Tips and Recipes

Skewered Veggies

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegetables (summer squash, peppers, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, mushrooms, jicama, turnips)
• Low-fat salad dressing

Directions

1. Wash hands and surfaces.
2. Wash vegetables. Peel cucumbers, jicama, and turnips.
3. Cut vegetables into chunks.
4. Place chunks on a skewer.
5. Drizzle salad dressing over vegetables.
6. Refrigerate leftovers immediately.

NOTE: If you don’t have skewers, arrange the vegetables on a plate.

Quick Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice

Directions

1. Pour oats into a microwave-safe bowl
2. Add water to the oats. Cover with wax paper.
3. Cook in microwave for 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Use hot pads to remove bowl from the microwave. Stir until mixed.
4. Add applesauce and apple pie spice to oatmeal. Stir until mixed.

Recipe from Virginia Tech EFNEP

Perfect Pumpkin Pancakes

Makes 1 dozen 3 1/2-inch pancakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour (use 1/2 whole-wheat)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 3/4 cup skim milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Vegetable cooking spray

Directions

1. Wash hands and surfaces.
2. Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a medium bowl, combine egg, canned pumpkin, milk, and vegetable oil, mixing well.
4. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Batter may be lumpy. For thinner batter, add more milk.
5. Lightly coat skillet or a griddle with vegetable cooking spray and heat on medium.
6. Using a 1/4-cup measure, pour batter onto hot griddle. Cook until bubbles begin to burst, then flip pancakes and cook until golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.
7. Refrigerate leftovers immediately.

Original Recipe: ChooseMyPlate.gov

Mini Martian Muffins

Makes 28 servings

Serving Size: 2 mini muffins

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 medium zucchini, grated

Choose 2 of the following. Blend together to make a frosting

• Powdered sugar
• Peanut butter
• Low-fat yogurt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, applesauce, orange juice, and vanilla extract.
3. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cocoa) in a separate bowl. Gradually add to egg mixture and mix well.
4. Stir in grated zucchini.
5. Fill muffin pans 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
6. Remove muffins from pan and allow to cool.
7. Spread mixed frosting of your choice on top of cooled muffins.

Italian Mixed Vegetables

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 yellow squash, sliced
• 1/2 red or green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 low-calorie Italian salad dressing
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Wash, slice, and chop vegetables as indicated.
2. Mix vegetables and salad dressing together in a microwave safe casserole dish.
3. Cook vegetables in microwave for 10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes.
4. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top of vegetables and allow it to melt before serving.