Can you make poutine healthier?
YES!
A basic poutine is comprised of a bed of delicious potato-based fries, gravy and cheese curds!
While it tastes amazing, there are some side effects to be aware of after you consume this delicious delicacy.
What can happen to your body:
You will feel amazing from the dopamine!
You’ll raise your blood sugar from the refined carb cocktail that make up a poutine.
You’ll possibly raise your blood pressure from the cheesy tasty salty curds.
It will take you a long time to digest it since it’s all simple refined carbs (sorry not a lot of fibre in this).
This meal is not rich in protein but high in the bad fat and not filled with a lot of veggies!
Try these upgrades:
1. Root Vegetable Poutine
Using seasonal veggies is something I encourage everyone to do when there is access. Right now we’re coming up to a slower time for local foods but by using multi-coloured carrots or heirloom carrots, purple sweet potatoes and parsnips you not only get a colourful poutine, but one rich in antioxidants. Think of Antioxidants as rustproofing for your insides. Eating more colours is not only interesting for your palate, you get a wider range of nutrition!
This recipe is fully vegan and uses cashew cream cheese sauce instead of using any regular dairy. For those with dairy issues this is super tasty and still gives you a nice consistency!
Ingredients:
3 Heirloom carrots cut into fry shape
3 sweet potatoes shape cut into fry shape
3 parsnips cut into fry shape
2 tbsps avocado oil
1 tbsp peppercorns
1 tbsp chili pepper
1 tbsp garlic salt
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp sea salt
How to:
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Cut your carrots, sweet potatoes, and parsnips into fry shape.
In a large bowl combine oil and spices and add in the cut veggies and toss to coat.
Spread fried out evenly onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Cashew Cream Cheese Sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup (150g) Cashew Nuts (Raw)
2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1 Clove Garlic (crushed)
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)
Pinch Sea Salt
Pinch Black Pepper
5 Tbsp Water
How to:
Add the cashew nuts, nutritional yeast, crushed garlic and lemon juice to the blender jug. Add sea salt and black pepper. Measure out the water and add it in. Blend until very smooth and creamy.
For a thicker cheese, use less water. For a thinner salad dressing consistency, use a little more water.
Serve drizzled over poutine and even other meals!
2. Sweet Potato Poutine
Sweet potatoes are rich in Vitamin A, contain dietary fibre and while they are starchy they won’t give you the same blood sugar spike as our friend the regular potato!
The gravy contains mushrooms which are great for this time of year because they contain Vitamin D. A little known fact about mushrooms is, that you can put them in the windowsill to get sunlight and they will absorb sunlight and increase their Vitamin D levels!
Ingredients:
4 sweet potatoes shape cut into fry shape
1 tbsp avocado oil
1 tbsp peppercorns
1 tbsp chili pepper
1 tbsp garlic salt
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp sea salt
How to:
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Cut your sweet potatoes into fry shape.
In a large bowl combine oil and spices and add in the cut sweet potato and toss to coat.
Spread fried out evenly onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake at 400 F for 30 to 45 min, until the fries are crisp on the outside.
Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients:
1lb mushrooms, chopped
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder or tapioca starch
2 cups of organic broth
salt and pepper to taste
How to:
Saute mushrooms in the oil for 5 minutes in a skillet or saucepan over medium high heat or until much of the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Don’t stir too much as the liquid won’t evaporate as effectively.
Sprinkle the arrowroot powder over mushrooms and stir to coat.
Add the broth and stir until thickened (about 3 minutes).
Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to desired taste.
3. Regular Poutine
This uses traditional fries and some veggies tossed into the mix!
The best way to improve a poutine is to combo it with colourful veggies, like red and green onions, some peppers and even some cabbage. You can still use the gravy, cheese curds and the regular potatoes. If you’re feeling like you might like to experiment using coloured potatoes like red or blue these will give you an antioxidant boost without affecting the traditional feel of your regular potato!
Ingredients:
2 Potatoes Yukon Gold
2 Red or Blue potatoes
1 tbsp avocado oil
1 tbsp peppercorns
1 tbsp chili pepper
1 tbsp garlic salt
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp sea salt
How to:
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Cut your potatoes into fry shape
In a large bowl combine oil and spices and add in the cut and toss to coat.
Spread fried out evenly onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Bake at 400 F for 30 to 45 min, until the fries are crisp on the outside.
Regular Gravy
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of butter flavoured coconut oil
4 tablespoons of arrowroot powder or tapioca starch
2 + ½ cups of broth (hot, but not boiling)
1-½ tablespoons of coconut aminos (coconut sap) – optional and to taste
¼-½ teaspoon of poultry seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
How to:
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Sprinkle the arrowroot or tapioca starch in the pan over the oil and whisk vigorously until smooth.
Cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. The mixture should be golden and bubbling.
Slowly pour the warm broth, continue to whisk constantly. The mixture will become grainy and clumpy. Continue whisking until smooth.
Cook the gravy for a couple minutes or until thickened, while whisking regularly. Add the coconut aminos, poultry seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste.
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