Rose Reisman Shares Her Favourite Vitality-Boosting Health Foods

Tianna Robinson | September 18th, 2015
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Catelli recently released a survey citing that “85 per cent of those who participated read nutrition labels before buying food products to make sure they are healthy.” That is music to nutritionist Rose Reisman’s ears. “It’s been an uphill battle throughout the 90s,” she says, adding, “but people are finally starting to get it.” We are happy that many are investing in their longevity but are we choosing the right stuff? Reisman gave us her top vitality-boosting ingredients. Check out her list and see if your grocery shopping picks are up to snuff! She’s even shared a pasta salad recipe.

WHOLE GRAINS
Reisman insists that you can’t cut out carbs if you want to stay healthy. You just have to choose the right carbs. In this case, 100 per cent whole grains are the way to go. Reisman explains why this is her first choice. “Anything whole grain has more fibre, vitamins, more minerals in it and we know that whole grains can reduce the risk of obesity. diabetes Type 2 and lowers high blood pressure, cholesterol and the risk heart and stroke disease.”

EDAMAME
What’s not to love about edamame? “I love edamame beans either shelled or in the shell as an appetizer. Instead of green peas, I throw them into soups, salads, pasta dishes. They are just fanastic as a vegetarian source of protein.” You can increase the protein in dish or snack with this simple swap.


BERRIES
Reisman suggests buying them frozen in the off-season and sprinkling them on your yogurt, dessert – anywhere! “The antioxidants help to fight free radicals. In terms of fighting cancer it is one of the key foods we should be eating. There are even correlations to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.”

TASTE THE RAINBOW
In this case we don’t mean Skittles but all of the colourful fruits and veggies – specifically, anything orange, red or green. “Sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, red bell peppers. Anything orange, red or green are going to be filled with antioxidants. And know that bell peppers have more vitamin C than orange juice.”


GREEK YOGURT
This protein-filled yogurt is not just a fad. It’s here to stay due to its many health benefits. “Opposed to regular yogurt, it’s got almost double the protein. In other words, this is a vegetarian source of protein and you can start your day with that. You can use it in dressings. You can use it in cake or muffins. And Greek yogurt actually has lower lactose than regular yogurt so for those who have lactose intolerances, this might be a better way to settle any issues you have with it.



Vitality-Boosting Pasta Salad

This pasta salad – developed by leading nutrition expert Rose Reisman – is a powerhouse when it comes to vitality-boosting ingredients, including whole grains, edamame beans, berries, orange veggies and Greek yogurt.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 pkg (375 g)                         whole wheat rotini, such as Catelli® Healthy Harvest®

1                                               large red bell pepper, chopped

2 cups (500 mL)                  peeled and chopped sweet potato

3/4 cup (175 mL)                 shelled edamame beans

1 cup (250 mL)                     dried cranberries

3 oz (90 g)                             crumbled light feta cheese, about 1/2 cup (125 mL)

1/3  cup (75 mL)                  chopped fresh basil or parsley


Dressing:

2/3  cup (150 mL)               zero-fat Greek yogurt

1/2  cup (125 mL)                low-fat milk

1/4  cup (60 mL)                  balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp (45 mL)                      light mayonnaise

2 tbsp (30 mL)                      olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp (22.5 mL)            honey

1 1/2 tsp (7 mL)                    crushed garlic

1.    Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Arrange the chopped pepper, in a single layer, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until softened and coloured around the edges. Cool completely.

2.   Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add rotini and sweet potato. Cook for 8 minutes; add edamame beans during the last minute of cooking. Drain well and rinse with cold water until rotini is cold. Add to = a large serving bowl. Stir in the cranberries, feta, basil and roasted peppers.

3.    Dressing: Whisk together yogurt, milk, vinegar, mayonnaise, oil, honey and garlic until well combined. Pour over the pasta mixture and toss until well combined.

Per serving (1 1/2 cups/375= mL): 529 calories, 14 g fat, 1.8 g saturated fat, 7.2 mg cholesterol, 373.2 mg sodium, 90 g carbohydrates, 12.5 g fibre, 18 g sugars, 21.8 g protein.