Dietitian's Dish
 

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Dietitians Dish – June 24, 2024

Simply Perfect for Summer!

School’s out for summer so nutritious, simple meals and snacks are necessary. Keeping kids busy, so they avoid boredom eating and unhealthy snacking, is a real challenge. With some planning, these summer pitfalls can be avoided.
Plan for meals and snacks with a few more fruits and veggies.
Try this spin on pizza and a refreshing, sweet treat! It’s not just about what they’re eating but also what they’re doing.
Give choices of tasks to accomplish to earn screen time. Include things like household chores, activities, reading, family games, outside time, etc. that can earn them time on their electronics. Balancing healthy eating with staying engaged and active off the screens is an important part of a healthy summer break.

Air Fryer Veggie Pizza Quesadillas

Air Fryer Veggie Pizza Quesadillas

Ingredients:

  • 2 whole wheat protein wraps or tortillas
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped spinach
  • 1 small tomato, sliced
  • Italian seasoning
  • Red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Pizza sauce for dipping (optional)

Directions:

  • Lay each wrap/tortilla on a clean surface and layer with cheese, onions, spinach, tomato slices, and sprinkle with seasonings.
  • Add a little bit more cheese on top then fold in half. Repeat.
  • Place the quesadilla on the air fryer tray or basket and Air Fry at 375°F for about 5-6 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is melted. Flip halfway through if necessary.
  • Carefully remove from the air fryer onto a plate. Cut and serve hot with pizza sauce for dipping.
Recipe (edited) and image courtesy of HealthyFamilyProject.com.

Watermelon and Peaches Dessert

Watermelon and Peaches Dessert

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 cup slivered almonds
  • 2 peaches
  • Juice from 2 lemons
  • 4 cups watermelon cubes
  • 1/8 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt

Directions:

  • In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and then add the almonds to the pan. Stir the almonds until they are toasted and golden. Remove the almonds from the pan to aluminum foil or a heatproof plate to cool.
  • Thinly slice the peaches and toss them in a bowl with lemon juice.
  • Add the watermelon cubes to the bowl with the peaches and toss together.
  • Mix the sugar, cinnamon and yogurt in a small bowl and pour over the watermelon and peaches.
  • Sprinkle the almonds over the top. Serve immediately.
Recipe (edited) and image courtesy of Watermelon.org.

 

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Dietitians Dish – June 17, 2024

Grapes for Good Health!

Grapes make a quick, convenient snack.
To store them longer, only rinse them when you’re ready to eat.

They offer many health benefits:
Polyphenols for a healthy heart
Resveratrol to fight insulin resistance
Potassium to help blood pressure
Vitamin K for strong bones
Vitamin C for healthy teeth and gums
Antioxidants to improve mental health

grapes

You can freeze grapes for a cool treat (they’re like bite-sized natural popsicles). Or, add fresh grapes to things like chicken salad and side salads.
These recipes offer quick, minimally cooked meals to beat the summer heat!

Heart Healthy Chicken Salad

Heart Healthy Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (4 oz. each)
  • 1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
  • 2 Tbsp. fat-free sour cream
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tsp. dried tarragon
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup seedless red grapes, quartered
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Red leaf lettuce leaves, for serving

Directions:

  • Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill chicken for about 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Let cool. With a knife, dice chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
  • In a large bowl, combine chicken, mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, grapes, walnuts, celery, scallions, tarragon, and black pepper.
  • Toss gently. Serve on a bed of lettuce.
Recipe and image courtesy of healthecooks.com.

Tomato Peach Onion Burrata Salad

Turkey Shepard’s Pie with Mashed Cauliflower

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 carrots peeled, chopped
  • 1 small, sweet onion diced
  • 1 cup frozen sweet corn
  • 1-1/2 lbs. lean ground turkey
  • 2 Tbsps. flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 Tbsps. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 can (8 oz.) no-salt-added tomato sauce
  • 16 oz. cauliflower, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsps. low-fat cream cheese
  • 1 cup shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese, divided

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and corn, and cook 5 minutes, or until softened. Add turkey and cook 5-7 minutes, or until cooked thoroughly. Add flour and salt, stir to coat. Add Worcestershire, garlic powder, tomato sauce and 1/2 cup water. Mix well and cook until heated through.
  • Place cauliflower in large bowl and microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes, or until tender. Add cream cheese and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, then mix with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
  • Spoon turkey mixture into 11×8-inch baking dish. Top with mashed cauliflower and spread to evenly coat. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
  • Bake for 10 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese melts.

Recipe (edited) and image courtesy of HealthyFamilyProject.com.

 

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Dietitians Dish – June 10, 2024

Sweeten Your Summer!

Stay hydrated and refreshed by adding a few superfruits of summer – like peaches, watermelon, cherries, and berries! These fruits off er a boost of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for heart health, immunity, and physical & mental wellness. Whether you enjoy snacking on fresh fruit or prefer cool treats your family will ask for these again and again.

Peach Pie Smoothie

Peach Pie Smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup plain almond milk
  • 2 peaches chilled, sliced
  • 1/3 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 Tbsp. honey
  • 1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 Tbsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 Tbsp. nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup crushed ice

Directions:

  • Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Makes 2 servings. May be prepared 2 hours in advance, kept covered and chilled.
Recipe (edited) and image courtesy of HealthyFamilyProject.com.

Berry Cherry Frozen Yogurt Bites

Berry Cherry Frozen Yogurt Bites

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1/4 cup pitted chopped cherries
  • 1/4 cup pistachios shelled, chopped
  • 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt

Directions:

  • Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Fill ice cube tray with the mixture and freeze 2-3 hours or until firm. Makes 4 servings.
Recipe and image courtesy of HealthyFamilyProject.com.

Kid Friendly Fruit Smoothie

Kid Friendly Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups strawberries, stems removed
  • 2 cups ice
  • 1 cup watermelon
  • 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk (or milk of choice)
  • 1 tsp. ground flax seed

Directions:

  • Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Makes 4 servings.
Recipe (edited) and image courtesy of HealthyFamilyProject.com.

 

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Dietitians Dish – June 3, 2024

Sweet & Simple Ways to Stay Hydrated

Look beyond beverages as you stay hydrated from the summer heat. If you’re like me, it can be hard to drink enough water. Whether you choose to flavor water with calorie-free mixers or infuse it with fruits and veggies, there’s a simpler way than just drinking more. Eat more fruit and vegetables – they’re naturally full of water!
Here are a couple of fun, flavorful ways to enjoy watermelon (which is 92% water).

Heart Healthy Watermelon Salsa

Heart Healthy Watermelon Salsa

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 Tbsp brown packed sugar
  • 3 cups chopped watermelon, seeds removed
  • 1 cup chopped honeydew melon
  • 1 medium English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint, plus additional for garnish if desired
  • 2 Tbsps. finely grated fresh ginger or ginger juice
  • 2 Tbsps. finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper

Directions:

  • In a large bowl, whisk the lime juice and brown sugar until the brown sugar dissolves.
  • Add the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately, garnished with additional mint, if desired. May be prepared 2 hours in advance, kept covered and chilled.
Recipe (edited) and image courtesy of HealthECooks.com.

Heart Healthy Watermelon Ice Pops

Heart Healthy Watermelon Ice Pops

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups seedless watermelon pulp
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup frozen blueberries
  • 2-1/2 cups lime or vanilla Greek yogurt (mixed with 2 drops green food coloring)

Directions:

  • In a blender, puree watermelon and sugar in batches until smooth and strain into a medium bowl. Cover and freeze until the watermelon puree is slushy, but not solid, about 2-3 hours. Remove from freezer and stir well. Add blueberries and stir.
  • Divide the pureed watermelon among (12) 5-oz disposable cups, leaving about a 1/2-in. from the rim. Place the cups in freezer for 2 hours, or until puree is solid.
  • Preheat the grill to high heat. Remove steak from the marinade and discard the marinade it was in. Grill for 4 minutes per side, or until desired doneness is reached. Keep the grill on for the vegetables. Set steak aside and allow steak to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Spoon approximately 4 Tbsps. of the yogurt into each watermelon cup and smooth the top. Cover each cup with plastic wrap. Cut a small slit in the center of each piece of plastic wrap and insert a popsicle stick into each pop so that it almost reaches the bottom of the cup. Freeze overnight, or until solid. The pops can be frozen for up to 2 days.
Recipe and image courtesy of HealthECooks.com.

 

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Dietitians Dish – May 27, 2024

Freshen Up Your Grill!

Grilling offers a great opportunity to boost your fruit and vegetable consumption. Stock up on fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables while they’re on sale and put a plan together to use them for multiple meals. With the right recipes, you can create a variety of international flavors using many of the same ingredients. Save yourself some time by prepping the veggies all at once, based on what your recipes need.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Kebabs

Sweet and Sour Chicken Kebabs

Ingredients:

Marinade:

  • 3/4 cup apple juice
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 Tbsp. honey
  • 2 Tbsps. low-sodium soy sauce (gluten free if needed)
  • 2 Tbsps. grated fresh ginger
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tbsps. arrowroot or cornstarch

Kababs:

  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
  • 1 green bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 1 medium onion, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 1 zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 1 Granny Smith apple or Fuji apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices

Directions:

    Marinade:

  • In a saucepan, combine the marinade ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until marinade comes to a boil and starts to thicken. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • In a shallow glass dish, arrange chicken, vegetable pieces and apple slices in a single layer. Pour the marinade over the chicken, vegetables, and apples. Marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 2 hours or overnight.
  • Kebabs:

  • Preheat the broiler or grill to 400°F.
  • Reserve marinade and thread chicken, vegetables, and apples onto 8 presoaked skewers. Arrange skewers on a pan or on the grill. Brush with the reserved marinade and broil or grill for 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through, turning as needed.
Recipe (edited) and image courtesy of HealthECooks.com.

Grilled Skirt Steak Fajitas

Grilled Skirt Steak Fajitas

Ingredients:

Marinade:

  • 2 Tbsps. olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lime fresh juice
  • 2 Tbsps. chopped fresh cilantro, plus additional for garnish
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika
  • 1/8 tsp. salt

Fajitas:

  • 1 lb. skirt steak
  • 3 assorted bell peppers, sliced
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
  • 4 flour tortillas (8 inches each) or large leaves lettuce

Directions:

    Marinade:

  • . In a bowl, combine marinade ingredients. In a shallow dish, arrange the skirt steak and pour half the marinade over to cover.
  • Reserve the remaining marinade. Marinate the steak at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking.
  • Fajitas:

  • Preheat the grill to high heat. Remove steak from the marinade and discard the marinade it was in. Grill for 4 minutes per side, or until desired doneness is reached. Keep the grill on for the vegetables. Set steak aside and allow steak to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Brush the vegetables with some of the reserved marinade. Grill the vegetables, brushing with the remaining marinade, until tender and charred.
  • To serve steak, slice against the grain into thin strips. Wrap the steak, grilled vegetables, avocado, and additional cilantro in flour tortillas or large lettuce leaves.
Recipe and image courtesy of HealthECooks.com.