Dietitian's Dish
 

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Dietitians Dish – November 04, 2019

“Squash” Diabetes and Cold & Flu Season

Butternut squash is a starchy vegetable, but it can fit into a carb-conscious diet.
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Celery

A one-cup serving contains 100 calories and is a good source of fiber (16% DV). Its indigestible fiber may help prevent blood sugar spikes after a meal. Butternut squash also contains a good source of potassium and magnesium. Low magnesium levels in people with diabetes may impair how well insulin controls blood sugar levels. Despite the carbohydrate content of butternut squash, there are many nutrients which will benefit individuals with diabetes and anyone who is trying to control blood sugar levels. Plus, the excellent sources of Vitamins A & C may help you stay healthier through the cold and flu season!

Fall Harvest Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. butternut squash, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 1 (5 oz.) package salad greens
  • 3 oz. feta cheese crumbles
  • 1 Honeycrisp apple, diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsps. apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsps. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Toss butternut squash with oil, salt and pepper. Spread on baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
  3. Add salad greens to large bowl. Top with butternut squash, cheese, apple, pecans, dried cranberries and pepitas.
  4. Whisk apple cider vinegar, oil, maple syrup, mustard and salt in small bowl until well combined. Pour over salad and toss to combine.

  5. OPTIONAL:

    To make it a complete meal, top it with cooked chicken.

Fall Harvest Salad

Recipe and image courtesy of Produce for Kids

 

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Dietitians Dish – October 14, 2019

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Baked Potato Skins

Is your menu ready for game day? Do you need an idea to spice up a lunchbox? Looking for a unique, flavorful dinner that will be ready in minutes? You can feel better about serving recipes that offer a spin on Buffalo wings and loaded potato skins. Best thing about these – no fried foods AND you’re getting another serving of veggies.
Grab a rotisserie chicken, or try your hand at roasting a whole chicken. You could even cook up a large batch of chicken breasts or tenders ahead of time to use in these and other easy recipes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place roaster, breast up, in roasting pan along with ½ cup water. Place roasting pan into the oven and cook until internal temperature in thigh reads 180°F. Carve after it sits for 10-15 minutes. 5-7 lb. roaster – cook for 2 ½ hrs.
7+ lb. roaster – cook for 3 ¼ hrs.

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Celery

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup cooked shredded chicken breast
  • 2 Tbsps. buffalo sauce
  • 6 stalks celery, halved
  • 3 Tbsps. blue cheese dressing

Directions:

  • Mix chicken and buffalo sauce in small bowl. Fill each celery stalk with buffalo chicken.
  • Serve with blue cheese dressing for dipping. Recipe and image courtesy of Produce for Kids.
  • Top rice with chicken and veggies. Optional: Top with sesame seeds.

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Celery

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Baked Potato Skins

Ingredients:

  • 6 small-to-medium russet potatoes
  • 1-1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
  • 2-3 Tbsps. buffalo sauce
  • 3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup blue cheese yogurt dressing
  • 2 green onions, sliced
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Baked Potato Skins

Directions:

  • Prick potatoes several times with a fork. Microwave on HIGH 5 minutes per potato, set aside to cool. Alternate method: Prick potatoes with fork and place on baking sheet. Bake 45-60 minutes in a 400°F oven or until tender. Let cool.
  • Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out inside of potato (this can be mixed with toppings or saved for another dish, like mashed potatoes). Spray skin side with cooking spray and place back on baking sheet.
    • Mix chicken and buffalo sauce. Add to potato skin halves and top with cheese. Bake 5-7 minutes, or until heated through and cheese melts. Top with blue cheese dressing and green onions.

Recipe and image courtesy of Produce for Kids.

 

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Dietitians Dish – October 07, 2019

Go vegetarian or give a boost to any meal –
with EGGPLANT!

Whether you are looking for a tasty side dish for Italian night or want to add a boost of nutrients to fill you up without a lot of calories, eggplant is the answer!

Many people don’t know how to select or prepare eggplants, so they don’t buy them. Eggplants are actually very easy to use and versatile –
they can be baked, grilled, roasted, microwaved or fried.

Their texture can be creamy or meaty, depending on how it’s prepared. As for the flavor profile, it is pleasantly bitter but absorbs flavors from other ingredients.

Eggplant

Selection

Pick eggplants that:

  • Are firm (without soft spots, scars, or blemishes)
  • Have a vibrant color, plus smooth and shiny skin.

Storage

  • Store eggplants in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper drawer for up to 1 week.
  • Wash and cut only when you are ready to use them.

Nutrition Benefits

A 1 cup serving has:

  • 20 calories
  • No fat, cholesterol or sodium
  • 8% daily value of dietary fiber
  • High levels of folic acid and potassium

Italian Roasted Eggplant

Ingredients:

  • 2 small eggplants
  • 1 cup spaghetti sauce
  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • Cooking spray or olive oil
BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

Directions:

  • Preheat to 350°F. Prepare a baking pan with cooking spray or olive oil.
  • Wash, and then slice off stem of the eggplant. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place slices in a single layer in the prepared pan. Spoon sauce over each slice.
  • Bake the slices for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle cheese on top of each slice. Return to the oven to cook for 10-15 minutes more, or until eggplant is soft.

RECIPE VARIATION: Swap the spaghetti sauce for fresh slices of tomato.

 

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Dietitians Dish – September 30, 2019

Make Sure Nothing Goes to Waste!

Food insecurity is a bigger issue than we realize in this country.

That’s why organizations like Produce for Kids are partnering with Feeding America Food Banks.

We can all do our part to help make sure our food resources are sustainable and food insecurity becomes a thing of the past.

In your own home, be sure that you’re only buying what will be used, and finish up what is left so nothing goes to waste.

Plan a menu which uses items in multiple ways so anything leftover from the first meal will be used for the next one.

Take leftover dinner for lunch or make a layered salad with some of the leftovers as ingredients.

BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 2 Tbsps. BBQ sauce
  • 1/2 cup ranch dressing
  • 4 cups chopped salad
  • 2 large hard-cooked eggs, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup chickpeas, drained, rinsed
  • 1/2 cup shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes
BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

Directions:

  • Toss chicken with BBQ sauce.
  • Place 2 Tbsp. ranch in bottom of each Mason jar (4 in total). Layer with salad, chicken, eggs, avocado, peppers, chickpeas and cheese. Add lid and screw tight.
  • Refrigerate until ready to eat. Turn upside down and shake it up to coat the salad with dressing.

Recipe and image courtesy of Produce for Kids.

TIP: If you don’t have a chopped salad mix, buy any bagged salad and chop it yourself. Grab a cutting board and chef’s knife, place a pile of salad on the cutting board, and start chopping – keeping knife tip in place and moving handle up/down while rotating back and forth through the pile.

Chopping

 

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Dietitians Dish – September 23, 2019

Family Meals Month = 1 More Meal At Home

With the new school year under way, it’s important to have a variety of quick weeknight meals. That doesn’t mean take-out. To save some money and time, plan a menu that makes sure nothing goes to waste!

  1. Make a shopping list – start with what’s on sale
  2. Select recipes that feature those items in different ways
  3. Prep and cook ahead what items you can – think “Cook once & eat twice”

What can you do with chicken and broccoli for a quick, weeknight dinner?
Plenty of things! These recipes will deliver a variety of flavors. Sign your child up for Produce for Kids Club when you make a purchase from the produce department. Plenty of recipes (including these) are available at www.produceforkids.com.

Chicken Teriyaki Bowls

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped
  • 16 oz. broccoli florets
  • 1/3 cup low-sodium teriyaki sauce
  • 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
  • 2 cups steamed brown rice
PB & Fruit Roll-Ups

Directions:

  • Heat 1/2 Tbsp. oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from pan.
    Note: During this step extra chicken could be cooked up for another meal during the week.
  • Heat remaining oil in skillet. Add veggies and cook 5 minutes, or until tender. Add chicken and teriyaki sauce. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until heated through. Stir in pineapple.
  • Top rice with chicken and veggies. Optional: Top with sesame seeds.

Recipe and image courtesy of Produce for Kids.

Chicken Veggie Wraps

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
  • 1/2 cup grated carrots
  • 1/2 cup diced celery
  • 1/2 cup chopped broccoli florets
  • 2 Tbsps. finely chopped sweet onion
  • 1/2 cup ranch dressing
  • 6 (7-inch) whole wheat tortillas
  • 3 cups shredded lettuce
PB & Fruit Roll-Ups

Directions:

  • Combine chicken, carrots, celery, broccoli, onion and dressing in large bowl.
  • Line each tortilla with a 1/2 cup lettuce topped with a 1/2 cup chicken/vegetable mixture. Roll and slice into thirds.

Recipe and image courtesy of Produce for Kids.