Healthy, Delicious Menu Ideal for Rural Community Settings

We spent the past week in northern Labrador in a rural and remote community of 250 called Postville. Recipe for Health provided healthy eating workshops and held a group cooking class, which for the most part was from foods available in the local community.

Our menu: Apple Walnut Coleslaw
Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
Italian Roasted Vegetables
Pumpkin-Carrot Cupcakes with Yogurt Cream Cheese Icing

See below for these traditional, healthy and super easy recipes!

Apple Walnut Coleslaw
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
2 cups red apples, cored and sliced thinly
1 1/2 cups green cabbage, shredded thinly
1 cup carrot, shredded thinly
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sugar

pinch pepper
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Mix apples, carrots and cabbage. In another bowl combine all remaining ingredients for dressing except walnuts. Mix dressing with apple, carrot and cabbage mixture and when well blended add walnuts.

Sweet Potato Shepherd Pie

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes

3 tbsp cream cheese, chive and onion flavor

1/2 lb ground beef or ground moose

1 small onions

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

3 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette dressing

1 cups frozen peas

Directions

1.      Heat oven to 375 F and grease large dish(s).

2.      Peel sweet potatoes and cut into cubes. Boil in large sauce pan until soft. Drain water and mash until smooth. Add cream cheese. Set aside.

3.      Brown meat with onion and mushroom.  Stir in peas and balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Mix well.

4.      Add meat mixture to bottom of dish and top evenly with sweet potato. Bake around 15-20 minutes or until heated through.

Nutritional Information

This recipe is a low calorie and low fat twist to a classic meal. It is a good source of vitamin A and C.

Recipe modified and taken from the Kraft Canada website.

Zesty Roasted Vegetables

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

½ lb mushrooms

½ lb carrots

1 onion

1 peppers

1/3 cup Italian dressing

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1.     Heat oven to 450 F.

2.     Peel carrots and wash vegetables. Cut all vegetables into desired shapes (e.g. Sliced, coined) and place into large cooking dish.  Toss with dressing and ½ cup of cheese.

3.     Bake at 25-28 minutes or until vegetables are tender while being sure to stir every 10 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and serve.

Nutrition Information

Enjoy this flavorful, low-fat side dish that's made with a variety of vegetables to help you eat right. The carrots are rich in vitamin A, and the peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C.

Recipe modified and taken from the Kraft Canada website.

Pumpkin-Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Yogurt Icing

Makes 24

Ingredients

1 pkgs carrot cake mix

1 cups canned pumpkin

3 tbsp vegetable oil

3 eggs

1/2 pkg cream cheese

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

Directions

1.      Heat oven to 350 F.

2.      Grease muffin pan or use paper liners. Mix contents of cake mix with canned pumpkin in large bowl. Add oil and eggs and mix well. Pour into prepared pans.

3.      Beat cream cheese and yogurt in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Set aside in fridge until ready for cupcake.

4.      Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick/fork inserted comes clean. Cool in pans for 10-15 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks and cool completely.

5.      Frost cupcake with healthy icing and enjoy.

Nutrition Information

Adding pumpkin to this recipe adds flavor and nutrition including vitamin A and fiber. By using a flavored yogurt with the cream cheese instead of sugar we are cutting back on calories and adding calcium!

Recipe modified and taken from the Kraft Canada website.