by kelsey | Oct 6, 2011 | Cooking Tips, Food
Following a healthy and balanced diet isn’t always easy. Sometimes the healthy foods cost a bit more and it may require a little more work compared to driving thru the fast food drive thru or putting a frozen pizza in the oven. One of my favorite meals that’s very healthy and well balanced is stir fry. It’s a great way to get a lot of good veggies, lean protein, and some whole grains. In addition, if you cook your veggies and meat with olive oil or canola oil on the stove, you’re getting additional healthy fats and omega 3 fatty acids. When I make this meal, like I did last night, I usually try to make a little extra as it’s great for left overs. I use the frozen stir fry veggies, lean skinless, boneless chicken breast, and whole grain rice (cooked in a rice cooker). These are my preferences, however you could make your own mixture according to your taste preferences, which is another great thing about stir fry! In addition to the balanced meal, this doesn’t take long to make at all so it’s a great option for when you’re in a hurry or don’t want to take a lot of time to prepare a meal. Now I must mention that my all time favorite meal is roast beef and mashed potatoes….but I’ll save that one for another day!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Oct 5, 2011 | Cooking Tips, Food
Last night at our STRIVE 2 Survive lecture, County Fair Foods supplied a delicious fruit pizza. Since it tasted so good, even with the recipe substitutions, I wanted to share the recipe with you. The blueberries and strawberries on top were extra tasty!
Ingredients:
1 C. all purpose flour
¼ c. confectioners sugar or sugar substitute
½ c. cold butter (Smart Balance)
8 oz pkg reduced fat cream cheese
1/3 c. sugar or sugar substitute
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c. fresh strawberries halved
11 oz can mandarin oranges, drained
1 c. fresh blueberries
Glaze:
5 tsp cornstarch
1 & ¼ c. unsweetened pineapple juice
1 tsp lemon juice
In a large bowl, combine flour and confectioners sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press onto an ungreased 12” pizza pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until very lightly browned. Cool on a rack.
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Spread over the crust. Arrange the strawberries, oranges, and blueberries on top.
Glaze: in a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch, pineapple juice, and lemon juice until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Cool slightly. Drizzle over fruit. Refrigerate until chilled.
Enjoy!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Sep 29, 2011 | Food
Have you heard about the listeria outbreak on the news involving canteloupe? According to the CDC 13 people have died and 72 people are affected in 18 states. They have linked it back to Jensen Farms in Colorado. Since the discovery of the deadliest food borne illness outbreak, Jensen Farms has voluntarily recalled all melons. They are still researching the root cause of the outbreak. Listeria can cause fever, confusion, vomiting, and neck stiffness. Those with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, and the elderly are at greater risk. South Dakota is not affected by this outbreak, however many of our surrounding states are. Proper food safety practices are very important to avoid food borne illness. Be sure to always wash your hands for at least 20-30 seconds before working with food, wash your produce thoroughly before eating (yes- this includes the outside of the melon) and do not cross contaminate with other foods like raw meat.
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Sep 21, 2011 | Food
One of my favorite things about fall is the variety of apples that we can find at the grocery store or farmer’s market. One of my absolute favorites is the honeycrisp apple. It offers a vibrant taste that I can’t get enough of! The various types of apples can be used for different purposes such as making sauce, jam, baking, and just every day eating enjoyment. Be sure to check out the variety next time you’re at the store or market. You can also read my Fall 2010 newsletter that discusses apples in more detail under “Info” and then “Newsletter” tab.
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Sep 15, 2011 | Family, Food
With school in full swing, your child may be getting bored eating the same lunch every day (if they pack lunch). Here are a few tips to help add variety to your child’s lunches.
- Make time once a week to plan the week’s lunches using MyPlate: this encourages your child to learn more about healthy eating and may make them more likely to eat it, if they have invested their own time into the process.
- Try new foods: try out new fruits or vegetables. This will encourage interest in trying new foods and can be especially helpful for picky eaters.
- Pack extras to share with friends: if your child is a picky eater, you may try packing extras of a certain item that they can share with their friends which encourages them to try it.
- Invest in lunch equipment: pack your child’s lunch in an insulated lunch bag or thermos which broadens the kinds of foods they can bring. Just remember to put an ice pack in the lunch bag or a quality insulated thermos to keep cold food cold and hot food hot.
Check out www.kidseatright.org for more tips!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Sep 14, 2011 | Food
With the freeze warning tonight, it’s important to take proper precaution to save your garden and plants! Experts recommend covering your plants with blankets, if they are movable pots, place them closer to your house and you may even try wetting them down before covering them to provide further protection. This freeze may cause decreases in produce yields, so be sure to take some time today to protect your garden produce and flowers!
-Kelsey
