Friday, February 15, 2019 3Brooklin Town Crier Plant-Based Eating by Sheree Nicholson New Food Guide = No Dairy + Less Meat It had long been rumoured that the Canada Food Guide was being revised to be not only more inclusive of the diverse Canadian culture but also based on more current research. The new food guide encourages Canadians to get more of their protein from plant-based. There are no longer four food groups and dairy has been completely removed. The previous guide, introduced in 1977, was considered outdated as it was heavily favourable to meat and dairy. Conspiracy theories were rampant that the meat and dairy industries had paid to have their products promoted. But I think it was just the way Canadians ate at the time. Less meat Over time, there's been a shift towards less meat. Even diehard meat-eaters are talking about consuming less of it. Most of the sold-out nutritional tours I do at Farm Boy are filled with people who simply want to reduce their animal product intake, though their biggest worry remains if they'll get enough protein. Protein is a macronutrient that's essential to building muscle mass. It's commonly found in animal products, though it's also present in other sources such as nuts and legumes. (The other two macronutrients are carbohydrates and fats). Protein-rich foods are commonly rated in terms of how "complete" their amino acid profiles are. As most animals are made up of proteins similar to ours, it's often suggested that we need to eat meat/eggs/dairy because these contain proteins that match ours. Proteins from these food sources supply all of the essential amino acids. Variety needed Do we need to eat complete proteins in order to meet our needs for these essential amino acids? The answer is no. Research indicates that this amazing body we live in will take and store the proteins from a wide variety of vegan foods and thus our protein needs will be met. So, in a "nutshell", go for a variety of foods. Some of the best sources of plant-based proteins are: tofu (I know you may think it's gross but give it another try), beans, lentils, seeds like hemp and chia, oatmeal, brown rice and even Ezekial bread. From the blog "Oh She Glows" comes this great salad dressing that has two types of complete proteins. Use it on a salad topped with hearty chick peas and roasted vegetables. Hemp Seed Dressing 1/2 cup hulled hemp seeds 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 clove garlic, peeled 1/4-1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, to taste Directions: Put dressing ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend on high until smooth. Adjust salt to taste. The dressing will appear thin at first, but it thickens after being chilled in the fridge. Sheree's Hack: Keep hemp and other seeds in the freezer to keep them fresh and lengthen their shelf life. Family Day Events In Whitby On Monday, February 18, activities will take place at five sites in Whitby including: Iroquois Park Sports Centre, Whitby Community Recreation Complex, McKinney Arena, Luther Vipond Arena and Brooklin Community Centre and Library. Admission to all sites will be free. Here's a listing of what will be available: Whitby Civic Recreation Complex Time: 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. Activities: • Health Club Open House - Free Trial workout for ages 14+ • Different classes every 30 minutes! Choose from Zumba, Yoga and Taekwondo. 12:15 p.m. Zumba 12:45 p.m. Yoga 1:15 p.m. Zumba 1:45 p.m. Yoga 2:30 p.m. Introduction to Taekwon-do 3:00 p.m. Introduction to Taekwon-do *Clean indoor shoes required for all classes Join us to watch Disney's Incredibles 2! Times: 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Location: Brooklin Community Centre and Library (in the Gymnasium) Other Activities: Enjoy free popcorn and a fun family photo opp. Mats will be available to sit on, but guests can bring their own blankets. No outside chairs, food or drink will be permitted. Skating Three locations to choose from! Bring your own skates; there are no rentals available. Location: Iroquois Park Sports Centre Family Skate:10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Parent & Tot Skate: 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. *Skating for 1 adult, maximum 2 children, 7 years of age and under. Backyard Rink: 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. *Scotiabank Backyard Rink intro- duces children 7 years and under to hockey or ringette. Children must wear full protective hockey equip- ment, adults should wear proper head protection. Pylons and nets are provided, bring your own sticks and pucks. Maximum of two chil- dren per adult. Family Skate: 2:00 - 3:45 p.m. Other Activities: • NHL player (to be announced) will be signing autographs in the lobby from 12 - 2 p.m. • Various children's activities • Ice carvings • Fun family photo opp • Entertainment Location: Luther Vipond Memorial Arena Time: Family Skate 10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Location: McKinney Arena Time: Family Skate 12:00 - 2:00 p.m Swimming Public Swim 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Lane Swim 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. Public Swim 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. Location: Whitby Civic Recreation Complex Children's Crafts When: All day long! Where: Whitby Civic Recreation Complex Whitby Family Day Closures Due to Family Day, Town Hall will close at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Febru- ary 15 and will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 19. Some fa- cilities will also have modified hours or programming. For a full list of fa- cility hours, closures and modified programming, please visit whitby. ca/programnotices. On Monday, February 18, a num- ber of Town facilities, including the Town's arenas, will remain open to host free Family Day activities be- tween 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. For a complete list of programming and schedules, visit whitby.ca/family- day. Recreation Facilities The Whitby Civic Recreation Com- plex will be open on Monday, Feb- ruary 18 from 12 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. however, Aquatics Instruc- tional Programs are cancelled. The Brooklin Community Centre and Li- brary will be open from 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. however, the Youth Room and Library will be closed. Whitby Seniors' Activity Centre The Whitby Seniors' Activity Centre will be closed on Monday, February 18. Whitby Public Library All branches of the Whitby Public Library will be closed Sunday, Feb- ruary 17 and Monday, February 18. Visit whitbylibrary.ca for access to digital content and program infor- mation anytime. Waste Collection Services There will be no waste collection services on Monday, February 18. For the week of February 18, gar- bage, green bin and blue box col- lection will be moved forward one day after your regular pick up day. To confirm your collection pick up day, check the waste collection calendar or download the Whitby Waste Buddy app. Mayor's Annual Fundraiser Tickets Available Get a peek at Whitby's future during Mayor Don Mitchell's fourth annual fundraiser, "A Night Out on the Town." With a limited number of tickets on sale now at mayorscommunityfundraiser.eventbrite.ca, community members are encouraged to secure their spots on the dance floor. The fundraiser will bring together approximately 300 guests at Whitby's historic Trafalgar Castle to celebrate and give back to the community. The event will take place on Sat., March 23, 7 to 11 pm at Trafalgar Castle, 401 Reynolds Street, Whitby, Ontario L1N 3W9. Tickets are $100 per person and sales close on March 15. The evening will include food, friends, entertainment and music. More importantly, funds raised will benefit local community groups, events and initiatives through the Mayor's Community Development Fund (MCDF). The 2018 event raised more than $70,000 for the MCDF and lead grants were awarded to Epilepsy Durham Region, Pickering Auxiliary Rescue Association and The Charles H. Best Diabetes Centre. For application guidelines or to fill out an application form, interested groups or individuals can visit whitby.ca/communityfunds. For further information, contact Heather Ellis, Executive Advisor to the Mayor, at 905-706-2146 or email ellish@whitby.ca.