Special Features - Country Grocer Friends and Family Magazine

Friends&Family Country Grocer’s quarterly food and lifestyle

magazine |

Winter 2013-2014 | Complimentary

Oh, Christmas Tree!

Island trees help Island kids

Pride of the Island Local producers cook up tasty ideas

Ice Time

Nanaimo Clippers’ Dave Johnston www.countrygrocer.com

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IN THIS ISSUE

Welcome winter!

Welcome to the fourth edition of Country Grocer’s Friends & Family magazine.

Here at Country Grocer, we love the holiday season. As an Island-grown, family- PETER CAVIN, owned and operated director, country company, the holidays grocer provide the opportunity to reflect on the year’s achievements, look forward to what’s to come and spend time with our loved ones.

As a company, the New Year will bring an even greater focus on working with our local suppliers to bring you even more great products, like Tree Island Yogurt, showcased in our regular column, What’s In Store.

We’ll also be working on a new, more interactive website to bring you all the features you want from your local grocery store, building on recent initiatives like our handy new “app” that keeps you connected on the go.

In store, this commitment to providing our customers with the finest products and service has been captured in a brand new program, Best of the Best. Learn more on page 13.

Also in this edition, meet some of the processors and producers creating fresh-from-the-Island meat and seafood products for your table, and about the family that has supplied Country Grocer shoppers with farm-fresh Christmas trees for years.

We meet the new assistant coach and GM for the Nanaimo Clippers Junior A hockey team and learn all about the successful Esquimalt-based WITS program, an anti-bullying initiative that has taken its message across the country.

Of course, don’t miss Chef Michael Williams’ delicious recipes and his reflections on the current gluten-free trend.

Find all this and much more as we celebrate winter with Friends & Family.

Happy holidays, and here’s to a healthy and fruitful 2014.

Enjoy!

Pride of the Island Processors and producers are key to Island’s food industry

20

14

Kids use their WITS

4 Ice Time

12

with the Nanaimo Clippers’ Dave Johnston

> RECIPES: Red Curry Winter Squash Indian Black Bean Chili Coconut Chia Pudding

10

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Oh, Christmas Tree!

Say thank you with style

winter safety for your pet

Editor Jennifer Blyth

Design

jblyth@telus.net

Lily Chan

Group Publisher

Circulation Director

Penny Sakamoto psakamoto@blackpress.ca Director, Sales and Advertising

Oliver Sommer osommer@blackpress.ca

Bruce Hogarth

www.blackpress.ca

818 Broughton Street, Victoria, BC V8W 1E4 Phone 250-381-3484 Fax 250-386-2624

Friends & Family magazine is published quarterly by Country Grocer and Black Press. The points of view or opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of Friends & Family. The contents of Friends & Family magazine are protected by copyright, including the designed advertising.

Reproduction is prohibited without written consent of the publisher.

Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com » 3

MADE LOCALLY

Pride of the Island Crafted Fresh in Port Alberni, sausages are a Hertel’s favourite.

An essential component of the local food industry, Island processors and producers have a long and tasty history on Vancouver Island.

By Jennifer Blyth

H

ere on Vancouver Island, we have talked a lot lately about the importance of supporting local agriculture – the farmers who grow the fruits and vegetables, and who raise dairy cows, lamb, chickens and more, providing everything from eggs to milk to meat.

But there’s another piece to the local food puzzle: the people who take those ingredients and turn them into the products you enjoy at your table.

In addition to the diverse agricultural network operating throughout Vancouver Island, the region is also home to a variety of processors who are creating some delicious possibilities – and have been for decades.

St. Jean’s Cannery & Smokehouse has been operating in Nanaimo for 53 years, founded by Armand St. Jean in his garage in 1961. Now owned and operated by his son Gerard, working alongside his brother Paul, the family business has now grown to three generations with Gerard’s son Dave also on board.

4 » Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com

While the cannery and smokehouse is perhaps best known for its service to the sport fishing industry – processing and packing the local catch for visiting fishermen to enjoy back home – St. Jean’s has grown into so much more. The largest cannery serving the sport fishing industry in British Columbia and the largest salmon cannery in southern B.C., St. Jean’s is a gourmet food retailer and wholesaler.

Working with the local commercial fishery, St. Jean’s prepares under its own label clams, oysters and salmon, in addition to processing products for other labels, explains Lance Weber, St. Jean’s Customer Service Manager. On Country Grocer shelves, shoppers will find the popular butter clams and clam nectar, perfect for such delicacies as the Creamy Clam Chowder (see recipe on page 7). In the deli case, look for smoked and candied salmon – popular choices for the entertaining season.

In addition to the Niko’s line of preservative- and sulphatefree dips, marinades and other complementary products, St. Jean’s closed 2012 by purchasing the Raincoast Trading, a company highly respected for its sustainable fishing practices

Hertel’s fresh sausage meat and gourmet seafood – both features completely in line with St. Jean’s own business philosophy, Weber notes. “We follow the same focus of sustainability.”

In this day of mechanized production, each St. Jean’s canned product is cut and packed by hand and cooked just once for improved flavour and nutritional value, rather than the doublecooking method typical with more large-scale companies. “It translates into a totally different product. People know what they’re going to get when they buy our products.”

That same commitment – exceptional, natural ingredients, tried-and-true recipes and processing quality – is also at the heart of Port Alberni’s Hertel’s Meats, which produces ham, sausages, ribs and more, including its most popular item, bacon.

Hertel’s was founded by Thomas and Helena Hertel as a small family business in 1967 to provide slaughter and processing for local farmers and hunters. Today Hertel’s no longer provides processing services, but since the mid-1980s has served its renowned line of fresh, flavourful products to appreciative diners around the Island and lower Mainland, says general manager Ron Caldwell. “More than anything, it’s made the old-fashioned way, the way it’s supposed to be made,” he says.

When it comes to processing meat raised on the Island, the number of facilities has dropped over the years. For Hertel’s, St. Jean’s Candied salmon is ideal for entertaining season.

Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com » 5

Each tin of St. Jean’s salmon is cut and packed by hand.

Photo courtesy St. Jean’s Cannery

6 » Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com

it was simply an issue of supply, Caldwell explains.

Transportation costs make it too expensive to bring hogs from the Mainland and the cost of transporting feed makes large-scale production more challenging for farmers.

Those that remain, however, like Gunter Brothers in the Comox Valley and Farmhouse Poultry in the Cowichan Valley, are crucial, says Dave Hubscher, Country Grocer Meat and Seafood Operations Manager. “Without abattoirs (meat processors) here on Vancouver Island everything would have to be shipped to the mainland and back, so we’re lucky to have them here.”

The idea of supporting friends and neighbours close to home has moved beyond the individual growers to also include these kinds of producers.

While a steady supply of meat can still prove challenging at times, “when we tested the waters to see if there was some interest in local, grass-fed, grassfinished beef from the Island three years ago, I think we sold something like 26 head of cattle,” Hubscher says. “This year we’ll buy close to 150 head which we’ll have available along with our other beef.”

At St. Jean’s, “we’re finding more people searching out our products in our stores and at Country Grocer,” Weber says. Showing that Island quality can pay off, while “we’ve always had strong support on the Island and even on the Mainland, we’re actually seeing more growth in other areas, such as Alberta.”

The concept of buying local extends beyond the consumer, to the suppliers as well. At St. Jean’s, the company looks to local sources first, with particular years and fish runs sometimes requiring other Pacific Northwest sources to secure the required quality. By buying local, “it reaches everyone from the guy who is catching the fish to the guy who is selling the bait and tackle.”

In terms of business challenges, supply is probably No. 1, Weber says. “There’s only so much wild product out there,” he notes. The second challenge can be finding quality staff, particularly in an industry that has been more seasonal in nature. With the purchase of Raincoast, however, they are now able to look at year-round operation to keep more people employed between specific windows, such as the two-week clam harvest that happens just once a year, each January.

While these Island products remain true to their roots, Caldwell says innovations can come in areas such as technology that can help increase shelf life, for example, without compromising quality, and in new recipes that speak to today’s families. As a smaller, Island-based company, Hertel’s can be more flexible and responsive to local markets.

“I’m fairly optimistic,” he says. “I think it’s about making the product the way it has always been made and providing something that people want.”

St. Jean’s Creamy Clam Chowder Recipe Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients 6 slices bacon 2 onions, diced 1 x 284ml can St. Jean’s Clam Nectar 3 carrots, diced 4 stalks celery, diced 3 to 4 potatoes, diced

2 x 284 ml St. Jean’s Whole Butter Clams (chopped) 2 tbsp St. Jean’s Seafood Chowder Spice 1/4 lb butter 1/4 cup flour 4 cups cream 250 g cream cheese

Method: 1. Sauté bacon and onions in a large pot. Add potatoes, carrots and celery. Cook until nearly soft.

2. Add St. Jean’s Clam Nectar. Cover and cook until vegetables are soft. Add St. Jean’s Seafood Chowder Spice and the two cans of chopped clams.

3. Make roux by melting butter in a pot and mixing in flour.

Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add cream and cream cheese.

4. Simmer until mixture thickens. Add cream mixture to vegetable mixture. Adjust seasonings to taste and enjoy!

Photo courtesy St. jean’s Cannery

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Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com » 7

I

ndulgences

WHAT’S IN STORE Keeping it local with Tree Island Yogurt Country Grocer stores recently welcomed a new Island company to the refrigerator shelves: Tree Island Gourmet Yogurt. Based in the Courtenay area, the family-run company creates delicious home-made artisan yogurt in three varieties, crafted from local ingredients.

A great fit for the local, family-run Country Grocer!

Beautiful Red Roses

Rose are red, violets are blue… well, for Valentine’s Day your special someone will likely welcome beautiful long-stem red roses, the perennial symbol of love and devotion, and available in Country Grocer’s floral department.

Everland Coconut Water Not only is Everland Coconut Water a refreshing, low-sodium way to rehydrate, providing natural electorlytes, potassium and only 110 calories per can, but what you’re drinking will also help others half a world away.

Everland will donate $1.20 from each case to One Prosper, a Canadian charitable organization with a goal to harness innvation to end hunger and extreme poverty. One Prosper provides farmers in India with drip irrigation kits, reducing water use and increasing crop yields.

Helmuts Pizza Pepperoni & Salami

Balderson’s Spreadable Cheddar

Brand new in the Country Grocer deli case is Helmuts Kitchen pizza pepperoni and salami, a B.C.-processed highquality product, gluten-free and with no MSG added. Boasting a family history of more than 100 years’ experience as Europeantrained sausage makers, Helmuts Kitchen products will be a delicious addition to your pizza or sandwich.

Just in time for entertaining season, Balderson’s three-year-old spreadable premium aged cheddar offers a deliciously savoury bite and is ideal served with Raincoast Crisps or Mary’s Organic Crackers.

Pick yours up in the deli department.

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Discover the

Best of the Best Have you ever tried something and said “Wow! That was the best thing I’ve ever tasted!”

You tell your friends, your family and anybody else who will listen, and you say to yourself, “If I was at a country fair that would win a prize.”

We have!

“Country Grocer went directly to the most important part of our business – you, the customer – and after months of customer surveys, product development with our talented group of bakers, decorators and marketing team, we’ve developed the “Best of the Best” program,” says Country Grocer Operations Manager Bill Peppy.

“Although we do our ‘best’ everyday to give you value, exceptional products and variety for everyone, we did need to point out a few items as the Best of the Best – look for the Blue Ribbon on products such as the bakery department’s fresh-made granola, the ultimate Cinee Bunz and delicious Ciabatta buns.

Enjoy!

Maple Pecan Overnight Oikos French Toast Overnight recipes make festive holiday breakfasts with the family easy and mess free.

x6

Preparation time: 15 min.

Cook time: 30 min.

INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter 6 eggs 3/4 cup (180 mL) milk 1/2 cup (125 mL) Oikos 2% Plain Greek Yogurt 1/4 cup (60 mL) maple syrup

Topping:

2 tbsp (30 mL) brown sugar

2 ripe pears, peeled and chopped

1 tsp (5 mL) Club House Ground Cinnamon

2 tbsp (30 mL) brown sugar

1 tsp (5 mL) Club House Pure Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp (2 mL) Club House Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

Hig h in pro tein

12 baguette slices, cut on a bias and 3/4-inch (2 cm) thick

2 tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter, melted 1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped pecans

PREPARATION 1. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter. Whisk the eggs with milk, yogurt, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Pour some of the mixture into the casserole dish. Arrange bread in an even layer. Pour remaining milk mixture over top.

2. For the topping, toss the pears with brown sugar and cinnamon; scatter over the bread. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Drizzle the melted butter over the casserole and sprinkle with pecans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and set. Serve with a dollop of yogurt and drizzled with extra maple syrup.

Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com » 9

Oh, Christmas Tree!

By Jennifer Blyth

A

Help Fill A Dream this Christmas Visit Country Grocer this holiday season where proceeds from a special holiday bouquet and the sale of Wintergreen Tree Farm’s Christmas trees, as well as the sale of $2 paper shirts at the till will help support the Help Fill A Dream Foundation.

Marking its 27th year serving Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands, Help Fill A Dream carries the mandate to assist Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands children under the age of 19 with life-threatening conditions.

For more information, visit helpfilladream.com

t the Jackson family farm in Mill Bay, it’s like Christmas all yearround.

Vancouver Island’s largest Christmas tree producer, the family’s Wintergreen Christmas Tree Farm supplies trees to each of the Country Grocer stores, in addition to area Boys Scouts and other retailers, notes Taren Phillips, whose grandparents Anne and Derryck Jackson founded the farm in the 1970s.

While the Jacksons raised sheep for awhile, the sloping site

really lent itself to evergreens.

“It’s good terrain for tree-growing,” Taren notes.

Since then the farm has welcomed several generations and many holiday seasons, says Taren, who remembers the joy of growing up in the farm, running through the trees and choosing just the right one for their family’s annual celebrations.

“It’s beautiful and it really was a great place to grow up,” she says.

While Taren is now the sales and marketing manager at the

COUNTRY GROCER’S ROYAL OAK STAFF BRING IN LAST YEAR’S CROP OF WINTERGREEN FARM CHRISTMAS TREES

10 » Friends&Family » FALL 2013 | countrygrocer.com

Executive House Hotel in Victoria, she still helps her grandmother with the family farm, especially as things begin to get busy close to the holidays.

Each year, Wintergreen Christmas Tree Farm harvests between 10,000 and 15,000 beautifully shaped Christmas trees, including Douglas fir, grand fir, noble and pine trees, ranging in size from three-foot tabletop varieties to giants 10-feet-tall, ideal for a Christmas gala, banquet or grand foyer.

For Country Grocer shoppers,

Fire safety tips for your fresh-cut tree

FOR THE JACKSON FAMILY, IT’S CHRISTMAS ALL YEAR AT THEIR MILL BAY CHRISTMAS TREE FARM.

knowing their Christmas tree is truly Island-grown is the next best thing to being able to cut down their own tree (and for many who prefer not to wield an axe, it’s far better!).

Because trees are fresh-cut and travel just an hour or so to their destination, customers know they are getting the freshest product – and one that will last throughout the season with the

proper care.

In turn, Anne Jackson, Taren and their family appreciate the support Island companies like Country Grocer have offered.

“Local support is huge for us,” Taren says. “We definitely wouldn’t be able to do it without them!”

For more information, visit www. wintergreenchristmastrees.com

Nothing beats the fresh scent and look of a real Christmas tree and the good news is that with a tree as fresh as that from Country Grocer and Mill Bay’s Wintergreen Christmas Tree Farm, you know your tree will stay fresher longer.

To keep your tree at its best – and safest – consider these tips from the Canada Safety Council: • A fresh-cut tree will stay green longer and be less of a fire hazard; look for a strong green colour and noticeable fragrance.

• A tree with high moisture content is safer so always test for freshness before buying. Very few needles should fall when the butt of the tree is tapped on the ground; needles should bend, not break; and the stump should be sticky with resin.

• At home, place the tree in a stand that will hold two to three litres of water and top it up daily. Ensure the butt of the tree is always immersed in water; if water drops below the trunk, the stem may reseal itself, requiring a fresh cut.

Use a tree stand that has widespread legs for better balance.

• Do not stand your tree near a heat source such as a radiator, television, fireplace, heating duct or sunny window. It should not block doors or windows.

• Never use lighted candles on the tree.

• Remove the tree in 10 to 14 days; after that time in a heated building, even the freshest tree can start to dry out.

For more information, visit https:// canadasafetycouncil.org

Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com » 11

Gregg Eligh photos

RECIPES from Chef Michael

Red Curry Winter Squash

Indian Black Bean Chili

Coconut Chia Pudding

Servings: Sauce for 4 Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 6 Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4 Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: n/a

Nothing beats oven-roasted winter squash on a cold day. You can use any kind of winter squash – delicata, acorn, kabucha…take your pick. Then we make a simple and delicious curry sauce to go with it, making a fantastic accompaniment to dinner.

One of my favourite recipes ever is a curry recipe from Vij’s cookbook. As a result I have adapted my own chili recipe inspired by this delicious curry and it receives rave reviews wherever I offer it up. Make this chili and you will make some very happy people too!

Ingredients: 1 winter squash of your choice 1 Tbsp coconut oil 1 shallot (chopped) 1 Tbsp ginger (minced) 1 Tbsp Thai Kitchens red curry paste ½ cup homemade chicken broth ¼ tsp sea salt 2 Tbsp cilantro (thinly sliced)

Ingredients: 1/3 cup coconut or grape seed oil 3 medium yellow onions 1 can 798 ml peeled whole tomatoes (no salt) 2 tsp sea salt 2 tsp turmeric 1 Tbsp cumin 1 tsp chipotle chili powder 1 cup coconut milk 1 ½ cups cooked black beans (canned or cooked) 2 cups cooked firm fleshed potatoes (diced) 500g Island Pastures ground beef or

ground bison 1 bunch kale (stem removed and sliced thin)

This dairy-free, naturally thickened pudding boasts the benefits of coconut milk and chia seeds. The pudding is very much like tapioca since the chia seeds gel when they are added to a liquid.

This dessert/snack is slightly sweet, light in texture and has the flavour of coconut.

Method: 1. Cut your squash in half and scoop the seeds and pulp from the centre.

2. If you like, you can brush the squash with melted butter or oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Bake in a preheated 375° F oven until the squash is cooked. The best way to tell if it’s cooked is to poke the flesh with a fork. When it’s tender, it is cooked.

4. Let the cooked squash cool a little and then scoop the flesh out of the skin. Place it in a serving dish so it’s ready for the sauce.

5. While the squash is cooking, preheat a mediumsized pot on medium heat. Add the coconut oil and then the shallots. Sauté, stirring occasionally until the shallots are starting to brown.

6. Add the ginger and sauté for one minute longer, stirring regularly.

7. Now add the curry paste and sauté for about 45 seconds, stirring constantly.

8. Pour the chicken broth into the pot and whisk well to incorporate the paste into the broth.

9. Add the salt and cilantro to the sauce and give it a taste. Once you are happy with the flavours, pour the sauce over the cooked squash and your dish is ready to serve.

Variations: Instead of using a ½ cup of chicken broth, you can use a ¼ cup coconut milk and ¼ cup water or chicken broth. This will produce a richer, more satisfying sauce.

Method: 1. Puree the onions in a food processor until they are as smooth as possible.

2. Preheat a large pot on medium high heat. Add the oil and then the onions and sauté, stirring regularly, until the onions are browned. This will take around 15 minutes and will need more stirring and a constant eye toward the end.

3. While the onions are browning, add the can of tomatoes to the food processor and pulse to chop them up.

4. Once chopped, measure the spices and add them to the tomatoes. This way everything will be ready once the onions are browned.

5. Once the onions are nicely browned, add the tomatoes and spices then reduce heat to medium.

Cook for five minutes.

6. Add the coconut milk, black beans and potatoes and bring back to a simmer.

7. Once simmering, add the raw ground meat. Make sure to stir everything so that the meat gets broken up into small pieces.

8. Gently simmer the chili for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly so that the meat gets cooked completely.

9. Add the kale to the pot, give it a stir and then you are ready to serve one amazing chili! Enjoy.

Variations: Use any cooked beans you like or a combination in place of the black beans.

12 » Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com

Ingredients: 1 can coconut milk (preservative-free) ¼ cup un-pasteurized honey ¼ cup chia seeds 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 Tbsp semi-sweet chocolate (shaved) Method: 1. Add the coconut milk to a mixing bowl and give a good stir.

2. Add approximately a ½ cup of the coconut milk to a small pot along with the honey. Warm on the stovetop and stir until the honey is completely dissolved.

3. Pour the warm honey/coconut mixture back into the mixing bowl.

4. Add the chia seeds and vanilla and stir well.

5. It’s time to let the pudding set. It will need at least three hours in the fridge.

6. Once set, give it a stir and it’s ready to enjoy.

7. To make a nice dessert, serve the pudding on top of fresh fruit salad and top with a touch of shaved chocolate sprinkled. You can use many different kinds of fruit: apples, plums, pears, cantaloupe and berries all work great.

Variations: Turn the pudding into a chocolate coconut version by simply adding 1 to 2 ounces of chopped semi-sweet chocolate to the warm coconut milk after the honey is incorporated and stir until melted.

Find more recipes from Chef Michael at countrygrocer.com

Gluten vs. processed flour: Which is the real culprit?

I

am going gluten free because I want to be healthier.

I am going gluten-free because it’s time to lose some weight.

Have you ever heard this song sung by friends or family or maybe someone in the break room?

Gluten has had a bad rap these days and it’s largely unjustified. Unless you have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, going gluten free does not mean better health. As far as weight loss…well, if you are giving up gluten and replacing it with gluten-free breads, pizza doughs, bagels or other such products, then good luck.

Tapioca starch is the base flour used in the majority of gluten-free products. Compared to whole grain wheat flour, tapioca loses…Big time! There’s no protein, low iron and zero per cent of your recommended daily intake in almost every vitamin and mineral category; all that and gluten-free products cost more. This is not to say they are bad products by any means. Ask anyone who has to avoid gluten and they’ll tell you they love being able to make a pizza or a sandwich with gluten-free products.

But...if you don’t have a sensitivity/allergy and are just trying to make a “healthy change,” why does giving up a wwhole grain bread for a tapioca starch-rich loaf make sense if you have a healthy GI tract? I

will leave you to answer that question.

What does make sense to me is staying away from desserts and junk food that are often laden in white flour and sugar. What makes even more sense is replacing processed foods in general with whole, unprocessed grains and fresh vegetables. For those of us who are eating lots of processed foods, gluten or wheat happen to be in many of them and the end result is a wheat overload…not good.

Eating less gluten (less processed foods) makes sense if we are having too much.

Cereal for breakfast, muffin or donut for snack, sandwich for lunch, crackers in the afternoon…wow! That is four doses of processed wheat before the day is half over.

Now, I bet this is not your everyday diet, but it probably happens from time to time. Even half of that is too much in my opinion.

Processed wheat is everywhere and all too easy to consume, but it only takes a little effort to start new habits! I do my best to limit my processed food intake to once (or less) per day and when I do have a serving, it’s one piece of bread for an open-faced sandwich or two small pieces of pizza or one whole grain pancake as part of a meal. Then the rest of the meal

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is rounded out with protein, fresh veggies and/or fruit.

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Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com » 13

Joni Marcolin photo

Gregg Eligh photos

Chef Michael Williams

ICE TIME COMMUNITY

The Nanaimo Clippers’ Dave Johnston relishes his experiences on the ice and in the local community.

By Jennifer Blyth

F

or Dave Johnston, being able to build a career in a sport he loves has been a dream come true.

To be able to do it in a community as supportive as Nanaimo has been all the sweeter.

“Hockey is in my blood and I’m proud of that,” he says.

Johnston assumed the positions of Director of Business Operations, Assistant General Manager and Assistant Coach of the Nanaimo Clippers in August, working with head coach and GM Mike Vandekamp.

Originally from Williams Lake, Johnston grew up with the sport, leaving the BC Interior for the bright lights of the lower Mainland, where he played for the BCHL’s Burnaby Bluehawks and the WHL’s New Westminster Bruins.

Johnston settled on the Island following his own playing career after meeting his future wife while attending what was then Nanaimo’s Malaspina College.

The family settled in Oceanside when their children were young but Johnston’s love for the game drew him back to the

In the kitchen:

The kitchen is king at the Johnston house.

“We have a big, beautiful, open kitchen with a huge island where we can all sit around; it’s just a time to reconnect,” Johnston says.

But does he cook?

“The famous meal around my house is my spaghetti – my kids call it ‘Dad’s World Famous,’” he says, though jokes that the ingredients are a carefully guarded secret.

“It’s a great little recipe I learned from my mother and I carried on the tradition. Jen’s mother is also a cook of all cooks, so we’re very lucky.”

rink before too long.

In addition to a little coaching of his own son, Brock, now 16 and playing with Nanaimo’s Midget AAA Clippers, Johnston began putting his junior hockey experience to work with the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey Association’s Oceanside Generals, where as head coach and GM he won two league championships, a provincial bronze medal and hosted the successful 2010 Cyclone Taylor Cup provincial championship.

While working outside the rink initially, what began as a part-time volunteer position evolved into a full-time career,

14 » Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com

including acting as Director of Corporate sales for the recent Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup. This past summer, with his daughter, Brittlyn, now 23 and working as a pilot and flight instructor, and Brock attending the Woodlands Secondary hockey academy in Nanaimo, the time was right to take the next step, he says. “My family was ready for me to do this – it’s so natural and it fit.”

Moving up to the Junior A level steps up the pace both on and off-ice, but as the VIJHL has evolved in the last decade, the differences aren’t what they once were. And

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to step into an organization with as long a history of community support and involvement as the Clippers has been terrific.

“We’re 41 years old this year and very much part of the fabric of the community,” he says. “I think we’re very important to the community and we’ve taken great pride in that.”

Johnston’s fiancé, Jen Kennedy, is the core of the Clippers’ community initiatives so he looks forward to seeing that involvement growing. Partnerships such as that with the Island-grown Country Grocer, which this year came on as a team sponsor, have been instrumental to that growth.

“It was huge. I just can’t express how much beyond my expectations that partnership with Country Grocer has excelled,” he says. “It’s just phenomenal all the support we’ve had; it’s been unbelievable.”

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www.shannonoaks.com Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com » 15

While Johnston enjoys the business side of the game, the cut of the blades on the ice is still a thrill. “That’s how we get through every day – waiting for practice,” he says with a laugh.

He also believes in the importance of balancing a winning record with player development.

“Winning is obviously very important and I was fortunate as a player to win a junior A championship and as a coach to win two VIJHL championships, so these are rewarding,” At the same time, “I think when you’ve been around it as long as I have, there’s just

“We’re 41 years old this year and very much part of the fabric of the community.

I think we’re very important to the community and we’ve taken great pride in that.

16 » Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com

so many levels of enjoyment. It’s seeing young men grow into great people, helping them achieve their goals and being involved in the community – it’s so rewarding and so gratifying,” he reflects, recalling a player he coached as a youngster who recently visited while on a break from playing professional hockey in Denmark.

“It’s amazing to see these young kids you used to coach become great young men. It makes you so proud to have had a small role in that.”

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Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com » 17

CL

PROFILE

Behind the wheel to feed the Island

W

e know about the farmers who grow the food we eat, the processors who create the products we love and the store clerks who check our groceries through the till, but who connects these various features of the “urban food chain?”

Here on Vancouver Island, that role falls to the truck driver, and for the last decade that driver for the South Island Country Grocer stores has been Drew Boyd. Another driver heads north, to stores in Duncan, Lake Cowichan and Nanaimo.

Day in and day out, Drew gives it his all to ensure his delivery gets through.

The delivery in this case?

The food and other grocery items from the Country Grocer warehouse heading to stores at Cobble Hill, Esquimalt and Royal Oak. After all, if Drew’s not on the job, the stores are left with empty shelves.

“Everyone has to eat,” he says with a laugh.

6 a.m. – Five days a week, Drew Boyd starts his day earlier than most people, leaving his Sidney home before the sun comes up to start the trek up the Peninsula and over the Malahat to the Chemainus warehouse operated by Country Grocer’s sister company, the Island Independent Buying Group.

Heading opposite most of the people on their daily commute from the Cowichan Valley to Victoria, Drew arrives at the warehouse about 90 minutes after hitting the road.

7:30 a.m. – The managers from each Country Grocer store have placed their

Country Grocer driver Drew Boyd starts his day early to ensure groceries make their way from the company’s Chemainus warehouse to the South Island stores.

Jennifer Blyth photo

orders with the IIBG warehouse and once the crew in Chemainus has the orders organized onto pallets – or skids – Drew gets them loaded on board for the return trip.

1 to 2 p.m. – Most days it’s quitting time, but sometimes when the orders are particularly large, it might be time for a second trip over the ’hat.

9 a.m. – Drew makes his first stop of the day at the Cobble Hill store where he unloads the first of the up to 24 skids he can carry in one truck load.

When Drew is off the clock, you might well find the Victoria native enjoying some of the Island’s many outdoor opportunities, such as boating and fishing. Used to the early mornings after a career built in the truck driving industry, Drew appreciates having the time to get outside after work.

“I like the outdoors and I’d rather do that than be in an office,” he says.

So if you pass Drew coming through your community in his colourful Country Grocer-logoed truck, be sure to give him a wave for bringing the day’s groceries to your store shelves!

11 a.m. – Following the highway down Island, the road takes Drew and the Country Grocer semi-truck and trailer into Esquimalt and the company’s first Greater Victoria store, opened in 1986.

12 p.m. – The last delivery of the day is generally at the Royal Oak store, also home to the company’s administration centre for the South Island.

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Home-grown anti-bullying program teaches kids to use their WITS

By Jennifer Blyth Walk away, Ignore, Tell someone and Seek help.

As adults, these steps to preventing bullying might seem common sense. But to a child facing abuse from his or her peers – whether through physical violence, verbal attacks, social ostracism or electronic bullying – the solutions aren’t always as clear. Or easy.

Are you 18 or younger with an idea That’s where the WITS about how to prevent bullying? The program helps.

Rock Solid team and the Prevent BullyA prevention-based ing Youth Leadership Contest want to anti-bullying program for hear about it! Visit www.witsprogram. elementary and middle ca and fill out the “I Have An Idea!” school-aged students, “the form with the description of your idea. real emphasis is to teach The winner will receive $500 to help children to seek help and get off their idea off the ground. ensure adults have a comLearn more at www.witsprogram.ca mon language to respond to children’s requests for help,” explains Alix Hotsenpiller, who coordinates the program for the Rock Solid Foundation.

Through age-appropriate books, literature and classroom

How would you prevent bullying?

20 » Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com

discussions, WITS teaches children options for responding to bullying without violence, and perhaps most importantly, to seek help. After completing the program, students are sworn in as special WITS constables.

Extending the message to older children, Rock Solid developed the WITS LEADS Program for students in Grades 4 to 6, reflecting the developmental advances which make this age group capable of making their schools and communities safer places for younger children. Here the acronym stands for a problem-solving approach to peer conflicts: Look and listen, Explore points of view, Act, Did it work? and Seek help.

A home-grown solution developed right here in Greater Victoria’s Esquimalt community, WITS has now spread throughout the Island and indeed across Canada.

While the program is delivered through the schools, it also emphasises that schools are neither the source of the problem nor solely responsible for addressing it. They are, however, a great vehicle for disseminating information, with the support of teachers, parents, siblings and the community, from local school liaison officers to companies like Country Grocer.

The support of these community leaders not only allows Rock Solid to provide schools with valuable, up-to-date materials, but also reinforces the value of the WITS message to children and youth, and that their safety and well-being are important, Hotsenpiller says.

The WITS Story

Two of the WITS poster contest winners.

“There’s a wonderful selection of children’s literature that is funny, engaging and relevant to children,” Hotsenpiller says, noting that University of Victoria studies have shown the message is getting through, with lower incidences of bullying in WITS schools.

Each year, WITS tackles a particular theme and this year the message is one of “Social Courage,” delivered through books like Trudy Ludwig’s Just Kidding and Bernard Waber’s Courage, which explores how the concept of courage can take many forms.

“Most incidents are witnessed by other children and these children can play a critical role in preventing that from hap-

pening,” she explains.

“Whether by isolation, physical or verbal abuse or now, more insidiously, the bullying that follows you home through technology, we want to teach children and adults how to respond to the behaviour long before it comes to that.”

Thanks to Country Grocer, Rock Solid has been able to take new WITS kits into eight schools in the Victoria, Cowichan Valley, Lake Cowichan, Nanaimo and Salt Spring communities. “The sponsorship from Country Grocer has allowed the local schools to get up-to-date materials and books, and by having community partners like Country Grocer, it helps raise the profile of the issue.”

The WITS acronym was created at Esquimalt’s Lampson Street Elementary School in 1993 when Principal Judi Stevenson began teaching students four simple conflict resolution strategies: Walk away, Ignore, Talk it out and Seek help. Eagerly adopted by teachers, counsellors and administrators, soon “using your WITS” was a common phrase at the school.

After seeing WITS at work, school police liaison Tom Woods sought to broaden its reach. In 1997, he launched the Rock Solid Foundation with a group of local athletes and law enforcement officials.

Its mission? Provide violence prevention programs to children and youth.

Wanting the WITS acronym as part of Rock Solid’s efforts, Woods partnered with Stevenson to develop a WITS Program.

This community-based approach featured input from teachers and counsellors, and UVic psychology professor Dr. Bonnie Leadbeater and her research team signed on in 1998 to contribute to program development, implementation and evaluation.

Moving forward, Rock Solid will be promoting the program in more rural schools, where children may have less access to community resources around bullying.

“We’re always trying to make the program more accessible to more people,” Hotsenpiller says, pointing to recent translations of the program’s flagship book, The Walrus’s Gift, by H.E. Stewart, into French and the First Nations Sencoten language.

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Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com » 21

Simple steps to keep your pet happy & healthy this winter

A

lthough many come with their own fur coats, pets still need your help to keep them safe from winter’s chilly temperatures, even in this mild corner of Canada’s West Coast.

“When the temperature drops outside, we need to take extra care with our pets,” says Lorie Chortyk, general manager of community relations for the BC SPCA. “Ideally, we should keep our pets indoors with us where they are warm and safe and where we can enjoy their companionship throughout the winter.”

The BC SPCA offers pet owners the following tips to keep pets happy and healthy this winter: • Ensure you thoroughly clean the pads of your pet’s paws after they’ve walked on sidewalks or roads to remove any coarse salt that can cause irritation. For your own sidewalk, choose a pet-friendly, non-corrosive de-icing compound readily available

through retail outlets; • When winterizing camping gear, ensure your pets are not hiding inside, as some equipment can exert intense pressure when being expanded or dismantled; • Use pet-safe propylene-based antifreeze instead of ethylene glycol antifreeze, which is toxic to pets and wildlife. A mere tablespoon of ethylene glycol antifreeze can kill a cat or small dog;

• “Think and Thump” before starting your car.

Cats and wildlife gravitate to warm engines during cold weather. Banging on the hood before getting into your car can avoid a tragic ending for an animal seeking refuge from the cold; • The SPCA strongly urges pet guardians to keep all animals indoors during cold weather, but if you must keep domestic or farm animals outside, ensure they have access to shelter that is off the ground, provides protection from wind, cold and dampness and is properly insulated. Regular checks to ensure drinking water has not frozen over are also a must.

Companion pets are not the only animals at risk in cold weather. People with farm animals must also make sure these animals have adequate cover from the elements and that all water containers are kept ice-free.

Learn more at www.spca.bc.ca

PART OF THE FAMILY Meet Maggie, Linda and Steve Heywood’s Goldendoodle pup.

“Our family had never owned a dog before so we did a lot of research before even looking at puppies. We wanted a very friendly dog who would love walks and also just be content hanging around the house and backyard with us,” the Heywoods write.

“We finally decided on Maggie and brought her home when she was just nine weeks old. This little sweetheart is now almost a year old and is such an important part of our lives – she loves everyone (and everyone’s dog!), is always up for a walk or a hike and absolutely loves camping!”

Of course, Maggie is also a big fan of afternoon naps “and can be quite the couch potato when she’s sleepy!”

22 » Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com

SHOW US YOUR PET

Share a photo and a few words about what makes your pet special by emailing Friends & Family editor Jennifer Blyth at jblyth@telus.net

Gingerbread village brings holiday cheer for seniors

V

isit the Cobble Hill Country Grocer this holiday season to take in the magic of Christmas...in gingerbread!

In November, a team of store elves will start baking and constructing an entire Christmas Village made from gingerbread.

The 14th annual display – complete with a train the little ones love – will sit at Country Grocer Cobble Hill for all customers to view and enjoy throughout the Christmas season.

Just before Christmas the village is dismantled and delivered to various organizations in the Cowichan Valley for a delicious Christmas treat.

“We appreciate all the hard work and volunteer hours the Cobble Hill team puts into this initiative,” says Country Grocer’s Peter Cavin.

“Each year, the gingerbread village is different which makes it so impressive.”

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Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com » 23

Say thank you with style this holiday season

A

bottle of wine or flowers might be the go-to hostess gifts for many, but if you’re looking for something a little different this holiday season, here are 10 fun, festive and flavourful ideas:

1. Visit the deli section at your neighbour-

hood Country Grocer store for some tasty ideas, including savoury options like olives, tapenades, cheeses and other tasty delights. Pair with a packet of rustic crackers for a delicious gift.

2. A tea enthusiast will savour the pos-

sibilities of a few specialty brews beautifully wrapped up with a special mug.

3. Instead of a bottle of wine, consider a bottle of flavourful cooking oil or balsamic vinegar.

Big Brothers and Big Sisters changes lives.

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24 » Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com

children looking for a Big Brother And or Big so Sister. do There over 600 You canare help children children for a reach theirlooking full potential There areorover 600 Big Brother Big Sister. simply by considering children for a a You can looking help children charitable donation.

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Toatlearn more about us bbbsvictoria.com Big Brothers Big Sisters or call 250-475-1117 learn more about ofToVictoria, please visit ext.47 Big Brothers Big Sisters us at bbbsvictoria.com oforVictoria, please visit call 250-475-1117 us at bbbsvictoria.com ext.47 or call 250-475-1117 ext.47

u

4.

For gardeners, a delicately scented hand cream, packaged with a few packets of vegetable, herb or flower seeds.

5.

Does she enjoy sending a personal note? Beautiful paper and an easy-writing pen will be perfect.

7.

For travel buffs, a travel journal and a book exploring a long-yearned-for dream destination – Paris, Tuscany, Bali...

8.

Something pretty for the table – napkins, salt and pepper shakers or centrepiece.

9. A fab – and functional

6.

A special holiday arrangement accompanied by a personal ornament to complement her decorating scheme.

– addition to the kitchen, such as a salt well with an Island salt, flavourful spices or French butter crock.

10.

Photography fan? A lovely frame will await the possibilities of his talents.

Whether acknowledging a holiday dinner or a weekend at the summer cabin, a gift for your host or hostess is a thank you for their hospitality. A few minutes spent considering the individual and what is special to them will help you select a gift that is both personal and meaningful.

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www.warmupyourlife.com Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com » 25

UPCOMING

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December 20th 7:30 pm 21st 7:30 pm 22nd 2:00 pm 27th 7:30 pm 28th 2:00 pm 29th 2:00 pm

FESTIVAL OF TREES October 21 - January 2 Beautifully decorated Christmas trees from our community. Donations accepted to the Food Bank and Toys for Tots.

Hilarious Hillbillies Hit Sidney!

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what’s in the

IN YOUR COMMUNITY

BAG

HELP HEAL HUNGER On-going in all Country Grocer communities – Help Country Grocer lend a hand through the Help Heal Hunger Program with contributions to the local food bank in each of its locations.

Nanaimo Ongoing – Catch Junior A hockey action with the Country Grocer-sponsored Nanaimo Clippers at Frank Crane Arena.

FMI: www.nanaimoclippers.com Nov. 30 – The Nanaimo Lions Club and the Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement Association host the Santa Claus Parade, beginning at 5 p.m.

FMI: www.dnbia.ca Nov. 30 & Dec. 1 – 15th Annual Nanaimo ARTWALK, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

FMI: www.nanaimoartwalk.jimdo.com Dec. 7 – 2013 Homes of Note Christmas Tour, a self-guided tour of beautifully decorated homes from Cedar to North Nanaimo, in support of the Vancouver Island Symphony.

FMI: www.vancouverislandsymphony.com Select dates, Dec. 6 to 21 – Yellowpoint Christmas Spectacular. FMI: www.yellowpointchristmasspectacular.ca Jan. 17 to 19 – Early Spring Home Expo, at Beban Park Auditorium.

FMI: www.homeshowtime.com

LAKE COWICHAN Nov. 30 – Cowichan Lake Recreation’s annual Christmas Craft Fair, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Youbou Hall.

Dec. 23 – Winter Wonderland, 6 to 8 p.m. at the Cowichan Lake Sports Arena. Enjoy fun for the whole family with a toboggan run, fire on the ice, skating, shinny hockey (helmets required), one free hot chocolate per person plus Santa’s arrival at 7 p.m!

Dec. 31 – New Year’s Eve Dance at Youbou Hall. Ring in the New Year with music, dancing and fun! Tickets, available from the Cowichan Lake Sports Arena and Youbou Hall, include hats, noisemakers, balloons and midnight snack. Must be 19+.

FMI: www.cvrd.bc.ca

What must-have items will be in your grocery bag this winter?

Cowichan Dec. 7 – Christmas at Providence Farm, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring a craft fair, Santa portraits, children’s activities in Santa’s Workshop, facepainting and more.

FMI: www.providence.bc.ca Nov. 30 & Dec. 1 – Deck the Hall Christmas Crafts Fair, Cowichan Exhibition Park.

FMI: www.cowex.ca

Just what does Mrs. Claus keep tucked in the cupboard for Santa during his busiest time of year? We checked in with the jolly old elf himself to see what’s on his winter shopping list.

Salt Spring Nov. 23 – Anglican Church Christmas Bazaar, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at All Saints Church, 110 Park Dr. Nov. 30 – Salt Spring Concert Band, ‘Do You Hear What I Hear?’ with special guests, the Viva Chorale! Youth, at ArtSpring, 100 Jackson Ave. FMI: artspring.ca Dec. 19 – ArtSpring’s annual Community Sing-A-Long, 7 to 9 p.m. at 100 Jackson Ave. Pleasr bring a non-perishable food item for the food bank.

FMI: artspring.ca

Greater Victoria Dec. 7 – 15th Island Equipment Owners Association Truck Light Parade, beginning downtown at 6:30 p.m. then travelling throughout Greater Victoria to the West Shore, collecting food bank donations. FMI: www.ieoa.ca View from the Inner Harbour and catch the Lighted Ship Parade in the Inner Harbour, starting just after the trucks pass. FMI: www. victoriaharbour.org March 13 & 14 – Country Grocer Senior Men’s Curling at Archie Browning Sports Centre. FMI: www.esquimaltcurlingclub.ca

1. Hot chocolate and marshmallows, of course!

2. Mandarin oranges.

3. Just a little dark chocolate.

4. Candycanes for the elves.

5. Heart-healthy nuts.

6. A turkey & trimmings for Christmas dinner.

7. Rich and creamy eggnog.

8. A few protein bars to keep his energy up Dec. 24.

9. Cinnamon & nutmeg for cookies.

10. A poinsettia for Mrs. Claus.

As a Holistic Nutritionist, Erin Bosdet always ensures a grocery bag full of healthy ingredients for her family. Erin will be in our south Island stores in the near future to answer your nutrition questions.

Stay tuned!

1. Steel cut oats 2. Almonds 3. Legumes 4. Root veggies 5. Squash

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Kale Mushrooms Avocados Organic Apples Organic coconut oil

Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com » 27

HEALTH HEALTH BITES BITES

Raise your cup for winter Moderate use of caffeine causes no ill effects for most people, but be aware of where it lurks.

With winter’s shorter, darker days, you may be reaching for a caffeine pick-me-up more often that usual.

Found naturally in more than 60 plants, caffeine is known for making people more alert, and consumed moderately causes most people no ill-effects. Coffee and tea are the main sources of caffeine for adults, and soft drinks for children, however caffeine is also found in energy drinks and some cold and pain remedies.

Trying to cut back?

A moderate amount of caffeine is believed Regular caffeine-users can experito be safe, and contrary ence side effects such as headaches to popular opinion, cafand drowsiness when they eliminate feinated drinks do not or suddenly stop taking caffeine. The dehydrate consumers, Dietitians of Canada suggest cutting especially those used to back slowly by mixing regular cofcaffeine, however some fee with decaffeinated coffee, trying can be more sensitive, caffeine-free herbal teas, choosing a experiencing restlesslatte or café-au-lait instead of brewed ness, anxiety, nervouscoffee and brewing tea for less time.

ness, insomnia or stomach upset, explains the Dietitians of Canada website, www. dietitians.ca Health Canada provides recommendations for moderate caffeine intake: • adults should limit caffeine intake to no more than 400 mg/day – about the amount found in three 8-ounce cups of regular coffee.

Health Canada reminds people to never mix caffeine with ephedrine (ma huang) due to potential serious health risks.

• pregnant and breastfeeding women should limit caffeine consumption to no more than 300 mg per day (about two, 8oz cups of coffee or six, 8oz cups of tea).

• children aged 12 and younger should consume no more than 2.5 grams per kilogram of body weight. Since one 12-oz (355 mL) can of cola contains about 30 mg of caffeine and a solid milk chocolate bar has contains about 10 mg, it doesn’t take long to reach those limits.

Peanuts may boost breast health A recent study released in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment suggests young girls who consumed a serving of peanut butter or peanuts at least twice a week, reduced their risk of benign breast disease (BBD) in young adulthood by up to 39 per cent.

The study, conducted by Washington University School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School, analyzed data from more than 9,000 girls and young women who participated in the long-term

research study Growing Up Today. “Vegetable fat consumed by pre-adolescent girls and vegetable protein consumed by adolescents may be protective, while peanut butter, high in both protein and fat, consumed at any age may be associated with lower risk for BBD.” Peanuts contain more protein than any other nut and peanut butter contains about 8g of protein per serving.

Previous research has shown that benign breast disease in young women is associated with increased risk of breast cancer and other adult diseases.

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Serving Greater Victoria, Duncan South Serving Greater Victoria, Duncan South the Southern Islands and and the Southern GulfGulf Islands “Since 1969” “Since 1969”

MEET THE TEAM

Baker gives back to family and community Country Grocer’s Serena Leblond is an avid cyclist, but as a busy working mom of three, she doesn’t have a lot of time to train.

Fortunately her seven-kilometre daily commute from her home to the Cobble Hill Country Grocer gives her the legs and lung power she needs to ride each year in the two-day BC Lung Association Bicycle Trek for Life and Breath.

“Every year I worry I didn’t do enough training but commuting five days a week seems Serena Lablond photos to do it,” she says with a smile.

Serena Leblond, a baker at Country Grocer’s Cobble Hill store, with sons This past September Serena Bryson and Ryllie. joined some 300 other cyclists Coming up Feb. 27, Serena and Country for the two-day, 200km ride Grocer are supporting the organization with from White Rock to Cultus Lake and back.

Jeans for Genes Day. It was her 10th ride for the Lung Association Recognizing her significant efforts, when and over those years she has raised upwards of B.C. welcomed the world for the 2010 Van$7,000 for vital lung health research, procouver Olympics, Serena was chosen to carry grams and initiatives. the torch on behalf of Country Grocer, run“I enjoy the personal challenge of the Trek, ning a leg in Qualicum Beach. but my son was also born with lung prob“There have been a lot of good things that lems,” says Serena, a baker for Country Grocer have happened since I’ve been with Country for the past seven years.

Grocer,” she says.

“And most people know someone who has “They support me with my trek every year some kind of lung disorder.” and have always been there for me. This is Thinking back to her first ride, “I had a such a great company to work for.” bigger, heavier bike that first year and it was Serena enjoys spending time tough, so by the next year I bought a with family, including husband new bike!”

Allen and their 10-monthIn addition to her supold grandson, and is also an port for the Lung Assoaward-winning photographer. ciation, as a mom to two “I love nature and macro children with special needs, photography, but have recentSerena supports Unique, ly discovered my talent for a resource for people and portraiture. It’s a love!” parents of children with rare chromosome disorders.

Country Kudos Country Grocer customer Barb L. was leaving the Esquimalt store when she saw Grocery Supervisor Kevin McLean outside holding onto the leashes of two dogs while a customer was quickly picking up a few things.

The customer was only going to be in the store for a few minutes and did not want to leave her dogs tied up unattended so Kevin had offered to help her out.

Kudos to Kevin!

Give a Kudo Do you know a Country Grocer employee deserving recognition for an exceptional achievement? If you have been “wowed” or received outstanding customer service, take a few minutes to complete an Employee Recognition form and share your story.

“We look forward to hearing about all the great things our team members do each day to make the days brighter for our customers,” says Marketing Manager Tammy Averill, inviting customers to submit their Country Kudos in-store or online at countrygrocer.com

Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com » 29

Stylish, space-saving solutions for your home

7 Community Locations COBBLE HILL 1400 Cowichan Bay Rd. 250-743-5639 8am to 9pm 7 days per week

Few homeowners can say they don’t need a little more space. And stylish, well-organized space? What could be better than that?

The solution may well be the space-saving Murphy Wall-Bed and companion custom cabinetry, crafted right here on the Saanich Peninsula. Murphy Wall-Beds has been in business for over 22 years.

“We focus on quality,” says owner Tom Bazin. “We make a quality product from beginning to end.”

Using patented, engineered Murphy bed hardware, quality materials and local construction expertise, ensures the excellence customers have come to know and expect from the Better Business Bureau-accredited business.

Bazin credits shop foreman James York as an essential component to the local company’s success. With the company since its founding more than two decades ago, “he’s probably the most experienced Murphy bed expert in North America,” he says.

Whether you’re trying to stretch the space you have or are looking to maximize space when down-sizing, Murphy beds are perfect for creating a dual-purpose room, guest room and craft or fitness room, for example. Others appreciate their flexibility in a bachelor or assisted living suite.

In addition, “there’s all kinds of different space-saving solutions that go hand-in-hand with the Murphy beds,” Bazin says, noting their designers and craftsmen can custom-craft virtually any cabinetry to complement your bed.

And with the Murphy beds accommodating the same variety of mattresses as a conventional bed, optimal comfort is ensured.

“A Murphy bed could be used in every single home – everyone is looking for space,” Bazin says.

Unsure just how a Murphy Wall-Bed will fit into your home? Take advantage of a free design service to help you envision how a bed will work in your home, including a special computerized drawing and design program that allows you to get a three-dimensional view of your room, before you commit.

Let us show you how to increase your useable space...

MURPHY

WALL-BEDS 3075 Douglas Street, Victoria • 250-744-2195 or 1-800-670-5505 www.murphybeds-victoria.com 30 » Friends&Family » WINTER 2013-2014 | countrygrocer.com

LAKE COWICHAN 83 Lake Cowichan Rd. 250-749-6335 7am to 9pm 7 days per week CHASE RIVER (NANAIMO) 82 Twelfth St. 250-753-7545 7am to 10pm 7 days per week DUFFERIN CRESCENT (NANAIMO) 1800 Dufferin Cresc.

250-591-5525 7am to 10pm 7 days per week

SALTSPRING ISLAND 374 Lower Ganges Rd. 250-537-8684 7am to 10pm 7 days per week ROYAL OAK (VICTORIA) 4420 West Saanich Rd. 250-708-3919 8am to 10pm 7 days per week ESQUIMALT (VICTORIA) 1153 Esquimalt Rd. 250-382-5515 8am to 10pm 7 days per week

Discover Victoria

on one of our memorable

Walking Tours Tours scheduled year-round Extra tours for Christmas and Chinese New Year

www.discoverthepast.com 250.384.6698

Changing your mind The ancients pointed to higher awareness using many names – enlightenment, moksha, bodhi, kensho, satori, kevala jnana are but a few.

In our modern world, we live so deeply in a limited mindset and it is the source of so many people not being happy, healthy and living a life of ease. In this limited mindset we are consumed with irritation, worry, aggression, and fear – these are habitual unhelpful patterns of conditioned reactivity.

Stress is the name we use for the condition that envelops all the symptoms of the limited mindset. Stress is energy draining and takes us away from our true inspired selves.

On some level we know that our natural state is one without stress, where we can endure the rapid pace of life without difficulty, where we

experience joy and where our mind is clear. But most of us have lost the understanding and appreciation of the true holistic way and we live detached from nature and this greater way of being.

For thousands of years, mushrooms have been used to bring a change in perspective and a change in awareness, and have brought people closer to an understanding of their authentic selves. In this state, we know what is true and real, and happiness, wellness and ease become our norm.

Changing the way your mind works is the first step to recovering your true personal power and ease. We call this Changing Your Mind.

We invite you to take a small step in the direction of finding the greater you. For one week, try this simple program, and when you’re done, please share with us how you feel (changeyourmind@purica.com)

7 day change your mind program Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Breathe in a relaxed deep way as much as possible Spend 5 minutes alone in silence Wear a smile inside your mind Smile to everyone you meet Think of one thing that you feel grateful for today Try Purica Mushrooms

The Absolute Best Mushrooms available

Purica sources the highest quality mushrooms available today. We micronize them - grinding them almost to the size of blood cell, so your body can absorb the entire mushroom. Micronizing adds 5 to 10 times the potency of our exceptional raw material and all the naturally occurring active ingredients are preserved in this process.

• Antioxidant (SOD) • Immune Enhancement • Stress Relief

• Stress Relief • Sleep Support • Energy & Stamina Boost

• Memory Support • Clarity of Mind • Stress Relief

• Adrenal Exhaustion • Immune Enhancement • Energy & Libido Boost

• Serious Immune Support • Cold and Flu Prevention & Therapy • Complement to Mainstream Therapies

We envision life beyond the dualistic dichotomies of East-West, Ancient-Modern, Science-Religion. Things are, in essence, simply beyond mere dualistic appearance. At Purica, we aspire to help others experience contentment where discontentment seems the rule, ease where ®

purica.com

there is disease and harmony where disharmony appears. Our natural medicines and whole food concentrates are specifically designed to manifest a state of well-being. We aspire to ease the suffering that burdens the mind and body, to unlock the potential within.

Happy Holidays from our Family to Yours