Easy Late-Summer Ideas

August is all about enjoying those last full days of summer to the maximum. So why not grab family, friends or your sweetie and pack a picnic, just perfect for lounging in the sun or enjoying on a yacht, or pull out something special on a hike.

Picnic Picks

These picnic-perfect ideas are easily pulled together; after all, who wants to spend the glorious day making something from scratch? Just because they’re fast though, doesn’t mean they’re not fresh. In fact, these scrumptious ideas are always a popular hit because they pack the goodness of fresh vegetables with sensational flavour. I like to make sure that along with the breads and vegetables there is a good quality protein. Feel free to use plenty of hummus, pesto made with walnuts, or for a really quick fix, some soy cheese and soy turkey slices. This generally keeps both the herbivores and carnivores in your group happy. If the Mediterranean Deli Sandwich doesn’t seem exotic enough, the Sushi Wraps are sure to impress. The authentic flavour comes from gently roasted sesame seeds, ginger, teriyaki sauce and brown rice. Pack a thermos with green tea, sit back, relax and take time to contemplate nature’s picnic table.

–Sally Errey, RNCP

Mediterranean Deli Sandwich

Sushi Wraps

Fill It with Millet

Last year I discovered millet. A grower from Saskatchewan gave me a burlap sack with hulled millet from his display at a Vancouver health show. Though I heard Dr. Paavo Airola praising the nutritional value of millet years ago in his lectures, I had only used millet very sporadically. Now I had lots of it–and guess what? It quickly became one of my favourite ingredients for breakfast cereals, stuffings and main courses.

The advantage of millet is that it doesn’t require a lot of time to cook–after bringing it to a boil, it only takes fifteen minutes to simmer.

There are many cereal grains other than our common wheat, rye, oats and rice that in the past played an important role in feeding people around the world. The Incas had their amaranth, quinoa fed the Peruvians, corn was a staple of the Canyon Indians in the southern US, while buckwheat was popular in Russia. So was millet, and the Mongolians loved it too. Even the Chinese consumed millet 5,000 years ago before they switched to rice.

It is really a shame that we have forgotten about these ancient grains. They are so valuable, nutritionally speaking. Millet has very high mineral and trace element content. In particular it is rich in silica, the beauty mineral that gives lustrous shiny hair, soft skin, and strong bones and fingernails. Silica also strengthens connective tissue andbenefits teeth. A serving of two tablespoons (50 grams) of millet provides the body with its daily need for iron. Double that and you get enough natural fluoride to protect and build healthy teeth.

Most natural foods stores carry millet in either bulk form, or pre-packaged. When you weigh its price with its nutritional value, you wonder why so few people use millet. Here are some of my favourite recipes.

–Christel Gursche

Millet with Berries in Season

Swiss Chard Roll ups with Millet Stuffing

Stuffed Tomatoes