P B r e s c i a N e w s l e t t e r I s s u e 4CAFP Brescia Presents…Holiday Family Food TraditionsThe Polish tradition is that on Christmas Eve, the familygathers at the dinner table at the sight of the first star inthe night sky. Everybody is already hungry at this point, asthe whole day has been marked by fasting. The meal isvery elaborate, consisting of many dishes (usually twelve),but none of them contain meat. Some of the traditionaldishes include red beet soup with dumplings, herring inoil, seasoned carp, pierogi filled with cheese and sauerkraut,cabbage rolls, desserts made with poppy seeds, anddried fruit compote. But my favourite has got to be myMom's gingerbread! I'm really looking forward to theChristmas break not only so that I can enjoy time withfamily and friends, but also to take a small break fromcase studies!- Monica SzeligaA traditional holiday meal in my family consistsof turkey, maple glazed ham, mygrandma’s delicious ball potatoes (which ismashed potato rolled in breadcrumbs andbaked), cranberry and apple stuffing, butternutsquash and a spinach berry salad. Fordessert, my Nana makes her delicious heavenlypie (meringue crust with a lemony custardtopping). - Charlotte ChristieDiwali is a Hindu, Jain and Sikh spiritual festival that is celebratedin mid-November. It is commonly known as thefestival of lights which involves the lighting of candles,lamps and sparklers or fireworks. A typical meal on thisholiday consists of appetizers, main courses and a variety ofdesserts. Appetizers include samosas (dough pastries filledwith curried potatoes/peas) and pakoras (fried vegetablefritters). The main course usually includes breads such asnaan or roti, rice and several vegetarian curries. There areseveral exquisite desserts served to and exchanged amongfamily members. A few of the popular ones that are favouritesin my family include gulab jamun (fried dough coated insyrup), laddus (balls formed from flour, milk and sugar) andhalwa (oil, flour and sugar). - Sindhu SaravanaVegetarian Christmas Meal: Tofurky (TofuTurkey), Sweet Potato, Green Beans, andNut Loaf (Brazil nuts, bread crumbs, sesameseeds, tomato, onion, olive oil, herbs)German Christmas Meal: Schnitzel (breadedpork), Spaetzle (thick noodle with gravy),and Cucumber Salad (with onions, vinegarand seasonings) - Alison AntonetteCooking or frying foods in oil is a Hannukah tradition. Themiracle of the holiday relates to an eternal flame in theTemple which is never supposed to go out but was put outin battle. There was only one day’s worth of oil left to relightand fuel the flame but miraculously it ended up lasting8 days which is exactly the time needed to press and preparenew oil. Potato latkes and doughnuts, both fried in oil,are traditional Hannukah foods. Potato latkes are friedpotato pancakes served with applesauce and/or sourcream.Every family seems to have a slightly different recipe—some latkes consist of shredded potatoes and onions like aRosti and others are more dense and pancake-like. Jellydoughnuts called sufguniyot are also traditional. Whendreidel games are played, chocolate coins wrapped in goldfoil are given as a prize.- Deb SloanBakala is dried and salted cod that is soaked in waterin the fridge for 2-3 days prior to serving. It isthen cooked in tomato sauce but it can be cookedhowever people like it. It is usually served withpasta. This is traditionally eaten by Italians on theChristmas Vigil (Christmas Eve). - Lisa MaselliOn Christmas Eve my family gets togetherfor dinner. Each of us get our own Cornishhen and we share a Thanksgiving stylespread of foods like mashed sweet potatoesand sweet corn. My mom sets an extraspot on the table in case we need to shareour dinner with a stranger in need. Afterwardswe go to an evening Christmas massat our local church and then gather aroundthe living room when we get home towatch the original version of ‘A ChristmasCarol’ with George C. Scott. We’ve beendoing this for so long that the video is stillon VHS!- Ryan Stallard

M i s e e n P l a c e C AF P B r e s c i a N e w s l e t t e r I s s u e 4P a g e 7Can Your Diet Help Reduce Stress?By Shannon SmithAs the final exam period approaches,I’m sure the word “stress” is a regularpart of your vocabulary. We can all usesome tips on how to prevent that stressfrom soaking up our mental resources.When you're faced with chronicstress, your body needs to mobilize moreenergy stores for fuel. And that requiresextra B vitamins, especially B6, and vitaminC. If you're not eating properly, youwon't get the extra nutrients your bodyneeds when it's under stress.But stress can also affect your diet.Stress can also make you crave foods andovereat. Stress hormones peak early inthe morning and then begin to declinenaturally so that by mid afternoon youmay feel a drop in energy. Sometimes ahigh-stress lifestyle causes us to makepoor, on-the-fly food choices instead oftaking the time to plan meals and snacks.What foods should you eat more ofwhen under stress?Smart Carbs: Pasta, whole grain breads,bran cereals, brown rice, sweet potatoes,legumes, and fruits should be thefocus of your meals or snacks rather thanprotein. Why? Stress can lower the concentrationof serotonin, a brain chemicalwell known for its ability to make youfeel calm and relaxed. Carbohydrate richfoods release serotonin into the brain.Pick carbs that enter your bloodstreamslowly so you get longer lasting energy.Salmon. Salmon is a great source of vitaminB6, which is needed to synthesizethe calming brain chemical serotonin andit is also packed with omega-3 fatty acids—healthyfats that help keep yourblood vessels healthy, including bloodvessels to your brain.Black beans. These are one of the verybest sources of magnesium, a mineralthat helps regulate levels of the stresshormone cortisol. Under stress, magnesiumlevels tend to get depleted. Tip:Add black beans to tacos, chili, salads,and soups.Black tea. Some research suggests thatdrinking back tea can help you recoverfrom a stressful event more quickly. Onestudy compared people who drank fourcups of tea daily for 6 weeks versus a tea-like placebo. The tea drinkers reportedfeeling calmer and had lower levels ofcortisol after a stressful situation.What foods should you avoid?Sweets: After a stressful day you probablywant to grab chocolate, cookies, andcandy. However, these foods cause aspike in blood sugar, which can lead to apremature low blood sugar resulting inlow energy, irritability, headache andfood cravings, and this can actually increasethe stress hormone cortisol.Alcoholic beverages: Despite the factthat many people drink to relieve stress,alcohol actually induces the body's stressresponse by stimulating the release ofstress hormones. Alcohol also interfereswith sleep which leads to fatigue andpoor physical and mental performance. Ifyou do drink during stressful periods,limit yourself to no more than one drinkper day. Halloween Movie Night FundraiserBy Lisa MaselliOn October 28 th , the students inBrescia Residence were in for atreat! The night was filled with multipletreats without the tricks assome of the students in residencegathered together to watch Halloween-themedmovies. Whilewatching Hocus Pocus and Queenof the Damned, the studentsmunched on popcorn and enjoyedtreat bags filled with delicious candiesand chocolates. Thank you toeveryone who joined in on the fun!Guess the GadgetANSWERYou are correct if you guessedthat this gadget is a…An egg cutterIt is designed to cut the tops offof soft-boiled eggs while they sitin an egg holder

P a g e 8 M i s e e n P l a c e C AF P B r e s c i a N e w s l e t t e r I s s u e 4November Professional Branch Meeting30 Days and 30 Nights By Lisa Mannik“I went through hell for 30 days and 30nights,” says Frank Miller, Director of HospitalityServices, in reference to the food safetyincident that shook the UCC’s Centre Spottwo years ago. At the November ProfessionalBranch Meeting, a room full of CAFP professionalmembers and students gathered tohear Miller speak about the matter and howit has changed the way his company operatestoday.Between November 8 and December 11,2007, a total of 90 confirmed cases of Salmonellainfection were reported by Westernstaff and students who had eaten at CentreSpot. Forty-one cases were related to exposureat the Centre Spot’s pita outlet, 25 wererelated to other foods prepared at CentreSpot, and 14 were related to other types ofexposure. In addition to an estimated cost of$350,000 (an average of over $10,000 perday!), Miller described the aftermath in termsof the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.The Good:UWO campus eateries are now the safestplaces to eat in Canada since they followhospital protocols and have incorporated anew culture of food safetyFood safety is now the #1 priority in operationalgoalsEvents such as these make the industrysafer and betterThe Bad:Nasty, hurtful comments to HospitalityServices staffDamaged reputationThe Ugly:90 individuals infectedThreats of lawsuitsPsychological impact on managementSince the incident, a number of changeshave been made to the way Hospitality Servicesoperates. Raw chicken is no longerused and all eateries shut down for 15 minutesin the middle of each day for cleaning.In addition, each meeting starts with a foodsafety message and a third-party comes in toperform food safety audits twice a year.Miller says he has become paranoidabout food safety so he offers the followingwords of advice to anyone working in thefoodservice industry.• Simplify your operations• Be diligent with handwashing• Watch the FDA/CFIA websites for foodrecalls• Establish lines of communication with yourcustomers to best meet their needsThe next Professional Branch Event willbe taking place on January 18th where wewill have the exciting opportunity to tour “ACouple of Squares” bakery. We hope to seeyou there!Trick or EAT!On October 31st, 2010, Brescia partneredup with main campus for the annual Trick-or-Eat to help collect food items for the LondonFood Bank. The event kick-off party startedoff with an incredible dance performance byWOOF (Western Ontario Organization ofBy Christabella SoFilipinos), followed by guest speaker BrianRatcliffe, general manager of the LondonFood Bank; and ended with a performance bythe Western Marching Band. The concretebeach was quite a sight, as many people werein colourful and creative costumes.Despite the cold, there were a total ofover 500 volunteers who came out that evening.According to Meal Exchange Western,we managed to collect a total of 10,400pounds of food for the London Food Bank thisyear—exceeding last year’s record of 8,630pounds! Although the Brescia team was quitesmall, we were very efficient and made quitean achievement by collecting 5 huge bags offood ourselves. People in the neighbourhoodseemed accustomed to Trick-or-Eaters, andmany gave thought to what they donated.There was definitely a wider variety of fooditems than just cans of beans!All in all, this year’s Trick-or-Eat was asuccess. Make sure you participate next yearfor an amazing experience while working toeliminate root causes of hunger and poverty.

M i s e e n P l a c e C AF P B r e s c i a N e w s l e t t e r I s s u e 4P a g e 9CAFP Cooks! Vegetarian with Chef Tracy November 25, 2010The wonderful Chef Tracy!The final product:Sweet Potato Gnocchi toppedwith freshly grated parmesanHard at work cuttingveggies for the biryaniCAFP members roll andshape gnocchiFinal product #2:Indian BiryaniChristmas Foods CrosswordBy Heidi LosAcross1. A loaf-shaped cake traditionally fromGermany3. This dish hides inside the turkey6. Meringue-based dessert named after aRussian ballet dancer9. A traditional food in Nordic countries, thisdish comes dried and salted10. A Christmas dinner main course in manycountries11. The world’s most famous sweet12. This rich pastry is said to originate in CanadaDown2. Eggs, milk and sugar, anyone?4. Fancy layered dessert5. Over 1.76 billion of this red-and-white itemare made every year7. Filled with candied fruit, nuts, and spices8. I’m roasting on an open fire…Please see the back page for answers