Tips and Recipes

MyPlate: Teaching Kids of All Ages to Use this Resource

The website, www.choosemyplate.gov is filled with information to support a healthy diet and lifestyle. Did you know the website has a section specifically for kids called MyPlate Kid’s Place? It is loaded with kid-friendly information and activities that are fun and engaging. Take some time with your children and visit http://www.choosemyplate.gov/kids/index.html to learn more.

There are 4 sections to the site:

• Games (filled with fun interactive games that make learning about healthy eating fun)
• Activity Sheets (print out word scrambles, crossword puzzles, coloring sheets and more)
• Videos/Songs and,
• Move More (provides links to information about ways to be more active)

Lisa

Could you have diabetes?

Does diabetes run in your family? Do you carry extra weight? Are you 45 or older?  I walked around for a couple of years with diabetes and did not know it.  I also walked around a couple of years acting like I did not have diabetes, when I knew I did.  Diabetes can be prevented and even if you have it, can be controlled.  You can act only if you know for sure.  Today is Diabetes Alert Day.  As a first step take the test at http://www.diabetes.org/are-you-at-risk/diabetes-risk-test/ .

Talk with your doctor and then you can know for sure.

Submitted by April Reese.

April Reese leads the Health Systems and Community Connections Unit of the Community and Clinical Connections for Prevention and Health Branch of the N.C. Division of Public Health. In this capacity she leads statewide diabetes and hypertension initiatives.

Cantaloupe and banana fruit smoothies

Many of us did not grow up drinking smoothies, but if you like cantaloupe and bananas, then you have got to try this smoothie. It really is tasty and easy to make. 
Ingredients

• 1 banana
• 1/4 ripe cantaloupe, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup nonfat or low-fat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Place the unpeeled banana in the freezer overnight.  Remove banana from the freezer and let it sit until the skin begins to soften, about 2 minutes.
2. Remove the skin with a paring knife. (Don’t worry if a little fiber remains.) Cut the banana into chunks.
3. Combine in a blender or food processor with cantaloupe, yogurt, dry milk, orange juice, honey and vanilla. Cover and blend until smooth.

The fresh combination of banana, cantaloupe and low-fat dairy in this smoothie packs a powerful punch of potassium, calcium, vitamin C and beta carotene.
Makes 1 serving and takes maybe 10 minutes tops to make.

Original Recipe from: https://www.caffedvita.com/cantaloupe-smoothie-pack-powerful-punch/

Kid-Friendly Individual Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 whole wheat pita round
• 1 ½ tablespoon low-sodium tomato sauce
• ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ¼ cup low-fat shredded cheese, divided
• variety of veggie, fruit and/or meat toppings

Directions

1. Place the whole wheat pita on a cookie sheet.
2. Spread tomato sauce evenly over pita.
3. Sprinkle seasoning over sauce.
4. Top with ½ of the cheese.
5. Layer toppings
6. Sprinkle remaining cheese over toppings.
7. Bake at 400˚ F for 10 minutes.
8. Slice and serve with a cold glass of milk.

Healthier fast food taste at home

Two of my favorite things to eat growing up were chicken nuggets and French fries from a well-known fast food restaurant. I didn’t eat very much fast food growing up so it was a real treat when I did. I can still remember the warmness and the crunch of the first bite of a chicken nugget. Of course, they were paired with the warm, salty taste of perfectly cooked fries.
Fast-forward to now, and in my adult mindset, I no longer think of that meal as a treat. I think of the excess calories that make “the crunch” of the chicken nugget and the overly salty taste of the (still perfectly cooked) fries. Today, I crave the taste of both, but I know my waistline can’t handle the extras—salt, fat, and calories—that come along with such a meal.
So in search of a tasty treat, I have discovered EFNEP’s Oven Baked Chicken Nuggets and Oven Fries as a good substitute for when I want the taste of fast food. However, this meal is even better since I can prepare the recipes at home.
At home, I am more in control of what goes into this delicious treat. The extras I worry about with fast food- salt, fat, and calories- can be reduced by making substitutions for items typically used in fast food preparation.
(See the recipes below).
In the Oven Baked Chicken Nuggets recipe, cornflakes give a good lower-calorie crunch and the Italian seasoning – or any of the other spices—provide a good punch of (little to no salt) flavor. My favorite is a no-salt added spicy herb blend and a dash of black pepper. Paired with a fat-free honey mustard dressing, these taste better than the fast food nuggets I ate as a kid. You can also try a low-fat ranch or tangy barbeque sauce.
In the Oven Fries recipes, I like to use sweet potatoes. Sometimes I season them with garlic powder and black pepper to give them a savory flair, or to add to the natural sweetness, I’ll use a mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon. The key is to cut the potatoes into even sized pieces to ensure they cook evenly and to crispy perfection. They are good on their own or dipped into a low-fat or fat-free dressing.
Hope you enjoy them too!

Oven Baked Chicken Nuggets
Makes 4 servings, Serving size: 6 nuggets
Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 2 Tablespoons low-fat milk
• 2 ¾ cups cornflakes, crushed
• 2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into nugget size pieces
• ¼ cup fat-free ranch dressing or fat-free honey mustard for dipping sauce
• Non-stick cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. Whisk the egg and milk together in a small mixing bowl with a fork.
3. Place cornflakes in a plastic bag; crush finely. Add Italian seasoning to crushed cornflakes and mix well.
4. Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture, then shake with cornflakes to coat.
5. Put coated chicken on a baking sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray.
6. Carefully place pan in oven and bake for 15 minutes.
7. Carefully remove the baking pan from the oven.
8. Serve nuggets with barbeque, ketchup, or mustard dipping sauce.

Nutrition Information Per Serving
265 Calories, Total Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 1.5g, Protein 38g, Total Carbohydrates 17g, Dietary Fiber 0g, Sodium 240mg, Good Source of Iron

Oven Fries
Makes 6 servings, Serving size: 10 fries
Ingredients

• Non-stick cooking spray
• 4 medium baking potatoes or sweet potatoes
• 2 Tablespoons oil
• Seasonings (black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika) (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475°F.
2. Lightly spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Wash potatoes thoroughly and dry with a paper towel.
4. Cut potatoes into long strips about ½ inch thick.
5. Put oil in a plastic bag. Add potatoes and toss to evenly coat with oil. You may add seasonings to the bag.
6. Spread strips in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in preheated oven.
7. Bake at 475°F for 20 minutes.
8. After 20 minutes, take sheet out of oven and turn potato strips over.
9. Immediately return sheet to oven and bake at 475°F for 15 more minutes.

Nutrition Information Per Serving for sweet potatoes
120 calories, Total Fat 4.5g, Saturated Fat 0.5g, Protein 1g, Total Carbohydrates 17g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Sodium 15mg, Excellent source of vitamin C.

NC EFNEP – Families Eating Smart and Moving More