Water is wonderful but sometimes it’s really nice to switch it up. We're lucky there are so many options beyond fizzy drinks full of sugar these days—and many of those options have some impressive nutritional qualities!
Read MoreAugust promises to be a bountiful month full of local produce, with lots of great things on the horizon.
Read MoreSmall-batch canning and preserving—the kind you can do in any kitchen with your own two hands—is growing increasingly popular. With an afternoon or two of work you might just find yourself enjoying BC’s glorious summer produce on your mid-winter morning toast!
Read MoreIt's July and blueberries are here! Yes, local blueberries are ready and they are reporting a bumper crop this year.
Read MoreAs our Nanaimo produce manager Al describes in his latest Produce Report, June marks the beginning of stone fruit season in this part of the world! That means fruits like apricots, plums, peaches, and, of course, cherries are ripening as we write.
Read MoreWelcome to Pomme’s Produce Report from Al, our Produce manager at Pomme Nanaimo! Every month we’ll announce the new seasonal produce that’s becoming available, and inform you of market trends in the produce industry that affect you, the consumer, at the store level. What an exciting month June is going to be!
Read MoreFairtrade is a critically important certification but it might also seem a bit abstract. Because May is Fairtrade month, we wanted to share some information from Fairtrade Canada on one association—Café Organica Marcala, in Honduras—to help clarify just why these organisations are so important.
Read MoreIn honour of International Women’s Day, which fell on March 8th, this month we’ve put together an easy to digest overview of some of the specific nutrients women tend to need most, and some of the best, most convenient dietary sources for these nutrients.
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Although tomatoes are a grocery staple they can tend to fade into the background because so much attention is directed at all the amazing 'new' superfoods we're incorporating into our diets. But your garden variety tomato has very impressive superfood qualities of its own, especially for your heart. We wanted to share some of these qualities with you in honour of the fact that February is Heart Health Month.
First of all, tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamins E and C, both of which are essential to basic cardiovascular antioxidant support. Beyond this, tomatoes have an array of nutrients that positively regulate fats—and even blood platelets themselves—in the bloodstream. The high concentration of lycopene in tomatoes helps protect healthy fats from oxidization damage as they are being transported through the bloodstream. This in turn decreases the risk of inflammation that can block blood vessels. Recently discovered phytonutrients in tomatoes also show promising clinical results in their ability to regulate blood fats. And many of the better-known phytonutrients found in tomatoes have been demonstrated to discourage platelets from clumping. In other words, they discourage the platelets from forming potentially dangerous clots as they circulate through the body. Tomatoes also offer a healthy dose of potassium and fibre! Over all, they can effectively decrease your cholesterol and triglyceride levels which can have a critical impact on the health of your heart.
One of the most common ways people use tomatoes is adding a few slices to a salad and while this is great, there are so many ways to work higher doses of tomato into your diet! They can be stewed and stuffed and incorporated into flaky, savoury pastries. They are also wonderful just freshly chopped and served with herbs and some soft cheese, as in this recipe for Pasta with Ricotta and Tomatoes, which we think would be really lovely for a Valentine’s Day dinner. Treat your heart as well as your taste buds!
INGREDIENTS
. 2 pounds tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
. 1/4 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (such as chives, flat-leaf parsley, basil, and tarragon)
. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
. 1 tablespoon olive oil
. kosher salt and black pepper
. 12 ounces penne (3/4 box)
. 2 tablespoons pine nuts
. 1/2 cup ricotta
. 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce), plus more for serving
DIRECTIONS
. Heat oven to 400° F. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, herbs, lemon juice, oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Let stand, tossing occasionally.
. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.
. Spread the pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until golden, 5 to 6 minutes.
. Toss the pasta with the ricotta, Parmesan, and enough of the reserved pasta water to create a creamy sauce. Top with the tomato mixture and pine nuts. Serve with more Parmesan, if desired.
We had the best Valentine’s Day.
A few weeks ago Brice Royer got in touch with us. You may very well have seen Brice in the news over the past year. He first attracted attention when he posted an ad on Craigslist offering unconditional love for zero dollars. The ad was inspired by his doctor’s advice when talking to Brice about his stomach cancer diagnosis: he said feeling loved was the world’s best medicine. Over one million people read the post over the first three days it was live. One of those people was Francesca Murray, who offered to cook for Brice. When he found out she was living in a shelter with her daughter, though, he instead bought her groceries for numerous meals, and launched a successful fundraising campaign to build a tiny house for the mother and daughter.
Brice contacted us wanting to spread random acts of kindness to more people’s lives: throughout Valentine’s day various customers at Pomme had items from their shopping baskets purchased for them by Brice, with funds he and Pomme provided. It was so lovely!! We feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to meet Brice and receive so many warm, wonderful hugs from this amazing human being.
And as if all that weren’t enough, Brice found some time and energy for a brief interview. We hope you enjoy his words as much as we do.
Brice, we were so excited when you got in touch with us. Food has been quite a constant theme throughout your acts of kindness. Could you talk a little about the role food has played in connecting with others?
I love food. But if we had a relationship on Facebook, our status would be "It's complicated."! I had many food intolerances and I mostly ate carrots. Carrots saved me! I depended on carrots too long and eventually, my body became sick of eating them. So we had to be separated. It was mostly my fault though, not the carrots. I needed to heal myself more. Now that my digestion is a bit better, I eat carrots… sometimes. That's why I have a complicated relationship with carrots!
But I realized it's not just the food. It's also how it's grown, where it's stored, how it's cooked, how you eat it, and the company you have during lunch... It's all about good energy!
How long did you spend writing your Craigslist Post? Was it something you spent days or weeks working on, or did it all come together at once?
It was on the spur of the moment. My doctor told me that love and kindness is the world’s best medicine. But here’s the problem: I can't buy love and kindness at the pharmacy! Since I can't buy love, I thought, maybe I could give it away without expecting anything in return. So I gave myself a one year challenge to experience random acts of kindness to see if it would heal my depression and loneliness from cancer. I started by inviting strangers for lunch almost every day to share stories and keep each other company. I didn’t have much but it was so rewarding. Then I wanted to share it online to more people. I thought: "What could I give that's priceless?" Unconditional love, of course! ... For $0. It's the only thing money cannot buy. I began writing what was in my heart and I was surprised at what came out. I learned something surprising. I thought I should help the most needy like the homeless, but everyone needs unconditional love. It's actually harder to be loved if you’re wealthy, physically attractive, healthy and successful. Why? Because you’ll attract people who like you because of what you can do for them. Once that’s gone, they’re gone too. So unconditional love is for everyone and it should be freely given. That is partly why I wrote my ad.
You’ve lived all over the world; in many ways you’re a truly international citizen. Could you share your perspective on life in Vancouver and the West Coast of Canada?
I was born in France from a French/Vietnamese father and an Ethiopian mother and I grew up in 7 countries before the age of 18. When people asked me "Where are you from?" I didn't know how to respond. So I asked my mom and she said "You're from heaven!". I guess I'm still looking for home. But what does it mean to feel home and to belong? For me, what makes Vancouver beautiful isn't only the mountains, beaches and the nature, but it's also having a community of people who love and care about you.
How has, or has, your idea love and health evolved since your initial decision to commitment to kindness?
At my worst, years ago I was in a wheelchair, bedridden, unable to speak or do much. Today I am walking, talking, I sleep better, and I feel happier and less lonely. I still have bad days, but my doctor was right, love is truly powerful medicine. Without feeling loved and cared for, I don't think I would be alive today. I give credit to everyone who has given me unconditional kindness, including the kind staff and new friends at Pomme Market. Alone I can't do anything, but together, nothing is impossible. I think we can all heal each other one kindness act at a time.
I want to express my gratitude to my family, friends and kind strangers. Without them, I wouldn’t be alive today. Ruso Llanera, a volunteer caregiver who became a soul brother to me. Amrita Dhanji, who kindly offered me acupuncture without needles and a space to heal. Dr. Elene Sinori and Kate Hutchinson who are helping me with my food intolerances. My soul family and friends Carlos & Michaela (who works at Pomme!), Nicole, Leslie, Lydia, Miel, Zamir, Zubin, Raamayan, and Peter for visiting me lately. And of course, thank you Pomme Market for your love and kindness!
One of the most important things you can do to make sure your renewed commitment to exercise outlasts your New Year’s Day hangover, is get all the nutrients you need to support your body while it’s working hard!
Read MoreThe How-To’s of a Happy AND Healthy Holiday
It’s a time for celebration and a time for family, friends and fun. So much of our holiday get together evolve around food. We have captured our favourite how-tos for creating celebrations to remember without compromising our health.
Read MoreThe local produce season is winding down and we’re grateful for all of the fresh fruits and veggies we’ve enjoyed from our hardworking Nanaimo farmers!
Read MoreBC apples, onions and root veggies are abundant this time of year!
Read MoreWe're holding a Pink Pumpkin Carving Contest this October!
Read MoreWith temperatures dropping and the beginning of cold and flu season, fall is a great time to boost your immune system naturally!
Read MoreThis month we would like to introduce Chris Hills, our Healthy Living Manager from Pomme Nanaimo!
Read MoreProper nutrition for pregnancy has the ability to greatly impact the growth and development of a baby and support their lifelong health and well-being.
Read MoreIf you had planned on canning or preserving, NOW is the time while what you want is still available!
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