Friday, December 13, 2019 7 Brooklin Town Crier Trends and King Kale Plant-Based Eating by Sheree Nicholson Eating trends come and go. I've seen many recommended diets and ways of eating in my lifetime. Many were fads that were dangerous and not grounded in science. Right now, while eating plant-based is a growing trend, there are many claims about plant-based that are just not true, the major one being that you'll lose weight. This seems to be, for many people, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, that there's an easy way to shed excess pounds. It's just as easy to gain weight on a plant-based diet as on a meat-based diet if you choose nutritionally deficient, high fat, or sugary foods. I personally need to be careful on a plant-based diet as there was no miraculous weight loss for me. Like many people, when I get super busy, I can start to rely on fast vegan foods that are packed with calories. Be careful of portions Restaurant portions are often huge, even in the plant-based world. If you're busy or don't like cooking and need to rely on these foods, you need to be careful. Ask for sauces on the side so you can add them in smaller amounts. Vegan mayonnaise is not healthier than a regular brand, so use it sparingly. You may also take home part of your meal for later. The key to better health and weight loss is to choose nutritionally dense foods like leafy greens, kale, dark berries, and flax seeds, to name a few. These foods provide you with the much-needed vitamins and minerals your body needs. When we crave micronutrients, we often misread these as hunger signals and thus reach for fast or snack foods that aren't nutritionally strong. Kale though is the king. It's high in nutrients, low in calories, and has protein. It's easy to use and freezes well. I use frozen kale in smoothies. I freeze it myself as it's less expensive. I don't chop it first as kale breaks apart easily when frozen. When used in a smoothie, frozen kale virtually disappears. Replacing lettuce It can be added to your salads, chili, soups, and even to replace lettuce in a burger since it's relatively mild-tasting. Frozen kale is excellent when you want it to break down and make it disappear into something like a smoothie. If you're adding kale to a chili or soup that you plan on freezing, it's best to skip the kale. You can add some later while you're reheating it. Kale that's frozen in soups and chilis can be a little slimy. So then, just because it's say's plant-based on the label does not necessarily mean it's good for you. Check out think for a great Kale salad recipe. https://livewithspirit.wordpress.com/2019/11/23/serve-this-yummy-salad/ Sheree's hack: After cleaning your kale, place the whole bunch in a freezer bag or container for use in smoothies. No need to chop it! Community Calendar Sun., Jan. 26: 7:30-9 pm: Trivia Night At MichaelKelly's Eatery on Winchester and St. Thomas $20 per person cash only. Teams of 4-6 ONLY. Each team receives a large pizza and an order of garlic bread, with a beer per person. Winning team members each get a $10 gift certificate to MK's. Register by emailing your name and number of team members to: editorofbtc@gmail.com Capacity is 42 people, so registration is first come-first served. Hosted by the BTC with all proceeds to Prostate Cancer Canada Network (PCCN) Durham. Tues., Dec. 24: 6:30-7:30 pm (4th Tuesday of each month) Teen Advisory Group at Brooklin Library Whitby Library's Brooklin Branch seeks Teen Advisory Group members to share ideas, and assist with special events and programs. Grade 7-12 students earn community service hours. No registration required. For information, email: teenservices@whitbylibrary.ca Tuesdays: 7:25 pm: Brooklin Toastmasters Club Practice public speaking at Brooklin Community Centre & Library. Contact John Johnstone at jajhj@sympatico.ca or phone 905-683-4439 or Elaine Goulbourne 289-404-8527 at elainegoulbourne@rogers.com 1st, 2nd & 3rd Tuesdays Community Care Durham (CCD) Basic Foot Care at St. Thomas' Anglican Church. 905-430-5732 Mon.-Fri. CCD delivers hot or frozen meals. To order: Karen Andrews 905-668-6779 French Family Storytime: Children and their caregivers can join Madame Sue for weekly French Family Storytime! A half hour of French stories and songs, with a dash of English! Drop in at Central Library's Children's Program Room If you have a community not-for-profit event you would like included in the calendar, please email it to editorofBTC@gmail.com with the subject line "calendar." Priority will be given to Brooklin events. Some editing may occur. Durham Region has been making important strides towards addressing climate change risks and opportunities. "Municipalities have a critical role to play when it comes to climate change mitigation and adaptation. We are on the front lines of climate change impacts, which in Durham Region have included the recent flooding in some of our lakeside communities," said John Henry, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer. "As a leader in the community, the Region is taking steps within its own corporate operations, assets and facilities to help address climate change, and is eager to partner with others to enable and scale-up broader community-wide action." Moving into 2020, the Region is focused on integrating climate action into economic and social development initiatives. The Region recognizes that, done properly, climate programs and policies will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and extreme weather impacts, while also creating new jobs and business opportunities. The region is building on a strong foundation of plans and programs, including: Durham Region Official Plan, which guides municipal decisions on long-term growth and development and includes considerations relating to environmental sustainability and low carbon climate resilience. Durham Community Climate Adaptation Plan (DCCAP), "Towards Resilience", a collaborative plan developed in partnership with local area municipalities, Conservation Authorities, and other stakeholders. It received the Sustainable Communities Award from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in 2018. Durham Community Energy Plan (DCEP), "The Clean Energy Economy in Durham", which outlines six programs for implementation, including a deep energy retrofit program for existing buildings, and an electric vehicle strategy which includes EV chargers at Regional Headquarters. Waste management initiatives, including a landfill mining pilot, and approval to develop an anaerobic digestion (AD) facility to divert organic materials from landfill to generate renewable energy through biogas production. Backyard tree planting program: in partnership with a non-profit organization, the Region is collaborating with local area municipal partners to expand the availability of this program in 2020. Climate change mitigation and environment reserve fund: a $5 million fund to support initiatives to enhance the Region's response to climate change and environment concerns. Additional initiatives were made possible via provincial and federal support, including: Clean Water and Wastewater Fund: about $33 million in federal and provincial funding has been approved for various Regional water and sewer projects. Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP): about $17.5 million in federal funding has been approved for various Regional transit projects, a large portion for the enhancement of Highway 2 PULSE, replacement and procurement of new fleet and commuter lot improvements. Ontario Municipal Commuter Cycling Program: approximately $2.2 million in provincial funding has been approved for various Regional cycling projects, which aim to achieve greater levels of active transportation within the Region. More information about the Region's initiatives can be found in report 2019-A-34 or visit the Climate Change and Extreme Weather section at durham.ca. Region Addressing Climate Changes