Tips and Recipes

Bunny Dip and Bunny Face

Ingredients

Bunny Dip

• 1 can garbanzo beans/chickpeas
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cumin

Bunny Face

• Baby carrots (2 for each bunny face)
• Sliced mushroom (1 for each bunny face)
• Thinly sliced celery sticks (4 for each bunny face)
• Cucumber slices (2 for each bunny face)
• Raisins (2 for each bunny face)
• Red pepper strip (1 for each bunny face)
• 1 slice bread cut in a circle, rice cake, or 1/2 flat bread round for each bunny face

Directions

1. Place all of the ingredients for the Bunny Dip in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
2. For each Bunny Face, use one bread round spread with two tablespoons of Bunny Dip.
3. Make Bunny Face. Use carrots for ears, mushroom for nose, cucumbers topped with raisins for eyes, red pepper strip for mouth, and celery sticks for whiskers.

Banana Wraps

Makes 1 serving

Serving Size: 1 wrap

Ingredients

• 1 whole-wheat tortilla
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 banana

Directions

1. Wash hands and surfaces.
2. Wash the banana.
3. Place tortilla on a plate. Spread tortilla with peanut butter.
4. Peel the banana and place in the middle of the tortilla.
5. Fold the ends of the tortilla toward the center, then roll the tortilla around the banana.
6. Refrigerate leftovers immediately.

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 (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 1/2 inch thick.
5. Put oil in a plastic bag. Add potatoes and toss to evenly coat with oil. You may add seasoning to the bag.
6. Spread strips in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in preheated oven.
7. Bake 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.

Oven Baked Chicken Nuggets

Makes 4 servings

Serving Size: 6 nuggets

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons low-fat milk
• 2 3/4 cups cornflakes, crushed
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into nugget size pieces
• 1/4 cup fat-free dressing such as ranch or honey mustard, barbecue sauce, or ketchup 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 dipping sauce of your choice.

Nutrition information Per Serving
265 calories
Total Fat 5 g
Saturated Fat 1.5 g
Protein 38 g
Total Carbohydrate 17 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sodium 240 mg
Good Source of Iron
Recipe analyzed without dipping sauce.

Shop the local market for fresh produce

Farmers Markets are packed with fresh summer fruits and vegetables.  Watermelons, cantaloupes, fresh corn, cucumbers, tomatoes and squash are just a few of the food items found at many local markets. While, I don’t frequent Farmers Markets often (mainly due to the location from my home and because my local market is not open year-round), I like to go at this time of the year. There are so many varieties of delicious, freshly grown foods (especially fruits and vegetables) and homemade goodies such as jams/jellies, pickles. There are also baked items, which are typically local favorites made by hometown residents. Visiting the market also allows for interaction with farmers, neighbors and friends.
During a recent purchase, a friend noticed that the strawberries he bought from the local grocery store were grown by a local farmer from the county. He was so excited to know that his purchase is helping to support the local farmer in our community.
While, I really like the offerings of a Farmer’s Market, there are some valid reasons to purchase foods there. Firstly, they’re local and local foods are usually fresher and more nutritious. Since a shorter distance is traveled to where the food is sold, most local fruits, vegetables, and dairy products are fresher. Some are harvested within 24 hours of being purchased! This freshness is directly related to its nutritional value, as nutritional quality degrades rapidly after harvest.
At a basic level, when you buy locally, more money stays in the community. Money that stays in the community circulates and benefits all sectors of the local economy and therefore increases the quality of life we enjoy in our communities.
Buying from local farmers helps to preserve farmland and rural culture. Whether it is directly at a farmers market or at the local foods section of a grocery store, buying a local farmer’s product helps keep that farmer farming and in business.
Food produced and marketed locally uses much less energy for transportation and storage. Reducing the energy used means less air and water pollution, which is another way we can help sustain our resources for future generations.
When food is marketed locally, farmers aren’t limited to growing varieties that are bred for long distance shipping and long shelf lives. Local foods are often heirloom varieties that have been passed down through generations, which are usually especially delicious!
Finally, since local foods are not stored for long periods of time or transported long distances, fewer post-harvest treatments are needed. Wax coatings to prevent water loss and fungicides to prevent decay are used to preserve fruits and vegetables that travel long distances.
Local foods are really a win-win and something we can all support.
I encourage you to be a patron at your local Farmer’s Market. If you are unaware of the Farmer’s Markets in your area, here is a helpful resource. The North Carolina Farm Fresh is a directory of pick-your-own farms, roadside farm markets, and farmers markets throughout North Carolina. It is designed to help you find the freshest locally grown fruits, vegetables, plants and other items. Click the following link to find a market in your area: http://www.ncfarmfresh.com/index.asp

Stephanie
Stephanie is the EFNEP Extension Associate for counties in the Southeast Unit.