Memorial Day Menu Tips

Who doesn’t love a reason to gather family, celebrate, and enjoy scrumptious, homemade food? A few words come to mind when I think of the official summer kick-off: Crank up the grill. There is nothing that says summer quite like the aroma of grilled meats carried by a gentle summer breeze coupled with the harvest of beautiful fruits and vegetables to enjoy. As the summer rolls in, Memorial Day celebrations give us an opportunity to get started on the right track for season-long indulgence in the best of what summer has to offer. The sun isn’t the only bright star of the season; summer hosts a number of beautiful fruits and vegetables to make your Memorial Day healthy and satisfying to all your guests.

Memorial Day honors the fallen soldiers who protected this country. Not surprisingly, many choose to prepare classic American dishes that may be heavy in calories. This kick-off to summer doesn’t have to be the end of healthy eating! Here a few tips to get your Memorial Day celebration started off on the right track.

1. Go lean! Thinking of grilling hamburgers and hotdogs but want a healthier alternative? Turkey burgers can be a great substitute for higher fat meats such as ground beef. Create a toppings bar with fresh tomatoes and greens from your local farmer’s market and give your guests the chance to create their own burger. Instead of white hamburger buns, go for whole-wheat buns to throw in some added fiber to your dish.
2. Take advantage of nature’s harvest. Summer not only brings the heat but also a myriad of fresh fruits and vegetables that can add some vibrant colors to any dish you prepare. In honor of the fallen soldiers, many tend to prepare dishes that highlight the red, white, and blue colors of the American flag. One easy way to do this is to use fresh summer strawberries, blueberries, and low-fat cheese and arrange the fruits seen in the picture below to create a wholesome, appetizing dessert for your guests.

   

   
   
3. Grilled vegetables make a winning side item.  A festive veggie kabob could be a combination of sliced squash, zucchini, red onion, and bell pepper skewered and grilled to perfection to make a tasty side dish for your guests. It’s quick and easy to prepare. Better yet, the clean-up is a breeze!
4. 100% fruit juice popsicles will have everyone staying cool. What is more refreshing in the summer than a cool popsicle on a hot summer’s eve? Instead of the sugary popsicles sold in the store, opt to make your own! Several grocery stores sell popsicle molds that you can use to create your own treats. Just pour your favorite 100% fruit juice or sparkling fruit water into the molds for a cold, invigorating dessert to beat the heat of summer.

Please visit this website for more fun recipes for your Memorial Day Celebration!

Contributed by Meredith Howell, 2013 UTK Dietetic Intern

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An RD & CSA: Weeks 8 and 9

Can you believe we're already in August? This summer has flown by ... and I've gone through so many wonderful fruits and vegetables. Here's a look at my stash from weeks 8 and 9! Don't forget to check out the recipe below!

Red onions, watermelon, kale, tomatoes, tomatilla, leeks, potatoes

{ Week 8 Share }

I went on vacation right after picking up week 8's share. I made some delicious salsa and cut up the watermelon for the road trip! But before I left, I tried a recipe for Spicy Kale-Stuffed Shells from PreventionRD.com. They were amazing... and I actually followed the recipe exactly. Amazing, right? Check out her site - she has tons of nutritious and delicious recipes! She also provides the nutrition info for her recipes.

Tomatoes, eggplant, cantaloupe, onions, potatoes, kale, squash, zucchini

{ Week 9 Share }

Week 9 was much like week 8... busy and just trying to cook and eat everything before I went out of town. The first eggplant showed up this week and I am loving it! Have you tried any new eggplant recipes lately?

My RD friend shared some recipes with me for the blog. Here's a fantastic one for your kale and tomatoes (recipe calls for canned but you can always chop up some fresh ones!).

{ Recipe }

Spinach & Kale Lasagna (makes 15 servings)

9 lasagna noodles

1 lb ground beef (92/8%)

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

1 medium onion, diced

½ medium green pepper, diced

7 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

2 cups baby spinach

4 ½ cups kale, chopped

1 cup part skim ricotta cheese

1 cup fat free cottage cheese

2 cups part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

10- 12 leaves fresh basil, roughly chopped

1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper

1/8 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Add spinach and kale to boiling pasta water and cook ~ 30 seconds.  Drain noodles and spinach & kale.

Cook ground beef, when cooked thoroughly, add onions, green peppers, and garlic.  Saute ~ 2 minutes and then add canned tomatoes and tomato paste.  Add  basil, Italian seasoning and pepper.  Cook on medium heat for an additional 10 minutes.

Remove sauce from heat.

Combine ricotta, cottage cheese, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

Begin layering and creating lasagna in a 9x13 pan by starting with a layer of sauce, noodles (3 noodles/ layer), cheese mixture, spinach/ kale mix then sauce again.

Top final layer of noodles with sauce and remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil.  Bake for 45 minutes, remove aluminum foil and bake for another 15 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes.  Cut lasagna into 15 servings.

Nutrition Facts per Serving: 224 Calories, 7 grams Fat, 17 grams Protein

Helpful hint: Serve your lasagna with a great big salad - remember half your plate should be fruits  and/or veggies!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Jen, MS-MPH, RD, LDN

An RD & CSA: Weeks 6 and 7

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!

Tis the season for cook outs and fun by the pool. I was in such a rush to get to my July 4th cook out that I didn't take a picture of week 7's share. Sorry about that! Week 6 was both beautiful and delicious.. See below for recipe ideas.

Swiss chard, turnips, spring onions, potatoes, purple cabbage, squash, arugula, zucchini

 { Week 6 Share }

Swiss chard: Spaghetti with Swiss Chard

Turnips + potatoes: Mashed Potatoes and Turnips with Horseradish
Purple cabbage: sauteed with garlic, served on bratwursts and hamburgers
Squash: veggie kebobs

Zucchini: Zucchini and Goat Cheese Dip

Arugula: Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula

{ Week 7 Share }

Kale: Spicy Kale Stuffed Shells
Tomatoes + tomatillas + onions: salsa (recipe below)
Green beans: roasted
Zucchini + squash: more zucchini dip from week 6

This is what happens with Dietitians plan cook outs!

So obviously our cook outs are not short on veggies.. or colors! For the most part, everyone has their go-to cook out contribution. I usually include salsa in mine.

I couldn't tell you the last time I bought salsa at the grocery store. I prefer to throw ingredients together at home. Needless to say, I was super excited to see both tomatoes AND tomatillas in my share last week.

Salsa at a pool party is pretty much a necessity. Sometimes I use fresh tomatoes, sometimes I use canned - whatever I have around. I actually added a can to my fresh this go round to bulk it up.

{ Recipe }

Homemade Salsa

3 tomatoes, medium
2 tomatillas, medium
1 onion, medium
1 jalapeno (with or without seeds, depends on your heat preference)
3-4 garlic cloves, minced or chopped
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 can of diced tomatoes (low/no sodium is even better!)
Lime juice
Salt and pepper

Quarter the tomatoes, remove seeds so the salsa is less watery. Quarter the tomatillas and the onion. Roughly chop the jalapeno and remove all or some seeds. Roughly chop the cilantro.

Throw tomatoes, tomatillas, onion, jalapeno, garlic, and cilantro into a food processor and blend until you get the texture/consistency you want. --This is when I threw in the canned tomatoes.

Squirt in some lime juice, add a little salt and black pepper. Serve!


Helpful hint: You don't have to serve salsa with tortilla chips. Try fresh veggies or add it to your scrambled eggs!

Have you ever made your own salsa?

Jen, MS-MPH, RD, LDN

An RD & CSA: Week 5

I'm still eating leftovers (and trying to pawn food off on my friends) from this past week. The squash, zucchini, and cucumbers have taken over both my fridge and weekly menu.

I love leftovers but I can't eat the same thing too many times before I'm burnt out. So I freeze what I can't eat.. and then try a new recipe. I tried 6 new recipes in the last 7 days. Needless to say, I was in the kitchen a lot. Probably my favorite place to be though so no complaints...

I did go out to dinner last night. One of the specials involved squash.. I passed. I get enough of it at home!

Straight neck squash, garlic, white and green cucumbers, lettuce, spring onions, arugula, cabbage, zucchini, radishes, potatoes

{ Week 5 Share and Recipes}

Squash: cheesy pasta bake

Lettuce + radishes: salad
Cucumbers: salad, Quinoa with Cucumber, Black Beans, and Sesame Seeds (recipe below), California Bowl
Spring onions: Easy Pad Thai with Shrimp
Cabbage: Roasted Cabbage
Zucchini: Rustic Lentil Spaghetti

Potatoes: roasted

Garlic + arugula: both survived the week, to be cooked this weekend!



Have you ever cooked a cucumber? I've only ever had them raw. Cumbers on a salad.. in sushi.. with vinegar and salt.. etc.

In this recipe, cooked cucumber! I don't know why I never thought of this before.. guess I was just mindlessly following the masses and enjoying my raw cucumbers.

Never had quinoa? Try it in this recipe! Quinoa + beans = full so you can easily make this a main dish (I'm actually having it for lunch today).

{ Recipe }

 Quinoa with Cucumber, Black Beans, and Sesame Seeds (modified)

Makes ~ 3 (1 cup main dish) or 6 (1/2 cup side dish) servings

1 cup quinoa, uncooked
1 tsp olive oil
2 spring onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cucumber, medium, diced (remove the seeds if you want)
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 tsp soy suace
2 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 cup black beans, cooked
sesame seeds, toasted
Cook the quinoa according to package directions.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in large skillet. Add onions and garlic, saute for 1 minute. Add cucumbers, saute for 3-4 minutes (cooked but still crisp).

Add red pepper flakes, black pepper, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Add black beans, quinoa, and sesame seeds.


Helpful hint: Put your fork/spoon down in between bites.. this helps you slow down instead of inhaling your food (always guilty). It takes 20 minutes for your belly to tell your brain you're full! Take. Your. Time.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Jen, MS-MPH, RD, LDN

An RD & CSA: Week 3

Week 3 has come and gone and I'm now anxiously awaiting today's pick up at the Market Square Farmers' Market. Have you been yet? The MSFM is open Wednesday 11AM to 2PM and Saturdays 9AM to 2PM, May through November. Check it out!

Pattypan squash, napa cabbage, sweet onion, radishes, cauliflower, eight ball zucchini, lettuce, broccoli, turnips

{ Week 3 Share }

Strawberries (I ate them all before I took a picture!)

Lettuce + radishes: salad
Turnips + sweet onion: roasted

Cauliflower: Pasta with Beans, Roasted Cauliflower, & Toasted Garlic Breadcrumbs (recipe below)

Broccoli + napa cabbage: stir fry
Zucchini + pattypan squash: grilled

I never follow a recipe perfectly (even if I've never used it before) so what you see is what I did. The beans and roasted cauliflower were delicious but dry - I threw in some pesto to make up for it.

{ Recipe }

 Pasta with Beans, Roasted Cauliflower, & Toasted Garlic Breadcrumbs (modified)

Makes 4 servings

1 head cauliflower, cut into thin slabs/florets
3/4 c breadcrumbs
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper


Preheat oven to 400^o F. Toss cauliflower with 1/2 Tbsp olive oil. Lay out in an even later on a baking sheet (or stoneware); roast until browned and crisp, about 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente.

(Next time, I would skip the breadcrumbs) Add breadcrumbs to a dry skillet set over medium heat. Toast, stirring often, until crisp and golden-brown, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to plate.

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in the skillet over medium heat and add garlic. Cook, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beans and cook until heated through. Remove skillet from heat.

Toss together breadcrumbs, cauliflower, and beans and serve over 1 cup of pasta.


Helpful hint: Serve food on small plates. Our eyes are always bigger than our stomachs and this helps keep portions in check.

I'm finally back into a routine after vacation and my routine involves meal planning. It takes some time on the front end but makes my week run more smoothly. Every so often I want to just wing it.. but that's rare and I usually don't like what I end up eating.

I used to grocery shop on the weekend but have switched things around since my CSA pick up is on Wednesdays.

My action plan:

• Pick up CSA share
• Decide which recipes I want to use or how I want to cook the veggies
• Make my grocery list and then shop

Save money and time and make your list ahead of time. If you know what you need, you're in and out in no time and less likely to get aggravated with the slow-moving cart-pushers.

Oh wait, is that just me?

Meal planning.. some just use paper, some use a chalkboard or dry erase board (you've seen the fancy ones on Pinterest, yes?).. I use my "without you I'd be lost" Gmail calendar.

Most of my recipes are online so for each meal, I put the name and link to the recipe. Tada! Easy to pull up in the evening plus I can just click and drag the meal to a future date if I want to cook it again.

It's weird that I get excited about this stuff, isn't it? Oh well.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week.

 

Any meal planning secrets you'd like to share?

Jen, MS-MPH, RD, LDN

An RD & CSA: Week 2



After looking at the lovely mountains out west for the past 5 days, it's now back to work and reality. It was a wonderful trip with great company, beautiful (and steep!) hikes, and delicious food.


Possibly the best burrito I've ever had.

But like a good RD, I'm ready to get back into my routine..

Before I left, I made sure to cook and freeze all the vegetables from last week's share (minus the lettuce). I'm a Planner (yes, capital P). It makes my life easier and much more enjoyable when I'm not standing in my kitchen after work wondering what to cook that night.

If you're thinking about participating in CSA, it will help if you have a plan. Create your meals around the fresh vegetables you get each week. That's the trick with produce: it goes bad quickly. And since no one likes throwing money away, plan to cook what you can as soon as you can.

And if you dare to get into my crazy head, I'll share my grocery and meal planning ways with you next week.

L to R: Spinach, zucchini, pattypan squash, strawberries, green leaf lettuce, cabbage, garlic, summer squash, one ball squash, eight ball zucchini, red leaf lettuce

{ Week 2 Share }

Strawberries

Green leaf lettuce

Garlic + zucchini : Ravioli with Sauteed Zucchini (recipe below)

Cabbage: Cabbage Stir Fry
Squash + spinach: roasted side dish

Notice the different shapes of the squash and zucchini? Great shapes.. and even better names: one ball squash, eight ball zucchini, and pattypan squash. 

Do you have to cook them differently? Nope. I cooked all the squash together and all the zucchini together. Everything was delicious!



{ Recipe }

 Ravioli with Sauteed Zucchini (modified from Real Simple)

Makes 4 to 6 servings

2-3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
~10 c zucchini, sliced
1-2 lb frozen cheese ravioli

Heat oil in heavy, large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat, then cook garlic and crushed red pepper until fragrant about 2 minutes. Add zucchini, cook about 5-7 minutes (I like my veggies crispy - you could cook longer if you like a different texture).

Meanwhile, cook frozen ravioli (or tortellini) according to package directions. Combine zucchini with hot pasta and serve.

Helpful tip: Scoop out servings with a measuring cup (1-cup size) and have with a side salad.

Have you ever had any differently-looking zucchini or squash (besides the standard grocery store kind)?

Jen, MS-MPH, RD, LDN

An RD & CSA: Week 1

If you know nothing else about me, please know that yes, I am a Registered Dietitian, but I also love, love, love to eat. And I'll eat just about anything. For some time now, I have tried to pay more attention to where my food comes from. I've gotten better about buying in season but needed more help with buying local. And then I discovered Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).

My first CSA experience kind of just fell into place:

• Found the Colvin Family Farm on a Local Harvest CSA search
• Mentioned it to a friend who agreed to share the half bushel (large share) with me
• Made our first online payment in April

If you don't know where to start, I would suggest doing a search on Local Harvest. The website also lets you search for farmers' markets and grocery stores/co-ops. It's a great resource!

I also suggest doing some research (RDs do love a good plan): look at ratings on different sites, look at Facebook pages (if the farm has one) and see what people are saying, compare the price/size of different shares. More to come about cost and planning..

Now for week 1 and all the delicious food I've enjoyed!

L to R: garlic, cauliflower, red leaf lettuce, broccoli, bok choy, Swiss chard, strawberries, radishes

I'm proud to say that I used all of the produce I got last week - nothing went to waste!

{ Week 1 Share }

Strawberries

Red leaf lettuce + radishes: lots of salad

Garlic + Swiss chard: Spaghetti with Swiss Chard and Garlic (recipe below)

Cauliflower: Curry Roasted Cauliflower

Broccoli + bok choy: Broccoli and Bok Choy Stir Fry (with brown rice)

{ Recipe }

Spaghetti with Swiss Chard and Garlic (modified from Smitten Kitchen)

Makes 4 to 6 servings

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (to be honest, you probably only need 2 Tbsp)
1 garlic (bulb and top), chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 pound (or so) Swiss chard, stems and center ribs finely chopped and leaves coarsely chopped separately
1/2 cup vegetable broth
Whole wheat spaghetti

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, then cook garlic and onion about 3 minutes until garlic is golden and onion is soft.

Stir chard stems into onion mixture with broth and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook, covered, over medium-high heat until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in chard leaves and cook, covered, until stems and leaves are tender, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti until al dente. Serve vegetables over hot spaghetti.

Helpful tip: I keep my pasta separate and measure out a cup as my serving (I tend to overdo it with all things noodles).

I've got vacation time coming up and won't be able to fly my share across the country with me. Game plan: feed and give whatever I won't use to my friends who are lovely enough to watch my dogs for me!

Do you plan your meals for the week or do you just wing it?

Jen, MS-MPH, RD, LDN

Eat Right with Color: Color Your Diet Red!

Including a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables in your diet helps provide your body with a wide range of nutrients for optimal health.  The basic idea is to choose an array of foods from the different color groups—red, yellow, orange, blue, purple, green, white—because each color group has certain nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants. 

Specifically, including naturally red foods in your diet helps maintain heart health, memory function, urinary tract health, and may also lower the risk of some cancers.  Foods in the red group contain specific phytochemicals such as lycopene and anthocyanins that benefit overall health.

Color your diet red every day by eating these foods:

Fruit.  Red apples, cherries, cranberries, red grapes, pink/red grapefruit, red pears, pomegranates, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon

Vegetables.  Beets, red peppers, radishes, red onions, red potatoes, rhubarb, tomatoes

Beans & Peas.  Pink/red beans (kidney, pinto), red lentils

There are several ways to incorporate red foods into your diet.  Below are some tips to increase your intake of red fruits, vegetables, and legumes. 

• Top a cup of fat-free or low-fat yogurt with raspberries, apples, or sliced strawberries 
• Ask for more vegetable toppings (like sliced tomatoes, red onions, or red peppers) and less         cheese on your pizza. 
• Drink a fruit smoothie made with whole fruit (raspberries or strawberries), ice cubes, and a low-fat or fat-free yogurt. 
• Store cleaned red fruits and vegetables in the fridge at eye level and keep a low-fat or fat-free fruit or veggie dip on hand. 
• Add vegetables like tomatoes or red bell peppers to your egg or egg white omelet.Add sliced strawberries to your cereal, oatmeal, waffles, or toast. 
• Snack on vegetables like red bell pepper strips with a low-fat or fat-free ranch dip. 

Try these recipes:

Stuffed Red Bell Peppers 

Ingredients  (Makes 8 servings)

4 red or green bell peppers
1 pint or 2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 cup fresh basil leaves
3 garlic cloves
2 tsp olive oil
¼ tsp Salt
¼ tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a large shallow baking pan. Cut peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Arrange peppers cut sides up in baking pan and lightly oil cut edges of stems. Halve cherry tomatoes and chop onion and basil. Finely chop garlic. In a bowl toss tomatoes, onion, basil, garlic, 2 tbsp. oil, salt and pepper to taste. Divide mixture among peppers and roast in upper third of oven until peppers are tender, about 20 minutes.

Nutrition information per serving: Calories 41, Total Fat 1.4g, Saturated Fat 0.3g, Carbohydrates 7g, Protein 1g, Cholesterol 0mg, Fiber 2g, Sodium 78mg, Carbohydrates 63%, Protein 10%, Fat 27%.

           

           Raspberry Smoothie

Ingredients  (Makes one serving)

1 cup unsweetened, frozen raspberries

¾ cup 100% orange juice

½ cup plain low-fat yogurt

Blend all ingredients well in blender and drink!

Nutrition information per serving:  Calories 240, Fat 0g, Carbohydrate 52g, Protein 8g, Fiber 4g, Sodium 70mg, Cholesterol 0g.

  

For more recipes please visit: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/.

Submitted by:
UT Dietetic Intern

Italian Bean & Tomato Salad

This is a great summer recipe for a bean salad, and it is super easy to make! It is always a crowd favorite, and usually the entire dish is eaten. I also like to add a chopped green or red pepper to add extra flavor!

What you will need:
2 cans (15oz each) white beans, rinsed
2 cups cut fresh green beans
6 plum tomatoes (1lb), chopped
½ cup light Italian dressing
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Combine beans, tomatoes & dressing. Refrigerate one hour. Top with basil & cheese before serving.

Servings: 6, 1 cup servings.

200 calories, 31g Carbohydrate, 12g Protein, 8g Fiber per 1 cup serving. 

Submitted by: 

Hailey Jones, SUNY Dietetic Intern

Recipes: Sweet Potato Enchilada Bake

I'm a sucker for cashmere. It's soft, cozy, warm, luxurious, and makes me happy just feeling/looking at it. I stalk my favorite catalogs until their cashmere offerings go on sale, then I pounce like a snow leopard. I have a friend who has cashmere PJs, and I want to break into her house and steal them. Of course, if I had them, I would never leave my couch, therefore preventing me from going to work, which would prevent me from making the funds necessary to feed my fetish. Guess I'll just have to settle for sweats and a soft, cozy, warm, luxurious Doberhound next to me. Not a bad deal :)

But I did find the cashmere of food: sweet potato enchiladas. Creamy, rich, cheesy, warm, and unique; if cashmere were edible, that's what it would be. The bonus points come from the minimal hands-on work and light price tag of this meal. And yes, I do appreciate the nutrition component-- for cheesy comfort food, it actually packs quite a lot of nutrients. Whoa, sorry to go all dietitian on you. Let's talk about butter (there, I'm back!).

I found this recipe on the Mindika Moments blog, which is very fun and full of tasty recipes. I modified it a little to make it into a casserole instead of individual enchiladas, and it turned out really well. The original recipe also calls for cooked chicken, but I felt that would be too much going on with the sweet potatoes and beans. I baked the sweet potatoes in the morning while I walked the hounds, so when din-din time rolled around that night, they were all baked, cooled, and ready to mash. Seriously, these took about 15 minutes to prepare with the cooked sweet potato. Ironic, since it took me about 15 minutes to stop staring at my favorite cashmere gloves from Garnet Hill. I think it's fate. Just sayin' :)

Sweet Potato Enchilada Bake

Adapted from mindikamoments.com

Printable recipe here

Serves 6-8

2 large sweet potatoes

1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened (I used full fat, but feel free to be less indulgent)

4 green onions, chopped

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper (I used my fave, California Seasoned Pepper from Penzeys)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

12 7" corn tortilla

1 19-oz can red enchilada sauce (best on the market is Frontera Grill brand, from Mexican food chef and guru Rick Bayless... you can find it in most stores and it's totally worth it!)

1 16-oz package Mexican blend shredded cheese

Bake sweet potatoes for about an hour at 400 F, or until soft. Turn oven down to 350 F.

Recipes: Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

From Taste of Home

Ingredients:

• 1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
• 1 medium navel orange, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 medium kiwifruit, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar

Cinnamon Chips:

• 10 flour tortillas (8 inches)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

• In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
• For chips, brush tortillas with butter; cut each into eight wedges. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over tortillas. Place on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake at 350° for 5-10 minutes or just until crisp. Serve with fruit salsa. Yield: 2-1/2 cups salsa (80 chips).

Makes about 20 servings

Expect to spend about 30 minutes prep time to make this recipe

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 each) equals 127 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 6 mg cholesterol, 148 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.

Kristen Jackson Slusher MS, RD, LDN
Clinical Nutrition Specialist

P.O. Box 15010

Knoxville, TN 37901-5010

865-541-8395

kjslusher@etch.com

Recipes: Prosciutto, Melon, and Parmesan Salad

Things are finally beginning to look a bit brighter! It's warming up outside and local farmers are beginning to bring more fresh produce out to their stands. Nothing sounds better than a fresh salad that requires no cooking or baking on these warm, sunny days. This salad is made of mixed greens, melon, and prosciutto and topped with a balsamic vinaigrette made from scratch.  Try serving it with rosemary foccacia bread or another hearty Italian bread for a more filling meal.

Prosciutto, Melon, and Parmesan Salad
Serves 1

Ingredients:

2 cups mixed greens

½ cup sliced melon

¼ cup halved red + green grapes

¼ cup thinly sliced fresh fennel + a few fennel fronds for garnish

1 thin slice prosciutto, cut into long strands

1 Tbsp. freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 thin slice red onion, cut into half moons

Pinch of fresh chiffonade basil

Quick Balsamic Vinaigrette 

Stir together: 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil, ½ tsp. balsamic vinegar, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a drop of mustard, a small drizzle of honey, a pinch of salt, and a dash of pepper

Submitted by: 

Kori Higgins

UTK Nutrition Student

(865) 809-2001

Khiggin6@utk.edu

Recipes: Cherry, Date and Lemon Muffins

I was wrong. That is so hard to say.

My error in judgement was thinking that one could not procure a stellar flour-free baked good. And why even try? I knew I would just end up with some sort of hockey puck-like creature reminiscent of my culinary science class on "what happens when you accidentally leave out the flour." But again, I have been humbled and now stand corrected and enlightened before you.

It all started with the CrossFit Paleo Challenge. Our fabulous neighbors (and fellow CrossFitters) participated at our affiliate, CrossFit Ktown, and at the end of the 12-week challenge, they looked great, felt great, and gained tons of strength. What is the Paleo diet? It's an eating lifestyle based on the foods that our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate: meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds. No dairy, grains, legumes, or processed foods. There are, of course, many variations of this way of eating, but those are the basic principles. 

What about this made me go run and hide under my bed?

 No baked goods for 12 weeks??!!! That's torturous! It's unethical! It's inhumane!

I've heard urban legends of those almond flour goodies that are "just as delicious as the wheat flour version," but I lumped those in the same category as those people who say you can bake with Splenda and not tell the difference. They are either wrong, or their taste buds have ceased to function. I'm going with the former.

But my neighbor was wise to my prejudiced ways, and presented on my doorstep with piping hot, fresh-from-the-oven Cherry, Date and Lemon muffins made with 100% ground almonds. She knows I can't resist something with a name like that.

Now I've made some fabulous muffins in my day, but these are off the charts. The natural oil in almonds makes these muffins super rich and delicious. Lots of dried fruit, with a delicate lemon flavor, too. The original recipe calls for agave nectar, but I used honey and they turned out great. There's nothing special about agave nectar anyway-- it's a highly-processed form of fructose. Either sweetener makes these muffins non-strict Paleo, but these are much better options than those jumbotron muffins you find at the grocery store.

So am I ready to shun my beloved baguette and be a strict Paleo convert? Not necessarily. In my opinion, life is too short to live without moderate amounts of my favorite refined carbolicious goodies. But there's a growing body of legit science behind the Paleo lifestyle, and the Booze Hound and I are incorporating some of the basic concepts into our daily lives. Who wouldn't benefit from more nuts, fruits, veggies, fish and grass-fed meat?

Whether you're Paleo perfect, or just trying to watch your white flour intake, everyone can agree that these muffins are delicious. Would I, lover of all things French, fattening, and fabulous, steer you wrong?? Happy baking!

Cherry, Date and Lemon Muffins

Recipe from my fabulous neighbor!

Printable recipe here

Makes 12 muffins

2 c blanched almond flour (I grind my own in my food processor-- super easy!)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 c dried cherries

1/4 c dates

Zest of one lemon

1/2 c canola oil

3 eggs

1/2 c honey or agave nectar

2 tsp lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, cherries, dates and lemon zest.

3. In a smaller bowl, stir together oil, eggs, honey/agave, and lemon juice. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

4. Spoon batter into lined muffin tins (muffin papers are essential!! Major stick-fest otherwise!). Bake 25-30 minutes.

Submitted by: 

The Food Hound

Food-hound@hotmail.com

http://food-hound.blogspot.com 

Recipes: Go Green for St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day is Thursday! If you're looking for a green recipe to try at home, we've got two here. If you'd rather go out for some Irish fare, why not try The Irish Times in Turkey Creek or The Crown & Goose in the Old City? We've already reviewed Crown and Goose, so check it out before you go. 

May the luck of the Irish be yours on Thursday! 

Red Potato Colcannon

Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish consisting of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage. Eating Well always has healthy, great tasting recipes and this one didn't disappoint! This version of colcannon uses only a small amount of butter and low-fat milk

Ingredients: 

1 pound small red potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup onion, thinly sliced

6 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced (about 1/2 head)

1 cup low-fat milk, milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Directions:

Place potatoes in a steamer basket over once inch of boiling water in a Dutch over. Steam, covered, until just cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and cover to keep warm.

Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add cabbage and continue cooking stirring occasionally, until cabbage begins to brown, about 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and stir in milk, salt and white pepper; cover and cook until cabbage is tender, about  minutes. Add cabbage mixtures to potatoes. Mash to desired consistency.

Submitted by:

Jennifer Nicklas, MS-MPH, RD, LDN

jcnicklas@gmail.com