Grocery Finds Giveaway – Enter the Draw to Win

Greetings my fellow wholesome food lovers. Welcome to another edition of Good-For-You Grocery Finds! I hope you had a wonderful, chocolate-filled Easter and that you’re revelling in the beauty and magnificence of spring in Victoria. I’ve been doing that usual “spring thing” we health-conscious folk like to do at this time of year—namely cleaning up my diet by eating lots of fruit-n-veg, nuts and seeds and lean proteins. So naturally, that is what I’ve been filling my shopping cart with on my last few “grocery excursions”. The following selections are particular favourites—if you’d like to try them make sure to enter our Grocery Finds Giveaway contest. (See details below)

Prana European Pumpkin Seeds

Wolfgang Puck is not the only culinary wonder to come from the state of Styria in Austria. The region is also famous for producing the best tasting, most nutrient-dense pumpkin seeds on the planet. In fact, the oil from these delicious seeds is so revered by chefs around the globe it is often referred to as “green gold”. Why all the fuss? I first fell in love with Austrian pumpkin seeds whilst living in Vienna many years ago. I could not believe just how different they were from their North American counterparts—much larger, crunchier, greener and, most importantly—far far tastier. While all this was enough to render me a lifelong fan of these Austrian super-seeds, what really bowled me over was learning the facts about their outstanding nutritional profile. Admittedly, all pumpkin seed varieties play host to a plethora of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, but Austrian pumpkin seeds boast these nutrients in much higher percentages. Consider this—one cup of these crispy gems provides 16 % of the RDA for manganese, 42 % of magnesium, 44% of zinc, and 12 % of iron. Equally impressive—1 ounce of the seeds contains more protein than an ounce of beef or a cup of milk! And it doesn’t end there—in addition to antioxidants such as vitamin E and zinc, Styrian pumpkin seeds are also chock-full of disease-fighting carotenoids, polyphenols, and plant sterols. Research has shown these plant compounds may have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and heart-protective properties. Not surprisingly, the oil from the seeds is used in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer in Austria! Ok, now that I’ve impressed you with their nutritional might—let’s get back to their taste. It is, to put it mildly, sublime. That is why I snagged up these Austrian sourced pumpkin seeds from Prana as soon as I saw them at Lifestyle Markets. I couldn’t believe I could finally purchase them in Canada, and oh how my taste buds reveled when I got them home and tore open the bag. I highly recommend you do your own reveling and grab a bag of these deep green beauties asap!

Sweet Cane Raw Organic Honey

While I like my pumpkin seeds to have a “foreign accent”, I prefer my honey to be raw, organic and produced as close to home as possible. That’s why I adore this 100% Canadian Sweet Cane Raw Organic Honey from Richmond BC-based Everland Foods—it ticks all the right boxes. Plus, it’s simply delicious. Besides, when I drizzle it on my morning oats I know I’m not just adding flavor, I am kicking up my breakfast’s “good-for-you” factor several notches. That’s right my clean eating friends—raw honey is actually very beneficial for your health. If you don’t believe me consider this—researchers have found a clear, direct link between raw honey consumption and an increased level of disease-fighting polyphenols in the blood. What are polyphenols you ask? They are plant compounds that act as antioxidants in the body and they are known cancer fighters even more powerful than Vitamin E and other antioxidant vitamins. And here’s another feather in raw honey’s cap—it doesn’t just help fend off cancer—studies show it can KO bad bacteria too! To be clear, it’s important to point out not ALL honeys do this—most of the honey on supermarket shelves has been heat processed and its antimicrobial enzymes have thus, been destroyed, along with its other health-enhancing nutrients. That is why you MUST buy raw organic honey if you want to reap the yummy nectars’ stupendous health benefits. Which is why I encourage you to give Sweet Cane’s raw syrupy offering a try. I drizzle it on everything from oatmeal to baked salmon. I’m sure once you’ve experienced its heavenly taste, you’ll do likewise. (Available at the Market Stores and Lifesytle Markets)

Hills Foods Kangaroo Burgers

Ok—I know—you’re raising your eyebrows over this “find” aren’t you? Well if the idea of eating a cute kangaroo leaves you squeamish, I would ask you, my virtuous foodie friends, how you feel when you eat lamb or veal (baby cows!) or deer meat (Bambi!)? I admit when I first saw these burger patties in the freezer section at Mother Nature’s Market, I too was slightly hesitant to try them out given the animal’s “cuteness factor”. However, when I became cognizant of kangaroo meat’s stellar nutritional profile, my slight hesitation dissipated. Kangaroo meat packs a nutritional punch that’s hard to dismiss, regardless of the warm fuzzies roo’s inspire. High in protein and loaded with B vitamins, iron and zinc kangaroo meat contains almost no saturated fat. A 100 gram serving supplies a mere 1.3 grams of total fat and only .3 grams of that is saturated. The remaining gram consists of heart-healthy mono-unsaturated and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Another thing to consider—the meat is completely organic and free-range. The burgers distributed by Coquitlam’s Hills Foods are from wild kangaroos that roam freely, eating their typical diet of shrubs and grass, rendering them the ultimate “grass-fed” meat source. In fact, kangaroo meat is so dang healthy there are folks in Australia known as “kangatarians” a health conscious bunch that enjoys moderate amounts of kangaroo meat, but is otherwise vegetarian. Now that I’ve convinced you of the meat’s health-enhancing properties you are probably still wondering about its taste. Allow me to end your curiousity—it’s delicious. To me it is reminiscent of a sweet filet mignon, though other food writers have compared it’s taste to bison or venison. One important thing to remember though—because the meat is so lean it’s critical to serve it medium-rare to medium—longer cooking times leave the meat dry and a bit stringy. Another tip—I have found the meat pairs beautifully with chutneys or similar fruity garnishes, marinades or sauces. With barbecue season on the horizon I suggest you “hop” over to Mother Nature’s Market and stick a package of these “good-for-you” scrumptious patties in your shopping cart asap!

Bremner’s Pure Blueberry Juice

There’s no doubt about blueberries’ status as a super-food. After all, a plethora of studies have shown the brilliant colored berries can help prevent and treat everything from cancer and heart disease to diabetes and age-related cognitive decline. BUT fruit juices in general tend to get poo poo’d for their high sugar content and the assumption that drinking fruit juices and other sugary beverages can lead to weight gain, obesity and even to an increased risk for type 2 Diabetes. The idea is so popular in fact that “just eat the whole fruit and skip the juice” has become something of a popular mantra among the health-conscious crowd. Well folks that mantra has it all wrong when it comes to Blueberry Juice. Blueberry juice won’t lead to weight gain or contribute to type 2 diabetes—in fact the reverse is true. An impressive body of preliminary research has shown that drinking blueberry juice daily can actually help stave off weight gain AND REDUCE the risk for both obesity and type 2 Diabetes. Can I get an AMEN? ! And here’s some more good news about the bright blue beverage—researchers quoted in a study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences concluded that, daily consumption of Blueberry Juice can “help prevent numerous degenerative disorders”. If that weren’t enough to recommend the juice, consider this—although cranberry juice is often hailed for aiding in the treatment of urinary tract infections, studies indicate Blueberry Juice does an equal job at delivering a KO to UTIs. There’s one caveat to all this of course—-the blueberry juice used in all these studies was 100% PURE Blueberry juice, NOT blueberry juice “cocktails” or made from concentrate mixes. That’s why I LOVE Bremner’s Pure Blueberry Juice and load up on it whenever I go to London Drugs. (LDs has the best price in town on the juice and they frequently have it on sale!) An added bonus—beside the utterly divine taste—Bremner’s Pure Blueberry Juice is made right here in BC—Delta to be precise. I drink a ¼ -1/2 cup every single day and it’s a thoroughly delicious practice I encourage you to join me in. Your body and thirst will thank you!

GROCERY FINDS GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the generosity of Lifestyle Markets,( and PSC!) Everland Foods, Hills Foods and  London Drugs, we are giving one lucky reader a chance to win each of the items mentioned. To enter to win simply……

Send us an email (editor@eatmagazine.ca) with the subject line Grocery Finds   and share it on Facebook and you will be entered in the draw. Be sure to include your name and email address. Good luck. Contest closes Midnight, May 17th, 2017.

Terms: (prizes must be picked up within one week of contest end date or will be donated to charity. Open to Greater Victoria residents only.