Monday Message - Recipe of the Week

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad with Corn

 

Recipe By:  Monique Ryan, MS RD CSSD LDN

 

 

Quinoa has a delicious and nutty flavor that you and your family will enjoy. Team it with beans and corn for a great vegetarian meal.

 

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh corn kernels
3 green onions, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 small red pepper seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice from one lime
2 teaspoons cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

 

Directions

1. Cook quinoa in boiling water for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the little "tails" appear.
2. Place the warm quinoa in a large bowl. Add the beans, corn, onion, red pepper, and tomato. Mix olive oil, lime juice, garlic, black pepper and cumin and stir into quinoa mixture.
3. Salad can be served warm or at room temperature.

Makes 6 - 2/3 cup servings

Recipe Link:  Nutrition Facts

Monday Message - Summer "Squash" is Ending!

Fall is creeping in on us with the cool crisp air and bright orange, red and yellow leaves blowing about.  As another summer comes to an end, we may find ourselves mourning the loss of fresh summer fruits and vegetables.  In an attempt to hang onto the last bits of summer, we may find refuge in extending the season by incorporating more "Summer Squash" into our regular meals!  Summer Squash is packed with nutrition and can be prepared a variety of different ways.  Check out this link from Kids Eat Right for tips on how to extend summer with your summer squash!

Looking for recipes?

Stuffed Kousa

Indian Spiced Zucchini and Tomatoes

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

Keep in mind, with Autumn making it's way around the corner, we will soon be able to enjoy a whole new variety of squash as we move from Summer Squash to Winter Squash varieties!  Butternut, Acorn, Banana....Yum!

Laura's Lean Beef

What can you do with 5 pounds of Laura's Lean Ground Beef?  Batch cooking!

• 2 - Batches of Tater Tot Casserole (Husband's favorite) with Extra Veggies of course.
• 1 - Large Pot of Tortilla Soup
• 1 - Batch of Spinach and Mushroom Manicotti with Meat Sauce
• 2 - Batches of Sloppy Joes

Sounds like a busy day in the Kitchen.  When you have finished cleaning up, have a seat and read Laura's Lean Beef Story here.

High "Maltose" Corn Syrup

Recently, I noticed High Maltose Corn Syrup on a "sweet" snack with the following label claims: 100% Natural, Dark Chocolate & Granola.  The sweet treat did include whole grain rolled oats at the top of the ingredient list, however, both sugar and High Maltose Corn Syrup were listed above the "cocoa" content of the "Dark Chocolate" treat.

High Maltose Corn Syrup (HMCS) is being used as an alternative to High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) for adding "sweetness" to packaged foods without compromising shelf life.  HMCS is similar to HFCS as it remains a product of genetically modified corn processing but the chemical make up is different as maltose is a disaccharide and fructose is a monosaccharide.  Each type of these sugars are digested differently in the body.

The HMCS variety is found in many foods including: candies, cookies, granola bars, puddings, teas, coffee drinks, powdered drinks and as the base of some artificial sweeteners.  This new food additive has been subject to very little research so it is not known whether it may be more or less harmful than HFCS. 

Americans consume exponential amounts of sugar on a daily basis whether it is in a natural form, genetically modified, artificial or processed and our main focus should be reducing our overall "sweet" intake rather than finding ways to mask "sugar" with new formulas and terminology.  Beverages are the most common culprit for sweeteners in the American diet. 

Here are a few tips for decreasing the need to satisfy your sweet tooth when it comes to wetting the palate:

1. Opt for Ice Cold water over sugar sweetened beverages.
2. Try naturally flavored tea instead of coffee and tea latte drinks or hot chocolate.
3. Add cucumber slices to your water for refreshment.
4. Choose a fruit flavored beer rather than a sugary margarita or sweetened malt beverage.
5. Plain sparkling water will refresh your sense.
6. Reserve juice consumption to replace a fruit serving one time per day or less - 6 oz maximum.
7. Add cinnamon to your coffee instead of sugar or flavored creamers.

Monday Message - Power Outage

This topic seems to be quite fitting on this rainy day where my Power was out for several hours this morning!  When the power goes out in your home, do you know what foods to throw out?  Read the latest Kids Eat Right Article to find out!

Avoid foodborne illness with these tips:

• Check the Temperature - 40 degrees to 140 degrees is the "Danger Zone"
• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors CLOSED.
• If the power is out for longer than 2 hours, follow the guidelines below:
  

  • For the Freezer section: A freezer that is half full will hold food safely for up to 24 hours. A full freezer will hold food safely for 48 hours. Do not open the freezer door if you can avoid it.
  • For the Refrigerated section: Pack milk and other dairy products, meat, fish, eggs, gravy, and spoilable leftovers into a cooler surrounded by ice. Inexpensive Styrofoam coolers are fine for this purpose.

100th Blog Post!

Greetings!  We have just begun a fresh new year of Kids Eat Right Blog posts and low and behold have also hit the 100th Blog Post!

To celebrate the completion of 100 Blog Posts I wanted to spotlight http://www.homefoodsafety.org/. The Home Food Safety Program is an education initiative based on a collaboration between the American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foods.  Whether you are looking for Desktop Dining Safety Tips, a Freezer/Fridge Storage Chart (they make a great magnet for your refrigerator at home!) or the latest Food Safety Alerts, you will find a wealth of information on this site to keep you and your family bacteria free in and out of the kitchen.

Over the summer, the Home Food Safety Program sponsored a Contest entitled Summertime Food Smarts.  Words of Wellness was entered into the competition with several blog posts spreading the word about the importance of preventing foodborne illness.  We just found out that Words of Wellness won!  On behalf of Words of Wellness, I want to Thank the American Dietetic Association and the Home Food Safety Program for sponsoring this contest and awarding our Blog in the Summertime Food Safety Smarts blog campaign.  What an honor! 

Monday Message - Recipe of the Week

Creamy Basil Pesto

White Beans make this creamy basil pesto perfect for any pasta dish because it is full on flavor and short on fat and calories!

Recipe Video

Cleaning with Sponges

Did you know that your kitchen can harbor more bacteria than a public restroom?!  The food and debris in our drains, garbage disposals, sinks and counters contribute to the growth of bacteria that can make us ill.  Practicing proper cleansing techniques can help to keep your kitchen sparkling clean and keep your family healthy too. 

If you use washcloths for cleaning counters, sinks or dishes we recommend replacing these daily.  Be sure to put them through the hottest cycle in the washing machine.  Avoid using bleach and instead add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the wash to help beat the germs.

Sponges are another story!  We don't typically pull out a brand new sponge every day because of Cost & Waste.  Sponges are meant to be reused when cleaning our kitchens.  The trouble we run into involves the one million bacteria that grow in our sponges in just a matter of a couple of days which we end up spreading all over our kitchens.  Your household sponge should be cleaned daily.  Here is what to do: put your sponge in a shallow dish with enough water to cover it, then add 1/8 cup of vinegar and let the sponge sit overnight.  This will kill the bacteria to prevent growth.  Make this simple process a habit when you are done cleaning the kitchen each night.  Click here for more tips on taking care of your cleaning sponge from www. kidseatright.org

Better Breakfast Month Quiz Answers....

Ready for your Results?! 

Answers
1. a. Two medium pancakes with 2 Tbsp of syrup
Pancakes with syrup=180 calories
Muffin=444 calories
Granola=420 calories
2. c. Grande Iced Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with whipped cream (2% milk)
Frappuccino=380 calories
Chai=200 calories
Mocha=530 calories
3. b. Two pork sausage links
Turkey bacon=126 calories
Pork sausage=88 calories
Canadian bacon=104 calories
4. a. 1 C Honey Nut Cheerios
Honey Nut Cheerios=12 grams (g) sugar
Special K=4 g sugar
Kellogg’s Frosted Mini Wheats=10 g sugar
5. c. Two slices of raisin bread
Bagel=270 calories
Cinnamon roll=227 calories
Raisin bread=143 calories

Fuel Up to Play 60

September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.   According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 12.5 Million of our American Youth are obese!  With that alarming statistic running through your mind, now is the perfect time to sign up for the Fuel Up to Play 60 movement that encourages healthy lifestyle choices such as consuming nutrient-rich foods and participanting in 60 minutes of physical activity every day.  Fuel Up to Play 60 is another great tool to combat the growing problem of Childhood Obesity in the US and the resources can be utilized by parents, teachers, businesses and even students.  Feel free to comment below if you are interested in more information.  If you are an educator or a parent involved in school, check out the Back to School Challenge!  All submissions are due by October 10th.

Monday Message - Heirloom Produce

Like family keepsakes, heirloom fruits and vegetables celebrate heritage. They are grown from seeds that have been passed down generation to generation! Read more here from kidseatright.org.

While people have been talking about heirloom vegetables for more than a decade, they have yet to reach an agreement on how to define an heirloom.  If a plant has been around for at least 50 years, it is considered to be old enough to show a history of seeds being passed down from their ancestors.  The great thing about the open-pollinated cultivars is that they have a reputation for being high quality and easy to grow. When heirloom gardeners refer to open-pollination, they mean that the next generation will look just like its parent. For example, plant a 'Brandywine' tomato, let some of the fruit mature and collect the seed, process it properly, and store it well. The next year, plant the seed and it will grow another 'Brandywine' tomato. Seed saving is a simple enough process, and gardeners have been using it for generations.

Age: Just how old a fruit or vegetable seed line has to be to be an heirloom is open to discussion. Some say heirloom vegetables are those introduced before 1951, when modern plant breeders introduced the first hybrids developed from inbred lines. While many of the varieties are 100 to 150 years old, there are some heirlooms that are much older. For example, experts think certain heirlooms are actually traditional Native American crops that are pre-Columbian.

Quality : What draws many consumers to heirlooms is flavor. They want a tomato that tastes like a real tomato, not a plastic one. They long for corn that tastes like it did when they were a kid. They search for a sweet, juicy muskmelon, and wonder why cantaloupes are crisp and dry. After trying varieties in the grocery store that look uniform and do not have bumps, bruises or bug bites, they realize that those fruits and vegetables just don't taste like much and they turn to heirlooms. The best of the heirlooms really are wonderful. They have it all. They taste wonderful, look beautiful, and are easy to grow. No doubt about it, these varieties are terrific. There are, however, varieties that take a more experienced hand to grow well due to locality.

 

Top 5 Reasons for Choosing Heirloom Fruits & Vegetables 

1. Exceptional taste is the No. 1 reason many gardeners cite for choosing heirloom varieties.

2. Heirloom vegetables are likely to be more nutritious than newer varieties.

3. Many gardeners prefer heirloom vegetables because they are open-pollinated, which means you can save your own seed to replant from year to year.

4. Another advantage of heirloom vegetables is that they are “less uniform” than hybrids, which means they often do not ripen all at once.

5. In catalogs and on seed racks, heirloom open-pollinated vegetables are almost always less expensive than hybrids.

Heirloom Fruits & Veggies

List your favorite Heirlooms Below:

Monday Message - Recipe of the Week

Lemon Fresh Tabbouleh

 

Recipe By:  Kristine Napier, MPH  http://www.kidseatright.org/

 

 

Tabbouleh is a classic Middle Eastern dish. This version, inspired by the Palouse region's vast wheat fields, is considerably slimmed down from the traditional version. Enjoy it for a main course or a side dish salad.

 

Ingredients

½ cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups (12 ounces) uncooked bulgur
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 bunch (5 or 6) green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tomatoes, chopped

 

Directions

1. In a medium-size saucepan, bring the lemon juice and 3 ½ cups water to a boil.
2. Add the bulgur, oil, pepper and salt.
3. Remove from heat; cover, and let stand 20 to 25 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, combine the parsley, green onions and garlic; toss to mix well.
5. Add the bulgur mixture; toss again to mix well.
6. Transfer the bulgur mixture to a large serving bowl; refrigerate covered at least 3 hours until thoroughly chilled.
7. Sit in the chopped tomatoes just before serving.

 

CookingTip

Substitute an equal amount of chopped fresh mint for the parsley. If you use mint, also try using an equal amount of orange juice instead of lemon juice.

 

Check out the Nutrition Facts here.

Looking for Motivation?!

Meet Stephanie! 

Stephanie is a coworker of mine whose passion is to help people achieve their dreams, no matter what they may be.  She utilizes a Facebook page titled Stephanie's Health and Fitness Tips to post several different helpful tips for people of all ages and abilities to enhance their lives.  The inspiration she provides via regular Facebook Posts will serve as a great motivator for you to stay active and healthy.  Be sure to Like her page!

Better Breakfast Month

September is Better Breakfast Month!  Take this quiz and check back next week to see how much you know about the Most Important Meal of the Day:

Breakfast: Test Your Knowledge

1. Which breakfast has fewer than 400 calories?
   1. Two medium pancakes and 2 tablespoons (Tbsp) of syrup
   2. One medium muffin made with fruit and/or nuts
   3. ¾ cup (C) granola with 1 C skim milk
2. Which Starbucks® drink has more than 500 calories?
   1. Grande Caramel Frappuccino® with whipped cream (2% milk)
   2. Grande Iced Berry Chai Infusion (2% milk)
   3. Grande Iced Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with whipped cream (2% milk)
3. Which breakfast meat contains the least amount of calories?
   1. Three slices of turkey bacon
   2. Two pork sausage links
   3. 2 ounces of Canadian bacon
4. Which breakfast cereal contains the most sugar?
   1. 1 C Honey Nut Cheerios®
   2. 1 C Special K®
   3. 1 C Kellogg’s Frosted Mini Wheats®
5. Which type of bread contains the least calories?
   1. One regular-sized bagel
   2. One medium-sized cinnamon roll
   3. Two slices of raisin bread

Monday Message - Breakfast Before School

Whether kids have breakfast at home or when then arrive at school, this important meal will give them the energy they need to learn, play and grow every day.  A survey among American Households indicated that only 40% of kids have breakfast before they leave the house in the morning.  Although they may get breakfast in school or at a daycare facility, most families are too rushed, have long bus rides or commutes to school or give in to the "I'm not hungry" claim.  Unfortunately, these children are not developing the habit to eat breakfast right when they wake up in the morning.  This may lead to increased fast food breakfast stops later in life - which we know contains increased calories - or it may decrease the importance of starting out each day with a proper breakfast meal for daily fuel.

Breakfast Benefits from Kids Eat Right:

Breakfast eaters are significantly less likely to be overweight

•  Skipping breakfast is associated with a higher risk of being   overweight

Adolescents who eat breakfast tend to have lower BMI’s

•  Girls who eat breakfast are more likely to have a lower BMI than girls who skip a morning meal

•   Many young women skip breakfast in effort to manage weight

Children with access to school breakfast

•  Eat more fruit, drink more milk and eat a wider variety of foods

Better nutrient intakes than skippers

•  More nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, including calcium, fiber, folate, and protein

School breakfast improves performance

•  Improved test results, as well as memory and verbal skills

•  Improved speed and memory on cognitive tests

•  Fewer mistakes and faster work in math and number checking

•  Improvement on concentration for mental tasks and reaction to frustration

School breakfast improves behavior

•  Reduced rates of absence and tardiness

•  Reduced discipline referrals to principal and school nurses’ visits

•  Reduced classroom behavioral problems

A school breakfast can help your kids learn more and improve their behavior!  Click on this link from Kids Eat Right for more information.


Need breakfast ideas?  Liz's Lemon Bowl has several whole-grain breakfast meals that can be made on Sunday and frozen or stored in the refrigerator for the rest of the week!  http://www.lizslemonbowl.blogspot.com/

Monday Message - Recipe of the Week

Zucchini Fritters

What's good about Zucchini?  Nutrition, Flavor, Color and Summer Freshness!

1. High in Vitamins A & C
2. Good Source of Potassium - more than a banana!
3. 95% Water
4. Low calories - 25 Calories per Zucchini
5. Dark Colored Skin = more nutrients

View the recipe video here.

Kids Eat Right is back!

It is nearly back to school time and that means our Monday Messages will be back in session!  As a volunteer for the Kids Eat Right Campaign, I have made it a priority to distribute health messages for kids and families via social media outlets.  This blog will showcase nutrition tips, weekly recipes and health messages from http://www.kidseatright.org/.  Please check back each week! The picture below is a Kids Eat Right Campaign Billboard spotted in Iowa.  Stay on the lookout for billboards in you area.

Is Seafood Safe?

Meet Valerie!  Val is a coworker of mine and I am pleased to share this fantastic article about her from Cooking Light.  The article is based on the every day consumer challenge of obtaining information about safe fish and sushi in their own local waters and "over seas." Monterey Bay Aquarium is showcased as being an excellent educational resource tool for consumers in assessing ecomonic safety of the fish we consume.  Here is a previous post with the Monterey Bay Aquarium App instructions: Healthy Fish