6 Friday, August 31, 2018brooklintowncrier.com Plant-Based Eating by Sheree Nicholson Plant-based eating: The benefits of nutritional yeast One not-so-talked-about vegan superfood is nutritional yeast. It's been in health food stores for years, but you don't hear much about it. Nutritional yeast has remarkable health benefits in that it's packed with essential vitamins and minerals. The yeast is grown on beets then dehydrated. But don't let the word "yeast" scare you. Since it is plant-derived and dried out, it's free of the harmful candida that can wreak havoc on your body and digestive system. It's high in 15 different minerals and 18 amino acids. In fact, it's one of the best non-animal sources of folic acid and is a rich source of vitamin B complex that helps in managing stress levels and maintaining a good metabolic rate. Vegans are often told to add nutritional yeast to their diets to get B12. However, B12 does not naturally occur in nutritional yeast. It needs to be fortified with B12. So be sure to check the label to ensure this is so. Protein source Nutritional yeast is also low in sodi- um and fat, gluten-free, and doesn't contain any added sugars or preservatives. It's not only a great source of amino acids but also a complete protein source. It contains all the essential amino acids the body can- not produce along with the amino acids the body can. It's also only 45 calories per two tablespoons, making it one of the lowest calorie sources of protein out there. Two tablespoons contain nine grams of complete protein. Some "high protein" foods for vegans or vegetarians are actually higher in fat or carbs. For instance, nuts and seeds are often praised for their protein content, but they contain much more fat than they do actual protein. In the plant-based world, nutritional yeast is often used in place of parmesan cheese as it has a 'cheesy' flavour. I know people who sprinkle it on popcorn and salads. One woman claims to eat it by the spoonful! I personally find the taste a bit strong if eaten on its own or in large amounts. Distinct flavour If you're new to adding nutritional yeast to foods, start with smaller amounts to see if you like it. It does have a distinctly sharp flavour and so I generally add a little bit less than a recipe calls for. I do add it to chili or pasta dishes and sprinkle it on toast with mashed avocado. Try this recipe for zucchini fries from http://foodnetwork.ca Combine the following: 1 /2 cup almond flour 2 tbsp nutritional yeast ½ tsp onion powder ½ cayenne powder (or less) ½ tsp salt Cut 2 zucchinis into ¼ inch thick fries. Toss them in 2 tbsp of Dijon mustard, then bread them in the almond flour mixture. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 425 degrees By Kim Bailey Brooklin once had a railroad that became somewhat of a legend. The PW & PP Railway (Port Whit- by and Port Perry) was later unofficially branded the 'Nip and Tuck' line. It ran from dockside in Port Whitby to Port Perry with stations in Whitby, Brooklin, Myrtle, Manchester, Prince Albert and Port Perry, with the last three towns locked in a rivalry of politics and business. When later extended to Lindsay, it became the WPP & L Railway (Whitby, Port Perry and Lindsay.) More stations were added in Seagrave, Sonya and Manilla Junction. Later, a connection linked it to the newer T&N line, east of Blackwater. The sod turning ceremony, conducted by Prince Arthur, was on October 6, 1869. The southern portion, although slowed by a bankruptcy and an unplanned railway gauge conversion, was completed on August 31, 1870, with the first train arriving in Port Perry in the spring of 1872. Two unconfirmed sources relate how the railroad got its nickname. One says it was because it was operated 'by the seat of its pants.' The other was because it was questionable if the train could power through a tricky, high grade section of track through the Oak Ridges Moraine between Myrtle and Manchester. The section from Port Perry to Manilla Junction was abandoned in 1937 as traffic from Lindsay was directed west to the newer T&N line. The rest of the Nip and Tuck line was pulled up in 1941 with its steel going into the war effort. (photo courtesy of Whitby Ar- chives) From the Brooklin Heritage Society: The Nip and Tuck Railroad