Happy New Year

Today is January 1st 2009, and I wish all who visit here a Healthful, Hopeful and Peaceful New Year.

Here are some New Year's posts that have inspired me:

• Light
• A Happy & Healthy 2009

I imagine the list will continue to grow as I visit my blogging friends' sites today and the rest of the week before returning to "real" work on January 5th.

Merry Christmas

Limes & Lycopene Pantry Challenge

Here's my contribution to Kathryn Elliot's Pantry Challenge Mark 2: a vegan rice-and-beans entree using a bare minimum of ingredients. Kathryn allowed a total of 15 ingredients but I decided I wanted to make mine suitable for various diet restrictions so that I could share it with patients/clients.

The basic ingredients:

The ingredients I selected from Kathryn's list of 15 allowed items: #1 Olive oil, #2 Tinned tomatoes, #3 Tinned legumes, #5 Frozen vegetables, #7 Rice, #13 Fresh onions (not shown in photo), #14 One dried herb mix (Italian blend -- basil, oregano, thyme).

Black Bean-Brown Rice-Sweet Pepper Skillet Dinner

A quick-to-make, simple, tasty vegan lunch or dinner.

• 2 teaspoons olive oil {or just enough to coat a non-stick pan}
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup frozen sweet red, yellow, orange and green pepper slices {I used a mixture called "Fajita Blend"}
• 1 teaspoon dried basil-oregano-thyme blend {I used Edible Gardens Tuscan Kitchen}
• 1 (398 mL/14 fluid ounces) diced tomatoes, drained {I used a no added salt variety. The drained juice made a nice pre-dinner drink}
• 1 (540 mL/19 fluid ounces) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups cooked brown rice

1. In a nonstick skillet coated with olive oil, sauté the onion, sweet peppers, and herb blend until vegetables are tender.
   
2. Stir in the diced tomatoes.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings. 
   
4. Add beans and rice; heat through.
5. Transfer to a serving dish; enjoy.

Suitable for the following diets: vegan, gluten-free, wheat-free, egg-free. Nutritional analysis: to follow within the next 48 hrs. {See addendum, below.}

I confess I have made this recipe only once -- this evening, just in time for the November 30th Challenge deadline -- but I definitely will be making it again. I would like to fine-tune the seasonings and perhaps try a different Edible Garden spice blend (Spanish Paprika, Mexican Chili Powder,cumin, cayenne and peppers).  I think I would also add more pepper strips for colour as much as flavour and nutrition. 

My conclusion: A good foundation recipe upon which to build some variations depending on what else is in your pantry.

Thank you, Kathryn, for creating this challenge.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Addendum (02 December):

Nutritional analysis --

• Recipe yield: 6 servings. Serving size: about 1 cup (250 mL).
• Per serving: 207 kcal, 8.3 grams protein (16% of calories), 3.5 grams fat (15% of calories), 37 grams CHO (69% of calories), 6.5 grams fibre, 31 g vitamin C, 106 grams folate, 2.6 grams iron, 140 mg (or less) sodium.
• Nutrient data is from the 2005 Canada Nutrient File, Health Canada. Dietitians of Canada EATracker tool used to calculate values.

Canada's Food Guide comparison --

• 1-1/4 servings of vegetables and fruits, 1 serving of grain products, 1 serving of meat alternatives

Curled up with a good book on my lap...

...and a Westie at my feet...

thinking about seasonal comfort food...

 ...and enjoying a rainy-day nap.

(Photos of latest addition to my library. You can read more about this cookbook here.)

The Monday morning after...

 

.... 5 weeks of diverse, interesting, challenging, and fast-paced {for this turtle} learning experiences provided by:

• two enthusiastic dietetic interns
• many engaging, inspiring, expert speakers at three different continuing education events
• at least a dozen new-to-me online resources found intentionally and serendipitously

The R & R in my calendar is not for "rest and relaxation." No, it's for "re-read/re-write and reflect." So where do I begin to organize, process and share? I feel a bit like an empty mixing bowl into which ingredients have been dumped -- for more than one large-quantity recipe. I'd like to remove everything from the bowl, sift, measure and recombine. And let some things ferment for a while.

In the meantime, here's one item that's ready to share without any further processing:

Strategies to Help Preceptors Facilitate Learning

• Reduce anxiety before introducing new information, skills.
• Start in the middle if it feels right.
• Focus on what is relevant and leave the rest out.
• Before giving negative feedback, ask yourself, "What is the great lesson?" We learn more from forgiveness than from punishment.
• Let the learner experience learning with as many senses as possible.
• Ask the learner to repeat your explanation in his own words. This tells you what they have learned and how well you delivered the information.
• Sometimes "no" must be used. It is as much a caring word as "yes!"
• Create an environment where "There are no stupid questions."
• Take a break when you are frustrated. No one is a teacher 24 hr/day.
• Laugh together and enjoy the experience.
• Don't be afraid to say "I don't know." Don't try to fake it.
• Repetition helps consolidate learning.
• Use questioning in a non-threatening way.
• Role-playing is fun and an easy way to deal with sensitive issues.
• Turn the question back to the learners if you think they should know.
• HAVE FUN!
• Use as much positive reinforcement, as often as you can.
• Be enthusiastic.
• Recognize the learner's need to share
• Maintain an environment of respect and acceptance.

Source: Vancouver Coastal Health, Preceptorship Workshop Handout

I was both nodding and shaking my head while typing this list. Oh yes, these are so important and true, and oh no, I could and should have used some of these strategies sooner and more often.

What about your own teaching/learning experiences? Feel free to share your "Pearls of Preceptorship" in the comments.