Developed by Dietitians Working with First Nations Working Group

Taletha Bennett, RD

Cassie McVay, RD

Kristen Schott, RD

Geoffrey Svenkeson, RD

Support from University of Saskatchewan Nutrition Students

Carlee Hamilton

Renelle Hunter

Teigan Knot

Abby Lehmann

Financial Support

Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative

2020

Acknowledgments

Breakfast:

Berry Oatmeal with Milk

Vegetable Omelette with Toast

Snacks:

Frozen Fruit Smoothie

Crackers, Cheese and Canned Pears

Lunch:

Tuna Salad Sandwich with Vegetables

Three Sisters Soup with Bread

Supper:

Pita Pizza

Lentil Pasta Casserole

Bannock Burger with Salad

Big Game Stew with Bannock

Eat Well. Live Well.

Eat Well. Live Well.

Milk is a great

source of calcium,

for strong teeth

and bones

Oatmeal has fibre

which can help keep

you satisfied through-

out the morning

Berries are high in

vitamin C which can

help with growth,

development and

healing

Involve the whole family in planning meals and snacks. Family members can help in different ways by:

Choosing meals or recipes

Adding foods to a grocery list

Checking the fridge and cupboards for food on hand

Checking flyers for foods on sale

Putting together a folder of favourite recipes

Setting the table and doing dishes

Berry Oatmeal with Milk

Serves 1

Ingredients:

⅓ cup of quick oats ⅔ cup of milk or

water ½ cup berries (fresh

or frozen)

1 cup milk or milk alternative such as soy milk or almond milk

If using a milk alternative, try to use one that has added nutrients like calcium and vitamin D.

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine ⅓ of a cup of quick oats with ⅔ of a cup of water or milk of your choice. 2. Add other flavours you enjoy such as cinnamon or nutmeg. 3. Place the oatmeal in the microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds. 4. Stir your oatmeal. Put it back in for another 30 seconds if you feel it needs to be thicker. Watch the oatmeal to make sure it does not overflow. 5. Top with berries and serve with a glass of milk.

Eat Well. Live Well.

Breakfast can be a

great time for fruits

and vegetables

Eggs are a quick

and easy source

of protein

Start your day

hydrated with

water

Whole grain toast

has more fibre than

white bread

Vegetable Omelette with Toast Serves 1 Ingredients: ½ cup vegetables of choice (example: sliced mushrooms (fresh or

canned/drained) bell pepper (chopped) 1 cup spinach (fresh or frozen) 2 tbsp chopped onion 2 eggs 1 tbsp water ⅛ tsp pepper 2 tbsp cheese of your choice 2 pieces of whole grain bread

Directions: 1. Whisk eggs, water and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Grease pan with oil or oil spray. Heat over medium heat. Add

vegetables of choice, onions and spinach; cook until tender, about

4 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.

3. Pour egg mixture into hot skillet. As eggs set at edges of skillet, use

spatula to gently push cooked portions to the centre, tilting skillet

to allow uncooked eggs to flow into empty spaces.

4. When the eggs are almost set on the surface but still look moist,

cover half of the omelette with the vegetable mixture and cheese.

Fold the unfilled half of the omelette over the filled half. Cook for a

minute, then slide the omelette onto a plate.

5. Enjoy with whole grain toast.

Fibre is an important nutrient. It is a carbohydrate that passes through the digestive system without being digested. It can keep bowel movements regular and comfortable, lower cholesterol and help manage blood glucose (blood sugar). Fibre is found in vegetables and fruit, whole grains, legumes like beans, peas and lentils and nuts and

seeds.

Eat Well. Live Well.

Adding vegetables to

your smoothies is an

easy way to increase

your nutrient intake

Adding protein

to your

smoothie

completes this

snack

Frozen Fruit Smoothie

Serves 1 Ingredients: ½ cup frozen fruit ¼ cup yogurt of your

choice ½ cup liquid of your

choice 2 tbsp peanut butter 1 handful of spinach

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients into the blender

and blend.

2. Pour in a glass and enjoy. You can try different recipes by mixing and matching the ingredients below:

Sweeten snacks and recipes using fruit. Mix plain yogurt with

berries, use mashed banana in a muffin recipe or add dried fruit to your favourite cereal for added sweetness.

Liquids Fruits Proteins Extras Vegetables

Milk Banana (fresh or frozen)

Peanut Butter Cinnamon Spinach

Water Berries (fresh or frozen)

Nuts Vanilla Avocado

Soy Milk Mango Flax Seeds Honey Beets

Almond Milk Apple Lentils Coconut Kale

100% Fruit

Juice

Orange Greek Yogurt Cocoa Powder Pumpkin

Eat Well. Live Well.

Canned fruit is a

less expensive and

longer lasting

alternative to fresh

fruit

Eating cheese is

a way to add

protein to your

snacks

Whole grain crackers are higher in fibre

Crackers, Cheese and Canned Pears

Serves 1

Ingredients:

whole grain crackers

low fat cheese (<20% milk fat)

canned pears packed in water or juice

Choose foods that don’t have

much added sodium, sugars or

saturated fat. When

purchasing foods use % daily

values (% DV), which can show

the amount of a nutrient in a

product. 5% DV or less is a little.

Another way to reduce sodium is

to rinse off canned beans and

vegetables. To help reduce added

sugars, purchase unsweetened

products like plain yogurt and add

your own sweetener like fresh

berries or honey.

Eat Well. Live Well.

Choosing fish as a

protein source is a great

way to include healthy

fats in your diet

Vegetables can add

colour and texture to

a simple lunch

Drinking water with

your meals helps

you stay hydrated

throughout the day

Tuna Salad Sandwich with Vegetables

Serves 2 Ingredients: 4 slices whole grain

bread 1 can (6 oz) of white

meat tuna packed in water, drained

1 tbsp chopped celery

1 tbsp chopped red onion ¼ cup mayonnaise ½ tbsp mustard pepper to taste lettuce (optional) tomato (optional)

Directions: 1. In a small mixing bowl break up

tuna with a fork. 2. Toss with chopped celery, onion

and parsley. 3. Add mayonnaise, mustard and

season with pepper to taste. 4. Stir to combine. 5. Spread over one piece of toasted

bread. Add lettuce, tomato, or any other vegetables you desire. Top with another piece of toasted bread.

6. Serve with seasonal vegetables. Examples: Cut up carrots, snap peas, cucumbers or peppers.

Could also be made with egg salad.

If you are only cooking for one person, you can divide the ingredient

amounts by two so you only make half the amount. However, making a

full recipe could provide you with leftovers and save you time in the

future. If you have extra tuna for this recipe, store it in a bowl for the

next day to make another sandwich.

If you have a large family, you may want to double a recipe. Do this by

multiplying the ingredient quantities by two. There is often no need to

double the amount of spices in a recipe. Instead, do a taste test before

adding more.

Eat Well. Live Well.

Mixed meals, like

soup, can contain

the protein,

vegetable and

grain portions of

the meal

Whole grain bread

completes the grain

portion of this meal

Three Sisters Soup with Bread

Serves 6 Ingredients: 6 cups low-sodium chicken or

vegetable stock 1 can (16 oz) yellow corn

(drained, rinsed) 1 can (16 oz) kidney beans

(drained, rinsed) 1 small onion (chopped) 1 stalk celery (chopped) 1 can (15 oz) cooked pumpkin

(Be careful not to get pumpkin pie filling)

1 tsp. dried sage ½ tsp oregano

Directions:

1. Bring chicken or vegetable

stock to a slow boil.

2. Add corn, beans, onion,

and celery to stock. Boil for

10 minutes.

3. Add sage, oregano and

pumpkin and simmer on

medium-low heat for 20

minutes.

4. Serve with plain or toasted

bread or bannock to

complete the meal.

Healthy eating doesn’t have to cost more. You can choose from many

different healthy foods when eating on a budget. Here are some

strategies to help you stay within your budget:

Fresh is not the only option. Frozen or low sodium canned

vegetables are good options.

Pick, grow or buy in season. You can save money by buying fresh

vegetables and fruits that are in season. Enjoy them fresh or freeze

them to enjoy later in the year. You can also try growing vegetables

at home in your garden or in pots inside.

Bulk buy when things are on sale.

Try no name products. They are usually less expensive than the

name brand and are often the same quality.

Eat Well. Live Well.

Pizza is a fun meal to make as a

group, everyone can add the

toppings they like and be

involved in the cooking process

Pizza can be a complete

meal; the crust contains

whole grains, and

vegetables and proteins

can be added as

toppings

Pita Pizza Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 whole wheat pita

2-4 tbsp pizza or pasta

tomato sauce

Add approx. ½ cup

vegetables of your choice

such as:

sliced mushrooms

(canned or fresh)

diced green pepper

diced onion

canned olives

canned pineapple

frozen spinach

diced tomato

sliced zucchini

¼ cup shredded cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Place pita on baking sheet.

3. Spread tomato sauce on the

pita.

4. Add all toppings except

cheese. You can add extra

toppings or modify the recipe

to include any toppings you

like.

5. Sprinkle cheese on top of pita.

6. Put in the oven and bake for

10-12 minutes or until cheese

is melted.

7. Let sit for 2-5 minutes before

eating.

Try a homemade version of your favourite pre-made food.

Use a whole grain pizza crust, tortilla or pita and load it with

vegetables for a healthier pizza.

Make your own macaroni and cheese with whole grain pasta, lower

fat cheese and some vegetables.

Make your own oven baked potatoes as an alternative to fries.

Eat Well. Live Well.

Lentils are a great plant

based protein with the

added benefit of fibre

Choosing whole

grain pasta adds

more fibre to

your meal

Lentil Pasta Casserole

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 box pasta (900 grams)

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 cups canned lentils

½ cup onion chopped

2 cups carrot shredded

2 jars pasta sauce (700mls)

2 tbsp dried basil

4 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp vinegar

2 tbsp Italian seasoning

2 ½ cups shredded part-

skim mozzarella cheese

1 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cook pasta per package

instructions.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large, deep nonstick skillet, with oil, over medium-high heat. Add lentils, onion and carrots. Cook until

soft.

3. Add Italian seasoning, basil, tomato paste, pasta sauce and

vinegar.

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste, reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally until the sauce

thickens.

5. Spread 1/3 of the tomato-lentil sauce over the bottom of a casserole dish. Strain cooked

pasta and put over sauce.

6. Pour the remainder of sauce

on top and mix.

7. Top with parmesan and

mozzarella cheese.

8. Broil mixture in middle of oven, until the cheese melts and is golden brown, 2-3

minutes.

Choose protein foods that come

from plants more often. Swap

lentils for ground meat or use

half meat, half lentils. Plant

protein sources like beans,

peas, and lentils are often more

affordable and are higher in

fibre and lower in saturated fat.

These items can be purchased

canned or in dried form.

Eat Well. Live Well.

Side salads are a

great way to add

fresh vegetables to

a meal

Bannock is an

alternative to

a burger bun

Wild meats

are naturally

lower in

saturated fat

Bannock Burger with Salad Serves 8

Bannock Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 ½ cups oatmeal

½ tsp salt

2 tbsp baking powder

⅓ cup vegetable oil

1 ½ cups milk

Bannock Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Measure flour, oatmeal, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir.

3. Add vegetable oil and milk and mix until smooth.

4. Flatten to about 1 inch deep and place on greased baking sheet.

5. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Burger Directions:

1. Preheat a lightly oiled grill over medium-high heat. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Shape meat into 4 – ¾-inch patties. Grill patties for 6 minutes per side or until cooked through.

2. While the burgers cook, assemble the corn salsa. In a bowl, toss together oil, corn, green onion, chili powder and 1/4 tsp salt; set aside.

3. To serve, top one half of bannock square with romaine, tomato slice, meat patty, and corn salsa. Serve topped with a second half of bannock.

Enjoy your food! You can enjoy your food by:

Socializing at mealtime Enjoying shopping for food Growing or harvesting your own food Involving others in meal planning, preparation and clean up

Serves 4

Burger Ingredients:

1 lb (450 g) ground meat

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 cup canned corn, drained and rinsed

1 sprig of green onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp chili powder

4 romaine lettuce leaves

1 tomato, sliced

Eat Well. Live Well.

Classic stew recipes can

be altered to include

any leftovers you have

in the fridge

Adding oats to

bannock increases

fibre content

Big Game Stew with Bannock

Serves 4 Stew Ingredients: 2 pounds cubed big game

meat (or beef stew meat)

3 tbsp vegetable oil

4 cubes beef bouillon,

crumbled

4 cups water

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

3 large potatoes, peeled and

cubed

1 cup of a frozen mixed

vegetables

1 large onion, chopped

2 tsp cornstarch

Stew Directions:

1. In a large pot, cook big game

meat or beef in vegetable oil over medium heat until brown. Dissolve bouillon in water and pour into the pot. Stir in rosemary, parsley and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

2. Stir potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion into the pot. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 teaspoons of cold water and stir into stew. Cover and simmer 1 hour more.

Make a big batch of homemade stew and freeze it in meal-sized portions. This allows you to choose the ingredients you want to use,

and reheating it for a meal is just as easy as making canned soup. Also ideal for batch cooking:

Chili Soup

Casserole Lasagna

Spaghetti sauce

Keep vegetable scraps like carrot peels and celery tops to make vegetable stock for future dishes.