You’ll meet with Nicole Brown, Student Counsellor (Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology), who offers trauma-informed, strengths-based, and compassionate support. Your session is confidential and guided by your pace and comfort, with a focus on creating a respectful, judgment-free space where you feel heard.

Please note: This service is not intended for crisis or emergency support.

From where: Walmart

How much: $4.47 for a box of 5 packs on sale.

The results:

Taste and texture: Very similar to regular instant oats you can buy from any brand. I normally like to make mine with a kettle but these were very good made in the microwave. The portion is generous, about double other brands. I tried the blueberry pancake and the chocolate hazelnut flavours. The picture is the blueberry made with milk and water in the microwave. I added frozen blueberries to make it look more photogenic. 

Nutrients: These are a convenient option for protein & fibre.. They have 5g of protein and 5g fibre per 50g packet, which is great for an instant oatmeal. That’s also a little under double the size of other options (usually 30g packs). This was great and kept me full through some busy mornings. Sugar content in relation to the portion size is similar to other brands. They also say they have over 1 billion heat-resistant probiotics per serving. I’m unsure about this claim, especially when I started digging and also found it hard to find these oats. It seems like the company is phasing them out and I must have bought one of the last couple of boxes. Their new “morning oats” are $9.99 for 8 33g packs with 5g fibre & 3g protein. 

Cons: They are a pricier option. It’s hard to justify the cost, especially when you can buy chia seeds, ground flax seeds or your favourite fibre and add that to regular, cheaper oats. I like that Quaker Oats has lower sugar content options and I like to use those and add my own extras and topping.

Bottom line: This brand of oats could be a good option for busy individuals looking to increase their fibre amount. There’s nothing wrong with utilizing other brands as a base for your breakfast and adding nutrition as possible. 

Consider working with a dietitian if you’re unsure about how new food products fit into your diet. Working with a dietitian at Evolve is less about us telling you what to eat and more about giving you the tools and education to evaluate products and make decisions for yourself long-term.

Disclaimer: As always, I do not get paid or in any way benefit from reviewing food and nutrition products. Foods that work for one person may not work for someone else.

-Kassandra Lestrat RD

From where: I got mine at Superstore

How much: $4.49 on sale (regular $4.99)

Taste and texture: I liked these. Easy to make in a pan or throw the bag in the microwave. They aren’t particularly crunchy but they got a nice crisp in the pan. The flavour is good – garlic and parmesan is a classic combo!

Nutrients: As with many other convenience foods, this one is higher in sodium. Otherwise, it’s lower in fat and a source of fibre which is what I like to see for a processed vegetable product.

Cons: One bag is supposed to be four servings, which is a little small for me as I really like green beans. If you’re going to throw the bag in the microwave and utilize the convenience of not having to dirty a pan, it’s great. If you’re going to use the stovetop preparation method I can’t help but feel you’d get a lower cost and salt content with a comparable taste by just sautéing frozen green beans with a little garlic and tossing them in parmesan at home. 

Bottom line: As with all the posts in this series so far, this product can fit in the right situations. If the alternative is not having any veggies at the table, this is a great option! I always say that all vegetables are “net-positive”. Adding salt, butter, etc. doesn’t negate the positive benefits of eating vegetables. However, you might find there are other options for minimal extra effort for the days where you have the capacity.

Consider working with a dietitian if you’re unsure about how new food products fit into your diet. Working with a dietitian at Evolve is less about us telling you what to eat and more about giving you the tools and education to evaluate products and make decisions for yourself long-term.

Disclaimer: As always, I do not get paid or in any way benefit from reviewing food and nutrition products. Foods that work for one person may not work for someone else.

• Kassandra Lestrat RD

From where: https://inspiredgo.ca/ 

How much: ranges from about $11-14 per salad

The claim: “making healthy eating easier”

The Results

Taste and texture: Overall these taste great. The way they package everything helps everything to stay fresh and crunchy until you’re ready to eat. They are also shelf stable for up to 5 days depending on which salad you choose. There is a wide variety of salads from a variety of flavour profiles. I genuinely enjoyed the flavour of every salad I chose!

Nutrients: When reviewing the nutrient labels there is a wide range when it comes to energy, protein, fibre, fat and salt. Some salads are lower in salt, higher in fibre and unsaturated fats. Other salads are high in saturated fat and salt. Some salads are lower in protein and I would definitely need an add-on to help round out the nutrient profile and keep me satisfied throughout the day. Other salads I found had enough protein with cheese, nuts & seeds that I could get away with adding a greek yogurt or something for dessert. All of the salads were a great source of vegetables, fruit & variety regardless of their individual nutrient labels.

Cons: There are several pieces of plastic and waste with each salad and the insulated bag the order is delivered in, and not all of them are recyclable. It is likely cheaper, cost per serving, to buy the ingredients yourself and make the salad. However, you do get wider variety and the convenience of having ready-made meals for your week for the price. Also, there often isn’t a specific protein in the salads and adding one (chicken, beef, falafel, etc.) is often an extra cost. 

Bottom line: Inspired Go salad kits can be a convenient way to increase the variety, nutrients and meet specific nutrient goals you may have. The cost, unfortunately, can definitely be a barrier but can be an option for particularly busy or stressful weeks.

Consider working with a dietitian if you’re unsure about how new food products fit into your diet. Working with a dietitian at Evolve is less about us telling you what to eat and more about giving you the tools and education to evaluate products and make decisions for yourself long-term.

Disclaimer: As always, I do not get paid or in any way benefit from reviewing food and nutrition products. Foods that work for one person may not work for someone else.

• Kassandra Lestrat RD

From where: Superstore, frozen food aisle

How much: $5

The claim: No specific nutrient claims were made on the front of the package. I grabbed this as it was a new (to me) product that looked interesting.

Taste and texture: I really liked the burrito bowl! They’re meant to be defrosted and ate cold and was a great option on a hot summer day when I didn’t want to heat up the kitchen. It had good taste overall but I added a little hot sauce. The texture was pretty good but mushy at times, which is not surprising for a frozen meal.

Nutrients: The portion size and energy provision might be a little small for some folks. It’s high in fibre (10g) and has a decent amount of protein (9g). I ate this for supper after a long work day before heading to an almost 3 hours class. The protein and the fibre kept me full and satisfied until I got home. The sodium is high but that’s pretty common for a convience food. It’s also a great source of iron.

Bottom line: This is a great convience food that I will likely buy again! It was a good size for me, it kept me full for hours and I liked that is was a cold entree which I really appreciate in the summer. Although higher in sodium this is one food item out of an entire days worth of eating. Food isn’t consumed in isolation, there are many positives to this item like the fibre and iron content. We are going to eat other foods the day, throughout the week and beyond which balance out when we include both convience and other foods. 

Disclaimer: As always, I do not get paid or in any other way benefit from reviewing food and nutrition products. Foods that work for someone may not work for others. Considering working with a dietitian if you’re unsure about if a new food product fits into your diet.

• Kassandra Lestrat RD

I tried: Queen Street Bakery Superfood English Muffins

From where: Superstore, frozen food aisle

How much: $8.99 (I bought them when they were on sale for $7.99)

The claim: High in protein, fibre, iron & calcium. Gluten free, vegan and, “packed with nutrients.”

Taste and texture: Overall, I liked the taste, it’s not exactly flour tasting but it’s a good substitute. I don’t know that I would call it an English muffin though, they’re fairly dense and missing the trademark “holes” with a traditional english muffin.

Nutrients: I like that this product is higher in fibre and protein when compared to a standard english muffin. I like that the fibre and protein ingredients are from a variety of sources like white beans and hemp seeds. In theory calcium and iron compete for absorption when consumed together but the evidence is still mixed on if it’s significant in practice.

Bottom line: These english muffins are a great source of fibre and protein for anybody, but especially if you’re celiac or gluten free. They taste great but didn’t scratch the english muffin craving. These could be a good choice for a filling snack or a base for a meal. Personally, including the purchase price, I don’t think these will make it into my personal cart again. I might instead choose a regular or whole grain english muffin and add components (avocado and egg for me!) to meet my specific needs.

• Kassandra Lestrat RD

How Important is Nutrition While Traveling?

When things get stuck, if they stop feeling real and alive and in-the-moment, a director will ask an actor: “What’s your intention? What’s your objective? What are you doing to get it?”

There are so many ways to change the way we see, feel, and hold our problems. Sometimes, everything seems impossibly knotted together inside us or our relationship. But every knot is just a series of threads tied a certain way and if we patiently feel each thread out, they can be untangled from us and woven into something more meaningful.

The Medicine Wheel offers just one way to see our problems more wholistically.

Medicine Wheels I’ve known are always divided into the four directions, each with lessons and reminders about different spirits, medicines, and aspects of life.

 

In the wheel I was taught, one thing the SOUTH reminds us is to feel warmth and remember we have power; a fire in our make-up that has always adapted, collecting wisdom and getting passed down as long as our genes have existed. The SOUTH also reminds us about relationships and the social part of our lives – such as family, kin, community, and nation. If we have a problem (if we are depressed, anxious, hurting ourselves, distressed by voices we are hearing, struggling in our relationships, feeling lost or without meaning, grieving, fearing death), we are reminded to ask:

 

How does this problem fit in my family? My extended family? My communities? My nation? My world? Am I isolating myself from any of these, pulling into myself and keeping my problem to myself?

 

How are each of these groups affected by the problem? How are each of these responsible for the problem? How can each of these help?

 

For example: Has your problem isolated you (or your family) from others, making you feel like you can’t talk about it because you think it reveals your flaws or faults, embarrasses you, or that you should be able to “just deal with it”? Is something preventing you from feeling open and connected with others about it? What can we do to reconnect you to others, reach out and share, and let go of the shame and guilt?

 

How is your nation responsible for your problem? Is there a system that is letting you down, oppressing you, not providing enough services or not giving you a way of talking about your problem? Does it contribute to your shame and make you feel responsible to figure this out by yourself?

 

Are there norms, standards, labels, images, racism, violence, other peoples’ advantage, economic pressures, or judgments you feel weighted down by? Are you judging yourself with someone else’s set of values to the point it hurts you and gets you stuck? How can we remove some of these barriers and help you see yourself how you wish you saw yourself?

What are your values? Your family’s? Your community’s? Your ancestors’? What information is waiting in your imagination and hopes?

 

Thinking this way, can you already feel more space inside your problem, more distance from it, more room for your own power and agency, your creativity?

The Medicine Wheel asks us to consider that if everything is connected, why should we ever be alone with our problem?

 

So, one single facet of one direction on the Medicine Wheel helps change the story. We are empowered by knowing a system is putting too much pressure on us. There is power in sharing our experience with others because it unburdens us of shame and guilt. We feel connected to a huge history of strength, resistance, and past succeeding. We remember there are always other ways of knowing, thinking, valuing, feeling, and seeing and maybe we’ve gotten stuck using society’s judgements against ourselves.

This way of thinking connects with many other evidenced-based counselling techniques such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, feminism and gender theory, Narrative Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Emotionally Focused Therapy…

 

Do you see how already there’s so much we can do, starting with just one aspect of just one tool available to us in counselling? Does this spark a sense of possibility or thrill of excitement or questions? Maybe that’s the fire!

 

There are many ways to approach a problem. Some things that counselling will always offer is connection, good listening, equality, and respect for everyone’s natural need to grow and thrive.

 

You can come see me at Evolve Counselling. My services are set at accessible rates and if there are barriers to your accessing help, you can contact us.

I’ve been an addictions counsellor for 25 years and like belly buttons you’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t have an opinion about addiction. How to treat it, what causes it, who most likely has it, what we as a community can do about it and the musings go on and on. Even the word ADDICTION strikes fear in those who have it, and wish they didn’t, and family members who find their loved ones lost to it. The word itself has undergone a metamorphosis in the past 5 years I’ve been around the profession-rom addiction to substance abuse (I find this one the most difficult to even say- liken it to abusive people who are criminal) to substance misuse and now we’ve landed on substance use disorder (medically minded and based on a continuum of mild, moderate and severe). Other words used to describe the treatment or management of the disorder also carries with it much opinion- harm reduction, safe supply, decriminalization, overdose, poisonings, drunk driving, impaired driving and the list goes on and on. The thing about all these words, and lets face it they are just a bunch of letters put together to form words, is that behind the words and their meanings are people. Real people Our neighbours, brothers, sisters, moms, dads, kids, friends and more words.