Tips and Recipes

Try a pita pocket sandwich

Sandwiches are a common staple food on a lunchbox menu for children, but I’ve noticed sandwiches have gotten a reputation as being boring or bland because children get tired of eating the same old sandwich for lunch every day. Sure, spreading some peanut butter and jelly on bread or just slapping on a few cold cuts makes for a tasty and easy meal, but eating that every day can make sandwiches less appealing. Get creative with new sandwich recipes and combinations to make lunch a meal that your child (and you) will look forward to!
Here are some tips on how to expand your sandwich selections:

• Swap the usual sandwich bread for a tortilla, open-faced flatbread, or pita pocket. Aim for a whole-wheat option for added fiber, vitamins, and minerals!
•  Try adding different vegetables (or even fruits!) for variety and color.
• Have leftovers? Think about how you could put them together to create a unique sandwich.
• Avocado, in small portions, is a healthy alternative to a popular sandwich condiment: mayonnaise. Mash up an avocado and mix it with plain nonfat or low-fat yogurt to make a creamy spread for your sandwiches. Add lemon or lime juice for extra flavor!

Corner Kick Pita Pocket
Makes 2 servings Serving Size: 1/2 pita pocket

Ingredients

•  ½ cup spinach, trimmed leaves
• ¼ cup cucumber, sliced
• ¼ cup carrots, shredded
• 1 tablespoon salsa
• 1 tablespoon fat-free Ranch salad dressing
•  1 (6 ½) inch pita pocket
• 4 oz. extra-lean ground beef (5% fat), cooked
• 1 cup cantaloupe, cubed

Directions

1.  Combine beef, spinach, cucumber, and carrots with salsa and Ranch dressing. Mix well.
2. Cut pita in half. Using your finger, slowly open the pocket so as not to tear the bread.
3. Divide beef and veggie mix in half and place in each pocket half.
4. Serve each pocket with ½ cup cantaloupe.

Source: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/corner-kick-pita-pocket
Who says sandwiches are only for lunch? I’m having this for dinner tonight!
Cara
Cara is an EFNEP student intern.

Who wants watermelon?

When I was growing up, watermelons were a favorite summer time fruit in our household. On a hot day, the taste of a cool slice of watermelon (with a pinch of salt) was not only refreshing, but also helped us stay hydrated. My mom, who is a lover of watermelons herself, very rarely purchased the fruit because neighbors and family friends always shared their crops with us. One summer, we decided to grow our own watermelons. We were very excited to use seeds that had been saved from the previous year. While we had good intentions, needless to say, our attempt failed miserably. It was at this point that we decided to stick with eating watermelons instead of growing them. Perhaps our gardening skills needed some work.
Here are a couple of facts about watermelons:

• Watermelons, while very tasty are also very nutritious. They are low in fat and calories and high in potassium.
• They are mostly water (about 92 percent), but have lots of nutrients. Each juicy bite has significant levels of vitamins A, B6 and C, lots of lycopene, antioxidants and amino acids.
• Watermelons also have many health benefits including: lowering the risk of heart disease, reducing inflammation, aiding in digestion, keeping skin and hair moisturized.
• For more fun facts, check here: http://www.watermelon.org/Faqs 

Choosing the right watermelon can be a little tricky. You should look for one that is heavy for its size with a rind that is relatively smooth; neither overly shiny nor overly dull; without any cuts or bruises on its surface which might have occurred during transportation. Once at home, place the fruit in a cool, well-ventilated place. The cut sections should be kept inside the refrigerator.
After choosing the right watermelon, let’s prepare it for serving. First, you should wash the whole melon in cold running water or clean it with a wet cloth to remove surface dirt or any other residue. Then, it’s ready to serve. The watermelon can be cubed, scooped into balls or just eaten the old-fashioned way — sliced and right off of the rind.
Fresh watermelon should be eaten as it is, without any additions/seasonings to experience its delicious, natural sweet taste. Here are some serving tips:

• Cubes or sections of the melon are a great addition to fruit salad. Top its wedges with cold chocolate cream and relish!
• Jam, sorbet, fruit cocktail, and juice are some nutritious and delicious recipes you can make with melons.
• The seeds are roasted and eaten as a snack in some Asian countries.
• Its rind is used and eaten as a vegetable in some South American countries.

Try this easy recipe! It’s unique, but one that I believe you will enjoy.
Stephanie

Festive Fish Taco

Makes 4 servings (Serving Size: 2 tacos)

This recipe is a 3-step recipe. First, make the salsa. Second, make the coleslaw. And third, cook the fish and assemble the tacos. The salsa and slaw can be made the day before to allow flavors to blend.

SALSA –

Ingredients:

1 mango, finely chopped

¼ cup green bell pepper, finely chopped

¼ cup cucumber, finely chopped

½ cup red onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped

1 ½ teaspoons chili powder

1 tablespoon lime juice

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together
2. Set aside

SLAW MIX –

Ingredients:

2 cups cabbage, finely shredded

¼ cup fat-free Ranch dressing

1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together
2. Set aside

TACOS –

Ingredients:

Salsa

Slaw mix

4 tilapia filets (or other white fish)

Non-stick cook spray

Black pepper, to taste

Paprika, to taste

8 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas

1 cup cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler in oven. Adjust top rack to rest approximately 6 inches from broiler.
2. Line pan with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Place filets on prepared pan and sprinkle with pepper and paprika to taste.
4. Broil filets until cooked, about 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
5. Meanwhile, wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and heat in microwave for 30 seconds.
6. Divide each filet in half. Place half of cooked filet in each tortilla.
7. Top with slaw mix and salsa.

Nutritional Information per Serving

260 Calories, Total Fat, 4.5g, Saturated Fat 1g, Protein 24g, Total Carbohydrate 29g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Sodium 110mg.

Tip: Pico de gallo can be used in place of salsa.

Help Your Child Enjoy the Benefits of Physical Activity

We know being physically active provides numerous benefits. To name just a few, it helps us maintain a healthy weight, build stronger bones, sleep better at night, and keep a positive mental attitude. Research has shown that an active child will become an active adult. As parents or caretakers, it’s our responsibility to make sure our children become and remain physically active. Here are some tips that can help us ensure children at all ages learn and enjoy the health benefits physical activity has to offer.

1. Children under the age of 2 should be given the opportunity to play and move freely. No organized or formal physical activity is needed at this age. Allow them to learn about their bodies as they explore their environment.
2. Children between the ages of 3 and 5 are not too young to understand why physical activity is good for them. Share the benefits of being physically fit and focus on age appropriate skills like jumping, kicking, tossing, and catching. Structured sports tend to limit a child’s ability to explore the various ways their bodies can move as they often use only a few specific skills. This limits the child’s opportunity to learn what his body is capable of doing and can ultimately create a less well-rounded child, physically. Rules may be too complicated to understand or follow resulting in frustration, and the concept of losing may bring unnecessary disappointment. Keep physical activity fun and developmentally appropriate through the preschool years.
3. Children are naturally accident-prone as they learn to play and move their bodies. To keep your kids safe, simply guide them away from participating in unsafe activities. Refrain from warning them about hurting themselves. Let them experiment and have fun without consistently telling them to “be careful”. Chances are the constant warnings and reminders will be ignored so it won’t help anyway!
4. Let your children play outdoors as often a possible, but when weather does not permit mark off a place in your home that will provide the space needed to actively play. Dance, stretch to the sky, hop on one foot – any movement is better than none!
5. Children lack muscular endurance so they tire quickly. The good thing is, they also recover quickly! Be sure to include rest periods and offer water and healthy snacks between periods of play.
6. Use the playtime snack as an opportunity to include an extra fruit or vegetable serving into their daily diet. Did you know children are more likely to try a new food as a snack time than at mealtime?
7. Remember, snacks that contain high amounts of sugar and salt are typically empty calorie foods. These foods will contain no nutritional benefit and will not help your child quickly recover from fatigue.
8. Stick to serving water or milk as snack time beverages. Sugary drinks will fill your child up, but will provide no nutritional value.
9. Emphasize to your children that physical activity is playful and fun. Encourage them to explore and help guide them in discovering which activities are right for them.
10. Remember, children imitate what they see you do. If they see you enjoying physical activity and healthy food, they will too!

To learn about the benefits of physical activity in childhood, click here.
Source: Things to Consider when Planning for Physical Activities in Child Care
-Virginia

Freezing fruits and vegetables for "plan-overs"

Let me tell you, I recently stumbled upon a few great resources for freezing fruits and vegetables.
Planning my meals has been a top priority, but with the abundance of local North Carolina produce here in the summer, it has become increasingly important to me to make the most out of my purchases.
Before I buy fruits or vegetables for the week at my local farmers’ market or the grocery store, I make a plan for what I’ll use for the week.
If the price is good, and the quality is what I want, I‘ll buy extra and make a plan to freeze it. I know I’ll end up using them in future recipes so it makes sense to me to make it part of my “plan-overs”.
One resource from Food and Health Communications, https://foodandhealth.com/freezer-magic-8-freezing-tips/, has given me a few pointers. Here are a couple I found especially important:

• Freeze ripe, high-quality fruits and vegetables. Freezing won’t magically fix any rot, lack of ripeness, or mold — it will just preserve those pesky problems. (Tip 1) 
• Many vegetables need to be “blanched” or partially cooked before they are frozen. This will ensure good quality, color, and texture. (Tip 5)
• Freeze your produce in sealed bags or containers. Bags are the preferred method because you can see what is in them and they take up less space. It is important to fold or roll items in the bags so that you reduce the amount of air in the bags. The less air, the better! (Tip 6)

I’ve learned it is especially important to label and date whatever it is you freeze. Otherwise you might not know what it is. Also, remember to use it as part of your “plan-over” meals so you can avoid forgetting about them in the depths of the freezer (I might have done this a few times before!) Happy freezing!
Emily