Dietitians Dish – April 10, 2023
Nutrition Mission – Add 2 More Servings a Day!
There are plenty of easy ways to include more servings of fruit and vegetables into your daily menu. It’s worth it for the physical and mental benefits that they provide! Whether you bake them into a wholesome muffin or create a snack board with a mix of nutritious and fun finger foods, it doesn’t have to be hard. Try these ideas to add foods that will naturally boost your mood and energy levels.
Blueberry-Banana Chia Seed Muffins
Ingredients:
- 1 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray standard 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In medium bowl, whisk all-purpose flour, sugar, oat flour, chia seeds, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In large bowl, whisk eggs, bananas, and oil until combined; stir in flour mixture until just combined. Fold in blueberries and divide into prepared cups, sprinkle with almonds.
- Bake muffins 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean; cool 10 minutes in pan. Makes 12 muffins.
Classic Snack Board for Kids
- 6 large hard cooked eggs, halved
- 1/2 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup sunflower butter
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 (16-ounce) package strawberries, halved
- 1/2 (8-ounce) package Colby Jack cheese cubes
- 12 slices deli ham
- 12 slices deli turkey
- 6 slices Cheddar cheese, quartered
- 1 medium bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 small apple, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 cup baby carrots
- 1 cup dark chocolate-covered pretzels
- 1 cup pretzel crackers
- 1 cup red grapes
- 1 cup thinly sliced English cucumber
- 1 cup whole grain crackers
- 2/3 cup roasted salted whole cashews
- 1 cup hummus
Directions:
- In medium bowl, whisk yogurt, sunflower butter, honey, and cinnamon. Makes 3/4 cup.
- Arrange all items on large serving platter; serve with hummus and yogurt mixture.
Dietitians Dish – April 3, 2023
Simple and Delicious Brunch Ideas
If you’re planning to serve up breakfast or brunch for Easter, make it simple and flavorful. To prevent going overboard, avoid offering a “one size fits all” menu. Instead, choose a feature entrée like these Cheddar Waffles and then offer a variety of toppings so that everyone can choose their own flavor combinations. Make as many or as few as necessary for the size of your group, as this recipe makes 4 full Belgian-style waffles.
- BLT Avocado “toast”
- Honeyed Peaches and Thyme-Vanilla Yogurt
- Cinnamon Apple Topped
- Chicken Sausage Breakfast Sandwiches
Cheddar Waffles
- 1-3/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1-1/2 cups reduced fat buttermilk
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
- 2/3 cup shredded reduced fat sharp Cheddar cheese
Directions:
- Preheat waffle iron. In medium bowl, whisk flour and baking powder. In large bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, honey, and butter. Whisk flour mixture into egg mixture until just combined; whisk in cheese. Makes about 2-3/4 cups.
- Spray both sides of waffle iron with cooking spray. Ladle about 2/3 cup batter (depending on size of waffle iron) evenly onto iron, enough to cover the surface; close iron. Cook 5 minutes or until golden brown; repeat with remaining batter to make 3 more waffles. Cut each waffle into 4 wedges to serve.
Dietitians Dish – March 27, 2023
No Waste Holiday Menu Planning
With holiday meals there is a greater chance of serving too much food and having excess go to waste. It is like throwing away money! In the current economy, it’s important to save everywhere you can. The last thing anyone wants to do is throw food away because it went bad before it could be eaten. Plan meals around how you will reuse left over items, like your ham. It’s easy to get sick of reheating food in the same form, so re-imagine it into a whole new flavor profile. Try turning left over ham into a spicy jambalaya!
Slow Cooker Smoky Maple-Mustard Ham
Ingredients:
- 3 cups apple cider
- 1 cup 100% pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup coarse ground mustard
- 2 Tbsps. smoked paprika
- 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 hickory smoked boneless half ham (about 4-1/2 pounds)
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
Directions:
- In medium bowl, stir cider, syrup, mustard, paprika and garlic powder. In 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, add ham; pour cider mixture over ham. Cover and cook on high 3 hours or low 6 hours or until internal temperature reaches 140°, turning once. Transfer ham to cutting board; loosely tent with aluminum foil and let stand 10 minutes.
- Transfer 2 cups cooking liquid to medium saucepot; heat to a boil over medium heat. In small bowl, stir cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water; whisk into saucepot and cook 2 minutes
- Carve ham and drizzle with 1/2 cup sauce; serve with remaining 1-1/2 cups sauce.
Ham Jambalaya
- 1-1/2 cups ham, cubed
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (approx. 1 tsp.)
- 1 can (14.5 oz.) stewed tomatoes
- 1 can (14 oz.) reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
- 1-1/2 cups quick-cooking rice
Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, sweet pepper, and garlic in hot oil about 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in undrained stewed tomatoes, chicken broth, ham, and Cajun seasoning. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
- Stir in rice. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand about 5 minutes or until rice is tender. Serves 4.
Dietitians Dish – March 20, 2023
Think Outside the Jar!
Getting a quality meal on the table quickly during busy weeknights can be simpler than you think. And you don’t need to rely on just opening a jar of prepared sauce to accomplish it. Find ways to make simple meals using a combination of shelf-stable and fresh ingredients. Pick a day where you can prep your fresh ingredients for meals during the week. Aft er grocery shopping, take extra time to chop and store veggies for your weekly meals. Prepping takes a little time and planning but ends up saving you time when you’re ready to cook a quick meal. And less food goes to waste!
Penne with Mushroom Bolognese
- 1/2 (16-ounce) package whole wheat penne pasta
- 2 Tbsps. olive oil
- 1/4 cup finely chopped carrots
- 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
- 1 package (8 ounces) white mushrooms, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 lb. 93% lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup nonfat milk
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Directions:
- Prepare pasta as label directs; drain, return to saucepot and cover to keep warm.
- In medium saucepot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, and onion; cook 4 minutes or until vegetables begin to soft en, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook 4 minutes or until mushrooms begin to soft en, stirring occasionally. Add beef; cook 5 minutes or until browned, breaking up beef with side of spoon. Stir in milk; cook 5 minutes or until most liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in tomatoes with their juice and wine; cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt and pepper. Makes about 4 cups. Serve over pasta.
Dietitians Dish – March 13, 2023
Lucky Leftovers
Whether you’re finding a use for leftovers from a St. Patrick’s Day meal of corned beef and cabbage, or just looking for a new dinner option, these cabbage rolls offer some delicious and nutritious ingredients. Cabbage is rich in fiber, along with Vitamins C & K and folate. Research shows cabbage may support digestion, benefit heart health, and decrease inflammation. Potatoes are also an excellent source of dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, Vitamins C and B6. These antioxidants and nutrients offer a host of benefits related to heart health and cancer reduction when part of a healthy diet.
Corned Beef and Potato Cabbage Rolls
- 2 cups Irish-style ale
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 Tbsps. stone ground mustard
- 2 Tbsps. chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 Tbsp. caraway seeds
- 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 12 large green cabbage leaves, trimmed
- 2 cups diced potatoes
- 1-1/2 cups shredded carrots
- 1-1/2 cups chopped leftover corned beef (1/2 pound)
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 2 Tbsps. chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375°. Line a rimmed baking pan with paper towel. In small saucepan, cook ale over medium heat 15 minutes or until reduced by half. Reduce heat to medium-low; whisk in cream, mustard, dill, caraway, and pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Makes about 1-1/2 cups.
- Heat large saucepot of salted water to a boil over high heat; add cabbage leaves and cook 3 minutes or until softened. Remove cabbage with tongs to the prepared pan, then heat remaining water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook 5 minutes. Add carrots then cook an additional 5 minutes or until very tender, stirring occasionally. Drain vegetables.
- In large bowl, lightly mash vegetables; stir in corned beef, breadcrumbs, and parsley. Makes about 5 cups.
- Place about 1/3 cup corned beef-potato filling in center of each cabbage leaf; fold sides of leaves over filling, then roll tightly to enclose filling completely. Place cabbage rolls, seam side down, in 8 x 11-inch baking dish; pour ale mixture over top. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil; bake 45 minutes or until cabbage is very tender.