Dietitians Dish – March 16, 2020
Keep working on making habits effortless!
Habit #4 – Simplify dinners to be on the table in 30 minutes.
Getting a quick meal on the table is easy when you choose a fusion of fresh and frozen items. Before you shop, check the circular and make a list of fruits, vegetables and frozen meats/seafood that are on sale. They offer nutritious, quality protein with a quicker cook time than fresh meats.
When you return from the store, prep items for any recipes you’re planning for the week. Or set aside time over the weekend or an evening to do this prep. You could even purchase items chopped if that helps you accomplish the habit. The reduced waste and time needed at home might be worth the extra cost.
A simple marinade can tie your fresh produce and frozen ingredients all together. The combinations of flavors are endless and you are only limited by your imagination!
Sweeten up a traditional Asian flavor profile by adding some fruit to these kabobs.
Sweet Asian Kabobs
Ingredients:
- 1 bag frozen whole grain breaded chicken nuggets
- 1 orange, cut into wedges
- 1 cup pineapple chunks, juice reserved
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small onion, cut into wedges
- 1/2 cup low-sodium teriyaki sauce
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Thread pieces of the orange, pineapple, bell peppers and onion alternately onto skewers and place on a baking sheet.
- Mix teriyaki sauce with 1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice. Brush this mixture over the assembled kabobs. Transfer baking sheet to the oven.
- Put the chicken nuggets on another baking sheet, and transfer to oven.
- Bake 8 minutes, and flip. Bake another 6-10 minutes until done.
- If desired, thread a few chicken nuggets onto each kabob, and serve over a bed of hot rice or rice pilaf.
- ALTERNATE OPTION: Substitute frozen turkey meatballs for chicken nuggets
Dietitians Dish – March 09, 2020
Keep working on making habits effortless!
Habit #3 – Pick 2 days a week to enjoy a serving of fish or seafood!
Fish and seafood go well with fruits and vegetables. This mealtime trio may protect the heart and reduce cancer risks. It makes feeding your family well an easy task when their eye-catching colors and delicious flavors also benefit your health! Whether you’re including frozen foods or cooking from fresh ingredients, you can easily adapt recipes like this to fit your comfort level and schedule.
Don’t forget… Frozen foods have benefits!
How do you quickly thaw and maintain quality for frozen fish and seafood?
- They help to reduce food waste at home.
- They’re already prepped, saving you valuable time.
- They’re often as nutritious (or more) than fresh.
Tex-Mex Mango and Black Bean Salad with Smart & Crunchy Breaded Fish Fillets
Ingredients:
- 8 Gorton’s Smart & Crunchy Breaded Fish Fillets
- 3 Tbsps. olive oil
- 2 Tbsps. lime juice
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 red pepper, chopped
- 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup chopped mango
- 1/2 cup chopped tomato
- 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 jalapeno, finely chopped (optional for spiciness)
Directions:
- Prepare Gorton’s Smart & Crunchy Breaded Fish Fillets according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, make lime dressing by whisking olive oil with lime juice, chili powder, salt and cumin.
- In a separate bowl, mix together red pepper, black beans, mango, tomato, cucumber, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno (optional for spiciness) until combined. Toss with lime dressing. Let stand for 10 minutes.
- Divide salad among 4 plates. Top with fish fillets.
Recipe (adapted) and image from Gortons.com.
Dietitians Dish – March 02, 2020
Keep working on making habits effortless!
Habit #3 – Pick 2 days a week to enjoy a serving of fish or seafood!
It’s easy to save time and money with frozen foods! Nothing goes to waste. Frozen foods are nutritious and affordable! Keep your freezer stocked with fish and seafood so you can make “fast food” that’s better than take-out.
Frozen seafood is as good as (or better than) fresh from the fish counter. Technology advances allow for flash freezing of seafood shortly after it is caught, locking in nutrients. This makes frozen fish and seafood a great option for high-quality, lean protein.
DINNERTIME DILEMMA – it’s STILL in the freezer!
How do you quickly thaw and maintain quality for frozen fish and seafood?
- COOK (from frozen) – Rinse under cold water to remove ice glaze, pat dry, then increase cook time (~50%)
- THAW – Submerge in cold tap water in leak-proof packaging
- DEFROST – Microwave on defrost in short intervals until it is pliable but still icy
Shrimp Fried Quinoa Bowl
Ingredients:
- 3 cups cooked Full Circle organic quinoa
- 1 cup frozen peas & carrots
- 1 cup frozen, cooked
salad shrimp (thawed)
- 1 Tbsp. less-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 4 eggs
Directions:
- Cook 1 cup frozen peas and carrots in microwave oven as label directs.
- Heat large skillet over medium-high heat; spray with cooking spray. Add 1 cup thawed cooked salad shrimp and cooked quinoa; cook 3 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.
- Add soy sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper to skillet; cook 1 minute. Fold peas and carrots into skillet; cook 1 minute or until heated through, stirring occasionally.
- Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; spray with cooking spray. Add 4 large eggs to skillet; cook 3 minutes or to desired doneness.
- Divide quinoa mixture into 4 bowls; top with eggs and garnish with thinly sliced green onions and/or sesame seeds, if desired.
Dietitians Dish – February 24, 2020
Keep working on making habits effortless!
Habit #3 – Pick 2 days a week to enjoy a serving of fish or seafood!
You may have heard the recommendation for eating 2 servings of fish or seafood per week. But do you know about the research findings backing that up?
- Reduced death from all health conditions
- Increased lifespan in older adults
- Lower incidence of depression
- Higher IQ in children whose mothers ate seafood while pregnant
Many health organizations suggest getting at least 250-500 mgs of Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA+DHA) per day. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends 1,000 mgs per day for people with coronary heart disease and two meals of oily fish per week for people without.
Maple Mustard Salmon
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 – 2 lbs. salmon
- 1/2 cup Full Circle maple syrup
- 1/3 cup honey whole grain mustard
- 1/3 tsp. salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Place salmon on a large baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix together salt, syrup, and mustard. Brush with the mustard mixture to coat the top of the salmon.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until fish is cooked to your liking.
- Optional: Serve with roasted vegetables and seasoned brown rice.
Recipe adapted from Seafood Nutrition Partnership
Dietitians Dish – February 17, 2020
Keep working on making habits effortless!
Habit #2 – Drink 8-ounces of a calorie-free beverage before you eat.
Getting the right amount of hydration is important, especially for athletes and anyone who is physically active. Commercial sports drinks were developed for high-intensity college athletes. Many contain electrolytes (sodium and potassium) and sugar to replenish the body, in levels that are higher than what exercisers and child athletes require.
So, who should consume sports drinks? People of any age undergoing an intense exercise level lasting more than 1 hour. Hydrating at the right times is very important, and with the best beverage for your activity level.
- Continue to drink a cup of water or calorie-free beverage before a meal (Habit #2)
- Drink water a couple hours before you begin physical activity
- Drink water while you are being active
- Drink infused water or chocolate milk after to help promote recovery.
The activity and sweat losses make it important to replenish fluid, carbohydrates, protein and electrolytes. Low potassium may lead to muscle cramping. Some fruits and vegetables which are high in potassium are: bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, honeydew, dried fruits, potatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms and leafy greens.
Try this veggie-infused water as a post-exercise beverage or as another flavorful option before a meal.
Green Water
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 celery hearts
- 1/3 sliced seedless cucumber
- Small handful of fresh parsley leaves
- 3 mint leaves
- 1/2 sliced lime
- 1 gallon of water
Directions:
- Wash all of your ingredients thoroughly before placing in a beverage container.
- Fill the container with 1 gallon of water and refrigerate.
- Allow water to infuse at least 30 minutes before serving. Infusing overnight will create a stronger flavor. Remove the vegetables within 24 hours. The water will keep for up to a week in refrigeration.