Monday Message - Sodium Video Tips

On August 29th we celebrated More Herbs, Less Salt Day.  It is now one month later, what changes have you made to decrease the sodium in your diet?

Salt is necessary for your body, but many people in this country consume too much of it in their food. What should you do if you want to reduce the sodium in your family’s meals? Marisa Moore, MBA.RD.LDA gives you some tips on how to keep salt from sabotaging your family’s health in this Kids Eat Right Video.

Monday Message - Recipe of the Week

Yum! Pistachios are one of my favorite nuts and when they are paired with a little sweetness they make a great dessert!

These pistachio cookies have a nutty flavor and chewy texture. Your kids will enjoy blending up the green batter and drizzling the finished cookies with chocolate.

Watch the recipe demonstration here.

Looking for more information on my favorite nut?  Check out this Pistachio post.

Monday Message - Exercise and Breastfeeding

Exercise and Breastfeeding is a timely Kids Eat Right topic for me as I started back at the gym for a full week of exercise just four short weeks after giving birth.  My daily schedule is centered around breastfeeding my daughter which has made scheduling "gym" time a challenge!  Here are a couple of tips that I have picked up on in my first week back at the gym....

• Choose loose fitting gym tops - avoid tight sportsbras
• Breastfeed or Pump before starting a workout
• Drink extra fluids
• Pack a healthy snack for after the workout
• Wear a burpcloth or thin washcloth under the sportsbra or workout bra-top to help avoid leaks

Are you an athlete mom who wants to also breastfeed your baby? Remember that Plenty of Fluids and Extra Calories are essential. Read more Kids Eat Right Tips.

Monday Message - Recipe of the Week

Double Delicious Dunkers

Don't believe that your kids will clamor for a vegetable snack or side dish? Try serving them these crispy-coated, baked vegetables with a pizza sauce dip. This is a fun and interactive way to enjoy the good nutrition found in veggies. Watch the video.

Ingredients

1 cup corn flakes cereal, crushed to ¼ cup
¾ cup cheese-flavored snack crackers, crushed to ½ cup
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 egg whites, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons water
1 small zucchini, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices (about 1½ cups)
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup pizza sauce

 

Directions

1. In a shallow dish stir together corn flakes cereal, cheese-flavored snack crackers, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder and cayenne pepper (if desired).
2. In another small bowl stir together egg whites and water. Dip zucchini, cauliflower and broccoli into egg mixture. Roll in crumb mixture, gently pressing crumbs onto vegetables. Place on baking sheet coated with nonstick spray. Bake at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
3. Meanwhile, in a small microwave-safe bowl heat pizza sauce on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until heated through. Serve as dipping sauce with warm vegetables.

CPR and First Aid Training

 

Have you ever thought about becoming trained in CPR or First Aid?

Working in the field of health and wellness, I have attended many CPR and First Aid training courses as most certify an individual for a one year time period and require recertification.  Over the years, CPR guidelines have changed multiple times.  If you were trained in CPR some time ago, please consider attending a training to ensure that you are up to date on the guidelines.  CPR and First Aid are usually required in an emergency situation where it is essential to remain calm and collected while remembering the necessary steps to help save lives.

Classes can be found at the American Red Cross or Community Education Centers in your area.
Check out: American Heart Association or Red Cross

• First Aid: Participants learn to recognize and care for a variety of first aid emergencies, such as burns, cuts and scrapes, sudden illnesses, head, neck and back injuries, and heat and cold emergencies.
• Click on the link for instructions on how to download a First Aid Smart Phone App

• CPR Adult: Participants learn how to perform CPR and care for breathing and cardiac emergencies in adults
• CPR Child and Infant: Participants learn how to prevent, recognize and respond to cardiac and breathing emergencies in infants and children under 12
• AED: Participants learn how to use automatic external defibrillators

Monday Message - Healthy Heart for the Whole Family

A diet rich in veggies may help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Try Ratatouille, a French-inspired dish, for your next Sunday family dinner. Recipe Link

Want your family to have a healthy heart? Start with the family dinner table. Start by learning to read the nutrition labels, opt for spices and more Family Dinner Tips.

Monday Message - Recipe of the Week

Greek Roasted Chicken

Recipe By: Naomi Kakuichi, RD


In this Greek-inspired recipe, my dad roasts red potatoes, carrots and parsnips alongside chicken in our Chinese home in Seattle. He always serves it with a leafy green salad topped with feta, tomatoes and Kalamata olives.

 

Ingredients

vegetable oil cooking spray
1 whole chicken, washed
6 red potatoes, scrubbed (peel on)
2 carrots, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
2 parsnips, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Greek seasoning

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat the roasting pan with the cooking spray. Place the chicken in the pan.
2. Toss the potatoes, carrots and parsnips with the olive oil and then place them in the roasting pan around the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken and vegetables with Greek seasoning.
3. Bake for 10 minutes and then lower the heat to 350ºF.
4. Continue to bake until the chicken temperature is 165ºF (test with cooking thermometer near chicken thigh), approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Baste the chicken and vegetables at least twice with the cooking juices. Remove and discard the chicken skin. Serve hot.

 

Cooking Tip

To intensify the flavor, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Greek seasoning inside the chicken.

Nutrition Facts: Recipe Link

Monday Message - Back to School

Kids heading back to school? The school cafeteria just got a whole lot healthier with fruits and vegetables taking center stage.

Kids Eat Right: Article


This yogurt shake is easy to prepare for breakfast. Plus - the kids (and you) can drink it on the run!

Recipe Link: Shake


Sending homemade treats for snack or lunch is definitely the smart thing to do. Skip those Little Debbies or Twinkies that can sit on your cupboard shelf for years without spoiling. Whip up a fresh batch of cookies where you can control the ingredients. Remember, although it seems harmless while making cookies to let your kids taste the dough, your kids are taking a risk - regardless of how good it tastes.

Know your risk: Cookie Dough Tips


No need to worry about food raw cookie dough in these! Coconut Crunch Truffle cookies are perfect to make during hot weather, no baking required, plus they’re sweet without added sugar!

Recipe Video: Coconut Truffles

Monday Message - Recipe of the Week

Shepherd's Pie

Creamy, comforting Shepherd's Pie is a time-tested family favorite. This lighter version of the classic recipe packs a big punch of vitamin K in each serving!

Recipe By: Kids Eat Right

Ingredients

1½ pounds lean ground beef (90% lean or higher)
2 large carrots, peeled and shredded (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
One 14½-ounce can all-natural tomato soup
1½ cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups mashed potatoes
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil or coat a 9 x 13-inch baking pan or dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Place a large Dutch oven or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, carrots, garlic powder, and onion powder and cook, breaking up the large pieces, until the meat is no longer pink and the carrots are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat.
3. Stir in the beans, tomato soup, cheese, and corn. Simmer until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Arrange the meat mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly on top, and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake until the meat mixture starts to bubble and the potatoes are heated through, about 15 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and broil until the top turns golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes.

White, White, White

Sweet Potatoes or White Potatoes?  Which do you choose based on Flavor? Nutrients? Versatility? Convenience?

 

Lately, I have heard claims that potatoes should be banned from school food service and restaurants due to their "white" color.  Potatoes are instantly thrown into the collection of white foods that are bad for us just as white rice, white pasta and white flour.

Should white potatoes be outlawed?!

A Potato out of the ground versus a potato that has been dug up, shipped to a factory, peeled, sliced, diced, flash "fried," breaded, flash fried again, frozen, put into plastic bags, sealed, shipped to a distribution center to sit on a shelf until your grocery store orders the potatoes, then shipped to your grocery store freezer where it waits for you to purchase the potato, moves from the grocery store shelf to your freezer shelf until you "brown" the potatoes in butter, cook them in cheese or deep fry those tator tots...at the end of the day (processing), maybe these potatoes should be outlawed.

But where do all potatoes begin? As a potato in the ground! A perfectly healthy vegetable with plenty of fiber and minerals from the earth. Plus, all of that "white" starch is actually a complex carbohydrate which is much healthier for us than the simple carbohydrates we find in the jello salad on the buffet!

Stick to potatoes in their natural form. Bake them and eat them. Slice them up and cook on the grill. Make a healthy potato salad.  Add whole potatoes to your crockpot meal. Just avoid frying those potatoes....especially French Fries and other processed packaged potatoes if you are really concerned. Keep the skins on and those potatoes will be brown...not white!

Remember....when baking your potatoes, keep the skin on to benefit from the nutrients and fiber. Learn more about Nutrition in Potatoes from Kids Eat Right Tips.