Tips and Recipes

Stay Active Indoors

When the weather gets bad, it is hard to stay active inside the house. However, that does not mean that doing physical activity inside is impossible! There are multiple games and ways to get exercise indoors involving the whole family. One effective way of exercising is yoga. Family yoga involves everyone practicing yoga poses together and can be a really fun activity. Yoga can also bring peace to a family home while toning muscles, increasing flexibility, and reducing weight.
Another way of getting active indoors is playing games. Animal charades is a game where parents write down different types of animals on pieces of paper that can be drawn from a cup. Parents and children can take turns acting out which animal they pick by moving and making sounds. This game encourages creativity in children and adults and can make physical activity seem effortless.
A classic fun game to play is freeze frame. This can be with or even without music playing. If someone is caught still moving after the word “Freeze!” is said, they have to keep dancing until all the other players are out. This game is so easy because it doesn’t involve any equipment except a voice. It is simple and works, especially with children.
A cool game that is fun for children to play is called “Stretch and sprout”. This game involves children imagining themselves as a seed by being curled up in a tight ball and then stretching out as far as they can imagine. By creating a visualization of the child transforming from a seed to a flower, this encourages imagination while stretching all of the muscles in the body. Another way to get more out of this game is by encouraging the child to spring up and jump at the end when they are all stretched out.
Another creative game is called “ABC” where parents and children give each other words to spell and spell them with their arms and legs. This game also can help children learning how to spell. By spelling out words with arms and legs, both parents and children exercise their limbs while toning their cores.
Whether it’s a simple hands-free game or a yoga session, these methods are effective in getting the whole family active while being indoors. These exercise ideas may even make the children excited about the next rainy day when they can stay indoors to play these games!
Taylor 
References: http://www.parenting.com/gallery/18-fun-active-indoor-activities?page=6

Enhancing the flavor!

How do you get out of the rut from cooking the same old chicken, ground meat or fish recipes?  The favorite recipes of your family are getting monotonous and becoming not so favorite anymore.  If this sounds familiar, you are not alone.  I heard this over and over again from friends and neighbors.  So what is the answer?  How can I feed my family healthy, low cost, and easy to prepare foods?  I need some new ideas.
Let’s start with the meat and try some different cooking techniques.  Pan-searing, broiling, and grilling along can affect the taste by intensifying the flavors of the meat.  Try the crock-pot for easy and tasty one pot meals.  The list of possibilities of what you can add to your entrée dishes is endless.  Have you thought about using red/green/yellow peppers, avocados, artichokes, apples, or zucchini noodles to complement your meat?  
Try a different way to prepare your vegetables.  Grill or roast and add spices or herbs to change their taste. Citrus juice or grated citrus peel can add a tangy flavor.  Fresh cilantro and chipotle peppers will add a bold flavor.  Condiments can makeover a recipe.  Try horseradish, flavored mustards, salad dressings, or salsas and see the difference they make in the taste.
Try a few of these suggestions, and I bet your family will enjoy the menu makeover and ask for more!
Judy
Source: http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/planning-and-prep/cooking-tips-and-trends/enhancing-the-flavor-of-your-meal

Heart healthy tips to keep your

Thinking about what to do on Valentine’s Day for those who hold a special place in your heart? Take a look at the suggestions found on the American Heart Association’s Website: heart.org .

The site contains 14 practical and health conscious ideas that have more value and show a deeper love than a box of chocolates or a dozen roses ever could. The ideas are listed below. See what you think.
When you’ve finished reading, be creative! Come up with a 15^th idea to show your Valentine he/she’s extra special. Enjoy the read! (Note: Hovering over the printed words or phrases in blue will take you to sites with additional ideas and information.)

1. Rather than tempting your beloved with sweets, consider a gift that has more permanence. Search for a poem that describes your feelings and write it on beautiful paper for a handmade Valentine.
2. Quality time is one of the most meaningful gifts. Bundle up and plan an active outing such as sledding, ice skating, gathering wood for a fire, or if you’re feeling adventurous, visit an indoor rock wall.
3. If your kids are having a Valentine’s Day party at their school or day care, instead of sending candies, consider raisins, grapes, whole-grain pretzels, colored pencils or stickers as tokens of their friendly affection.
4. Cooking at home is an excellent way to control what and how much you eat. Take a date to a local cooking class to practice your skills or learn a new technique.
5. Prepare a romantic candlelit dinner at home using one of our heart-healthy recipes.
6. Give to one another by giving back. Ask a date to volunteer with you at a local organization. Giving back is a healthy habit that can boost your mood and help beat stress.
7. Use this day as an opportunity to tell your loved one how important they are to you, and share ways that you can support each other’s health and wellness. Get started by taking the My Life Check Assessment.
8. Craving something sweet? Gift a beautiful fresh fruit basket to your loved one instead of giving sweets with added sugars.
9. Sharing is caring – if you go out for a romantic dinner date, order one entrée to share. Many restaurant servings are enough for two – splitting will keep you from overdoing it.
10. Don’t forget to love Fido, too! Give your pet a Valentine and remember to walk or exercise them daily –getting active with your pet will benefit your health and your bond with your pets.
11. Take it slow – if you receive a luxurious box of chocolates from your sweetie, stick it in the freezer and enjoy in moderation over the next several weeks.
12. Take a long, romantic walk with your beloved – and try to make it a regular habit. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderately intense physical activity each week to help keep your heart healthy. You can reach this goal by walking briskly for at least 30 minutes five days each week.
13. Check out our tips for healthier preparation methods for cooking.
14. Rekindle an old flame – try preparing one of your sweetie’s favorite recipes in a healthier way. These healthy substitutions can help you cut down on saturated fats, trans fats, salt (sodium), and added sugars, while noticing little, if any, difference in taste.ENJOY! Emily

Eating Together!

How many of you aim to have at least a few meals of the week together as a family?
These days schedules of both parents and children leave almost no time for regular dinners together at the table.  Between soccer practices, dance rehearsals, playdates, and other scheduling conflicts, family mealtime can seem like a thing of the past.
Did you know that research shows that having a meal together as a family at least four times a week has positive effects on child development? Family dinners have been linked to a lower risk of obesity, substance abuse, eating disorders, and an increased chance of graduating from high school. Source: http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/
If you are still looking for some inspiration, here are some more benefits of eating a meal together as a family.

• Dinner table provides an opportunity for conversation and to reconnect as a family. By engaging your children in conversation, you teach them how to listen and give them with a chance to express their opinions.
• Family mealtime is the perfect opportunity to display appropriate table manners, meal etiquette, and social skills. Be a good role model and lead by example.
• Meals prepared and eaten at home are usually more nutritious and healthy. They contain more fruits, vegetables, and dairy products along with additional nutrients such as fiber, calcium, vitamins A and C, and folate.
• The sense of security and togetherness provided by family meals helps nurture children into healthy, well-rounded adults. Children who eat dinner with their family are more likely to understand, acknowledge, and follow the boundaries and expectations set by their parents.
• The home cooked meal cost 2-4 times less than the meals purchased outside the home. You save your time and money by not make going out to eat at a restaurant and making short trips to the grocery store.
• Family mealtime is a great place to introduce new food to the kids. It greatly helps the picky eater. Try to make the mealtime a cool, calm and positive experience for the children. Avoid- criticism and over correction.

ENJOY!!
Neha

Vegetable packed pizza

As a parent, I am always looking for new and efficient ways make my kids eat more veggies because eating greens has many health benefits. Vegetables are the powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, and other healthy compounds which boost their immune system and help them to fight off the cold, flu, and other infections. Most vegetables are low in calories and fat but high in dietary fiber. The high fiber helps children stay full longer and be able to concentrate more in the school. It also aids in  having a healthy digestive system.
So how much of veggies your child should be eating? Go with More Matters! Eating fruits and vegetables in a rainbow of colors will provide a broad range of nutrients that they need. You also go with the MyPlate icon from the USDA recommendation to fill HALF your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables at every meal!
Getting kids to eat more veggies doesn’t have to be a fight.  Here are some creative ways to introduce and serve them.
Get them involved – Children are more invested in a meal if they help with its preparation. Take your kids with you for grocery shopping and allow them to pick a new vegetable to try.  At home, involve them in the meal preparation.  Letting them clean carrots, snap beans, mix the dressing and set the table gives them a sense of pride and makes them more enthusiastic and cooperative at meal time.
Make Vegetable look attractive- Children often prefer foods served separately. So, rather than mixed vegetables try serving two vegetables separately. You can add color to salads by adding baby carrots, shredded red cabbage, or spinach leaves.  Try decorating the plates or serving dishes with vegetable slice
Dip it– If your kids don’t eat vegetables, experiment with dips.  Many vegetables taste great with a dip or dressing. Try a low-fat salad dressing with raw broccoli, red and green peppers, celery sticks or cauliflower.
Enforce the “one bite rule”-  Research shows the “one bite rule” where the child has to try at least one mouthful of a disliked food when it is served work wonders with picky eaters. You have to make sure to expose a different kind of vegetables for at least 8-10 times before they begin to rate it more favorably.
Don’t force them to finish- Never fight and punish your child for not eating her veggies as this will create a negative meal experience and the child will learn to associate food with the bad feeling. You don’t have to be a short-order cook but try not to start a fight.
Be a good role model- Children have a natural tendency to imitate, so be a good example of healthy eating! Eating with them as a family, and if you are eating a vegetable at dinner, your child is likely to take notice and do the same, well maybe not immediately!

Here is recipe for you to try with your kids:
Technicolor Vegetable Pizzas

Preparation time: 20 minutes 
Rose colored glasses won’t be needed to appreciate the variety of colors and blend of tastes offered by these easy to make individual pizzas.

• 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables with mushrooms
• 5 slices Italian bread (1 oz. slices; each ~ 1” thick and 5” long)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup prepared pizza sauce
• 1 cup finely chopped tomato
• ½ cup very finely diced onion
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 ½ tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:  

Pre-heat oven to 350º F and place oven rack in middle-high position. Microwave frozen vegetables, then pat dry.  Brush all bread slices lightly with oil and spread each with ~ 1½ tablespoons sauce. Combine all vegetables in a medium-sized bowl. Carefully spoon vegetable mixture equally onto bread slices. Sprinkle with oregano and garlic powder and then with cheese. Bake about 5-7 minutes, until bread is brown on the edges and all vegetables are piping hot. Serve immediately.

Serves: 5
1 Cup of Vegetables per Serving
Fruit and/or Veggie Colors: Green, White, Yellow, Orange, Red [What’s This?]
Nutrition Information per Serving: calories: 182, total fat: 5.0g, saturated fat: 1.1g, % calories from fat: 24%, % calories from saturated fat: 5%, protein: 6g, carbohydrates: 29g, cholesterol: 2mg, dietary fiber: 5g, sodium: 339 mg
Each serving provides: An excellent source of vitamin A and a good source of vitamin C, folate and fiber.

Source: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/dipping-vegetable-increases-vegetable-intake-in-children
Enjoy!
Neha