It’s fall and school is in full swing. Growing children have additional nutritional needs to meet for growth, development apart from regular wear and tear and maintenance of body organs. It is important to send a variety of healthy, substantial and appetizing foods to school as kids spend at least half their waking time at…

September is Whole Grains Month! Whole grains are the entire seed of plants that contain three parts – the germ, bran and endosperm; whereas refined grains may not have 1 or more parts. For example, refined wheat flour is mostly made up of the endosperm. Whole grains are important dietary sources of fiber, B vitamins,…

The 2016 Olympic Games are about to begin in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. And we are celebrating too – with feijoada, which is considered Brazil’s national dish. Feijoada is a delicious stew made with pork and black beans, served with rice and orange slices. This stew is traditionally served on Saturdays and is meant to…

As the Pavilion’s Executive Chef, I am constantly searching for great simple ingredients that a little kitchen alchemy can turn into a beautiful composed dish. The hunger bags present an amazing opportunity to a chef as they are the items that the Food Bank needs most, and also during a time when kids are out…

June is National Dairy Month. Dairy includes milk and its products like yogurt, cheese, cream and sour cream. Milk, yogurt and cheese are excellent sources of calcium, protein, riboflavin, vitamins A, B12 and D, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. Try choosing unsweetened and low-fat, skim, part-skim or fat-free milk, yogurt, cheese, cream cheese and sour cream…

Springtime offers a bounty of fruits and vegetables. Because they are one of the first fruits to ripen in the spring, May is the month of strawberries! Strawberries are rich in vitamin C, folic acid, potassium and fiber. They are healthy, delicious and bite-sized, and make a great snack. These berries can also be used…

The first week of May is National Herb Week, and the chili pepper is the herb of the year for 2016. Chili peppers are good sources of vitamin C, most of the B vitamins, potassium, magnesium and iron, and can range from sweet (like bell peppers) to spicy (like ghost peppers) in taste. They come…

Spring season is here, and so is asparagus! Available from March through June each year, asparagus is rich in iron, potassium, vitamin A, folic acid, thiamin, vitamin C, vitamin K and fiber. Asparagus spears can be white, green or purple in color, and are available in standard, large, extra-large and jumbo sizes – the thicker…

Sandwiches are amazingly versatile and can be easy to put together, less messy, healthy and satisfyingly scrumptious. They can also be made to accommodate most eating choices including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free and nut-free. Peanut butter jelly sandwiches, bacon-lettuce-tomato sandwiches and grilled cheese sandwiches are popular sandwiches in America. Sandwiches can be eaten…

We are celebrating canned food this month and rightly so.  Canned foods provide quick, easy and economical nourishment. Seasonal produce, canned at their peak freshness, can be enjoyed all year round – amazing isn’t it? All kinds of canned foods are available today in the market, including soups, sauces, meats, fruits and vegetables and even…