Tips and Recipes

National Spinach Day

March 26th is National Spinach Day! Spinach contains many helpful nutrients, but it is especially high in iron, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A.

– Iron is an important building block in our blood. It helps move oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. If you don’t have enough iron, it could lead to anemia, which may make you feel tired and short of breath. 

– Vitamin K helps maintain healthy bones. It also plays an important role in healing wounds or cuts. If you don’t have enough Vitamin K, it could prevent your scratches and bruises from healing properly. 

– Vitamin A helps with eyesight, growth, and development, so it’s especially important for kids to get the right amount! It also plays an important role in keeping many of our organs working properly. Most Americans get enough Vitamin A, but it’s still important to keep track and make sure you are getting enough. 

– Vitamin C is another important building block in the body that is needed for healthy bones, skin, cartilage, and blood vessels. It also helps build your immune system, and it helps our bodies absorb iron! If you don’t have enough Vitamin C, you could develop scurvy, which can cause bruising, fatigue, and rashes.

All in all, spinach is a great food to work into your diet to help you get the nutrients you need to stay strong and healthy! It can be eaten raw in salads or sandwiches; blended and added to smoothies or dips; cooked into soups, sauces, and casseroles; or cooked and eaten as a side dish! Feel free to give this spinach omelet recipe a try!

*If you are worried about getting the right amount of nutrients in your diet, or if you are experiencing any worrying symptoms, talk with your doctor.

Sources: Dietary Guidelines and BBCgoodfood

Green Eggs and Ham Muffins

Makes 12 servings | Serving Size: 1 muffin

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely diced sweet onion
• 1/2 cup finely diced lean ham
• 1 cup finely diced mushrooms
• 2 cups finely chopped baby spinach (long stems removed) • 12 eggs (6 whole, 6 egg whites)
• 3/4 cup low fat cheddar cheese, shredded
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. Place olive oil in skillet and heat over medium high heat.
3. Add onion, ham and mushrooms to skillet. Cook untiltender, stirring constantly.
4. Stir in baby spinach. Cook until just wilted.
5. Drain. Use paper towels to remove all water from cookedmixture.
6. Spoon 1 tablespoon of meat and veggie mixture intoeach muffin cup.
7. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy.(Room temperature egg whites work best.)
8. In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining 6 eggs withsalt and pepper to taste.
9. Gently fold beaten egg whites into whole eggs.
10. Using a cup with a spout, pour egg mixture in eachmuffin cup until almost to the rim of the cup.
11. Spoon 1 tablespoon cheese over mixture
12. Gently stir each cup with a fork and bake for 22 minutesor until internal temperature reaches 160 F.

Nutrition Information Per Serving

121 Calories, Total Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 3g, Protein 10g, Total Carbohydrate 4g, Dietary Fiber 1g, Sodium 179mg. Excellent source of vitamin A.

Recipe contributed by Carol Pitts, NC EFNEP Educator

Overnight oats

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup skim or 1% milk
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 dash of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (not quick oats)
• 1/4 cup raisins
• Chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a jar
2. Shake
3. Place in the fridge overnight

Choosing Healthier Cereals

Cereal can be a great breakfast option. It’s quick, easy, and there are lots of healthy options to choose from. Many cereals have lots of added nutrients that children need to grow up healthy, especially when they’re paired with milk. Make sure to drink the extra milk though, since that’s where a lot of the nutrients from the cereal end up!

There are many healthy cereals but there are also many unhealthy options too. Check out these tips to make sure you are choosing the best cereal for your family.

Cereals marketed to children–the kind with colorful packaging, cartoon characters, and miniature versions of sweets like cookies and marshmallows–usually aren’t a healthy choice. These are often full of sugar and sodium and have less of the important nutrients like fiber and protein. So don’t get distracted by pretty packaging! Instead, take a look at the nutrition facts label:

• Look at the serving size. Some brands list small serving sizes to make their cereals seem healthier. If you know you’ll eat more than the recommended serving, make sure to adjust the information on the nutrition label to the portion you normally eat.

• Choose whole grains. If the box doesn’t say “100% whole grain,” or have this label, look at the first ingredient on the nutrition label’s ingredient list. If it says the words “whole” or “bran,” you’re on the right track! 

• Fiber is also important in a healthy cereal, and goes hand-in-hand with whole grains. This nutrient helps with healthy digestion, and it helps us feel full for longer. Try to find cereals with at least 2 grams of fiber per serving.

Things to watch out for: added sugars, sodium, and saturated fats

• Choose cereals with less than 12 grams of sugar per serving. You can also skim the ingredients list–if sugar is one of the first two ingredients, it probably isn’t the healthiest choice. Watch out for other sugars like cane syrup, agave, and honey.

• Look for cereals with less than 40 mg of sodium per serving. Sodium is added to many packaged foods. 

• Most cereals don’t have a ton of saturated fat, but some do, especially granolas with chocolate pieces or coconut. Look for cereals with less than 3 grams of saturated fat per serving.

Finally, if your kids are used to very sweet cereal, try adding fresh fruit, nuts or even cinnamon for a bit of extra flavor! You could also start by mixing healthy cereals with some of your kids’ favorites. 

Happy cereal shopping!

Sources: CSPinet and Healthy Children

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Bright and bold Latin American flavors are simmered in a punchy broth with a hefty amount of aromatics. Canned beans give this soup a hearty depth, while the addition of creamy ripe avocados adds a soothing touch. This workhorse soup – that makes for incredible leftovers – comes together in just under thirty minutes. 

Serves 8 

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 4 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs 
• 2 teaspoons salt 
• 1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper 
• 1 teaspoon chili powder 
• 1 teaspoon cumin 
• 1 lime, zest and juice reserved 
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 
• 5 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 28oz can diced tomatoes, low-sodium  
• 1 15oz can black beans, low-sodium, drained 
• 1 15oz can yellow corn, low-sodium, drained 
• 1 bell pepper, any color, chopped 
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes 
• 7 small corn tortilla rounds, cut into strips 
• 6 cups water 
• ½ cup chopped cilantro, stems and leaves 
• 1 ripe avocado, for garnish

Directions: 

1. Season chicken evenly with salt, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, and lime zest. 
2. In a large pot, over medium heat, add the olive oil. 
3. Place the chicken into the pot and sear for about two minutes per side. (The dark bits, known as fond, form the base of flavor for the soup.)
4. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate. 
5. Reduce heat to low and scrape and stir up the fond. 
6. Add the onions, garlic, diced tomatoes, beans, corn, bell pepper, and red pepper flakes to the pot. Stir to combine.  
7. Add the chicken back to the pot then the corn tortilla strips (these will dissolve in the soup).
8. Add the water then simmer covered for twenty minutes until the chicken reaches 165˚ F. 
9. Garnish with the cilantro, lime juice, and avocado. Serve immediately.

Recipe by: Chef Brigid Washington