Dietitians Dish – July 14, 2024
Enjoy Splits as a NEW Summertime Treat!
Now, choose some sweet and sensible toppings to create a treat that won’t cause you the regret of a traditional banana split. Here are a few recipes that add some extra servings of fruit and gut-friendly yogurt!
Watermelon Banana Split

Ingredients:
- 1 watermelon, medium sized
- 2 bananas
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
- 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
- 1/4 cup caramel fruit dip
- 1/4 cup honey roasted almonds
Directions:
- Peel bananas and cut in half lengthwise then cut each piece in half. Serves 4. For each serving, lay 2 banana pieces against the sides of shallow dish.
- Using an ice cream scooper, place three watermelon “scoops” in between each banana in each dish. Remove seeds if necessary.
- Top each watermelon “scoop” with a diff erent fruit topping.
- Drizzle caramel fruit dip over the entire sundae. Sprinkle with almonds.
Heart Healthy Banana Split

Ingredients:
- 1 small banana
- 1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
- 1/4 cup fresh blueberries or raspberries
- 1/4 cup strawberries
- 1 Tbsp. dark chocolate chips
- 2 tsp. peanuts or walnuts
Directions:
- On a flat surface, slice the banana lengthwise. Arrange the sliced banana in a bowl. Top with the yogurt and berries.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate chips for 20 seconds on high. Stir and microwave in 20-second intervals until melted.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the yogurt and top with the peanuts.
Dietitians Dish – July 7, 2024
Power of Cauliflower!
Cauliflower Fried Rice

Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 a small, sweet onion, finely diced
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots mix
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 16 oz. cauliflower rice
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 4 scallions, greens diced
- Sesame seeds (optional)
Directions:
- Heat a large skillet or wok over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add eggs and cook for 2 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Return skillet to heat and add oil, onions, peas and carrots, and garlic, and cook 4-5 minutes, or until softened.
- Increase heat to medium-high. Add cauliflower crumbles and soy sauce. Mix well, cover and cook 7-10 minutes,
stirring frequently, or until the cauliflower is tender. - Remove from heat, mix in scrambled egg and top with diced scallion greens and sesame seeds (optional).
Air Fryer Cauliflower “Wings”

Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 5 large eggs
- 2-3/4 cups plain panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 8 cups)
- Nonstick cooking spray
Directions:
- Line rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. In a wide, shallow dish, whisk flour, salt and pepper. In a separate shallow dish, whisk eggs; place breadcrumbs in third shallow dish. Dredge cauliflower in flour mixture, shaking off excess, then dip in eggs and then breadcrumbs to coat; place on prepared pan and refrigerate.
- Preheat oven to 300°. Preheat 3-quart air fryer to 400° for 5 minutes. Spray cauliflower with cooking spray. In 3 batches, air fry cauliflower 5 minutes or until golden brown and crisp, turning once; transfer to second rimmed baking pan and keep warm in oven. Makes about 40 “wings.”
- Before serving, toss “wings” in your favorite sauce.
Dietitians Dish – July 1, 2024
Sweet Patriotic Treats!
4th of July Fruity Grahams

Ingredients:
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp. agave nectar
- 1/4 tsp. orange zest
- 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
- 8 whole sheets graham crackers
- 1/2 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
- 1/2 cup finely chopped strawberries
Directions:
- In small saucepan, heat blueberries, orange juice, agave, and orange zest to a simmer over medium heat; cook 10 minutes or until slightly thickened and blueberries burst, stirring occasionally. With the back of spoon or potato masher, mash blueberries; remove from heat, stir in chia seeds, and let stand 10 minutes. Makes about 1/2 cup.
- Spread crackers with yogurt; arrange strawberries and blueberry mixture on top to create “flag.” Serve immediately. Makes 8 grahams.
Watermelon Red, White and Blue Parfait

Ingredients:
- 1 cup watermelon + 3 pieces of diced watermelon
- 1 cup blueberries
- 6 oz. container of low-fat Greek yogurt
- Whipped cream or dessert topping
Directions:
- In a pint canning jar, assemble the layered parfait, starting with the blueberries, followed by the yogurt, and finishing off with the watermelon.
- Top with the whipped cream and garnish with the 3 diced watermelon.
4-Ingredient Strawberry-Ginger “Ice Cream”

Ingredients:
- 1 container (16 ounces) 4% milkfat cottage cheese
- 2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
- 2/3 cup honey
- 1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger plus additional for garnish (optional)
Directions:
- In a food processor, purée cottage cheese, strawberries, and honey until smooth; transfer to medium bowl. Fold in ginger; cover and freeze at least 4 hours or until frozen to soft serve consistency. Makes about 3 cups.
- Let “ice cream” stand at room temperature 5 minutes before serving; serve garnished with ginger, if desired.
Dietitians Dish – June 24, 2024
Simply Perfect for Summer!
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

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.
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.
Dietitians Dish – June 17, 2024
Grapes for Good Health!
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

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

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.
Tomato Peach Onion Burrata Salad

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.