Monday Message - Summer Vacation

Monday Messages are going on Summer Vacation until after Labor Day!  Need a potluck recipe?  Search the site for your favorite recipes or browse through old posts for tips and tricks for feeding your family the healthy way this summer. 

Once school is back in session, Monday Messages will resume with lunch ideas, tips for raising healthy eaters, recipes and much more.  In the mean time, be sure to leave your comments and suggestions for future blogposts.  Better yet, post your Nutrition Questions and check back in September for the answers.

Going on Vacation?  Check out these tips for eating right while traveling:  Kids Eat Right  Enjoy the last few weeks of summer everyone! :)

Monday Message - More Grilling Tips!

Have you ever tried Grilled Pineapple? Grilling fruits and vegetables makes it easy to get in 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

This week, Kids Eat Right provides us with Hot Tips on Grilling up our summertime favorites.  Check out the article here.

Monday Message - Recipe of the Week

 

Fresh Strawberry Pie 

 

 

Recipe By:  Carol Mergen, MS RD

 

Across California and across the country, gardeners gather strawberries at their peak of perfection. And there is no better way to showcase nature's bounty than in a strawberry pie. If you don't have your own strawberry patch, check out a u-pick patch or a farmers' market for the most flavorful berries.

 

Ingredients

1 (9-inch) baked pie crust
5 cups whole strawberries, washed and hulled (reserve 1 cup for glaze)
⅔ cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup nonfat whipped topping

 

Directions

1. Line the baked pie crust with select strawberries placed large end down.
2. For the glaze, crush the remaining 1 cup of strawberries with a fork or in a food processor or blender.
3. Combine the strawberries and sugar in a 2-quart saucepan. Slowly bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat; simmer 1 minute.
4. Mix ¾ cup cold water and the cornstarch until smooth; gradually add to the hot strawberry mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice; cool slightly.
5. Spoon the glaze over berries. Gently shake the pan to evenly distribute the glaze. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
6. Top each serving with whipped topping. Serve chilled.

 

CookingTip

You will need about 20 to 25 medium-size strawberries to place in the pan. Hull the strawberries (remove the green leaves and stem) just before using to keep them at their freshest.

Monday Message - 4th of July Food Safety

Getting ready for that backyard barbecue on the 4th? Make sure your grill is clean and ready before throwing on your favorite food.

Hot soapy water and a meat thermometer are the two most important food safety tools you need for grilling up your favorites foods without bacteria that can cause foodborne illness.  Check out this link from Kids Eat Right for more Grilling Safety:  Fire Up the Barbeque

Looking for marinade and rub ideas?  Monday Message - Rubs and Marinades

Pack a Healthy Picnic cooler ahead of time for your 4th of July outing.  Keep it Simple, Safe and Savory!

Monday Message - Recipe of the Week - 4th of July

Nutty Fruit Crumble

Recipe By: Elizabeth Weiss, MS RD and Janice Bissex, MS RD

Need a last minute 4th of July dessert? Made with red delicious apples and blueberries and then topped with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, this red, white, and blue dessert is the perfect ending to any July 4th feast.

 

Ingredients

3 large Red or Golden Delicious apples (about 2 pounds), unpeeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup walnuts, very finely chopped
1/2 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed or wheat germ
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil

 

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the apples, brown sugar, flour, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large bowl and toss to coat. Gently stir in the blueberries.
• Place the apple mixture in an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or dish and set aside.
• To make the topping, place the walnuts, oats, brown sugar, flour, flaxseed, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the oil and stir until the oat mixture is  well coated. Spread the topping evenly over the fruit mixture.
• Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until the fruit is tender and the topping is golden brown (cover with foil about halfway through if the topping browns too quickly).  Tip: Top each serving with low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt or a dollop of light whipped cream.

Recipe Link: Nutrition Facts

Nutella

Have you tried Nutella?  My curiosity got the better of me on this one.  I broke down and bought a jar of Nutella after hearing the claims that "moms can serve Nutella as part of a healthy breakfast" and "Nutella is made with skim milk, cocoa and hazelnuts."  Finding the product in the Peanut Butter isle at the store was a piece of cake.  The problem arose when the Nutrition Facts label revealed that Nutella has so much sugar it might as well be used to frost your cake! 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Nutella, it is a creamy hazelnut spread made with skim milk, cocoa and a lot of sugar.  Originating in Europe, during World War II hazel nuts were cheap and abundant in Italy and when paired with cocoa the chocolaty formula was an inexpensive way to provide a treat because chocolate was in short supply during the war.  Fast forward 75 years and Nutella is reemerging as a "healthy" spread for toast, pancakes, waffles, crackers and much more because it has "nuts." 

Check out the "Skinny" on Nutella:

CreamySpread                                                   1 Tablespoon	Calories	Fat	Sat Fat	Protein	Carb	Sugar	Sodium
Nutella	100	6g	2g	1g	11g	10g	5mg
Chocolate Fudge Topping	67	2g	1g	1g	12g	6g	66mg
Chocolate Frosting	82	3.5g	1g	<1g	14g	12g	75mg
Almond Butter	101	9.5g	1g	2.5g	3.4	0g	2mg
Peanut Butter	94	8g	1.6g	4g	3g	1.5g	3mg

Bottom Line:  Nutella could be a lower sodium alternative to ready-made frosting on your cupcakes or you could use it on your ice cream in place of hot fudge for a sweet treat - but skip the toast or other "daily" items.  Eating this one out of the jar is not recommended!  Put something nutritious on your toast instead. Try peanut butter occasionally or slice up some fresh fruit.  Even a homemade jam without added sugar will be a better bet.  Skip the sugar altogether and melt a slice of skim milk cheese on your toast or english muffin in the morning...this will give you more protein for about the same amount of fat.