Dietitian’s Dish – March 11, 2019

GO GREEN – St. Patrick’s Day and Beyond!

There are so many benefits of eating green (and I don’t mean packaged foods with coloring added!) and so many options of naturally green foods. Set a goal of consuming at least 2 green servings a day for a simple nutrient boost. They tend to be lower in calories, sugar, fat, cholesterol, and sodium; while being a valuable source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Start your day the tropical way! The naturally sweet island flavors will fool your taste buds – they’ll never know this smoothie is full of potassium, iron, magnesium, vitamins and fiber.

Save time and reduce waste by using frozen fruits.

Tropical Green Smoothie

1.Add 1 cup of tightly packed spinach to a blender with water. Blend together until all chunks are gone – it should resemble green water.

2.Add fruits to the blender. Blend all together until smooth and creamy. Depending on your blender, this could take up to 2 minutes.

3.Pour into a glass and serve immediately.

Dietitian’s Dish – March 04, 2019

Ethnic Flair with Frozen Foods
Are you in the mood for Mexican or Italian? Serving up a home-cooked meal with ethnic flavor in less than 30 minutes IS possible. Save time and reduce waste with frozen foods!

Numerous organizations, including the American Heart Association and American Cancer Society, recommend eating seafood twice a week. Frozen seafood products make that possible for everyone, year-round – not just during the fishing season or in areas local to fresh fishing. The flash-freezing process naturally locks in vitamins and minerals, with no impact to fat, protein or carbohydrates.

Smart Fillet Taco Salad

1.Prepare Gorton’s Smart & Crunchy Fish Fillets according to package instructions.

2.While fish fillets are cooking, chop lettuce, tomatoes, and avocados and place in bowl.

3.Sprinkle on black beans, tortilla strips, and any other topping of choice.

4.When fish fillets are done cooking, place 4 fillets on top of prepared salad. Serve topped with favorite dressing or salsa.

Grilled Fillet Cacciatore

1.Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Then, sauté peppers, onions and mushrooms for 5-8 minutes.

2.Combine with the tomatoes and seasonings. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Top with your favorite flavor of Gorton’s All Natural Grilled Fillets, then simmer 10 minutes. Break up the fish, stir, and simmer 5 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Dietitian’s Dish – February, 25 2019

Research suggests juice from 100% Florida-grown oranges may help with healthy blood cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood vessel function, along with other heart-friendly benefits. While many factors affect heart disease, diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce their risk.

Florida’s Natural® – FAST FACTS

• ONLY 100% Made In The USA brand of orange juice
• Every orange is grown, picked and squeezed in Florida
• OJ that’s 100% pure – no water*, sugar, or preservatives added (* Light OJ contains water.)
• Not-from-concentrate juices have straight-from-the-grove taste – squeezed, flash-pasteurized and stored in freshness-saving cartons
• Orange juice has more nutrients (Vitamin C, folate, potassium) than other 100% fruit juices.

Whether you drink a cup of Florida’s Natural® Orange Juice every day or find ways to add it to your meals and snacks, the heart benefits are worthwhile.



Zesty Meatballs

1cup barbeque sauce
1-1/2cups Florida’s Natural® orange juice
1/4cup water
35-40cooked meatballs

1.In a small saucepan, bring the Florida’s Natural® OJ to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until half the liquid (3/4 cup) remains. Let the reduction cool.


2.In a bowl, stir together the BBQ sauce, orange juice reduction, and water. Pour over meatballs and heat them to an internal temperature of 165°F.




Power-Up Health Shake

1-1/2cups Florida’s Natural® orange juice
1cup diced cantaloupe chunks
1cup frozen strawberries
1cup frozen peaches
4Tbsps. wheat germ

1.Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. For a creamier smoothie, add a few ice cubes or freeze the diced cantaloupe first.

Dietitian’s Dish – February 18, 2019

Take Heart with Avocados
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasizes replacing some saturated (unhealthy) fats with unsaturated (healthy) fats to help lower both total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.Avocados contain both mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, which are associated with improved blood lipids.

Simple Additions or Swaps

Breakfast:	Lunch:	Snack:	Dinner:
Top toast with mashed avocado or add slices to a sandwich	Swap avocado for mayo or other creamy condiments	Add diced avocado to fruit or vegetable salsa and serve with whole grain chips	Add atop an entrée or salad for nutrient boost

Omega-3 fats in salmon have known heart health benefits, but the avocado in this recipe adds even more heart protection!

Oven Roasted Salmon with Avocado Citrus Salsa

1.In a medium bowl combine avocado, lime juice, orange, cucumber, scallions, jalapeño, cilantro and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and set aside.

2.Heat broiler. Season salmon with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and set aside.

3.Arrange fillets on a lightly greased foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.

4.Broil salmon 4 inches from heat source until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

5.To serve, place fillets on a platter and top with salsa.

Dietitian’s Dish – February 4, 2019

Take Heart
Cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of death in the US. But, making healthier choices gives you the power to prevent becoming a statistic. A healthy diet is one of your best weapons against heart disease. When you eat a heart-healthy diet, you boost your chances of staying healthy – and feeling good for life!

Eating better is one of the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7® – small steps to be healthy for good.

items are better-for-you foods that help make eating heart healthier a little easier. The one thing you can guarantee is that they have less sodium and saturated fat and more micronutrients and antioxidants.

Home-prepared foods have higher nutritional quality, so make the choice to eat at home more often. Plan a menu around simple, flavorful recipes that don’t require the skills of an expert chef. A wealth of recipes and simple cooking videos are available at Heart.org. This turkey cutlet recipe was adapted from their library and can be on the table in 20 minutes.

Turkey Cutlets with Cranberry Mustard Sauce

1.In a small bowl, mix the cranberry sauce and mustard until well combined. Cover the bowl with a paper towel and microwave on high in 15 second intervals until the mixture is hot and begins to thin slightly, about 30 seconds total. Stir again to combine.

2.Rub the oil and then salt and pepper evenly over both sides of each cutlet. Pan “fry” the center. Transfer them to a large plate and top evenly with the sauce. Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestion
Balance the plate with a whole grain side dish, plus steamed vegetables or a salad.